Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	king_n	parliament_n	1,836	5	6.6012	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08566	The fiue bookes of the famous, learned, and eloquent man, Hieronimus Osorius, contayninge a discourse of ciuill, and Christian nobilitie A worke no lesse pleasaunt then profitable for all, but especiallye the noble gentlemen of England, to vievv their liues, their estates, and conditions in. Translated out of Latine into Englishe by VVilliam Blandie late of the Vniuersitie of Oxeford, and novv fellovv of the middle Temple in London.; De nobilitate civili et christiana. English	Osório, Jerónimo, 1506-1580.; Blandie, William.	1576 (1576)	STC 18886; ESTC S113632	145,792	234

cleare lighte and purchased true fame to his posteritie Now therfore it remayneth that we know by what meanes this so noble aduaūsing of his stocke and kindred maye happen to him who is the first rayser of his family to the highe princely place of honour Nobilitie No doubt that I may aunswere briefly by the same meanes whereby it is mainteyned and preserued But it is sayd before that Nobilitie is a kinred excelling in moste rare and principall vertues And those according to the opinion of Aristotle the moste learned Philosopher I accompt principall vertues which are occupied about the preseruatiō of cōmon societie through which also the safetie and securitie of men is best kept and maintayned But he which through priuate education is verye well trayned and well instructed with preceptes of moralitie may of good right be termed a good and vertuous man but yet by other qualities he shall neuer procure great prayse and worthynes except he applie them to the profite cōmoditie of the weale publique For if we were borne onely for our owne sakes and our owne cōmodities it were sufficient that we sought the aduauncement of our owne selues and the preferment of those which are conteined within our owne family But wheras we are moued by the instinct of Nature to helpe and profite other he seemeth beste to haue discharged the dutie to him assigned whose labour studye and diligence hath bin imployed in matters of great waight and importaunce to the benefite and wealthe of his natiue country Not for that truly that the vertue of any priuate man should bee despysed and set at noughte for by his good aduise and counsell if not all yet some parte of the common wealth as his owne house family is well ruled and ordered But wheras the vertue and wisedome of this priuate and peculiar man is conteyned wythin the bound and walles of his owne house and extendeth it selfe no further it seemeth good reason that the like honour and dignitie should not be due to him that is to some other whose vertues are founde more vniuersall and generall and whose minde is more occupied with the carefull cause of his common wealth For all men would not generally accord to honour reuerence a few except they did all manifestly perceiue thēselues in cases of great extremity by theyr greate paynes and trauaile to be assisted Therefore by knowledge of ciuill affayres and experience there was made a certaine entrie to this kinde of gentilitie THe chiefest and most principall part therefore of ciuil gouernement is iustice which hath in it selfe the greatest and most apparaunt shew of vertue The admiration whereof did in the beginning so greatly excite stirre vp the minds of men that they surrendered theyr goods and possessions into the hands of some especiall peeres whom aboue all other they did honour and reuerence For thus when we treate of vertue we vse to dispute The tyme hath bin when men like barbarians haue lyued in woods open fields and desolate places without politique rule ciuill gouernment neyther embracinge religion nor by mutual loue and dutie shewing theyr humanity Nothing was done in those dayes by due order of reason and discipline but most matters were executed violently whereas frantique and furious headines had the vpper hand Whē then robberies were rife murthers infinite those who in force and sturdines passed other would afflict and trouble iniuriously the weaker sorte and theyr whole lyfe compassed wyth innumerable mischiefes all they which had receyued the greater more greeuous iniuryes besought the assistaunce of some one man in witte and pollicy exceeding other whom they perceyued to be vnto the rest as it were a lanterne of Iustice a myrroure of myldnes curtesie This Patrone and supporter of right when he had taken on him the charge of those seely soules miserably suppliantly yelding themselues declared vnto them the earnest desire he had to take away pillages robberies to represse violent murders valiantly to reueng wrongfull oppressions and to sincke vnder like lawes both the mighty men simplet sort it came to passe that as many as tenderd their peculiar liberty and soughte their owne security and quietnes supposed him to be the defence and bulwarke of their safety prosperous estate whose fame moste flourished for iustice and equity From this fountayne therfore and head spring of iustice issued out the power and auctority of Kinges and the prerogatiue of princely gouernment herehence proceeded the high degree of Nobility herehence soueraingtie and the cause of all renowne glory was deriued so that there is no one stocke more aunciente or more excellente then the petegree of Kinges which through their owne vertue and valiauntnes abandoned al barbarous crueltie reducing the people to good order and ciuilitie Whose moste deuine nature Hesiodus hauing in great admiration in his Booke intituled the Genealogie of the Gods fetcheth the liue and descent of Princes from Iupiter himselfe Which opinion iudgemente of his hath ben also receyued of many in so much that they did most certainly surmise that hee coulde not but descende from the Gods which moste of all other excelled in vertue For it is reported that AEacus Minos and Rhadamanthus were iudged to be the sonnes of Iupiter they were so much of all men for their iustice magnifyed who as the Poets do fayne are sayde to appointe lawes to the infernal spirites So much did antiquity yea euen amonge the deuils and hellishe hounds beleue that seueritie of Lawes and force of iustice was expedient and necessary to restraine the vnbridled desires of a disordered multitude Pittacus of Mytilene was through his perfect skill and experience in iustice aduaunced to the highe estate of a ruler Which thinge also befell to Numa Pōpilius being at Rome for by vpright dealing and supportinge of iustice hee was thoughte and proclaymed by the whole consent of the Romaines worthely to succeede Romulus in the state of royal maiesty What needeth mee here to speake of Lycurgus Draco and Solon that I omit in meane while to make any mention of Mercurie Phoroneus and diuers other who haue beene longe time before which haue wrought the safegarde and preseruation of their Citizens by prescribinge lawes and ordinaunces and haue thereby bene aduaunced to great honour haue purchased to their posterity perpetual fame and memory Therefore to perswade our selues that no one vertue deserueth the like preheminence eyther is a like to be honoured it is hereby to be séene that each kinde of vertue beinge voyde of Iustice hath lost his honour and estimation whereas Iustyce alone secluded from other vertues reteineth still his especiall grace and dignity For profe whereof I mighte alledge a number of examples but because I meane to vse breuity I wil stande onely vppō two Aratus of Sicyon although him selfe held no Empyre yet through commendation of Iustice gotte such renoume that by the iudgement of al men

and brutishe testimonye Agayne by what reason may we deeme that the marcke and ende of al oure doynges whiche for it selfe sake is neuer desired but is euer referred to some other more absolute and perfecte ende And truely it is daylye experienced that al they that desire excedingly to be in aucthority and to be placed in an honorable seate in the common wealthe doe ambitiously seeke suche office and promotion especiallye for three causes For some desire highe estate for that when they are of a great power they may haue a free recourse to al kinde of pleasures and want no other cōmodityes necessary and incident to the life of man Secondely other couet the place of a magistrate that they may thereby be thought good and indued with some notable vertu For commonlye good opinion is conceiued of his prudēte pollicy and excellēt vertue which sitteth in place of great auctority For the vulgare people suppose that honourable offices are not bestowed on anye man but for some especial vertue and singular honestie Lastly they which are of more wysedome desire to haue the rule and gouernment of other for this onely consideratiō that they might in their office and gouermēt shew forth magnificente boūtefulnes in part such vertues vnto other as with which their mindes are frayght and singularly furnished For he that desyreth to reape that fruite that he ought to do of Iustice integritye and constancie can by no meanes purchase the same in more ample wyse then by that highe degre of honoure and dignity in whiche he may not onely much benefyte and profite himselfe but in greatest affaires may be a great ayde and assistance to all those citizens and neighbours wyth whom he is conuersante Therefore whereas some wayte for a place of honour to the ende they may liue licenciously ether that they might in deede through preheminence shew the true paterne of perfectiō they of al other are most ignorante whiche suppose in eyther of their desires accōplished that to bee conteined that of vs onely is and ought to be desired For as much the last desired ende hath no further relation but eache thinge for that endes sake is desired and laboured for Wherefore all kynde of pleasure perfett health and such lyke are to be numbred amonge the lowest and baseste sorte of goode thinges yf they deserue suche name or tytle at all For we may moderately sometymes desire auctority more moued therevnto through reason then prouoked by ambitiō that we may further the weale and profite of other not that we shoulde thinke them the rewarde of all oure well liuinge But I leaue to speake any more of the Phantasticall opynions of the people that I may march on apace towardes theym whiche haue professed theymselues guydes and instructoures of other in matters touchinge honestye and the good conuersation of lyfe Yet I promise not to cite all for it weere an endles labour to recoūte so many opinions as are in the mounments workes of Philosophers deliuered vnto vs But I wil passe ouer them with silence whose iudgement hath nothinge differed from the opinion of the common people For truly whereas they had defiled theymselues wyth all kynde of abomination they hauinge theyr sighte dusked with a dark cloud of filthines and shame were able to see nothing but that whiche apperteined to the lust and pleasure of the bodie or to outwarde gaine external commodity Wherfore I wil lett to speak of Cyrenaickes an obscure sect of philosophers Hierome of Rhodes Aristippus and the Epicure in whose bokes are cōteined both their opinions For it is vnmeete that they shoulde by any meanes be accompted amonge them that are famous and renowmed for their witte and learning THerefore that we may vnderstand what the opinion of the most renowmed Philosophers hath bin it is apparante that the Academickes and Peripatetickes haue sayde and affirmed that the nature of good thinges are deuided into three kinds In the first parte they accompte those thinges which poolishe adourne the minde which againe is sorted into two partes For one sort furnisheth the minde prepareth it to the searche and knowledge of many thinges the other instruct and enforme the will of man to all kinde of vertues whereunto we are ledde and induced by wysedomes prescription and moderatiō In the seconde place they accompte healthe and whatsoeuer maye keepe and preserue the bodye in his good estate and perfection Lastly all those thinges that happen vnto vs by fortune and casual aduenture they place in the last and lowest degree But when all these good thinges are happened vppon some one man they thinck then that blessed life is complete and perfect But so that vertue be embraced and the same continually exercised and put in vre but the good gifts either of the body or of fortune they should to that ende retaine to make them seruauntes and handmaids of vertue which shoulde waite vppon her at euery becke without the necessary helpes wherof vertue for all that could not commodiously and well discharge her dutie And Aristotle the beste learned Prince of Philosophers doth after this maner declare by definition what felicitie is It is sayth he an action of the minde consonant and agreeing to the prescript rule of the most excellent vertue exercised all the whole terme and space of the life of man And this opinion is likewise that that great and excellente vertue can in no wyse shine and shew forth his force if the body be either afflicted wyth any greeuous calamitie or the minde disquieted throughe the iniurie and malice of frowarde Fortune Neither is he by any meanes so to bee perswaded that hee maye suppose that life worthely termed a happie life which in processe of time maye driue a man to wofull waylinge and fall into miserable estate and extreme calamitie He hath therefore determined that whatsoeuer wee shall do and take in hande in this life shal be to this purpose that first the moste excellente vertues of the minde shoulde be soughte for and embraced then hee that desireth to obtaine felicitie shoulde bee so well prouided of worldlye substaunce that both hee maye in this life maintayne his countenaunce wyth credite and that the continuall practise of vertue do not cease by the meanes of pouertie and miserable penurie And that the power and abilitie which the qualities of the body and fortune do yelde should to no other thinge haue more especiall relation then to the maintenaunce of true worshippe and honestie And verily these thinges because they seeme to bee so sayd that they may moste fitly bee applyed to the life of man they are almoste so generally by euery mans opinion allowed that no mans iudgemente at this day is more vniuersally receyued For hee giueth to vertue the prorogatiue by the shyninge and cleare brightnes whereof all men well trayned and brought vppe are chiefly guided But when hee sayth that other good thinges both belonginge to the body and depending

writinges which may profit vs at all no dought nothinge For they bereue vs of the vse of reason Whereas they do vtterly abandon and as it were plucke vp by the rootes all kindes of affections geuen vs by nature wherewith sometimes we are quickned to the exercise of vertue Howe cleare and apparant that is I leaue at this time to speake For there is no man so very a dolt but séeth how contrary it is to mans nature and they that would driue into our mindes that astonishment which the Stoikes call tranquility doe not determine mans felicity but do vtterly extinguish and bury in vs all kinde of humanity That therefore that is so manifest let vs omit● And let vs consider howe profitable to the preseruation of the ciuill society of man that opinion is Put the case that a rumour spread of the enemy comminge doth wonderfully terrefie the Citizens The whole Cittie beinge astonied with feare taketh great care howe they may put from them the euell which maye ensue In this case the gouernours and cheife rulers will looke vnto the common safetye the moste couragious and lustiest men they will appointe ready in armes garrisons they will set in order all the reste for the power and abylitye that euerye man hath wil diligentlye bestirre themselues to dryue from theire boūdes the force of the enemye which as a mischiefe and that no small mischiefe they make accoumpte of But this great wyse man in that generall feare and horrour of all his country will not be by any meanes he which more will esteeme of this terryble tumulte then his owne pryuate studie and contemplation For why shoulde hee for a sorte of silye simplemens sakes withdrawe himselfe frō the study of wisedome he wil not do it in any wyse Nay whiche is more hee will not so much as chaunge his countenaunce in that greate hurlie burlye of the whole citty All this tyme he deludeth their doinges accompting thē very simple and ignorante whiche dreade that as a greate daunger and mischiefe which hee supposeth not to be accompted among the nombre of euil things At the length when he dooth see the siege layd agaynste the whole citye and the city to be set vppon wyth mayn force and that the chief rulers resist with might and main he cannot refrain from laughing to see the citizens with whom he dwelleth tremble and quake for feare sometymes to rūne all on a heape sometimes to runne giddily hither and thither and to trye and assay euery way how to remoue and put away the force of the enemy Nay a wyse man woulde thynke in ihis pityfull plyght and common misery he should take armes and presently encounter with the stoutest of his enemies not for that he lightly thinketh it a great and perilous mischiefe as through reason and iudgemente hee is leade and induced to beleue the same But let vs know I pray you to what end and purpose this Stoyck should take weapon For wyse men are neuer noted to be rash in their doings and hasty and what they take in hand procedeth of great iudgement and consideration Therefore for what cause chiefly should he take weapō in that kind of enterpryse Tel me I praye you should he for the assisting his neighboures and poore countryemen But for that cause he estemeth them onely miserable for that they are ignorant and caried away with vanity and errour of opinion Agayne that by the glimse and o●tw●rde shewe whereof he seeth them striken into suche a dampe of feare an euil thinge he can in no wyse accounte And albeit he confesseth it bee a sharpe showre yet not to be so muche regarded that for the peeuishe opynion of a sorte of fooles it should be so exceedingly feared Therfore lasely and slothfully not manfully and couragiouslye doth he thinke that in that perilous conflict and bickeringe he shoulde behaue hymselfe Then I pray you what great fruite bringeth this wonderfull wisdome or where shall he shewe that so singular stoutnes of an inuincible mynde I do think at the last this will be the end of this tragicall matter whē he shall see the City beaten doune to the ground when hee shal see all the treasure goodes and substance of the Citezens driuen caried away before his face he must shew himselfe suche a one as whom no sorrowe will daunte or dismaye no pouerty pinch no calamity crucifye but rather he vaunteth himselfe to be in bondage a kinge in extreame wante of all thinges a man stored wyth welthe in grife happye in misery florishinge and in good estate And that he mought proue the same and withdrawe his fryndes from folly in which onely hee reposeth the chife misery that maye happē to mā hee framth certain horned crabbed sophistical arguments wherby he woulde geue vs a cert●yne salue for the moste fonde opinion of his therby meaninge to proue death banishment pouerty lack of ofpringe contumelious reproche bondage not to bee accompted euill All these thinges to confesse the trueth are lustely and lostely spoken but the common socetye of men reapeth at al no fruit or commoditye thereby For if a mā be furnished wyth no other kind of skill and wysedome thē this it is not possible he should by wysedome preuent the imminent daungers of warre or wyth a valiant force or courage resist them that be present But paraduenture you will say This opinion auayleth much in thinges apperteyninge to ciuill affayres In what causes I pray you In publique matters Howe can hee vprightlye execute the office of a iudge or magistrate which maketh no difference of thinges doon in house of parlament or in place of iudgemēt which iudgeth him worthy of as much punishmente whiche hath but lightlye offended as him which hath most wickedly and abominablye destroyed his father What shal I stande in shewinge you that in priuate causes whiche happeneth betweene man and man it profiteth nothinge at all For how is it possible that hee wil haue compassion of the impotente pitee the afflicted succor the poore whiche holdeth hym that is mercifull a manne base minded and seruile Agayne may we thinke him apte to rebuke offenders and wicked persons sharply eyther to rewarde bountefullye men liuinge vertuouslye whiche is vtterly moued wyth no sence of loue or hatred And that I may knitt vp all in one woorde what shall hee profit the common sotiety of man which forgetteth himselfe to bee a man and in a maner diuorceth himselfe from humaine nature For the affections of the mynde are to be cutt of by reason not rashly to be plucked vppe by the rootes For the one is good and a profitable way and by wisedomes moderation maye bee obteyned the other maye in no wyse be compassed and if it might yet it were not so muche to be desired For all maner of vertue of what kind soeuer it be is at it were key colde and feeble which doth not spring out of a mynd stirred with most earnest prouocations of industrye and

armed wyth a wonderfull stoutenes and constancie of minde Therefore which of these two relligions would sooner allure men to the embracing of Vertue doth that thincke you which holdeth the weake and frayle nature of of man alwayes in suspence through the vayne and folish credite they geue to the litle stringes that are in the intrals of beastes to the flying of byrdes to the hyuinge of Bees and to such other fained monstrous deuises or rather that religion which so establisheth and confirmeth the myndes of mē that they would not be dismayd if the whole world should be turned vpside douē Further that religiō which with fond superstition sometymes doth hinder the course of perfect exercise of humayne vertue or that which with constancie proceedinge from vertue farre passing the credite of mā strengthneth the weake and soft nature of women and the tender yeares of yong children Finally is the religiō to be embraced which is not able to fortifi the mindes of men with any assured hope or that rather whiche sheweth foorth the helpe assistance of God with a moste certayne hope of immortalitye with an especiall loue towardes almightye God and with an earnest and feruēte desire of him who hath taught vs the perfection of heauēly wisedome and perfectly instructed vs to dispise al worldlye and transitorye vanityes But what neede I conuince with many argumētes either the impyetie or madnes of this most detestable vile caitife wheras both of those are so cleare and manifeste that nothinge is more easilye noted and espyed His wicked impyetie appeareth in that hee woulde seeke in suche order to stayne the honoure of Christians whiche hee woulde neuer haue done if hee had conceiued any good opynion of the Godhead of Christ His madnes appeareth in that he with so false so fond so ill codcluded reasons confirmeth his wicked opiniō But I knowe I haue longer stayed in this processe then per aduenture neede required Which if anye man thinke worthy of blame I would partlye he shoulde pardon my griefe wherewith agaynste hym I was wonderfully styrred And partlye that he shoulde thinke that that was not altogether impertinent to my purpose For whereas I enterprysed to set forth the honour and dignity of Christian noblenes and the Tuscā writer in a most barbarous kinde of stile endeuoured to obscure the same I thoughte good not to dissemble especially sith that I perceyued the nūber of them which either stirred vppe by his wrytinges or of theire voluntarye motion were partakers of his wickednes and fury were farre and wide dispersed Now therfore whereas I haue refuted they re broade and lauishe speaches and haue declared that whiche was cleare and manifeste that no dastardlye feare and basenes of abiecte myndes but al thinges righte worthy and excellent were to be founde in the profession of Christians and the whole order of this most holy disciplyne did excit men to valiantnes of courage and contempte of death yt was not beside my purpose makinge mention of fortitude that consisteth in martial affayres to refute in few their kynd of discourses which detest generally the noble knowledge of feats of armes and all worthye chiualrye as a godlesse wicked thing and quite repugnante to Chrystes commaundementes Firste therefore I can conceyue no reason why they shoulde despyse warfare when it is ryghtfullye begon and taken in hande in the defence of religiō wheras wee see it wonderfully extolled in innumerable places of holy scripture Which they do not denie but what say they manye thinges say they were conteined in the olde law which rather for the tymes sake were tollerated thē worthy due commendatiō As to make a diuorse to take vsury of forrayne countryes of which sort they saye is to make warre vpon our enemyes But what semblāce or similitude hath either vsuoye or diuorses with martial affaires For they were not commended but tollerated because of mens weakenes and imbecillitye But he that durst presume not to obey when commaundemēt was geuen to wage battale cōmitted an offence so hainous that he coulde redeeme the same by no satisfaction For in what place reade wee that it was decreed that hee should other abide a payne or be subiecte to a curse if anye man whereas after the first offence his wyfe committed it was lawfull so to doe did not depart from his wyfe or exacted no vsurye of forrayners and straungers But in many places wee haue well noted that men rauished and replenished wyth the holye spirite haue decreed that they should die the death which throughe cowardise refused to come forth into the fielde But what shoulde I in this place make mention of Debora who being inspyred wyth the holye Ghoste curseth them which for as muche as in them lyeth take not in hand the warres of the Lorde and inuegheth against their cowardise in sharpe and vehemēt words Againe they lay to our charge circumcision the offering vp of a lambe olde sacrifices which were in olde time with great deuocion kept and after the comminge of Christe lackte their wonted reuerence As though warrefare did any whitte appertayne to the ceremonies and misteryes of holy thinges and were not rather ordayned for the preseruation of the common wealth For those holy rights in which were foreshadowed the expresse signes and tokens of Iustice and saluation to be procured by our highe and mighty sauiour Christe after the comming of the thing it self which was by those signes declared were by good right and iust desart abrogated and disanulled But this cannot bee thoughte of the noble knowledge of feates of armes for as much as it is not comprysed vnder the nature of ceremonyes but embraced for the maintenaunce and preseruation of the common safetie and wholy appertayneth to ciuill policie And to confound those thinges which are to be distinguished it is eyther the propertie of extreeme madnes or an argument of wonderful temeritie and rashnes And whereas the estate of the commonwealth cannot be established but it must needes be stayed and as it were propped vppe wyth strength and force of armes for asmuch as all thinges in time of peace to be practised and exercised are vnder the tuition and defence of martiall prowesse he that taketh away the knowledge of feates of armes worketh the ouerthrowe of the cōmon wealth Which thinge if it had happened through Christian discipline then madde men moued wyth some reason might lay to our charge that some commonwealth by meanes of Christian discipline was ouerthrowen Which slaunderous accusation howe wicked and vaine it is we haue afore declared For Christ would not that the estate of ciuill pollicie should be ouerthrowen but rather established and confirmed And therefore as he hath not wrested the sworde out of the hand of a Magistrate so neither would he haue a souldiour to wante his weapon To the intent that the Magistrate beinge armed wyth auctority of lawes might with seueritie of the same lawes suppresse wickednes annoying the members and inward partes

of the common wealth the souldiar clad in armour might wyth dint of sworde repell and put a side from the commonwealth all imminent daunger For this cause Iohn neuer exhorteth men from applyinge themselues to the knowledge of feates of armes but prescribeth lawes vnto souldiours of harmelesse vsage and temperate behauour And Paule calleth those magistrates the seruaunts of God which wyth the sword punishe wicked and desperate persons Truly nothing were more hartely to bee desired of a Christian man then that all men woulde refrayne themselues from wickednes and sinnefull luste But forasmuche as that cannot alwayes fall oute and in steede of continencie vnbridled luste in steede of iustice either forraine force or ciuil broyles vse to aryse then of necessitie either the force of the ennemye is wyth weapons mayne strength to be beaten backe or the outrage of oure citizens with sword to be repressed That say they is contrary to Christian charitie As thoughe any kinde of cruelty were greater then to be dissolute and negligēt in a generall distresse and miserie Chryst hath commaunded that we shoulde bee reuenged of our enemyes No doubt it is the propertye of perfecte and absolute vertue when priuatlye wee susteyne wronges and iniuryes to shewe a singular and wonderfull patience of the mynde but when ether the common wealth and saftye of our countrye or the honour estate of religion is impugned thē agaynste outrage and villanye to take an inuincible stomach Chryst hath especiallye commended vnto vs peace No doubt that peace he hath commended whiche hee himselfe gaue vs which doth not cōsiste in pleasaunt reste and quietnes that mannes nature is prone to desire for who can suppose that he hath graunted vnto vs that kynd of securitye when he suffered his owne discples to be tossed as it were with troublesome waues of mannes outragious fury but that peace by the which we were reconciled into the grace and fauoure of God whiche had conceyued greate wrath and indignation agaynst vs and to whose religion our wilfull aypetytes were moste repugnāte These enmityes therfore and dislykinges betweene vs and God Christe as Paule testifieth in manye places with his own precious bloude hath done away and hath purchased for vs a peace continuall and euerlastinge The which we may then especially enioy when we most vehemently and egrely fighte other for the safetye of our country or maintenaunce of the sayth of Chryste and his religion Vnlesse paraduenture wee suppse that Abraham wanted the benefite of this peace at what time he gathering a bande of men of his owne domesticall seruauntes encoutred with a huge and puissante host of his enemyes and valiauntlye farre exceedinge the estimation of man vanquished fowre mighty Kynges and his enemyes beyng parte of theym slayne the other part put to the worse he caried away the spoyle Or if wee thinke likewyse of Gedeon who beynge garded onely with three hundred men of warre slew innumerable multitudes of his enemyes Agayne what thinke you of Iosua Moses his sucsessour what of Ieptes what shoulde I reherce manye other noble menne honowred as well for theire feruente zeale of religion as magnifyed for theire worthye exploites in martiall affayres May we think that they did offende God when they most valiantly set vpon theyr enemyes Or shal we not rather say that thē especially the peace of God tooke effect among them when in the cause of righteousnes agaynst Godlesse they waged battaile But what haue we to do say they with those examples of antiquitye They were Hebrues but we are Christians And are you still of this opinon that you will exclude oute of the numbre and from the worthy callinge of Christians those holye men who as I haue before declared were right good true worshipers of Christ and had receiued the same gifte and grace at the handes of God that we our selues haue receiued for what other thīg signifyeth that outcry The sword of God and Gedeon a gayne that place The spirit of god was poured vpō Iephthe and other like places innumerable but that not withoute the mightye power of Christe so greate warres coulde be takē in hand and dispatched Further what signifieth that out of heauen battail was waged agaynst thē the stars continuinge in theire order and in theire proper course fought agaynste Sisara but that the hostes of Heauen vnder the charge of Christ their captayne whom the holye scripture calleth lorde of hostes do fighte for the Godly against the vngodly and wicked Therefore there is no cause why we shoulde lightlye make accounte of those examples of vertue left vnto vs by those most holye men for a memorial to cōtinue with vs as lōg as time indureth For they are not to vs straūg exāples but properly belonging vnto vs and familiar as done by our owne auncestours to the imitation whereof wee must at length stirre vp our dull natures For I woulde not haue any man so weake-brainde to thincke that contrary to the will and pleasure of Christe which we know assuredly to haue beene don by his holye ayde and assistaunce and to the accomplishinge whereof it is most euidente that the valiauntest men of all haue bin with his voyce almost excited and stirred vp For to omitte Historyes of auncient time Constantine the Emperour ouercame Maxentius not so much throughe the multitude and nomber of his souldiars or strength of his hoste or his skill and experiēce in warrefare as by the furtheraunce and helpe of Christ whom at the very first onset he so terrifyed that after a moste shamefull sort he put him to flighte and made him ready to seeke his owne destruction in the ende compelled him to drowne himselfe in the channel of Tiber the riuer The which maruaylous and wonderfull terrour Christe himselfe stroke into the hartes of his ennemyes For whereas Constantine at that time thought very well of Christian relligion he saw almost at the very instant when he should encounter with his ennemy the ayre being most fayre and cleare the signe of the Crosse shyning marueylous brightly and hearde a voyce sent downe from Heauen declaringe vnto him that he should obtayne the victory if he would folow the crosse as the ensigne and flagge of God most high euerlasting From hence proceedeth the ground and cause that kinges and Princes especially in theyr Ensignes haue a crosse In this signe Constantine not onely obtained victory but reposed in the same the cause of immortalitye and euerlasting glory Hauing that signe caryed before him he put to wracke hostes of his ennemyes innumerable and did most largely extende the handes of the Romayne Empyre VVHat shoulde I speake of Theodosius Who had such a conflicte with Eugenius that he might easily perceiue that by the helpe of Christe himselfe present with him he gat the vpper hand Whych Emperour truly in one poincte was mutch to be meruailed at For at such time as others cherished their bodies with sleepe and delicious meats he