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
soule which without such medicine standes in danger of eternal death his vlcere is so perilous that if there bée not applied to him a sharpe correction and that to pearse euen to the Boanes for the purging of all putrefaction of his manners it wil remayne incurable Is it then a good zeale in the Ciuill Father to leaue to perdicion his poore perplexed Childe whose cure can not come but by these remedies so that by howe muche it is most certaine according to Dauid and the booke of wisedome that there can not bée founde a medicine more wholsome and effectual to purge the sinnes of the soule then the Doctrine of God by so much is it a dutye necessary and commendable in the Magistrate to vse compulsion by paines and punishment for the hearing of Gods woorde the same being declared to vs in the meaning of the Parrable whiche Iesus Christe put foorthe of the Father of a housholde who commaundes his Seruauntes to goo foorth and constraine to come to the Banket generall whiche hée had made readye all suche as they founde in the Stréetes in the Wayes Hedges and in the Bushes What other thing is this Banket but a preparation of all spiritual meates contained in the Scripture and set vppon the Table which is propounded by familiar explication in the Churche for the norriture of our Soules with al inward delites wherein as the ministers of this great Father of housholde bée his Apostles and Disciples whiche are the Bishopps and Curates to teache and instruct the people and sommon them as it were by theyr Sermons to receiue the Graces whiche are presented to them by Iesus Christ so it appertaines also to the Ciuill Magistrate to constraine the negligent and idle people by the Stréetes and others lurking in Hedges and Bushes or hid in Tauernes or Tabling houses sporting in dissolute Gluttonye whilest this Heauenlye Banket is made readye in the Churche where is concorse of good men to refreshe them selues with it this pollicy bringes foorth these thrée speciall benefites The first is the healthfull instruction of the Soule by the hearing of the word of God which can not bée preached in any place without some fruite according to the similitude of the Raine which falles not in vaine vpon the Earth No more sayeth God shal my word returne to mée againe without profiting of some For such as are foreordained to the eternall life by hearing the woorde are in the ende conuerted how lewde and wicked so euer they bée For this cause it is called the worde of health and euerlasting life as being the instrumental cause or meane by the which God hath ordained that wée shal be instructed in Faith conuerted to him and bée saued and knowing by it his will wée are sturred vp to embrase and accomplishe it The second is that there is no man what vice iniquity so euer he hath professed in his life who although in respect of his reprobat obstinacy wil not be cōuerted altogether yet either by force of this word or for feare of the iudgements of God or for shame of men séeing others reformed of theyr faultes will not at least withdrawe him selfe from the multitude of sinnes as dyd Herode who albeit was so reprobate as the Scripture witnesseth yet by the exhortacion of Saint Iohn and the Doctrine which hée preached hée both did much good and was corrected of many vices euen in like maner the infamies and dissolutions daylye committed but chiefelye on the Holye dayes may by litle and litle bée brought to reformation and ceasse in the ende altogeather eyther by the one or other profite of hearing the woord of God. The thirde fruite depending of the two others with equall and necessarye coniunction is the vnitie of all sortes of people assembled at the Sermon instructed by one selfe teacher in Faith the Lawe Religion in one Doctrine iudgement and one consent of wil and opinion Enemyes shal be reconciled by this woorde whiche propoundes nothing but charitie Loue and vnitie The aduersaryes of the Faith and Schismatikes shal be made one with the Catholikes by the continuaunce of hearing this Doctrine which reprooueth schismes abhorreth Heresies and condemnes them to perpetuall curse So that all people assembled togeather euery Holydaye specially to heare Gods worde in the Sermon can not but bée nourished entertayned and preserued by this continuall conuersation in Preaching places and by this vnion of Doctrine in true Loue and mutuall Charitye to the rooting vp of all inimities and grudges ¶ The wyse worldelinges nowe a daies would not willinglye haue Sermons as also certaine Pastours desire nothing lesse then to preache laying the blame of the miserye of this time vppon sermons but such people are ouerthrowen by the worde of God and by this reason that to all sortes of people Preaching is necessary The .6 Chap. THere be many men too deepelie drowned in worldly wisedome who resist my counsel affirming that it is inough to the simple and popular sort to vnderstande the Paternoster the Creede and the commandements and yet oftentimes they make no mencion of the commaundements of God séeing that few learne them and fewer obserue and accomplishe them They say that since Sermons were so ryfe in the world and that men were so familiar with the Gospell and the Bible there hath béene nothing but varyetye of Heresie Suche people are angrye belike for that eyther they knowe nothing and yet ought to bée wise touching the wel directing of their estate or else bée fleshelye wise whose propertye is to desyre no Sermons because they woulde geue nothing to the Preacher but by force and lesse to the Poore but for shame their custome is alwayes to take and returne nothing but for their owne norriture yea there bée some of them so enuious of the aduauncement of theyr knowledge of God in the world that they gréeue that the people shoulde come to vnderstande any thing touching the matter of theyr saluation But it is with them as hapned to Balaam whose Asse reprooued him of his ignoraunce and faulte which ought gently to haue guided her and when he neither could or would doo it God made her teache him and gaue her power to speake against her nature correcting and reprouing her Pastor of whome shée should haue béene well taught and instructed Such people me thinke haue no reason to laye the euent of heresie to Sermons and much lesse to the declaration of the holye Scriptures yea it is a spice of blasphemie to thinke it onely because that that worde of God hath power to illuminate the poore darke and and ignoraunt spirites and geues intelligence of God and of saluation to the litle and simple ones to whom coulde not be geuen suche wholesome and necessarie knowledge but by this holy and heauenlye doctrine by the which all vice is eschewed and purged as a disease by the medicine all error eschewed and corrected as the light hath power
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
his people to dispence with his son To be short there was neuer Nation so barbarous which did not punishe adulterie by death or at least heauie paynes And therefore it is an indulgencie very cryminall afore God that there is no common punishment to this detestable sinne to the which by all reason is no lesse due and merite of gréeuous paynes then to the Théefe whereof this furthereth the proofe that besides the grauitie which we find in fornication there be foure things greatly enforcing the enormitie of the Acte First it is cōmitted against the thrée essentiall partes of mariage as faith linage and Sacrament The faith which was geuen in this Mariage is broken which bringes periurie and by the ordinaunce of the Lawe the periurer ought to die the othe was made solemnly in the Church vnder inuocation of the name of God And the contract of faith and the othe made betwéene the parties aucthorised by the Priest and approoued by all the Churche as a signe of mutuall fidelitie signified by the King geuen vpon the Maryage day Linage is hindered by a commixture of the seede of the Husband and whoremonger or at least it is vncertaine to whom it appertayneth What certaintie hath the adulterous woman of her children whether they be her husbandes or her whoremongers And in this vncertainty and doubt what conscience can she haue to nourishe them at she charges of her Husbande and suffer them to put on the habite of his lawfull heires If she knowe it is not her theft the more And if hanging be a Lawe to Théeues what execution to such people There is also a Sacrament as S. Paul calleth it in Iesus Christe and the Churche which is a signe of the inseparable coniunction of the Lorde with the Church whom he hath maryed in faith and hath geuen him selfe wholly to her and become one fleshe with her in receiuing her into communitie of all his benefites with promise neuer to abandon her the Church hauyng lykewise promised him to cleaue to him and remaine firme in his faith lawe and obedience without taking other Lorde or Religion but his Euen in the like maner man and woman marying together make publike protestation to follow this holy coniunction in the faith and vertue whereof they receiue grace and sanctification in their Maryage and so protesting to liue together in all vnion of holynesse chaste and perpetuall societie according to the inuiolable example of Iesus Christe and the Church What great impietie is commited when they defile this Sacrament Is it not a prophaning of sanctification which is one of the sinnes against the first Table And if it be not a kinde of Heresie to adulterate and corrupt a holy thing at least if they beléeue not the mystery conteyned vnder this Sacrament it can not be but infidelitie so that if a Christian prophaner of a Sacrament an heretique or an Infidel deserue paynes of death what is due to the adulterer by whom it is thus depraued Besides the periurie of faith and hinderaunce which he geues to procreation by the vncertaine commixture of straunge séede there is in this vice a perpetuall grudge and resolucion to do murther either of the Husbandes part to whom the wrong is done or on the wiues behalfe by whom is endured the iniurie of her Husbande or by the rauisher whom gelousie enableth to all bloody actes Many are the slaunders prodigall expenses theftes Rauins and other inconueniences which come by adulterie but more murthers then by fornication I speake not here of Sodomitry with other beastlynesse so abhominable before God and man that the earth ought not to beare so infamous mōstrous actes Bawdes in the auncient church for the vilenesse of their profession notwithstanding their perpetuall penaunce coulde neuer obtayne admission to the holy Communion so great indignitie did the olde fathers impute to those wicked sellers of Christian flesh If he that selleth the seruaunt or handmayde of another meriteth condemnation of death how much more haynous is his desert who entertayneth a lust after the daughter or wife of the Father of a family Here must not be forgot that with the acte it selfe is forbidden all causes moouing or entertayning whoredome as gluttonie dronkennesse idlenesse wordes lookes gestures vnchaste writinges and féelings dissolute and indecent daunces and superfluous riche ornamentes with other such like sturring to wantonnesse which causes most often are no lesse mortall then the effectes that followe them Kepe you from gluttonie dronkennesse and cares of this world saith Christ S. Paul reseruing no porcion of Gods kingdome to drunkardes biddes vs not to bée drunke with Wine where is superfluitie and dissolucion And to the dronkarde guiltie in vicious actes the Philosophers of the auncient time iudged double punishment as S. Paul besides their depriuation from the kingdome of heauen pronounceth them worthy of excommunication ⧠Theft was not punished in the Lawe but by restitucion of double treble and foure folde yea and seruitude but novve for iust causes it is punished vvith death Theft by necessitie in some sort excusable in the prohibition of theft the causes are also contained By this commaundement it is defended to take avvay the honour of another False vvitnesse is more vnlavvfull then theft neither hath it any grace in the Lavve All deceiuers hypocrites and lyars are condemned by these last preceptes ⧠The .10 Chapter THE fourth commaundement of the seconde Table is Thou shalt not steale the transgression whereof in the Law of Moyses was not punished with death but by restitution of double treble and sometime foure folde And in whom was no abilitie of restitution they were condemned to perpetuall seruitude till the wrong was satisfied by iust seruice publike theft as robberie violent theft and murther were condemned to death in the Lawe wherein was no excuse of pouertie as had simple picking whereunto was ioyned no custome but mooued of malicious wyll and affection But because those simple theftes supported with this charitable fauour rose to the state of high and noble robberies they became after by wise aduise subiect to the sentence of the Gybbet Wherein also this was one consyderation that who embeaselleth the goodes of another séemeth by consequence of the euyll that many times happeneth to take away also his life The bread of the needie saith the wise man is the life of the poore and who beguileth them of it is a bloody man He that taketh away the bread that hath béene gayned with the sweate of labour is as the man that kylleth his neighbour whereby may be concluded that the blood spyller and he that deceiueth another are brethren as séeming to haue an affinitie of euyll the same beyng eftsones confirmed by a notable text of the sayde wise man that who offereth vp his sacrifice compounded of the substance of the poore cōmits no lesse offence thē he that afore the eyes of the father killeth his proper sonne So that
qualetye and grauetye doo varye according to the matters and obiectes as lying dissembling scoffes flatteries c. ⧠The .1 Chapter MAny men for the most part make no conscience of raylings Scoffes Iestes Dances wanton Musicke and dissolute Songes nor of diuerse other kindes of Idlenesse Pastimes and speciallye of the vaine losse of their tyme Many also holde no reckoning of deceytes Lyes diuerse Ipocrisies Flatteryes with other lyke vices which according to theyr diuerse vse or rather abuse are forbidden by sundry commaundementes of God As if flatterye for examples sake bée practised to this ende to drawe the goodes of any one it apertaines to the defence of that coÌ„maundement wherin wée are forbidden to steale If it leade you to the acte of any dishonest pleasures or procure it in others it is within the coÌ„passe of this coÌ„maundement Thou shalt commit no whordom If the flatterer pretende to stryke or cause to bée stroken any man he shal find that forbidden in the precept which warnes vs to do no murder And so of others and many together maye bée forbidden by diuerse commaundementes not speaking heare of lying which ordinarilye is accompanyed with peruersitye of the minde and will. But sith flatterie is first brought into example wée can not tearme it more properly then a pleasant deceite a swéete lye a mortal poyson and a sinne aboue al other most pernicious cloaked with inuented speache whiche as the wise man sayth is the deceyte of fooles A swéete and delitefull venim to the glorious a destruction of Yong men a consumer of the Ritche and noble rase the abusor of great Princes and absolute ruine of great houses That was it that made Salomon saye it were better to bée wel scooled and disciplined of wise men then deceiued with the flattery of Fooles who with publike signes wil not sticke to Iest at those whom they flatter and speake as much euill behinde theyr backes as theyr wordes bée pleasaunt afore their faces For this cause Dauid sayeth that their wordes were as swéete as the Oyle of Odour or smelling oyntment and yet being sharpe as dartes they were notwithstanding very traytours who as Iudas betrayed Christ with a kisse so doo they abuse the foolishe Right Architophels and Dechistes wicked counsellours and cariers of vntrue reportes from whome warres controuersies grudges and murders doo flowe yea oftentimes they sowe gréeuous diuorces betwéene deare friendes They are transformed into this trade chiefly for couetousnes for seldome doo they flatter but with an entent to enritche them selues folowing for the most suche as bée wealthye and are disposed into bellichéere and prodigall expenses I wishe that to these filthes all men would doo as Dauid did to a flatterer who to obtaine the grace of Dauid and bring great benefite to him selfe brought to him the Diademe of Saul and his braflettes saying he had killed him and was come with great diligence to bring him those good newes to whom for recoÌ„pense of his dissembled trâ—th Dauid gaue present execution of death Dauid prophesied no lesse of the miserable ende of Doech the flatterer of Saul and wicked reporter of that which Dauid had done to Achimelech the great Priest whiche was that Dauid tooke Armes in the Tabernacle when hee fledde and that Achimelech suffered him so to doo and gaue him vittails to goo his waye whereof grewe great murders Architophel by the iust iudgement of God hanged him selfe for that hée came not to the ende of his counsailes and flatteries by the whiche hée had abused poore Absalon indusing him to leauye warre against his Father Séeing also it is written that the detractour and hée which as the Cameleon wil turne his tongue into many Languages sometimes saying one thing sometimes holding another as doe flatterers bée cursed for they trouble many people which haue peace togeather And séeing withall that they are so expreslye forbidden in the Scripture to bée such the Magistrate hath no reason to geue sufferaunce and much lesse grace of pardon to people so abhominable to God and hurtful to theyr countrey Yea and as gouernours them selues haue néede to take héede that they be not the first taken and enchaunted with these hurtful Serenes so let them not suffer that the youth of theyr Citye bée seduced by such spiders whose custome is to sucke the blood of great flies Let them rather with the example of the good Heardsman who pursueth the Rauens that folowe the weakest Beastes to picke out theyr eyes and so kill them to the ende they may féede vpon the Carkasse Let I saye our polletike Pastors ouer kingdoms and common weales thonder exemplary iustice vpon these deuouring Rauens whose custome as the Philosopher sayth is to hunt after weake braines and giue them so many pouders of glory that at the last picking out their eyes they make them so blinde that by the perswasions of these wretches they sée them selues to bée no more men but rather halfe Gods when in déede these mistes make theyr miserye the greater The next waye not to bee beguiled with flatterers is to geue them no eare to him that knoweth them not when they beginne to make way into his fauour by extolling his vertues let him acknowledge al vertues to bée of God and that for one vertue hée is infected with ten vices and therefore hath more cause to humble him selfe as in déede a man can not haue vertue if with humilitye he bée not a condemnour of him selfe Besides there is no iuste man which oftentimes falles not into sinne and hee that standes nowe vpright maye stumble and fall in a moment as was the case of Salomon For which cause the wise man sayth wée ought not to praise man in life for that hée beareth on his backe a subiection to chaunge If it bée forbidden to praise a man it is no lesse defended to a man to heare his owne commendation When the flatterer therefore goeth about to extol him let him saye that as hée is forbidden to demaunde glory for his good déedes so hath hée no power to geue it but that it is his part to ascribe all glorye to God who is the onelye aucthour of al good And if hée magnify him in that which hée hath not let him franklye saye that hée brookes no praise in Lyes Hée can not beguile a wise man for that his conscience which is the true witnes and iudge of all our doinges impugneth the prayses of the flatterer And so who wil not bée abused by the flatterer let him geue him no audience and if hée wyll eschew the Poyson of his practise let him stop his eares from the Charme of his wordes Howe many flatterers haue accesse to a mans person euen so many spyes and enemyes doo enuyron his estate and life The Fowler counterfetteth the laye of the Birde but it is to bring her to his Net the Scorpion smiles with his countenaunce but it is to strike with his Taile The
them If to men vsing great estates and offices be reserued an vniuersall reuerence What lesse honour is due to him that makes them worthy of it and by his industry brings them into the merit of such high calling If wise and learned men be famous through the world for the benefites that growe by their counsell commaūdement and authoritie is there lesse dutie of renoume and immortall praise to such as are the authors of those benefites by their learning If men learned in the lawes profite so much common weales If Phisitions be so necessary for that in them resteth the cure of bodies If lastly by the deuines wée finde comfort to our heauie soules how much are we bound to such as are the first causes of these deuine fruites who are the schoolemasters without whom and the foundation by them layed in those doctrines they had neuer ascended to those seates of honour when we sée a goodly building so excellent in beautie that the worlde giues it singuler estimation what can we ascribe lesse to him who laied the foundation and raised the worke to that excellencie then the principall praise For if faire delitefull and profitable workes be so generally praysed nothing lesse is due to the hand that fashioned them Who delites to behold a goodly picture doth great wrong to the painter if he ascribe not much to the commendation of his skill yea if there were layd on but the first coollers yet the beholder ought to be thankfull to his industrie and labour But if such as nourish our mortall bodies deserue great affection memorable renoume much more are we bound both in loue and perpetuall dutie to them that minister foode to the immortall spirites of little children if so great reuerence be reserued to Phisitions for helping the health of bodies which one day must die notwithstanding Is there not more merit of honour to such as cure our soules of immortal diseases The scripture pronounceth many textes to the shame of those which despise scholemasters of which profession Christ séemed to make his Apostles when he spake to Peter if thou louest mée féede my Lambes What other thing is it to féede then to nourish teach in good doctrine and the Lambes of the flocke of Iesus Christ according to the natural propertie of speaking are young children whom he holdes no lesse deare then his proper fleshe I saye not that vnder that name are ment all sortes of people and yet it can not be denied but that those littleones deserue chief instruction For S. John after he had taught in diuers countreys being compelled to leaue them for a time and go elswhether by speciall writing sayd to the little ones comfort your selues O ye young ones in that you are by the grace word of God strong and vertuous for that the woord of God remaynes in you and that you haue vanquished the wicked spirit through the grace and merit of Iesus Christ Yea Christ him selfe caused the little children to come into his schoole blaming the Apostles being yet of the flesh by cause they let those littleones for comming to him as though he would not haue taught and holpen them aswell as euen the greatest but he commaunded to bring them to him and pronounced them in that instruction and imposition of hands which hée gaue them worthy of the kyngdome of GOD saying that to those and such like the euerlasting worlde belongeth Then such as receiue little children into discipline exercise the office of Iesus Church the same sturring vp the Bishops in old time to take into charge of discipline and teaching little children as also did both the one and the other S. Iohn and the Prophets had many disciples who otherwayes were called the children of the Prophets it is written that many holy men went thorough the world to teach schollers with this intention that with the rules of learning they should also instruct them in the principles of faith and by that meane winne the Fathers mothers to Iesus christ amongest these Origen was not the least zealous and S. Gregorie the Pope refused not this vocation for certaine houres of the day For which considerations a certaine learned doctor of our time and chauncellor of a famous vniuersitie had no shame to go thorow the Colleadges of the vniuersities at certaine conuenient houres and teach little children in familiar doctrines which he did for the loue zeale of God And being oftentimes reproched by other doctors that he shewed an example vnworthy his place specially for that there were sufficient tuters to that purpose he aunswered that they were as fleshly doctors resembling the Apostles not yet in full libertie of the spirite who by glorious opinion forbad little children to approche neare to Iesus Christ alleadging that there was no dutie of accesse to him but by those that were graue I aske of those fleshly doctors whether the shepeheard that kéeps the Lambes of a Father of houshold do not as good and agréeable seruice to his Master as if he had in charge greater shéepe If a Father shew more deare loue to his little children then to those that haue riper age foloweth it not by congruent reason that such as giue succoures to those little ones and kéepe them from daunger deserue better recompence of the Father then if they had done seruice to his greater sonnes If the little plant in the garden of any Farmer be so much cherished that the eye of the owner is seldome from it hée then that watreth it prunes it and defends it from the cropping of beastes and other iniuries what seruice doth he to the owner Yea what greater pleasure can he do to the Farmer whose young plant without this industrie were subiect to spoyle without hope to yéeld any fruite euen as if the little Lambes of the flocke were lost and the young children corrupt there were no exspectation of restitution of that losse and corruption The schoolemaster then hauing in charge these little lambes of Iesus Christ and the preparing of this tender plant of his gardeine which is the Church and lastly the leading of these little children being the delites of the Lord how acceptable is his loyall and diligent seruice to his Lorde and to God And if such as sclaunder these little ones through wicked doctrine example deserue to haue fastened to their necke a milstone and drowned in the bottome of the déepest Sea What recompence or reward is due to those tutors scholemasters by whome those littleones are instructed and led in example of all holines Are they not worthy as Daniell sayeth to shine as the firmament and starres of heauen in euerlasting glory and to be called the greatest of the kyngdome of God Yea according to Iesus Christ euen the most happie of all And if euerie one ought to receiue the reward of his trauels as there is no estate of more hard laboures more great paines more perpetuall perplexeties and
more often reproches yea being euen as little martyrs so there is no profession wherein are lesse faultes For the Masters séeking but to comunicate their learning with their disciplrs neuer endure their vices if they speake euill they correct them if they do euill they are punished they neuer giue them libertie of idlenes though they allow times of necessary recreation In this estate is nothing but chastitie for which cause they are called Pallas and the Muses being Mayds by which occasion not without cause the Poets fained Pallas the Goddes of wisedome and mayde with hir nine mayden sisters the Muses who also as they signifie the exercise of sciences contayning in it virginitie and perpetuall honestie so they are called sisters as being all of one mutuall societie and indiuidible coniunction There is no thing but vertue and godlines in a schoole and therfore it deserues well to be called a religion if in any bookes of the pagans there be wordes vnciuill bearing to vnchast loue or expressing nombers of Goddes the schollers are aduertised by their tutors that they are spéeches of infidelles which knew not God and therfore in taking the rose they may leaue the thornes and being taught the good they are also warned from that which is euill What resteth now more to be alleadged of these detractors and scoffers of the estate of schoolemasters so noble and happie and almost the generall cause of all the benefites that are done in the worlde where they being men of vaine and light spirites are also a people vnprofitable and a burden and charge to the earth Rattes and deuowring vermin of the garnors of good men bycause they haue not passed by good schooles where with ciuilitie in spéech and life they might haue learned some Art profitable to their countrey and honorable to themselues when they die they cannot leaue any testimonie that they liued vppon the earth for that to them posteritie can prescribe no memorie of god These scoffers by contempt call schoolemasters Magisters and Dominos which turnes as a glory to them for that they haue those names common with Iesus Christ saying to his Disciples you call me Magister and Domine sum etenim so schoolemasters are Magistri by the state of their teaching and Domini for that they commaund their disciples and giue lawes to their affections and lustes where those dispisers of good men for whom according to Salomon the terrible iudgements of God are prepared are thralles and slaues to their passions yea it is to be feared that they are euen the bondmen of Sathan whom they obey and are the executors of his commaundements whereof the greatest and most pernicious is to contemne the good sort and vex with violence and wrong men of learning and vertue being an estate that most batter the kingdome of Sathan bring ruine to his tirannie But notwithstanding their scoffes and vaine impediments they are both Lords and Masters as exercising both authoritie and discipline in their iurisdiction of their small common weale aswell as the greatest Magistrate of the earth and to scoffe with those scoffers we may say they haue their scepture in hand with distribucion of high inferior Iustice for they condemne iustefie and absolue when they condemne there is no appeale yea there is such direct pollecie in their coÌ„mon weale that it suffreth neither disorder nor confusion where it is hard to these inciuill iesters to put order in their small families compounded perhaps but vppon two or thrée persons but crying some times as the blind man wheÌ„ he hath lost his staffe strike sometimes without measure or reason reaping by their disorder a gréeuous curse to themselues and families whereuppon is no great cause of merueile for that being not hable to gouerne themselues for want of discipline they haue lesse capacitie to rule others For end let them remember the sentence of Seneca that euill doth he merit to commaunde others which hath not himselfe liued long vnder the discipline of good Masters and learned to obey their commaundements So that with Salomon I may aunswere them at full that a wicked man can not but leade his toung in wickednes and who abhorres good men are detested of God. An exhortation to young children to studie Chapter xiiij MOreouer waighing with the comon benefitts comming to comonweals the sweet profitts that growe to singuler men by learning I exhorte all young men to the studie of the same their nature speciallie inclining and their abillitie consenting making coÌ„scieÌ„ce to lose one only minute of time according to the examples and counsel of Theophrastus and Plinie Whereof as the on in saying time was a most precius expense signified the no more ought men to consume vainly the least parte of time then to make prodigall expenses or wast of a most delicat meate so the other held all times lost which were not imployed in studie the same being the cause that he would not suffer his reader to repeat to him one word twise alleging that it hindred his time to passe further and learn that which yet he knew not where â—he consented with the moste part of all wise men whose opinions were that in all things ought we to be liberal sauing of our honor time in which two things being so precious we ought to be so sparing as not to be prodigall in eyther of them not to our very frinds But to come to knowledg and vertu they must first demaund them of God who is the only disposer of theÌ„ the lord sayeth Salomon giues wisdom and knowleg and discresion comes from his mouth who hath néed of wisdome let him aske it of God sayeth S. James who giues it abundauntly and reprocheth none of that he giues them but enioyneth them to humilitie for on the humble and méek he bestowes his grace secondly it is necesarie to take suche masters as we haue described good learned diligent and discret Thirdly ther must be aplied great labors and seruis trauell which abeit séem heuy and painfull at the beginning yet after the first taste be past they shall féele a most swéet iuyce or likquor in the frute of lerning for which cause Jsocrates resembled learning to a trée whose root is sower and the barke bitter but in the frutes is a most pleasant delightfull tast Plutarch wills men not to stick at the labor that brings any great or excellent benefitt for with the infinitt and glorius recompence afore God and the whole worlde of suche labor the custome of those paines makes the burthen easie which was right aptly aduised of Cato that vertu hath hir exercise in hard trauells which passe away but the frute ther of remaines eternall being a perpetuall inward delight of the mind of man Therfore muche less that labor ought to terifie or with draw young witts from studie but in the consideration of knowledg accompanied with profitt pleasure glorie and immortall name ther is great cause to
children ought to execute his authoritie and suffer in them no impunitie of vice such commission was giuen to fathers and mothers by the law that if they vnderstoode their sonne to be disobedient or rebellious they ought to produce him into iudgement prosecute him to sentence to be stoned where the father and mother ought to cast the first stone against him But as the father is bound to seueritie towardes his children that are arrogant disobedient and corrupt so to such as are humble obedient and of most seruice to him Christianitie and natural office bind him to more franke curtesie and cōsideration So did Noe reknowledge Sem and Japhet by blissings because they had bene his good and faithefull children Abraham for the obedience of his sonne Jsaac made him his heire giuing but legacies to his other children And Iacob recompensed Ioseph with porcion double aboue the others Touching Maydes the scripture enioineth parentes to kéepe them short to haue their eye continually vpon them and neuer to accustome them to familiaritie for that sexe without subiection in youth beares a nature easie to slyde and is frayle aboue all other creatures more daungerous to be preserued thē any other brickle vessell Dyna went but to visit the maydes of the Citie of Sichem and was forthwith rauished by the prince of the countrey Thamar Dauids daughter going onely to comfort her brother Ammon whom they sayd was sick fell into violacion of hir bodie many there are of whō nothing is more required then opportunitie to expresse their corrupt willes for which cause it belonges specially to the mother to giue them no libertie out of her companie nor licence to speake to men without testimonie For there néedeth but one woorde to infecte a mayd as one word of the serpent was sufficient to seduce Eue notwithstanding hir wisedome A mayd is as a brickle glasse which as if you touche but with your least finger it is enough to make it fall and breake so the very type of a wicked toung suffiseth to entyce to euill a young maid being not instructed in the feare knowledge of God so daungerous saith the scripture is the virginitie of a maid therfore according to Salomon that father doth a great work when hée marieth his daughter And in the mean let him kepe hir in extreme subiection feed hir in sobrietie kepe hir in expresse exercise of some worke of the hand the better to restraine hir from thought of euill if they be pore let the parents prouid some occupation which with diligence and chastitie is a rich dowrie in mariage And to the riche science and labor are occupations necessarie to draw the mind from foolish and vaine thoughts for end as ther be sixe things to kepe maids from corruption doctrine shame feare subiection sobrietie and perpetual trauell So in the consideration of the charge of parents to their children let fathers remember that séeing they know by faith that they are ordeyned of God to serue him in propagation noriture and aduancement of the children which he giues them for they are as his ministers and lieftenaunts in that behalfe let them raise themselues to him in faith and hope that he will neuer abandone them seing the children do more aperteine to him then to them as hauing endewed them with a soule the figure of his deuinitie forming their bodies of wonderfull composition created infinit sortes of creaturs for their sakes let fathers confesse that they are but as nurses to God norishing his proper children and administring his seruice in those acts so deare to him they haue to receiue of him perpetuall rewardes if ther be honorable recompence in a king or prince of the earth to a comon nourse ministring noriture to the kings childe according to the will and prescript of his father Much more suretie haue fathers by their Faith ioyned with prayer that the heauenly King touching the necessities of common life will neuer for sake them if they norishe and féede his children according to his will and to his honour for that he neuer sendes children without Fatherly prouidence for their aduauncemēt By the same reason let fathers take héede that they suffer no vice or deformety of manners in them séeing that as God is pure holy and vndefiled so hee hath giuen children to fathers to fashion them such one 's for him wherein if they faile he will repute them as principall authors of their faults and with their children hold them guiltie in his terrible iustice Therfore let them not pamper nor corrupt them with wanton libertie let thē not make Idoles of them in the intrales of their hearts nor damne them selues to raise their children to riches and estates which they haue not deserued whereby perhaps for recompence they wyll procure perill to their liues But let them only obserue the will and prescript of God present them to him in the institution which he demaundes at their hands hauing no commaundement of him to make their children great Lords but rather men of honestie then possessers of great wealth which being duly obserued of fathers in the institucion of their children encreaseth the honor of their houses and bringes a recompence of eternall glorye to their whole posteritie ¶ In what dutie children are bound to their Fathers and Mothers Chapter vj. THE Scripture by many commaundements bindes children to honour and obey their fathers and mothers And by all right of nature and lawes humaine Ciuill and barbarous they are enioyned to disobey them in nothing I meane concerning humane honestie naturall dutie and diuine ordenance For if the commaundements of Fathers and mothers stretch to other things they abuse their authoritie séeing as I haue sayd they represent God in earth in the procreation and noriture of their children as the ministers of his prouidence and will and therefore their commaundements ought to agrée with the prescript rule of Gods will. And touching the disobedience of the child to the Father mother it is well expressed in the lawe of GOD giuen to Moyses how grieuous that disobedience was béeing commaunded to stoning euen a like punishment as if the disobedience had ben don against God as in déede the transgression and faulte retorned against the same Lord who being the great soueraigne Father hath ordeined this father fleshly in nature as his Liefetenant and executor of his will he cursed likewise the child that was guiltie in disobedience as in the lawe naturall Noe punished his sonne Cham with curses for that he mocked him which God ratefied Jacob depriued his sonne Ruben of his discent bycause he did outrage against him The Scripture afordes many curses to the child that either in act or word disobeyeth his Father and Mother and the Sonne that scorneth or disdaineth either of them is iudged worthy that the Rauens and crowes picke out his eyes meaning that in no sort such one deserues the vse of common light nor
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
serue GOD according to their vocation which is in his feare to folow with faith and diligence their trades with out vnlawefull affection to other mens goods not to doubt but God wil blesse their labors and sanctifie their profession according to his promise and not obserue the example of many now a dayes who being drowned in the pretence deuice to gaine haue no other cares day nor night but on their traffikes thinking on them euen till they dye yea some haue bene séene counting their Crownes at the verie instant of death dying euen with bargains in their mouthes A time wherin aboue all other men ought to rayse their eys their handes their harts to God not to tourne their contemplation from him to thinke vpon the goodes of the world which in déed at no time ought not to be estéemed but as instruments of vertue and means subsisting life with out other affection least they leade them in to the vice of Idolatrie and so make marchants vnworthy of the name of Christians wher in albeit they are not without infinite reasons for their defence yet pertaking with Infidles and Pagans and tending to iustifie their wicked couetounes I leaue them to the warning of their proper conscience which being touched with grace can holde no societie together no more then a weake stomacke can brooke a corrupt medicine with out casting it vp There be great Marchants which séeme to aide inferior occupiers but it is to eat them vp altogether as such as deliuer money afore hand to poore butchers bakers and bruers and receiue it againe in prouision of flesh bread and béere which wéekely prouision eates in effect the very profite of the poore occupier the same trade also is common to retaylers with their countrey chapmen by credit who being halfe falne much lesse that they are remounted by such weake handes who notwithstanding are bound to raise them by Gods ordinance but of the contrary are vtterly troden downe and so pinched by these great byting marchaunts that they are driuen to enter into fraude swearing lying other marchant shiftes to helpe their gaine But touching shift deceite and suttletie they stand vppon so many kindes and maners that they are too infinit to be rehearsed so sufficient is the wicked nature of man to cōtriue sleightes to hurt his neighbour And if a poore man séeke his reasonable remedie by the law he were better to rest beguiled then ioyning losse to losse heape his vtter vndoing by following the delayes of the law For after the marchaunt as the Jtalian saying is hath presented the Iudge with a golden combe for his siluer beard it is a charme against the poore occupier who either can not be heard at al or els wil be perswaded that the communitie of the case makes it tollerable Bakers haue many waies to abuse the world in their trade subborning many intollerable suttleties Bruers also and drawers of wyne are not without their deceites who for the better tast and sale of their wine forbeare not the confection of things which to rehearse is no ciuilitie of which are bred many diseases as corrupting poysoning the intralles of such as drinke them Butchers blow vp their meate to make it séeme full selling as much winde as flesh Fishmungers Cookes with any other that trades turnes the penie are not without their artes to beguile the eye the eare the hand the mind the reasan and the iudgement of the buier which suttleties in their seuerall parties are so much the more damnable by how much they are eyther dissembled or iustefied by such to whō belongs the reformation of abuses the rather for that in them God is gréeuously offended our neighbour endamaged euill example suffred vice norished and fauoured with impunitie and in the end vengeance executed of priuat authoritie for want of publike iustice Marchaunts haue speciall example and commaundement not to deceiue in these wordes of S. Paule take héede saith he you circumuēt not your brother in any busines or traffike not selling vice for vertue nor that which is naught for good wares The deceitfull ballance sayth Salomon is abhomination before God and the iust waight is according to his will Let thy ballance be euen saith God in Leuiticus thy waights equall thy bushell and thy measure al one And if we shal be measured with the same that we measure others such as haue giuen wicked measure how shall they be iudged Let euery occupier vse the same reason to a child ignorant in the value of wares which he would administer to an other fellow marchaunt of the same trade To deceite in bargayning is added a custumary vanitie of many wordes lying swearing and forswearing And since by the scripture we stand in daunger of sentence for euery idle and vntrue word how perillous is the state of them who enhable the value of their wares with othes lies specially séeing the lying man murdreth his soule And who sweareth vntruly without necessitie puts the name of God to blasphemy doth wrōg to his neighbour and sinneth against his conscience For which cause the wise man sayth he found two things very hard and daungerous that the traffiker or marchant could hardly kéepe him selfe from deceite and the retailer which is the regrater could not be iustefied in his word which vice as Tulli sayth though it spredes commonly thorowe the whole course of marchants yet it is most in custome with the inferior sort who buy in grosse to deliuer to others by retayle to whom I wish such rigor of reformation that the abuses the endamage thereof might be restored by present satisfaction so would the example be a terror to others whereby God should not bée offended the neighbour hurt nor them selues in miserable perill of perpetuall sentence And so leauing the abuses of all other estates to the censure of the lawe if by conscience and Christian warning they will not bée reclaimed I will end with husbandrie whereunto is ioyned the state of a pastor to helpe to norish man as Cayne was the husbandman and Abell fed cattell in the féelde In husbandrie I thinke is least guile for that he tilles his ground and laboreth his viniard with simple industrie only his abuses may be in these thrée manners if he present not faithfully to God the first or chief of his fruites which was the error of Cayn and therefore God receiued not his presents for that they were not offred with good heart but complained and grudged with that which he gaue to God where Abell offring willingly in sacrifice his best and fattest lambes God as séeing into his sincere heart beheld him and his presents accepting them as worthy to be receiued of him The second fault may bee if he pay not his tenthes in the name and by the commaūdement of the great God to entertaine his ministers God sayde by his Prophet Malachie that he had iust reason to be