them If to men vsing great estates and offices be reserued an vniuersall reuerence What lesse honour is due to him that makes them worthy of it and by his industry brings them into the merit of such high calling If wise and learned men be famous through the world for the benefites that growe by their counsell commaūdement and authoritie is there lesse dutie of renoume and immortall praise to such as are the authors of those benefites by their learning If men learned in the lawes profite so much common weales If Phisitions be so necessary for that in them resteth the cure of bodies If lastly by the deuines wée finde comfort to our heauie soules how much are we bound to such as are the first causes of these deuine fruites who are the schoolemasters without whom and the foundation by them layed in those doctrines they had neuer ascended to those seates of honour when we sée a goodly building so excellent in beautie that the worlde giues it singuler estimation what can we ascribe lesse to him who laied the foundation and raised the worke to that excellencie then the principall praise For if faire delitefull and profitable workes be so generally praysed nothing lesse is due to the hand that fashioned them Who delites to behold a goodly picture doth great wrong to the painter if he ascribe not much to the commendation of his skill yea if there were layd on but the first coollers yet the beholder ought to be thankfull to his industrie and labour But if such as nourish our mortall bodies deserue great affection memorable renoume much more are we bound both in loue and perpetuall dutie to them that minister foode to the immortall spirites of little children if so great reuerence be reserued to Phisitions for helping the health of bodies which one day must die notwithstanding Is there not more merit of honour to such as cure our soules of immortal diseases The scripture pronounceth many textes to the shame of those which despise scholemasters of which profession Christ séemed to make his Apostles when he spake to Peter if thou louest mée féede my Lambes What other thing is it to féede then to nourish teach in good doctrine and the Lambes of the flocke of Iesus Christ according to the natural propertie of speaking are young children whom he holdes no lesse deare then his proper fleshe I saye not that vnder that name are ment all sortes of people and yet it can not be denied but that those littleones deserue chief instruction For S. John after he had taught in diuers countreys being compelled to leaue them for a time and go elswhether by speciall writing sayd to the little ones comfort your selues O ye young ones in that you are by the grace word of God strong and vertuous for that the woord of God remaynes in you and that you haue vanquished the wicked spirit through the grace and merit of Iesus Christ Yea Christ him selfe caused the little children to come into his schoole blaming the Apostles being yet of the flesh by cause they let those littleones for comming to him as though he would not haue taught and holpen them aswell as euen the greatest but he commaunded to bring them to him and pronounced them in that instruction and imposition of hands which hée gaue them worthy of the kyngdome of GOD saying that to those and such like the euerlasting worlde belongeth Then such as receiue little children into discipline exercise the office of Iesus Church the same sturring vp the Bishops in old time to take into charge of discipline and teaching little children as also did both the one and the other S. Iohn and the Prophets had many disciples who otherwayes were called the children of the Prophets it is written that many holy men went thorough the world to teach schollers with this intention that with the rules of learning they should also instruct them in the principles of faith and by that meane winne the Fathers mothers to Iesus christ amongest these Origen was not the least zealous and S. Gregorie the Pope refused not this vocation for certaine houres of the day For which considerations a certaine learned doctor of our time and chauncellor of a famous vniuersitie had no shame to go thorow the Colleadges of the vniuersities at certaine conuenient houres and teach little children in familiar doctrines which he did for the loue zeale of God And being oftentimes reproched by other doctors that he shewed an example vnworthy his place specially for that there were sufficient tuters to that purpose he aunswered that they were as fleshly doctors resembling the Apostles not yet in full libertie of the spirite who by glorious opinion forbad little children to approche neare to Iesus Christ alleadging that there was no dutie of accesse to him but by those that were graue I aske of those fleshly doctors whether the shepeheard that kéeps the Lambes of a Father of houshold do not as good and agréeable seruice to his Master as if he had in charge greater shéepe If a Father shew more deare loue to his little children then to those that haue riper age foloweth it not by congruent reason that such as giue succoures to those little ones and kéepe them from daunger deserue better recompence of the Father then if they had done seruice to his greater sonnes If the little plant in the garden of any Farmer be so much cherished that the eye of the owner is seldome from it hée then that watreth it prunes it and defends it from the cropping of beastes and other iniuries what seruice doth he to the owner Yea what greater pleasure can he do to the Farmer whose young plant without this industrie were subiect to spoyle without hope to yéeld any fruite euen as if the little Lambes of the flocke were lost and the young children corrupt there were no exspectation of restitution of that losse and corruption The schoolemaster then hauing in charge these little lambes of Iesus Christ and the preparing of this tender plant of his gardeine which is the Church and lastly the leading of these little children being the delites of the Lord how acceptable is his loyall and diligent seruice to his Lorde and to God And if such as sclaunder these little ones through wicked doctrine example deserue to haue fastened to their necke a milstone and drowned in the bottome of the déepest Sea What recompence or reward is due to those tutors scholemasters by whome those littleones are instructed and led in example of all holines Are they not worthy as Daniell sayeth to shine as the firmament and starres of heauen in euerlasting glory and to be called the greatest of the kyngdome of God Yea according to Iesus Christ euen the most happie of all And if euerie one ought to receiue the reward of his trauels as there is no estate of more hard laboures more great paines more perpetuall perplexeties and
If they feede not their flocke with the foode of the Scripture If the Pastours had done their duties the VVolues had not entered the folde ⧠The .7 Chapter IF to vnderstande the Pater-noster were inough why did Iesus christ preach thrée yéeres and an halfe many and diuers doctrines being alwayes for the moste part preaching in the Temple to the common People more then to others By what reason did the Apostles teache so long tyme as Saint Paul .xxxvi. yéeres Saint Iohn more then fiftye and others so long as they liued aswell Apostles as Disciples Martyrs and infinite holye Bishoppes distributing sometimes thrée Sermons a daye To what ende hath béene written so many Gospels so many Epistles and Sermons and all rather to the common people then to others Homelies also bee familiar and popular Sermons suche Saint Ciprian Saint Ambrose Saint Chrisostome Saint Augustine with many others haue written S. Paul coÌ„maunded his Epistles to be read in the Churches and writing them generall he willed that all the Churche shoulde vnderstande them he wrote to the common people of Colosse commaunding them to aduertise their minister named Archyppus of the word of God and to discharge well his ministerie and office And writyng to others we finde that he spake to the common sort wherein though some times he spake of Bishops and Deacons yet he alwayes preferred the people as an estate most néede of instructioÌ„ because the Clargie either be or by reason ought to be best instructed Therefore O aduersarie of Iesus Christe and enemie to trueth why art thou so full of iniquitie as not to graunt that common people may enioy the doctrine which Christ him selfe preached and caused to be taught inducing by his holy spirite that it was written by the Euangelistes Apostles and Prophetes Wylt thou take from the children the bread which their father hath put in their hande and commaunded thée to sée distribution of it Let it like thée that the people reade the Scriptures though euery one haue not libertie to enterprete them after his owne sence For what cause saith S. Paul hath God put into his Church Apostles Euangelistes Prophetes Pastours and Doctours but to giue edifiyng to his people So that as it is their office to teache interprete and preache So God hath annexed to this worde Pastour Doctour as who say he is a Pastour but by name and vsurpation if hée haue not abilitie to teache and do it In howe many places doeth the Scripture call the Pastours to teache their flocke and wylt thou be a Priest worthy of double honour and wylt not vse a simple trauaile in the worde and doctrine Saint Peter wylleth the Pastours to nourishe the flocke of Iesus Christe with the foode of the Scripture aduising them to do it diligentlye and liberallye without constraint or couetousnesse And yet thou who speakest not but for the benefite of thy Purse wilt neyther bestowe trauaile nor foode on thy Cure nor impart so muche as a thirde part with the good Preacher to whome in common equitie the whole belongeth for that according to God there is nothing due but to the labourer Learne then and geue thy selfe to studye more and more to make thée worthy to bée a Pastour make restitucion of that which thou hast taken for doing nothing yea that which was due to the merite of him that hath taken paines But now touching the constitucion and vse of all the Church concerning Doctrine wée reade in the Canons of the Apostles that no man must go out of the Temple on the holye dayes afore hée hath hearde the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes and communicated If hée do let him bée marked as if hee were an Infidel and worthy to be excoÌ„municated much more if the Pastour preache not hée is reprehendible and more worthy of excommunication of this institution Apostolâ—cal there remayneth yet to vs the Epistle and the Gospell of the Deuine seruice which wée must not heare as did the Asse of Socrates the dayly wise Lessons of his Maister and gather no fruicte by them no we must vnderstande them by the explication which ought to bée geuen to the assistauntes wherein as it is commaunded to the Pastours to preache so are the common people enioyned also to heare the Sermons euerye holydaye with reuerence And therefore according to our aduise before it belonges to the gouernours Polletike to assemble on the Festiuall dayes all the Congregation to bée taught and not suffer any to be absent Otherwise suche as haue aucthority of God to make him to bée honoured and obeyed in all his commaundementes stande in hazarde of his Iudgement not onely al those sinnes which the people commit for want of being well instructed but also for that they supported the negligeÌ„ce of pastors who doo nothing but sucke the Milke sheare the poore shéepe For ende if Moyses I meane the Lawe and the Prophetes was reade in the synagogue of the Iewes euerye Sabboth which were theyr lawful Feastes why should that synagogue be more happy then the church of Iesus Christ or why should not there bée exercise of his Doctrine in it at the least euery holyday in the which séeing it is forbiddeÌ„ to trauaile or occupy the mind in prophane secular causes what should the poore man doo in whome is no habilitye to reade and vnderstande and much lesse may not meddle to interprete the Scriptures being so obscure in what exercise should hée employ the day spending but one howre at Publike Seruice should he ioyne his time which ought to bée deare to him to drinking and eating with other actions vnlawful and damnable is that the kéeping of the Sabboth which is a time to repose altogeather in God and to sanctify him with good workes So that it is a thing no lesse holye then necessarye to annexe to the deuine seruice of the Holydaye familiar sermons to the multitude by the which they may truely reappose in tranquilitye of conscience in God in purging suche wicked affections and sinnes as trauaile perpetuallye the mindes of sinners The people will thinke al the wéeke on the Sermons they hearde on the Sundaye Fathers wyl appose their Children and maisters examine theyr seruantes who by this meane wyl take héede to offende God on worke daies Touching our worldly Philosophers who saye that since sermons haue béene so rife and common all hath beene marred I say on the contrarye that if there had béen diligence and plenty of Preachers in al Churches that the Chaires and Pulpets had neuer béene voyde of Pastours as they haue béen these fiftye yéeres men had not nowe knowen what heresie is If the foolde had béen wel kept the Wolfe had not entered yea hée had beene chased away if the Pastour and his voice had béen heard But when there was no Sermons but of the Wallet and such fabulous Trashe of begging Friars wherein was more matter of Scoffe then serious Doctrine And when some begonne to preache the
satisfied with exact and actuall punishment where to theyr proper iniuries or wronges done priuatelye against them selues their humilitye ouercame the moode of reuenge and they felt no inclination to furious indignitie But God being iniuried they helde them vnworthy seruaunts officers if they gaue not iustice to his wronges wherein they thought their life a swéete sacrifice being offred to death in his behalfe For this cause Moyses séeing the Idolatrye of the people after the Calfe made a maruailous Butcherye If hée knewe any blasphemer to bee in his Campe who was more readye to drawe him into iudgement yea he that had prophaned the Sabboth in fetching onely certayne wood to make a fire did not Moises forthwith cause him to be stoned But when Mary his sister and Aaron his Brother murmured against him despiting him with iniuries was hée not patient did hee not praye to God to pardon them What miserye happened to Ophine and Phineas for prophaning the sacrifices of God and to theyr father as hath béene sayde because hée did not iustice what slaughter did God to the blasphemye which Sennacherib by his Herraldes of Armes pronounced against him in the presence of Ezechias Did not God by his Aungell ouerthrow of them in one night a hundreth foure score and fiue thousand was not also Benadab because he sayed the God of Israel was a God of mountaines and not of valleyes ouerthrowen togeather with all the Kinges which hée led with him and fel into the hands of Achab Elias put to the edge of the sworde foure hundred false Prophetes of Baal so muche reuerenced in Israell and honoured of the Quéene Iezabel Surelye God so abhorreth the sinnes committed against the first table for so they are committed directlye against him that Hely iudged them irremysible saying If one man sinne against another God maye bée appeased But if the sinne stretche to the offence of God so farre forth as it concerneth his maiestie honour and holye ordinaunce what is hée that will praye to God for him as if hée should saye it is a sinne so greate that wée must confesse that if God will pardon it hée must vse a singular mercye muche lesse then is there power in men to pardon such crimes committed against the deuine maiestie Certaine holde opinion that the crimes against humane maiestie cannot haue remission of the Kinges against whome they are cōmitted as wel for that they bring intent of malice as for that they are done against him whom they represent in earth which is the liuing God and also against a whole nation or people whose heades they are Wée sée when the head is hurt all the members haue interest in the gréefe with him and demaunde altogeather reuenge against him that hath offended them neyther can the head heale the rest if first hée haue not full cure of his owne gréefe Howe is it then that crimes done against God should lightlye bée pardoned of men it was not without cause that in the first Churche hée that was guiltie in any such disordered Crime notwithstanding his penaunce of fiftye yéeres if hée liued so long after his sinne yet was hée not receyued into the holy Communion vntill the ende of his dayes which yet was holden an acte of great grace to the offendour whiche as I wishe might warne the gouernours of our pollecye not to suffer God to bée vnreuerentlye offended with such damnable crimes So for suche as haue prophaned holye places pilled and abused the sacred vesselles and yet thinke to eschewe the terrible iudgement of God let them resorte to the testimony of those miseries which happened to Balthasar Antiochus and Heliodorus ¶ Sinnes committed against the seconde table are worthy of death euen so deserue they eternall damnation Yet must vvee vnderstand vvhen they are done vvillingly and more vvhen they are done by pride and malice and the more that the obiect is noble and excellent so much are they more greeuous The .7 Chapter HAuing declared that in a common weale the transgressions of the commaundements of the first table deserue pains irremisible it is méete wée shewe wherin and how farre ought to stretche the punishmentes for the transgressors of the preceptes ordeined for instruction of due and honest conuersation of life in societye tranquilitye and mutuall loue to our neighbors Those commaundementes are seuen in number and written by Moyses in the second table which God gaue him with the other béeing both two of stone for the better obseruation of them and theyr perpetuall memory Like as also in the due kéeping of those statutes was eternall life comprehending faith in Iesus Christ and in transgressing them was condemnation to euerlasting death Séeing then that transgressours stande in suche estate of condemnacion by God in his iudgementes let it bée a rule to leade the magistrates pollitike to the conformetye of that iustice the rather for that they are as hath béene sayde before called in the scripture the commissionours of God to exercise his iudgements By the first commaundement of this table wée are bidden to honor our father and mother and so haue long life on earth And as this honor consistes not onely in reuerence but in loue feare obedience seruice office of nature so in the persons of Fathers mothers this precept is exhibited also to al Lordes Ladyes vniuersal Magistrates Pastours Doctours Maisters and al olde people yea al superiours being as publike and polletike fathers the one ouer the body and goodes the other ouer the soules If suche as onelye disobeye and vse conuersacion of rebellion speaking euill of theyr Fathers and Mothers are without remission condemned of God to bée stoned What punishment deserue others who pleade against them abandon them strike them suffer them to dye for hunger or laye violent handes vpon them And if there bée any dutye of reuerence to the Fathers of the bodye by greater reason doeth there belong a more higher estate of power to the Spirituall Parentes such as dispose norriture to the soules amongst whome as suche as are fierce and disobedient are subiecte to present punishment So euen they are within the power of the same sentence whiche gainesaye Magistrates being the Fathers of the common weale In this vice togeather with all others the causes and mouers of the same ought to bée punished as a proude hearte a hautye Spirite a malicious wyll and natures enclyning to arrogancye furye and disobedience Heare let Fathers also bée warned not to prouoke theyr children to wrath and by theyr straitenesse dryue them into contempt Touching the Seconde forbidding murder euen from the Lawe of nature GOD hath ordayned that not onelye man but euen the Beast that takes away the lyfe of a man shoulde suffer death wherein God him selfe séeming to geue the reason why hée dyd institute that payne sayeth That man being made to the Image of him selfe what other thing coulde it bée to kyll man then to rent the Image of
he oftentimes passed nightes in watching and prayer By whose example suche as are called to the estate of Ministers in the Church Byshops and Pastors ought to direct their behauiours employing their times in spirituall labours being séene in no place but in excercise eyther to teache the ignoraunt comfort the afflicted exhorte the negligent confirme the weake and reprooue the offendor and expresse withall alwayes some good doctrine and confirme it by example of their good life And so for the rest I send them to the treatise of their institution resorting eftsones to the labor wherof we spake ydlenesse whether in them or any other men of learning is an vncomly staine Let them with all others of knowledge but speciallye gouernors pollitick and spirituall do as the naturall head of man wherein as the spirite meditates debates and deuiseth that which is good and profitable to the body and euery member so by counsell of the same spirite the heade prouides by pollicy beholdes with the eyes hearkeneth with the eares and speaketh with the tongue that which is necessary for the whole studying altogither for the entertainement of the body and al the members whome he commaundes in perticuler to trauell with all their force industry naturall as the eye to looke euery where where neede is the eare to heare that which is good and profitable to the body and all his members the hande to worke in diuers sortes the féete to marche and go c. So that there is no member ouer whome he hath soueraintie and which hath meane to obey his commandement to whom he prescribes not what he ought to doe And euen as the stomacke receyues the meate to decokt and disgest it and afterwards to distribute it thorow the body euen so ought the magistrates of the Churche to doe with the doctrine which they haue learned out of the holy scryptures commending the same imitation also to the magistrats of iustice lawyers imparting the science of the laws which they haue learned in schools to the people some to the instruction health of soules other to direct the pollicy of their commonweals The like also belongs to Phisitions touching the disposing of their science for the cure of bodies Other members haue their propper and outward labour as the hand that worketh and the féete that serue to marche and go So Marchauntes Labourers and Artificers haue the trauayles of the bodye for excercise not onelye to the particuler profite of them selues but also to the behoofe of the whole as others haue the labours of the spirite Here it is not impertinent to the matter to rehearse the Fable of Marcus Agrippa Orator of Rome pronounced to the people which were assembled to do violence against the Lordes of the Senate whom they sayde kept them in too great subiection of labours and contribucions of tributes to entertayne their rest and tranquility This Oratour to apease this popular mutinie and eftsones to reconcile them to the Senat brought in this resemblance the members of the body sayeth he murmured on a time against theyr stomacke and bellye obiecting that they did nothing but toyle in perpetual trauell to norishe it yet it was neuer satisfied and so being weary forbare to labour any more to reléeue it the hand would worke no more the feete laye at rest would go no further the mouth refused to speake the eye to sée and al gaue ouer to prouide for the bellye By which occasion within few dayes all the members became feble weake yea without hability to moue so that the man had no power to set one foote before another And so foreseeing in what danger of death hée stode for not ministring foode to his stomacke and bellye perswaded al his members eftsones to recontinue their trauaile geuing them to vnderstand that they were not fallen into that infirmity by any other meanes then because they disobeyed the stomacke refraining frō trauaile to prouide him sustenance and norriture to the bellie which being thus beaten into theyr knowledge they tooke againe theyr first office labour and diligence and so eftsones recouered theyr agilitye and force neuer afterwards mutined against their stomackes or belly To this stomacke he resembled the Senat in the members were represented the people applying so aptly this cōparison which is as a natural lesson visible doctrine that he brought the people to returne to their citie yéeld theyr accustomed obedience to the Lords of the Senate declaring by this peremtorye reason that it is not possible to the world to bée well gouerned nor lyue without counsel iudgement and prouidence of God and graue gouernors some prouiding for the safetye of soules and others caring for the temporall affayres the better to establishe a happye tranquilitye in a common wealth ¶ In all creatures is seene a perpetual labour whether in Heauen in Earth or in the Sea The profite vvhich riseth in a Citie by the trauaile vvhereunto the idle sort are constrained Exhortacion to the Magistrates to purge their common vveales of vnprofitable people declaring the euill vvhich comes of them and the authoritie vvhich they haue to doo it The .11 Chapter THere is no naturall Common Weale no not amongest the Beastes which is not in continual and common labour without excepting any singular creature frō trauaile In the Monarchie of Bées where the king commaundes wée haue already proued that there is no Idlenes Among the Antes where the most auncient guide the rest euerye one is busye to beare his burden builde his Garner In the flocke of Cranes where al be equal in aucthoritye none is suffered to be idle Nor of Grashoppers when they flye in Troupe There is no winged Birde which flyeth not geues to euery day some acte of trauaile according to his nature No Fishe in the Sea or other water to whome with the vse of life is not ioyned perpetual trauaile No Beast aboue or vpon the earth who after his natural rest doth not employe him selfe according to his natural facultie no natural thing if it haue life and strength is suffered of nature to bee idle The Sea alwaies bringeth forth Fishe beareth great Shippes and hath her other mouinges and as the Riuers fall into the Sea so the fountaines slide into the Riuers The Earth without ceassing engendereth or preserueth Herbes Séedes Plantes and the plantes neuer forbeare in theyr season to expresse their vertue and bring forth fruites and are neuer vnprofitable yea if there bée any vnfruiteful it is committed to the fire as not worthy to bée susteyned with the fatnes of the earth without yéelding good fruite Christ cursed the figge trée because it brought forth leaues yéelded no fruite signifying to vs that it is not inough to trauaile if our labours bring forth no profite to others The fire continuallye burneth The skye hath his perpetual mouing carying about his planets and starres The Sunne geueth light without intermission And the
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
angrie with the Jsraelites in sending them dearth of corne for not paying their tenthes yea if the husbandmen forget their tithes to the poore Leuits and left not in haruest time for the other poore to gleane and distributed almes at other seasons according to their dutie they were thretned with barrennes and dearth ouer the land wherin Christians haue to consider touching all those texts standing vppon the law of God and authorised by the Gospell being more iustly bound then the Hebrewes to whom the causes were nothing so reasonable as also for that the ministery without comparison is of more value more honorable in the Gospell then in the law and lastly for that the Gospell recommends the poore dearely to vs and with more riche promises of recompence then the law The third vice may be in the paiment of their rents to their Lordes and creditors to whom as they may vse subtletie and eyther defeate or delay them of their duty so in bargaining for corne and wyne they may sell corrupt wares in diuerse sorts for the which it hapneth by the iustice of God that in the end pouertie is the reward of those people ioyned with recompence of euery fatall and miserable calamitie eyther vppon them or their houses Pastors and heards men are bound with diligence faith and care to cherish their flocke and with that affection that they defend them from al peril of rauine for the which they are to giue accompt to their Masters as if they were their owne And therefore to the sicke they ought to applie remedie and giuing strength to the weake not to abandon the worst from their eye perpetual care to the end they may vaunt with Jacob to haue ben good heardes men wherein pastors Ecclesiasticall are here aduertised spiritually touching their pastorall office for whose cause I haue adioyned this little addicion and so leaue them to the consideration of their high fuÌ„ction in the lesson giuen to good common heards men ¶ All other estates are comprehended in those that haue bene already debated the explication of the qualeties of persons Chapter j. AL other vocations are contayned vnder those that haue bene already debated So that if any other estate seperate as Embassadour Orator or other of infinit profession as messengers intelligencers interpretors or spies with others of that rate woulde know how farre their offices stretch according to the Scripture they shall find them comprehended in the former estates aboue all other things the Embassadour being the faithfull substitute of his Prince or coÌ„mon weale ought not to reueale the secrets of his legation whereby eyther the affaires of his Prince maye be hindred or aduauntage giuen to the forreine Magistrate he ought not for his glory profite or pleasure to practise any extraordinary innouatioÌ„ or be inuested in any estate to the disaduauÌ„tage of them from whom he is sent For which act Hermolaus Barbarus a man of great knowledge Embassadour for the Venetians with the Pope taking the patriarchship of Aquilea was publikely condemned by the Senat in the losse and depriuation of the priuilege and Burgeship of Venice and had it not ben for the credit merit of his former seruice ioyned with the diligent intercession of the Pope he had bene in dauÌ„ger of capitall sentence By this as it were by the waye may be warned our preachers the Embassadors of the liuing God neither to say or doe any thing in Gods name further then the coÌ„mission of his word will beare nor to hope for or take any presents of spirituall promocion eyther to corrupt or tempt theÌ„ to disguise the truth couering the apparant vices of their benefactors against whom God commaundes them to speake boldly vppon paine of his iudgements not to hold their peace as doth the dogge which forbeareth to barke when his mouth is filled with meate Touching the Orator I maye send him to the office of the aduocate for the conueniencie that is in those two estates Betwene whom this is onely the difference that the aduocate alleageth onely the lawes for such affaires as may be decided by them the Christian Orator decks his matter with eloquent phrase prosecutes it by popular reasons by arguments sometimes very likely and most often necessary iustefieth his proofes by histories aswell holy as prophane to perswade his purpose and enforce his causes of coniecture whereof in the law can be raised no certaine proofe The aduocate and he reason both to one end as to defend the iust and accuse condemne the euill doer perswading in thinges honest profitable and necessary whither touching the Church or temporall estate The spie is as a faithfull and wise seruant of his Prince or Captaine that vseth him of which estate he ought to make no conscience being assured that the war wherin hee is employed is iust as being proclaimed thorow the kyngdome as a matter of consent by the Prince his counsell and graue estates and signified to the enemy So are Josua Caleb and others sent to espie the land of Canaan authorised by Moyses of whom if the rest had bene of the like fayth and courage as were Josua and Caleb so many miseries had not falne vppon the Israelites There resteth now to treat vppon only the qualities or diuers fortunes as the saying is of men that is to saye riche and poore ouer and be sides that we haue alredy touched of them in the Chapter of hospitalls reléeuing the pore togither with the qualities of the learned and ignorant men that be good and such as are of worsse sort these qualities we finde in all estats trades and vocations some riche and some pore or partâ—y rich if they be conferred w such as are extreamly pore or halfe pore if they be measured with them that excéede in wealth so may we iudge of the other qualities wherin afore we discend to discribe amplie the dutie of the riche and pore we may note three thinges by the waye the first is the riches is no honorable preheminence nor makes not an estate of dignitie therfore let not the riche man by any credite or reputation of his wealth aspier to honor or dignitie aboue others nor others attribute more to him then to the simple honest pore in regard of his aboundance wherin certayne Christians euen in the primatiue Churche reteining yet the error which they had being Pagans bearing more honor to the riche then to the pore the common fault of the world were greuously rebuked by Saint James charging them in the crime of acception of persones with vnrighteous doing wrong to God and to the pore for God sayeth he estemes asmuche the iuste pore man as the riche yea he séemes to beare more fauour to the pore adopting them the heirs of his Kingdome which he giueth to such as loue him Saint James also rebukes the honor that is giuen to richemen in great assemblies for the only respect and name of
and vnited in one boddy polliticke by Iesus Christ and in him also made one body and one spirite if they be surmounted by these little beastes in society in vnity and perfect amity Their King and mayster Bée that puttes them in order and by his humming voyce calles them to trauayle is so obeyed honored and loued of the rest that if he go out of the Hiue they all follow him when he can no more flie they beare him which may stād as instruction to gouernors what they ought to be to inferios for the office of their seruice obeing honoring seruing their magistrates with redy humility affection will seruice ⧠Gouernors ought not to suffer any ydle men in their commonweales vvho as they be vnprofitable and a charge to the vvorlde so in the ende they bring ruine to their commonvveales therefore it is necessary that fathers put their children to some trade and masters their seruants and so all others The magistrat and Churchman ought to shevv example of trauell to others according to their profession ⧠The .10 Chapter SIth idlenesse as hath been proued is not onely a vice horrible of it selfe but the seminary and bréeder of many other sinnes miseries it belongs to the Magistrate according to all Lawe both natural and deuine common reason to geue no more sufferaunce to slouthfull and idle people in their common weales then the good father of a family wyll endure in his priuate house either to son or seruaunt or other hande of ability to worke without doing something The good Husbandman wyll not suffer Rats and Wesels to eate his Corne in the Garners nor Moathes to deuour his Garments Caterpyllers to spoyle his Trées the Foxe to eate his Pultry the Woolfe to pray vpon his Shéepe nor the Théefe to steale Corne out of his Barne much lesse ought to be suffred in a common weale idle and slouthfull people whose example deuouring first the maners qualities of the multitude wyll at last endaunger the state of the whole euen as the other vermine by continuaunce bring to destruction the profite of a priuate house Let therefore the Magistrates suffer none in their common weale without arte without occupacion or some honest or profitable meane to liue by erectyng Lawes to compell fathers to prouide good instructions for their children specially in the doctrine and feare of God and if any cary inclination will to searche out learning let him according to his power geue encouragement to so good a desire And so apply euery one of the rest to the Art whereunto he findes nature to geue her redyest consent Let there be neuer a Maister who kepes not his seruaunt in seruice and restraining all libertie to vaine idlenesse let him ioyne compulsion to his negligence force him to such Arte or faculty as his capacity wyll best agrée withall yea such ought to be the diligence prouidence of the magistrates that there be not séene in the time of worke any man or woman which doth not his duety according to his profession In the Bible the woman as well as the man hath her labour prescribed specially in the last chapter of Salomons Prouerbs much lesse then the man ought she to be séene idle for by her idlenesse as hath béen sayd the first woman marred all her office shal be more amply set out in the sixt booke S. Paul woulde not that widdowes runne or gad from house to house as idle babbling gossops either learners or caryers of newes And much lesse is it tollerable that men of estate replenish the stréetes I meane walking vp and down for their pastime vnlesse they bée called by occasion of businesse There ought the Magistrate to be often scommyng as did Epaminondas searching the stréetes to sée how euery one followe their estate and so reforme the disordred and heare the complaintes of such as haue suffred wrong in their absence to apply their deputies and Sergeantes to this charge by which prouidence they shall kéepe all their Citie in dutie Touching straungers passengers soiourning in their Towne it is very necessary to vnderstande what maner people they are specially the suspition and daunger of the season requiring If they remaine there aboue one night it ministreth matter of inquiry and therfore let the hoast infourme the gouernours If they be men of occupation let them search worke and auoyde idlenesse And if they be people of estate the regarde to their calling geues them such knowledge and care of their duetie that they wyl not loose time in vnprofitable rest The Burgesses of a Citie ought not to come in the rebuke of the Athenians whose maner was to kepe the stréetes publike places for vaine pleasure and to heare newes Aboue all other it is farre from the office of Churchmen to be séene in stréetes or shoppes or before the Churches to gaze on passengers and much lesse to walke vp and downe in Churches contrary to the commaundement of God whose house is a house of prayer wherein as many haue a fonde custome eyther to spend the time in mumbling their darck Pater nosters as olde Priestes were wont to doe or else to chatte with such as they méete whom they ought to instruct and reforme So being in the church it belongeth to them to expresse an example of good ministers as eyther to mount into the pulpet and preache or withdraw into some secret place where they maye pray in truth without fiction and hipocrisie and in great reuerence vpon their knées meditate in spirituall contemplation that which belongs vnto them both to thinke and doe aswell for themselues as for the people for whome they ought to be intercessours to God assoone as they haue perfourmed their dutie in the Church let them withdraw themselues to their priuate studies of the scripturs if after their studie they will practise any facultie secretly eyther to auoyde ydlenesse or to giue sustenance to their poore estate the custome is tollerable and agréeing with the auncient fathers wherin as S Paul stands an example who trauelled with his hands to auoyd slaunder to the Gospel not to be chargful to any So Iesus Christ before he preached as Saint Marke writeth was called Myller and Carpenter as one that wrought at those sciences with Ioseph asmuch to reléeue the necessities of his lyfe as to obey the cōmaundements of god who made all men subiect to labor But after he tooke vpon him the state of preaching he coulde not trauayle in those scienses more neyther ought he to doe so for that he was come to doe all spirituall dutie so was he occupied in continuall prayer to teache heale the sicke do the office of a sauiour He spent sometimes thrée dayes in instructing and healing the sicke for which two causes as S. Marke sayth he had no leysure to refreshe his bodye with foode and hauing no oportunitie on the dayes to pray