and suche others as you are delite very little to come vnto YOVTH I dare holde a ryall you meane the Church AGE You had monne your wager if you had layde it is euen the very same place that I meane YOVTH That place is more fitte for such olde fatherly men as you are than for such yong men as I am AGE The place is fit and open for every man to come and resort vnto of what estate condicion or yeares soâ—uer he or they be of YOVTH I graunt that to be true AGE Why then resort you not thither as you ought to do and frequent it oftener YOVTH I haue great busines other wayes for my profit in other places and therefore must doe that first which is the cause of my slacke and seldome comming to the Church AGE Christe biddeth you seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all those things that you neede of for your bodie shall bee ministred vnto you But I perceyue your care is according to the Portes saying O ciues ciues quarenda pecania primum est Virtus post nummos that is O Citizens Citizens first seeke for mony and after money for Wertue Take heede therefore least you be one of that crewe which S. Augustine exclaimeth againste saying O quam plures sâ—nt ex vibes qui prius tâ—bâ—rnam visitant quam templâ—n prius corpus reficittut quam animam prius Demonem sequuntur quám Deum O howe many are there of you which doe first visite the Tatertie then the Temple which dor first seede and refreshe their bodie then their soule which doe first followe and wayte after the devill then god ie Christe made a sâ—urge of small cordes and â—aue the byers and sellers out of the Temple but nowe I see that the Magistrates haue cause to make scurges with great â—ordes to wine and compell idle persons and buyers and sellers into the Temple YOVTH Cannot I finde Christ afwel in a Tauerne as in a Temple For he sayth Wheresoeuer two or three be gathered togither in his name he is in the middes of them AGE In deedâ— Christe is to be founde in all places and is amongst the godly and faithfull gathered togither according to his will for his Church and faithfull congregation is not tyed and bounde to any oue speciall place as the Donatists and Papists affirme but is dispersed uppon the face of the whole earth wheresoeuer I pray you howe can you say that you are gathered togither in Christes name when you doe all things to the disglorie thereof in breaking of his blessed commaundementes by your swearings drunkennesse ydlenesse violating the Sabboth daye neglecting to heare his worde and to receiue his sacraments and to resort to the house of prayer with the godlye congregation As God is neare to them that call vppon him in truth so is he farre from the health of the vngodlye and wicked Where did Joseph and Marie finde Christ when as they fought after him It was in no Tauerne or playing place but it was in the Temple disputing and apposing the Doctors ie To that purpose Saint Augustine sayth Quaerendus est Christus sed non in platea vbi est magna vanitas non in foro vbi est grandis aduersitas non in taberna vbi est summa ebrietas non in secularia Curia vbi est maxima falsitas non in schâ—lis mundanorum philosophorum vbi est insinita peruersitas Christis to bee sought for but not iu the streetes where is much vanitie not in the Iudgement place where is great trouble not in the Tauernes where is continuall drunkennesse not in the worldlye courtes where is great deceyte not in the schooles of worldlye Philosophers where there is endlesse contention YOVTH I perceyue that I haue ouershotte my selfe in saying and doing as I haue sayde and done yet I praye you gyue mee to vnderstande whye you are so desirous to haue hadde mee at Churche especiallye thys morning AGE Bicause I wishe your soules health YOVTH Was there a Phisition at Churche this daye that coulde minister any medicines AGE Yea that there was who hath ministred such medicines to our soules this day that no tongue can expresse the benefite we haue gotten and obtained thereby YOVTH Was hee a Phisition for the bodye or for the soule AGE You may perceiue by my wordes that it was a Phisition for the soule onely YOVTH So I thought for if he had bene for the bodie our Gentlemen and Gentlewomen with our rich farmours in oure parish would haue bene there although they had bene caried in Wagons or Coches AGE You haue sayde truth and the more to bee lamented bicause they feele not the disease of their fayntie and sleke soules nor yet remember the wordes of Christe that sayeth The whole neede not a Phisition but they that are sicke Therfore hee calleth by his Preachers all those that are wearye and laden to himselfe and promiseth to them that come that they shall finde reste vnto their soules This Phisicke is gyuen to vs freelye for nothing withoute anye oure worthynesse merites or desertes I woulde to GOD they didde feele their sickenesse then they woulde acknowledge it and make spede to seke for the Phisition whiles he may be found and labour for the life which shall neuer decaye nor perishe I praye God the olde Prouerbe be not found true that Gentlemen and rich men are â—enison in heauen that is verye are and daintie to haue them come thither YOVTH Do you meane all Gentlemen and rich men in generall AGE No God forbidde for I â—nowe well that there are a great number of godly zealous vertuous Gentlemen Gentlewomen and rich men which doe hunger and thirste for the aduanncement and continuall increasing of Gods glorie and hys kingdome to the vtter subuersion of all sinne wickednesse vyce and Poperie and also doe hunger and thirste to be at home in their euerlasting habitation prepared for the â—ed throughe the death and resurrection of Iesu Christ our only sauiour YOVTH I vnderstande your meaning very well howe you will vrge and persuade euery man to be a bearer of the sermons AGE You haue sayde the truth that is my purpose whole desire which with all my heart I wishe and pray for YOVTH The Church is no wylde Cat it will stande still where as it is and as for Sermons they are not daintie but very plentie and therefore no such great neede or haste to runne to heare Sermons AGE Although they are plentie God continue it yet you must not neglect to heare Sermons in sâ—ason and â—ute of season ie For it is a speciall argument that Christe our Sauiour vseth to discerne his children from the children of Satan by wheÌ„ he sayth he that is of God beareth Gods worde ye therefore beare them not bicause ye are not of god
neyther might or durste take some recreation For although we ought to apply al euery our doings to the glory of God edifying helping of our neighbours neuerthelesse whē we take our honest recreation to maintaine and preserue our vigour and health or to recouer our strength or to refreshe vp our spirites that we may afterwarde the more cherefully and freshly go about that businesse that God hath called vs vnto and doe it the better The same in the ende redoundeth to the glorie of God whome we shall by this meanes be more able and readye to serue and also to seeke our neighbours furtherance and profite I doe not then forbid or condemne all playe neither mislike that a faithfull Christian doe sometimes play and sport himselfe so that such play and pastime be in lawfull and honest things and also done with moderation YOVTH Then I perceiue by you that honest recreation pastimes and playes are tollerable vnto menne and that they maye vse and frequent it without fault or offending God or hurt to the profession of a true faithfull Christian. AGE If it be as I haue sayd moderately taken for recreation sake after some weightie businesse to make one more freshe and agilite to prosecute his good and godly affaires and lawfull businesse I saye to you againe he maye lawfullye doe it yet I woulde demaunde one thing of thee my sonne if thou wilt aunswere me YOVTH That I will. What is it let me heare AGE What weightie affaires and graue studies haue you and your companions bene burthened withall Hath it bene studying in your bookes eyther in giuing counsell and aduise for gouernement of common wealths or else in labouring and toyling in your handie craftes and vocation for the sustentation maintenance of your wiues and familie at home that you should haue such neede to consume this whole night for recreation pastime and vaine playes YOVTH I assure you good father Age my studie is not Diuinitie for I haue small learning nor yet am I anye Magistrate or labouring manne for in no wise can I labour I loue not to heare of it of anye thing muche lesse to vse it AGE Your father hath the more to aunswere for who is commanded by Gods holy worde to haue brought you vp as S. Paule sayth in the discipline and doctrine of the Lorde S. Paule commendeth Timothie that he had knowne the Scriptures of a childe and commendeth him that he hadde learned the faith that was in him of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice Whereby appeareth their diligence in bringing vp Timothie in godly knowledge learning and faythfulnesse in religion Solon the Lawe maker among the Ithenians made a lawe that the childe whose father neuer regarded to bring vppe his sonne in anye good learning or exercyse shoulde not be bounde to succour or relieue his father in anye respecte in what 〈…〉 hee were in Aristotle was demaunded what the learned differed from the vnlearned answered Qua viui à mortuis As liuing men do differ from the deade Therfore Diogenes said well Learning and good letters to yong men bringeth sobrietie to olde menne comfort to poore men riches to rich men an ornament c. Not without iust cause did Chrisostome saye Fathers are louing to the bodies of their children but negligent hateful to their soules Which is the cause that Ecclesiasticus sayeth If thou bring vp thy sonne delicately he shall make thee afrayd if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauinesse Laugh not with him least thou be sorie with him c. And where you say you cannot labor I tell you plainelye then are you not worthy to eate or drinke For he sayeth Saint Paule that will not labour ought not to eate that is to say sayth a learned man Nolite istos otiosos alere sed fame eos ad laborem cogite Nourish not among you these ydle loytering persons but compell them with very hunger to labour wherby you may learn that none ought to liue ydelly but should be giuen to some vocation or calling to get his liuing withall that he maye doe good vnto others also Thomas de Aquine sayeth Quinō habet exercitium vel officij vel studij vel lectionis periculosè viuunt otiosi They that haue no exercise eyther of office studie or reading these liue daungerously that liue ydellye Ecclesiasticus therfore sayth Sende thy seruant to labour that he go not ydle for ydlenesse bringeth much euill Cato sayth Homines nihil agende discunt male agere Men in doing nothing but be ydle do learne to doe euill Adam was put by God in Paradise it is added that he might dresse it and keepe it Teaching vs that God woulde not haue man ydle though as yet there was no neede to labour Also God sayde vnto Adam after his fall In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate breade Dauid sayth Thou shalte eate the labors of thine owne handes Salomon sayeth A slouthfull hande maketh poore but the hande of the diligent maketh riche You and such as you are esteeme your selues happie and blessed which may liue in wealth and ydlenesse But the holy ghost as you haue heard approueth them blessed that liue of the meane profit of their owne labours So that it appeareth of all things ydlenesse is most to be eschued and auoyded of all men especiallye of those that professe the Gospell of Christ bicause it is the fountayne and well spring whereout is drawne a thousande mischiefes for it is the onely nourisher and mayntainer of all filthinesse as whoredome theft murder breaking of wedlocke periurie Idolatrie Poperie c. vaine playes filthy pastimes and drunkennesse Not without cause did Ecclesiasticus saye that ydlenesse bringeth much euill Otium fuge vt pestem sayeth Bullinger Flee ydlenesse as thou wouldest flee from the plague of pestilence Otium enim omne malum edocuit Idlenesse teacheth all euill and mischiefe Bonauenture sayth Otiositas magister nugarum est nouerca virtutum Idlenesse is the maister of fables and lies and the stepdame of all vertue So Ambrose sayth Periculosa otia secura esse virtuti This secure ydlenesse is most dangerous that can be to vertue Therefore my sonne doe according to the olde Prouerbe Qui fugit molam fugit farinam Salomon reproueth such ydle persons as you are by sending them to the Ant saying O sluggarde go to the Ant beholde hir wayes and be wyse for she hauing no guyde gouernour nor ruler prepareth hir meate in the summer and gathereth hir foode in the Haruest Teaching hereby that if the worde of God cannot instruct vs nor persuade vs yet wee shoulde learne at the little Ant to labour and prouide for our selues and not to burthen others as Saint Paule sayth If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his housholde he denyeth the faith
to receiue the true faith and religion YOVTH They say that they beleeue well and haue the true faith notwithstanding AGE Hearke I praye you what Saint Cyprian sayeth to them Quomodo dicit se credere in Christum qui non facit quod Christus facere praecepit Howe can be say that he beleeueth in Christ that doth not that which Christe hath commaunded Whereby you may see howe wyde these people are from true religion It was well sayde of Saint Augustine Constat fidem stultam non solum minimè prodesse sed etiam obesse It is ' certayne that a foolishe fayth not onely doth no good but also hurteth Therefore if you and they repent not yee shall one daye feele the iust rewarde thereof when in your tormentes and endlesse paynes yee shall bee forced with the wicked in hell to crye and saye Wee haue erred from the waye of truthe and haue wearied our selues in the waye of wickednesse and destruction And wee haue gone throughe daungerous wayes but the waye of the Lorde wee haue not knowne What hath pryde done to vs or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought vs YOVTH I pray you what causes are there to moue and persuade vs that wee oughte to heare and reade Gods holye worde AGE There are foure principall causes YOVTH What are they AGE The first cause to moue vs to heare reade the word of God is the commandement of almightie God our heauenlye father which sayeth Ye shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him and shall keepe his commaundementes and hearken vnto his voyce Againe the Lord thy God will rayse vp vnto thee a Prophete like vnto me from among you euen of thy brethren vnto him shalt thou hearken c. This is my welbeloued sonne heare him c. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me c. The Scribes and Pharisies sit in Moses seate all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe c. If ye loue me keepe my commaundements c. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me c. The seconde cause is the ende that we were created and redeemed for that is to learne to knowe God to honour him worship him glorifie him to feare him loue him and obey him as our God and father as Chrysostome sayth Omnia condita esse propter hominem hunc autem conditum esse propter deum hoc est ad agnoscendum glorificandum deum c. All things were ordeyned to be made for man man was ordeyned to bee made for God to the ende to know and glorifie god c. So Dauid sayd I shall not die but liue and declare the workes of the Lorde So Paule sayeth Glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods. Againe Whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God. The thirde cause is our owne infirmities for that we are nothing we knowe nothing nor can perceyue any thing as of ourselues without the helpe of Gods spirit and the word of his promise Ireneus sayth Cùm impossibile esset sine deo discere deum per verbum docet Deus homines scire Deum When it was impossible to knowe God without God God by his worde teacheth men to knowe God. So Dauid sayeth that a yong man shall redresse his waye by ruling himselfe according to Gods worde His worde is a lanterne to our feete and a light to our paths c. The lawe of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lorde is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple the cōmaundements are pure giue light vnto the eyes by them is thy seruant made circumspect and in keeping of them there is great rewarde Saint Paule sayeth Whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we through pacience and comforte of the Scriptures might haue hope Againe The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of God maye bee absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes That is sayeth Bruno it is profitable to teache them that are ignorant so reproue and conuince them that speake against the faith to correcte sinners to instruct those that are rude and simple Chrysostome also sayth Quicquid quaeritur ad salutem totum iam impletum est in Scripturis qui ignarus est inueniet ibi quod discat qui contumax est peccator inueniet futūri iudicij flagella quae timeat qui laborat inueniet ibi glorias promissiones vitae aeternae Whatsoeuer is sought for saluation is wholy conteyned fulfilled in the scriptures he that is ignorant shall finde there what he ought to learne he that is a stubborne and disobedient sinner shall finde there scourges of the iudgement to come which shall make him feare he that laboureth and is oppressed shall finde there promises and glorye of eternall life The fourth and last cause is the sharpe punishment that God pronounceth againste such as you haue hearde declared before when we talked of Gods curses and plagues Christ sayth himselfe this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darkenesse rather than light bicause their deedes were euill c. Thus you haue hearde the causes why we oughte to heare sermons preached by those that preach Christ truly and to reade the holy Scriptures YOVTH These causes are excellent and of great importance and of necessitie to be considered of all men AGE You say truly they are so yet for your better instruction I pray you aunswere me to these questions whiche I shall demaunde of you YOVTH I will if I be able AGE Why doth God erect his throne amongst vs YOVTH Bicause we shoulde feare him AGE Why doth he reueale his will vnto vs YOVTH Bicause we should obey him AGE Why doth he giue vs his light YOVTH Bicause we shoulde see to walke in his wayes AGE Why doth he deliuer vs out of troubles YOVTH Bicause we should be witnesses that he is gracious AGE Why doth he giue vs his worde YOVTH Bicause we should heare learne and know him AGE Why doth he call vs by his Preachers YOVTH Bicause we should repent and so come to him AGE Why doth he gyue vs his sacramentes YOVTH Bicause they are seales of his promise that we shuld not be forgetfull of the benefites purchased for vs by the precious bodie and bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ. AGE Why doth God giue vs vnderstanding YOVTH Bicause we should acknowledge him AGE Why doth he giue vs a wyll YOVTH Bicause we shoulde loue him AGE Why doth he giue vs bodies YOVTH Bicause we shoulde serne him AGE Why doth he giue vs eares YOVTH Bicause
let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euery place for that is our portion and our lot Yet in the ende they shall be forced to say in bitternesse of heart if they repent not we haue wearied our selues in the waye of wickednesse and destruction but the way of the Lord we haue not known what hath pride and pleasures of our youth profited vs. c. Horrible is the ende sayeth Salomon of the wicked generation c. YOVTH All this I must needes confesse to be true that you haue sayde yet as Salomon sayth there is a time for all things a time to play a time to worke a time to builde a tyme to pull downe c. AGE If you confesse my saying to be true and yet doe contrarie you shall be beaten with manye stripes For as Saint Iames sayth To him that knoweth howe to doe well and doth it not to him it is sinne This he spake to such as sayde in hys time as you doe nowe that confessed what was good but they woulde not doe it And as for this place of Ecclesiastes or Preacher by you alleaged to maintaine your ydle sportes and vayne pastimes is not well applied by you For he speaketh of this diuersitie of time for two causes First to declare that there is nothing in this worlde perpetuall Omne creatum finitum est All things created be finite that is it hath and shall haue an ende So Seneca sayth Nihil est diuturnum in quo est aliquid extremum Secondly to teach vs to be pacient and not grieued if we haue not all things at once according to our desires neyther enioy them so long as we would wish and not therby to maintaine ydlenesse and vayne pastimes So may the Drunkerde Adulterer Usurer Thiefe c. with the whole rabble of wicked and vngodly ones likewise and to the same effect and purpose alledge this place and applye it for their practises as you doe for yours But Syrach teacheth you another lesson saying God hath commaunded no man to doe vngodly neyther doth he giue any man licence and time to sinne c. This doth well appeare by the wordes of Saint Paule saying Whyle we haue time let vs doe good c. Saint Ambrose vpon these wordes sayth Tempus enim idcirco conceditur vitae vt iam iustè versemur that is Time is therefore graunted vnto our lyfe that wee shoulde lyue rightly and iustly all the dayes of our life The godlye man hath alwayes sayde Veritas filia temporis est mater omnium virtutum that is Truth is the daughter of time and the mother all vertues And that no time nor houre ought to be spent ydelly appeareth by that Christe himselfe sayde The Kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a certayne housholder that wente to hire labourers into his vineyarde hee went the third the sixt the ninth and the eleuenth houre founde some standing ydle and sayde to them why stande ye here all daye ydle Goe yee also into my vineyarde c. Whereby it appeareth that wee oughte to waste and spende no time nay no houre in ydlenesse but in some good exercise c. as it maye onelye redounde to the glorie of the immortall name of God and profite of our neyghboures Uerye well was it sayde of one vppon these wordes that Christe sayde to them that stoode ydle all daye c. Tota die id est tota vita in pueritia adolescentia in iuuentute in senectute vobis nihil proficientes proximis non subuenientes Deo non seruientes hostibus non resistentes in posterum non prouidentes All the daye that is all the life to be ydle in thy childehoode in thy boyehoode in thy youth in thy age nothing profitable to themselues helpefull to their neyghbours not seruiceable to God not resisting their enuimies and lesse prouiding againste the last daye This made Seneca complayne that a great part of our lyfe perisheth in doing nothing a greater in doing euill and the greatest of all in doing things vnprofitable Chrysostome sayeth that we must be doing Corde mente ore manu corde credendo mente cōpatiendo ore confitendo manu operando With heart minde mouth and hande with heart in beleeuing with minde in pacience with mouth in confessing with hande in labouring So that you may well perceyue that to be ydle and doe no good is against the law of God the law of nature as Hesiodus sayth Illi pariter iudignātur dij homines quisquis otiosus both the Gods men detest those that are idle therfore was it said opēly Otiosos vagos solitus est appellare fratres muscas quod nihil facientes boni Idlers wanderers were wont to be called friers flees the are doing no good YOVTH Wil you haue no leysure times graunted vnto mā is it not a true saying Quies laboris remedium rest is the medicine of labors wearines Therfore breathings refreshings frō continuall labors must be had bicause it driueth awaye irkesomnesse gottē by serious toile doth repaire again that bodies minds to labor euē as too much bēding breketh a bow so to be addicted perpetually to labors neuer to refresh the minde with pastimes must nedes cause the minde not long to endure in earnest studies therfore it is said festiual dais in old time were inuented for recreatiō AGE Yes truly I do allow of honest moderate good lawfull actiue exercises for recreation quickning of our dull minds And where you say that holydayes as they are termed were inuēted in old time for pastimes I think you say truth For the Pope appointed them and not God in his word and that only to traine vp the people in ignorance ydlenesse whereby halfe of the yeare more was ouerpassed by their ydle holydayes in loytering vaine pastimes c. in restrayning men from their handy labors and occupations S. August speaking of the abuse of the Sabboth day sayth It is better to dig go to plowe on the Sabboth day than to be drunke and liue ydelly howe much more may we saye so of these festiual days neuer appointed nor cōmanded by God c. YOVTH If you do alow of exercises and recreations why then do you so bitterly inuey and speak against plays pastimes AGE As farre as good exercises and honest pastimes plays doe benefite the health of manne and recreate his wittes so farre I speake not against it but the excessiue and vnmeasurable vse thereof taketh away the right institution thereof and bringeth abuse and misuse and thereby is an hinderaunce of mans obedience to Gods word as it is seene in you this present day and therfore they are rather chaunged into faultes and transgressions than honest exercises for mans recreation Therefore we must in all our pastimes remember what Cicero sayth Non ita generati