rest of their friends you shal therein doe God good seruice and pleasure vs al verie much Theodidactus The chiefest duetie of parents is that they carefully prouide to haue their children taught in the word of God from their infancie and to instruct them in their dueties towards God also towards themselues And séeing the darknes of mans mind is so wonderful it is necessary that parentes sée their children taught in the Catechisme that is to say in the true doctrine of the law Gospeh from their tender yeares that the holie Ghost may haue a place and instrument through the ministration of parents wherby he may infuse his gifts into the childrens mindes And thus shal they not only moue them with wordes but also stirre them vp by their good examples This is their vocation this is that duetie that God requireth of thē Therfore they shall indeudur themselues that they liue godly in the sight of God of their children that they be merciful gentle and louing vnto the poore not to care for this only that they leaue their children rich wealthie when they are at the pointe to die but rather that they leaue them to Gods prouidence for y e earth is ful of the goodnes of the Lord. And as Dauid saieth I haue béene young now am old yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor their séede neuer begging bread Theophilus I gather of your speech that God doeth exact of Parences that as by wordes so in like manner by godly examples they ought to instruct their children But what is there more required of good godly Parentes Theodidactus It is the duetie of a vigilant father or maister to be alwaies occupied with his children or schollers to spare no labour wherby he may make them learned hée shall admonish them often hée must chide them but not contumeliously hée shall dissemble sometime but warely Let him pardō them often but yet beware hée giue thē not too much liberty Let him be angry but yet moderatly Let him exhort them very often vnto vertue honestie good maners integritie of life of the excellencie of learning Seneca saith Imitantur facillimè puerimores quos in maioribus conspiciunt Children most easily immitate the conditions and behauiour that they see in their elders Theophilus What is the propertie of a true Father Theodidactus That hée bée iust and also of courage to defend his owne that he be liberal in helping those that are good chaste a hater of filthines true in worde and déede gentle not suspicious painefull and diligent in prouiding thinges necessary that hée loue his children with all his heart and be redy to bestow his life for them if they be godly vertuous and obeidient Hée may not bée busie in other mans matters but carefull for the good gouernment of his owne family Et senum officium est teste Cicerone iuuentutem amicos rempublicam consilio ac prudentia iuuare And it is the duetie of old men saith Cicero to helpe their young men freendes common wealth with their counsell Theopilus But forasmuche as there is mention made so often of a father of house hold or familie some will peraduenture maruell why wee did not define this worde in the beginning Theodidactus You shall heare what Augustine saith touching this definition Quilibet pater familias quia superintendit domui Epicopus dici potest Euery father of a family may be called a Bishop for bicause he hath ouersight and charge of the house For hée that careth not diligently for his family to ouersée instruct and teache them is vnworthie the name of a father much more vnworthie the name of a Bishop Theophilus What is one of the highest callinges and dueties amongest mortall men Theodidactus Among men there is none that hath greater power or authoritie from God than fathers for they are vnto their children princes Iudges Bishops and teachers Wherefore God hath giuen children a great charge and Commandement to honour their Parents Theophilus If parents haue receiued so great an authoritie from God than is it a great dignitie to be exercised among children Theodidactus You say very well For to be amongst children is to bée in the middest of Angels For their angels saith Christe doeth alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heauen If all parents dyd vnderstand this excellencie and dignitie giuen vnto them with what pleasure chéerefulnesse would they teach their children Theophilus With great pleasure no doubt But tel vs I pray you what and howe many offices ought the father to exercise at one time Theodidactus Thrée especially First of a godly Teacher as wée reade by the example of Toby who dayly taught his children the feare of God And againe hee must exhort them to goe to publike prayers sermons and when they returne home examine thē diligently what they haue chiefly noted in the sermon that he may know whether they vnderstand any thing or no Secondly he must take vpon him the office of a good Magistrate or iust Iudge so minister correction in time For if either sonnes daughters or seruants doe offend he must according to Solomons counsell correct them with the rod for if thou doest smite thy sonne with the rod he shall not die thereof thou shalt deliuer his soule from Hell Thirdly he must bee a faithful father gouerner of houshold y t can wisely as a good steward order all things in the house prouide for his family that they may haue wherwith to liue That he sée euery one do their dueties truly aswell children as seruants and that they may be truely recompenced for their paines with such like Theophilus What is more godly more excellent or more profitable then these fūctions duties Theodidactus Fathers of families shal diligently faithfully doe their duties cōmmaunded thē of God and aboue al things take heede that they trust not to their owne wisdome strength pollicie for y ◠rashnesse and arrogancie is not only incurable but also dānable But if thou be a Prince a Bishop Iudge or father of family bee not ashamed to fall downe vpon thy knées say O Lord God Almightie thou y ◠of thy great mercy louing kindnes hast appointed vnto mee the office of a Prince Iudge Bishop Pastor of the Church Magistrate father of family c. I most humbly beséech thée therewithal to gouerne to teach and giue mee counsell wisedome and power that I may bée able truely and faithfully to execute and performe the charge committed vnto me vnto the honor praise of thy most holy name and the profite of my Christian brethren Amen Theophilus Seeing that Parents ought not to put confidence in their owne wisdome strength for the gouernment of their families but rather desire the assistance of God much lesse ought they to instruct them after their owne fantasies Theodidactus This
begotten borne whom God nature neuerthelesse would haue beloued carefully regarded As these places also following doe manifestly shewe witnesse Thou that hast children saith Iesus Sirach Nurture them hold theÌ„ vnder froÌ„ their childehood he saith not Make them rich cocker them but nurture and chastise them And againe he saieth Teach thy some be diligent therin least it be to thy shame The whole Chapiter is worth the reading We finde a like commandement in SolomoÌ„ which saith Chasten thy sonne whiles there is some hope of his amendement And Saint Paule is not vnmindfull of this godly precept saying Bring vp your children in instruction and information of the Lorde Paule woulde haue young men and children brought vp first by instruction and then by correction in the Lorde which reasons and orders if they were of euery Parent diligently obserued it coulde not bée why at this day so many families vtterly spoyled and ouerthrowne should bée lamented Such is the infinite goodnesse care and great loue of God towardes vs who doeth not only send vs children but also most diligently setteth before vs the forme and order how we shall nurture and correct them Moreouer to these his holy precepts hée addeth most sweete promises by the which hée exciteth and stirreth vp the mindes of Parents vnto a more seruent care and these places which I wyll nowe recite in order doe truely testifie the same Nurture thy sonne saith Solomon with correction thou shalt be at rest yea he shal doe thée good at thine heart And againe he that teacheth his sonne is praised in him Hée that teacheth his sonne gréeueth the enimie and before his fréends he shall haue ioy of him But these are made more plaine by the Antithesis Amusus How is that I pray you declare it vnto vs. Theodidactus That is if wée put those places negatiuely after this maner Who so nurtureth not his sonne hath litle ioy of him is seldome praysed and giueth great occasion for his enimies to reioyce Amusus It is verie true and that doth dayly experience proue the same Neither doe I maruel that negligent Parents suffer many griefes and sorowes by meanes of their children for they bring great heauinesse and sorrowe voto vs also which vse the greatest care and diligence that we can in this that they may be godly and vertuously brought vp Theodidactus You say truely for Cain Ismael Cham and the children of Samuel Heli Dauid of many others be examples vnto vs but that I may returne to my purpose Yesterday with sorrowefull minde and great heauinesse you complained vnto mée that you coulde very hardly gouern your children although you did assay al meanes possible and that the matter shoulde come to chiding threatning and cruelt woordes but neither with threatnings nor with stripes onlie ought wée to deale with children but in a contrary maner must we deale with them For first children are to bee instructed with Godly admonitions and trained from their tender yéeres vnto the feare of God which aâ— Solomon witnesseth is the fountaine of all good thinges according to the examples of the Patriarkes prophets and other godly 〈…〉 which haue brought vp their children 〈…〉 and in the feare of God And as I socrates saith Non multâ—â—t exactâ— leges seâ— bona instâ—â—ta honesta disciplina mores iuuentutis emendant Not manie and strict lawes or rules but good instruction and honest discipline doe correct the faultes of youth Amusus I pray you rehearse vnto vs some particular exaÌ„ples of such godly men as haue taught their children the feare of God for men oftentimes take great profite by the number of examples Theodidactus Solomon confesseth himselfe y â— he was taught of his father saying I was y â— beloued sonne of my Father he taught me in my teÌ„der yeeres Tobias taught his sonne in the feare of God euen from his infancie The Parents of Susanna because they were iust feared God taught their daughter according to the law of Moses WheÌ„ Mathathias lay at the poynt of death hée instructed his sonnes in the feare of God by the examples of Abraham Ioseph Phinehes Iosue Caleb Dauid Elias Daniel with many others And thus you may consider thorow out all ages since the beginning of the world y â— whosouer put their trust in God were not confounded the mother taught her 7. sonnes in saith and constancie Timothie learned the feare of GOD from his infancie aswell with his Grandmother Lois as also with his mother Eunica And hée profited so excéedingly in the studie of the scriptures being but a childe that at length he proued a notable Preacher of the word of God So aâ—ayleable is the godly education of youth froÌ„ their tender yeres Also the example of Ioseph and Marie doth moue Parents not only themselues to be carefull in y â— studie of godlinesse willingly to they y e publick ministratioÌ„ in y e coÌ„gregation but also accustome their childâ—eÌ„ therunto so other parentes by their exaÌ„ples y â— they may warâ—e froÌ„ their tender yeres to loue religioÌ„ y â— true worship of God willingly to be present at publike prayers sermons that they may truely vnderstand the knowledge of the diuine misteries other wise how shal they gouerne their owne housholdes and families in the feare of God Amusus I perceiue now plainly that the sonnes are to be instructed very carefully but in the meane time what shal become of the daughters Theodidactus Iesus Syrach saith If thou haue daughters kéepe their bodies shew not a chéerful countenance towards them Marrie thy daughter and so shalt thou performe a weightie matter but giue her to a man of vnderstanding Amusus Truely it is very godly councel if so be parents woulde alwaies beare it in remeÌ„brance follow it But for the most part in the bestowing of their daughters sonnes no wadaies they rather regard wealth then wisedom beautie then bashfulnesse finenesse then fidelitie or any other good gifts or qualities either of bodie or minde Theophilus We haue heard of you that Solomon Tobias Mathathias other godly meÌ„ haue diligently instructed their children but to the end we might be the more coÌ„firmed if you haue any other examples I pray you recite theÌ„ Theodidactus Nothing more gladly Athanasius euen from his childhood was instructed in the Arts in y e studie of godlines he was very chéerefull willing to learne he had a meruellous quicke wit to iudge of most graue and waightie causes And therefore by Alexander Bishop of Alexandria he was receiued into the Church who for his excellent towardnes and the rare vertues which hée noted in him gaue him most louing and friendly entertainment Origen as yet being a child was exercised in the holy scriptures but his father was a great aide furtherance vnto him for the obtaining of the same for ouer
Theophilus It is very needfull that children first bee instructed in true religion and the sincere worshipping of God as you say and then exercised and practised in wisdome the vse of reason and honestie of life Theodidactus You vnderstand my meaning very rightly He shall hardly euer proue a good maÌ„ a wise man a profitable meÌ„ber vnto his coutrie commoÌ„ wealth which hath not béen accustomed froÌ„ his young teÌ„der yéeres in the studie of vertue godlines by carefull diligent instructioÌ„ And this is out of all coÌ„trouersie or doubt y â— no teachers of maners honestie of life also no instructors of godlines true religioÌ„ can be hoped for froÌ„ thence where there is no discipline godly instructing of children Therfore the first chiefest care is to béebestowed about the vertuous godly training vp of youth for because in y â— age the séeds either of vertue or vice once receiued after wards abideth foreuer Also Isocrates teacheth y â— it is not possible y â— a yong man haue any great studie or card of vertue w tout often profitable admonitioÌ„s And Plato saith NoÌ„ hactenus cognoui cui rei maioreÌ„ diligentiaÌ„ quisque adhibere debeat quà m vt optimuÌ„ filiuÌ„ reddat I haue not yet known wherabout a maÌ„ ought to bestow greater diligence theÌ„ that he might make his sonne vertuous godly Therefore if thou lonest thy soÌ„ne saith he haue also the chiefest care for his vertuous educatioÌ„ Erasmus saith y â— father w t desireth to haue his soÌ„ne not only like him in words feiture of face comely countenaÌ„ce the lineamentes and proportion of the bodie but also in inward gifts qualities of the minde so soone as he shall haue any aptnes to coÌ„cciue learning must diligeÌ„tly prouide to haue him taught in good letters godly discipline the wholsoÌ„e precepts of philosophy wherfore to the end thou maist be a true perfect father thou must bend all thy whole care study for the vertuous trayning vp of thy soÌ„ne w tout the which he shal reseÌ„ble thée nothing at al. And therfore saith Murmellius it is the determinate wil of God that parents doe bring vp their children honestly y â— they restrayn then with due correction froÌ„ liceÌ„tious liberty chiefly prouide y â— eueÌ„ froÌ„ their infanry they may be instructed in the principles of religion y â— by theÌ„ the glory of God may shine abrode be set forth vnto the posterities the common wealth duly executed the quiet frieÌ„dly society of meÌ„ preserued No horse willingly obeyeth his rider except he be first made fame geÌ„tle by the diligeÌ„t wise haÌ„dling of his breaker so is their no wit but y â— it wil proue fierce cruel outragious except it be famed brideled subdued by wholsoÌ„ precepts good education Theophilus You haue manifestly shewed by the authority of the scriptures that childreÌ„ are to be instructed haue coÌ„firmed the same by exaÌ„ples similitudes most cermine argumentes for the which we heartily thankâ—lyon And now I pray you shew vs how and at what age you woulde hate children instructed Theodidactus PareÌ„ts so soone as their children are able to speake euery thing plainly shuld instruct theÌ„ to cal vpoÌ„ God by praiers supplications â— by litle litle make theÌ„ vnderstaÌ„d the summe of the Gospel And séeing that children are a great part of Christs church let parents teachers know that there is no litle charge committed vnto them wherefore they ought with great faithfulnes diligence sée them taught and gouerned For Plaâ—ster beeing tempered muste be vsed and wrought straight waie because it waxeth stiffe drye very quickly so youth must be framed vnto godlines learning and manners before they waxe great rude and sturdie and then cannot abide nor suffer the hand of the reformer and teacher The plaister though it waxe hard and dry may be beaten watered and easilie brought to the former temperature but after that the wits of yong men be once infected and hardened with vices they can hardely be reformed Therefore parentes ought to be very carefull that they by and by instruct their tender youth for as the plaister or clay whilest it is moist may be wrought to what fashion or forme the woorkeman will haue it So the tender wits of yong Children are to be framed which way the teacher shal thinke good Paulus Vergerius sayth The foundation of good life must be laid in the young and tender age and the minde framed vnto vertue whilest it is yet fresh and apt to receiue any kinde of impression For yong age is very prone to sinne and except it be restrained by the examples of the elders it easilie waxeth woorse and woorse And Ioan Murmellius sayth children are to be exercised in good maners and the studies of learning from their tender â—eeres Ieremie saith O how good is it for a man to beare the yoke of the Lord euen from his youth vp Theophilus But to the end that we and our children might the better vnderstande you shewe vs by some other apt similitude that children are to be taught from their infancie Theodidactus It shalbe done Euen as the members of infantes so soone as they be be borne be carefully tended roled and swadled that they grow not crooked and deformed so is it meete that the manners of youth be aptly framed and fashioned in the beginning Wherefore the poet Phocilides saith Dum tener est natus generâ—sos instrue mores Whilest that thy sonne is tender and yong Teach him good manners and also wisedome If they haue once receiued into their tender mindes from their infancie good and vertuous instructions they wil retaine the same euen vnto their olde age but if they be neglected in their youth and so passe foorth vnto their riper yeeres then with great difficul tie grife and labour will they suffer themselues to be taught Imo saepius oleum opera perditur Nay often labour wilbe lost With all thy charges and thy cost For as it is truly sayd in the prouerb Colla canum vetera nâ—lunt attingere Lora The neckes of the olde dogges cannot abide the collers And trees when they beginne to waxe olde and take déepe rootes if after they be remoued doe seldome yéelde either profit or pleasure to the husbandman The wilde and rugged coltes prooue often the best horses if a man doe bestowe great paines and labour in their breaking Euen so we must deale with fierce and couragious wittes Wherefore there is no better nor surer way than from their childhoode and tender yeeres to haue their children in good and godly discipline trained and instructed Theophilus The studie theÌ„ of godly parentes ought to be this that they haue their children and family well instructed from their first yeeres Theodidactus Nay rather the principall parte of their paines and care
and neighbourhood amongest men Theodidactus O my Theophile there is nothing truer then this your iudgement which also may bée confirmed and prooued by many reasons and Argumentes and also by dayly experience it â—elfe For whosoeuer hath children not altogether foolishe and vnapt for the studie of the holy Scriptures and good letters and doeth not commit them to a skilfull teacher and instructer they doe most gréeuously offende they diminishe and take away the glory of GOD they spoyle the Churche of Apostles Ministers Pastors and Preachers and of other profitable and most necessary giftes For who so doth neither teache his sonne him selfe nor cause hym to bée taught and instructed of others setteth a great window wide open vnto the Diuell to put in practise any kinde of wickednesse hee prouideth to establishe the kingdome of Satan by any meanes giuing occasion to disturbe the kingdome of Christe and in the meane time doeth miserably deliuer into bondage and subiection of the Diuell himselfe the soules of very many For if we shall haue no preachers and teachers then of necessitie it must néedes followe that men shall fall euery where in moste pestilent errors and detestable heresies True faith the worde of God and true worshipping of God shall altogether bée confounded of the false faith superstition and false worshipping and séeme almost to bée vanquished and ouercome Furthermore the common wealth by this meanes doth receiue great ditriment perill danger and incurable plagues and punishments So that neither the Turke nor the Diuell himselfe can bring in or deuise so great perils sieightes and mischiefes to mankinde as hée which shall not set his sonne to the Schole being any thing apt to learning What can bée more pernicious what more pestilent what more cruell then such a Father Surely the Lorde God before whose eies all thinges are manifest will gréuously punish such a negligent and carelesse father without al doubt for suche negligence most hurtfull and dangerous to all mankinde which God who is a iust iudge shall not suffer to escape vnauenged Theophilus As farre as I can gather of your wordes children can scarsely haue a more wicked and cruel enimie then those Parents which doe not rightly discharge their duetie Theodidactus You haue hit the nayle on the head as they say The Iewes haue offered their children to Diuels Pharao and Herode were most cruell and tyrannous towards children and infants but parents which neglect their dueties in bringing vp their children or which doe corrupt and spoyle them that is to say doe not teache them the knowledge feare and loue of God are farre more cruell and outragious enimies For Pharao and Herod only destroyed the bodies of y â— infants young childreÌ„ but these destroy both body and soule And Erasmus teacheth in a certaine place that they are more brutish fierce cruel then they which throw out their young infants into any wood to be deuoured of wild beasts whose words be these Non satis est inquit filios genuisse ditasse nisi accedat diligens educatio parentes nec sibi nec filiis satisfaciunt Leges in eos seuiunt qui faetus suos exponunt in nemus aliqâ—od obiiciunt feris deuorandis at nullum crudelius exponendi genus quà m quod natura dedit optimis rationibus ad honesta fingendum id beluinis affectibus tradere It is not sufficient saieth hee to beget children and to make them rich except you ioyne therunto diligent and carefull education for otherwise parents neither doe good to themselues nor to their children The lawes are cruell vpon them which destroy their children and cast them in some wood to be deuoured with wilde beastes but there is no kind of destroying more cruell than looke what thing nature hath giuen to bee framed and facioned after a due fourme vnto honest and vertuous thinges to teach and bring vp the same in beastly affections If there were any woman of Thessalia which were able with her Witchcraftes and Sorceries and woulde endeuour and practise to transforme thy Childe into a Swyne Woolfe or other Beast wouldest thou not thinke her woorthie to suffer anye kinde of extréeme torment And looke what thing thou doest hate and detest in her thou thy selfe doest stâ—â—â—e by all possible meanes to bring it to passe thy selfe And Saynte Chrysostome sayeth Patres qui liberorum modestiam temperantiam negligunt liberorum sunt interfectores atque hoc grauiores acerbiores quod haec sit animi perditio mors Fathers which haue no care nor regarde to teache their children modestie temperaunce and suche like vertues are Killers and Mutherers of their owne Children and so muche the more horrible and cruell because this is the destruction and death both of minde and soule Theophilus Nowe I haue heard this I cannot sufficiently maruell neyther can I comprehend by any reason or imagination from whence in those which notwithstanding reioyce exceedingly to be called fathers such crueltie great vncurtesie doeth arise and growe Theodidactus It is indéede an horrible crueltie to kill and murder an Infant but it is a farre greater and more detestable and pernicious wickednesse not to instruct nor to chasten a Childe for not to teache and instruct children is vtterly to ouerthrow the Church of GOD and the foundation of all our Christian Religion because the whole force of the Catholicke Churche consisteth in the succession of our posterities which if they bee neglected in their young and tender yéeres become like vnto a Garden which in the spring time is not digged wéeded sowen and trimmed For where there is nothing sowen there is like to bée nothing reaped but Weedes Thissels and Bryers And héerein with mee also doeth Caâ—iodorus accord which sayeth Indigne transacta adâ—le sceÌ„tia odiosâ— efficit senectutâ— honestè ac sapieÌ„ter acta superior â—â—â—â— fructus capit authoritatis Quid autem senectus surripere valet in quo iâ—ueÌ„tus repreheÌ„sibilis Youth being passed ouer negligeÌ„tly vnworthily bringeth an odious and detestable olde age And the time or age past being honestly and wisely performed spent and passed ouer getteth and obtaineth the fruite and commoditie of great authoritie For what shall olde age bee able to get or challenge to it selfe in whom youth hath deserued al reproch and shame Theophilus Alas what incommodities doe you shew and declare vnto me what perils what dangers what calamities and miseries doth the smal regard and contempt of youth bring with it Theodidactus These calamities and detestable daungers doth Saint Chrisostome greatly deplore and lament saying Vnde damnis incommodis afficimur vnde casus varios vnde calumnias vnde malainnumera quotidie perpetimur Nonne quod filios nostros malos aspicimus eos emendare negligimus How commeth it to passe that we are so vexed and disquieted with losses and discommodities wherof commeth our diuers mishaps casualties and calamities what is the
which may feare them from vices They shalbe saith S. Ambrose Vitae nostrae testes simul magistri witnesses and also maisters of our liues From them wée shall receiue the way to liue the order to speake the behauiour to bée conuersant with others and the discipline of all vertues For this may séeme true vnto euery man who so haue learned many thinges by vse long experience doe remember more then others wherefore they are wiser then others and more apt for councell and gouernment in any thing whatsoeuer Amusus For that we haue heard of you so godly and so wholsome Precepts of obedience honor which is due to parents we are very glad for these so great benefites we giue you humble thankes In the beginning of our talke my good and reuerend father I shewed my minde and wil I cannot tel whether you remember it concerning the instructing and bringing vp of my children Theodidactus I remember it but yet it may bée that I haue not vnderstoode all things fully that you would haue expressed Therefore if you would vse any further coÌ„ference with mée touching those things I pray you speake and bée not afraide Amusus In the beginning of our talke I told you I was of this mind that I wold very faine haue almy children vertuously brought vp godly instructed in the true knowledge faith religion and feare of Almightie God And you most louingly haue been willing in all things to satisfie my minde in such sort that I neuer had any hope to heare from any man so many and so excelleÌ„t things as I haue heard from your mouth But now I am of this mind that I would be right glad to haue those my sonnes whose wits I shal perceiue neither to be too dull nor blockish nor altogether alienated and estraunged from the Muses trained vp in Christe his Churche and I would be glad to haue them ministers and preachers of his worde not to the ende that they should gather and heape vp to themselues great riches and so to liue at their ease and pleasure as many do now a daies the more to be lamented but rather that they should endeuour to the vttermost of their power to deliuer out of Satans chawes many soules now vexed tormented and so gaine them vnto Christe And because also it is an excellent thing to excell in vertue to doe good to our Countrie to teach others to know themselues and to search out the secrets of nature Theodidactus Almightie God graunt that you neuer alter nor chaunge your minde héerein For the haruest is great but the labourers are few if wée respect true faith vnfeigned diligence and pure doctrine all which things are to bée required in the true ministers preachers of the worde and many other things also whereof Saint Paule speaketh vnto Timothe and Titus Amusus Recite heere the wordes of Saint Paul I pray you except it be to your trouble that I and my sonnes may vnderstand what it is to bee a minister of the worde of God in his Church Theodidactus This is a faithfull saying saith Saint Paul If a man desire the office of a Bishop hée desireth a good worke A. B. Therefore must be blameles the husband of one wife watching sober comely apparrelled a louer of hospitalitie apt to teach not giueÌ„ to ouer much wine no striker not gréedie of fil thie lucre but gentle abhorring fighting abhorring couetousnesse one that ruleth well his owne house hauing children in subiection with al grauitie For if a man know not how to rule his owne house howe shall hee care for the Church of God Amusus Without doubt it is a great hard charge chiefly to him which hath purposed and determined in his heart to care for the Church of God according to the methode and prescript rule of S. Paul the greatnesse thereof terrifieth both me and my sonnes Theodidactus My good Amusus there is no cause why you should feare the difficultie and hardnes of this godly function for all things are possible with God For Christ hath called fishers and made them rulers of his Church The spirite of God worketh effectually in the heartes of those that beleeue and call vpon his name wherefore see that you powre out your ardent prayers before the Lord God for your children and that with great care and diligence doubt you nothing at all of Gods promises Amusus So I doe to the vttermost of my power and according to my slender capacitie For he knoweth which is the onely searcher of the heartes and reines how earnestly I doe desire to haue my sonnes the instrumentes of the holy Ghoste by meanes whereof the doctrine of the Gospel might bee inlarged in the Church of God But is our prayers and the inuocating of God sufficieÌ„t to the going about this matter of so great a charge as it was in the time of the Apostles Or be there any other meanes annexed for the better perfourming of this charge and duetie Theodidactus Yea verily for in the time of the Prophetes and Apostles God for the most part wrought miraculously in setting out his worde immediately by the working of the holy Ghost only but nowe in this our age hée manifesteth him selfe more often through the gift of tongues that is to say not only in the knowledge of the Latine tongue but also of the Gréeke and Hebrew not that the holy ghost is now made a stranger from the Doctors of our Church but thus hath it pleased his maiestie and séemed good to his diuine wisdome that he doth not alwaies rule and teach his Church or make himselfe manifest after one maner Amusus If then I couet and desire to haue my sonnes true diuines and teachers in the Church as farre as I can gather by your reasons and argumentes they must excel in learning in the knowledge of the tongues they must also be well and perfectly instructed Theodidactus Amusus according to your natural inclinatioÌ„ so do you rightly gather of my wordes For all mankinde was created to this end that hée shoulde perfectly knowe cal vpon confesse and glorifie God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ not according to our owne imaginations but according to the doctrine which God himselfe hath set foorth vnto men which with his owne finger hée hath written in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles in which hée teacheth vs how and after what maner hée will bee worshipped which bookes hée hath commanded al men to reade heare learne 1. Tim. 4 by S. Paul saying in this wise Atâ—eÌ„de lectioni exhortationi doctrinae Giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctriue And 2. Petri. 1. it is written Hibemus firmiorem sermonem propheticum eui dum attenditis ceu lucernae adparenti in obscuro loco rectè facitis c. We haue a right sure worde of prophesie whereunto if ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place yee doe wel