all Create others Centeniers to rule ouer an hundred Cinquanteniers to beare aucthoritye ouer Fiftye and Disiniers to commaunde ouer ten Let these Iudge the people in all seasons according to their order and charge and bringing to thée the causes of greatest importance specially suche as concerne God let them iudge the rest So shalt thou bee discharged of that great burden of labour where in vaine thou dyddest consume thy selfe before In this aduise of God to Moyses we sée is expressed what ought to bée the office nature and state of suche as are chosen to leade and iudge others according to God and that not onely in highe and stately Courtes but in places of right meane sorte who notwithstanding as in degrées so also in knowledge and vertue ought to aspire to excellencie Suche then bée wise men who with the sence of deuine and humaine learning bée principally instructed in the knowledge of God and vnderstand his will and iudgement with contemplacion of the causes effectes and nature of all thinges And being wise in this sorte as theyr exact knowledge will leade them to geue a perfect iudgement of al thinges so being ignoraunt in the least much lesse that they can iudge in integretye séeing they can not merite the name of wyse men But because according to Sainct Paul men maye haue knowledge and yet in theyr doinges bée voyde of integritye Iethro addeth the feare of God that is that knowing God they doe also feare and serue him For suche men would not willingly feare God who knowe his iudgements to bée no lesse horrible to them that displease him then terrible to suche as execute false Iudgement whereby trueth is peruerted wrong pronounced to the multitude and their proper conscience defiled And therefore as hee woulde haue them to bée firme in simplicitye of worde Doctrine and iudgement without instabilytye in cases of trueth which by theyr wisedome they knowe to bée so agréeable to God as hée is called the selfe trueth so it is a breache of theyr duety if they bee subiect to the errour of mutacion They must also hate Couetousnes as in which is layde vp the roote of al euils A vyce of more damnable perril then all the rest and of a nature so wicked that it leades men to Idolatrye by preferring Golde and glorious drosse of the worlde afore the liuing God drawing from them in the ende all feare Religion Reuerence and knowledge of God translate their hearts to infidelitie both towards Heauen and earth Lyke as by lamentable experience wée sée that oftentimes the gréedines of a wretched present leades the couetous Iudge into such blinde and reprobate sence that to peruert Iustice hee stickes not to commit his soule to sale Louing rather the base Earth then the maiestie of heauen to handle Golde then behold the Sonne to bée ritche then honest and lastly seekes to laye vp his felicitie in his transitory presence of welth rather then to lift vp his minde to aspire to the life euerlasting So that in such as are chosen to the regiment of pollecie ought to bée no note of auarice and muche lesse any profe of corruption for doing any acte of iniustice seing that of all other there is this perill in that vice that being once made ritche by couetousnes there is no limit or measure of their extorcion euen as to a smal flame if you adde encrease of wod you rayse it easilie to a greater blase For by howe much more there is offer and meane of gaine euen by so much more doeth the raging zeale of auaâ—ice growe great yea euentâ—â— iâ— bée vnquencheable in the Ritche couetous man it takes continual increase not onely with the poyson of ritches but also with the yeres of their age where other vices carye this common property to diminishe with time the same being the cause why the Scripture saieth There is nothing more wicked then a couetous man for hée is not onely wicked to others by bringing pouertie vpon them in rauishing their goodes but also hee is the confounder of him selfe as touching his soule which hée bequeathes to the Deuil for nothing and oftentimes selleth it for a bare hope of a base profite executing the like iniurye vpon his bodye from the which hee oftentimes restraines natural and necessary nourishment becomes a nigarde to his health by sparing his purse makes his mind and body subiect to passions and perpetual labors shorteneth his temporal life and which worse is loseth euerlasting felicitye So that as Iesus Christ and after him Saint Paul not without cause do exhort in great affectioÌ„ to flée couetousnes as the nurse of infidelity the mother of perdition and lastly the infectious roote of al euils to such as folow it so if this vyce bring such damnable miseries to all mankinde as in respect of his continual wretchednes it ought chiefly to bee auoyded of the Iudge in whome ought not to appeare so much as a suspicion of such euil insomuch that besides the extreme peril of his Soule infinite are the temporal iniquityes which flow from a couetous Iudge in whom for gaine-sake is seldome found any difficultie to offer to hassard the goodes honour and life of many persons the same being the cause why the Sonnes of Samuel were deposed from their iudgement seate and why Cambises caused one of his Iudges to be slaine quick and with his skin couered his chaire the better to aduertise the sonne and successors of the sayd Iudge that they were subiect to the same iustice if for gaine they pronounced corrupt iudgement ¶ What gouernors God hath chosen and howe he hath declared them by myracles they ought all to be instructed at the entree of the Tabernacle and why the great benefite which commeth of good Iudges and why God doth ordaine some wicked ⧠The .2 Chapter TO resort eftsones to the matter of election of gouernours to common weales who are Iudges by theyr institution with the counsell of Iethro wée will ioyne the example of God when hée elected rulers ouer his people as Moyses for the most perfect and Iosua and for his Tabernacle Aaron and Phineus and then examine what commaundemente God gaue to Moyses for the calling of seuenty Elders or Senators whome hée ordayned as soueraygne Iudges and gouernours ouer the Townes of Israel Moyses in his complaint to be insufficient to susteine so great a charge and burden of affaires was hearde of God by him coÌ„manded to assemble at the Gate of the Tabernacle Seuenty of the most Auncient of Israel suche as were most wise best experienced amongst the people causing them to assist and stay with him to impart with them graces requisit to the estate office of good gouernors which graces hée calleth part communion of the spirite of Moyses whose perfect knowledge of thinges exact iudgement Holye zeale and integritye of Fayth Doctrine and lyfe such as were in him so they are al
aduising vs by this rather to loase both the hoode and the cloake as the prouerbe is then to bée reuenged of them and endure death rather then to geue one blowe But in cases not touching faith wée maye vse iustice as did Saint Paul who when reproches and false crimes by malice were layde vpon him and Christian faith not touched hée defended him selfe against his false accusers and in extréeme reméedye hée appealeth to Caesar at Rome Touching the Lawes of the Gentiles if according to our opinion before they bée founded in vniuersal reason without errour or infidelitye they ought as braunches springing out of the law naturall to be receiued and obserued as was the marriage of Infidelles But where they suffer errour let them with their idolatries bée abhominable abhorred To answere the obiection which some deriue from S. Paul that the wise christian ought to iudge differences amongest the faithfull where there is no mencion of lawes Saint Paul in saying that the wise man may Iudge meaneth that he bée wise in the vnderstanding of the lawes for in this is the true propertye of wisedome to bée well séene and wise in God concerning thinges deuine and humane so shall his singular wisedome kéepe him from errour in iudgement hauing in him as the teacher of wisedom saith the feare of God knowledge and wisedome and being truly spiritual which by the spirite of God makes exact iudgement in all thinges and can not bée reproued of that whereof hée hath geuen sentence Yet when he ought to Iudge I will not saye but that it is méete that hee haue the lawes of the world in his head yea let him haue a good spirite a sound ripe iudgement and vnderstand wel the cause in present question so laying aside al affection let him recōmend him selfe to God whose iudgement hée exerciseth Let him confer in difficult maters with other sages which with remembrance of Gods holy feare will leade him in integrity of iudgement And knowing that the ende of al lawe is vtility necessity honesty let him prefer honesty before profite publike profit before the perticular gaine of any man that rather certaine priuate persons lose in obseruing the Lawe then the multitude to suffer distresse But aboue all let that honestye which consistes in vertue bée alwayes entertayned doing no euill whereupon to hope for good ¶ The lawe naturall grounded vpon reason vvas two thousand yeres in vse vvithout other ordinaunces sauing the Sabboth and Circumsition and God hath geuen fevve lavves concerning this naturall and ciuill right nor the auncient vvise gouernors of cōmon vveales for iust causes the people of God according to reason haue made iudgementes and follovved the interpretacion of their moral lavves by the instinct of reason by the vvhich God did institute them and therefore vvhen the Scribes and Pharisies peruerted that reason they vvere condemned Gouernours asvvell in theyr ordinaunces as constitucion of paines to punishe offences ought alvvaies to follovve those lavves vvhich God hath ordeyned according to that reason ¶ The .5 Chapter THus vve haue seene that gouernours maye Iudge according to Lawes naturall deuine and humane both in what sort they ought to iudge and that it is not necessarye alwayes to consult with the written Lawe in all Iudgementes for that as there bée more matters then words more causes then lawes So the actions of men as Aristotle saith being infinite can not bée conteyned all by memoryes as also by reason of the dissimilitude varieties they can not be comprehended in generall constitucions such as be the Lawes this was the cause that the Lacedemonians made no great vse of writtē lawes leauing to the discretion of wise Iudges and graue men the iudgement of that whiche was not written God him selfe the Image of all wisedome for the same reason caused no Lawe to bée written in twoo thousand yeeres but that of the Sabboth circumsicion nor in the Gospel we see none expresly instituted by Iesus Christ for a cōmon weale but al was referred to the arbitracion and wise iudgement of gouernours yea when God emploied Moyses to bée the Lawmaker of the Iewes hée erected but fewe lawes and they onelye in principall matters for the preseruation of societye and polletike quiet referring the iudgemēt of other affaires not contained in the same generall Lawes to the discretion of such Iudges as hée had ordained willing for that it was impossible to write lawes to all affaires that in those newe causes theyr iudgement should hold perentory aucthority as wel as in other matters to bée decided by the written Lawes yea hée commaunded that the wise men should interprete his lawes by theyr wisdome as in the interpretacion of the ordinaunce of circumcision that the eyght day men should bée Circumcised they reserued forty yéeres that they were in the desert without being Circumcised In lyke sort of the Phascal or feast of Easter for the seconde moneth to suche as had not done it in the fyrst and so in infinite others by verye good and iuste reasons approued and receaued in the Lawe wherein he gaue them aucthoritye not onely to iudge according to discresion and good aduise and to interprete all Lawes but also gaue them power to make newe as the necessitye of the affaires required whereof for a more assured proofe of others erected according to reason wee sée twoo approued in the Gospell as on the Sabboth day not to goo further then halfe a league to celebrate the feast dedicatory in the moneth of Decēber which Iesus Christ did assist preache there forbearing to speake of many other as in the time of Easter which the Seniors general Iudges and gouernors of the people had ordeyned So that as their aucthoritye is greate to iudge and interprete lawes alwaies erect according to the circumstance of time matter So notwithstanding this must be considered that in a monarchie gouernors neyther haue power nor office to create ordinances but vnder the approbation of the Prince with this regarde further that they hold conformety with the law deuine to prefer Gods honor common profit wherin let gouernors in the constitucion of their statutes haue a perpetual respect to the wil iudgement of God which they ought to preserue interprete and not peruert them as did the scribes pharisies certaine of the Seniors geuing value to their proper inuentions ordinances contrary to the law of god as oftentimes to wash their hādes enritche the treasour of the temple by defrauding the poore fathers mothers of their naturall right touching the norriture which they ought to their children Chiefly let Magistrates obserue cause to bée exactly obserued the lawes of God and afterward the ordinances of man such as they create tending to those endes and others agreeing with the time and nature of places and persons conforming all with the Lawes of God So that when they sée in the Scripture that
in which I am bolde to repose much for the protection of this my small labour and therwithall according to my long profession I humbly dedicate my selfe and seruice to your Honour on whom J doubt not but God will suffer still to attend that good Aungell which hee appointed to bee the guide of Tobias and to accomplishe all his vertuouse and iust desires At my chamber in the Blacke Friers this xvj of May. 1574. Your Honours in assured and faythfull seruice Geffray Fenton ¶ A Table of the particular Chapters thorow the whole treatise The first Booke WHat is first requisit in the well gouerning of a common weale how Ciuill pollecie ought to be conformable to the celestiall gouernement what good commeth of good pollecie what maner of gouernors and iudges ought to be chosen to direct publike estates Chap. 1. fol. 1. ¶ What gouernours God hath chosen and how he hath declared them by miracles they ought all to be instructed at the entrey of the tabernacle why the great benefite comming of good Iudges and why god doth ordeine some wicked Chap. 2. fol. 6. ¶ Gouernours chosen according to GOD make present profe of their election to the profit of the common weale Let them know how to commaund and subiects how to obey the better to make their common weale florish as inferior members obey the more worthy Magistrates ought to be as Fathers the lawe must be inuiolable but specially one true amitie betwene the gouernour and the subiect Chap. 3. fol. 11. ¶ There be two principalities or pollecies which ought to be knit together in vnitie of frendship as the soule and the bodie without difference they ought to aide one another with perpetuall succours Chap. 4. fol. 16 ¶ The faultes of the Clergie ought to bee corrected gouernours ought aboue al things to prouide good Preachers that the rude and plaine sort may be taught in familiar doctrine All sortes ought to be constrained to be at the sermon such constraint is authorised by the scripture is both profitable to the coÌ„mon weale and wholesome to such as are constrained Chap. 5. fol. 20. ¶ The wise worldlings now a dayes would not willingly haue sermoÌ„s as also certain pastors desire nothing lesse theÌ„ to preach laying the blame of the miserie of this time vppon Sermons Chap. 6. fol. 25 ¶ A refutation of such as hold that people are not bound to heare so many sermons wherefore are the Pastors if they feede not the flocke with the foode of the Scriptures Chap. 7. fol. 30 ¶ In how much good Phisitions are necessary to coÌ„mon weales by so much such as be euill are hurtfull and daungerous who ought to be chosen Phisitions in a towne Chap. 8. fol. 35 ¶ Abuses hapning in the world by the supposed name of Phisitions Apothicaries and Chirurgions Chap. 9. fol. 42 ¶ God hath erected Phisicke and willeth that the Phisition bee honored Chap. 10. fol. 48 The second Booke JVdges and gouernours haue of God many seuere commaundements in the Scripture to exhibit iustice by rightfull lawes Chapter 1. fol. 52 ¶ Iudges are warned not to be credulous nor to iudge by reports to take heede of affections and not to iudge by perticular opinion c. Chap. 2. 62 ¶ In humane things Magistrates ought to followe the lawe naturall and in causes diuine the doctrine of faith and the loue of god c. Chap. 3. fol. 68. ¶ Men may vse the morall lawes of the old testament but not the ceremoniall and iudiciall applied to the times and maners of the Iewes which Iesus Christ also S Paul doth confirme these were natural therfore ought to be eternall c Cha. 4. fol. 72 ¶ The law naturall grounded vppon reason was two thousand yeres in vse without other ordenances sauing the Sabaoth and Circumcision c. Chap. 5. fol. 78 ¶ Gouernours ought to punish by death such as God condemnes to eternall and temporall death c. Chap. 6. fol. 83 ¶ Sinnes coÌ„mitted against the second Table are worthy of death euen so deserue they eternall damnation c. Chap. 7. fol. 89 ¶ Diuerse punishments of whoredome according to the diuersitie of kyndes of the same sinne Chap. 8. fol 94 ¶ Continuance of the punishment of this sinne according to his other kindes Chap. 9. fol. 98 ¶ Theft was not punished in the law but by restitution of double treble and foure fold but now for iust causes it is punnished by death theft by necessitie in some sort excusable Chap. 10 fol. 102 ¶ There is a double lust or vrlawfull couetousnes forbidden vs c. Chap. 11. fol. 108 The third Booke ENumeration of sinnes wherof men make no conscience and are oftentimes in the condition of greeuous sinnes their qualitie and grauetie do vary c. Chap. 1. fol. 115 ¶ Flattery is declared very hurtful to commoÌ„ weales families it makes young people rise into great pride c. Chap. 2. fol. 119 ¶ Let none glorifie himselfe but in his pouertie necessitie and affliction c. Chap. 3. fol. 123 ¶ Scoffers men of pleasant conceit pretending none other end but to encrease pleasure are rebukeable but more if their testing torne to the reproch of any so do they offend god Chap. 4. fo 129 ¶ Plaies which of themselues beare no vice are not disalowable in respect of their ends and lawfull causes vnlawfull games at Dice are causes of much euill Chap. 5. fol. 133 ¶ Daunces with their wanton songs at this day are vaine and vnchast Chap. 6. fol. 137 ¶ Minstrels are vnworthy of the state and fellowship of townes men as also puppet players c. Chap. 7 fol. 141. ¶ Idlenes is a vice most common bringing with it most other offences yet no conscience made of it Chap. 8 fol 147 ¶ The ritch sort haue more to trauell then the poore and in what such as labour in mind trauell more then the painfull laborer Chap. 9. fol. 152 ¶ Gouernours ought not to suffer any idle men in their common weales c Chap. 10. fol 156 ¶ In all creatures is seene a perpetual labour whetâ—â—â— in heaueÌ„ in earth or in the sea c. Chap. 11. fol 161 ¶ There be diuers sortes of idle men some worke certain howers c. Chap 12. 1â—5 ¶ Loyâ—e eâ—s accustomed to begge wil be applied to no other trade c. Chap. 13. fol. 169 The fourth Booke THe simple impotent and true needie poore we ought to hold in singular and deare care Chap. 1. fol. 172 ¶ Many haue giuen all that they haue to the poore to follow Iesus Christ in hope to be happie c. Chap. 2. fol. 176 ¶ Compassion ought chiefly to be showed to poore maydes for the infirmitie of the kind c. Chap. 3. fol. 180 ¶ Hospitalitie and almes in all times haue ben in singular estimation c. Chap 4. fol. 183 ¶ We must not feare that by giuing Almes wee shal be poore for God c Chap. 5. fo
Conflictes against vices So that theyr office standes onelye vppon these that they Preache sincerelye and Catholikelye and administer the Sacramentes Holylye if they bée Pastours let them feede the Shéepe of Iesus Christ with good Doctrine and holy example not regarding more the fléese then the flocke Let them admonishe priuately secréete Sinners to doo penaunce Rebuke suche as bée Publike seuerelye committing the impenitent to punishment Let them suffer no scabbed Sheepe in theyr Flocke and yet trauaile to heale them as all other maledyes Let them sustaine suche as bée weake and aboue all let them so prouide that no Woolues enter into theyr Shéepe fooldes and if they bée entred let them searche by all meanes to hunt them out with good Dogges I meane good Preachers whose zeale wyll not suffer them to spare to barke not onelye against Heresies but also against sinnes al abuses the onely causes of the greatest part of Schismes and conspiracies in al partes of the world Let them well consider of the Text of Ezechiel If they haue fayled sayeth hée to instruct well suche ouer whome they haue charge and that by theyr default any bée lost they can not bée saued But if they vse Faith and diligence in the execution of theyr charge being ayded with the trauaile of good Scolemaisters for the instituction of Youth in good learning and manners besides the reuerend commendation and felycitye that will growe to them selues by their industrie and dutye Ecclesiasticall the secular estate also shal be discharged of great care and trauaile in the correction of many dissolute and hurfull men to Common Weales who for want of good instruction shal nourishe hurtful members to the perril of their common ruine and miserye vntill this estate of the Churche bring foorth true effectes of their function and dutye and that young children bée diligentlye trained in Doctrine and vertue For euen as our bodye materiall replenished with humours corrupt if it bée not pourged by some inwarde Medicine wyl alwayes throwe out to the vtter partes Blaines Apostumes and Vlcers or at least engender Catars that the Surgeon sometime in vaine is dryuen to applye outwarde remedies where in déede there was this one conuenient remedye to make cleane the bodye within euen so the bodye Polletike corrupted by innumerable Vices ought to bée made cleane by inward Doctrines the true Medicines of Soules administred by Priestes and Wise Pastours otherwayes it will bée perpetuallye couered with a Scorfe of infinite factions Sedicions Heresies and other sinnes So that it is necessarye that this estate Ecclesiasticall agrée with the other not onelye in diligence and dutye to administer good Doctrine but also to shine by liuelye examples and Actes of good lyfe making cleane mens consciences by holye documents and wholsome exhortacions So shal it bée easie to the Magistrate of the Pollecy Ciuill to correct and cut of all Wheales and other outward Impostumes I meane all enormities offending their common weales This is in effect the brotherly concord deare coniunction which ought to stande indissoluble betwéene these two estates for the gouernment of this Christian man as well touching the health of his Soule as his assured tranquilitye in Ciuill societye with the preseruation of his life and goodes ¶ The Faultes of the Clargie ought to be corrected Gouernors ought aboue al things to prouide good Preachers that the rude and plaine sort should be taught in familiar doctrine all sortes ought to be constrained to be at the Sermon such constraint is aucthorised by the Scripture and is both profitable to the common vveale and vvholsome to suche as are constrained ⧠The .5 Chapter WHen the Clargie or estate Ecclesiasticall shal faile in their dutie I meane if the pastors bée careles to execute theyr vocation or negligent in the function of their charge and office wherein they are many wayes aduertised by the Scripture and being solicited thereunto by the Magistrate they ought to be constrayned by iustice as the auncient Canons and laste counsel haue ordeyned if in them selues bée no habilitye to preach at least let them substitute in their places men of sufficient facultie knowledge will to do it wherein the magistrate hath power to ioyne with them to finde out men expedient for that vse as Preachers in whose grauitye of life is expressed the Doctrine whiche they ought to pronounce to the people Let them reade certayne dayes in the wéeke and spend the Sabboth daye in Preaching publikelye in Churches In the morning let them propound to the simple and rude multitude a familiar instruction in the principles of Christian profession expounding to them first of all the Doctrine of the Articles of Faith the commaundementes of the Lawe and statutes of the Churche the misterye of Sacraments and their vse together with the Lords praier interpreting al thinges by sincere order and in such popular sence and Doctrine that euen litle Children maye easilye comprehende it the same to bée continued from yéere to yéere with such necessary repeticion as nothing bée omitted by him to whome the exposition belongeth At publike Seruice where is commonlye a presence of the principall of the Parishe let the Epistle bée expounded and at after noone the Gospel interpreted the scripture geues commaundement that if the Preacher bée learned and holye al the inhabitauntes ought to congregate in audience as was commaunded to the people of the olde Lawe to assist the Lecture of Deuteronomie yea euen the litle Children of all Iudea And because many men eyther by a Vice in nature or corruption of maners carrye this frowardnes that without compulsion they will not bée drawen to doo or bée good it belonges to the Magistrate who is to aunswere before the Iudgement seate of God if in his common weale hée nourishe by negligence or by conniuencye dissemble any vice to drawe them to the hearing of the worde by perswasions and al easy meanes and where they finde no willing conformetye in any let there bée constraynt by fine and afterward according to the nature and continuaunce of their resistaunce to Gods woorde whiche can not bée but a kinde of infidelitie to procéede by seueritye and rigour of Iustice And as these Lordes Gouernours and Magistrates are as fathers to their common weales so they â—ught in their regiment to expresse no lesse affection of fatherly will and aucthoritye to their Citizens and subiects then in a naturall Father nature demaundes to his proper Children whom by the propertye of his zeale and loue he hath power to constraine them to doo what he thinks méete for their aduauncement when hée findes them voide of wil to doo it frankely oftentimes hée makes his Sonne take a bitter medicine to cure his sicknesse and as occasion requireth makes incision in his vlcer whiche coulde not bee healed but by fire muche more ought the father pollitike to constraine him to receiue a spirituall medicine for whome hée is exercised in great care to cure his
Sodom and Gomorre to see if the desolution of the people aunswered the horrible brute that went of them his wordes were I will discend and see if it be so Hée that knoweth whatsoeuer is done euen in the déepest bottomes and from whome no secréete can bée hid declares by this familiar manner and phrase of Speache applyed to our infirmitye that it belonges to Iudges afore they enter into sentence or pronounce against such as are accused to bée assured of the trueth of the fact least by theyr lightnes or soure passion they committe errour in iudgement In the lawe when the affaires stoode vpon any harde or obscure doubte this was the custome to referre it to the iudgement of God as in the punishment of the blasphemour and what right daughters had to the goods of theyr Fathers in whiche cases there was no resolution set downe in the Law the same seruing as matter of aduertisement to examine exactlye such controuersies and harde causes as the lawes haue no habilitye to decide beséeching God according to the aduise of the scripture so to lighten their inward reason that they may bring forth true and perfect Iudgement But when Iudges will not beginne by this aduertisement nor conforme them selues to this iustice of God his iudgements let them looke for that terrible seuerytie which hee hath thundered vpon those Iudges countries where he found negligence in punishment to those sortes of crimes Hely the great gouernour and Iudge of Israel because hée did not iustice vppon his children brake his necke his children were kylled and all the countrey brought to desolacion The sonnes of Samuel were deposed because they tooke presentes Saul was reprooued for geuing grace to such as hée ought to haue punished after whose death famine came ouer all the land of Palestin for that hée gaue wicked iudgementes in the landes of the Gabaonites whom hée afflicted and made certaine of them passe by vniust death to satisfye which iniquity Seuen of the race of Saule were hanged vpon Gibbertes The Captiuitie of the Israelites and ruine of Ierusalem of the Temple and their Townes happened for the transgression of the Priestes and Kinges done in Iustice corrupting it by presents condemning the iust and iustifying the wicked for Bribes Whereof Esay speaketh thy Princes that is thy gouernours as well in Pollecye Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill are vnfaithfull and haue forsworne them selues yea euen they that haue taken othe to doo good Iustice and haue not obserued it but are become companions of Robbers and haue share in their praye They all loue Bribes and folowe recompenses because they haue done pleasure in iudgement to the ritche But euen those as they were the chiefe in honour and superioritye so also were they first taken Captiues murdered their houses and goodes suffered spoile and they more then others defaced with ignominie contempt and all sortes of wretchednes These bée the miseryes whiche happen to wicked Iudges and theyr Children and for theyr abuses to Tounes Countreyes and Kingdomes So that with good cause I maye recommende as a laste aduertisement to al Iudges to remember the saying of Dauid in this sorte God assistes the assembly of the Gods who are the Iudges and gouernours of his people vnder whome they exercise the iudgement which is proper to God the true and eternall Iudge and therefore are they as partakers of a deuine aucthoritye by enterteining ruling his people by that iustice and souerainty So that as God is in the Courtes of his Iudges and in the middest of them so hée iudgeth them whereby is meant that hée condemneth them if they iudge not according to God. Dauid also pursues them crying in this sort How long O ye peruerse Iudges wil you Iudge so wickedly wyll you not acknowledge your selues in your false iudgementes wyll you alwayes haue regarde to the faces of offendours geuing them support and absolution of their wickednes and liberty to sinne with impunity deliuer the poore man Orphane and iustifie the simple and néedye suffer no wrong to bée done to such as haue no maintenance in the world are without fauourers in courtes Take the poore and néedy out of the hand of the transgressor But what much lesse that these worldlie lordings haue cōmunity with this great pitie seeing as Dauid sayeth they neuer knewe nor vnderstoode what they were bound to doo according to God so greatlye were they inuironed with wretched darkenes and whollye possessed with ignorance of God and his lawes whereby it happeneth that the foundation of the earth shal be moued whiche is that by that occasion exceding great euilles and intollerable aduersityes shall fall vppon the nations of the earth Therfore where I sayd you were gods so greatlye honoured of God by the state which hée geues you representing him in case of iudgemēt I forgat not your infidelity meaning that you shal fal into no lesse miserye wretchednes then any of the auncient wicked Iudges to whose iniquitye was apointed a miserable conclusiō of their vnhappy daies Wherin Dauid considering the lamentable infelicities ouerwhelming the world for the false corrupt iudgemēt of Iudges cries out to God saying Raise thy selfe O Lord God and Iudge the Earth condemne the abuses and faultes of suche people as haue corrupted the earth with impietye by their vnrighteous Iudgementes so shalt thou raigne ouer all nations and bée honoured as a true and iust Lorde and Iudge of the earth doing iustice vpon so many iniquities By this psalme Iudges are instructed to iudge well as well for the reuerence of the great Lord sitting in the middest of them in theyr Iudgements to approue them if they bée righteous and reproue them yea dissolue them if they hold of iniquity condemning the persons to horrible misteries yea euen to shake the foundations of the maine earth so gréeuous to God is a false and vnrighteous Iudge as of the con-contrary hee delites in him who according to conscience acquites his charge duty as also for that they haue the honour estate reuerence of Iudges to distribute right to euery one remembring that lord in their iudgement who hath this perpetuall property to iudge without affection they ought also to haue such exquisite knowledge with exact iudgemēt of reason that according to cōmon naturall sence they iudge to estéeme it a horrible sinne to iudge against their conscience séeing that as infinite Pagans with this iudgement of reason haue established their perpetual glory for the true deciding of causes so the errour of our Iudges being layde vp in the memory of God wil bring them to receyue sētence afore his seate of iudgement to their assured confusion And so let all Iudges knowe that if by their sinister sentences any one is depriued of his goodes honour or life by whiche it can not bée chosen but many calamities wyll happen euen so many eternal damnations do they deserue with no lesse horrible paines
corporall death is decréed in the Lawe of nature and other seuere iudgement of God inferred to the wicked as to Cayn for kyllyng his brother by the tremblyng of his bodye to the murtherers by the sworde to the worlde for his delightes glorie and whordome by the flood to them of Sodome and Gomorrhe for sinnes against nature by the fire of heauen to the adulterers and rauishers of women by terrible vengeaunce and to the chidren of Iudas who had done abhominable actes by paynes of suddaine deathes which they sawe euen by a naturall iudgement pronounced or inflicted as to Thamar for committing whordome and to the Sichimites for the Rape of Dina the daughter of Iacob If gouernours punishe not suche faultes by like paynes at the least let them ordaine others either conformable or neare approching them alwayes considering that corporall paines in the lawe bée figures and foreshowes of the eternall death which sinne deserueth In like sort where they sée in the Lawe of Moises certaine sinnes to bée punished by the body let them iudge them right sore displeasing and hateful to God who loueth his creature so dearelye as hée hath geuen him his owne image and likenesse and for whome he hath made the inferiour heauens the earth and the Elements with all thinges conteyned in the same and for whose cause hée sent his proper sonne vpon the earth to suffer all miseries yea most cruel and sclaunderous death And therfore being thus instructed bothe by the lawe whiche punisheth certaine sinnes with death specially suche as bée against the ten coÌ„maundements of the Moral Lawe or directly against Gods honour our neighbour or a wholâ— common weale and also by the Gospell to whom certeine sinnes are so abhominable as it condemnes them to eternall death and perpetual tormentes where is gnashing of téeth and lamentable sighinges they maye conclude suche offences to bée worthy of death specially where a whole common weale is iniured or offended For touching secréete sinnes wherein is no meane of proofe let them refer them to the iudgement of God and to the repentaunt Men sayeth the Scripture haue no power nor facultie to iudge but in matters apparant to the eye God séeing into the heart discernes the secréet things wherof hée defendes the iudgement to al others But where God is offended the coÌ„mon weaâ—e iniured there let theÌ„ follow the iudgement of god which we know to be thundred vpon sinners committing such faultes Therefore let Iudges bee well aduised and geue no libertye of life to suche whom God hath already condemned in heauen both to corporal and eternall death Let them acknowledge that they are here erected as imitatours executours of his iudgement Let them remember Saul who pardoned Agag whom God had condemned to death and Saul for his indulgencye was reproued depriued of his kingdom Let them not also forget the grace which Helias shewed to his dissolute children who for that they were abhorred of god were the cause of his death I meddle not with the reproches which God gaue to the gouernours of Israell because they suffered sinne with impunitye suffering suche to liue who had defiled the earth with theyr wickednes people abhominable to God and worthy so many deathes as they had committed horrible vices And therefore hee condemneth those Iudges euen so often to eternal death as they gaue sufferaunce to others to commit suche faultes without inflicting vpon them corporall death To this let them adioyne this aduertisement that as one member corruptes the rest so the rotten part disposing continuall infection into the rest of the body deserues to bée cut of euen as the good Surgeon not suffering a Canker to encrease cuttes it of so soone as it beginnes to appeare Let them not doubt but that according to the Gospel al euil wicked men which the Law of nature and Moises condemne yea the humane lawe also according to reason do adiudge to death ought to die For as the Gospel so aloweth al those lawes as is before prooued S. Paul aduiseth the Corinthians by them all others to take awaye the wicked man who being corrupt in maners corruptes others for which cause he compares them to the leuine aduising notwithstanding that the punishmeÌ„t come from the magistrate who hauing the sworde is a iust terror to the offeÌ„dor for that he carieth it not in vain being the minister of god executour of his law which euen in the gospel condemneth the man that hath done euil Wherefore al men disposed into the action of wickednes must be punished by the magistrate otherwaies he should bring abuse to his estate Is it not the magistrate by whom S. Paul willeth that all such in a coÌ„mon weale should be cut of by death which vexe the church and are mutinus sedicious iniurious false prophetes wherin because it may be douted to what vices the scripture appointeth punishment specially by death I meane to declare by order the paines of such as the law coÌ„demneth to the ende the magistrate leaue theÌ„ not vnpunished in his coÌ„mon weale nor iustifie such by which he should draw malediction as god hath already condemned by the scripture Heare we must not winke at an error of our time receiued almost thorow al christeÌ„dom which is that we obserue no better the imitacion so often recoÌ„mended to vs of the iudgements of God to leade vs being also commaunded in the scripture according to the same in the punishment of sinnes which is a kinde of infidelitye and ignorance of God or presumptuous boldnes or at least an inseÌ„sible dulnes This error deriueth partly from the humane lawes made by the Pagans whose gouernment being led for the most part by fleshly reason suffred impunity for many sinnes which God by his law condemneth to death as diuinations sorceries diuers sorts of magike with whoredomes sauing women whoremongers for men that made the lawes were exempted the virgins vestal or incestuous women with their adulterors condemning no more coÌ„mon vseries excessiue interestes with like sinnes which God abhorreth Gouernors of common weales ought in no wise to hold conformety with these Pagan iudgemeÌ„ts But reforme them making felt the grauitye of such sinnes by the rigour of worthy punishmeÌ„t Men were wont to haue regard only to punishe such sinnes as séemed to beare preiudice to a coÌ„mon weale and therfore sinnes common against god or which of their owne nature be common or Publike wherin the world delights without contradiction are left vnpunished the same being an occasion to prouoke the wrath of God vpon a whole nation destroye whole kingdomes If the auncient canons of the Church bée wel searched it wil be found that al such offences are punished by long straite penance as are also al othes yea the most execrable that men tooke in vaine of god or of the gods diuers opinions of religion although they were absurde wicked and lastly inuocation to the
satisfied with exact and actuall punishment where to theyr proper iniuries or wronges done priuatelye against them selues their humilitye ouercame the moode of reuenge and they felt no inclination to furious indignitie But God being iniuried they helde them vnworthy seruaunts officers if they gaue not iustice to his wronges wherein they thought their life a swéete sacrifice being offred to death in his behalfe For this cause Moyses séeing the Idolatrye of the people after the Calfe made a maruailous Butcherye If hée knewe any blasphemer to bee in his Campe who was more readye to drawe him into iudgement yea he that had prophaned the Sabboth in fetching onely certayne wood to make a fire did not Moises forthwith cause him to be stoned But when Mary his sister and Aaron his Brother murmured against him despiting him with iniuries was hée not patient did hee not praye to God to pardon them What miserye happened to Ophine and Phineas for prophaning the sacrifices of God and to theyr father as hath béene sayde because hée did not iustice what slaughter did God to the blasphemye which Sennacherib by his Herraldes of Armes pronounced against him in the presence of Ezechias Did not God by his Aungell ouerthrow of them in one night a hundreth foure score and fiue thousand was not also Benadab because he sayed the God of Israel was a God of mountaines and not of valleyes ouerthrowen togeather with all the Kinges which hée led with him and fel into the hands of Achab Elias put to the edge of the sworde foure hundred false Prophetes of Baal so muche reuerenced in Israell and honoured of the Quéene Iezabel Surelye God so abhorreth the sinnes committed against the first table for so they are committed directlye against him that Hely iudged them irremysible saying If one man sinne against another God maye bée appeased But if the sinne stretche to the offence of God so farre forth as it concerneth his maiestie honour and holye ordinaunce what is hée that will praye to God for him as if hée should saye it is a sinne so greate that wée must confesse that if God will pardon it hée must vse a singular mercye muche lesse then is there power in men to pardon such crimes committed against the deuine maiestie Certaine holde opinion that the crimes against humane maiestie cannot haue remission of the Kinges against whome they are cōmitted as wel for that they bring intent of malice as for that they are done against him whom they represent in earth which is the liuing God and also against a whole nation or people whose heades they are Wée sée when the head is hurt all the members haue interest in the gréefe with him and demaunde altogeather reuenge against him that hath offended them neyther can the head heale the rest if first hée haue not full cure of his owne gréefe Howe is it then that crimes done against God should lightlye bée pardoned of men it was not without cause that in the first Churche hée that was guiltie in any such disordered Crime notwithstanding his penaunce of fiftye yéeres if hée liued so long after his sinne yet was hée not receyued into the holy Communion vntill the ende of his dayes which yet was holden an acte of great grace to the offendour whiche as I wishe might warne the gouernours of our pollecye not to suffer God to bée vnreuerentlye offended with such damnable crimes So for suche as haue prophaned holye places pilled and abused the sacred vesselles and yet thinke to eschewe the terrible iudgement of God let them resorte to the testimony of those miseries which happened to Balthasar Antiochus and Heliodorus ¶ Sinnes committed against the seconde table are worthy of death euen so deserue they eternall damnation Yet must vvee vnderstand vvhen they are done vvillingly and more vvhen they are done by pride and malice and the more that the obiect is noble and excellent so much are they more greeuous The .7 Chapter HAuing declared that in a common weale the transgressions of the commaundements of the first table deserue pains irremisible it is méete wée shewe wherin and how farre ought to stretche the punishmentes for the transgressors of the preceptes ordeined for instruction of due and honest conuersation of life in societye tranquilitye and mutuall loue to our neighbors Those commaundementes are seuen in number and written by Moyses in the second table which God gaue him with the other béeing both two of stone for the better obseruation of them and theyr perpetuall memory Like as also in the due kéeping of those statutes was eternall life comprehending faith in Iesus Christ and in transgressing them was condemnation to euerlasting death Séeing then that transgressours stande in suche estate of condemnacion by God in his iudgementes let it bée a rule to leade the magistrates pollitike to the conformetye of that iustice the rather for that they are as hath béene sayde before called in the scripture the commissionours of God to exercise his iudgements By the first commaundement of this table wée are bidden to honor our father and mother and so haue long life on earth And as this honor consistes not onely in reuerence but in loue feare obedience seruice office of nature so in the persons of Fathers mothers this precept is exhibited also to al Lordes Ladyes vniuersal Magistrates Pastours Doctours Maisters and al olde people yea al superiours being as publike and polletike fathers the one ouer the body and goodes the other ouer the soules If suche as onelye disobeye and vse conuersacion of rebellion speaking euill of theyr Fathers and Mothers are without remission condemned of God to bée stoned What punishment deserue others who pleade against them abandon them strike them suffer them to dye for hunger or laye violent handes vpon them And if there bée any dutye of reuerence to the Fathers of the bodye by greater reason doeth there belong a more higher estate of power to the Spirituall Parentes such as dispose norriture to the soules amongst whome as suche as are fierce and disobedient are subiecte to present punishment So euen they are within the power of the same sentence whiche gainesaye Magistrates being the Fathers of the common weale In this vice togeather with all others the causes and mouers of the same ought to bée punished as a proude hearte a hautye Spirite a malicious wyll and natures enclyning to arrogancye furye and disobedience Heare let Fathers also bée warned not to prouoke theyr children to wrath and by theyr straitenesse dryue them into contempt Touching the Seconde forbidding murder euen from the Lawe of nature GOD hath ordayned that not onelye man but euen the Beast that takes away the lyfe of a man shoulde suffer death wherein God him selfe séeming to geue the reason why hée dyd institute that payne sayeth That man being made to the Image of him selfe what other thing coulde it bée to kyll man then to rent the Image of
much it is an instrument to sow discord among brethrē This cryme of false witnesse can haue no excuse as hath theft nor stayeth not vppon one poynt certaine to do wrong but sometyme it rauisheth a mans goodes sometimes deuoureth his life most often endangereth his honor wherein if in the acte of one of these thrée euyls is sufficient cause of death howe much more is he wretched in whom they all thrée concurre with equall power Salomon compareth it to a Dart a Sworde and to Arrowes as if he shoulde attribute no lesse euyll to it then a wicked man may do with those thrée instrumentes Besides all this he contemneth the Iudge and derides his iudgement and by consequent both God and his iustice beléeuing as an Atheist either that there is no God which vnderstandes his falshood and not punish it or not fearing him stands in carelesse state and defieth him in what he can do against him and so is a contemner and prophaner of Iustice and of him which administreth it in the name of the Soueraigne Iudge the same being a sinne against the first Table in this case The false witnesse is adiured ordinarily in the name of God to speake the trueth and therefore is periured wherein he committes eftsones a crime most damnable for which cause Salomon saith often times that much lesse that he shall escape vnpunished but that he shall perishe miserablie the same falling vpon the two olde Iudges of Israel who falsely deposed against Susanna Therefore gouernours of common weales haue great reason to search diligētly after such plagues and to restraine all pardon and grace from such wretched offendours The wise man saith that if false witnesse bearers were but simplie in the case of lyers théeues they had alredie inherited perdicion much more then in so great cōcurse of offences do they iustly deserue seuere punishment No lesse iustice is due also to their subornors inducing them to lye to periure them selues and depose falsly to the domage of another the like also to all falsefiers with counterfaite stampes signes and seales of Princes or priuate men corrupt Notaries making false contractes caryers of vntrue reportes and lyes to be short the like iustice is due to all other working falshood either by worde writing actes subornation or supposition whether it be in case of doctrine or life Such as deceiue by faire wordes as flatterers by faigned promises as abusers by scoffes as Maskers and Cosoners with other Pharisées Ypocrites and false Prophetes being the children of Satan the great father of lyes and shifting ought to passe vnder rigorous punishment For such falshoodes are not onely preiudiciall to our neighbour but also do derogate for the most part the diuine honour for that God being the trueth it selfe is by lyes and falshood falsified and dishonoured either through ignoraunce of God or for want of his feare which is a kinde of infidelitie ¶ There is a double lust or vnlawfull couetousnesse forbidden vs as the vvife daughter or handemayde of our neighbour by the vvhich is forbidden all fleshly lust and the desire of the vvealth honour and life of any man this couetousnesse is the cause of all sinnes and the resistaunce of it is a counter defence against all sinnes to our neighbour meanes to resist it and not to suffer to seede any roote of sinne for by litle and litle it grovves great and becomes desperate against all remedies The .11 Chapter THE twoo last commaundements forbid concupiscence whiche without this prohibition many woulde haue thought to bée no sinne and are as preseruatiues of the other former which be Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wyfe nor couet his house his fielde his seruant his maide his Oxe his Asse nor any thing that is his I call them with good reason preseruatiues séeing God in them forbiddes vs all lust aswell after women pleasures with Gluttony as the desyre of other mens goodes in gréedines In the same is forbidden al coueuetousnesse of Estates honours and dignityes by ambition presumption and glorye and no lesse the thyrste after another mannes life by hate enuye or Auarice Wherein we are expreslie commaunded to beare desire and will to doo pleasure and seruice to our neighbour by the contraye defence to haue no affection or disposition to hurt him This wicked lust is the principall roote and first cause in the corruption of nature to make vs Whoremongers to become théeues to commit murder to enter into false testimony and to be stained with all other vices So that as when the Lawe stoppes the conduittes of these common offences against our neyghbour shée foreseeth that the vices rising therupon ouerflowe no more the worlde So if the first societye comprehended in this lust or thirst after glorye and pride were as well chained that shée issued not out of her vncleane channell whiche is our nature corrupte in Adam restrained by the first commaundements aswell of the first as second Table by the which man is taught to humble and make him selfe nothing before God expressyng the same humility in obedient heart and wyll to such as haue fatherly rule in a common weale there should be no more ouerwening ambition vaine glory nor presumption causes of so many intollerable euylles enuyroning the worlde And hauing remedies in these first commaundements such as God hath prouided for vs we must not fayle to arme our selues therewith and refraine to do the thing wherwith he may be offended The remedyes are fayth holy doctrine continuall prayer and assistaunce of the holy spirite inspiryng into our heartes secrete mocions to do well together with diligent exercise of vertue and studie of moral and pollitike disciplines by the which we are enterteyned Ciuilly in a state of common duetie towardes our neighbours and common weale Let therefore gouernours of common weales vse prouidence that of these originall springs there issue out no infect or corrupt ryuers which then comes best to passe when diligence is most applyed to youth to exercise them in good doctrine loue to vertue the better to entertaine those graces which they haue receiued in their first renouatiō by faith baptime For as it is a thing easie that a Tree notwithstanding in her first nature she be wylde and sauage yet beyng well griffed doth bring foorth and deliuer to her labourer good and swéete fruites with continuaunce of the same fertilitie being relieued at the roote and often lycoured euen so it is easie to a Christian when he is griffed and renued in Iesus Christ by baptisme where he hath taken the holy Ghost the aucthour of euery good worke to bloome in good wyll florish in doctrine fructifie in all good workes the roote of that trée being holy spirituall diuine taking her norriture of the worde of God and which Trée is made liuely by the holy spirite augmented fortified enterteyned by the sacraments specially by the sacrament of the Communion which is
countrey dispence not therewith doth abuse the vse of garments So was the wicked riche man beyng through pride and glory clad euery day in Purple partlie condemned for that excesse The Iewe vsed an habite proper or singuler by the which he was discerned from other Nations and so the Samarytane knewe Iesus Christ to bée a iewe And the prophete rebuked the Iewe that vsed a straunge attyre as newe and to sumptuous but aboue other Nations the Venetians haue neuer changed their fashion of garmentes whose constancie that way remaynes to their perpetuall prayse ⧠Let none glorifie him selfe but in his pouerty necessitie and affliction such as glorfie them selues in goodes scienses c. are vaine but much more do they offende vvho vaunt of their euyll doing the euyls that come by intemperance what great faults are cōmitted by gluttons and people geuē to delicacy ¶ Chap. 3. IT is declared before that man ought not to glory in his riches in his power nor in his wisedome but rather in affliction as S. Paul saith vnder the Crosse of Iesus Christ taking specially his glory in god in that he knoweth him feareth him and loueth him for all other things are to the fleshly man rather occasion of perdicion then saluatiō and are the very stipends rewardes effect of the reprobate We haue now somewhat to vnfolde the vices in intemperaunce excesse of eating and drinking in this many do lay vp their glory and sometimes in thinges more wretched béeing one of the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrhe as Esay saieth Wherein they commit sinne of his owne nature irremisible for that it procéedes of a sence reprobate neither séeing nor feelyng his proper euyll to the ende to searche for cure euen as doth the Letargie in his mortall sléepe out of the which much lesse that he wyll be awaked but hateth and striketh him that goeth about to helpe him And as when medicine is refused to be geuē to a sicke man and Phisitions turne him ouer to his owne desires it is a signe that hée is abandoned and his life in extreme peryll So when God puts into the hande of man the Bridle libertie of his owne pleasures suffreth him to prosper in worldly delytes it is then he hath least care of him expressing by that a daungerous signe of his saluation I meane not here intemperaunce by gluttony onely the very Nurse of whoredome where is excesse of meate and Wine which the Lorde warneth vs to take béede of lest we be taken in his iudgement as in déede we haue perfection neither of reason nor sence to consider of our conscience if we be guilty in any sinne And of this gluttony speaketh Ezechiel Beholde O Ierusalem saith he the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome the pride the fulnesse of bread and victuels and abundaunce of idlenesse but I comprehend also all epicurity of belly cheare where mē followe the affection of their delytes and wallowe in the contentment of the flesh Of which intemperaunce Salomon noteth the great Lordes and riche men of the worlde when he saith that region is miserable whose King is a childe not so much for yeres as for sence and whose principall states and Magistrates eate early in the morning that is to say according to the exposition of Esay wretchednesse wyll alwayes hang ouer that kingdome whose gouernours rise early in the morning to drinke and be dronke taking so great pleasure in banquets meates dilicious Wines that laying vp there all their humaine felicitie they make their God of their bellyes They are like to those wretches that say there is no life but to make good cheare against whom Amos cryeth out Wretchednesse vpon you O riche men in Syon who sléepe in beds of Iuory and take your pleasures therein who eate the best Muttons of the flocke and deuour the fat Veales who sing to the voyce of the Psalter or haue Musitions at your Tables drincke swéete Wines in gorgeous Cuppes and annoynt your selues with precious oyntments as if he had sayd You that surfet of your owne pleasures and delytes féele no compassion of the sorowe misery of Ioseph representing the state of the poore sort Esay rebuketh them for that they regarde not the worke of God and seeke out howe he ioynes his wyll and commaundement to our duety So that this intemperaunce is not the gluttony of villaynes whose maner is to engorge them selues like Woolues be dronke as beastes yea euen as Swine that are soyled in the filthyest myre but in this is expressed the epicuritie of the most delicate such as are more skilfull in delicious fare and swéete wines then in vertue and learning such as corrupting iustice haue also no care of it for that they are altogether partiall to their bellyes without all regarde to God yea the time which they shoulde apply to the cause and compassion of the poore and such as liue in teares sorrowe and want they abuse in dissolute Musicke Masques making cheare to Curtysanes A common vice of our time famylyar euen with the greatest who notwithstanding do take more glory therin then in actes of Chyualrie Is it not a great offence to eate drinke more for pleasure thē for necessitie not to restore the strength of the body but by abundaunce variety of meates and Wines to procure debility to abuse the Creature against the wyll honour of the Creator Lastly by that excesse to bring diuers diseases to the body wherby men are made vnprofitable to their common weale often times passe by vntimely death He wylleth vs to do all thinges to his honour that he may be glorified therein But in this intemperaunce much lesse that men haue remembraunce of him séeing of the contrary there is no exercise but of scoffing railing speache of the throte and belly in al vnchastnes setting the tongue at liberty to al sclaunder blasphemy impudency what glory doth this behauiour to God whose benefite is so abused contrary to his wyll and commaundement We eate we drinke at his charges we liue by his benefites and we sit at his Table and yet we are not ashamed to offend him vnreuerentlye He commaundeth vs to liue soberly to pray vnto him to praise him to breake our bread to the hungrye and to call the poore to our eatinges and drinkinges but what care is re-reserued to this cōmaundement when the rich wil close their gates against the cryes of the poore and they them selues wallow in the excesse of eating much lesse is he honored of such people whē he is disobeyed in this commaundement to haue compassion on the afflicted that we shoulde wéepe with them that wéepe Many are the poore about them to whose teares they ioyne no compassion Many are the widdowes that sigh Orphants that lament with others whom they sée to languishe in their miseries whose estate by how much they know to bée harde and sorowfull
séeing man is the holye temple of God wherein the holy ghost dwelleth and the bodies also the holy members of Iesus christ who being holy hath incorporated them in him Is not he then truly holy where the Chalice or Cup a thing insensible is not but for the vse of a holy thing consecrated made holye What sinne therfore is it to conuert the vse of this mēber the tongue into vaine fonde speach which worse is to speake vnchastly to pronounce euill of another to sweare to blaspheme which be thinges not onely prophane but damnable reprobate and restraine it from exercise of holye discourse for which ende it was created of God and reformed by Iesus Christ as of purpose to praye and prayse God to teache and instruct And as to suche as speake vanelye the soddaine iudgement of God is pronounced so let the scoffer and idle inuentour of Pastime looke for theyr share in the same iustice Saint Paul commaundes vs to redéeme or buye againe our time whiche hée sayeth is done in speaking and perpetual well doing of thinges holy and edifying restoring in that sort the season which wée had lost in actes of vice and vanitye afore wée knewe God which is a satisfaction of dutye which hée requires of vs when hée sayeth Doo penaunce for with repentaunce and mutacion of will which is the first act of penaunce the change also of the fact or worke is requisit geuing recompense to our power to the iniuries and wrongs which we had done to others If we haue abused our time in vaine idle talke or employed it in vnlawful things what better recompense can wée aforde then to vse holy speaches of God and dispose our handes to actes of compassion and charitye Plynie being an Infidel but an excellent Historian was so gréedye of time that hée made Conscience to employe a moment otherwaies then to benefite Theophrastus sayd time was deare and an expence very precious meaning that it ought not to be spent vainelye what then ought to bée the consideration of the Christian who knoweth that as well of the meanest moment of his doinges as of the least minute of his time and wordes he is to yéelde reason to God. Therefore let Magistrates whose doinges ought to holde conformetye with the iudgement of God and are heare as the scripture sayth to make him obeyed in his commaundementes and statutes vse prouidence in a cause of so greate importaunce and dispose theyr office by such wisedome as time a gift so precious maye not bée turned to the abuse and dishonour of God. I condemne not heare myrth in things indifferent admistred to a good ende as eyther to refreshe the minde or recreate the Sycke the same being as a medicine to a spirite troubled and is then best approued when it tendes to edification as was that of Helias to the sacrificatours of Baal Crie lowder sayeth hée for perhappes your God is at rest in his Inne or vpon the way or els he sléepes crye therfore alowde that he may awake As much may be sayd of honest profit or necessary pastime such as Isaac tooke with his wife by familiar recreation and as Susanna did when shée walked in her Garden washed her selfe where shée was inuaded by the twoo corrupt Iudges of Israel and as also is written of S. Iohn who sometimes would hathe him selfe with his Disciples but would not enter into the bathe wherein Cherinthus an Heretike had bathed him selfe fearing least for the wretchednes of the Heretike the bath should fall In these and such like things which of nature are neither good nor euil the consideratiō of the ende and intent measureth alwaies the praise or dispraise wherin let vs obserue the saying of Iesus Christ If the eye bee simple al the body is illuminate as who say if in séeking thy profite or prouiding for thy health thy ende bée good and that the thing which thou doest meane bée pleasing to God thy worke is good for so did christ suffer him selfe to bée annointed on his head féete by Mary Magdalen the ende entent being commendable where if shée had employed lo long time and trauaile about another for delite onely and pleasure it had béen an act of vice euen so iesting pronounced of a wicked wyll or to dishonour or scorne any man can not bée but mortal sinne by reason of the ende and corrupt intent And these scoffers Parasites and table minstrelles who no lesse vaine in heart then vicious in affection practise an estate of squirilitye with an entent to deuoure other mens goodes maye sée howe farre they offende God and howe iustlye they stand subiect to seuere correction ¶ Plaies which of them selues beare no vice are not disalowable in respect of their endes and lavvfull causes Vnlavvfull games at Dice are causes of muche euill ⧠The .5 Chapter GAmes which of them selues beare no vice as suche as are deuised to recreate the minde or restore the vertues or natural faculties of the vnderstanding trauailed in Spirituall actions are not by the same reasons we gaue to honest Pastimes not to bée reproued no more then we may reprehend sléepe after labour of the body and the minde To refreshe the minde it is good to exercise the body with games of labour the better to entertaine strength and health as also sportes prepared to the exercise of an act necessary to a common weale as the practise of warre is verye profitable to which sports were trained by the institucion of Romulus the youth of Rome of fiftene twenty yéeres to rise by that meanes to a further habilitye to Armes And albeit they are rather painefull exercises whose ende is profitable instruction then simple games which bring intent of recreation yet they beare but the name of sports because there is no serious grauetie in their actes being as then ordained not to strike and kil but to prepare youth to a more agilitye in warre afterwardes In such like sportes men of warre should passe their time in truse peace to the end they fal not into delicate idlenes These sportes as they maye bée resembled with the exercise of students in the Retrician scooles touching declamations to forme speaches in Courtes so of simple sportes whose mater ende are not euil men may make theyr exercise as of medicine for cure of diseases not making marchandise or traffike of it for gaine For so it could not be properly called sport or playe but matter of good earnest for that sport ought to be referred to som honest ende Otherwaies who excedeth the ende of sport ought to suffer gréeuous punishment not only as vnprofitable but as sclaunderous to the common wealth For play is occasion of infinit euils as is expressed commonly vpon the experience of yong men now a daies without reckoning the losse of their time where Salomon commandes vs to trauaile withal our power without intermission al that the hand may worke do it sayth hée
continually for after death thou shalt haue no more worke to dooe meaning whilest thou liuest doo as muche good as thou canst for after death thou hast no more time to trauaile Play is also occasion of theft companion to gluttony a baite to whoredom a mouer of quarels and murders It is written in the story of the Corinthians that plaies were causes of their ruine for this reason Chilon a philosopher being sent in embassage frō the Atheniens to Corinthe to treate of peace for there were warres betwéen those .ii. tounes finding the Corinthians vpon a Festiuall daye so generally set at playe that not one of them would vouchsafe to enquire what was the ambassador and much lesse the cause of his comming And when he sawe that aswell the counsellors and chiefest as the rest were so caryed awaye with the delites of theyr playes that hee could not haue worthy audience hée returned at the instant iudging it to great indignitie that the magistrates and Senate should ioyne them selues with the folly of the popular sort And iudging that the best meane to reduce such incenset people were to assaile them by Armes perswaded the Atheniens therunto who afterward would neuer graunt them peace Playing at tables such like sléeping games are called of Aristotle the sportes of women for that to men those sportes are proper wherin is exercise of the body Touching playes at hazard wée finde them vncomely for all men but specially indecent for the christian profession For as the plaiers are led more by fortune chaunse as they terme it thē by wisedom or ability of the mind which is contrary to the nature of sports wherin is sought recreatiō by some industry of labor or dexterity of the spirit in which the praise is alwayes geuen to the vanquisher So in that play is no glory at all and much lesse duty of praise to the player because he doth no acte to deserue it The minde loaseth his practise reason hath no place the iudgement is confounded and the body hath no exercise the same being the cause why by the iust iudgement of God that kinde of playe neuer contenteth the player for that the more hée playeth the more ryseth hée in desire being prickt foreward with hope of profit abandoned to couetousnes wherby it hapneth that the gaine rising by that playe turneth seldome to profit being rather of a nature so wicked that it drawes men into disorder makes thē poore euen to nakednes retaines them in that basenes of minde that euen in the hardest winter they sit suffer as slaues the rigour of many cold nights with their féete benōmed vnder a cold table wherof are bred gouts reumes litargies appoplexies and yet these miserable plaiers haue no féeling of their wretchednes so swéetly are they lulled in the delites of this playe by the wicked spirite the very author therof For these such like reasons there was neuer christian who estéemed not playe vnlawful wherof a womā pronounsing her selfe a prophetis for holding opinion of certaine heresies was cōuinced by an Auncient and learned Bishop who iudged her not to be such one as she made her selfe estéemed for many reasons wherof one was for that shée was séene to playe at cardes and Dice at hazarde A pastime which neuer any of our religion was séene to vse The Philosophers estéemed them vnlawfull for that they haue no similitude with vertue delude reason and delite not so much the mind as they trouble it For as to the noble spirite nothing is more pleasaunt then when he may winne glory by the show of some excellency so nothing can be more contrary to his nature then eyther by sleight or fortune to bée vanquished by his inferior ouer whom by dexterity of nature actes of vertue hée is superiour Plato likewise would not geue sufferance to those plaies amongst his Disciples to whome when they excused them selues that they did no great faulte hée said this litle vice draweth to a greater offence meaning that from litle faults not thinking theron we slide into higher abuses if the humor of the first vice bee not restrained What then shal our christian gouernors say to our ordinary gamesters but euen séeing they abuse so many sportes and practise the plaies of Infidels contrarye to christian profession to forbid some moderate others aswel by measure and limitacion of time as by rate of money to loase at play the same being a necessary bridle to the affection of plaiers who séeme not to bée maisters of them selues the winners so gréedy of gaine and the losers of perplexed hope and desire to recouer theyr losses for which cause if they seldom geue ouer when al is lost at least recouering a new supply they ronne to a new reuenge so finde no ende in their playes turning theyr time into vnlawful acts and so from quarrels iniuries othes renounsing of God yong men fal into inuentions of theft and robberye with other practises of more wickednes Some haue placed Hunting amongst the sportes and pastimes of noble wittes wherunto Zenophon séemes to allure Princes great estates as to an exercise worthy of them hée sayth there is nothing aspireth so nearelye to the fierce fight with the enemye as to pursue the wilde Beast against whom must bée vsed art industrie labor and watching and sometimes suttletie and force to withstande daunger onely it behooueth the noble man so to choose his time for this exercise that he bring no incommodity to the countrey by reason of their corne Grasse Much lesse ought he to preferre his delyte to any pastime when his office is to consult in necessary matters abstayning from all vpon the Sabboth day And as hunting to the ecclesiasticall sort is an exercise most indecent so there is no lesse cause of restraint to meane people who haue to follow any faculty or arte profitable to the common wealth and necessary to the releefe of their priuate life Daunces with their wanton songes at this day are vaine and vnchaste Musicke of an Arte liberall is conuerted to an vnvvorthy vanity vvhat Daunces shoulde be lavvfull vvhat Daunces Musicke and Songes vve ought to vse a examples of holy men vvho neuer vvould be seene in Daunces ⧠The .6 Chapter DAunces and Roundes no lesse then wanton Musicke nowe a dayes are more dissolute then in times past yea resembling the vnchaste customes of the Pagans without faith and ignoraunt of God the same béeing a manifest token of the general corruption vanity of the present age And Musicke which according to the auncients was an Arte liberall in the which men praysed God song exaltacions to the noble actes of the elders recreated mindes heauyly loden with passions and reléeued bodies wéeryed with actions of trauayle is now become an arte of al vanity and filthynesse helping to the seruice of Sathan the delite of the worlde and pleasures of the fleshe I deny not but Daunces were in vse
it selfe manifestlye and the tongue to speake publikelye what other thing is it to put on a visor and resolue the speach to whispering but to deface the deuine ordinaunce do contrary to God If it bée so seriously forbidden by the law that men should not bée disguised in other kinde then they are much more iust and necessary is this restraint not to take an habit by the whiche the face is deformed and séemes monstrous And séeing the most fayre and noble part whiche God naturally hath geuen to man or woman is the face can there be a greater vice then by counterfeit visors to disfashion it contrary to the aucthor of nature If Saint Ciprian hold painting so wicked which by so much is a great offence to nature by howe much they séeke not onely to correct nature But also God the aucthour pretending also by theyr painting some vaine glory or to entice men to wickednes What may bée sayd of the Maske which bréeding suspitioÌ„ vnder the visor bringes forth oftentimes effectes of much mischiefe Here if any man saye there is no thought of euil they may be aunswered that which is wicked of it selfe is inexcusable Touching Musicke séeing it is a science liberall it is then necessarily the gift of God working oftentimes holy effectes as the sounde of the Harpe tuned to Psalmes and deuout songes by Dauid chased away the deuyll from the spirite of Saul And so without speaking of the Musicall instruments in the olde Testament we reade in the Apocalips howe S. Iohn in an Allegory approoueth the Harmonie of the Harpe And the Lacedemonians vsed commonly in the beginning of their assaultes Musicall instrumentes to moderate their furious courages ⧠Minstrels are vnworthy of the state and felowship of Townes men as also Puppet Players and such as are called shovves and sightes VVhat Harmonie ought to be vsed Players vvere cast out of the Church tyl they had done penaunce such people corrupt good moralities by vvanton shevves and Playes they ought not to be suffred to prophane the Sabboth day in such sportes and much lesse to lose time on the dayes of trauayle All dissolute playes ought to be forbidden All comicall and Tragicall shovves of schollers in Morall doctrines and declamations in causes made to reprooue and accuse vice and extoll vertue are very profitable ⧠The .7 Chapter MYnstrels or common Players of Instrumentes being men vnprofitable to a coÌ„mon weale were neuer in olde time paste holden worthy of Priuiledge or place of Townes men but with Puppet players and Enterluders were reputed infamous because they are Ministers of vaine pleasures enchaunting mens eares with poysoned songes and with idle and effeminate pastimes corrupt noble wittes For which cause as they are called of Aristotle the suppostes of Bacchus whose dronkennesse making them the slaues of their bellyes restraines them from all ability and capacity of good doctrines So it belonges néedefully to the gouernours pollitike to drawe them into rule not suffering the youth of their Citie to be eftsoones corrupted with the soft and delicate Musicke of Lydia but rather to accustome their eares with graue Musicke sturryng to vertue or such as was in vse with the Lacedemonians and Phrygians to moderate the furie of their affections Or like to that of the Pythagorians wherewith at their going to bed they put in rest all the passions of their mindes But that sounde aboue the rest is best which was familer to Dauid singing holy and spirituall songes when he chassed away or at least restrayned the inuasions of the wicked spirite in Saul wherein in déede the holy Ghost by an inwarde vertue sturred vp by the faith and feruent prayer of Dauid did worke more then the Harmonie of the Musicall Instrument But because our common Minstrels by their Arte can not be members profitable to a common weale It were good they learned some necessary science wherein according to good example they might by compulsion be employed not so much to gaine the reléefe of their priuate life as to cut of the example of their abuses to others by a quality vnprofitable where they are bounde to an office of honest and paynefull trauayle according to Gods ordinaunce All Stage Playes and Enterluders Puppet shewes and carelesse Boyes as wée call them with all other sortes of people whose principall ende is in féedyng the worlde with sightes and fonde pastimes and Iuggling in good earnest the money out of other mennes purses into their owne hande haue béen alwayes noted of infamie euen in Rome where yet was libertie enogh to take pleasure in publike sportes In the primitiue Church they were cast out from the communion of Christians and neuer remitted vntyll they had performed publike penaunce And therfore S. Ciprian in an Epistle counselleth a Bishop not to receiue a Player or Minstrell into the pension of the Church by which the poore were noryshed tyl there was expresse act of penance with protestation to renounce a science so sclanderous Be it that by such people somtimes may be expressed matter morrall and Christian doctrine yet their good instruction is so corrupted with Iestures of scurilitie enterlaced with vncleane and Whorelike speache that it is not possible to drawe any profite out of the Doctrine of their Spirituall moralities For that as they exâ—hibite vnder laughing that which ought to bée taught receyued seriouslye so of many that goo to assist them though some are made merye in minde yet none come awaye reformed in maners being also an order indecent and intollerable to suffer holy thinges to be handled by men so prophane and defiled by interposition of dissolute wordes which is as if you should suffer fayre and precious Iewels to bée set in quagmiers or fowle soyles For my part I doubt not but it is a sinne against the first table as well for that there is contempt of that that is good as also in place to honor God his name is taken in vaine many holye wordes recited without thought to dispose them once to edify Great then is the errour of the magistrate to geue sufferance to these Players whether they bée Minstrels or Enterludours who on a scaffold Babling vaine newes to the sclander of the world put there in scoffing the vertues of honest men as at Athens Aristophenes did by Socrates whom he called a worshipper of the Clowdes because oftentimes in contemplation of God celestiall causes hée raysed vp his eyes towardes Heauen there often times are blowen abroade the Publike and secréete vices of men sometimes shrowded vnder honourable Personage with infinite other offences What impietye can bée greater then thus to prophane the Sabboth daye which being dedicated to God ought to bée employed in holye vses And what worse example in a common weale then to turne other daies of honest trauel into exercises wherin is learned nothing but abuses yea what sumptuous preparation apeareth in those playes to doo honour to Satan what vaine expenses prodigally and
men are condemned for sinne so it behoueth euerye one howe Ritche so euer he bée or what power or principalitye so euer he possesse to obeye the lawe and this ordinaunce otherwaies he is a transgressour of the lawe and punishable as an offendur it is therfore that S. Paul teacheth that all men ought to trauaile condemning the loyterour not to bée worthy to liue and with all excōmunicates al idle people calling them disordered because they are not in the order polletike where all the worlde according to theyr perticular vocation doth trauaile and none is founde vnprofitable euen as in the natural body which suffereth no part or member to be Idle but all seruing an vse in their body do trauaile in their humane functions If no man bée excommunicated but for some great crime séeing Saint Paul excommunicated Idle people they can not be but very criminal God hath ordained labour as a penaunce to man and to be to him as a remembraunce of the wretchednes which sinne bringeth an exercise to kéepe him in vertue and a meane to traine him to humility and dutye according to the arte whereunto hée is called by the which his spirite is drawn from wicked thoughts corrupt affections and reprobate desires wherwith the Idle man is continuallye vexed For this cause S. Ierome biddes vs bée doing alwaies some worke to the ende the Deuil may finde vs occupied Besides this moderate labour is very profitable to the health of the body without the which by crudity and indigestion of humours retaining the excrements many diseases may bréede And therfore who wil not bende his body to labour should in the consideration of these reasons commit great faultes against God against him selfe against his common weale wherunto hée is bound with al his meane and power For as according to the resemblance before there is no member in the humane bodye which trauailes not according to the facultye of his nature and office to geue ayde to the general bodye and euery member in perticular which otherwayes would fal into infirmitye yea if it should perseuere without geuing succors and bréede hurt by contagion it should bée cut of from the body not onely as vnprofitable but as a corruptor of the other members so what lesse office belonges to the member of this body polletike Deserueth hée not that which S. Paul geues to the idle Thessalonians to bée cut of and excluded from Christian society And if Iesus Christ condemne an idle worde that is bringing no profite to our neighbour to the iudgement of God what sentence may bée geuen of suche as not onelye liue in idle wordes but loase theyr precious time and omitting innumerable good déedes stand idle vnprofitable euen in their proper vocation If any wil saye that in this idlenes men offende not for that they doo but walke talke sléepe make méerye passe the time without doing euil to any hauing withall whereupon to liue without trauaile it maye bée denyed for the first part of the aunswere that they cannot but doo euill for that as suche lyfe and Pastimes are reprooued and that in all times and for all our workes and wordes wée are bounde to geue accoumpt to God. So it is not inough to abstaine from doing euill but wée must also without ceassing bée exercised in doing good according to the Scripture So that the Ritche man must not say I haue inough and néede not take paine Nor the Gentleman must not vaunte of his great reuenues say hée hath no further care but to passe his time in hunting and other delites Nor let the Bishop and Churchman excuse him selfe of trauaile for that his liuing is plentifull and prepared to his handes For euery man is bounde to followe his vocation and walke as Saint Paul sayth according to the same Hée must not sléepe then in that vocation if his office bée to trauaile and that with as great diligence as he maye euen no lesse then belonges to him that hath vndertaken for some necessary affaires to make some painefull iourney Let suche people whome God hath blessed with suche wealthe as to maintaine theyr life there is no necessitye of labour consider why they were raysed to such Ritch estates who the more they haue the greater reckoning haue they to make to God are subiect to more déedes of charitye then others In this I bind not al sorts of men to a dutye of trauaile with the hand in workes of labour But as there be diuerse sorts of trauailes some of the minde and some of the body So to some kindes of labor is required sometimes the strayning of the bodye and sometime the exercise of the minde The Ritch man hath his part of trauaile to direct his affaires kéepe his seruantes in office wherin let him with Abraham seeke out in the high wayes poore passangers about his house his néedy neighbors imparting vnto them of his goodes geuen him by God for that ende The Gentleman hath inough to prouide for the quiet of his Tenauntes that they consume not one another with sutes and to defend them from the oppression of the théefe or enemye hée ought to bée to them as a shéephearde to his flocke whose office is not onelye to defend them from the Iawes of the Wolfe but also so to leade them as they doo no hurt to the seuerall Féeldes of another But in warre the Gentleman is bounde for the publike defence of his Countrey to commit his person to hazarde So that whether in peace or in warre the Gentleman hauing due regarde to the discharge of his office and estate hath no leasure to leade or loase his time in Idlenes What belongeth then to the Magistrate Polletike who likewise is a pastour of his people to guide them ciuilly by counsell to kéepe them according to the Lawe to defende them with his aucthoritye and vse such prouidence as they bée not molested But much more yea most of all it belongeth to the spirituall pastour of Soules the churchman of what order soeuer he bée to bée vigelaunt in his estate as hauing in charge farre more precious thinges then the others of a greater perrill if he loase them for in loosing one Soule being so deare to Christ as he gaue his life for it he loseth also his owne and can not bée saued if onelye one bée spilt thorow his default Right straitely therefore is he bound to pray incessauntly to preache diligently and to show holy conuersation in his office who if he lose many soules eyther by his example or through his false Doctrine or by negligence in his duty incurreth horrible damtion for that in losing a Soule hée suffereth to bée lost and spilt the blood of Iesus Christ Thus as there is no man who notwithstanding his sufficiencye of wealthe hath not occasion to trauaile more then others whome necessitye enforceth to paynes for theyr reléefe so the more hée is bounde to God for his wealthe by
so muche more is hée strayned to geue reckoning to God of the distribution of it And therefore if any saye vnto you you haue inough to lyue vppon without trauaile tell him he is eyther a flatterer or verye ignoraunt not knowing that God by his intollerable ordinaunce hath bounde vs al to trauaile without excepting any creating and apointing vs to labour as hée hath made the birdes to flye sayth Iob And if Adam afore sinne was put in the Terrestrial Paradise to trauaile there as the scripture sayth much more is man bound thereunto after sinne ¶ The Ritche sort haue more to trauaile then the poore and in what Such as labour in mind trauaile more then the painefull labourer A proofe hovve idlenes is the cause of other euilles Idle men are malice dreamers Exhortacion not to follovve idlenes Exhortacion to trauaile by apte comparisions vvherein idle Beastes are expulsed from the societye of others that trauaile The .9 Chapter GReat trauaile belongeth to the Ritch man who more then any other hath as it were his worke cut out if as hee ought hée discharge the dutye of his estate towardes God For howe many sicke and néedly people be in his toune so much the more is his trauaile to visite them to distribute amongst them of his owne proper welth and to procure contribucion of the other sort to whom in cōmon belongeth that charge ouer the poore If according to saint Paul the poore artison bée bounde to trauaile with his handes not onelye for his owne reliefe but also to haue meane with the gaine aboue his owne necessitye to geue ayde to the wantes of others how much more is the ritchman strained to the distribution out of whose abundance maye bée spared without hurt a compotent portion to sustaine many Such as are to trauayle in minde as the pollitike and ecclesiastical Pastors haue a burden of labour farre more heauy gréeuous painefull then the others For by how much the spirite is more noble excellent thē the body by so much is his labour more vehement painefull consuming all the vertue and force of the body Wherof it hapneth that in such people as in their estates are vsed in the trauayle of their mindes are for the most part founde infirmities and weakenesse of body subiect to diseases drye leane and thinne rather the images of dead men then of bodyes bearyng life And where we sayde that from idlenesse deriued all other vices euyls we may well call it the very sincke spring of all corruption of maners from thence comes whoredome as is expressed by Ezechiel in the example of Sodome Gomorrhe and appeareth also in Dauid who walking in his Gallerye beholding a farre of Barsabe bathing in her Garden entred into lust committed adultery with her Where if his minde had not béen in that leasure and abstinence of businesse or if as be confesseth in his Psalmes he had then as at other times thought on Gods Lawe prayed or béen occupied in great affaires as belonged to so great a Lorde he had not fallen into so wicked an acte Was not the idlenesse of Eue the cause of her destruction and our death If she had been busily employed to labor in the earthly Garden where God put her with Adam she had not wandred to beholde curiously the fruite that was defended her nor had spared her eare to the tempting of the Serpent no the Serpent woulde not haue come to haue entised her to an acte so miserable Idlenesse makes men théeues gluttons and disposed to all wickednes and therfore the ecclesiastick saith That it teacheth men much malice Therefore is it sayde and seene in experience that people of Cities be more subtile deceitfull and malicious then those of the countrey because to their ease in the citie is ioyned time and leasure to dreame thinke vppon malice a naturall inclination of Adams séede whereto the vplandishe sort being still followed with labor there is no respite of tyme nor dispensation of trauell Salomon repeteth in many places that néede and pouerty be the two ordinary handemaydes of negligence and idlenesse calling them most foolish that follow idlenesse séeing he that trauayleth hath wherevpon to liue in an other place hée sayth that the slow hand opneth pouertie but the hande of great workers bringeth richesse he exhorteth the slothful to trauell by the example of the Ant who appliyng diligence to oportunity laieth vp his releefe liueth in plenty The Pismyre spareth not in the sommer to heape vppe little graynes to féede him in the winter wherevnto he is not taught by any schoolemaster the like industry is in the Honny bées yea in thinges profitable good and necessary to our lyfe their trauell their industrye their art their paine and the profit that our liues receyue by them is ynough to moue shame to ydle men and bring them into a trayne of trauayle for profit the Oxe the Horsses and the Asses do trauell then man who hath so manye doctrines and commaundementes to draw him to labor can he deserue lesse then publike confusion and punishment and in the ende to dye of hunger in his extreeme age therfore sayth the wise man who trauayls not shall fall into such necessitie that he shall begge yea God will punishe him on such fashion that he shall finde no man that will giue vnto him Let the fable of the Pismyre which trauelled alwayes and of the Crycket which spent the Sommer in singing bring him to beholde the truthe The Crycket after Sommer is spent hauing not to liue vpon but begging for his sustenaunce asketh almes of the Pismyre who demaunding what he did in the sommer aunswered that he song then daunce now if thou wilt sayth the Pysmyre for me my store serues mine owne turne and I haue néede of it Great is also the example of prouidence in the Bées who with an industry aboue the Ant make profitable good and artificiall workes all being resolued in trauell some in the feeldes and others in their Hiues not one of them losing the opportunitie of the weather and if there be any dranes amongst them who being eyther vnprofitable or ydle seeke to deuour the common store of hony and liue of the labors of others the whole companies driue them out of their commonweale as vnworthy of the socyety of the true laboring Bées In their order pollicy and trauelsome lyfe is expressed good example of order in commonweales polleticke wherein as there ought to be no tolleration to anye ydle bodye but all the world driuen to follow some vocation so where is a loyterer let him with the vnprofitable dranes be expulsed punished according to his merite and if the silly Bées also trauell in common and ayde one another not sufficing to gather only for themselues but also for vs what iust shame and condemnation may be ascribed to Christians who ought by nature and are by grace all members conioyned
starres in the night leade vs by infallible Lightes Thus there is no creature which God hath made séene idle but man who of a corrupt nature paruerteth his order where he is bound by most iust reasons both for the mind body to trauaile seeing that as labour is healthful and necessary to him so hée onely aboue al other creatures of God receiueth the profite of the earth and hath of God in the ende eternal recompense which proueth that trauaile whether it bée to gaine and preserue goodes or that it reléeue the necessitye of the bodye or tende to the health of the soule is most behoueful and necessarye to man. It is great hurt to a common weale to nourish mouthes that eate and labour not Who besides theyr owne idlenes are hurtful examples of disorder to others For such people are not satisfied with the losse of theyr owne time but sinisterlye seduce others to theyr faction and ten of those are inough to corrupt fiftye yea a whole Towne Therfore let the Magistrate purge his city of such dranes table Iestours Parasites forgers of Newes builders of scoffes to goo scotfrée them selues very natural pyllors of Tauerns And with the same seuere diligence let him cleanse his cōmon weale of al filthy quagmiers of ruffenrie scurility seruice of bawdes and bawdry for if one out-corner of his Toune bée infected with that pestilence it is inough to impoison the whole yea euen as there is precise order to clense the stréetes chanels of al filth vncleanes to kéepe the toune from corruption of aire and as the head of mans body foreséeth that there remaine no impedimēt to any member but the eye lokes about the body that it be kept cleane if there bée any offence there is a plaister applied to cure cleanse it euen so al such as the magistrate shal see through idlenes or vaine or vnlawful arte to prepare to corrupt them selues infect others Let him either by iustice or discipline reforme them or by good pollecye auoide them from the society of others If there be any fathers through whose negligence or other default theyr children of good houses become customarye to idlenesse sinne and other vices Let the Magistrate punish by heauy fines such fathers for bringing into theyr common weale such pernicious education and for example sake compell their children to ciuilitye by publike discipline It belongeth no lesse to the office of the gouernor to correct the prodigalities of such whose parentes diceassed and they left to theyr owne election of libertye and life with full Coffers waste their wealth in plaies glottonies pompes taking vpon them the title of Gentlemen attyre of yong Princes make loue to Ladies they which are the Sonnes of Marchantes who to get the name of nobilitye sell theyr shoppes holding it a staine to theyr reputacion to continue the trade of theyr fathers And so in continuaunce by much spending and neuer winning theyr prodigalitye leades them at last to sel euen theyr houses and implements litle knowing theyr value at the first and lesse considering to what vses God had ordained them Sure such ought to bée bridled by Publike aucthorytye and restrayned to rule and measure liuing according to the rate of other wise Burgesses And if they are vnapt to continue theyr Shops there may bée constraint to frame them to other trade bothe to theyr proper commoditye example of the Citye and to kéepe them from extreame pouertye whereunto there Idlenesse will bring them Heare let no man say haue not I onely propertye in mine owne may not I doo with my goodes what I list yea who can let me to sell it sith euery man is maister of his owne suche speaches please well the humour of the speaker but agree not with the statutes of a common weale wel directed and much lesse haue conformetye with cōmon reason because a perticular is but a member of the bodye polletike who ought to bee gouerned by his head and geue all the ayde hee can to his body Horace sayeth wée owe our selues and al that wee haue to our common weale as who saye wée are not for our selues neyther is our goodes our owne but all ought to bee employed to Publike behoofe but more to God of whome wee haue al so that if our countrey haue neede of our goodes or our life we ought to refuse nothing ought not the Arme to suffer to lose his sleeue yea and the ioynt to keepe his bodye were it not better the hand were cut of then to loase both the leggs or the whole bodye But a man to hurt him selfe is another matter for he should not onely do iniurye to him selfe but wrong to others For that cause wée say that if a man set fire in his owne house he ought to bée hanged for the act bearing common interest to the citye makes the man reputed as a publike iniuror of the state bée it that the house was his and builded by him yet to propertyes is anexed this condicion to vse them well to the behofe of al and not abuse them to the offence of any So goodes are a mans owne for his necessarye vse but if he abuse them they are none of his but the common weale ought to resume thē as a good mother and kéepe them for the after necessity of her child If hée that cuttes his Arme for the nonse deserue the punishmēt of a murderer no lesse merite of paine belongs to him who doeth wrong to his common weale to whome hée oweth that arme for the seruice of the rest For that cause euen amongst the Pagans hée which killed him selfe was led to the scaffolde and hanged as an offendour because hée had in that sort cutte him selfe of from his bodye polletike to whose seruice hée ought him selfe and al that was his The prodigal and vnthrifty man hauing turned his great wealth into a mountaine of smoke by his disorder leaues this charge to the Citye to kéepe his wife and to prouide for the sustenaunce and education of his children who being accustomed with theyr Father to epicuritie and deliteful pleasures can not but smel of their first corruption and be hardly kept from intemperance without a harde hand wil not bée restrayned from the life of theyr dissolute Father And therefore as wel to preuent this publike charge to the Citye as to reduce to modestye Impes of suche disordered stockes it is good to shake the rodde of discipline to kéepe such Youth from corruption not suffering any to liue in Idlenes least their example infect others ⧠There bee diuerse sortes of Idle pople some worcke certaine howres onelye and they bee certaine Artificers Some as vacabondes vvill neuer doo any thing vvho bringing vp theyr children in the same trade traine them to the vvallet betime Discourse of poore Beggers vvandring in Countreyes and of the euill that they doo ⧠The .12 Chapter BVT because this Idlenes hath so large a sircuite
maye stande guilty afore God and oure almes loase theyr fruite bycause oure almes they shall be entertayned in their vices and God abhorre vs for not seeing him obeyed So that if they bee poore and workeable let vs giue them nothing vnlesse they expresse a desire and wil to labour but if they will continue the occupation of nothing doing and so consequently to be nothing worth let the law examine their lewdenesse and the magistrate appoynt paynes to their ydlenesse if they finde nothing better than to trauell and know not now nor where let richmen by the example of the husbandman in the Gospell go seeke them in the publike place of the towne where all the poore ought to assemble and present themselues to trauell and so searching there and else euery where such as he findeth let him employ in labour giuing them somwhat more then the merite of their hyer in regarde of their pouertie wherein besides that they shall enure them to labor auoyde losse of time yet in this act they expresse doble almes and dutifull seruice to God in comforting their necessities and kéeping them from doing euill And where there are so many in one common weale that their numbers excéede their meanes to sustaine their lyfe by labour let euery able riche man be allotted by common counsell to a number for his seruice whome as daye labourers he may alwayes employ in something to auoyde ydlenesse And in cases of occupation and trade let the occupiers set them on woorke for the helpe of their sustenaunce But as in this businesse the wise prouidence of the gouernor is greatlye necessary to the prouision of the poore So touching suche as haue goodes and lacke foode for their necessitie the rest are bound to lend them vpon paune without vsury or publike excessiue interest which is vnworthy of Christians ¶ Compassion ought chiefelye to be shewed to poore maydes for the infirmitie of the kinde and not to suffer them to begge Exhortation to vvomen to take them into seruice for Gods sake for the vvhch they are assured to haue great revvardes according to the scriptures The maner hovv they ought to be prouided for vvhat vvas the auncient custome of the church for the releefe of the poore vvherin poore vviddovves and Orphanes vvere fyrst prouided for ¶ The .3 Chapter MVch greater compassion ought to be shewed vpon poore maydes but specially vpon Orphanes al others in whom is no other science Art or trade then to spin which being not sufficient to rayse theyr finding yet not finding worke inough to be imployed in the next coÌ„pulsion if thei be not succored by seruice in priuat houses is to go on begging which settes them in daunger of manye gréeuous inconueniences therfore as wée are bound by christian common pitty to succor aboue all other sortes of poore this fraile and weake womankinde so the most conuenient meane thervnto is if the vertuous and welthy Burgesse wiues vndertaking to prouide for them within their townes will in one common order take into their seruice so many as they may frame méete for their perticuler vses yea though the necessitie of their seruice require not yet for Godes cause let them receyue them into common discipline with their daughters instructing them in some trauell conuenient to their weake kinde And with this if in time they aduaunce them in mariage to some men of science besides the great and agréeable seruice they shall doe to God he shal make florish and prosper their house recompence them to the hundred folde and rewarde them in the ende with eternall lyfe If God requited the charitie of the wise women of Egipt for preseruing from death the little infantes of the Hebrues whome the tyrant Pharao had commaunded to kill what rewarde hath he layde vp for such good women by whome are preserued the bodyes and soules of those christian maydes from filthy polution and eternall destruction in the desire and will of Sathan If for sauing the corporall life of those small children God poured so many benifites vpon the sayde Egiptian woman what hope of lesse recompence remayneth to our good matrons of Cyties who haue protected young maydes from being dishonored an act more worthy then to kéepe them from being killed by impudicitie and defend their soules from perpetuall death what greater sacrifice of seruice can be offred to GOD then to kéepe the sacred temple of the holye ghost which is the bodye of a mayde from prophanation by impuritye and to protect the holye members of Iesus Christ from being soyled in that vncleane sinke of villany and whoredome wherein they shoulde be slaues to the diuell obeying him in all filthinesse and sinnes wherein if the honest and vertuous dames of their cytie eyther by negligence or couetousnesse should giue liberty of corruption and slaunder to these poore maydes applying neyther care nor succor to their wants I doubt whether in the iudgment of God they should stand cléere of their damnation hath not God giuen to euerye one a care and obseruation of his neyghbor who if he be lost by his fault himselfe can not be saued and because therefore it is not proper to a man to haue medling with this sex but more conuenient to graue matrons by a naturall proxâ—mity let the women then vndertake this act of piety and religion so commendable of the worlde and acceptable with God with recompence of immortal glory Here the burgesse dames must not alledge the number and charge of their owne daughters and so forbeare their christian compassion to others for that were the saying of Paganes who are ignoraunt in the benefit of our vnitie in Iesus Christ by the which we ought to holde all Christians aswell women as men in the estimation of our brothers and systers fauoring ayding and succoring them in true frindship in all their necessary wantes And euen as if we should leaue any man in pouerty without succours and his necessitye driue him into offence of the law and so to suffer sentence of death we should stand afore God as parties to his crime and guilty to his death euen so is it with women and riche matrons who much lesse that they can excuse themselues in the terrible iudgement of God but if for want of their ayde poore maydes fall to whoredome or other damnable vice they can not but be capable of hir fault and so merite communitie of payne with hyr Sure such surety of recompâ—nce standes in the true considâ—ration of Gods goodnesse that albeit eyther by their proper inhabiliâ—y or euercharge with their owne children they haue no great power at the beginning to aduauÌ„ce this poore maydes yet seeing it is familiar with God not to forget any good deede done in his name he will so prosper this good act of his lyberall charity that themselues in time will confesse that they féele an apparaunt and manifest blessing of God in more felicity and encrease of richesse then
prayeth to God for vs with ioyned handes offereth his teares for our prosperity and yet in refusing to aide him wée chase him also frō vs as if hée were an Infidel wée reade that to geue to the poore impouerisheth not the geuer for god multiplieth the corne in the garnors of the Almes geuer blessing him with al sortes of Goodes wée reade in the Booke of Kinges that a poore widdow lodged Helias the Prophete in a season of extreame famine and hauing but one litle loafe for the whole sustenance of her selfe and family and imparting it with him as in Almes and charity Bread was not wanting in her house vntyl the time of fertillitye An other Woman lodging Heliseus became Ritche and had a Childe for recompence of her liberall hospitalitye yea let vs remember when Christ in the desert fedde the poore and hungrye troupe of so many thousand mouthes as hée was in the exercise and distribution of that Almes the Loaues and Fishes multiplyed in wonderfull abundaunce ¶ VVee must not feare that by geuing Almes wee shal be poore for God vvho is iust and true hath promised not to suffer the almes geuer to haue necessitye Strangers aboue al other sortes of poore are to be fauored in necessity Let the countreyes as vvell as Cities norish their perticular poore Such as distrust the prouidēce of God not norishing the poore are conuinced by the Turkes reasons by the vvhich vve ought not to haue distrust In times of plague ought such prouision to bee made as the poore dye not of vvant and pouertye ¶ The .5 Chapter THen seeing we haue so many cōmaundements to féede harbor the poore in theyr necessityes with ample promises cōfyrmed with exāples of plentiful graces of God why should wée doubt if wée doubt of his word we cannot bée but Infidels shal wée dare to resist God impugning so fiercelye his commaundementes are we not his subiectes is not hee the Lord which can do al thinges which is iust and true In this doubte and infidelitie wée merite the threatning in Salomon That that which wee feare shall assuredly happen vnto vs Or in place of that some other more gréeuous plague wée shal crye to him for ayde and shal find none neyther in life nor in death He sayth who kéepeth no reckoning of the poore or denyeth him his iust demaund doeth wrong to him that hath made him who heareth not the prayer of the poore shal crye shal not be hard as of the contrary who inclineth in compassion to the poore is sure to bée heard in al his requests for we haue declared that God multiplieth the corne in the Garner increaseth the wine in the seller of the Almes geuer who sayth hée wyl geue ayde to the poore of his owne towne and stretche not him selfe to helpe others Rates him selfe and prescribeth to his wil what he thinketh good leaueth to God to doo with the rest what hée will which can not but bée heaped against him as an ouerwéening rashenesse speciallye to deuide and parte that which hée hath set in state indiuidible willing at the least that wée vse as great care to poore straungers as to others that are familiar to the countrey The reason why God in the Scriptures hath more recommended poore straungers then others is that as hée that hath most néede of ayde ought most to bée succoured and is worthy of most great compassion So the straunger hauing neyther Parent Allye Neighbor or other meane of friendship by the commoditie of the countrey standes in most néede of Christian charitye For the which only being for the loue of God onely hee is succoured and not for other ende Therfore séeing the only respect of the loue of God is more great in this case then in other greater necessity also requiring the almes employed there must necessarily bée more great and the charity more commendale Heare if it bée replied that wée are most bound to our owne countrey I aunswere with S. Paul that there is neyther Iewe Greeke Scithian nor Barbarian in Iesus Christ no neyther woman nor man as who saye wee must not make distinction with Iesus Christ touching charitye no more then in the case of Saluation wée meane not heare of Parents kinred who in the actes and duty of charity ought by right of nature and deuine Lawe to bee first considered Besides although as we haue saide there were some fleshly affectiō yet the causes are greater to exercise charity to poore passengers as being more vexed with wantes haue more necessity of helpe yea hospitals or townes as we haue said were made therfore with the time expressly and principally for them For those within cities were sustayned in the particuler houses of wealthy and honest men Why should not then the place consecrated to their vse euen from the first institution be reserued for them What iniquity is it to take from them that which they haue possessed aboue prescription of time But heare I meane not that to reléeue straungers we should be carelesse ouer our familier poore and leaue them destitute But where is feruency of charity there the towne maye suffice to all so that none perishe with hungar And in our charge to nourishe straungers I comprehend them not but as passangers or wayfairing and to bée refreshed for a daye or twoo in the Hospitall and not to entertaine them in idlenes or geue sufferāce to theyr vaine pleasures touching the weake sicklye there is other consideration For in that nor in any other act wherin wée employ our selues to do wel charitye is not ruled but is gouerned by the necessitye And where it may bée feared that a whole world of poore people of the countrey may flock to the townes That doubt is answered if there bée aduertisement geuen that they receiue none but poore passangers and that those of the countrey bée ruled by a generall ordinaunce that in euery parishe the most Ritch of common liberality reléeue such as are trulye poore so that none bée suffered to come out of the countrey but certaine who eyther for shame or other necessary occation wil go séeke some meane to liue by Such men in any wise must bée applied to trauaile to auoide damnable idlenes of whome if any fal to disorder let him bée sent from whence he came with seuere threates of corporal paines hauing perhaps left Father Mother wife and children who by his absence may suffer sharpe necessitye Touching other feares which these timerous Almes giuers maye alleadge they ought no more to bée hearde then Infidels but are surmounted euen by the Turkes of this age with whome are continued goodly Hospitals to nourishe the poore but speciallye passanger strangers and that in time of dearth more thē in any other season Let also those fearefull Christians note that as true faith and charity haue neuer any feare but obedience to God with suretye of his word So the wise man
and agréeable to God For the which the auncient Macedonians were so liberall that they gaue not onlye one part of their goodes but also offred themselues as S. Paule writeth Let them search out the auncient debtes due to hospitals and let such as are indebted therin be compelled in that which they are bounde to pay for the goods they holde of their auncestors yea let themselues in recompence of the wrong they haue donne in times past to the poore and for the honour of God say with Zacheas to Iesus Christ that for penaunce he will satisfie such to whome he was bounde I will gyue sayth he the halfe of all my goodes to the poore and if I haue deceyued anye manne I will restore it fourefold which if they doe not let them not thinke that they stande in other state afore GOD then as men accused of theft robbery and murder yea the counsell of Carthage calleth them murderers of the poore And thus Gouernours hauing prouided that the reuenue be sufficient for the poore passengers and vnhable people lette the hable passengers after two or thrée dayes repose and harbor haue their leaue to depart and the impotent vexed with sickenesse be furnished of Phisitians and pothicaries for the cure of their diseases which being recouered to auoyde ydlenesse let them be recontinued to trauell and labour for their liuing But in case of defect by imbecillytie of nature or iniquity of time let gouernours measure the reléefe of such according to the hability of their persons and by their owne charitable discretion and if there be any who either by impotency of limmes or imbecilyty of age can not get their sufficient sustenaunce let their good willes be fauored and their defectes supplied of the common store applying the olde women to the labor of the spindle according to the meane they haue to worke vpon Al impotents of nature as such as are vexed with the paulsey others who being restrayned in mēbers are vnhable to labor blindmen all suffring defects of body ought to be norished wholy of the almes yet the blind are not so fully excusable but they may be applied to something for that in many of them god hath raised supplies of vertues wisdom as to Dydimus And séeing such as are lame may aptly ynough suffice to leade the blynde it cannot be but contrary to good order to apply stoute and able beggers to that office in whome is capacity to trauell in their trade Such as are lame only of their féete and legges haue yet an vse of their handes eyther with the néedle or such like instrument and such as are onelye dombe are not vnfite for all that to labour Touching poore children whose insufficiencye of age makes them vnhable to gaine their necessarye sustenaunce it cannot but be a worke of great compassion to apply them to learning in a colledge vnder the instruction of some good scoolemaster by whose industry and helpe of gods spirite they may ryse in time to be members seruiceable to their common weales such as haue no disposition to studye may be applyed to other sciences according to the rate and measure of their capacities Touching poore maydes wée haue before recommended them to the honorable and vertuous dames of euery Citye whome we beséech eftsones for Gods cause to take to themselues a charge and office of so singuler pyety ¶ Generall and speciall recommendation for prisoners and that for debtes vve ought not lightly to imprison one another The .7 Chapter TOuching poore prisoners we recommende them to the publike and perticuler almes Amongst whome such as are skilfull in anye occupation are vnprofitable in prison where they doe nothing but sorrow their estate time in ydlenesse and therefore if there be no iust reasons to dispatche their causes it were good they were applied to the exercise of their arte and so sustaine themselues by their owne meane rather then to consume themselues and goods of others in heauie ydlenesse But touching the riche sorte that hold the poore imprisoned for debt let them remember what Esay pronounceth against them great néede haue they saith he to fast and pray that so aflyct their poore debters holding as it were their féete vpon their neckes they hauing not charitie shall not doe a woorke pleasing to God to deserue grace and shall not be hearde in their peticions which they shall make in their aduersitie vnloose sayth he the bandes of impiety shake of the burdens which charge thée with auarice Let go such as are broken with perplexities and restore them to their libertie dissolue and shake of all burdens breake thy breade to the hungrye and make enter into thy house people néedy such as haue no place of retraite when thou séest a naked man couer him and despise not thy flesh And when thou hast done all this thy light shall shine out as the morning visibly euen vntill it be spéedely brought into perfite light but sooner shall thy helth come to passe as if he hadde sayd if thou be sicke God will restore thy helth sooner then thou darest hope for it And thy iustice that is thy liberalitie shall go before thy face meaning shall be presented afore god Then shalt thou call vppon God and hée will receyue thy petitions Thou shalt crye to him and hée will aunswere thée I am heare to ayde thee Therefore let not the riche disquiet or oppresse theyr néedye debtours but let them vse Charitie and attende tyll they haue better commodity to satisfye theyr debt yea if the debtor being extreame poore haue not wherevpon to lyue the Ritche creditour ought to forgeue his debt franckelye as hée is bounde to ayde other poore in necessitye without expectacion of profite from them so shall they in better truth obserue the Lordes prayer where they desire God to forgiue them their debtes wherein they stande bounde to him as they remit the trespasses of others which are their subiects whether they be wronges or common debts But where the poore debtor hath barely whervpon and yet no other meane to satisfie vnlesse he sell his landes houses or other small goodes at little price there it is good reason the creditor ioyne himselfe to respite and attende a better commodity of the debtor who laboreth to search paiment for him yea let the poore debtor rather recompence the losse which the creditor maye sustaine for lacke of payment by the vpright iudgment and consience of honest men the same being the interest which is called iust tollerable amongst all interestes ciuill But if it excéede this it is damnable vsury forbidden amongst the Iewes who ought to liue as brethren much more then amongst the christians in whom God hath expressed a spirite of more charity and compassion vsury was tollerated of the Iewes to the Pagans as well for the hate of ydolatry as bycause the countries of the next Pagans appertayned to them and therefore they made it lawfull to praye
might haue risen to great personages aswell for ornament as to gouerne churches and common weales euen as out of the horse of Troye issued great Lordes in the middest of the Citie to the glorious victorie of the Greekes ¶ What Principall and Regents ought to be called to institute a Colledge it is requisite they be learned of good life instructions who they ought to be by many comparisons Chapter ij HAuing thus prouided for the building and reuenues of a Colledge the next care is to furnishe it with a Principall and Regents of exquisit doctrine and maners irreprehensible to whom young men may and ought to conforme themselues in all things whither it be in spéech iesture life or any conuersation not suffering to be founde in them any vice no more then ought to be any stayne in a cleare looking glasse for they bée mirroures of youth wherein we behold our selues to the end to wipe away such spottes as be vpon our face if it be so as we said before that such as is the gouernour of a Citie such are the Citizens although iudgement reason ioyned with the exercise of humane affaires giues them an vnderstanding to discerne what is good and hurtfull for them what expectation or hope of fashion is there in young children who as apes counterfeting naturally all that they see done expresse as neare as they can the manners resemblance of their Master The same was the cause that that great and excellent Poet Homer in his philosophicall poesie fayned that Achillos so eloquent and excellent in déedes of armes had with him alwayes his Master Phoenix the leader of all good Masters who instructed him in the partes of well speaking and was to him alwayes as an example of noble actes from Pithagoras Archyras Socrates and Plato are deriued great Philosophers and very vertuous Disciples as good followers of their wise and vertuous Masters euen as from pure fountaines flow riuers like to them in cleare fairenesse But of the contrary when schollers shall sée in their Masters both ignorance error and all sortes of vice hauing neither counsell to consider the faults of their teachers nor subiect to correction of any other may it not be sayed by them as in a Greeke prouerbe was layed against a sophister hauing Disciples like to him selfe that of a wicked Crow comes a worse egge meaning that by an euill Master whither it be in doctrine or life is formed a Disciple like to him For that cause Saint John and Jesus Christ called séedes of Vipers suche as were enuenemed with false discipline of a wicked toung suttle ipocrisie and inward mallice of the Pharesies and other Masters corrupted in such vices wee read that the mightie Alexander obseruing his Master Leonides giuen to drunkennes became so intēperat in drinking that he did many infamous acts yea not sparing to kill a deare friend of his and one of his chiefest Philosophers It is a thing most consenting to the nature of a childe to imitate vices expressed before him in demonstracion most easie to corrupt him by wicked example whose nature of it selfe is full of corruption draweth him by kind to vices without the aide of outward doctrine euen as it is easie to one issued of a race infected with leprosie or other corruption of nature to fall eftsones into that disease being naturall and contagious specially if he haue familiar conuersation or gouernement with such as are infected is it not easie to make him to fall that is weake and not able to stand vpright But he that of himselfe seekes nothing but to poore vppon the earth it is hard to make him clyme into high places Euen so the thoughtes and mindes of man being from their infancie inclined to do euill solleine negligent and slow to well doing of themselues will hardly pretend or aspire to clime the high hill of vertue nor the Muses coassembling in their stately Helicon Parnassus mountains signifying the raised hart and industrie we ought to haue to come to the type of true erudicion if they be not led as it were drawne by the hand with often exhortation take corgae by such as follow the right hard and straite waye of vertue science which is scuh as are their vertuous and skilfull Masters of long time exercised in their owne profession The auncients in times past for the many benefites growing to common weales by the industrie of learned and vertuous instructers compared them to good Dyers giuing a good and faire teynt or die to cloth of it selfe vile and vnpolished which afterward in respect of his excellent cooller becomes seruiceable and vsuall to Princes Kynges and Emperours some of them resemble them with learned Painters who vppon their tables draw so faire pictures that ther is not so great a Lorde who takes not pleasure to beholde them And some compare them to excellent caruers of Images who vndertaking to worke purtreytes out of rude and vnpolished stones smooth them first and cut them afterwards by such Art and cunning raysing so liuely and naturall formes that to make them naturall bodies there seames to want nothing but life and spéech and so by their excellent skill in those Images they take away quite the first nature of the stone out of the which they were hewed euen so do wise learned and vertuous Masters with the wittes of their Disciples giuing them doctrines and vertues most excellent pictures liuely coollers and goodly ornaments of the soule Who by those things declares a beautie wonderfull excellencie altogither deuine by the which it hath affinitie with God and is honored of all men aboue all other taking charge to institute youth the Principall ought most to excell who as he is in the first degrée of honour and authoritie ouer the Regents and schoolemasters so it belonges to him to surmount them in wisedome erudicion and good life And being assured of the vertue and doctrine he must also be hable to iudge of the discreation of the Regents and giue thē place honorable and allowance equall to their merits furnishing alwayes the fourmes when it is requisite as if the chiefe Regents faile to supplie their default to auoyde disorder and in any wise not to suffer their youth to loose their deare time which cannot but be to them all a charge of conscience Lastly they must examine the schollers of high fourmes determining fourmes according to their aduauncement otherwise they are negligent in their estate cōtemptible and expresse not the reuerēce and obedience which iustly apertaine to the Principall and therefore let no Colledge be gouerned either by a proud or ignorant man. ¶ A continuance of the discourse of Colledges by other comparisons Chapter iij. SVch good instructours teachers and scholemaistsrs to youth maye also by the doctrine of the auncients bée layed in comparison with Fathers Phisicions labourers gardeners shepheardes potters goldsmithes who according to their actions in the artes wherein they deale
speaking as when negligent children drawing to too much play and losse of time do mutuall iniuries with corruption of maners Where God is offended as in malice and wicked spéech and worke correction must not be dissembled euen from their infancie in which age aboue all other thinges they must be instructed to pray to God and by little little accustomed to feare and serue him as much as the state of their age wil beare Saint-Ierome holdeth it wel done that the childe be taught euen from his infancy to beare the yoke of the lord with whom Salomon agréeth saying Remember thy selfe O young man of thy creator in thy youth learne euen from thy youngest age to feare honour loue and serue thy God And Dauid is of opinion that there is nothing wherein a young man correcteth better his life then in considering and kéeping the commaundements of god Touching common doctrine it must be ministred gently familiarly easely and if it be possible without the rod according to the surname of scholes being called a play or exercise of learning where young wittes must be induced as to a pleasant play giuing to the young scholler some smal thing of pleasure to encourage him after the trauell of his lesson And for his better societie in studie it is good to ioyne him to a companion as a spurre to his Booke Proponing to him that merites some price commending the victor and blaming him that is ouercome yea sometimes driuing him to teares and yet afterwards recomfort him applying to the slow witte for aduauntage some what more labour of the Master to the end he dispaire not in study being alwaies ouercome This emulation in studie must be continued euen in great schollers for one of the greatest spurres to studie is mutuall enuie among companions as glory to winne and reproch to be surmounted if there be any young children malicious melancholly spitefull or negligent let the commaundement of Salomon be applied Restraine sayth he no discipline from a young childe for if thou strike him with a rod be shall not die of it beate him with a rod and thou shalt deliuer his soule from hell if malice be gathered in the heart of a child the rod of discipline will roote it out of him who spareth the rod to a young man hurteth him and sheweth no loue to the health of his soule but he that kéeps him familiar with the rod declareth his affection to him Therefore Masters that flatter their negligent leude children entertaining them in their vices for feare to loose the profite they get by them or to drawe a more number of schollers commit treble offence First against themselues being guiltie before God of all such offences together with other those faultes which their schollers shall euer commit Secondly they further the damnation of their disciples who such as they are nourished suffred such will they remaine sayth Salomon Lastly they do great wrong to their parents and common weales for that by the euils of those children the parents shall haue perpetuall sorrowe and the common weale continually vexed And in the end such Masters by the iust course of Gods iudgement shal be hated of their schollers and the gaine they shall get shall neuer rise to constant profite but perish before their eyes ¶ Masters ought to instruct their Disciples whome they receiue into commons touching the body with the same labour wherwith they institute their mindes prayses of Science Chapter viij WE must not forget here that euen as masters ought to feede the spirites of childrē with good learning forme them in ciuell mannors and kéepe them from corruption by euill example doctrine standing as condemned afore God deseruing so many eternall iudgmentes as their disciples by their negligence shall cōmit offences So they are bounde to no lesse care to norishe and to entertaine in health the tender bodies of their young scholers wher in it is chieflie necessary they vnderstande their perticuler natures together with the qualitie and operation of meates and so as phisitions prescribe their regiment touching the quantitie and qualitie of their féeding I mean that according to the naturs composicion of their children they muste varie in sorts measurs of meat and drinke geuing to some more and to others lesse As to great lampes where are great matches there muste be more infusion of oyle then to the little ones other waies where is great match and littell oyle and not often dropped in the fyer wil easely consume and put all to ashes Euen so young children whose nature bears a more ardent heat are more drye then others muste eate oftenner then such as are colde and moyst as are the flegmatike sort Let therfore masters entring in to the charge of children consider carfullye of their order of diet And as they ought to take héede not to traine them in intemperat or delicat féeding which makes them glottons and wanton and drawes both body and minde in to infirmities and corruptcion So let them no lesse beware to norishe them hardly and with meates of euill taste for great sobrietie in young children wekneth their bodyes in consumpcion of the roote humor through the naturall heat which is ardent in them by which default they fall in the end into a restraint of breth or tisycke and by the nature of euill meats they come to ill disgestion the worst of al lamentable and incurable disseases by these two extremities vnwise masters procure to their disciples expedicion of death and so are no other then the murderers of them wherin such aboue all other are most guiltie who taking children in to comons or pension for couetousnes doe eyther feede thē sparingly or by sluttishnes prepare them corrupt and vnholsom dyet wherin they merite sentence of cōdemnacion as traytors and suttel murderers of that simple youth abusing wickedly the truste of their parents who through their defaults are the proper deliuerers of their owne children to perill of death wine also being the instrument that leads them in to many sinns can not but shorten their life it burneth by his naturall heat the tender substāce of young men euen as the flame of fier consumes the oyle and so deuoureth the drye matter and wood alredy set on fier Then seing the young child is no other thing then fier to giue him wine is as to cast oyle in to a furnace to ēcrease the heat and burne all for which cause Plato in his comon weale restrained wine from youth till after xviij yeres and from those yeres till the beginning of olde age he suffered none to drinke wine but qualified with water and yet in great sobrietie Besides all these wine prouokes to whordom and engendreth coller adust which in the end by immoderat vse turneth into malencolie and so in the flower of their time makes them diseased with diuerse kindes of colde and incurable sicknes by which occasion the auncients in great reason called wine
them If to men vsing great estates and offices be reserued an vniuersall reuerence What lesse honour is due to him that makes them worthy of it and by his industry brings them into the merit of such high calling If wise and learned men be famous through the world for the benefites that growe by their counsell commaūdement and authoritie is there lesse dutie of renoume and immortall praise to such as are the authors of those benefites by their learning If men learned in the lawes profite so much common weales If Phisitions be so necessary for that in them resteth the cure of bodies If lastly by the deuines wée finde comfort to our heauie soules how much are we bound to such as are the first causes of these deuine fruites who are the schoolemasters without whom and the foundation by them layed in those doctrines they had neuer ascended to those seates of honour when we sée a goodly building so excellent in beautie that the worlde giues it singuler estimation what can we ascribe lesse to him who laied the foundation and raised the worke to that excellencie then the principall praise For if faire delitefull and profitable workes be so generally praysed nothing lesse is due to the hand that fashioned them Who delites to behold a goodly picture doth great wrong to the painter if he ascribe not much to the commendation of his skill yea if there were layd on but the first coollers yet the beholder ought to be thankfull to his industrie and labour But if such as nourish our mortall bodies deserue great affection memorable renoume much more are we bound both in loue and perpetuall dutie to them that minister foode to the immortall spirites of little children if so great reuerence be reserued to Phisitions for helping the health of bodies which one day must die notwithstanding Is there not more merit of honour to such as cure our soules of immortal diseases The scripture pronounceth many textes to the shame of those which despise scholemasters of which profession Christ séemed to make his Apostles when he spake to Peter if thou louest mée féede my Lambes What other thing is it to féede then to nourish teach in good doctrine and the Lambes of the flocke of Iesus Christ according to the natural propertie of speaking are young children whom he holdes no lesse deare then his proper fleshe I saye not that vnder that name are ment all sortes of people and yet it can not be denied but that those littleones deserue chief instruction For S. John after he had taught in diuers countreys being compelled to leaue them for a time and go elswhether by speciall writing sayd to the little ones comfort your selues O ye young ones in that you are by the grace word of God strong and vertuous for that the woord of God remaynes in you and that you haue vanquished the wicked spirit through the grace and merit of Iesus Christ Yea Christ him selfe caused the little children to come into his schoole blaming the Apostles being yet of the flesh by cause they let those littleones for comming to him as though he would not haue taught and holpen them aswell as euen the greatest but he commaunded to bring them to him and pronounced them in that instruction and imposition of hands which hée gaue them worthy of the kyngdome of GOD saying that to those and such like the euerlasting worlde belongeth Then such as receiue little children into discipline exercise the office of Iesus Church the same sturring vp the Bishops in old time to take into charge of discipline and teaching little children as also did both the one and the other S. Iohn and the Prophets had many disciples who otherwayes were called the children of the Prophets it is written that many holy men went thorough the world to teach schollers with this intention that with the rules of learning they should also instruct them in the principles of faith and by that meane winne the Fathers mothers to Iesus christ amongest these Origen was not the least zealous and S. Gregorie the Pope refused not this vocation for certaine houres of the day For which considerations a certaine learned doctor of our time and chauncellor of a famous vniuersitie had no shame to go thorow the Colleadges of the vniuersities at certaine conuenient houres and teach little children in familiar doctrines which he did for the loue zeale of God And being oftentimes reproched by other doctors that he shewed an example vnworthy his place specially for that there were sufficient tuters to that purpose he aunswered that they were as fleshly doctors resembling the Apostles not yet in full libertie of the spirite who by glorious opinion forbad little children to approche neare to Iesus Christ alleadging that there was no dutie of accesse to him but by those that were graue I aske of those fleshly doctors whether the shepeheard that kéeps the Lambes of a Father of houshold do not as good and agréeable seruice to his Master as if he had in charge greater shéepe If a Father shew more deare loue to his little children then to those that haue riper age foloweth it not by congruent reason that such as giue succoures to those little ones and kéepe them from daunger deserue better recompence of the Father then if they had done seruice to his greater sonnes If the little plant in the garden of any Farmer be so much cherished that the eye of the owner is seldome from it hée then that watreth it prunes it and defends it from the cropping of beastes and other iniuries what seruice doth he to the owner Yea what greater pleasure can he do to the Farmer whose young plant without this industrie were subiect to spoyle without hope to yéeld any fruite euen as if the little Lambes of the flocke were lost and the young children corrupt there were no exspectation of restitution of that losse and corruption The schoolemaster then hauing in charge these little lambes of Iesus Christ and the preparing of this tender plant of his gardeine which is the Church and lastly the leading of these little children being the delites of the Lord how acceptable is his loyall and diligent seruice to his Lorde and to God And if such as sclaunder these little ones through wicked doctrine example deserue to haue fastened to their necke a milstone and drowned in the bottome of the déepest Sea What recompence or reward is due to those tutors scholemasters by whome those littleones are instructed and led in example of all holines Are they not worthy as Daniell sayeth to shine as the firmament and starres of heauen in euerlasting glory and to be called the greatest of the kyngdome of God Yea according to Iesus Christ euen the most happie of all And if euerie one ought to receiue the reward of his trauels as there is no estate of more hard laboures more great paines more perpetuall perplexeties and
more often reproches yea being euen as little martyrs so there is no profession wherein are lesse faultes For the Masters séeking but to comunicate their learning with their disciplrs neuer endure their vices if they speake euill they correct them if they do euill they are punished they neuer giue them libertie of idlenes though they allow times of necessary recreation In this estate is nothing but chastitie for which cause they are called Pallas and the Muses being Mayds by which occasion not without cause the Poets fained Pallas the Goddes of wisedome and mayde with hir nine mayden sisters the Muses who also as they signifie the exercise of sciences contayning in it virginitie and perpetuall honestie so they are called sisters as being all of one mutuall societie and indiuidible coniunction There is no thing but vertue and godlines in a schoole and therfore it deserues well to be called a religion if in any bookes of the pagans there be wordes vnciuill bearing to vnchast loue or expressing nombers of Goddes the schollers are aduertised by their tutors that they are spéeches of infidelles which knew not God and therfore in taking the rose they may leaue the thornes and being taught the good they are also warned from that which is euill What resteth now more to be alleadged of these detractors and scoffers of the estate of schoolemasters so noble and happie and almost the generall cause of all the benefites that are done in the worlde where they being men of vaine and light spirites are also a people vnprofitable and a burden and charge to the earth Rattes and deuowring vermin of the garnors of good men bycause they haue not passed by good schooles where with ciuilitie in spéech and life they might haue learned some Art profitable to their countrey and honorable to themselues when they die they cannot leaue any testimonie that they liued vppon the earth for that to them posteritie can prescribe no memorie of god These scoffers by contempt call schoolemasters Magisters and Dominos which turnes as a glory to them for that they haue those names common with Iesus Christ saying to his Disciples you call me Magister and Domine sum etenim so schoolemasters are Magistri by the state of their teaching and Domini for that they commaund their disciples and giue lawes to their affections and lustes where those dispisers of good men for whom according to Salomon the terrible iudgements of God are prepared are thralles and slaues to their passions yea it is to be feared that they are euen the bondmen of Sathan whom they obey and are the executors of his commaundements whereof the greatest and most pernicious is to contemne the good sort and vex with violence and wrong men of learning and vertue being an estate that most batter the kingdome of Sathan bring ruine to his tirannie But notwithstanding their scoffes and vaine impediments they are both Lords and Masters as exercising both authoritie and discipline in their iurisdiction of their small common weale aswell as the greatest Magistrate of the earth and to scoffe with those scoffers we may say they haue their scepture in hand with distribucion of high inferior Iustice for they condemne iustefie and absolue when they condemne there is no appeale yea there is such direct pollecie in their coÌ„mon weale that it suffreth neither disorder nor confusion where it is hard to these inciuill iesters to put order in their small families compounded perhaps but vppon two or thrée persons but crying some times as the blind man wheÌ„ he hath lost his staffe strike sometimes without measure or reason reaping by their disorder a gréeuous curse to themselues and families whereuppon is no great cause of merueile for that being not hable to gouerne themselues for want of discipline they haue lesse capacitie to rule others For end let them remember the sentence of Seneca that euill doth he merit to commaunde others which hath not himselfe liued long vnder the discipline of good Masters and learned to obey their commaundements So that with Salomon I may aunswere them at full that a wicked man can not but leade his toung in wickednes and who abhorres good men are detested of God. An exhortation to young children to studie Chapter xiiij MOreouer waighing with the comon benefitts comming to comonweals the sweet profitts that growe to singuler men by learning I exhorte all young men to the studie of the same their nature speciallie inclining and their abillitie consenting making coÌ„scieÌ„ce to lose one only minute of time according to the examples and counsel of Theophrastus and Plinie Whereof as the on in saying time was a most precius expense signified the no more ought men to consume vainly the least parte of time then to make prodigall expenses or wast of a most delicat meate so the other held all times lost which were not imployed in studie the same being the cause that he would not suffer his reader to repeat to him one word twise alleging that it hindred his time to passe further and learn that which yet he knew not where â—he consented with the moste part of all wise men whose opinions were that in all things ought we to be liberal sauing of our honor time in which two things being so precious we ought to be so sparing as not to be prodigall in eyther of them not to our very frinds But to come to knowledg and vertu they must first demaund them of God who is the only disposer of theÌ„ the lord sayeth Salomon giues wisdom and knowleg and discresion comes from his mouth who hath néed of wisdome let him aske it of God sayeth S. James who giues it abundauntly and reprocheth none of that he giues them but enioyneth them to humilitie for on the humble and méek he bestowes his grace secondly it is necesarie to take suche masters as we haue described good learned diligent and discret Thirdly ther must be aplied great labors and seruis trauell which abeit séem heuy and painfull at the beginning yet after the first taste be past they shall féele a most swéet iuyce or likquor in the frute of lerning for which cause Jsocrates resembled learning to a trée whose root is sower and the barke bitter but in the frutes is a most pleasant delightfull tast Plutarch wills men not to stick at the labor that brings any great or excellent benefitt for with the infinitt and glorius recompence afore God and the whole worlde of suche labor the custome of those paines makes the burthen easie which was right aptly aduised of Cato that vertu hath hir exercise in hard trauells which passe away but the frute ther of remaines eternall being a perpetuall inward delight of the mind of man Therfore muche less that labor ought to terifie or with draw young witts from studie but in the consideration of knowledg accompanied with profitt pleasure glorie and immortall name ther is great cause to
conuite them to a voluntari forwardnes besides that by custom those labors are made easte and pleasant conteyning in them a feeding delight the same iudgment may be made of vertu of whom learning is the norsse and most faithfull preseruation which is the reason that as a man riseth in knowledg so he encreseth in studie more then at the beginning And being come to greater skill he féeles not at all the grauitie of his paines for that inward delight of mind which he findes therin and so aspiring as it weare in an ambicius zeal to learning he findes that the knowledg he hath gotten is nothing in regard of that which he is ignorant of according to the aunswer of Socrates that his knowledg was yet nothing in comparison of his ignorance Fourthly to attaine to lerning it is expedient to vse with the labor you take inteligence or vnderstanding of that you learne order of studies repeticion conference and exercise of memorie and stile Intelligence aides the iudgement order repeticion or conference and stile frame the memorie which of all other faculties of the mind is most necessary to knowledge as being the gardien or kéeper of them for as the immagination aprehendes the vnderstanding comprehendes debats and iudgeth So the memorie reteins as a tresur coÌ„serues what so euer is heard seen and red And to haue a good memorie it ss necessary to vnderstand perfectly that is learned seing to things well vnderstand memorie is a faithfull and plentifull storehowse order serueth as an artificiall memoriall which was familier with Symonides and for that he was iudged to excell in memorie Repeticion engraueth the impression of things which you will reteine and therfore if was a custome amongest the folowers of Pythagoras to repeat euery day that which they learned the day before which made them aboue al other Philosophers most singuler in knowledg as indéed we know nothing but what we haue committed to the gard and kéeping of our memorie for if wée haue learned much at times and do not retain it we cannot say we know it if we cannot remember it and apply it as the occasion of our purpose requiers no more then that man may be called riche which gained much in times past and kept little but better may he be estéemed welthy who hauing got much hath of that to serue his vse plentifully do pleasure to his frieÌ„ds So that aboue all let young wittes exercise their memorie by diligent and perfect intelligence of the whiche they studie then by exact meditation and after by repeticion in them selues or conference with their companions not learning that which they doe not communicate or dispute with an other the better to commit it to writing or else reduce it into common places which wil be to them as certaine perpetuall memorialles The woll must lye long in the dye the better to take a continuall cooller other wayes much lesse that it wold be dyed to an excellent and lasting hew but of the contrarie the cooller would be course and yet fade quickly it is then requisite that tutors who haue iudgement for their Disciples applie carefully these meanes or better if they know any for the better institution of their schollers not doubting but that memorie as doth the spirite is quickned by that exercise and séemes to rise into dayly encrease by that meane euen vntill it touche the type of singular perfection There bée that haue readie wittes and sharpe memories by nature but nature without art without doctrine and exercise is a thing maimed and vnperfect but hauing the ayde of these it yéeldes wonderfull fruite euen as the fertill ground wel tilled fructifieth the better without which industrie it would yéeld an vnprofitable haruest to the owner And as there is no ground so barene by nature which by plowing fatting and laboring is not reduced to some fruiâ—â— by the same reason there can not be such dull wittes and short memories which by the benefits of the meanes aforesaide are not sharpened and made better This I bring in by the way the more to sturre vp young spirites feeling such weaknesse of nature to trauell to correct them by those industries as we read Demosthenes by importunat and continuall laboures reformed so well his vice of nature being giueÌ„ to stutt and very vnapt to learne that he came to excell euen the most excellent Orators of his tyme In this sorte then both the one and the other young wittes aswell sharpe and forwarde as slowe and dull are exhorted to gette knowledge for the which togither with actes of true vertue they are truely acknowledged worthie of the name of men as without them they are but creatures masked rather then men neither worthy of worldly honor nor resolued of the certaine meane to their saluation and much lesse able to comprehende what God is knowledge will enable them and set them oute to what estate they like to follow and bring them honor though they will not make exercise of learning And besides the pleasure they shall receyue by it swéet profite and assured honor yea be it that they professe estate of armes a lyfe séeming farre estraunged from learning euen there also doctrine giues the greatest ayde according to the fame of the Athenian Captaines who being learned men brought foorth actes more valiant and wonderful then others and by learning the great Alexander Caesar Augustus amongest other princes most learned haue brought no small renowne to their enterprises and actes of warre For this cause the poetes haue fayned Pallas signifying science armed and as a leader of a campe meaning by that fiction that an armie is most suerly guyded by Captaines learned as in whom resteth most suttle and sharp spirites and a settled iudgement of all the pollicies and strategemes of other auncient Captaines conquering townes couÌ„treys and kingdomes Besides this the memorie of such valiaunt actes would perish were not for the writings of learned men who being Captaines as Thucidides Iulius Caesar and Iosephus or at the least men at armes as Salust haue a better order of descriptioÌ„ then such as know nothing but by heare say to such as hold that learning make mennes mindes fearfull to much deliberate or thoughtfull it may be aunswered that in the liberall and noble minds it rather workes an effect of greater courage as is most certaine in the former examples And touching thought it is necessarie to coÌ„sider with aduise when where and howe to direct attemptes of warre wherein as it is found true in common experience that councell and discretion in warres do more then force so it falles out most commonly that battailes gouerned with rashe boldnes bringe foorth vnhappie issues where wisedom ruling fortune séemes to goe with Gods deliberat prouidence For a last prayse of learning in attemptes of warre we finde that the Lacedemonians painted the nyne Muses armed declaring that men of knowledge doe then best dispose and instruct in warres when
specially they haue practised their knowledge by some experience which giues them a skill to fight with more wisedom and greater courage This is in effect that I had to saye in exhortacion to young wittes to followe the studie of learning and withal to aunswere such as hold that learning profites not artisans marchantes no nor Gentlemen if specially they follow armes but makes them fearful to followe the hazard and fortune of warre an opiniō sufficiently proued false aswell by reason as by certaine experience of many worldes The ende of the v. Booke The vi Booke ¶ Of the office of euery estate and first of the dutie of the husbond to his wife Chapter j. WE haue nowe to handle the duetie of euery estate with the particulare conuersacion of all sortes of people excepte Magistrates gouernors Phisicions Apoticaries Surgeons principals regentes and Schoole maisters and office of schollers to their maisters of all which we haue debated before and therefore the better to prepare and order our discourse we will beginne with the thrée first societies beginnings of naturall pollicies and naturall foundacions of all common weales that is of the mā and woman in mariage of Fathers and mothers and of children of maisters and seruauntes and of Maistresses and their handmaydes and so pursue successiuely the other qualities and condicions of diuerse personnes Touching the Husband he ought to acknowledge him selfe to be created of God and that with action of thanks man to his image and likenes to the ende to represent him heare in all perfection of vnderstanding of iudgement and of reason And albeit he hath erred I meane in Adam and is falne by sinne from that similitude Image of perfection yet he hath alwayes reteyned by Gods goodnes more then the womā some excellencie of nature touching the minde force and abilitie of body by both which reliefes of his firste creation nature when he vseth them in seasons and exercises hée hath atchieued many right highe and memorable actes So that by how much he hath that aduantage aboue the woman in those naturall vertues by so much more is hée bound to expresse and show them in the gouernement of his wife and housholde And therefore it is méete hée kéepe in societie with his quicke and sharp vnderstanding a déepe iudgement and a reason exempt and frée from all vaine and wicked affections which he shall then performe to his honor and prayse of his kynd and preheminence of nature when he shall most decke and set out his minde with knowledge specially of GOD which is as a light to the minde in all her speculations and humane actions and when hee shal bee garnished with faith and reskued by the ayde of Gods grace presented and communicated to the humble good liuers And so a man taking this course with common and diligent exercise in vertue may marrie in a competent reasonable age which is in some sooner and in others more late according to the importance of their nature and strength At the furthest let him not excéede xxxvi yeres a tyme for marriage prescribed by Hesiode and Aristotle I thinke they spake chiefly of Philosophers and such to whom by the perpetuall exercise of their youth was no oportunitie or leasure to marie nor sooner then at xx yeares if there be no iust causes of anticipation as not to restraine the vigor and naturall faculties of strength and growing which continues cōmonly vntill xxviii yeares by which the life is shortened and children engendred in the weake age of their father are subiect to debility in corporal stature partaking more of dwarffes then of substantial and perfecte men The same is also a lawfull cause to staie maides from hastie marriage specially afore they beare sufficient and iust stature and their naturall forces resolued other wayes they stand in perill of the inconueniences with their husbandes whiche afterwardes can not be remedied I know the positiue lawes aduaunce the time of mariage giuing libertie to the man at xiiii and the mayd at xii yeares not that those lawes approue that prerogatiue or anticipate marriage by commaūdment but onely by permission to prouide for and bridle those intemperat lustes which easely can not bée limited in young men left to idle libertie and without the authoritie of parentes by which occasion without this meane their hoat youth would carrie them into adulteries incestes and rapes with other filthie delites of the fleshe wherein they would wallow as little pigges in puddles This councell I giue by the opinion and consent of naturall philosophie according to the which wise men are wont to gouerne their bodies and kéepe their youth from corruption And in the Scripture we read the yong mē grown to perfect stature as Jsaac and Iacob had xl yeares afore they married a time wherein they were able to enter wedlocke by holy and wyse iudgement not to accomplishe onely the pleasures of the flesh vnworthie for such as know God but of purpose chiefly to raise procreation according to the institutiō of marriage whom they had then discretion to instruct in the knowledge and feare of God wherunto they are enioyned by scripture leauing the other cause whiche is the remedie of infirmitie for suche as vexed with hoat luste stood in daunger to slyde into the corrupte effectes of the fleshe The youth of Jsrael were neuer admitted to mariage till they bare age to be enrolled in the bookes of mustters for the warrs the better to be able to defende their wyfe and children against enemies wherin the fact can not but beare against all reason to committ a wife to a husband in whom is neyther force to defend hir nor discretion to direct hir both which are most necessary in mariage and much lesse being pore him selfe hath no mean by art or abylitie of industrye to prouide for his wife and howshold great suer is the folly in ani man to aspire to mariage afore he haue attained to the vertues requisit to the honorable direction of that estat and by discretion can employe his wealth gotten to vses and be able by law and force if need be to defend him and his against all violent oppressors But much more intolerable is that rashnes that leads men to marie being not yet prepared to entertain and prouide for the necessities of it by this the séede of pouertie is sowen in all parts of a kingdome wherof the haruest is more plētifull then of other things their children haue their succoure in begging their wiues yet young are constrayned with dishonour to wander to the great perill of their chastitie In the mean while till nature establish compotent years let this forward youth be tamed by trauells and continuall labors let them be enured with sermons and doctrine by the which they may restraine their passions but specially on festiuall days a time when idlenes ioyned with libertie invites youth both to do and think euill yea if ther be
in communicatinge to her parte of all his benefits and making her with himselfe coinheritor of his Paradise Could hée showe her more great signes of perfect amitie yea hee hath conioyned himselfe with her as one flesh making hir flesh of his fleshe bloud of his bloud and bones of his bones as we beléeue Eua was taken out of the ribbe of Adā whereby he acknowledged her to be his fleshe bones And for vertue of that coniunction he saied that touching cohabitation togither man should leaue Father and mother to cleaue to his wife yea so great is this coniunction and inseparable vnitie that no more can it be deuided then the fleshe of the ribbe being connaturall to it by consent and order of nature can be separated from the bone nor the body disioyned frō his head wherein man may vnderstand with what loue hée is bound to his wife how he ought to loue her as his proper fleshe with resolution to liue with her in amitie vnitie of indiuidible will as he séeth her conioyned to him by indissoluble communion both according to the first ordinance of God and by the seconde renouation alliance which Iesus Christ hath made with his church in spirituall mariage with this a thing knit to true loue let him thinke that the woman was taken out of the ribbe of the man to signifie that she should bee hys companion and not cut out of his héele to be his handmaid and subiect For that cause S. Peter calleth the woman coinheritrix of grace and life with the man and with S. Paule exhorteth husbandes to entreate their wyues with all gentlenes and cohabit with them by discretion as being weake vesselles giuing them honour and not to gréeue them eyther with too great burden of busines or by worldly or fleshly lettes whereby their prayers may be hindered meaning partlie with the councell of S. Paule that man and wife sometimes ought to refraine mutuall cohabitacion of their bodies to exercise themselues in prayer and fastinge as when there is preparacion for the communion whiche Ioell commaundes also to doe in tyme of penaunce when there is question to reconcile God with teares and fasting then is the tyme sayeth he that the husbande should deuide bedd with his wife and shée forbeare her mariage couche the better to praye to god For notwithstanding such cohabitacions and actes of the flesh in mariage are not of themselues in respect of the purpose of that institution vnlawfull at all tymes yet because they draw the spirit of it selfe diuine and heauēly into corrupt thoughts quenching the spirituall force and action of the same and as it were weaken it of power to rayse it selfe to God in pure and liuely contemplacion they can not be but hurtfull without moderation For which purposes if men be bound to fast and to qualefye their vnrulie lustes with better reason ought they to absteyne from suche actes which no lesse or rather more but in other qualitie peruert the spirituall faculties of the mind then either aboundance of meats or plentie of wine yet the scripture séemes to giue no such expresse commaundement touching cōtinencie as of abstinence as not to condemne the inuincible infirmitie and incontinency of many fleshly creatures who euen in mariage haue not power in respect of their custome to absteyne easelie Here the mā and wife are to bée aduertised that séeing mariage of his proper institution is a thing honorable and vndefiled let them not deface and stayne it by vnlawfull and immoderat pleasures more beastly then naturall let them remember the warning of Dauid Be not sayeth he as a Horse or Moyle in whom is no vnderstanding let them beware that they séeke not after inordinate passions which prouoke to actes of Pagans sayeth S. Paul let them be without perturbation of mynd as not bearing anger nor grudge agaynst any man let them not lurfeyte of eating and drinking nor be subiect to gluttonie and dronkenes For it is most certayne that the procreation shall resemble the qualities and corrupte natures of the Father and mother and therefore Diogenes not without cause séeing a yong boy wanton and giuen to wine gaue iudgement that his father begotte him when he was dronke as also most commonly bastardes be leacherous by reason of the vnchaste lust of their Father and mother wherein they were engendered But nowe to the lawes and rules which the husband ought to gyue to his wyfe according to the doctrine of god First the better to prepare her to humilitie she ought to acknowledge in her selfe such frayelty and infirmitie by nature both in mynd and body that as Aristotle sayeth without the guide of the man she is no other then as a matter without a forme and naturally can not liue without his direction as being drawn out of the ribbe of man and therefore what shée hath touching her body is deriued of man and was made for him and not man for hir being the first in creation forbearing here to recite all that may be sayd particularly touching his preheminence onely I maye alleadge in generall that as the man was not seduced by the Serpent as was the woman so the reason of the great error and fall of the man was the obedience hee bare to his wife contrary to Gods commaundement for the which she also was first condemned and made subiecte to more miseries then the man. These textes beare this intent to make the woman more humble and obedient aswell to God as to hir husband for that by hir nature she is easely caried in to arrogancie pride ouerwéening glorie and disobedience as being envenomed with the poyson which hir great mother Eue tooke of the Serpent suttill arrogāt proude glorious cruell here the husbande must giue hir to vnderstand that in nothing God is more displeased then in pride and disobedience done aswell against him as to her superiours Then lett him discende to the declaration of his superioritie ouer hir according to Gods creation in nature according to his holy ordenaunce according to the example of Iesus Christ by whome he is apoynted head ouer hir with authority as to a husband with promise not withstanding to vse this preheminence to hir benefit and contentment with loyall amytie here he must not for gett to putt hir in rememberaunce of the confederation which they haue made togeather to liue in holynes according to the similitude of the sacred coniunction and marriage of Iesus Christ with his church and that in all mutuall honesty and holy conuersation on with an other lett him then prescribe lawes and rules fitt for a wife That she serue God with all hir hart and loue hir husband only with franck obedience to his commaundementes giuing no occasion wherin he shall perceiue that she hath eyther said or done any thing to the offence of God Secondly lett hir beare to him affection and care as to hir husband and head as he for recompence must loue
hir as his proper fleshe and as Iesus Christ loues his church chastely vnfainedly and perfectlie Thirdly that she be to him as to hir lord and head obedient and yeld to him all honor as the churche doeth to Iesus Christ wher of she is a figure resisting him in nothing but honor him with francke and liberall affection We read Sara exercised the same dutie to hir husband Abraham and called him Lord of whome so honorable a mother in the scripture wiues in all ages ought to be as good daughters and folowers aspiring to hir vertues the wiues of Jacob also yelde to the will of their husband and thought the greatest effect of their dutie consisted to obey him Fourthly with this obedience sayth S. Paule she ought to feare and please him and not greue him at any time as the church sheweth hir an example in hir behauiour to hir deare spouse it is writtten howe Vasthy Quene of Assiria for that she fell from feare to disobey and displease hir husband Assuerus was refused of him and in hir place Hester was receiued for amongst hir other vertues she bare a name to be gratious and of great humilitie Let hir consider that she was giuen to man to be an ayder and a comfort to him so that as often as she findes hir husband perplexed with much busines cares gréefes displesures losses dishonors with other like accidentes and disquietts of the world it belonges to hir office to bring consolation to him in modestie and discresion as Micholl did to hir husband Dauid who suffering passion for the heauie malice that Saule bare to him found comfort in his wife and councell to flée taking vppon hir the remedie of his perill that might come by pursuit Lethir not be as those foolish women which the scripture condemneth I meane the wiues of Job Tobias who in place to recomfort those good Fathers so heauely laden with affliction reproched vnto them that their good works were the cause of their miseries and wickedly sayd that for their good they had recompence of euill not considering that as God vseth to proue his people by tribulation so he can giue them power patience to endure them and at his pleasure deliuereth them to their great praise and happines Let hir neuer giue wicked counsell to hir husband as did Jezabel who séeing hir husband Achab in desier to haue the vine of Naboth counselled him to worke his death by suborned iudges and witnss s and so receiue the vine by confiske for the which wrechednes fell vppon hir vppon him and their whole race what other successe folowed the wicked perswasion of the first woman to hir husband then the coommon ruine of all the world In this men ought to be most circumspect to heare nothing of wiues tending against God or his honor euen no lesse belongs to the office of the wife to administer no wicked aduise for that as she is giuen to hir husband to be to him as a worker and cause of God so if she finde in him any impression of wicked will it belonges to hirto vse diligence to remoue it according to the example of Pilates wife whose perswasions if hir hubsand had beleued he had not ben the morderer of the sonne of God yet the wife is bound to this iustice in hir duetie to restore any default hir husband makes as did Abigail the ritch Nabals wife who vnderstanding that hir foolish husbande had retorned the people of Dauid not only with out the effect of their demaund but had done iniurie to them and taken their master tooke great store of vittells and went to méete Dauid whome shée doubted not to be iustlye displesed comming to commit all to sacke and spoyle she so appeased him with modest gratious and wise spech that he did not only dissolue his enterprise but tooke hir afterwardes to his wife when he vnderstood Nabal was dead Lastlie let the husband remember that if he receiue good counsell from his wife not to reiect it such as was the aduise of Micholl and that which Sara gaue to Abraham to expulse Hagar and his sonne Jsmaell which God ratified by a consequent commaundement to do so ¶ Still touching the dutie of the wife Chapter iij. FIftly if in the husband be vnquiet moodes or mind of anger if he bée an euill liuer yea an infidell the wife is commaūded to be humble modest pacient and also of so good conuersation that by hir vertues she may reclaime the wickednes of hir husband so did Moniqua the Mother of Saint Augustine winne hir husband being a Pagan Saint Paule perswades hir much to that dutie seeing that by those meanes at the least she workes this good that hir children which should haue ben dissolute are by hir institution and example sanctefied This vertue of modestie and pacience is declared to women in the ceremonie of the Doues which wiues offred in their purification signifying that they ought to beare the importunitie and angrie natures of their husbandes by the humilitie and méekenes of the Doues who enduring the continuall pecking and crying of the Cocke doues much lesse that they abandon them séeing they neuer mislike or are angrie nor do any thing to their displeasure Sixtly the wife is bound to the circuite of hir owne house without libertie to iorneyes or voyages no not to go from house to house being also forbidden to wydowes nor to walke the streates as one séeking aduētures yea she is tied to modest humilitie as the vine or latteise is fastned to the walles of the house which is neuer remoued else whether she ought to be a carefull huswife to gouerne hir house wisely to trauell diligētly and to kéepe hir seruants and handmaydes in office not giuing them any occasion of disorder or ill thought Let hir read the last Chapter of the Prouerbes of Salomon wherein she shall finde the lesson of a huswife or Mother of a familie rising early with hir maydes and seruants to enter into trauel and not to take vppon hir the state of a great Lady being a huswife and much lesse hunt after hir pleasure and delites as a worldly and Pagan woman nor decke or make hir selfe glorious bycause of hir beautie which she ought to estéeme as deceitfull vaine and transitory No let hir feare God in whom is reposed hir glory yéeld to no other desires then the care of hir estate requires fashioninge hir attire according to the honour rate of hir calling and yet with such modestie as the mind though there be no oportunitie to the fact be not corrupted with vaine glory and wantonnes Let hir leaue precious embrodery and carquanets to great Princes whose estate tollerates those sumptuous attires and was thought well of in Hester specially ioyning to those braue outward ornaments a heart repleat with inward humilitie To honest matrons seeking reputation by their chast and vertuous liues let it be a shame to be séene in such dissolute habits
mother as weaknes want of milke or necessitie of other extréeme sicknes she ought not to commit so deare a Iewell to the fashioning of a straunger wherein besides that it is an act expressely againe nature yet she sheweth hir self to be but halfe a mother and more corrupt in kind then Tigresses or Lionesses who hauing passed the panges of bringing forth their young ones thinke the greatest part of their zeale doth yet remaine and therfore they giue them sucke couer them licke them delite in them and till they be great thee defend them to the daunger of their owne liues from the violence of such as would take them The mother refusing the nursing of hir proper child giues suspicion of hir loue to the Father and great signes of corrupt zeale and nature toward hir children and nurses for the most part being but mercenarie beare no other loue and care to their nurse children then for the time for money whereby the poore infants sucking the seedes of diseases become impotent all the dayes of their life féele the vnnatural vnkindnes of their mothers who with their wretched nurses stand in great hazerd of iudgement afore GOD and no lesse to their Fathers suffring this vnnaturall disorder if there bée not lawfull excuse if to take the rest of the night at their pleasure and to eschew the disquiets of the daye they banish their little children into the hands of straūge nurses wherefore are they Fathers Mothers Why shoulde they desire children if they haue not delite to nurse them If God haue replenished the dugges of the Mother with milke to serue for a noriture to hir child is it not to impugne the lawe of nature ordeined of GOD and slaunder all humane reason to restrayne gods benefit plentifully intended to little infants The straunge nurse perhappes is compounded of other cōplexion and humor then the mother and the childe accustomed to a natural noriture which hée receiued in the belly of his mother what may be feared by this mutation but either change of nature or at the least a miserable subiection to sicknesses which bring more perill of death then any other disease If the nurse by necessitie vse a spare diet what shal be the strength of the child If she be giuen to gluttony what indigestion to the weak stomacke of the infant Who with the milke of hir pap will sucke the intemperance of the nurse séeing the maners and customes of the mind followe the complexions noritures and outward temperatures if the nurse be chollerike melancholy or furious what hope of good composition in the child If they saye such things may be holpen reformed afterwardes it may be answered that it is hard to correct nature Let therfore mothers according to God nature and reason nurse their proper children if they be not excusable by the causes aforesayde wherein they shall but followe the vertues of auncient Ladies yea Empresses and Quéenes to whom it was not irkesome to giue the dugge to their owne children and hauing not sufficiēt milke of thēselues they supplied it by the aide of some other good nurses but not in full noriture for feare of daunger and rather then they would vse two nurses because the diuersitie of milkes can not but be hurtful they obserued the order of the Saxons to norish the child with meat chawed in their owne mouthes by which remaynes yet a common opinion that the Saxons are more strong then the other Almaines Touching their other foode in any wise wyne must be auoyded for that it inflames the bloud and their generall diet ministred rather in sobrietie then in fulnes of delicacie For too great abundance of deyntie meates quencheth natural heat euen as too much doung or fatnesse rancketh the earth and cloyeth the corne it is conuenient euen to children of great houses risen into strēgth and age not to liue in choyse of their meates but to accustome their stomackes to all sortes of diet indifferently to drinke such liccour as is most common the better to enhable them against necessities and extremities of countreys warres and barbarous places where perhaps in place of delicate wynes they shal be glad of puddle watter their fyne fare tourned into foule and vncoath meats and yet in no plentie How heauely and hardly will such penury bee borne Yea what perill of life comes with this straunge suddaine mutation If they haue neuer endured cold and after come into snow and yce and want their wrapping what passion more intollerable yea they will thinke they haue death betwéene their teeth if they be straungers to paynes and trauell how vnapt are they to endure the perplexities of warre If they haue no exercise how hardly are they fashioned to the vse of weapons And being neuer accustomed to marche they are with great difficultie trained and prepared to the field And therfore let no youth be norished in ease but specially none that are dedicated to great affaires and martiall actions In such sort were fashioned the youth of Rome and Lacedemonie who in those two estates of people was most valiant and industrious after Lacedemonie the youth of Germany florished most by this education which ioyned with custome made them hable bodies against hunger thirst colde heate and all intollerable labours and necessities But so sone as they changed this excellēt course of exercise and suffred their youth to slide languish in pleasures their cōmon weale became weake and their florishing triumphes turned into tauerne playes whereby Lacedemonie was made a slaue to those straungers ouer whom she had commaunded Rome the triumphant Lady of the whole world become but to the coūtenāce of a handmayd and Germany by this corruption of the youth of great houses is now a place of good cheare and beares no other renoume then for banquets and feast makinge the same giuinge a daungerous argument that the destinie of the Empire aspireth to his ende But in the meane while the youth of the Turkes nourished in great sobrietie is accustomed to drink water is careles of fleshe and fine meates delites more in labor then in rest takes pleasure in perpetual exercises of the fielde the better to prepare them to the warre whereunto their vse bringes great dexteritie as appereth by their many enterprises against the Christians to the dishonour of holy religion In the tyme of Aristotle the Lacedemonians vsed their children to goe bare-headed naked on their féet the better to ouercome heat and colde and as soone as they were wayned from the dugge they were caried out of the citie as not to be corrupted by the swéete and softe pampering of their mothers and brought vp in the countrey and fieldes their bodies being made acquainted with sweat and labors when they had desire to meat they wonne it by killing some wild beast or foule which they brought to their maister and being but of small age there was hanged by a thréed in a high place some
péece of breade or other foode which they shot at out of a little cros bowe and if they brought it downe with their arrow it was the rewarde of their paynes so did they learne to forme their mindes in ciuill manners and fashion their bodies to painefull exercise for the warre wherein they became fierce executioners in their age of abilitie The oldest and of most auncient courage and vertue were instituted masters ouer the youth in whom if euery fault and error were not reprehended the maister was condemned to a fyne In this institution all the communaltie of Citizens specially the auncients wer bound to esteme all the youth as their proper children and therefore had authoritie of correction councell and perswasion no lesse then if they had naturall interest in them they had no libertie of conuersation with straungers for feare of corruption by their dissolute manners they had no handling of money nor other pleasure whiche might bring abuse so that they knew not what delites were Touching their reast they slept alwayes in the fieldes vpon straw waddes forbearing fether beddes as not to effeminate their bodies for intemperance or whordome much lesse that it was familiar amongest them but of the contrarie during the tyme of their auncient discipline there was none of their youth knewe what vice it was There was seldome Citizen of Lacedemonie accused for any quarrell and lesse to haue hurte or wrōged any mā by which seuere pollicie they brought such reputacion to their common weale that farre and straunge Regions sought their alliance yea the Jewes thought them selues assured against their enemies as is saied in the Machabees if they had confederation with the Lacedemonians much more then belonges to Christian common weales and specially to Noble houses touching the education and guiding of their youth séeing our law is infinitly more perfect expressing many commaundements with promises of fauour and eternall felicitie if we institute our youth as wee ought where amongest the others was but onely a regarde to ciuill honestie and glorie to haue raised such an institution to their youth great wrong and dishonour doe we to God who sendes vs children to the ende wee frame them méete for his seruice whereby his glorie may shine if we abandon them to the world sathan the prince thereof to the common and eternall destruction aswell of them as of their posteritie ¶ Still touching the education of young children Chapter v. LEt vs eftsones retorne to the institucion ciuile of children suche as fathers and mothers ought to procure more then is conteined in the discourse of the other chapter they must first be entred in the knowledg of God and elementarie groundes of faith the commaundementes sacraments and principall pointes of saluation the same to be ministred in their first age and according to the mesure of their capacities expressing with all good example which as an eye of doctrine cōfirmes the other herein Agiselaus aunswered wisely to a father asking him how he ought to teache his children put into them sayth he at the beginning the best and most necessary doctrines such as may serue thy children for the grounde of their life Which foundation of pietie and religion ought to be first layed remaine in the building which is made of all the other doctrines Let fathers consider with wise masters by whome their children are instructed in these groundes where vnto they are most drawen by nature which if it carie them not to the zeale studie of learninge let them pushe them forward whether God séemes to call them for other wais with the vaine spending of their money they should be guiltie of the losse of time to their children if they should striue to chaunge their vocation naturall or rather deuine and bestowe them else where by their owne opiniō ioyned with some affection to some peculier trade perhappes more to their proper profite but lesse to the commoditie of their children wherein they shoulld séeme to resiste God and nature and attempte euen against the suggestion and ordenance of god who as he hath placed in a body naturall diuers members and apointed them to diuers functions with out chaunging their order and office so hath he bestowed in his church and comonweals sundrie sortes of people all members of both the one and the other body whether misticall or ciuill inspiring to euery one of them a will instinct as well of nature as of speciall grace to defier to followe some one certain profession for the seruice of his bodie as to the eye he hath giuen the facultie of sight to the eare propertie to heare to the nose the qualitie of smelling to the toung habyllitie to speake and taste to the hand power to dispose actions and to the feete agillitie to go and to runne euen so hath he yet done more which turnes to his glorie as hauing endued euery one with a peculiare affection to followe an estate most conducible to his proper sauluation and where in he shal be most seruiceable to his Lord God for the cause S. Paule puts vs often in remembrance that euerie one ought to followe his vocation with perseuerance and constancie wherin Aristotell séemed not to be ignorant saying that ther are some men whoe of nature are frée and as Lords borne to learning and to the welding of great affaiers and some others bond men and slaues and by their seruile and grosse condicion without all facultie either to rule or commaund amongest the Philosophers it was an opinion to doe nothing against nature as not to commaund the hand to go in place of the foote which if it were done by force could haue no continuance as also the foote hath no facilitie to do that belongs to the function of the hand By these we sée that in vaine do Fathers and Mothers put their children to religion if they haue no deuocion but haue rather the inclination of souldiers such becomes euill the habite and profession of Religion whose affections and hartes aspire to the office of valiant Captaines From which if they be restrayned they are not drawne too any other exercise but by force where in they haue neither thankes nor fauour of God but which worse is suffred to commit infinite offences which are like to be layd against them by whose couetousnes or supersticion they are intruded into suche profession great is the euill also in forcing maydes to be religious whose inclination had made them more méete for matrons of housholdes in whom for recompence are found many legerdemaines and pleasaunt partes played in their monasteries on the otherside many are the children now a dayes that professe studie to please their Fathers but they do euen as much as if they beat the water of the riuer aduauncing nothing to the common profite nor their honour Of that sort many in place to studie followe their pastimes to auoyde as they say melancholly And yet it is for such commōly as
benefices Prebendes Prelatesship estates are purchased wherein may bee gessed how well they will behaue themselues séeing they were neuer touched with the thought to become worthy of them and so are raised to priestes afore they deserue to be clerks Abbots not being méete to be Monkes Iudges afore they haue pleaded in causes of right and Masters afore they were disciples No greater disorder or confusion in a common weale When Fathers shall finde their children enclined to learning let theÌ„ applie their purse to their disposition so shall they make them most seruiceable to their countreyes honorable to themselues and most happy as touching their proper saluation if they haue no sufficient meane to continue entertaine their studie let them praye to God and rather then to discoÌ„tinue their booke bestow theÌ„ in colledges to serue some Doctors Regents or learned schollers and so leade them by long and painefull wayes to the estimacion and conquest of learning foreséeing in any wise not to discourage or dispaire the liuely will and spirite of a young child taking pleasure to studie For as it is a signe certaine of the calling of God so ther is no lesse hope and suertie but that to that inclination and vehement affection the almightie Lord being earnestly prayed vnto wil ioyne coÌ„uenient oportunities to come to that whereunto he calleth him by the which wée read of many prouing so excellent in all liberall sciences that by their doctrine they haue bene chosen Bishops Presidents yea and made more great then in their youth they were meane poore and simple some of them hauing no other beginning then trained in the function euen of the meanest seruant wherein is fulfilled the sentence of Salomon that there be poore seruants who in the end by their wisedome will beare rule ouer the riche children in whom is no habilitie to gouerne themselues discréetely There resteth to a young man but a strong desire and feruent mind to studie to make him at last wise and learned and such one sayth Aristotle though he knoweth nothing yet he is more then halfe learned if he begin well Touching the election of Masters to institute children I haue spoken at large in the last booke only I aduertise rich pareÌ„ts that to entertaine good Masters it is better to bestowe crownes then shillings For by them money time honour knowledge vertue are gained foure fold which all are lost where the instructor is either ignoraunt negligent or corrupt In this the consideration of couetousnes doth much blind vndiscréete parents more fearefull of the wast of their money then fauoring the benefite of their children according to the example of the man in Plutarch who suing to a Philosopher to teach his sonne and he requiring compotent hier what saith this couetous father with so much money can I buy a slaue by whoÌ„ I can raise yerely great reuenue so saith the Philosopher may you haue two for one if you leaue your childe ignorant and without discipline meaning that by his couetousnes he should haue a sonne a slaue to his desires and affections who liuing alwayes in dishonour and subiection would neuer bring forth any good actions but by force or feare where hauing institution as hée might by doctrine and vertue leade his lyfe in right honorable libertie so if for want of discipline he became prodigall and spent his wealth he should be driuen to serue to supplie the necessitie of hys miserable life Touching the subiection wherein a Father ought to leade his childe he hath prescription in the scripture that he must minister Discipline to his childe that is not wise and by the rod chastise his malice to the end to deliuer his soule from hell The wise man in an other text giues this councell if thou hast childreÌ„ teache and discipline them and leade them in humble subiection euen from their youth hold them shorte by sharp correction hyde in thy hart the loue thou bearest them and giue them no indulgence libertie to pleasure since as by thy good correction thou shalt receyue of them great ioye and comfort vppon the ende of thy dayes so how much thou doest enlarge their youth to libertie euen so farre doest thou leade them in the pathe of their owne destruction to thy right worthy displeasure and dishonor The childe sayeth Salomon that is left to liue at his will giues confusion to his mother We haue an example in our great and heauenly Father who the more he loueth the straiter discipline subiection doth he holde ouer those whoÌ„ he best loueth as we reade by his hard dealing with the Jsraelites and leauing the Pagans without correction saying In thy lyfe time giue not thy children power ouer thee as if he had sayde dispossesse not thy selfe of thy goods to thy children yea make not thy selfe familiar with them put thée not into their mercie but being maister so long as thou liuest retayne thy authoritie ouer them to correct them to disinherite them and punishe them if they offende Who spareth the rod from his child saieth Salomon hateth him and loues not his saluacion therefore â—o long as thy power remaynes ouer them if thou punish not their offences thou standest in the same estate of blame and damnation with them as witnesseth Hely whereof we haue spoken before It happeneth ordinarely by the iust course of Gods iudgement that as the father forgettes in his office and authoritie to minister instruction and discipline to his childe so in hys ryper yeares that negligeÌ„ce eftsâ—ones turnes his sonne froÌ„ the dutie of a child becomming disobedient disordered and dissolute and giues no reuerence eyther to father or mother yea sometimes he robbeth them dooth them wrong outrage and iniurie and setting his feete euen vpon their throate is the cause oftentymes that thei dye afore the ende of their dayes Saule is commended for that finding his sonne Ionathas by chaunce in transgression of the law he condemned him to death as if he had ben another which also he had suffered if the people had not deliuered him Dauid was somewhat to deare ouer his children which in the ende tourned to his rebuke and hurt Iacob depriued his eldest Sonne Ruben of his right of inheritaunce because hée was an inceste Abraham chased Jsmael because he had plaied with Jsaac which some interprete that hee had beaten him and others that he would haue committed Idolatrie and induced Jsaac to that impietie which thoughe it be vnderstand simplie to playe and loose time in importunat and vnlawfull sportes séeking also to seduce his younger brother and that Abraham could not bée ignorant but that Jsmael was corrupte yet hée expulsed him iustly yea euen by the commaundement of God. Noe punished with cursse ouer the familie of Cham the mocking that he made of him wherein is no great cause of maruell for that the father being the Lieuetenant of god here in earth ouer the regiment of his
calling them villains peasantes and varlettes who notwithstāding are their norsses that put the bread into their hande wherewith they liue they make readie the meat and wine wherwith they are fedde they prepare the garmentes that cloth their bodies the horses whereupon they are moūted and put into their pursses the money that supplieth their common vses and for recompence they are beaten if they whyne as the saying is when they iustly complayne Such Gentlemen also whose delite is laid vp in dronkenes and whoredome to the dishonour of God and slaunder of the people such whose couetousnes is not satisfied but with the spoyle of their people yea drawing the skinne quicke from the carkasse taking the pullettes from the widow and the best shéepe from the farmor and from the poore husband man the haye and oates wherwith his traueling cattell should liue such as promise and performe not borrowe and paye not againe follow their hawking and huntinge oftentymes to the hurt of the countrey as when corne and grasse are in their encreasing season suche as are serued with the labors of their tenantes without recōpense and straine their horse their oxe and cariadge to their proper worke without satisfaction To be short who so euer wrongeth in any sort the meanest that is can not in any equitie merit the name of Gentlemen and much lesse enterprise vpon a title so honorable in whose life are expressed suche apparant effectes of dishonour and publique infamie can they in actes of villainy and vices worthely displaye the honourable enseignes of vertue and nobilitie will they make noblenes the cloake to oppressions and wronges which by vertuouse actes is raised the beautie excellencie and dignitie of houses he is not gentle in whom is founde violence or tyrannie and farre from the name of a Gentleman whose conuersation expresseth dissolute deformed dispositiō no he is a villain in equitie whose lyfe is stayned with actes of villainy as of the contrary vertue doth rayse and enoble villains of blud and race yea vertue only is as the soule of noble families without the which they were but as vaine and dead By which reason as to our place and estate of nobilitie is tyed higher and greater pretences of vertue so also by reasonable congruence the more higher wee stande in title and dignitie the more notable are our vices and faultes as a skar or deformitie in the face showes more then if it were in the hand or foote because those partes be more inferior and lesse apparant yea one small vice in a Gentleman is more reprocheable to the world and damnable afore God then many faultes in manye meaner people as in the law a prince ouer a whole nation offered as much sacrifice to God for his sinnes as the whole multitude for their common offences for the in place where hée should expresse to his people exāples of vertue and leade them in conuersation of ciuill lyfe he giues publike occasion to doe euill for that his errors being knowen draw the multitude to imitacion If a Gentleman so often as he falleth vnderstood the grauitie of his damnation where as his lightnes leades him some times to glorifye or vaunt his nobilitie to shake his sword to manage his great horses and to muster in gorgious garmentes and armour as pompes of his nobilitie he would euen so often common with his carefull thoughts how to discharge and acquite that dutie of a good and Christian Gentleman such one according to our prescription I denie not but touchinge his generall estimation with the world he must maintayne place and countenance according to his house and race both for the honor of the vertues of his auncestors and to expresse in him selfe fruits resembling and worthie of such trées Let him haue castels horses armour and ornamentes aunswering the estate and maiestie of his house and withall let him to that honorable prerogatiue expressed in those visible fignes ioyne the consideration of his office which is to leade his people whose nature is to beare reuerēce and loue to suche as are worthie of them in equitie obedience order and feare as in déed it hath ben a perpetuall custome in all ages and Countreys that as in Kings Princes Noble men and Magistrates haue ben more perfecte exāples of ciuill and christian order so to such hath ben alwayes moste due and decent all stately pompes whether in ritch iewelles apparell horses or costly houses wherin this care is carefully and continually to bee applied not as preposterous men to make of the accessary the principall of the shadow the body and of the accidence the substance but alwayes to entertain the autētike first causes of the nobilitie of the house which ar religiō Iustice and zeale to Gods honour and the defense of his Countrey accompanied with wisedome aduise sobrietie temperance and inuincible magnanimitie by whiche vertues Josua Othoniel Sampson Jeptha and Dauid haue wonne honour to them selues and perpetual noblenes to their houses ¶ The dutie of Aduocats or Councellours at law Chapter ix ADuocates or Councellours at law are not as coadiutors to Iudges and Gentlemen Presidents and chiefe Iustices to decyde and determine but onely with their aduise by opinions and reasons alleadginge customes ordinances statutes and lawes they serue to explayne causes of their clyentes leauing the iudgement to the Iudges called and constituted To euery one of those the wise man speaketh open thy mouth to the dombe meaning speake for the ignorant man and vnderstand the causes of al persons consider well that which is iuste and take vppon thée the cause of the poore and néedie as if he had saied thou which art Aduocat receyue the causes of all suche as come vnto thée and their complaintes for that thou art bound to all by thine estate speake liberally for the poore in whom being no knowledge to deduce their case they haue lesse meane to informe the Iudge such instructe both what they shall saye and doe be no partie eyther in councell or mayntenance to a wicked cause nor suffer any to doe wronge to the poore to whom the wise man séemes to perswade moste compassion for that to such is seldome showed fauour or credite of men for God hath giuen thée grace to speake and opened to thée the vnderstanding of the Lawes to the ende to minister helpe to others as to the toong hée hath gyuen the facultie of spéech to speake for the whole bodie and for euery perticuler member chiefly when any of them is grieued and in cases of wrong euen so the Lawyer which is the toūg and interpretor to the body polletike and of all men being in affaires and busines ought to spare no compassion to the cause of the poore disposing his office to iustefie right and bring all wrong to punnishment wherein besides that he satisfieth at the full the office of his vocation yet in soliciting for the poore he doth a seruice of greatest merit with God in seeing iustice to
soule eternally in the worlde to come But good aduocates led by simplicitie of conscience as Aristotell sayth by his knife seruing to mani vses and therfore very profitable are men no lesse conuenient necessarie and honorable then any other sort in a comon weale and of whom perticular estates in a kingdom stand in nede so that if they pursue their estate according to the right office and dutie of the same they conteine men in order and bring infinit commodities to a whole countrie they supporte the right of the prince and valiantly resiste such as seeke to blaspheme against his maiestie blasphemye I call with the apostels outrage done against the maiestie of the prince representing God in earth and therfore the iniurie done against the prince turneth against God In causes of affairs concerning princes officers of all estates chauncelers presidents counselers noble men marchants riche pore widowes maides ther is necessitie of the aduocate who in causes of pleading is called and instructed in the cause yea in these dayes the dissembled vicar of Rome his cardinalls bishops curats pristes clarkes if there be question touching their office or authoritie must resorte to the aduocate to emplede the estate of the cause in what supreame courte soeuer it be he good aduocate seruing God and folowing integritie is the mediator betwéene quarilous people O reconcilar of ennmies the authore of peace and an example to a common weale Touching common proces he accordeth mo in one hower then a whole parciall court doth in thrée yeres he will make conscience to enterteyne a proces which he foreseith is like to continue longe and therfore giueth councell of agrement to the parties if he knowe any pore man ouermatched with a riche or captious aduersarie he doth what he can to drawe the matter to accorde wherby he deliuereth the person from encomber and his goodes from daunger to be loste by the hazard of the iudges yea one good aduocat doth more good seruice to the world then many iudges in whome is constraint to giue sentence according to their offices being not able to accorde the parties by arbitration it is not meete that an aduocate notwithstanding his excelencie of knowledge without longe experience of pleading aspire to the office of a iudge or president but eyther by constraint of the Prince or by compulsion of olde age being no more able to sustaine the labours due to the dutie of that profession not buying the dignitie which the Pagans estéemed the same vice which we call simonie but by election of other Iudges of the Court in whom may rest suretie for his vpright dealing procurers which are as publike soliciters and generall syndickes of all causes in place of the parties to solicit aduocates and Iudges and procure expedicion of Iustice to their clients and notaries appoynted to receiue faithfully truly the appoyntments of Iudges contenting them selues with their rate authorised by the court or ordained by their Prince ought without futtletie delaye or couetousnes exercise their estate wicked notaries in Esaie are subiect to malediction as also vnrighteous Law readers and Iudges because they write and pronounce vnrighteous Lawes ¶ The dutie of Marchants Chapter x. MArchants folowing an estate of iust commutacion are men no lesse profitable necessary and farre more honorable in their common weale thē many of the other perticuler sortes of calling mentioned in the other Chapters And albeit according to the consequence and order of the Booke I haue placed them after the other as I haue coopled clerkes with their Masters procurers with their aduocates other necessary officers with men of Iustice most necessary to serue them in that estate yet there is no cause of disgrace to the honest marchant in this preheminence of place for that only necessitie of order tied me thereunto which I haue obserued in the discourse of Apothicaries and Chirurgions following the Phisitions where I should haue placed them after the aduocates and many other of qualetie But as in this obseruation is no dishonour to the marchaunt so hee shall find no lesse instruction touching the office of his calling according to God then if his discourse had come afore the rest ouer many of whom I must confesse hee hath right of preheminence by common custome of nations and reason The Marchant then aboue al thinges in the exercise of common traffike betweene men is to consider déepely of the two generall lawes Thou shalt not doo to another that which thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe and loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And as they vse the yard to measure their wares and the ballance to waigh it and that there is no cloth nor other wares measurable which they do not passe by the yard or elne nor any thing méete to be waighed which they cast not into the ballance vsing both the one and the other aswell in vile and base as riche and precious thinges applying also the helpe of nombers for the better diuision of perticularities if néede requireth So in all traffikes whither in grosse or in retaile the marchant is bound to the obseruation of those two commaundements by the which he is expressely enioyned that as he would not him self be deceiued so also he must not willingly administer deceite or wrong to an other neyther beare such loue to his proper profite as in it maye be bred the iniurie or harme of another but in all things of commutation bargaine to vse the same conuersation to straungers which he would others should vse to him Who in their common actions would rightly applie this lawe of nature grounded on true reason and the other of the Gospell deriued of charitie the perfect fulfilling of all lawes much lesse that they should néede instructions séeinge they should seldome finde occasions to erre And the cause why there remaine at these dayes so manye prescript constitutions and statutes is in no other respect but that men eyther could not or would not rule their actions by those two lawes and much lesse applie them from generalitie into speciall particulars I would to God that euen as the Marchant of cloth vseth his elne or yarde not to beguile him selfe or his chapman in the measure that also and aswell he would vse the lawe of nature and charitie in the price goodnes of his cloth euen such as he would the other should sell to him if there were exchaunge of qualitie if he would haue the price reasonable full measure not to be passed by the short yarde which ought to be solde by the longe and that the cloth be good substantiall and sufficient neyther corrupted in the making nor burnt in the dying Let him euen do the like to his chapman comming to buy of him where then shal be the common sayinge amongst them Let the marchant sell his wares as well as he can it is lawfull to euery one to make his best profit No man is bound to sell so iustely and
ferme corne and forestall the market such to whom the goods aperteined had made sale to the commoditie of them selues and to their poore neyghbours where these deuouring golphes of marchauntes in respect of their perticular gaine care not to put a whole worlde to vndoing for the husbandman selling his féeldes and working cattle becomes poore euen he that afore was in good estate to liue The laboring man hath his refuge in begging and his wife daughters abandoned to extreme pouertie subiect to filthie prestitution yea some of them dying of hunger what recompence to these wronges what relesse to these extremities how can these wretched marchantes and manslears satisfie so greate offences all the indulgences and full pardons of that counterfet priest of Rome can not absolue them from dampnation if with contricion they wéepe not and crye in heauines for the mercie of God all the dayes of their life and with good Zachea satisfie to that which they haue gained vnlawefully and commit the greatest parte of that which remaines to almes and déeds of charitie and compassion which if they do not all the miseries happening by their wretched couetousnes shall be written in their forehead afore god in condemnation and they shall finde verified vppon them selues the effect of Salomons warning that cursed shall he be aboue all the people of a nation which hath hid corne gathering it from all partes into his priuate garners and not put it to vent till the world wéepe for hunger In this may be comprehended also the dearth of all other thinges necessarie to mans life the same being the cause and for such like great abuses that with Saint Ambrose the traffike of marchants was holden an estate damnable wherin it behoueth the magistrate by constraint to opē the garners of such gréedy storers as being a thing of most equitie to make perticular profite giue place to the common benefit specially where the perticular is superfluous and not necessary to the owner ¶ How the Marchaunt maye performe his lawful trades and gaine iustly in his estate Chapter xj THe Marchant cannot lawfully make this prouision of corne and other common vittels without doing hurt but in two causes eyther when the straunger séekes to make so great transport that without careful prouision the countrey would within the yere fall into great want of reliefe then such prouidence of the marchant is both vertuous and commendable and worthy of honest profite not such as their couetousnes requires but according to the rate and iudgement of the gouernours or when there is such plentie that it lieth voyde to vse there common store fully furnished and the perill of the yere already past or els prouided for Thus did Joseph in Egypt foreséeing the dearth necessitie to come There is besides this a prouidence of good marchaunts both more profitable and of greater gaine as when they sée an iminent necessitie of vittels in a countrey but chiefly in their owne then to traffike into straunge countreys where is plentie as Gods infinit goodnes hath so prouided that by the plentie of one nation shal be supplied the wants of an other to entertaine them in amitie and perpetuall confederation Many marchants in many townes become very riche by those traffikes for which and such like marchandise was first instituted bringing profite to many and doing hurt no none It is not long since that a marchant of Brittaine died welthy in many thousand crownes rising to that estate from an almes asker and basket carier it pleased the Kyng by the report of his wealth and his franke liberalitie to the poore succouring the good sort without interest or vsery to reason with him how he became so riche to whom as a Philosopher he aunswered with buying deare and selling good cheape explaning his meaning to the Kyng in this ciuill modest circumstance Sir quod he when I vnderstood that in any forreine coūtrey corne was good cheape deare in this realme I resorted thither with as much money as I could borowe of some of others such marchandise as I knew to bee deare in that countrey And béeing there I had quicke vent of my wares with reasonable gaine and with the money bought somewhat aboue the market so much corne as my proporciō would stretch vnto By which meanes vppon my retorne embasing the price of corne in myne owne countrey euery one ranne to mée desirous with ready money to bée my chapmen and so making my retorne for the most part euery two Monethes I gayned by both voyages And so according to the increase of my stocke I roase to furnish Shippes Barkes and Boats of mine owne setting many idle mariners on worke and succouring many other sortes of poore people for the which God blessing my labours I encreased in wealth as it were sléeping neuer receyuing any notable losses my mind my léege being alwayes voyd of care my body in estate disposed as you sée The Gentlemen of the Countrey also séeing my successe in wealth were sometimes contented to make me their Farmor and suffered me to gayne plentyfully vnder them for the which I accompt me bound to remayne at their deuocion Thus Sir I gained both by land and Sea and am by Gods onely goodnes risen to this little wealth which to your Maiestie is made great ritchesse The king deliting in the ciuilitie and roundnes of the man attributing with all much to his merytt for dooing good to the whole realm made him a gentleman with armes to his great comfort and contentement of the estates of Brittaine who had earst commended him to his Maiestie Let this example leade other good marchantes for the honour of their estate and proper vocation to vse the like prouidence to succour the necessities of their Countreys by their honest and well meaning industrie Many maye bee here the questions of many busie marchantes who if they cōsider wel of the lessons in the first two lawes may be both resolued and satisfied Can I saith the marchant suffering some wast in his corne eyther by leckage or other common casualtie or hath his cloth marred in the carriage or by his owne negligence is beguiled in his wares recouer my money if I may not sell aboue the market to redéeme my losses or seeing my intention was to bring reliefe and profit to the whole common weale is it reason that on me onely should be laied the losse and hindrance I aunswere if his will were such and his desire in déede christian and that hée had in venture the commō money of the citie he ought to be ayded of the general store as being a publike minister and factor of the Citie But if they be harde to consider his losses and more straite to restore him to succours hee hath his comforte in a patient hope that God at some other time will recompense his present losses with greater gaine as no man is without hys perplexities so no marchant doth
angrie with the Jsraelites in sending them dearth of corne for not paying their tenthes yea if the husbandmen forget their tithes to the poore Leuits and left not in haruest time for the other poore to gleane and distributed almes at other seasons according to their dutie they were thretned with barrennes and dearth ouer the land wherin Christians haue to consider touching all those texts standing vppon the law of God and authorised by the Gospell being more iustly bound then the Hebrewes to whom the causes were nothing so reasonable as also for that the ministery without comparison is of more value more honorable in the Gospell then in the law and lastly for that the Gospell recommends the poore dearely to vs and with more riche promises of recompence then the law The third vice may be in the paiment of their rents to their Lordes and creditors to whom as they may vse subtletie and eyther defeate or delay them of their duty so in bargaining for corne and wyne they may sell corrupt wares in diuerse sorts for the which it hapneth by the iustice of God that in the end pouertie is the reward of those people ioyned with recompence of euery fatall and miserable calamitie eyther vppon them or their houses Pastors and heards men are bound with diligence faith and care to cherish their flocke and with that affection that they defend them from al peril of rauine for the which they are to giue accompt to their Masters as if they were their owne And therefore to the sicke they ought to applie remedie and giuing strength to the weake not to abandon the worst from their eye perpetual care to the end they may vaunt with Jacob to haue ben good heardes men wherein pastors Ecclesiasticall are here aduertised spiritually touching their pastorall office for whose cause I haue adioyned this little addicion and so leaue them to the consideration of their high fuÌ„ction in the lesson giuen to good common heards men ¶ All other estates are comprehended in those that haue bene already debated the explication of the qualeties of persons Chapter j. AL other vocations are contayned vnder those that haue bene already debated So that if any other estate seperate as Embassadour Orator or other of infinit profession as messengers intelligencers interpretors or spies with others of that rate woulde know how farre their offices stretch according to the Scripture they shall find them comprehended in the former estates aboue all other things the Embassadour being the faithfull substitute of his Prince or coÌ„mon weale ought not to reueale the secrets of his legation whereby eyther the affaires of his Prince maye be hindred or aduauntage giuen to the forreine Magistrate he ought not for his glory profite or pleasure to practise any extraordinary innouatioÌ„ or be inuested in any estate to the disaduauÌ„tage of them from whom he is sent For which act Hermolaus Barbarus a man of great knowledge Embassadour for the Venetians with the Pope taking the patriarchship of Aquilea was publikely condemned by the Senat in the losse and depriuation of the priuilege and Burgeship of Venice and had it not ben for the credit merit of his former seruice ioyned with the diligent intercession of the Pope he had bene in dauÌ„ger of capitall sentence By this as it were by the waye may be warned our preachers the Embassadors of the liuing God neither to say or doe any thing in Gods name further then the coÌ„mission of his word will beare nor to hope for or take any presents of spirituall promocion eyther to corrupt or tempt theÌ„ to disguise the truth couering the apparant vices of their benefactors against whom God commaundes them to speake boldly vppon paine of his iudgements not to hold their peace as doth the dogge which forbeareth to barke when his mouth is filled with meate Touching the Orator I maye send him to the office of the aduocate for the conueniencie that is in those two estates Betwene whom this is onely the difference that the aduocate alleageth onely the lawes for such affaires as may be decided by them the Christian Orator decks his matter with eloquent phrase prosecutes it by popular reasons by arguments sometimes very likely and most often necessary iustefieth his proofes by histories aswell holy as prophane to perswade his purpose and enforce his causes of coniecture whereof in the law can be raised no certaine proofe The aduocate and he reason both to one end as to defend the iust and accuse condemne the euill doer perswading in thinges honest profitable and necessary whither touching the Church or temporall estate The spie is as a faithfull and wise seruant of his Prince or Captaine that vseth him of which estate he ought to make no conscience being assured that the war wherin hee is employed is iust as being proclaimed thorow the kyngdome as a matter of consent by the Prince his counsell and graue estates and signified to the enemy So are Josua Caleb and others sent to espie the land of Canaan authorised by Moyses of whom if the rest had bene of the like fayth and courage as were Josua and Caleb so many miseries had not falne vppon the Israelites There resteth now to treat vppon only the qualities or diuers fortunes as the saying is of men that is to saye riche and poore ouer and be sides that we haue alredy touched of them in the Chapter of hospitalls reléeuing the pore togither with the qualities of the learned and ignorant men that be good and such as are of worsse sort these qualities we finde in all estats trades and vocations some riche and some pore or partâ—y rich if they be conferred w such as are extreamly pore or halfe pore if they be measured with them that excéede in wealth so may we iudge of the other qualities wherin afore we discend to discribe amplie the dutie of the riche and pore we may note three thinges by the waye the first is the riches is no honorable preheminence nor makes not an estate of dignitie therfore let not the riche man by any credite or reputation of his wealth aspier to honor or dignitie aboue others nor others attribute more to him then to the simple honest pore in regard of his aboundance wherin certayne Christians euen in the primatiue Churche reteining yet the error which they had being Pagans bearing more honor to the riche then to the pore the common fault of the world were greuously rebuked by Saint James charging them in the crime of acception of persones with vnrighteous doing wrong to God and to the pore for God sayeth he estemes asmuche the iuste pore man as the riche yea he séemes to beare more fauour to the pore adopting them the heirs of his Kingdome which he giueth to such as loue him Saint James also rebukes the honor that is giuen to richemen in great assemblies for the only respect and name of
their wealth a kinde of Idolatrie to honor a creature vile and insensible in a man as is riches and not reuerence the pore by reason of his pouertie which notwithstanding is most acceptable and honorable with God as being innocent and without hurt where in the riche man according to the Apostle is founde many actes of oppressions which haue fauour of impunitye albeit they deserue extreame iudgement To dispise also the pore man is double sinne as both retorning in iniurie against God who hath made the pore aswell as the riche yea honoreth him with his more singuler graces as apeared euen since the time of the lawe chusing for his prophetts men extremelye pore as also againste the pore man himselfe who with his present pouertie feeles yet an other affliction when he findes him selfe dispised Secondly riche men ought to be perswaded by faith that their welth comes not altogether by their labors their witts nor prouidences for sayeth Salomon the blessing of God makes men riche and keepes them from suffering affliction it is of mear grace that God makes some to prosper in the goodes and affairs of the worlde with out suffering losse or vexation And as ther be many that trauell no lesse then they yea with equall industrye prouidence and care and yet are vnder the yoke of pouertie So then let riche men attribute nothing to them selues but all to the bountifull prouidence of God by the mean of some little labor which they take as if they would attribut the fertilytie of a good ground yelding for one graine aboundance of corne being but simply tilled to the prouident ordenance of God and not to their industrie manuring seeing there is no ground which though it be tilled and fatted with great labour and sowen with neuer so good séedes will yet yéeld no fruite neither in plentie nor price because the blessing of God hath not bene giuen to that ground to make it riche in corne euen so the poore are ordayned of God to their estate of pouertie I meane the good sort for such as by negligēce by whoredome or other vnthriftines become poore are causes of their owne decaye as there be that contrary to the ordenāce of God get riches by vseries and other vnlawfull meanes deseruing not to bée called the rich men of God but of Sathan as also such as by misgouernement become poore are not called by the poore of God and as such are not true poore falling into pouertie by their owne vices and not poore by God but by his permission so also riche men are rauinors by the suffring power of God and not by his will. Thirdly rich mē by faith may apprehend Gods prouidence bearing them fauour and frendship to establish them in prosperitie ease aboue their other bretherne as belonging all to one heauenly Father drawne out of one mother which is nature and qualified of cōmon elementes touching the constitution of the body whom they sée subiect to more pouertie and affliction for the which as they are bound to a more action of thankes to God so let them search the cause why he reserueth such fauour for them and why also and for what ende there bée so many poore euen to the ende of the world which can neuer attaine to ritches on whom if it had so pleased him he might by the opening of his plentiful hand haue bestowed great ritches as he did vppon Job after his extréeme pouertie In consideration of all which causes it will fall out necessarie with our purpose to prescribe aswell to the ritch as the poore their particular dutie according to god First then the riche ought not to swell or presume by any opinion of his ritches nor the poore fall into infirmitie of hart by reason of his pouertie and much lesse estéeme him selfe of inferiour grace with God or estimacion amongest men according to one self iudgement of reason but with Saint James let him take occasion to glorifie him selfe in God of his poore and abiect condition in hope to be exalted as of the contrary the ritch arrogant man hath to feare to be throwne downe after this life the same being expressed in the example of the wicked riche man cast by wicked spirites into extréeme necessitie and horrible tormentes of hel where the soule of poore Lazarus was caried by Angelles into the bosom of Abraham The promise of Gods kingdome is made onely to the poore and therefore if the riche wil be saued let them buy it of the poore by true faith and charitie and almes with deedes of compassion You rich men saith Iesus Christ make you friendes of the Mammon of iniquitie that is of the richesse which induce men to much euill draw mindes to vnlawfull lustes torment hartes with wicked cares make their owners idolators being vniustly gotten are also carefully kept and by their abuses are the causes to infinit people of euerlasting damnacion In this also the rich sort ought to feare for that GOD giues riches to many as their porciōs which they haue to looke for from him according to the saying of Abrahā to the riche man in the Gospell My sonne thou hast already receyued thy pleasures and Lazarus likewise his paynes in the world content thy selfe if thou hast at any time dou any good as prayed to GOD or heard his word thou hast ben sufficiently payed for it thou canst not passe from a vaine pleasure to a true and perpetuall pleasure from temporall richesse which thou didst abuse to an euerlasting felicitie from worldly glorie honour whiche were thy delites to a glorie eternall which as a swéete reward is reserued for this man on whom the world threw contempt because of his pouertie Wherein then as the rich men of the worlde haue more occasiō to submit in humilitie and feare so to the poore is giuen comfort and hope to bée exalted for whō the more miseries perplexities and contemptes they haue suffered in the world the greater recompence is layed vp in the ioyes felicities and eternall delites of heauen ¶ Still touching the qualities of personnes Chapter ij RIch men considering in thē selues that wealth is a gift of God and not the onely fruite of their industrie as they ought to glorifie the Lord so by how much hée fauoureth thē aboue others by so much are they bound to submission and humble recompence of thankes giuing with encrease of loue towardes him because without their merite he hath aduaūced them to goods as foreséeing that they could not easely beare the pouertie and miserie of the world They haue also to consider that he hath blissed them with so great store to the end to make distribucion to their poore bretheren for which purpose as their heauenly father raised them to that plentie to the ende that in their liberalitie might be expressed their office of brothers So if they failed in this zeale what iniquitie did they to their brethren hauing right in the goods
of their father at least touching necessarie reliefe and what more apparant wrong to their saide Father giuing them the saide goods in super aboundance to the end to compart them to the ayde of his other children shal not he haue iust reason to disenherit those vnthankfull rich children and conuert the inheritance to the others who were not relieued but of their handes and would not endure hunger and nakednesse to impart compassion with them If there were no brotherhood but onely societie as being all companions and conseruauntes in the seruice of one maister who giuing them as to his deputies and stewardes money and prouision to entertayne his house if they conuerted all to féede them selues or made priuate vses of it in their owne houses whereby their fellowe seruauntes complayned is it not sayd that such seruaunts as murderers shal be bestowed with the ypocrites and wicked and feele perpetuall tormentes Let therefore the ritch sort by the aduise of the Scripture acknowkedge the poore as their bretheren and in the same consideration let them entreat them faithfully in houshold societie according to the will and commaundement of the great Maister who hath giuen them prouision enough to nourishe the whole multitude of his familie by which there is no doubt but GOD as a discrete Father of a houshold and wise and rich maister bringes compotent prouision of all sortes of necessary reliefe yea euen to aboundance to féede and entertaine his familie and is not accustomed to withdraw that bountifull store if it be not to correct the disobedience of his dissolute and vnthankfull children and seruaunts So that let the riche vnderstand here suffering the poore to smart in necessitie in what estate of sharp condemnacion they stande afore God whose stewardes and officers they are to distribute his treasure not to the fancie of their vayne pleasures or to kéepe it to vnprofitable vses but after the necessitie of their owne familie be satisfied to commit the rest to distribution to their poore bretheren and fellow seruaunts whom if they abandon and vse in negligent compassion euen so many miseries diseases and deathes as they shall suffer for want of succours shal be reserued and refined vpon the heades of the rich in the eternall iudgement of god Let them not be ignorant that God hath not replenished the earth with so many poore but to be a meane to the rich men vsing ayde and compassion of their saluation as without whom they cannot be receyued into the kingdom of recompence For so he that aydes a prophet receiueth the hyer of a prophet and who hath compassion of the poore receyueth the recompence of the poore which is the kingdome of god And so the rich man may haue paradise aswell as the poore so that he giue him societie in hys ritches Saint Paule in these few wordes cōprehendes all the dutie of the rich mā Instruct O Timothe sayeth he the rich men of the world not to be proud nor to lay vp any hope in their vncertayne riches but in GOD who impartes to euery one plentifull meanes of honest and sufficient hauiour Let them do well and bée riche in good workes gyue easely that is in liberalitie and without grudge or force communicat their riches to the needie and so lay a foundacion of euerlasting life Let them be the seruauntes of God and not thralles to worldly goods wherein who reposeth confidence falles into miserie from the which riches can not deliuer thē saith the wise man but vertue onely afore God they draw men into infinit sinnes makinge their owners more couetous forgetting God and the dutie of nature they vexe them with disquiet of mind and will not suffer them to afford cōpassion to the néedie no not by way of loane the same being the cause why Christ holdeth it no more possible for a riche man to bée saued then a great Camell to passe thorow the eye of a néedle and for the rarenes of good rich men it is saied right happy is that rich man which hath ben founde without blot hath not gone after gold couetousnes hauing this propertie in rich men neuer to be satisfied but with the plentie of goods increaseth in desire to haue more as the fyer becomes hoater being fed with aboundance of drie wood If there be any rich man saith he without blot as not proud not couetous not iniurious not dissolute but humble liberall pitifull to the néedie and not carefull of the pleasures of the world we will praise him Rich men haue their example in Loth and Abraham great almes giuers who of their wealth made instrumentes of pietie Let the poore also for their partes bée humble patient without murmur and pride a vice aboue all other most intollerable in pouertie let them offer their bodies to labor to the ende they be not vnworthy of the bread they eate Let thē reioise in the promise of that wealth which farre excéedes the value of worldly goods not douting but if god had séene that the aboundance of earthly treasure had ben necessary for them he had ordeyned them to it aswell as others but knowing their infirmities he foresaw that the abuse of riches would haue led them to haue displeased God and so be instruments of their eternall destruction Let thē follow their humble vocation in mildnes and dutie of mind with this suertie that their heauenly protector patrone will neuer leaue them without succours in all their affaires and necessities But nowe because Christ biddes vs giue to all that aske whereupon question may rise whether we be bound to giue alwayes or to giue to him that borroweth or lende without demaunding profit Firste we must consider that in the commaundement of IESUS Christe to gyue to all that aske is meant to gyue to the poore and in the name of GOD Otherwayes it coulde not bee an acte of vertue and worthy of the eternall reward promised to the almes giuer And as in giuing to him that hath giuen or if we doe pleasure to him of whom wée haue receyued or hope to receyue benefit is but an acte ciuill cōmon to the Pagan So also to giue to the poore by a natural compassion for the onely regard of his pouertie is a worke of naturall boūtie which some make morall But séeing the act is not done to the end that it ought that is to Gods honor to the which all déedes ought to be conuerted it is not worthie of recompence of God because there is nothing done for him Well we are bound according to the rate of our hauiour to giue alwaies to the néedie but with this lesson to know first who be truely needie of whō there be thrée sortes the one is he that is extreemely poore to him I owe my vittailes and garmentes that remaine aboue the necessitie of myne owne vse And if I be not able to succour al such needie people at the least with Saint
true frindes for that when such rich men shall become pore which God doeth often suffer they are for saken of their frindes because riches was the only cause of such frendship and who loues an other as it were in recompence of affection that he beareth to him loueth not as he ought for that the cause rising of bare fancie which afterwardes may chaunge into hate the frendshipp can not be certein nor perpetuall yea he that loueth an other for his vertue loues not simplie as he ought according to God for that as the vertue of the man enclines to vice so the affection of his frend will conuert into hate for which cause Aristotle aloweth the sentence of a wise Philosopher saying that men ought to loue but not so much but that they may hate meaning that louing men of vertue and their vertues torning into vices our affection may resume his first qualitie if for charitie sake we forbeare to hate them This was his iudgment of frendes that might chaung by francke and louing will But by the Gospell we are warned to loue our ennemies and wicked men yea Infidels which séeke to persecute vs to death so much are we bound to loue them as to praye to God for thē and to present them with our goodes help and life if there be hope of their saluation not so much as willing or doing to them any displeasure so did Christ loue vs all and died for vs being his ennemies The cause of this loue is God for the honor loue and commaundement of whome we loue louing that which he loueth according as he loueth and for what cause he loueth conforming vs wholy to his will and his loue in the which and for the which he loueth vs all Let vs loue therfore that which is of him as in man his Image and semblance his handie worke his vertues his graces conforming ourselues to the loue which he bears him hauing made for him so many creaturs giuen him his Aungells for his protectores and guides and his only sonne to death for him yea euen when man was his enemye blasphemed him and was altogether disobedient to him Thus must we loue the soule of our neighboure albeit he be our ennemie as the deare cōquest of the precious blode of IESVS CHRIST and his body being the sacred temple of the holy ghost yea so we must loue him as Iesus Christ loued him giuing his life frankelye for him whom by baptisme as he hath incorporated him in him selfe to be a member of his bodye and by faith in the holy communion made him his flesh and blood so I ought to loue him as one of the members of the bodie of this Lord and as his flesh and blood with all seing we are all made by him members of the same misticall bodye and childrē all of one father by spirituall adoption then the same affection ought to be conuersant amongest vs which passeth betwéene members of one selfe bodye proper and naturall brethern in effect the friendship that we ought to beare one to another ought to be without acception of personnes counthries kindred or parents with which zeale if we loue not euen the most strangers of the worlde the most vnthankefull amongest men and our mortall enemies we are not the disciples of Iesus Christ by whome we are tolde that then we declare our selues his folowers when we do that which he commaundes vs his precept is that we loue one an other as he hath loued vs to saye and doe well by our enemies yea to dye for them if néede require in hope to gaine and saue their soules in sorte as he is deade for ours So that who hateth another beareth malice to him doeth him iniurie séeckes reueng of him strikes him and which is extreme iniquitie killeth him apertains no more to Iesus Christ as to beare the name of on of his disciples or of his flock thē the wolues Lions Tigres are of the heard and flocke of Lambes vnder the charge of a shepherd Suchthen that haue quarrells aspiringe to combate one against another practise reuenge of wronges by their proper authorities belong nothing to the profession of Christ and in their hartes haue no more taste of God then Pagans and vnbeleuing Atheists He that will offer sacrifice to God can not by Iesus Christ make it acceptable to his father if he haue offended his neyghboure and is not reconciled as also who hateth his Brother is a murderer and stands voyde of grace for eternall life I comprehend not in this such Christians as by lawfull iustice pursue the restitution of their goods honour or wrongs receiued by any wicked men for séeing iustice and iudiciall order is of God and by him commaunded to procure punishment in forme of iustice to the wicked acording to their merits and that by the Magistrate the law is not onely lawfull but also acceptable to god so that it be done without hatred and affection of perticular vengeance not regarding so much our proper benefit honour or priuate interest as to correct vices by that iustice to giue succour to the soule of the transgressor to the better stay and example of a whole communaltie This is also expressed in the exāple of a body which we go about to purge frō botches impostumes boyles In which body if there be any member so corrupt that it would infect the others to the daunger of the whole bodie it is cut of but with a great displeasure to all the other members who by a communion of nature being conioyned and knit together do loue one an other with connaturall and perfect zeale And to retourne to the matter of Christian amitie we are bound to loue men as God loueth thē whose loue is so much the greater towardes them by how much hée findeth their affection pure to him and the more doth his zeale increase the more he séeth in them that which is his as faith and charitie with feruent zeale to his honour and exercise of good déedes euen so the more faith and simplicitie we find in men the better affected to Gods honour of a more ready and franke minde to his seruice better disposed to actes of compassion and aspiring nearer a deuine perfection of God euen in so much greater affection honour and franke mind of seruice are we bound to them as knowing that in that we most please God who for those respects honoreth them more then others And therefore we honour nor loue them not so much in their persons as we expresse our selues to loue God in them in whom we honour his giftes and graces and all that we find to be deuine in them So that as we are bound in a stronger affection and more readines of seruice to those whom we know to be men of honest integretie then to others in whom we can acknowledge no such vertues So yet we must hate no creature according to the example of
follow All which hapneth by the default of the head in whom was vnderstanding both to kéepe him selfe and the body from euill and also to prouide remedy if it did happen euen so when there is either ill prouidence to preuent an euill or worse negligence to purge and cure it nor seeking out the cause till the effect be expressed it is then we see plagues famine with other rodds of God wherewith yet as he doth not scourge specially a countrey or common weale without great offence as one that will not strike with his staffe but where he finds obstinacie and resistance So let vs then do as children to their father whoÌ„ they haue offended for he strikes as a father and seeing him staÌ„d with rods in his hand ready to discipline fall vpon their knées at his feete and with teares demaund pardoÌ„ on whom in respect of their hartie submission as he is coÌ„tent to bestow but two or thrée little lashes presently cast the rods in the fier so also if their wéeping humilitie had appeared afore he tooke the rods in his haÌ„d they had not at all felt the smart euen so deales GOD with vs correcting vs with easie discipline as his children and if we crie him mercy there is nothing more familiar with him then forgiuenes yea he will burne his roddes and embrase our conuersion withall such is his goodnes towardes vs that afore he enter into correction be inuites vs to submit acknowledge to the end he be not constrayned being a iust iudge to lift vp his hand and make vs feele the rod conuert sayth he by his Prophets to me and I will be conuerted to you I will kéepe no remembrance of your faultes yea I will repent me that I went about to strike you it is grieuous to him to scourge his people and an act which becomes him not properly his nature is to do mercy for the which he is called mercifull long suffring patient and mercy it selfe he would not punish Dauid vppon his person notwithstanding he had deserued extreame Iustice but pardoned his sinnes when hee asked forgiuenes with great contrition griefe Touching the rods which he holdeth in his hand and strikes not but sheweth them as matters of feare to offenders we sée that Josophat being threatned with such roddes which were the Moabites Ammonites Sirians his enemies withdrew himself altogether to god published fastings through all the couÌ„trey of Juda asseÌ„bling all the people to pray to god in the teÌ„ple he in the middest of theÌ„ made this oration O Lord God which art the god of our fathers the god of heaueÌ„ and hast dominion ouer the kingdoms of all nations in thy hand is force and power there is none that can resist thée is it not thou O Lorde that hast killed all the inhabitants of this land being idolators and pagans before thy people of Jsraell We haue not force to resist so great a multitude and therfore not knowing what we should do there restes nothing to vs but to turne our eyes to thée O Lord as hoping in thée only for ayde and succours And as he continued thus in prayer wherin there was not so meane a woman and least childe which did not pray with him in the temple behold the prophet spake vnto him feare not this multitude it shall not be thy warre but the warre of God which hapned accordingly for all those armed enemies forsaking their purpose fell vpon the Jdumeans and after slaughtered one an other without any necessitie of him to go to the battell so happened it in the time of Ionas to the towne of Niniuie where the king vnderstanding the hand of God to be ready to destroy them with in xl dayes commaunded a general fast for thrée daies yea euen little children and beastes were restrained to abstinence and ioyning to this penance contrition and supplication for mercy it fell out that the Citie felt not the roddes of God otherwaies then in feare Touching the whippes wherewith hee scourgeth for not hauing thus preueÌ„ted and yet in correcting them selues and asking pardon he forgiueth them it is written of the Jsraelites that they cryed to God when they were in tribulacioÌ„ he deliuered them from their necessities which is amplie declared in their deliuerance from the captiuitie of Egypt wherein they felt sharppe and smartinge roddes yet crying mercy to God they were heard and deliuered Dauid seeing the furie of the plague vppon his people and lifting vp his eyes to heauen where hée saw an Aungell holding a sword ouer Jerusalem in signe of the punishement which hee made of the people by plague cryed with a lowd voyce O Lord God it is I that haue offended punish me afterwardes he offereth sacrifice to God and the death ceased Ezechias for particular example who féeling in his persone the discipline of God by a disease whereof he must dye after he had acknowledged him selfe and cryed to God for grace had answer to liue yet xv yere with the receipt of the remedie to heale his infirmitie And touching the publike affliction which he and his town of Ierusalem suffered by the Assirians that had besieged the town made breaches to enter the same night by great miracle the Aungell of God slew a hundreth foure score and sixe thousand of his enemies which brought such confusion and feare to their King Senacherib that he fled early in the next morning In these maibe noted as it were by the way that as it is said in the booke of Iudith accordinge to the promises which God made in his lawe when the people of Jsrael serued God well and obserued his law they were not vexed of straungers nor felt common miseries but such as offered to oppresse them were confounded as Pharao and his ofte in the chase of these people were swallowed in the red sea euen so when the Israelites fell froÌ„ this course and offended God he stirred by enemies on all sides of whom they were either ouercome slaughtered or at least by other hurtes felt and found the certein tokens of gods wrath whose effects thei proued w extréeme miserie if they did not repent many nations people were not reformed by preachings nor threats of gods iudgements but scorned the prophets that pronounced them calling them fooles mad men and sedicious and deliting in their owne scornes they saied let the day of God come we sâ—are it not for wée haue the temple Many trusted in Idolles and others hoped for succours of Kings to be strong against their enemies yea there were that persecuted the good Prophetes that foretold their calamities to come and the false Prophetes reassured them againe with promises of all good successe yea when famines diseases or other punishements hapned they laid the occasions to the good Prophetes and catholike people as some of them attributed their plagues to the starres which were the Chaldeis others
that happen in the world they are alreadie well proued to discend directly from God and not by any prouidence of fortune as the Epicuriens and Atheists of our time beleue nor fatally according to the opinion of the infidels togither with the Astrologians who attribute all to their aspects constellations oppositions and reuolutions of starres and much lesse according to the philosophicall perswasion of the Phisitions bringing in the alterations and corruption of Elements and naturall bodies not raising vp their spirites to the consideration of the deuine prouidence that the soule gouernes not better all the parts of our humane body then the great God rules measures this huge world not suffring the least herb or plant to moue or grow without feeling his vertue and power Nor little bird to fall vppon the branch of any trée without the prouidence and will of that omnipotent mouer of all things nor lastly the least haire of our head which is not kept in reckoning by him The Phisitions or later Philosophers do oftentimes beguile themselues by the second causes as making them the imediat or first causes of any euill that hapneth which is a kind of infidelitie not fixing their iudgmeÌ„ts but on things which they see as when the South wind hot and moyst hath blowne much most commonly in a yere when ponds lakes and fennes are corrupted when in a dearth of vittailes people are constrayned to eate vnseasonable meates when the ayre is close and giues out an euill seat when the winter contrary to his nature is hot and sootie when many vile and vememous beastes engender vppon the earth and caterpillers frogges and other vermine fall out of the ayre when such signes appeare the Phisitions say they are the cause of plague sicknes not considering that GOD vseth these second causes ordeyned by his prouidence as instruments and manifest signes of the same prouidence that for this reason By those signes he giues warning to the world that he prepareth to execute his iustice vppon people nations and by these foretokens inuites and aduertiseth men to fall to submission and supplication for pardon to the end he thunder not suddenly his ful indignatioÌ„ rigor vppon sinnes A child séeing his father prepare rods and bindes them shake them in his hand hath to thinke that he hath offended the time of his scourging draweth neare and therfore in feare teares humilitie he ought to fall prostrate afore the knées of his father as we haue afore aduised By these meanes sayth Joel what know we if God of nature good and reconcileable to our vices wil be conuerted and aforde grace at the least he will not condemne our soules if with a changed harte we performe action of penance when the Prince by long counsell and aduise causeth to be erected in many publike places of his Realmes great scaffoldes gibbets and the instruments of torment such as haue offended the law haue no meane to flée what other thing can they thinke of this preparation then a resolute purpose of the Prince to execute smarting iustice vppon them great is their present feare but farre greater the griefe displeasure which they ought to haue of their offences ought they not to call into practise all meanes seruing for their deliuery yea if they tary till they be led to the scaffold their haÌ„ds and feete bound with other attires of high offenders being ready to be offred to the execution there is small hope or expectation of mercie let them go themselues with their halters about their neckes and taking their best frieÌ„ds to solicit in their intercession to the Prince let them discouer true effects of contricion and imploring the frée mercy of the Prince let theÌ„ offer restitution to the parties offended and better obedience and behauior here after in them selues so shall they with Dauid not suffer the vtter most rigor of iustice or els auoid it altogither as the Jsraelites escaped it in the time of Jonathas the Niniuits also by their seuere woÌ„derful penaÌ„ce eueÌ„ so al these second causes are but signes instruments of Gods iustice tokens preparations and fore shewes as according to the examples of the rodds skafoldes and gibbets by the which he declares his anger and disposicion to punish sin The semblance that is made the preparation and the rod as they are no causes of gods iustice but it is for the punishment of our sinnes that execution is so aparantly prepared So after such shewes and warnings doeth not the Father begin to scourge his sonne Doth he lay aside the rod afore he sée the amendment of his sonne or at least some hope that he will coreâ—t him selfe and not returne eftsoones to his naughtines The childe can not accuse the rod as the cause of his scourging much lesse the trée where it was gotten and least of all his father that layd one the lashes But entring in to the vew and iudgment of his owne life let him accuse himselfe and saye that his sinne is the first cause of the euill that he suffereth For if he had done well because the lawe is not to punish the iuste he had not feared that rod as in déed to speak properly he feareth it not though he haue offended but feares his father which holdes it in his hand since the rod can do him no harme if he be reconsiled to his father ¶ To remedie all euils the causes must be taken away the discrtion and wisdome requisite there vnto Chapter viij I Would we were as good Philosophers touching our faith as Phisicions be in their medicines and phisick Then would we apply as good spiritual cures against sinne as by them are ministred temporall remedies to heale and preserue bodies from diseases They assone as they deserne the second causes of a sicknes apply present prouision to the place where they remaine they minister purgations to kepe bodies from corruption by euill humors they cause the stréets and straight corners of the towne to be clensed lest the ayer congeale infectioÌ„ they make fiers abroad to mortefie and purge euill smells and within howses disperse and strew perfumes They prescribe sobrietie and forbid excesse they banish all vnsauerie meates bringe in abstinence from cohabitacion they apoynt Methredat and other preseruatiues and giue order to weare Rue and other strong hearbs proper against the Plague In like sort if we vsed spirituall meanes to kéepe vs from euill doing we should with the fact of sinne auoid also the perills miseries that are brought with it yea if assone as we deserned the second causes threatning signes of the vengance of God we would purge our selues of all wicked affections and vices not suffer in our commoÌ„ weale impunitie of sinne but performe one holy and generall conuertion and conuersation according to christianitie we should not only tourne away the hand of God from vs but eftsones restablish his gracious
is but foolishnes afore God so with him such fleshly wisedom is also enuied therfore who seekes to be wise according to God let him labor to be a foole according to the world as if Saint Paule had said that there is no other wisdom according to god then the holy scripture according to the which we must aspire to become wise But if we moderate and rule our selues by our own knowledge and fleshly iudgment contrary to the doctrine of the same wisdom we are fooles and beguile our selues in faith such philosophie being suttle deceitfull and no lesse differing from faith then bestialitie from the sense of reason the same being the cause why the wise man saith that vaine are those men in whō is no knowledge of God And to resolue touching the opinions of those new philosophers concerning the euentes of the miseries happening in Christendome it is méete we stand resolutly vpon the iudgement of the scripture without passing further following simply the which briefly we haue spoken before which is in effect that we beléeue that they fal vpon the earth by the wisdome and prouidence diuine to such as knowe and loue God and that for their profit benefit and health sayeth S. Paule and that he empouerisheth not but to enrich againe hurtes not but eftsoones to cure and heale nor strikes none to death but to reuiue them againe to life he sendes not into hell meaning eternall miseries but eftsoones to deliuer them so that nothing hapneth but by Gods prouidēce and that for our profit whereby the elect and holy ones receyue their probation and are kept in bridle and made better Secondly wée muste thinke that he kéepeth vs not in punishement for our sinnes no longer then we deserue it no more then the Phisicion purgeth his patient but according to the necessitie of his disease for which cause affliction is called purgation And as the mettall by the fyer is purified of his rust and earthy filthines vntill he be refined euen so God clenseth vs of our iniquities vnder faith in Iesus Christ making vs by that meane become better therfore when he layeth his hand vpon vs he doth it with the clemencie of a father but if we correct our selues his roddes are throwne into the fire and with our deliuerance he giues vs spirituall pleasure ioye and plentie of all necessarie benefites Thirdly if he sée we perseuer in vices he continueth his punishment making them so much the more sharpe and gréeuous by howe much our sinnes are cankered and of hard cure not sparing according to our obstinacie merit and grauetie of our wickednes to roote vs vp by death as he did Herod or else deliuereth vs vp to our owne lustes and wil punish vs no more as reseruing vs for his iust and terrible iudgement as he dealt with the rich man This is that which according to the scriptures we ought to beléeue touching the calamities which God sendes to a common weale or a whole realme and therefore to those dispusers and doctors of policie speaking not only so rashly but also in infidelitie of the aduersities of the world be it sayed that they learne a new lesson speak as Christians least the world hold them in the reputacion of infidelles and men ignorant of god Touching such as maintaine that thorow out the world and in all ages there haue bene miseries and therefore not to bée holden strange that in this time perticular nations suffer aflictions let them ioyne with all these further cōsiderations that God vseth other wayes I meane for other causes to touch with miseries those men and nations which acknowledge honor and worship him in true religion as their souereigne Lord then he doth to other eyther Apostats and schismatikes or all together Infidels the good sort and holy ones receiue these afflictions as disciplines corrections by the which being aduertised of the indignation of their heauenly Father against them they are stirred to conuertion to crie him mercie and with all dutie to dispose themselues to serue him where the others when he hath rebuked thē yet they are not chastised by those scurges which in déede he will not suffer to worke the effect of correction in them as knowing their obstinacie but as they are punished for that they haue done wrong to his children being to them as Lions and wolues to the pore flocke so he maketh them vnderstand it to th end they do no more wronge to them That is the cause why Esay and Ezechiell fore tell the desolation of many townes and regions of the infidells as hauing vexed with cruell warrs the Israelites or to stay them with mutuall warrs from offering oppression and tiranny to the faithfull as we sée proued by many examples in the olde Testament And albeit God serued his turne with them and made them his scorges to whip his children the axes to dismember them yet he ment not that they should tiranously deale with them but as oftē times it hapneth they acknowleged not how nor for what they were victors but proudly attributed to themselues the glory of victories So for that pride and tiranny God sent them afterwards other tirants that requited them with iust recompence both for that they might vnderstand they had euill done so to vex his people as also to call them to a better modestie if afterward he should send them to discipline his people for no other causes God séemes to care for such reprobates but with the sentence of the scripture deliuereth them vp to their perticular affections desiers and wills with whome the deuill who is their prince doth what he list And where he giues them the fruition of this inferior world common with his other people as helth libertie and plintie of goodes He doth that of his generall prouidence not meaning for their impietie to break the order established from the beginning of the world as giuing blessing to the earth to beasts fishe and men for procreacion hauing so disposed the Elements the generation and corruption of naturall thinges all which do aswell bring profit and pleasure to Idolators and infidels as to the people of God and euen so so many calamities and miseries yea often times more and death it selfe do happen aswell to those as to others as the wise man saith Here may be deserned how our babling naturall disputers doo slide with their swéet error in to extreme impietie not seing in to the high councell and wisdom of God who as he is wise constant and immouable in his generall ordenances so he enterteyneth the order established in perpetuall prouidence of his creation they consider not as wisemen ought to do and much lesse see in to the cause why he hath made all this that is nor for what end he entertayneth and preserueth it They ought to haue learned that the vnfaithfull and euill liuer deserue not to possesse the vse and benefit of any creature
seing they misknowe and offend their creator no more should they enioy it longe if the nomber of Gods elect and his faithfull seruants were accomplished for then would he reuerse the world to the which he giues not this continuance but for their sakes And therfore wicked men ought to honor the good sort by whome they are and prosper in the world as with out them they had ben ere this caried into the déepest botoms But much lesse that those pore blind men can sée the estat of their proper errors seing they haue not the facultie of consideration of thinges necessarie for they haue neyther eyes of fayth nor light of scriptures to deserne that which concernes the health or perdicion of men Touching factions and warrs of one Christian realme against an other there can not happen to the world a more great malediction no ther are no actions of men where with the maiestie of God is more offended wherin such as vnder the pretence of any profite giue councells and be as it were the bellowes to blowe the brondes of such murders cannot but stand guiltie and worthy of a thousand hels in respect of the infinit offences committed against God by breaking the league of Christian fraternitie and indissoluble aliance of amitie wherin Iesus christ hath knit vs together in more strong charitie then naturall brethern one with an other who if they raise contention one against an other what will their Father saye if they strike one an other what cause of indignation against them but if they kill one an other what great displeasur to him it is holden by the scripture the Adam remained a hundreth yeares frō knowing his wife Eue for the sorow which he had of the murder of his sonne Cayn against his brother Abell if such as sowe discord amongst brethern be aboue other most displeasing and abhominable to god what reputacion to those brothers entertayning ciuill debate amongest them selues who in nothing more can incurre so great abhomination afore god if such as only hate their brethren be murderours can not haue eternall life in what daunger of iudgement stand they who not onely hate but oppresse persecute and kill if simplie to bée angrie against reason and of a wicked hart deserueth condemnacion if to offer half an iniurie bringes merit of punishment and if for calling our brother foole we stand in daunger of hell fyer what infliction of punishmēt ought to be prepared for brethern maintayning controuersie by hate enforcing actes of mutuall hostilitie and with great cōtempt of nature cut one anothers throate if God refuseth the prayers or sacrifices of such as present them afore his aulter bearing enimitie against any and not performed reconcilement how can such as slaughter one another so directly against the will and commaundement of the Lord offer eyther prayers or other acts helping to their saluation yea if they purge not their grudge by recōciliation their praiers can not be drawn vp to heauen Let therefore these reasons with others of no lesse consideracion be drawne into déepe coūcell afore warre be taken in hand let all meanes of peace be searched and if there bee malice séeke after attonement yea let not the sunne goe downe vppon your anger saith S Paule if there be question for a towne fortresse or countrey let wise Princes Presidents and Councellours accorde the difference For if warre bée once begonne perill appeares on euery syde and as the euent is vncertaine so the charge of thrée monthes pay for an armie will ryse to more then the profit that comes by it in many yeares besides to a place being gotten with great cost belonges no lesse care to kéepe it and therefore no small grief when it is eftsoones recouered not reckoning the spoyles robberies murders violation of wiues mayds and widowes with other infinit euils incident by the fury of warre for the which what satisfaction can be acceptable afore God wo be to those seducers who for any temporal benefit sturre vp Christiā Princes to lenie warre one against another to the great dishonour of Christian Religion oftentimes their proper ruine by this it hapneth that as Kinges Christian Princes haue ben in diuision the furious tyger of Christendome obseruing his oprtunitie hath entred into our common weale of Europe and made much of it subiect to his tirannie against whom all nations Kings of the faith ought to conspire in one cōmon force and chase him out of the parke of Iesus Christ which he hath already inuaded with violent slaughter of the séely sheepe of our almightie Lord yea they ought also to keepe warre against the Wolues Foxes wandring throughout the world to deuower the residue of this poore flocke I meane heritikes authors of these new reprobat sects against whom the Princes of Christian nations ought to fight no lesse valiantly then did the Jewes against the Philistines Amalachites other Idolaters Christians ought not to commence sute one against an other least by pleading in processes there arise hate or malice And to the man of GOD better were it to suffer the losse of worldly goods then to vex the quiet tranquillitie of his spirit to lose the exercise of his godly vocation to put him selfe in hazerd of Idolatrie to corrupt Iudges for the gaining of his cause to take occasiō to beare euil wil to his aduersary to forge deceites delayes lies lastly to be constrained for his iustification to discouer the vices of the witnesses suborned against him All which perplexities ioyned to abuses damnable ought to warne arme al Christiās not to attēpt proces for light causes but rather to search all meanes of concord as Iesus Christ commaunds vs And in cases where men are cōpelled to prosecute pleading as S. Paule was to defend him selfe against the false accusations of the Jewes let them beware they beare no malice to the partie whom we are bound to loue according to the aduertisement exāmple of Christ as also whē a Prince raiseth warre against a tirant he ought not to bear hate to his person but pursue him to iustice with compassion Let Princes al other popular states obserue the rules of charitie in whom since God is delited to make his perpetual residence there is no doubt but if she be the guide to our worldly actions we shall bring forth in our cōmon cōuersatiō such true effects of Christianitie that neyther ambiciō malice nor preheminence of place or authoritie shal carie vs into actes of opression against our neyghbour nor yet the consideration of small wronges offered to our selues by others moue vs to take to blame those thinges which by the office of our religiō we ar bound to couer or at least not to enter into violent recompence but to leaue the reueng to God to whom it belongeth Let thefore publike preachers and pastors of the holy word exhorte the worlde on all sides to reconcilement
lame and malady of the palsey and that he should passe thorow the village where he was caused him self to be caried to an other place to auoyde the restitutioÌ„ of his lims ⧠Loyterers accustomed to beg vvill be applyed to no other trade The poore religious beggers ought to be entertayned by them in vvhose seruice they trauell as Byshops and Pastors Hermittes ought to trauell according to their fyrst institution the Hermites of Thebaides in Aegypt of their trauels nourished the poore the vvell reformed religion trauell certaine hovvers of the day ⧠The .13 Chapter THus we sée many desire not to be made hole disposed of their members because they would not be employed in trauelles necessarye to liue so swéete is this vice of begging to the miserable sorte which sure is an apparant wretchednesse to man to encline so to ydlenesse and séeke to lyue at the charges of an other séeing the greatest benefit that God hath bestowed on manne after he had transgressed the lawe was to giue him habilitie to labor the better to kéepe him from infinite euils which ydlenesse bringeth whereof one is to beholden vile contemnible shamefull and miserable The poore sayth Salomon hath spoken and none made reckning of him all his frindes forsooke him and mockt him at last as is séene in the history of Iob wherein is not ment that we shoulde blame pouertie or begging sent of God to the weake which for many causes is most pitifull and merites support but that it is an errour and fault to take pleasure in that which is wicked or which was sent vpon men for paine of the curse of sin and to delight in that which of his proper nature as it is shamefull so it was a reason to S. Paule not to giue foode to them but to bid that the begger shoulde be shut out of christian company and therfore he commaundeth all that haue habilitye to trauel not to spare labor saying worke that you haue no neede of any other as who say trauell with such dilligence for the reliefe of your lyfe that your wantes come not to be rated by the fauour of an other nor the restitution of your loanes compelled muche lesse then giues he liberty to go from doore to doore to proue mens compassioÌ„ Here if any obiect that the religious beggers commonlye called Mendians are within the compasse of this correction as hauing made vowes to begge it may be aunswered that in their vowes is nothing lesse included then promise to begge from doore to doore for so shoulde they all go to it necessarily but they haue taken vppon them simply a profession of pouerty which is not to care or study for richesse which they abandoned both in will and fact and gaue all that they had to the poore to go the more fréely thorow the worlde to preache neyther did their vowe stretch to take nothing for their sermons and other spirituall actions to the which by the scripture is due honest recompence sufficient to entertaine them And therefore because suche religious fathers haue bequeathed themselues to preache and supply the defaultes of pastors for which labor at the least they deserue to be nourished and entertayned we saye that in this act they ought not to be called beggers for as the pastors are bound to recoÌ„pence their labours so haue they iuste occasion to demaund their byer without néede to aske it at their gates S. Paule also to the Corinthians declareth that such as preache haue good right and auctoritie to demaunde their iust payment Others there be appertayning to this profession which do nothing in a couent neither studying to preach much lesse preaching actually nor serue in any vse to prechers there is nothing in them to deserue to be norished in vnprofitable ydlenes If they say they pray for their benefactors let them resort to s Agustine who will satisfie them in that point He reformed certaine Monkes or hermits of his time who because they woulde doe nothing but praye were called prayers or praying men wresting this text of the Gospell pray without ceasing and a place in s Paule Praying vvithout intermission These were therefore founde alwayes mumbling in the fieldes stréetes at the doores where they begged meate yea they mumbled prayers euen whilst they did eate But S. Augustine told them lernedly that all thinges had their time as in déede he prayeth without ceasing which prayeth in opportunity hauing his heart and affection alwayes raysed to God he tolde them farther that he that had willed them to praye without ceasing had tolde them also before by his irreuocable senteÌ„ce that thei must eate their bread by the sweat of their bodies saying by his holy spirite thou shalt eate the labors of thy handes and shalt be happy and good shall come to thée thereof He resisteth besides that much lesse that the Monkes of Egypt went a begging but they trauelled with their handes to nourish their liues according to gods ordinaunce and distributed the rest of their labors to the poore in suche sort that in a dearth in Affrike they sent from Egypt whole ships charged with corne to succor the necessities of the poore of Affrick which the sayde holye doctor affirmeth was done in his time to the great glory of god who by the poore did as it were miraculously nourish the poore and sterue the riche by the generall famine of that couÌ„try If those poore Hermits and other religious soules nourished with the sweate of their bodies so many numbers of pouertie through the worlde howe much more are bound to this dutie the riche Churchmen of this time whose reuenues are dedicated to their necessities and to sustaine the poore much more ought they to distribute the superfluity of their reuenues séeing they are bounde certayne howers to ayde with their labours the poore according to the meaning of S. Paule who willeth them to trauell not only to lyue as doth the poore but also with the profits of their labor to bring succour and noritâ—re to the néedy whose handes suffice not to sustayne their lyfe but specially in tyme of famine or to bestowe reléefe vpon them whose infirmities of body denye them all power to succour themselues And as wise and holye men vnderstande so well by the scrypture that labour is the expresse commaundement of God and that they reproue ydlenesse euen in the religions most strayght although there be sufficiency with fulnesse So also in religions well instituted and reformed notwithstanding their compotency of reuenue are continued certayne howres in labor in some arte or honest exercise of the hand selling their workes to the ende to make almes to the poore whose example I beséech God may chance others to the ende that in their sinfull ydlenesse be found no more cause of their damnation nor to the worlde occasion of slaunder to their holye profession ¶ The fourth Booke ⧠The simple impotent and true needy poore we ought
to holde in singuler and deere care asvvell for Gods commaundements as for that he hath promised vs great recompences both temporall and eternall by the vvhich many haue bene stirred vp to giue all their goodes to the poore but specially such as vvould follovve Iesus Christ to doe holy profession The .1 Chapter TOuching the true poore who eyther for their small age as children are vnable to labour or being olde haue no force to trauell or suche as by diseases in disposition and true infirmities of the state decrepit as the blinde and lame are vnapte to seruice yea their handye worke not sufficient to giue nouriture to their family specially in times of dearth togither with those poore soules who hauing bene riche are now fallen to pouertie whose shame makes them endure much because they dare not aske And lastely all poore passengers and néedy straungers ought to stande with vs in due recommendation by the commaundements more often repeated to vs in the scrypture with more great promises of recompence then for any other thing which God hath giuen vs in charge to doe the same being a signe most certaine that we can not doe an act more agréeable to God touching duetie to our neyghbour then to vse charitie comprehending alwayes that which we ought to God without which though we giue all our goods to the poore yet we lose all for as charity is the perfection and full ende of the law yea the very marke whervnto it drawes proceding of a pure heart a conscience perfect faith not dissembled but entire expressing a true trust reposed vpon the goodnesse of God in hope of eternall lyfe so is it called mercye which who so euer doe vse are called by Iesus Christ happy for they shall find mercy afore god Dauid assureth the man that reléeueth the poore neuer to stand abandoned of god in his necessities yea so far doth he loue this mercy that he preferreth it afore sacrifice due to him as to god I loue saith he mercy better then sacrifice obediēce knowledg of god more then holacust which was a sacrifice wherin the whole beast was burnt and consumed in perfit oblation to God. By this he auiseth vs that it were better to nourish a poore soule and preserue him from perishing by hunger then to offer all the beastes in the world in sacrifice for as the beastes and all other perticuler creatures of the worlde were made for the vse of man So it were better there were a generall wrack of them all then to suffer the meanest man that beareth lyfe to perish and dye for want to be succored by this mercy This worde almes according to the Gréeke hath hys deriuation from thence so that to doe mercye is to giue almes according to the Gréeke propertie whereof it is sayd who hath pity on the poore shall be most happy who exerciseth pitie on the poore man and aydeth him hath his recompence of pity layde vp with God who will neuer abandon him and according to the succors which he bestoweth on the néedy God will measure reléefe to him in his proper necessities Yea suche high dignity and prayse of vertue hath this charitie to the poore that it only amongst all other vertues is called iustice which is the most perfit vertue conteyning all other vertues and according to the name of it all honest people are called iust sure none can worthyly be called honest men vnlesse they be pitifull to the poore expresse actes of comfort in their necessities and frankely and gladsomly giue vnto them the duety of their estate which is norriture and necessarye succors For which cause Dauid called such Acte iustice the iust man sayth he hath distributed his goodes to the poore and his iustice remaines eternallye as if he hadde sayde then doth a manne shewe himselfe to be of perfect honesty when he imparteth a good portion of his welth with the poore hée shall not loase by that benefit which he doth to the poore for he shall be iustified by it vnder the merit of Iesus Christ of all sinnes of the which he shoulde be accused in the iustice of God that was the cause why Daniell spake to Nabucodonosor redéeme thy sins with almes and thine iniquities by charitable déedes to the poore For that cause will Iesus Christ absolue in his iudgement all such as in his name haue giuen succors to the poore Thus doth almes make and expresse a good man helping to hys iustification in that he workes or prepareth remission of sinnes as the almes done to Cornelius and prayers by the which he was heard of God and instructed in true faith by S. Peter And almes proceeding of true fayth iustifying by charitie helpeth to iustifie in that they deminishe the paines of sinnes and make that man after he haue obtained remission which is done by the efficacy of the passion of Iesus Christ apprehended by fayth stande with God in more grace of pardon Besides all this to almes is ioyned of God a promise of succors in all affayres as deliueraunce from diseases and death encrease and aboundaunce of welth and fruition of eternall lyfe yea they suffer not as Toby sayth a man to go in darcknesse meaning dollors heauinesse perplexities and perpetuall sorrowes of hell The assured consideration of which promises hath drawne many christians to dispose all their goods to the poore some of them choosing a solitary lyfe in the desertes others to take vppon them euen the seruice of the poore in hospitals others endued with knowledge to become preachers not regarding temporall goodes in hope of the eternall felicytye which hope woulde not suffer them to take goodes of any In this they conformed themselues with the Prophetes of the olde testament and with Iesus Christ who had not so much as a bolster to rest his head vpon he sayde to his Apostles that such as forsake not all they haue can not be his disciples They séemed also to beléeue and take suerty in that which he said to a certayne rych man go thy waies sell all thou hast and giue it to the poore then returne to me and follow me and thou shalt haue a treasour in heauen Christ willeth not by these texts that in al men indifferently should be such actual prostitution of their goodes to the poore and that they shoulde leaue all and follow him and become his disciples which haunt with publicans and hauing conuerted them he commaundes them not to leaue al to follow him nor to Zachea who was principall amongst them and for shewed that there should be alwayes poore in the worlde meaning then by consequence that there should be also riche men in the world which is very well confirmed by S. Paule in the lesson which he giueth to the richemen what they ought to doe for their saluation not prescribing to them to leaue al but to distribute part to the poore of whome Iesus Christ