GENTLE Reader by these three vices Excesse in foolish apparell Swearing and Drunkennesse thou may make account of the rest which haue growne vp like bad wedes in our Country since the manner of tillage in these later yeares was altered from the ancient custome of good husbandry in that land All of them haue pernicious effects as experience teacheth both to priuate persons and to the Common welth For from one bad consequence men fall for the most part to another worse as from prodigall spending of their owne goods in riot and apparell they passe to play the Cūny-catchers in Cheape-side or to take purses vpon Salisbury plaine And when that fayleth them they become Pirates at sea and finally which is worst of all turne Mores or Turkes and declared enemyes to Iesus Christ of which kind of people Argell Tunis Constantinople and the Mediterraneum and Ocean seas are sayd to be full 2. Women in like manner that be wantonly brought vp to fare well and go gay these will engage at least their honesty if they find copesmen and play other tricks of legier-de-main that may stand with their quality and come within their reach for all that is not punishable by externall lawes or subiect to open contumely and shame holdeth within their consciences now a dayes 3. But the misery is that yonge folkes may be witty but of themselues they cannot be wyse nor vse to be wary till they haue bought wit and experience with more errours inconueniences then sometimes their liuinges will beare And therfore we feele dayly more and more the want of the good bringing vp accustomed in our forefathers dayes by which yong men and women of all degrees and specially those that were most subiect to exceed were kept in awe of God and with care of their consciences when they had graue and religious censors of their secretest thoughts For so of good vertuous children became honest and honorable men and women Good men make alwayes good subiects and of good subiect are easely made good Magistrates rulers for he that can best obey if he doe it with iudgement is fittest to commaund all these being good the Cōmon welth which consisteth of them must needs be good also and florish and this was Socrates his induction 4. Whence also the contrary followeth euidently and of necessity that where good bringing vp wanteth liberty groweth with yeares there must needs follow in the end great excesses and disorders in euery estate and condition from the highest to the lowest such confusion in the Common welth as vnbrideled liberty prodigality and vice must needs bring forth And notwithstanding the foulest disorders may be couered with more ciuill and honester names according to the dignity of the persons where they are found as for example one shal be holden for a Politike Counsellour or Magistrate for the same manner of proceding for which another of meaner quality should be called a crafty knaue and the like in other vices yet in effect all is one though in the poore man it be termed as it is in old playne English and in the other by a figuratiue speach But this hindreth nothing that the fact if it be euill remaine not as damnable in the one as in the other and generally is more hurtfull to the Cōmonwelth where it is called by the honester name in respect of the person who in higher degree may do greater wronges more in number with lesse impeachement or feare of punishment for the dignity of his place 5. Now these differences and consequences many tymes are not so particulerly cōsidered nor so clearly vnderstood fore seene as they should be to be preuented in their causes Yea the most men reflect not to the rootes of euills at least to the originall but rest in the immediate causes as contrarywise they that want prouidence looke only forward to the immediate effects and care for no further The Yonker that comes new to his Lands to get ready money maketh of tentymes large bargaines or taketh vp at Vsury to spend idlely that which quickly will eat him out of house home looking only vpon the vrgent contentment to follow his phansies and serue his present turne For his thort eyesight reacheth not so far to see that extrema gaudij luctus occupat nor remembreth he the many hungry meales and restlesse nights it cost his poore parents to gather the goods or purchase the lands which he layeth at once or twise vpon his back or playeth away in few houres at six seauens or spendeth it worse which many times is a iust iudgment of Almighty God who punisheth not only the parents in their owne persons in Hell but vpon earth also in their children for example of others the sins which they committed by iniustice extorsion or otherwise gathering of their wealth or at least their negligēce to bring vp their children as they ought in vertue or for both together 6. Beasts notwithstanding they do many pretty thinges by their seuerall instincts of nature which God according to the order of his prouidence hath giuen to euery one of them in kind in which he is wonderfull yet none of them hath discourse to inferre one truth vpon another neyther forward nor backward from the causes to the effects nor from the effects of their causes for this is only the worke of reason and discourse of man 7. And amongst men those that haue most wisdome foresee the furthest in consequences to follow whatsoeuer action or resolution and by reflection ascend highest to the precedent causes from one to another till they come to the very first origē roote and fountaine of all Which in phisike and gouerment is necessary for till the Phisitian or magistrate find the true and first cause of the malady in the naturall or ciuill body vnder his charge they prooceed in the cure as the blind man castes his staff and hits him commonly that is next vnto him and killeth many tymes insteed to cure 8. If we consider the present state of our Countrey as well in the excesse of the three vices mentioned in this Treatise as in almost all the rest or to speake without limitation of almost comparing it with the auncient vertue modesty ciuility truth in word and deed Religious Christian loue and charity amongst themselues and with their neighbours and the reputation which they had in the whole world for honourable honest proceeding in all sortes of people from the greatest to the least we shall doubtlesse find as great a difference and change as we find in the monuments of piety which our auncestors built endowed the like scarce to be found in any other countrey and now are almost out of memory with vs but as much as the Cronicles restify that such things haue beene and that all the ruines could not be remoued notwithstanding the most and greatest of them be defaced Now if we will examine the causes of these present effects
soueraignty and the other ought to prouoke vs to sorrow of hart true repentance of our sinnes for which he suffered Behold sayth S. Iohn he commeth with clouds Apoc. 1. Zach. 12. and euery eye shall see him and they that wounded him And all the tribes of the earth shall bewaile themselues vpon him Moyses approched to God Iesus Naue entred into the land Exod. 7. Iosue 5. Luc. 10. of promise bare footed and the Apostles the neerest seruantes about our Sauiour vsed no shooes Whē one part of the ballance is depressed the other ariseth so saith S. Basil prayer being an eleuation Basil hom in illud Attende tibi of the soule vnto God then it mounteth vp the highest when the body as the opposit part of the ballance by penance and mortification is borne downe and most depressed 15. Neither only in time of prayer and supplication are we to represent the humiliation mortification of our bodys by our apparell and modest attire but in the whole course of our liues It is the maine cry of S. Paul Mortifie your Colloss 3. bodies which are vpon the earth for they be enemies to the soule From which practice the custome of our dayes declineth much accordingly we thriue The enemy of the soule is to be kept vnder not to be pampered and much lesse applauded maintayned in his hostility and as it were carryed about in triumph when he worketh our ruine Who attireth a coarse when it is to be buried in other colour then in blacke or who according to Christian discipline his dead Christened body then in a weed of humiliation and pennance We know according to the same Apostle that we Rom. 6. are dead in Christ and our liues hidden with him in God To what purpose then are our bodyes to be set out vpon the stage of vanity in splendor of apparel to make profession that they liue yet in sinne 1. Cor. 7. The same Apostle rehearsing such cōmodities as be lawfull in this life aduertiseth vs that we are so to enioy them as if they were not ours as indeed they be not but lent that is not to dwell in them or to expect our felicity by them but to vse them and loue them in such manner as we be not loth to leaue them when God shall please to take them from vs or vs from them and that in no wise they hinder our loue towardes him in which respect they are lent 16. But where great curiosity of apparell is seene there is giuen a quite contrary signification If all glory in this Tertul. lib. 2. de cult Eem life be vaine saith Tertullian that is the vainest of all which is found in our flesh The present miseries of our dayly corruptiō the tragical end of our liues the earthly funerall of our bodyes declare sufficiently if we be not senselesse that neither the tragedy is to be increased nor our funerals garnished with vnseemely apparell What a fall will it be fit for a tragedy when after much ado to trimme vp a rotten body in painted cloathes it must be shrowded in the winding sheet The funerals must needs be more dolefull where pompe of apparell affordeth more prey for death the spoiles for deuouring sepulchers be greater Owe we so much to the dole of the tragedy or to the gastly spectacle of the opened earth as to honour our fall by the one our corruption by the other with a costly maske of curiosity preceding I haue heard of diuers fortunate sea-faring men who returning home with a rich booty haue entred the harbour in triumph and brauery their sailes and topsailes of silke displayed with oftentation But I neuer heard of of any that solemnized his shipwrack in such a fashion if he were not mad much lesse did it on purpose to runne vpon the rockes In like sort it may seeme a preposterous errour to attire superfluously these bodys of ours which haue already receaued an irreuocable sentence of death and runne on by natures motion directly as to shipwrack to our death-bed and to the loathsome appurtenances of our graue 17. When the Spider out of her owne bowels hath spunne her curious habitation in the webbe then commeth the sweeper with his broome and in a trice defaceth all she hath done And when the best part of our life of our time of our money and of our cogitations and study haue beene spent in cloathing our body trimming it vp a little after entreth death called by another name Stoupe gallant and with one dash casteth all into dust Your richesse saith S. Iames are putrified and your Iacob 5. garments eaten vp by the mothes But aboue all the acknowledgement of Almighty Gods finall iudgment should worke in vs restraint of this vanity And though superfluity and curiosity of apparell were not otherwise offensiue to his diuine maiesty or hurtfull to vs then only in respect that it wasteth our time withdraweth our cogitations from our last account and the employments of our hartes from the memory loue and reuerence of God yet it is to be estemed as very hurtful and to be auoyded 18. Man was created to the likenesse of almighty God that his principall occupation should be to thinke vpon his Creator to loue him to serue him to conuerse with him and to liue continually in his presence Wherfore he must withdraw himselfe from all impertinēt or contrary distractions which turne his eye another way diminish interrupt or extinguish his care affection towardes his maister maker or hinder his endeauours or the execution of what he is to do if he will not be reiected and punished as a carelesse and vnprofitable seruant For what Maister would keep a lubber in his house which should spend all the day in putting on his cloathes Heereupon is the Counsaile of our Sauiour Be not solicitous of your body what to weare as if he should say Employ Matth. 6. not much time nor care of apparel but be content with that which is easy ready to be had in this kind through my prouidence The cause of which aduertismēt is for that a Christian which hopeth to get to heauen ought so to be wholy and perpetually in the memory and contemplation of heauenly thinges and in the execution of his necessary or charitable employmentes so entierly occupied with them that he should haue no leasure to thinke of trifles amongst which is the care curiosity of superfluous apparell when it had no other bad intention nor effect but only losse of time choosing rather to be a Lilly of the field then a Puppet of the Taylors shop 19. But when it shal be proued against vs in the last iudgement that we haue in this life beene more carefull to beautifie the body then the soule lesse carefull and circumspect to please the eyes of God then to present to the world a false couer to a filthy carcasse that where
and strength for a litle transitory â—ast of pleasure in the mouth as it passeth down the throat should be wholy referred to the contrary that is to multiply exâ—rements and bring detriment decay and ruine to the body Besides the inordinate appetite of delight in drinking not only maketh the great drinker an enemie to himselfe selling as it were away the inestimable worth of his life for the short pleasure he taketh to powre into his belly some base liquour as Esau sold his prehemineÌ„cy patrimony for a dish of pottage but he offendeth with all perniciously in a triple abuse Against Almighty God the Lord and giuer of life against the propriety of drink profitable for the maintenance of the body when it is temperatly vsed and against the loue which he oweth to his family his friends country common wealth to which his health life and honest labours might be more or lesse profitable according to his talent if all were not buried in the barrell and drowned in excesse of drinke 10. Is it not then a childish folly so to delight himselfe and play with his tast as he not only diuert the vse of drinke ordayned for the conseruation of health to a contrary end but make it the bane of his body The stomakâ— is a principall instrument of life and the common fosterer of all the other partes to maintayne them in a good and florishing estate and therfore nature hath placed it in the middest as Galen saith of the body as in the center Wherfore when this is surcharged disgestion weakened it commeth to be filled and infected with corrupt and vnnaturall humours wheÌ„ce of necessity the whole body must want good nourishment become distempered and corrupt the vitall spirits dull and the soule so heauy as it waxeth weary of the bad intertaynement it hath in a ruinous habitation pestered with diseases and therefore with desire to be gone shortneth life For if drinke euen according to the precise necessary vse appointed by nature taken neuer so temperatly causeth alwayes some repassion and giuing as it were euery time a fillip or a stroak to the stomake by little and little enfeebleth disgestion abundance of drinke floating continually in the same stomake either with meate or without it by it selfe must of necessity worke a straÌ„ge effect vpon that faculty and make it euery day lesse lesse able to disgest And when naturall heat which is the instrument of concoction in the stomake is once decayed then nourishment is neither so much in quaÌ„tity nor in quality so good but much of the food resteth behind as matter of hurtfull crudities nature not being able to draw from it any further commodity nor expell the excrements Whereupon follow ioyntly decay of colour a wrinckled skin gray haires before time drowsines in the head vnweldinesse in all the body and other like forerunners of the speedy funerals that are to folow and giue warning to make ready the graue 11. VVhat a foule and vnnaturall fault is it then in a man to shorten voluntarily his owne dayes by drinke to worke diseases by the instrument of health and to powre into the lampe so much oyle as to extinguish the light which it should nourish and preserue What an hostility vseth he against himselfe to defloure the complexion of his body to infect it with cholericke humor and staine it with yellow to dull the vitall spirits and betray his owne life bringing into the stomake as into the castell of health and storehouse of prouision so deadly an enemy as poysoneth the vitals and ouerfloweth the whole building of his lesser world 12. But this vice is yet greater and of more especiall deformity in a yong man who by the good disposition of his strength and wit should be profitable to himselfe amiable to others apt for matrimony to vphold his house and family and to continue the succession of those that are to honour and serue God in this world and to fill vp the empty seates in heauen of the Angells that fell But all this is hindered and reuersed by abundance of drinke wherby the body becommeth as it were a quagmyre or bogge as S. Augustine saith August sermâ— 23â— infirme â—asie ill coloured fluent dissolued and more fit to bring out with the fennish marshes frogges serpents venimous wormes of naughty actioÌ„ then either children of any worth or themselues to be profitable for any action of man-hood For when by excesse of drinke and of grosse vndisgested humors which be the dregges of that superfluity the stomake is weakened then all the parts of the body faile in their action and perfection as well naturall as animasticall The bloud is not so pure as it should nor so clearly refined in the first passage from the originall cause and matter of nourishment and consequently the vitall spirits loose their fiery quality of motion agility operation and become dull heauy materiall and slow The vitall actions of the senses which depend vpon the spirites are also consequently more dampish and dead for as temperate drinesse giueth force to action so superfluous moisture doth debilitate and destroy it Is it not then an vnreasonable and vnseasonable domage for a momentary pleasure in drinking to sustaine all these harmes and losses of our naturall life Is not the exchange for those that haue skill in merchandize more then vnthrifty for those that make accouÌ„t of pleasure sottish and foolish to loose the greater and more durable for lesser both in quality and durance and especially for those that haue more noble cogitations to make themselues contemptible and worse then beastes which though they want the vse of reason yet exceed not in this kind 13. But to retaine yet a while longer our discourse about consideration of the stomake we are to know that not only the faculty of disgestion is impayred by too much drinke but that the stomake it selfe becommeth also imbued and infected therby with a bad rellish and euill sauouring humour of so wrenesse which fâ—etteth it and bringeth in an vnnaturall and vicious quality For if wine and beere haue force to worke this effect in the wood of the barrell much more when they lye long in the stomake through the excesse of continuall drinking they procure this corrosiue and crabbish disposition in the tender bulke of the same And no doubt but this biting gall as it hindereth disgestion and is painefull to the drinkers making them ircksome to themselues so also they become harsh in conuersation and troublesome to others 14. To this bad constitution of the stomake by abundance of drinke may be added in consideration the dregges of putrifaction and choler which Wine Ale or Beere drunke out of measure leaue behinde them which from the stomake flow and are dispersed through all the partes of the body And hence it proceedeth according to obseruation that Northren nations abound comonly more with this kind of choler bred of indisgestion then others
them not so bad as the rest said we haue drunke inough let vs giue God thankes But I quoth another giue the Diuel thanks for him we haue serued and so in sport rising from the table went all to bed They were scarce laid downe when behold a tall blacke fellow in Hunters apparell broke into the chamber and with two little Cookes and looking about asked with a terrible voice where is he that gaue me thankes I am come to reward him And with all pulling him out of his bed deliuered him forthwith to the Cookes They by his commaundemeÌ„t made fier in the chimney put him vpon a spit which they had brought for the purpose and rosted him till he was dead And then the Hunter turning to the rest sayd you also haue deserued the like but I am forbidden to touch you And so vanished out of sight 21. Another no lesse dreadfull was Thomas Cantip. l. 2. Ap. c. â—6 pag. 2. of two good fellows in a Tauerne who being well tipled one of them sayd we are grossely deceaued by these Clergie-men when they tell vs that our soules are immortall Presently a third comming in asked them wherof they were talking Of the immortality of the soule said the other And if any body would buy mine I should giue it him good cheap and let the money be spent in drinke All three laughing at the bargaine I will buy it quoth the vnknowne guest and the price being agreed vpon and the money paid they fell a drinking merily anew till it was almost night Then said the stranger it is now time for vâ— to get home euery one to his lodging But before we depart I must aske a question He that buyeth a horse doth he not also buy the halter with which he was tyed Yes sayd the other And he had no sooner answered but the straunger imbracing him carryed him vp into the aire out of sight and thence as may be supposed body and soule to hell fier 22. But if there be no hell fier saith the Atheist how then If there be a hell saith the Christian as vndoubtedly there is how then what shal become of the drunkard the Atheist and other such good fellows And howsoeuer leauing these beasts in their doubts at least they cannot nor any of them which hath but a spoonefull of braynes will deny but that in so dangerous a deliberation as this of eternall felicity or damnation wherof we speake the best is to cleaue to the surest part And this may suffice for the present matter THE THIRD CVRE WHICH IS Of Impiety in Swearing Wherin coÌ„sisteth the nature of an Oath and how the vse therof is lawfull and Religious CHAP. I. AN Oath as it is ordinarily vnderstood is an external speech or other out ward signe wherby a man inuocateth the eternall and inuiolable Truth of Almighty God and bringeth it in as a witnesse of that which is auouched August in Psal 109. or denyed Vpon which definition may be gathered that an oath although a good and vertuous worke yet is occasionall that is no other wise to be vsed then vpon necessity or iust cause when he that affirmeth or denieth any thing needeth greater authority and assurance then his owne testimony alone to certifie others with whome he speaketh that the thing which he so affirmeth or denyeth is true which otherwise would not be belieued for that it is supposed by all that no honest man in his wittes would call God to witnesse and affirme any thing which were not true disgracing therby as August l. â— de mendacio c. 6. much as is in mans power and abusing the prime soueraigne Truth whilest he applyeth it vnreuerently to the testimony of falsehood Therfore as the Angelicall Doctour S. Thomas teacheth S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 89. art 1. the inuocation attestation of diuine authority maketh the thing for which it is brought iustly credible and to be belieued 2. Thus hauing described an oath by all the partes and causes therof we are to know that there be two kinds of oaths one is called assertiue to wit an oath which affirmeth the verity of thinges either past or now present in action or to come as if one should sweare that he himselfe or another was in such a place at such a time and vttered these or these words or that he is not culpable of any crime or that there is no harme to follow which may be feared without cause and the like The other is called promissiue when a man bringeth the authority of Almighty God as a witnesse and surety that he will performe such a matter as he promiseth which manner of swearing implyeth in some part an oath assertiue which is that now for the present he hath an actuall purpose to accomplish what is by him promised as the assertiue oath aforesaid of things to come inuolueth a promise And in both kinds is found one and the same diuine authority by which protestation is made to the end that men belieue the verity of things sworne either by way of assertion or of promise 3. These oaths that they may be lawfull and honestly giuen or taken require three conditions specified in the word of God and included in the institution of nature Thou shalt sweare saith Hier. 4. Almighty God Our Lord liueth in truth and in iudgement and iniustice so that whether we affirme or promise any thing vpon an oathe the matter sworne ought to be accompanied with these three qualities that is with truth iudgment and iustice As concerning the first the matter is euident for it must needs be a sacrilegious offence misprising Gods diuinity to bring it to witnesse falsehood for as Almighty God is in himselfe an infallible Truth and prime author therof so also is he infallible in reuealing and witnessing and it is impossible that he either can be deceaued or deceaue Wherupon to induce him as a witnesse of an vntruth is a maine trespasse and abuse against his eternall Verity Wherfore this condition is euidently necessary not only in an oath of assertion but of promise also So that if one vpon his oath should promise the performance of a thing and so promising not retayne inwardly a purpose or thinke himselfe vnable to accomplish his promise he should be periured offend immediatly against the high and soueraigne Truth of Almighty God 4. Moreouer the matter sworne is to be iust and lawfull not repugnant to any vertue or other requisite obligatioÌ„ For as it is a heinous fault against diuine Truth to make it a witnesse of falsity so is it also to auouch it in confirmation of wickednesse whether it be assertion or promise And indeed whatsoeuer wicked obiect is also practically morally false that is not to be don by man and therfore diuine authority being brought to affiâ—me or confirme that which is vnlawful and ought not to be is iniured and disgraced furthermore it may fall out namely in an oath
of assertion that the matter which is affirmed be true in it selfe and yet practically to be esteemed false because it is vnlawfull as if one vpon his oath should discouer a secret sinne of another against ciuility naturall secresie and charity such an oath should not include falshood opposite to any specuâ—arine Truth yet notwithstanding it should be sacrilegious and an impeachment of Gods authority for as much as it is taken against iustice of charity and ciuility 5. Lastly for that the exhibition of an oath is a matter of great importance it ought to be don with iudgement that is with prudent consideration of the truth and decencie of the thing sworne whether in way of assertion or promise The necessity of which condition is originally deriued from the dignity and authority of Almighty S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 8. art 3. ad 3. God as S. Thomas teacheth For the inuocations of Almighty Gods authority supposeth a reuerent faith in him that sweareth that it is able to confirme all truth and to discouer and destroy all falsity and therfore swearing according to nature and right is vsed only vpon necessity of procuring that which is good either for the common wealth or for priuate persons when there wanteth other meanes to discouer the truth And this protestation by diuine authority must issue from iudgment as wel about the certaine truth and conueniency of the thing sworne as also about the necessity of swearing for to sweare for euery small matter or where there is no vrgent cause is to sweare in vaine and therby to misprise the Maiesty of God against his commaundement 6. Hereby may be vnderstood that the taking of an oath rightly inuested and accompained with all circumstances is good and lawfull yea an act of Religion supreme worship towards Almighty God That it is a laudable act in it selfe will appeare if we consider it only in respect of ciuility or naturall piety For an oath in it selfe implyeth no dishonour vnto Almighty God or harme to man when we auouch diuine authority in witnesse of any thing affirmed or promised yea rather we honour Almighty God making him vmpier and chiefe determiner of all humane affaires and by his name and authority ending controuersies establishing humane fidelity in contractes in seruices and good offices betweene man and man as betweene superiours and inferiours and equalls among themselues which must needs be holden a practise conformable to reason and consequently vertuous and iustifiable 7. In this respect the Roman souldier obliged and sacred himselfe to God and his countrey by corporall oath renewing the same euery yeare vpon the Calends of Ianuary Phisitians also as S. Gregory Nazianzen recordeth according Greg. Nazian in lib. Caesar to the ordinaÌ„ce of Hippocrates beginning their profession did sweare solemnly that they would truly and piously performe their duties And for that the taking of oaths was a matter highly esteemed Alex. Neap. lib. 1. ca. 20. lib. 3. cap. 11. as appertayning to religion the Censors amongst the Romans only were Iudges in cases of oathes 8. Now if we regard the diuine law of Almighty God we shall see that it approueth an oath duely made as an act of vertue and an especiall instrumeÌ„t and meanes for the keeping of ciuill society Thou shalt feare thy Lord God and serue Deut. 6. him only and thou shalt sweare by his name This was the decree of Almighty God enacted for his chosen people They saith Psal 61. Dauid shal be praysed that sweare in him And S. Paul made a solemne oath to the 2. Cor. 1. Corinthians I call God to witnesse vpon my soule Also writing to the Galathians Those Calat 1. things that I write vnto you be holy before God August in Psal 31. I lye not So that we may conclude with S. Augustine that nothing can be more graciously offered to Almighty God then an oath rightly performed Notwithstanding Anabaptists and other Heretikes haue foolishly denyed this manifest truth abolishing the vse of oaths in all matters whatsoeuer sacred or temporall as vnlawfull 9. Two arguments which the heretikes vse to alleadge may seeme to ignorant people to haue some difficulty and therfore are to be discussed First say they to indeauour to honour Almighty God by calling him to witnesse when we sweare may seeme superstitious seeing his authority and name is alleadged to no other end then to attest and manifest a truth but if he which sweareth by diuine authority should conceiue with himselfe that the same authority will therfore approue and reueale the thing sworne by him it were an errour of superstition and for this respect they say it is not lawfull to auouch Gods authority in witnesse of any thing protested by an oath 10. But this opposition is not of force against that which we haue sayd for he that sweareth doth not intend princically that Almighty God should miraculously reueale the truth but leaueth the matter entierly to his wiâ—l and pleasure yet resoluing withall to stand to his iudgement and tryall if it shall please his diuine Maiesty to make any manifestation therof And it is sufficient to make lawfull the inuocation of a testimony from the authority of Almighty God that one day according to the Apostle he will lay open to the 1. Cor. 4. view of all the secrets of euery mans hart And that which he that sweareth principally intendeth is as it were to make an adioynder and connexion of Gods eternall truth vnto his words by which coniunction such words may appeare to others true and worthy to be belieued 11. Secondly the Heretike obiecteth that although the Iew might sweare yet it is forbidden to Christians by Christ himselfe who distinguishing them from Iewes sayd You haue heard that it was sayd to them of old Thou shalt not commit periury but thou shalt perform thy oathes to thy Lord. But I say to you sweare not at all Let your talke be yea yea no no and that which is ouer and aboue this is of euill Notwithstanding these words of our Sauiour do not absolutely forbid swearing in necessary cases as holy Fathers Bernard hom 65. in Cantic Bed in cap 5. Iacob do teach but only counsaile perfection in this kind proper to Christians and surpassing the quality of the synagogue And the contrary commeth of euill in as much as it repugneth to Christian perfection that there should be need of oathes although they be not absolutly forbidden when they are needfull Therfore by way of Counsaile our Sauiour persuadeth vs not to sweare especially vpon light occasions as the Iew did thinking therby to honour God but only vpon necessary or important causes that is not to sweare in vaine although the matter which is sworne be true And by this passage and the like we may vnderstand how necessary it is that there be some certaine authority of pastors and teachers for the certain deliuery of truth in the holy Scripture to
and reflect from the fruites to the branches and from them to the roote I suppose any man of iudgment and discourse will easely finde it 9. Our Churches as I am told are chaunged in many places some into barnes and stables others into play-houses deuotion into curiosity prayer in them to Preachments where the idle ignorant Minister intertayneth the people with a tale of a tubb ab hoc ab hac making them beleeue reuelations that the Pope is Antichrist that Papists are seÌ„â—elesse Idolaters that they adore storkes and stones and in fine that the moon is made of green chesee 10. Neyghbourhood is changed into encroachment friendship into cosenage patronage into oppression duty into flattery Religion into policy of state Ciuility into the excesses of riot drunkennesse and swearing reproued in this Treatise and finally to omit many other transmutations which I leaue to the Reader men and women in apparell speach and manners for the most part into apes And whither will they go in newfanglenesse licenciousnesse if they be let alone God only knoweth who permitteth many times disorders to bring in remedies as we may hope of his mercy in this case that he hath not wholy abandoned our Countrey Which if it be so the worse the better for those that are to come if they which now liue would open their eyes and vnderstanding to consider the errors which haue brought the people into these absurdities and must needs bring all to ruyne in few yeares if they that stand at the Sterne foresee not the shipwrack turne their course betymes 11. If it would please them only to confer ages manners and dispositions past in our old fore-fathers dayes with these of ours and with indifferency of affection and iudgment giue to ech one his dew they would infallibly find that the old English fashion in all things was far better then the present and that all these new excesses and disorders come from one I thinke may be concluded with the poore mans answere who being examined by one of our married Bishops of whom he had asked an almes if he could say the Lords prayer he answered he could which of the two would his Maistership haue the old or the new The Bishop bad him say both as he did and after asked his opinion which of the two he thought was better the poore man was afraid to speak his mind till the Bishop promised him that he should not be hurt Then quoth he in good faith maister I can say no more but that three score yeares agoe when I was a child I knew a good tyme in England great truth amongst neighbours euery one kept his ranke was knowne by his cloathes great plenty in the land many goodly Churches and Monasteries where Gentlemen and others had place for their childreÌ„ that desired to serue God younger brothers were retained and poore people were relieued with dayly almes and loane of money in their wants and corne in deare yeares to sow their grounds and feed their familyes till God sent foyson All this Pater Noster builded and founded and kept vp many good thinges moe which I see the more the pitty that Our Father hath pulled downe The rest good Maister I leaue to you for your maistership is wiser then I to make the conclusion 12. And so do I Gentle Reader to thy selfe vpon view of this Treatise what hath been sayd to find out the true roote and cause from whence the disorders haue proceeded which if thou hast eyes and sense of humanity thou canst not chuse but lament and if thou be a person in authority procure the remedy without preiudice passion or particular interest of thy owne that may be hurtfull to thy Countrey and Commonwealth for to morow next thou must leaue all and giue a strict account to God vpon perill of thy soule to be rewarded or punished for euer And if thou beest a priuate person at least absteyne from these vices heere noted and from the rest that may any way offend God and procure to be one of fiue at least in the towne or citty for whose sake the mercy of Almighty God may spare the rest and giue them leasure to amend their faultes and pray hartely for the Prince and those which gouerne vnder him that they may open their eyes and see the perill of our ruine and preuent in time and so I betake thee with my best wishes to Christ Iesus our Sauiour A TABLE Of the Contents of this Booke THE FIRST CVRE VVHAT is the Naturall and Ciuill vse of Apparell Chap. 1. pag. 1. VVhat may be the generall purpose of Nature in that all Nations endeauour to adorne their bodyes Chap. 2. pag. 12. How in the vse of Apparell Nature and Art may make a conuenient temperature and what generall obseruations are necessary in this kind Chap. 3. pag. 21. That Pride Effeminacy and Impiety be three head-springs of Folly in the abuse os Apparell Chap. 4. pag. 32. How Modesty and Prudence condemne excesse in Apparell and the like as signes discouering Pride and Arrogancy in the mind Chap. 5. pag. 39. Seeing that the curious and disorderly vse of Apparell is a spectacle and prouokement of wantonnesse by all sound iudgements it is to be reproued and for this respect also holden as culpable and dispraisable Chap. 6. pag. 58. Christian Piety directed by Faith doth very much disallow and condemne the vaine and curious excesse of Cloathing Chap. 7. pa. 78. THE SECOND CVRE VVhat Charge Nature hath giuen to euery man in regard oâ— his being and actions of a man â—o auoyd Drunkennesse Cap. 1. pag. 109. VVhosoeuer shall consider mans estate according to the rules of Faith as composed of body soule shall find iust cause to hate and detest the vice of Drunkenesse Chap 2. pag. 145. VVhatsoeuer duety belongeth to a Christians charge either to God or Man is only violated by this vice of Drunkennesse Chap. 3. pag. 182. THE THIRD CVRE VVherin consisteth the nature of an Oath and â—ow the vse therof is lawfull and Religious Chap. 1. pag. 205. VVhat submission reuerence is to be wished in all those who sweare a truth inuocating the Exâ—ellency of God Almighty Cap. 2. pag. 216. VVhat a grieuous trespasse it is to sweare falsely Chap. 3. pag. 244. That the vngodlinesse of vâ—ine irreuerent swearing is an enormous trespasse against the sacred Maiesty of Almighty God Cap. 4. pag. 263 The Conclusion to the Reader Chap. 5. pag. 287. FINIS