the liuely foode of the life present and a comfort in all tribulations Thus may the Magistrate pollitike reléeue the infirmities of his people and kepe them from the desire of euyll and corruption in wicked wyll which is the cause of all wicked workes as by the contrary is wrought all good actions according to the text of Iesus Christ That the euil Tree bringes foorth sowre fruites and the good Tree yeeldes fruite like to him selfe But because he can neither geue ayde to them nor forme iudgement of them if the fruites declare not the nature quality of the wil he ought as shal be further declared in the fourth booke to trauayle diligently that the new plant of his commō weale be not nor remaine not corrupt no nor can not be corrupted the which shal be easie for him to do by the meanes which I wyll set out in the sayde booke treating of the institucion of youth In the meane while we wil procéede in the other sinnes which séeme not to be redily comprised in the ten commaundements of the Law and yet aswell that which we are commaunded as forbidden to do is there conteyned as may be easily discerned by whosoeuer searcheth exactly the iudgement of the Scripture for those then in whom is not that exact knowledge I wyll entreate of other offences which men would not haue sought there and yet are to be found and are most damnable determining not to omit any thing that may be preiudiciall to a Christian common weale yea euen to handle seriously those sinnes wherof men make no conscience as though they were light and contemnible in common iudgement But séeyng GOD condemnes them and inflictes gréeuous punishment vppon the parties it behooueth the polletike Magistrates beyng the follower of this great and Soueraigne Iudge to condemne them also in their Courtes with the same grauetie and measure wherewith he punisheth them in his And albeit there were verye smal vices whiche yet are not so if their errour bee considered séeing they are committed against so great a Lorde of him selfe infinite and against deuine iustice whiche punisheth them greuously yet wée can not iudge them suche but by a comparison with others that bée verye execrable as is Idolatrye Neyther ought the Magistrate for all this to neglecte them séeing as the Wise man sayeth who is careles in small thinges slides easilye into great faultes the same agréeing with the resolucion of Aristotle that an errour howe little soeuer it bée in the beginning wyll ryse great in the ende if there bée not correction in tyme. The Canker appeares litle at the first as a wheale but by sufferaunce it deuoures the partes about it and consumes at last the whole body A disciple of Plato being rebuked for playing at Cardes and Dise aunswered that he did no great harme to whome Plato replied that small Vices doo drawe with them those that bée greater sure sinnes are as linkes annexed togeather in a chaine whereof when you pull one lynke the rest doo followe Euen so the threde of vices if they be not restrained howe litle soeuer it bée wyll ryse to a great webbe of sinnes yea euen to bée able to make a long and huge Corde wherewith Satan doeth binde and imprison man in seruitude and perpetual damnation And like as Phisitions who to auoide the greater sicknesse are not careles of the least disease that happeneth to man but eyther minister some bitter Droages for purgation or at least prescribe him some Diete as also it belonges to the good Surgeon to applye some plaister to an Apostume to rype and purge it least otherwaies there might bée daunger of desperate corruption Euen so the Pollitike Magistrates whiche haue taken in cure this bodye Ciuill if the least in their Citye offende in dutye by light faultes but more if the faulte be great ought immediatelye to applye correction to the offendour and suffer no consequence nor example to others Heare if any wil saye there néedes not so straite censure hée maye be aunswered with that that maye bée sayde to a Pagan who knoweth not what miserye the impunitie of sinne doeth bring sometimes holdes vice in the reputacion opinion of vertue But the true christian who is commaunded to be perfect to offend in nothing for in breaking one commaundement he standes depriued of the fruite for obseruing the rest yea who ought not to faile so much as in an ydle worde whiche Iesus Christ holdes worthy of Iudgement is also commaunded to laye vp all his heart in the Lorde and neyther to speake or doo any thing no not to eate or drinke but to geue all the honour and glorye to God from whiche duetie if man doo swarue neuer so litle hée sinneth for hée faileth of his rule and is subiect to damnation sayeth the Scripture And Saint Paul sayeth that the recompense and stipend of sinne is death It is therfore a vaine obiection to saie that we neede not make so great conscience of so small faultes which albeit they drawe no great moment yet according to the resemblaunce of Saint Augustine If there bée but onelye one creuise or vent in a Shippe by the whiche the water entereth if it bee not stopped the whole shippe in the ende is full of water and the passengers with the vessell in manifest perril to perishe but if there bée more ventes they giue to the water a more spéedye power to drowne them all Euen so is it of vices whereof there néedeth but one to leade a man to his destruction if he bée careles but much more spedelye is he drawne into vndoing if he bée possessed with many Séest thou not sayeth hée that the ship ouercharged with Corne hath her fraught with no other thing but many graines which in tyme of tempest shée must discharge and cast all into the Sea for her safetye And as the burthen is no other thing then abundance of litle graines gathered togeather to drowne the vessel so the multitude of small sinnes leades the soule to perdition if in oportunity shee discharge not her burthen and for the safetie of her selfe and vessell throwe her fraught into the Sea. By this resemblaunce let the wyse Gouernours of this Ciuil Nauye foresée if it bée possible not to suffer one onelye faulte howe light so euer it bee without spéedye resistaunce and much lesse geue passage to many popular and vulgare offences but cast them out of their Shippes least by them they bée drowned in the bottome of all miseries many small diseases suffered rise to a great sicknes the stinging of nyne Hornettes as the saying is sufficeth to kyll a man where a lesse number were in sufficient Let the Magistrate therefore beware not to geue custome to many small vices nor yet to one for frequentacion of sinne procureth to the Soule death eternal ¶ The thirde Booke ⧠Enumeration of sinnes wherof men make no conscience and are oftentimes in the condicion of greeuous sinnes their
if we feare the force of the mightie we shall feare to do good iustice and so bring Sclaunder to our light desire of souerentie but as in good iudges God displaieth some beames of his deuinitie as being the ministers of his deuine iustice so he ioynes to their office the operation of some deuine vertue which makes thē feared of their subiectes For this cause are they called Heloym that is Gods as partaking with the force and power of God the more constantly to execute his iudgementes in earth In the Scripture we reade of no Iudge or Magistrate doing his estate which did not bring feare to all their people and made them obedient to his ordinaunces for God by the Iudge geues a secrete feare to bring others to subiection And albeit the Mutinus people of Israel fel into often reuolt against their great gouernour Moises whom they would haue stoned yet he eschewed not his charge much lesse forbare for feare to do iustice but in one day made passe by the edge of the sworde twentie thrée thousand idolatours of one race of Leui and although the resisting aduersarie was twelue times more in number yet they durst not stretche out their handes to defende their Rebellion yea he apprehended at one time twelue of the greatest Lords of the people and Captaynes of the armie because they assisted the sacrifices of the Madianites with whom they committed whordome and yet not in one of the multitude was founde so much as to lift vp his finger in signe of resistaunce the which remayning in example to the succession of other Magistrates they were neuer fearefull to do iustice eyther vpon any singuler great state or vpon a whole multitude offending as knowing that hauing in hande the affaires of God whose chiefe prescript was to punishe the transgressours that he woulde not suffer them to endure hurt nor forsake them executing seuere iustice vpon the wicked ⧠Here Iudges are warned not to be credulus nor to iudge by reportes to take heede of affections and not to iudge by particuler opinion to resiste vvhich euils God ordeyned in the Lavv seuentie Counsellers to vvhom he enioyneth sobrietie chastitie integritie and wisdome to be followers of the iudgement of God in the exact examining of offences and to punishe them according to the grauitie of the transgressions that they be not couetous seeing that for couetousnesse the sonnes of Samuel vvere deposed they must leaue no sinne vnpunished terrible sentence for vnrighteous iudgementes an aduertisement of Dauid to Iudges vvith a prophecie of their miserie if they iudge not in equitie ¶ The .2 Chapter THere be other preceptes in the Scripture prescribed also to Gouernours in their estate of iustice which I néede not now bring in particuler question for that they haue the same commaundement to haue the Scripture in their handes which was geuen to Iosua their example and Patrone in causes of iudgement the better to gouerne the people and therefore I hope it can not bring offence if by the way of generall perswasion I do exhort them to be such as the scripture prescribes but chiefely according to the rule of their election that they be sober wise and discrete to the ende they be not circumuented by ignoraunce imprudence error and misintelligence and so seduce the direction of most waightie and graue affaires which fault was noted in Dauid when he gaue sentence against Miphiboseth the sonne of Ionathas by the false report of Syba seruaunt of the saide Miphiboseth at whose onely worde contrary to the Scripture which alloweth no sentence but by the testimonie of thrée or two at the least hée condemned the other and woulde not heare him in his iustification An acte contrary to all reason and right of nature by which as we sée that in hastye credulitie coniecture only or opinion suddain passion of coller or wicked affection as hate enuie sutteltie thirst of benefite lightnesse of mynde with all other affections as thinges contrarie to wisedome and discretion be of power to peruert iudgement So the same is the cause why the Lawe requires in Iudges wisdome discretion and conference with wise men and not to stay vpō their particuler opinions the same being the respect why God erected seuentie Senatours for the gouernment of the people who consulting altogether in the common businesse and one correcting the errour of another can not but forme good iudgement Besydes such a multitude as Aristotle saith can not be easilye corrupted no more then a great abundance of water but with great difficultie where a small vessell in small time can not but suffer infection The Scripture aduiseth them to be sober and moderate the better to auoyde trouble of minde by intemperaunce which hauing power to hinder the effect of good iudgement in whom it possesseth it draweth also the mind to negligēce takes away al care of the affayres They are also defended from immoderate loue of women as well by the destinie of Salomon who hauyng the gift of wisedome lost by his vnbridled loue and lust all grace in iudgement as also by the example of the twoo wicked Iudges testifying against Susanna who by their inflamed desyres of her beawtye corrupted theyr iudgement So that by the Scripture all Iudges are warned that neither in their mindes nor wyll remaine any peruersitie error or affection but a full inclination to integritie onely zeale of iustice ioyned with knowledge which as it is the same light of the mynde by the which we discerne clearely that which is good or euyll iust or vnrighteous so in a peruersed wyll or wicked affection is bred confusion of the spirite which consequentlye leadeth to perplexities and both troubles and hinders the facultie of vpright iudging euen as if there be neuer so litle a Moate or Beame in the eye the cleare sight is hindered and it hath lesse power to discerne the true difference of things presented afore it but muche lesse possibilitie of sound iudgement is there in the ignoraunt man who not vnderstanding the Lawe suffereth the same error which the blinde man doth whose want of sight makes him vnhable to discerne collours But the better to forme their iudgementes irreprehensible and without reproche the Scripture layeth afore them the iudgementes of God as the true Images and Portraictes representing such example of iudgement and iustice as the Magistrates of the earth ought to followe which Salomon and Tobias call the most true and iust ballaunce and Dauid resembling them with the trueth it selfe saith that such ought the iudge to bée in whose iudgement is founde no iniquitie So that the Iudges raised by him to dispose iustice in his place ought alwayes to haue the Maiestie of him in their mindes and his iudgementes in imitation He iudgeth not by heare say and much lesse by apparance or likelyhood but according to the trueth In which sort it is sayde in Genesis that hée descended into
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
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
their goodes in any sort eyther by sleyght or force as by reseruing that which was their proper owne and in case the debtors of their race and nation had not whervpon to pay commodiously if their Oxen and instruments necessarye to gaine their lyfe were seased they were bounde to restore them to serue their necessities yea bed and garments when they were required for necessary vse In the hardest extremity the debtor to content his creditor was but constrayned to serue so long time as the debt might amount vnto yea vntill the seauen yeares which was the Saboth of yeares But we finde not that by the law any poore debtor was put in pryson I comprehend not in this tolleration wicked and craftie debtors very théeues and abusors who hauing sufficiently will not yet paye their debtes but eyther by cession of goodes ordinarily called Cedo bonis or by some other shift haue craft to cauell with their creditors such people as they deserue not onely straight prison but the scourge of the gibbet as subtill and malicious deteinors of other mens goodes so concerning other debtors simply and truely poore let the welthy creditor consider the condemnation of the cruell rich man in S. Mathew who kéeping his foote vpon the necke of his poore neyghbour in a case of debt which he had good will though not hability to paye was for that condemned to be perpetually tormented in the iudgement of God What sin can be greater then to afflict the poore whome we ought to comfort to make him naked whome we are bounde to cloth to commit him to prison whome we ought to deliuer yea and perhaps in being the cause of his death to driue his sons into hospitals and his wife and daughters into daungerous perdicion through necessity it is written that the poore shall cry to God against such as afflyct them and shall be hearde And as we ought not to spare neyther goodes nor credit to deliuer them whome the iniquity of men woulde vniustlye cause to dye so such as redéeme captiues and prisoners are pronounced happy by Iesus Christ But héere no man ought to reply that it were better not to lende at all for that makes a wicked conclusion for that we are bounde to giue to the exstreame poore to lend to him that hath goodes albeit not in such plenty but that he hath necessitye of some sustenaunce clothing or instruments to gaine his liuing without which loane he should fall into néede and be compelled to sell his small portion Touching the ciuile loane passing mutuallye betwéene rich men séeing there is neyther charity nor necessity it beares no recommendation with piety but is onlye a ciuil honesty according to the custome of an inuited feast wherin is no expectation of recompence But if it be done to the poore for the honor of god it draweth to it eternal reward if they looke to be gloried for doing anye great vertue it may be sayd vnto them as Iesus Christ said in like actes The gentils and sinners do they not that then there is no glorye a fore GOD and yet it carieth the habite of ciuill honestye and socyetye of friendshippe not to be neglected as is also to giue presents and doe pleasure to our friendes and Lordes Iesus Christ sayth it is no act of vertue meritorious afore God for that no actes but such as are done in his name deserue recompence of him The poore criminall offenders knowne to be in pryson by slaunder and false witnesse and in perill of execution if they be not reskued as they ought by the scryptures to be deliuered by all meanes least innocent bloud be spilt which may bring common wretchednesse vpon all such as might haue deliuered them so such as haue deserued death iudicially determined by full euidence assone as they haue committed the cryme owe a death to God in good iustice to their common weale for examplary instruction There is but one iust cause of delay which is to appeach their confederates and to affront them otherwise all delayes of iustice sayth Plato are signes of corruption in the Iudges who by delaying of iudgement giue oportunity to the party to reclayme grace in time or to compound with the aduersary or to bring the facte in forgetfulnesse or at least to qualifie the rigour of the party offended or last of all aspiring still to be deliuered to gette committed to the Capitaine of the Galleyes the malefactor in whome is full merite of penall death In which fauour besides the iniustice and damnable corruption is bred the occasion of many mischiefes as the reuenge of them that persecuted his lyfe with an vnbrideled lycence to do any euill Let Iudges vnderstande that the law of God suffereth not a determined murder to receyue accorde or composition for money but commaunding them to giue sentence of death for the effusion of innocent blood he enioyneth them to take and kill him euen before the aulter of the temple as Salomon did by Ioas. I medle not here with offenders deseruing grace the remission of whose offence belongeth only to the Prince nor with such whome the auncient church receyued into penaunce in which as they suffred a thousand passions far more paineful then the extréemest pange of one death only so the Churche was more edified by that puplique penaunce then in the example of many actuall deathes The v. Booke ¶ Of the institution of youth which is a thing profitable and necessarie in a common weale the prayse of free scholes what prouision ought to be made to builde and endue them The 1. Chapter WE said a litle before that the institution of poore children ought to be done in a schole therfore it is nowe requisite we speake amplie both of scholes and the institutiō thereto appertayninge not only for the poore but for all sortes of children a matter not onely worthie of the first and chiefe care but also most profitable and necessarie in all sortes of common weales A Colledge or schole is the foundacion florishing braunches of a common weale the common stoare house of all knowledge the fashioner of all young wittes a pure fountaine purging all corrupte natures and as a forme or moule of all aswel humaine as diuine perfections it is a welspring of science and fountaine of all vertue it is the house of discipline the mansion of the Muses their Hellicon and Pernassus and the fortresse of Pallas it is the place wherein is performed the first exercise of doctrine christian life and institution of pietie yea it is the ornament and glorie of Cities a bulwarke to Borowes to vplandish townes of the fielden and the very beginning continuance and piller of Religion Thus Colleages being the causes and perfect effectes of so many benefites deserue also without comparison more singular recommendacion then all the hospitalles of the world For in Colleges or Scholes are nourished and polished the mindes of men being the diuine heauenly
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
it meaning that when there is sufferaunce to any one to breake the Lawes and statutes it geues great perill of common ruine to al the common weale by an vnbridled libertye for that the multitude aspiring to maistership eyther the most strong or the most Ritche or the most subtile or the most bold wil get the principality where the wise man in the like sence resembleth the Lawes to a fountaine or waye of life hée speaketh vnder the construction that as the lawe administreth enterteyneth a life ciuill without debate deuerse or daunger so where the statutes are not wel enterteined and iustified there is layde the occasion of strife quarell grudge percialities questions murders and general licence to doe al euyll So that in the discipline of the Lawe is wrought the conuersation of quiet life ciuyll securitye and common conuersation neyther was it without reason that wee resembled the Lawes to the Soule of the common weale for euen as the Soule of man vniformelye rules his bodye guides it susteines it entertaines it in being instructes it in what is good for euery one of his members bringes prouision for his necessities teacheth it touching the function of his naturall office in all his members enterteyning and reteyning them togeather by such coniunction that muche lesse there is amongest them any passion of enuye hatered or debate seeing of the contrary shée makes the griefe of â—ne to bée felt of them all and to complaine it no lesse then if euerye one did perticipate in it as if the foote bée gréeued we sée the tongue speakes for it and expresseth sorrowe the eye is readye to looke to it the hande to touche it to bée short they communicate all in common with the good and euil that happeneth euery one imparting with another and all with one and one with all Euen so the law is a perfect vnion of all the partes estates of publike weales equall to all without exception of persons and instructing them in their general and particular duty defendes them all thinges contrary to the same comprehending vnder her aswell the great as the small the noble men as the paisaunt men of knowledge as the ignoraunt meane artificer Beside this it makes the magistrate féele as his owne the displeasure which happeneth euen to the meanest of the Citie as afore wee haue sayde the head hath his part in the hurt of the foote enclining to helpe it as if it were to him selfe And gréeuing thus in the euill of another with no lesse compassion then if it were proper to him selfe and seeing it common to all the body polletike which ought to complaine and demaund remedy of him being his head if hée giue that cure which is expedient much more the head being greeued wherin restes the vniuersall gouernment and prouidence of the whole body of the common weale is required a coÌ„mon and dutyfull diligence of all the members to do seuere iustice of him that had committed so daungerous a fault for the which all auncient common weales haue well prouided by good statutes and not forgot remedies for ciuill maladies supplying euerye of the same with conuenient cure according to the qualitye of the hurt wherin they obserued a forme of equall prouision both to heale the partye gréeued and preserue the rest of the bodye in his perfect integritie sometimes applying the colde and sharpedged yron and in an extreame remedye would cut of that part that would bée incurable least the other neare partes and consequentlye the whole bodye might fall into the infection of that contagious plague ¶ There be twoo principalities or pollecies which ought to bee knit together in vnitye of friendship as the soule and the body without difference they ought to ayde one another with mutuall and perpetuall succour for so shall not one of them passe an other The .4 Chap. AND as in Man bee twoo partes the one spiritual and the other corporall so in one coÌ„mon weale bée two principalityes that is to say the state Ecclesiasticall and ciuill they both notwithstanding vnited and conioyned as the minde and the body concurring in the perfite action of man And albeit they haue béene alwayes concordant for two endes yet as touching the Subiect they are different and vnlyke Priesthood temporal principalitye were conceyued at the first in the lawe of nature in the lawe written in two brethren Moyses and Aaron representing that they haue in al times consented in vnitye and brotherly concorde the one not vndertaking ouer the other but either one contented with his perticular charge and dutye The clergie directed speciallye the regiment of Soules by spirituall doctrines sacrifices Sacraments prayers and other actes and exercises of Diuine and Spirituall qualitye whose iurisdiction in like sort tended not but to spirituall endes without any medling or managing of temporal affaires as when they prescribed exercise of fasting penaunce and other disciplines to acknowledge sinnes or for Canonicall satisfaction of offences enioyned by penaunce with suertye and tranquilitye of conscience where the secular magistrate hath the wéelding of the sworde to geue correction to offendours rebelles mutinors and such as refusing the Spirituall Doctrine which the Church administreth doo contemne and persecute it and commit transgressions against the Lawes Ciuil deseruing punishment Aaron and the auncient sacrificatours medled onely with ceremonies sacrifices and interpretation of the Lawe Iesus Christ likewise and his Apostles made not but Spirituall profession as apeareth by the aunswere of our sauiour when hee was solicited to iudge a controuersie betwéene twoo Brethren touching the particion of their goodes what is hee sayth hée that hath instituted mée a Iudge or deuider of heritages betwéene you as who saye you are wrong ariued to mée for such a busines For I am come onely to preache and make spirituall exercise I wyll helpe you onely in that which I ought which is in Doctrine kéepe you from all Couetousnesse for by the abundaunce of Ritches which man possesseth his life is not susteyned and much lesse prolonged yea they can not make it any waye happy it is for that cause that Saint Paul willeth that hée that is militant to God and geuen whollye to his seruice shoulde haue no communitie with secular affaires eyther in traffike or any temporall profession The iudgement of this estate as we began to rehearse afore is not specially established but ouer consciences that is to absolue them when they are knowen to repent Sinne and whollye abandon it where if repentaunce bée not expressed they must stande restrained to theyr offences that is not to admit them to absolution And where the offences bée publike and no due penaunce done then to punishe them by excoÌ„municatioÌ„ which notwithstanding is rather a medicine then a payne and yet spiritual also as bée al the Ecclesiastical corrections theyr sworde is Gods worde their practises are Prayers Fastinges Teares Holye Meditacions continuall studie of the Scriptures and perpetuall
a cōmendable property to minister cure to the Soules of their patientes afore they vndertake to Remoue the diseases of the body But such is the wretchednes of many that if the Phisition speake to them of God or of consideration to the reckoning weale of their conscience they subborne by and by an habilitye of health saying they are not yet so farre spent nor that the necessity of theyr sicknes requireth the aduise or comfort of the Preacher And as such pacientes desire to bring them into no fancye of death and much lesse to increase theyr fraile sorrow with heauye counsell so there bée also phisitions of so colde reuerence and taste to God that they wil not haue theyr pacients to feede of other dyet then pleasaunt Speach and if they haue béene whoremongers they dispose the time into discourses of wanton Ribaldry feeding their cares and eyes with the presence of fayre Damselles singing and playing of Instrumentes and so leade them with theyr Pastimes into the bottome of Hell where they ought with the féeling of theyr Pulses to sounde also the bottome of their Consciences and Salue theyr sicke mindes with perswasions to demaunde pardon of God for want of whiche it maye bée that they are drawne into those afflictions But when these wretched Sycke men are as it were at theyr laste and abandoned of theyr Phisytions then God is brought into theyr remembraunce when the Spirites being weake the Sences dissolued the hearing without vertue and the heart languishing to his laste hée hath no iudgement of that which is preached to him but what so euer stoode in his affection afore bee it good or ill hée retaynes it and the minde hauing no Capacitye to comprehende Doctrine is without regarde to call it selfe to account or correction whereby it happeneth by the Iustice of God according to Sainct Augustine that that almightye and terrible Iudge doeth punishe the Synner in the ende of his dayes because during his health and good disposition hee liued in negligence towardes God and neuer gathered the actions of his life into accounte It is saide that as in death men haue no remembrance of God so the feare of death and hell more then the loue of God makes men oftentimes confessing their sinnes for touching the will there is more daunger that sinne will leaue man then man renounce sinne So that by the waye of aduertisement let as well the Phisition as the patient bee warned heare to exhibite the dutye of Christians and not to grudge if I dooe exhorte them for that hauing in hande to wryte a Christian gouernement and Pollecye I can not without offence dissemble any thing whiche tendes to common dutye in thinges concerning God. Therefore I aduise the sicke man so soone as hée comprehendes the mocion and qualitye of his disease to bequeathe himselfe altogeather to God and consulte with his Soule For suche maye bée the furye and violent nature of his Sickenesse that what for debilitye of bodye or sorrowe of minde or other accident of infirmitye muche lesse that hée shall haue oportunitye to common with his Conscience but of the contrarye power shal be taken from him to discerne in what state hée standes It is not good that euerye one make a Custome and common recourse to Phisicke reducing the disposition of theyr Stomackes to a Pothicarye shoppe the same agréeing with the prescript of the best Phisitions of our tyme who aboue all thinges geue this generall counsayle that men dispose theyr lyues in sobryetye forbeare Excesse and not to become subiect to immoderate affections as to bee geuen to anger to heauines of heart and to the actes of vnchaste loue They must refraine from hurtful thinges as corrupt meates infected ayres vncleane places contagious sicknesses vsing moderate labours neuer eating without appetit nor drinking without a desyre to quenche thirste wherin if any by negligence do runne into excesse let him vse the contrarye as if hee haue offended his Stomacke with surfeite let him suffer fasting and correct crudelitye by spéedye concoction If hée haue ouerwearyed his Bodye with trauaile let him vse rest and as health is to bée preserued by thinges lyke so in all excesses the reméedy is to bée deriued by their contraries obseruing this perpetual medicine to absteine as nere as hée can from offending God who is the generall most often the special cause of al diseases Who so euer entreth into medicines let him doo it in necessity as the scripture teacheth vs forbeare phisicke till the extremity for which purpose it was ordeined of God of whom as wée are taught the phisitions are ministers raised for the sick and not for the sounde so Gallen is of opinion that all Phisicke bringes with it some dommage to the person And therfore not without cause the Greeke word calles a Droage or reméedy Pharmacum signifying properly Venim rather then a thing wholsome as if the Greekes would haue said that medicionable droages are as matters venemous to a man touching a nature well disposed so that it behoueth there bée in the body corruptions and humours infected afore you receiue Droages by the which the enemye of the sound and not corrupt nature may bée driuen out which otherwayes woulde haue murdered and deuoured the same nature Such as compare medicine and Phisicke to a bucke of foule cloathes meane that they are not to bée vsed but in necessity For as the Bucke serues no other turne but to cleanse the Cloathes when they are foule which also being often Buckt can not but waste and consume So the body suffereth the like effect by Phisick whose often medicines as a canker doo fréete and eate out the strength of youth and so cleanse vs of health that wee can not reache to olde Age. Bée sure to kéepe your breathing Bodies pure and cleane so shal you haue no neede of Purgation no more then your Linnen being neate hath neede to be put into the buck the same standing with the aduise example of most wise Phisitions with whome nothing is lesse familier then to apply phisick to them selues and nothing more intollerable then to ioyne theyr stomackes to the custome of medicines which we may conclude bring no fruite but when they are vsed by necessity Therfore let euery one tye him selfe to good Regiment to temperate labour to wholsome meates sound Ayre sweete water cleane Places But aboue al let him eschewe the sweete allurement to sinne And when wée offend God let our first cure stand in action of penaunce and after vse mearines of minde and not to gréeue for any thing that may happen as in déede the faithfull Christian ought neuer discend into sorrow but for his sinne but hath cause to reioyce in al aduersity sicknes yea and in death it selfe for that as S. Paul sayth in al these thinges is wrought the matter of his benefite and health as thinking that al the passions and tribulations of this fraile and humane life are
are vnder theyr Prince being the generall Iudge vppon earth to drawe into déepe consideration the aduertisement of the wise man expressed in these wordes Loue iustice you that iudge the earth power is geuen you of the Lorde and the vertue of the soueraigne God communicated vnto you hée will examine your workes and search out your thoughtes And because you are the administors of his kingdom and haue not pronounced good iudgement and much lesse obserued the law of iustice nor walked according to his wyl there wyl appeare vpon you a horrible iudgement as a due sentence executed vppon suche as beare rule mercye is shewed to the litle ones but the mighty shall endure gréeuous torments Such as hée meaneth shal be punished which are those that doo not good iustice sée him in this sort interpreted to them afore the same being the cause why the scripture so cōmonly exhortes the Iudge to Iudge wel thou shalt not O Iudge sayth God in Leuticus doo that which is vnrighteous meaning thou shalt doo nothing against the Law nor intangle thy iudgementes with iniustice thou shalt not haue regard to the person of the poore man by pitye to take awaye the punishment of his transgression amongest other offendours and muche lesse shalt thou honour the face of the mightye to gratifye him in iustice but doo iust iudgement to thy neyghbour In the Booke of Nombers hée speaketh to the Iudges you shal not take the price of the blood of him which is condemned to haue spilt it but let him dye forthwith by your iudgement It is is sayd in Deuteronomy thou shalt ordaine in all the portes of thy Tounes whiche God hath geuen thée through euery family Iudges to iudge iustlye not declyning eyther to the one part or to the other Thou shalt not O Iudge admit acception of person in case of iudgement thou shalt haue no respect whether the man bée Ritche a great Lorde thy Parent Friende neighbour or familiar to the ende to minister fauour neither shalt thou take any presents for presents doo blind the eyes of wise men chaunge the wordes of the iust meaing the oftentimes they put in the mouthes of honest men other language to peruert iustice then they spake afore Thou shalt pursue iustly that which is iust to the ende thou maist liue happely and possesse the lande which thy God will geue thée if thou obey him This Lawe was plainely and fully executed by Iosaphat King of Iudea who erecting Gouernours and Iudges through all the Townes of his kingdome prescribed them these commaundementes folowing take good héede saith he to the duetie of your estate for you exercise not the iudgement of a man but of the great God by whom euen all the iudgementes which you shal geue be they good or euyll shal be returned vppon you that that is good shall bring foorth benefite to your saluation that that is euil shal resolue to your destructiō Aboue all thinges holde before your eyes the feare of God and in cases of your estate and office whether it concerne Inquisition examining of witnesses confrontment of parties pursuite of euyll men or execution of iustice in what sort so euer vse diligence with integrity distribute right to parties according to Lawe and conscience For there is no iniquitie in God as who say he doth no wrong to any man nor hath no power therevnto being Iustice it selfe but hateth all such as commit iniquitie there is not with him exception of persons nor any lust to receiue presentes whereby he warneth all Iudges to iudge in the same qualitie that hée iudgeth that is in right and equitie in trueth and iudgement This was long time before recommended to posteritie by Moyses as being the Liefetenaunt of God whom he calles the God of Gods Lorde of Lordes the mightie and terrible God with whom is no respect of persons nor hath his handes defiled with presentes he that geues iustice to the Orphane and right to the widdowe euen hée that beares affection to the straunger and furnisheth him with foode and clothing by this all Magistrates are warned to suffer no iniurie to be done to poore people who much lesse that they haue any common support in the worlde but of the contrarye they stande subiect to scoffes rebukes and afflictions of the wicked oftentimes to sturre them to a more zeale to straungers he biddeth them remember that they haue béen straungers in Egypt To this he addeth in another place that who doth not obey the commaundement of the Priest at the time when he doeth his ministerye meaning when he is in the exercise of his office as preaching teaching and instructing in Ciuill and common dutye the iudge hath power to condemne him to death thou O Iudge shalt cut of by death euerye wicked man al wickednesse in Israel as the rebellious proude arrogant and all other expressing a wicked will by any dissolute acte the which when the people shall heare or see they will feare neyther shall any man afterwarde dare raise his minde to pride or arrogancye against his superiours God speaketh to Iosua the gouernour and Iudge ouer Israel and immediate successour to Moises I wyll not leaue nor forsake thée be strong valiaunt that is take great courage the better to execute my Law which my seruaunt Moyses left vnto thee Leane neyther to the right nor left hand of the same so shalt thou know what thou ought to doo Let not this booke of the lawe depart out of thy mouth meaning exercise thy selfe with the argumēt of it euery day the better to measure the executiō of al those things which thou shalt finde written there then shalt thou direct thy way knowe it which is thou shalt then vnderstand what thou oughtest to doo prosper These speaches bring interest to all Magistrates gouernours of people as well as they were directly spoken to Iosua for what so euer he speaketh to any one singularly the same caryeth entendment to al others of the same estate So that let all gouernours of common weales bée aduertised by this doctrine that in the due execution of their office God wyll alwayes reache them his hande neuer forsaking them his ayde shal be alwayes readily distributed to whatsoeuer they shal do duely concerning their charge in terrefiyng the guiltie and makyng the rest subiect to them which be within their iurisdiction therfore as they néede not feare any thing but to corrupt iustice in their gouernment so for the execution of their iudgementes they are sure of the protection of God whose chosen Lieftenauntes they are Let them vse suche aucthoritie as they maye make tremble the whole worlde vnder them specially the euyll lyuers and conteine others in office of good conuersation For this cause the Ecclesiastike aduiseth vs to take héede to aspire to the state of iudging if we haue not the courage and power to breake the iniquities of all sortes of people séeing
reserued for them in the fornace of hell ¶ In humane thinges Magistrates ought to follow the lawe naturall and in causes deuine the Doctrine of faith and the loue of God It vvas necessary that God by his Scripture reneued the lavve naturall for it vvas darkened by sinne and the lavve of faith and of loue deuine vvas altogeather vnknovven vvithout the doctrine of God according to both the one and other lavve the Magistrate maye make ordinaunces so that they tende to the confirmacion of the same or haue a likenes vvith them The .3 Chapter GOuernors of common weales thus raysed to a state of diuine honor by the which they haue the title of Gods as hath béene recited in the former Booke the better to enhable them to this deuine office peculiar and proper to God which is to iudge rather in wisedome discrecion and perfection let them imitate God who iudgeth perfectly without errour then folowe man in whose nature is propertye of errour and with his perticular reason oftentimes bringes forthe actes contrarye to reason Let them also at all times folowe one rule deuine certaine and infallible which shall leade them in a deuine course and exercise of theyr estate Let them haue alwayes in theyr hande for the managing of humane and ciuill affaires the lawe natuturall I meane the lawe general proponed by the scripture making it their Loadestone to direct infallibly the state of all their doinges That is the lawe wherunto euen Iesus Christ sendes vs in all common and humane actions meaning wée shall not doo to others that which wée would not haue done to vs as withall Let vs doo to others what wée woulde haue done to our selues whereof the Gospel geueth this interpretation Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Vpon this foundacion al Lawes customes and constitucions ciuill and humane so farre forth as they bée good and iust are grounded But if there bee any ordinaunce wherin is not conteyned this precept of the Lawe naturall or agréeing therewith I meane in affayres concerning onely the profit and benefite of men it can not but holde of iniquitye So that it behoueth that it comprehende something necessarye to the socyetye of man profitable and honest lyke as the Lawe ought not to bée made to geue fauour to pleasure or bring hurt to any one and muche lesse to suffer dishonour or villanye to bée done Thus the Lawe naturall in her generall foundation being in this sort aucthorised by the holye Scripture standes to vs as a rule for al ordinaunces in causes concerning humane gouernement But touching the faith the loue and seruice whiche wée owe to God in thinges deuine and spiritual wée haue an other lawe the foundacion of al holy deuine ordinances I am thy God c. which is thou shalt loue thy God with al thy hart with all thy vnderstanding with al thy soule and with al thy strength which commaundement Saint Paul includes in the natural loue towardes our neyghbour as in déede a man can neuer loue well his neighbour but that it is for the loue of God as the cause formal and effectual of the other friendship And this law was no lesse natural then the other imprinted in the hearts of the fyrst men But the corruption of nature vaine opinions and wicked manners haue so strongly peruerted the iudgement of men that God sawe a necessitye being indused by his mercy to reueale to man this lawe yea reuealed him selfe for men knew him not and muche lesse loued him Thus this first lawe was cleane defaced whiche was easely séene touching the lawe to our neighbour for that there were not many men in the world in whome was desire to doo pleasure to others without recompence of asmuch or more benefite but natures for the most part bearing inclinations to enemities vsuries quarelles pertialityes factions warres with other infinite cōspiracies raised mutually of one man against another And consernyng faith knowledge loue of God all men had declined and erred by extreame transgression wherfore God gaue eftsones these preceptes and the explication of the same by diuers documentes for theyr better vnderstanding and according to the same hath erected many lawes and ordinaunces tending to those twoo endes I meane to vnderstand and kéepe those twoo commaundementes Touching faith hée hath reuealed it to vs expounded and caused it to bée expounded by his prophetes and Apostles and according to the same wée haue also statutes and Lawes reduced into twelfe Articles of the Creede euen as the workes whiche wée ought to doo in charitye and loue of God are comprehended in the ten commaundementes So that sith gouernours ought neuer to erre in iudgement it is méete that they iudge according to these twoo lawes And séeing there can be no others but eyther they haue affinitye with the Pagans or are replenished with iniustice and impietie there is great necessity that these bée thorowlye studied And so loking with déepe iudgement into the lawe of nature they may erect ordinaunces tending to the sayd thrée endes necessity vtility and honestye being all concluded in one generall whiche is the common wealth they maye also ordaine paines for the transgressors by the conformety of those which they sée conteined in the lawes receiued and accustomed in al Christendome euen so in the lawe of the loue of God they maye also make statutes to induce men and leade them to that loue and if any haue lost it A thing happening by sinne they maye make ordinaunces of reconcilement according to the precedent of the auncients by the exhortacion of the Prophetes as to fast and assemble at Prayers which was vsed in the time of the Iudges of Hester the Niniuites and Machabees without expresse commaundement of God. ¶ Men may vse the morral Lawes of the olde Testament but not the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall applied to the times and maners of the Jevves vvhich Iesus Christ and also Saint Paul doeth confyrme These vvere natural and therefore ought to bee eternall notvvithstanding for charitye to our neyghbour and loue of God and for aduauncement of faith that lavve sometimes is not to bee vsed at the time vvhen men do greatest seruice to God vvhich then is an acte of perfection The vvise man can not faile to Judge vell according to the lavve of nature The .4 Chapter BVT because it maye bee asked of some whether magistrates may iudge according to the deuine Lawes of the olde Testament séeing the Lawe of Moyses was abolished by Iesus Christ The lawe saith Saint Luke and the Prophetes led man no further then vntill the time of Saint Iohn Baptist And as the lawe of nature before Moyses conteynes not but certaine examples of Iustice so the lawe of the Gospell medling not with Pollitike ordinaunces entreates onelye of mercye as is séene in the grace which Iesus Christ shewed to the adulterour Go thy wayes sayeth hee and sinne no more And touching humaine lawes it séemes that men ought not
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
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
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
natures of young wittes accommodating theÌ„ selues thereunto with a feruent zeale and by the like discreation to administer order to their Disciples and to themselues voluntarie and often labor to teache them leauing to them no more tyme of idlenes then is conuenient to refreshe the minde made solenne with study for as too great continuance or force of trauell breakes the strength of the bodie and also long idlenes restraines and weakeneth it yea euen to vexe it with the least trauell that is so in too vehement and continuall studie is great peril specially to the soft and tender braine of a young childe which it makes dull euen to lothe and hate all studie and takes awaye all aptnes and power to comprehend and retaine anye doctrine so that as in al other actions so in this chiefly mediocretie and discretion is a principall vertue The grindstone giues an edge to the dull knife but if it be holden ouerlong vpon it it looseth a great parte of the stéele and is made afterwardes vnprofitable to cut The yroÌ„ put in vse entertaines his beautie and proper nature but being ouer strayned it breakes in pieces and can not serue the necessitie whereunto it should be applied euen so as the rust eates and coÌ„sumes the yron bicause it is not put in seruice and too great force eyther vseth it or breakes it so also as idlenes seduceth good wâ—â—tes and makes them apt to any contrary arte by contrary reason immoderate labour and too great feruencie in studie spoyleth the softe wittes of young children The young and couragious horse of his owne nature fierse and hoat desirous to runne if his keeper giue him the cariere but more if he féele the spurres doth easely runne him selfe out of breath and becomes in the ende vnprofitable so frequentacion of studie disposed into vehement and intemporat seasons closeth the young wit of a childe wherein there is no lesse necessitie of care to his maister then to kéepe him from long idelnes For that cause is there requisite as I sayd wise iudgement and discretion in scholemaisters of youth to prouide for all things by rate and measure belonging to their instruction as to gyue the spurres to such as are slowe hard of witte and to others more ready and quicke to studie by liuelynes of spirit to restrayne the bridle féeding their sharp forwardnesse of witte and nature and not to discourage them by feare and rude discipline by this discretion and wise rule they glad the sorrowfull and entertayne them in ioye to the ende they become not leane and lothsome and compell suche as are too earnest in studie to take the recreation of a scholler they must restrayne the common gamsters and cutte short their demaundes and desires to playe and yet in any wyse forbeare to deale rudely with children of liberall forwardnesse and apt to receyue erudition as of the contrary they must seuerely correct the stubborne by exemplarie discipline least they corrupt others And séeing we are nowe falne vppon the recreation of wittes it is not impertinent to make some present mention of Musicke as the thing that most of all and naturally delightes and reioyseth the witt wherof Plato and Aristotle in their politickes speake at large it is most sure that harmonie pleasant sound and voice compassed in measure is very proper and conuenient to appease the affections and troubles whereunto younge mindes are subiect and to chaunge all moodes of heauines and thought for which cause Dauid vsed oftentymes the harpe and voyce and S. Iames willeth men in their heauines to sing Psalmes to recomforte them and therefore very necessare that the young Scholler learne to singe and playe vpon musicall instrumentes so that it carry that intention to sing it as a recreation in his other studies of greater importance For then doth it best and most refreshe the mynd and drawe the fancie from wicked thoughtes when it is graue in it selfe and not corrupted with wanton songes wherewith the scripture is a witnesse how much Dauid releeued Saul qualified his bitter afflictions But nowe eftsoones to the institution of children touchinge Doctrine if the Maister finde any of so harde capacitie to learning that their inclination will not bee enhabled thereunto let him not abuse and leade the parentes in vnprofitable expences but after he hath geuen them a taste of the christian Catechisme and other principles of eternall saluation which may be easely comprehended through the singular goodnes of God who commes thus to communicat himself by doctrine to al that seeke to be saued let them be sent home to their parentes to applie them to the profession wherein their nature takes most pleasure This is the discretion which I require in all men professing to teach and instruct without the which as neither doctrine nor zeale ioined with loue to their disciples nor diligence industrie no nor good life it selfe much necessarie to the dutie of good maisters shall be able to aduaunce their Disciples to any perfection so where all those partes concurre and assemble in one painfull man it is not possible but hée shall bring forth a wonderfull fruite in his estate let him therefore trie out by infight discretion whether his scholler be borne to learning or whether he be bée-forced to it and so apply his knowledge according to the abilitie of the childes wit putting to him no more at a tyme then is expedient to his capacitie vesselles with straite neckes receyue by little and little the liquoure put into them and others of wyder receypte refuse not more plentifull infusion so that according to the capacitie of the vessell is measured the quantitie of liquour put into it And as also men make their burdens according to the force of their body and administer diet according to the disposition and hauior of the stomacke euen no lesse regarde must teachers haue to the qualitie of childrens wittes not charging nor confounding them with too graue or heauy lessons or doctrines wherein both the tyme should be vaine to the maister and the labor hurtfull to the scholler for that it would putte his wit in perill And euen as it is contrary to all order to commit diuersitie and too great aboundance of meates to the stomacke hauing no power to disgest them notwithstanding the varietie please the appetite euen no lesse inconuenient and hurtful to young wittes are the cloying lessons albeit they séeme to take pleasure in them But because scholemaisters are led to the knowledge and order of their dutie by many Greeke and Latine authours I leaue them to the studie and consideration of them not inferring these spéeches to minister instruction but onely in passing to aduertise them simplie that hauing so great a charge they can not be too curious in the search and execution of their estate not forgetting the worthy example of Pithagoras who taking disciples into charge proued first their natures at playe wherein a childe hides nothing of his disposition
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
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
shall pronounce Wherein the Curat and hée ought to be as the spirit and soule in the gouernement of the bodie and as Aaron and Moyses knit in indissoluble amitie to establish a cure peaceable and happie to the people the pastor preaching doctrine the gentleman ministring discipline to reduce by force the wicked and disobedient in whom is no readines of wil to Gods seruice or ciuill order But if eyther in matters of doctrine or temporalitie there happen causes of hard dicision wherein the one without preiudice of conscience cannot determine and the other by his coūsell can assure no certaine iudgement Let the curat returne the cause to the Bishop if it be ecclesiasticall and Gentlemen appeale to the higher courtes temporall as we sée in the old lawe God ordayned both the one and the other court with diuersitie and distinction erecting in euery court Iudges superior for the graue and hard causes others more inferior to debate matters of meaner qualetie So that as Curats are as first iudges spirituall and Gentlemen as temporall and seculer for the courtes ciuill the second are as seneshals or baylifs the highest as presidents coūsellours So yet all causes requiring dispēse of the law or that haue néed of grace are sent to the Prince in whō only is power to make chaung lawes vpon iuste causes to him only belongs the gifte of pardon grace euen in such causes of crime as deserue death But now to retorne to our gentilman seing he is iudge of his tenaunts let him resort to the instructions of our second booke the better to leade him in that estate and if eyther for the nomber or grauitie of causes he call to him a iudg let him chuse him by the rule and prescription of our first booke not suffering him to pronounce affected or faulse iudgments which is a vice most heinous against God whose iudgments be iuste and euen as a balance acording to the which the iudgments of men ought to be ruled wherin in déed as iustice and iudgment belonge properly to God such then as execute them vnder him in lawful authoritie ought to obserue his commaundement and manner in the measure of iustice and iudgments otherwise their vsurpation makes them guiltie of high crime afore the heauenly iudge Togither with this order of iustice the gentilman is bound to kéepe and defend his tenants as the shepherd his Lambes that they be not deuoured of vagabounds spoyled of théeues and mordered by robbers But as the good shepherd watcheth ouer his flocke defends it from woulues chasing them with dogges takes them and hanges them on trees to terifie others not to anoy◠the slocke euen with such liuelie diligence ought the gentilman to pursew roages and rauinors seruing to no other vse but to deuoure a countrie causing them to be hanged in publike places by the highe waye side and to exinte vtterlye that wicked generation And if their skinne be worthy any thing I meane if they haue substance remaining uppon their rauinus trade let it be distributed to such frō whome it waa vniustly taken In consideration of such regiment guarde and defence of pore contrimen the gentilman hath rents and reuenue and is honored feared and loued and called Lord of such as resort vnder him Wherfore doth he only in a parish weare a sworde but that to him a lone belonges the defence of his people and to serue the prince Therfore so often as he is called Lord and that with reuerence and homage they bring him rents and benefites let him euen so often remember for what cause he is raised into such singuler estimation and by what merit he aspired to that dignitie of honour And if eyther by his proper vertues or desert of his aūcestors he hath atchieued that estate of noblenes Lett him euen by the same vertues retaine and kepe his repuacion by the which he got it Let him thinke the honor is not due but to vertue authoritie belōges not but to the wise and discrete no more are his rentes reuenues constituted for other purpose then for the regiment guarde and defense of his tenantes as the farmor takes not the fléese and milke of the shéepe but to féede and kéepe the flock since he is a Gentleman let him refraine from all actes of villanie let him not bée ignorant wherefore he hath the name of noble which according to the Gréeke signifieth bright as a cléere light and in Latin it is hée that is knowne and renoumed generally hée can not shine with cleare light nor be knowne famous thorough the world but by his enseignes and valiant actes not sparing his life for the defence of the church and his Countrey employing his body and goods for the support of Gods honour and put his life in hazard to deliuer the people from extréeme daungers which he could not doe but by seruinge and praying to God liuing soberly vsing iustice and wisedome in his actions magnanimitie and patience to the reproches of his enemies tolleration of hunger cold with other passions of hardnes and kéeping no reckoning of the woundes he hath receyued traueling in the action of these high vertues for a singular charitie towardes God whose honour with the common spoile of the people had else stand in hasarde Then this noble Gentleman passinge so many perplexities to put in suertie and rest a towne or a region can the merite of his vertues bring to him lesse rewarde then the title name of noble both according to the Greeke and Lattin phrase hath he not wonne and purchased rentes and reuenues that hath wasted his proper liuing for the benefite and publique sauetie Euen so who followeth not the vertues by the which this name Honour Renowne and Rentes haue ben gotten howe can hée deserue the vse benefit or estimation of them yea what degeneration doth he expresse from his auncestors by whom they were gotten with the sweat of their bodies and common daungers of their persones should he not bring foorth dishonour if he followed not their steppes If he be giuen to vices greatly would hée darken their noble vertues if he be a coward much more would he deface their high and valiaunt attemptes and if he giue not him selfe to the maintenance of the church and defense of the people specially such as he hath in singuler charge what imitacion of his vertuouse predecessours who reposed all their glorie in the happie occomplishing of these things thinking they could not woorthely retaine the name nor the honor or at least holde them by false and vniust titles if they conserued not the iust causes of those dignities as also vnworthely possessed their rentes and reuenues due by their originall nature to the exercise and hyer of such noble enterprises Gentlemen then not liuing within the limites of religion but persecute blaspheme and vnder the title of their noblenes not knowing the woorthines of it doe manye iniuries despise others
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
be kept one of the first actes of vertue and in iustifying the innocent he defendes him from violent oppression and preseruing his smal porcion of goods kéepes him from the hospitall and his wife and familie from perishing by hunger In sustayning the cause of the poore and procuring condemnation to the wicked he doth double worke of mercie obserueth that which so often God recommendes in the Scripture wherein the Iudge executing the good aduise and exhortacion of the aduocate accomplisheth the iudgement of God doing an act of high praise and worthy of eternall felicitie The aduocate thus being the mouth of the people and chiefe enformer of the Iudge ought not to bee ignorant in the written lawe customes statutes and ordenances of the land helping his wit with the art of reasoning and his iudgement with general experience in all affaires wherein the science of Logicke morall discourse and specially the studie of polletike reasoning may bring great helpe to him for if by ignorance hée giue wicked counsel and leade the partie in a vaine expence of money to pursue an vniust cause or if by indirect or suttle dealing hee cause an other to loose his righteous sute though the lawes of ages and countreis appoynt him no punishment yet being guiltie both to the one and other losse I doubt not but by the lawes of heauen and conscience he ought to refine to the parties the full damage hapned by his corrupt counsell No lesse punishment but greater shame is due to the ignorant iudge giuing corrupt sentence by the perswasion of the aduocate as to whom it belonges to be more wise and resolute not deseruing to sit in the seate of a Iudge afore he haue thorowly passed the office of an aduocate and practised lawes in publike court which hée had read in priuate studies But if the aduocate entertaine by couert sleightes and suttleties vniust causes procuring cauillations by delayes to weary the man whose sute is good and enforce him to a hurtfull accord and so by his shiftes peruert iustice into iniquitie besides that he is bound to satisfaction of the losse yet he is not out of the perill of Gods curse Aduocates and procurers who by entertayning processes in delayes empouerish good men and become riche them selues and such the very instruments of Sathan as eyther bréede or norish quarell betwéene parties are condemned to all wretchednes by Iesus Christ For if such as be peaceworkers be happy of common congruence thē who hindreth confoundeth or delayeth peaceable causes are ordayned to misery as by whom is set abroche among neighbours the vessell of grudge malice hatred sorowe heauines and vtter vndoing and also losse of time in their established trades and vocations wherevnto they are called by God and if they be not the causes directly that their clients offend God in many sorts at least they kéepe them from seruing him restrayning al their hart thoughts and industrie to the furthering of their proces which cannot bée but a kind of impietie yea oftentimes it hapneth that by the dilatorie shiftes of solicitors and attorneys many rich clients sée no end of their cause in many yeres whereby it hapneth that he that preuaileth reapes not so much as he hath spent and he that is ouerthrowne is sent to the bagge wallet being afore the beginning of the sute of good estate of habilitie To such as be the occasions of this euill I aske this question if they be not iudged by their owne lawe which sayth such as giue the occasion of euill séeme to do the euill it selfe if the sinne bee as great to him that holdeth as to the other that cuts the throte of the iust mā is there any grace or distinction in the sentence touching the Iudge specially if he may apply remedie and abuse his meane Let no man erre by couertures of writtes or wrested titles of the expounders of the law or orders of courtes for in what sort so euer they do wrong to any man according to iudgement and conscience which with great aduise ought to be considered more then the opinion and comments of writers hid vnder the shadowe of the lawe and yet against the lawe which of it selfe is iust and good so that it be not abused they worke their owne depriuation of the life eternall The vnrighteous sath Saint Paule shall neuer possesse the kingdome of God And who are more vnrighteous thē such as worke against the iudgement and intencion of the lawe and contrary to the secret aduise of reason and sense of conscience which is not blinded through affections and custome of euill Would those smooth and coosening Lawyers if they were in the state of their simple clyents attribute it to wel doing to haue with them their best bloud drawne from them without féeling and that which remaines become too corrupt for horseleaches Let them thinke vnhappie is the gaine wherein vnhappely is wrought the destruction of poore soules What other thing doe counsellors and attorneys committing to their Clerks Bookes of length and many lines and consequently of more gaine to them selues but draw by suteltie money out of the poore mans purse What other thing is it then to impugne God hurt their conscience seduce the Prince the Court and the world and vnder cooller of that iust and lawful gaine to commit manifest theft whereof they stand condemned in the iudgement of God where all suttletie shal be reuealed which Saint Paule calleth darknes and all iniquitie examined not according to the vaine fancie of couetous fleshly men which think there is no other iniquitie but that which is séene and palpable to the hand but euen the most suttle craft that may be imagined shal be by the euerlasting eye so clearely spied and descerned that it shal be iudged worthy of death one of the offēces that most displeaseth God is the sinne of the Deuill as to be a deceiuer a Traytor a dissembler malicious author of quarrelles suttle and polletike to do euill it is said the Deuill that appeared to Eue hid vnder the visible serpēt was of all other creatures most craftie suttle Then if our aduocates and attorneis being instructed in the deuils sutteltie sticke not to glorifie themseiues to haue so good a teacher and master to learne them by good reason as they practise his instruction and example they are also to receiue with him a common rewarde and recompence yea let them be assured that the suttle are taken in their owne snares and that no councell cunning nor reason stande a fore God who being able to confound all will call into terible iudgment al such masquid and disguised suttelties is it not a vaine and foolish sutteltie to beguile a poore man of a halfpeny and for it to be condemned to lose a crowne what folly more then for the gaining of certaine transitorie drosse here on earth by suttle means to be condemned to the losse of all goodes body and
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
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
Augustin let me releeue him whose necessitie is first offred to me drawing by my example rich men to reléeue others In this case the rich man refusing to ayde the poore is a tyrant and vniust possessor of the goods of others for that the superfluitie is a due portion of the poore according in the wordes of Saint Basill The money saith he that thou kéepest in thy coffers the apparel not seruing thée to vse and the vittailes that thou hast in aboundance are the goods of the poore ouer whose right thou dost vsurpe In this he séemes to holde conformitie with S. James that the rich men ought to sighe and wéepe for the miseries that will happen to them whereof he alleadgeth thrée causes the first for that they kéepe their gold and siluer till it ruste and haue no néede where many poore bodies perish of hunger and that their garments are gnawne with moathes where infinite poore creatures stand naked subiect to the iniury of the weather The second is that they paye not reasonably suche as serue them whose crye pearceth the very eares of the lord of hostes demaūding vengeance of their iniquitie The third is that they make great cheare and anoynt their throats with the liccorous sirops of swéet meats suffer the téeth of their poore brother to bite no bread nor his stomacke to be refreshed with whole some liccour Many other néedy people remaine in a Citie who notwithstanding their trade and occupation are driuen by some ouercharge of children or casualitie to sel their necessary implements and sometime the very instruments of their occupation not being hable to borowe and hauing shame to aske Of Christian amitie and how many sortes of friendships there be Chapter iij. HAuing not yet spoken of the dutie of a friend but in generall sort nor of Christian charitie wherein consists the perfection of a Christian and of moste deare commendacion in the Scripture it cannot be impertinēt to inferre some discourse therof the necessitie of our purpose so requiring Amitie is of foure kindes as naturall ciuill carnall such as was amongst the Pagans and Christian or spirituall The two first haue their approbation euen by the scripture the third which is carnall hath ben by the iudgemēt of good men reputed corrupt as in déede it is and much reproued according to the doctrine of god Naturall friendship is as the loue of parents towards their children and one kinsman or countrey man to an other Ciuill amitie is got either by conuersation and society of men together or in respect of profites eyther receiued or hoped for this friendship is called of the Philosophers humane and as it were due of common office But better is it expressed whereby it is called a vertue morall when it vnites mutually heartes and willes together sometimes it is but of the one part which is the cause of Tullies opinion that such is the force and propertie of vertue that it constraynes men to loue such on whom there goeth but an opinion and reputatiō of honestie though they neuer saw nor knew the persons But notwithstanding the reasons and iudgements of the Philosophers touching that kind of amitie the Scripture will neuer repute it a vertue if it haue not a purpose and end to the honour and loue of God without which end much lesse that all vertuous actions haue any recompence or glory afore God but with Saint Ambrose that kind of amitie is accompted corrupt as not done to that end which the Scripture cōmaundes by which we are cōmaunded to do al things for the honour of god Fleshly amitie or friendship is contracted vnder a hope or present enioying of goods honours and carnall pleasures And sometimes the naturall and ciuill amitie degenerate into this damnable loue being most often the very loue wée beare to our selues deliting more in our owne glory and pleasures then in GOD or that concernes our saluation Where vppon it is sayd that men vppon the end of the world shal be so worldly and fleshly a signe of reprobation that they shal be more feruēt followers of their proper delites then of God This loue Saint Augustine with good reason sayth is the foundation of the Citie of the Deuil as the loue to God is the ground worke of the holy citie of the soueraigne Lord Christian loue is that charitie which so often God recommends to vs comprehending an entier loue with all our power to him and a sincere amitie without fiction to our neighbour euen by the same measure that naturally we loue our selues with this intēdement alwayes that all be for the loue honor of God as the cause end of al amitie al our actions to the end to receiue for it eternal retribuciō This amitie leads directs makes perfect the natural ciuil moral friendship euen so corrects altogether that the is carnall as being corrupt by wicked affections makes it turne into spiritual by spiritual conuersation as if a man louing his wife onely for that she is faire and riche and for his beastly pleasure a Pagan loue and little differing from the affection of a whoremonger to his concubine and being afterwardes instructed by Christian doctrine with what zeale he ought to embrase his wife in mariage loueth her not for the reasons of the flesh aforesayd but as his companion of grace coenheritrice of the glory of heauen louing hir with that spirituall and true loue wher with Iesus Christ loued his Church And as a Father louing his sonne not simplie nor naturally but with a worldly affection as making him his Idoll falleth to loue him afterwards in God by Christian institution that is according to the prescript of the Scripture kéeping him in discipline and vertuous exercise Thus the whoremonger is conuerted and forbearing his fleshly affection to his troll will hate in him selfe and hir all damnable lightnes and neuer looke on hir but with a displeasure and remorse of his sinne which after their conuersion she is also bound to do And if there bée daunger eftsones to fall they are bound to restraine sight and mutuall company and stand vpon their gard no lesse then such as hauing ben once enuenimed with a swéete poyson by an antidot preserued from death will beware eftsones of charmes or swéete liccours neyther is penaunce of any force if the sinne bée not altogether abandoned and all carnaletie abhorred And if in déede amitie to speake more properlye bée a vertue more then morrall and not affection onely according to the error of some Philosophers it can not be ioyned with vice for so théeues other of vice albeit they vaunt of frendship in susteyning one an other can not truly be called frends but confederats in league conspiring by common consent to do euill Amitie is perpetuall as is all vertue of his liuely and proper nature So that such as loue richmen by reason of the proffites they receiue by them are not
well the care dutie of their office and that by the direction of the Gouernours to whom belonges the first example of behauior as a head and the principall member of a body naturall do first their proper and generall offices for the better regimēt of euery common and particular part of the said bodye A body pollitike vnder these obseruations can not erre nor much faile to liue togither in happie conuersation and consent to peace concord amitie and euery other good conuersation And as we see the naturall bodye of man compleate with his due organes and instruments disposed and sound to doe his perfect actions thoroughe all his partes not suffering any faulte or negligence in any one to whom belonges office or function So they doe all agrée and consent albeit by trauels and operations vnlike or differing as is difference amongest the members yet conspiring and tending all to vnitie vnder the will and iudgement of the head euery one employeth his force to doe that belonges to his natural facultie wherein if there be any that fayleth in his proper action his infirmitie is immediatly discerned eyther that he is sicke or other waies restrained by dolour and grief that he can not performe his office as when the eye refuseth to ayde the body and euery outwarde part with his visible facultie it is seene that he is troubled with some corrupt humor falling out of the braine or being vexed with some other accident he cānot serue his body for the which as he remaines in sorrowe and grief so euery member in particular and all togyther in common do ioyne to his succours Firste the braine beginnes to debate and iudge what the disease is and how to prouide the remedie commaundes the toung to declare the grief and demaund meanes to cure it the eare heareth the foote trauelleth the hand is diligent to applie the medcine wherein all the rest haue common interest and that with generall care compassion and busie trauell as if the passion were proper to euery of them euen so and by this resemblance we sée thys body pollitike to be then in his best estate when it suffereth none of any condicion or calling what soeuer to liue voyd of function and trauell according to his dutie where if there be any eyther by superfluitie of euill humor or by nature corrupt or of discipline peruersed which leaueth his function he is not onely vnprofitable to him selfe and others but also a trouble to the reste of the partes but specially to the moste neare and noble partes which are his neighbours parentes and néerest familiars euen so in a body pollitike the greatest in office or credit ought to aduertise the magistrate which is the head to the ende to consider howe the infirmitie may be holpen to whom all the reste of the partes are bound to be assistant for the cure of the parte infected which least it growe to encrease of euill they ought to purge by some sharp discipline And that dooing no good in his simple application they are bound to redouble it to the vttermost wherein if it proue incurable let thē applie the searing yron and as an extréeme remedie cut it of to kéepe the other partes from corruption and the whole body sound And this albeit can not be done without extréeme sorrow to our whole common weale but specially to the next parentes neighbours and familiars yet being driuen thereunto for the health and sauetie of the whole the necessitie makes the cōstraint neyther hatefull nor intollerable The magistrat only as being the head of this body hath the iudgement and execution of this busines as he onely hath the eye to sée the eare to heare and the imagination and iudgement to determine to the sauetie of him that fayleth in his dutie and to the benefit and profit of the whole body pollitike wherein is not to be forgottē that naturally the head of man findes out spéedely the griefe or disease of the member to giue succours to it the same being an aduertisement that the chief ruler or head of a common weale ought also to know the euill that is happened in any place of his gouernement whereunto he is bounde with his eyes his eares his vnderstanding and all his other sensible synowes I meane officers inferiour to whom belonges the information of euery thing to the end reasonable remedie may be applied But this were a great euill if the head should become diseased by vices and peruersed affections for being so he would make to languish all his poore body and leade the members into disorder yea worse would happen if any grosse or corrupt humour hindered or stopped the naturall conduites by the which the liuely spirites procéeding from the braine could not pearce and passe thorough all the partes of the body whereby it might fall by apoplexie as dead without spéeche without mouing of breath and séeme to haue no sence In this we signifie that if the law which is as the soule of the body ciuill be in the head of the magistrat restrayned or hindred by corruption or aboundance of humores infected as couetousenesse hate feare loue and false opinion touching religion to performe her frée functions through all the saied body pollitike in motions and senses which are gouernements by wyse prouidence equitie and iustice The poore common weale can not but fall quickly to the ground euen as a house hath no meane to stand when his proppes are taken from vnder him This we reade happened in the time of Sedechias king of Jsraell when the great Sacrificator Phassur and all his vnder sacrificators and Prophetes except Jeremie EZechiell Daniel and a few others togither with their king and his officers were occupied in actes of couetousnes rapines iniustice and pagan superstitions and forhearing the exercise of the law of God all those as they were the first that declined to sinne so they were the firste that were committed to spoile captiuitie and murther and afterwardes the rest of the whole body slaughtered with al that miserable common weale defaced whiche afore stood in florishing prosperitie so long as hir heades performed their office and iustly exercised the lawe And where the soule of the common weale which is the law were not but by certayne smal humors corrupte with certaine vices hindred to do hir action whereby one only member should be distressed all the body could not but be in payne and not able fréely to doo his general office So the default of execution of iustice in one particular man is the error of the magistrate and the cause by the which the whole cōmon weale is put to trouble Therefore O you Magistrates in whose handes standes the direction of the soule and body of this Christian common weale and also of whom depend the successe rest and happynes of the same by your graue gouernement as of the contrary if there bée default in you what wretchednes and miserie it suffereth is attributed to you
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
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