shall not dye Which truely is a great folly 6 Wee commonly vse to say that experience is the fooles sâ—hoole-house The reason For that albeit they bee not capable of discourse and reason yet at the least by experience they can learne that apples and peares will at length rot that greene trees once cut downe doe grow feare that grasse mowen downe doth wither that flowers gathered doe fade for all this doth experience by the effectes teach them And this doctrine of experience is so certaine that if a Philosopher shoulde goe about to proue the contrarye by reason and discourse as for example That fire is cold and snow hot he should shew himselfe but a foole readie to be referred to the schoole of experience and willed to put his finger in the fire or hand into the snowe Yet are our selues more foolish in that so much experience cannot perswade vs to beleeue that man is subiect to die 7 Where the Apostle sayth that it is appointed that all men shall die Heb. 9.27 He sayth no more than hath bene confirmed by a contynuall course from the beginning of the world And thereof doth the holy Ghost offer to our view the registers and tables As in the fifth Chapter of Genesis Moses writeth that Adam liued 930. yeeres then died Seth liued 912. yeeres and then died Malaleel liued 895. yeeres and then died Iared liued 962. yeeres and then died Methuselah liued 969. yeeres and then died Lamech liued 777 yeeres and then died Is not heere a table which most liuely doth represent vnto vs our mortalitie or that we also must die And in deede if they that liued nine hundred yeeres and vpward coulde not finally be exempt from death how thinke we with whome the strongest and of best constitution doo not liue much aboue 70. or 80. yeres at the most and yet few so long to liue euer not to die Dauid was better aduised when he sayd What man liueth and shall not see death Psal 8â— 49 Shall he deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue 8 But let vs leaue this little discourse to such as haue as lyttle reason and proceede to the mirrors and looking glasses that God setteth before vs. Can wee walke thorough the Churchyardes and by the graues and sepulchers and not bee admonished of death Can wee see a dead corse carried to the ground or heare the bells ring for a funerall but the same shall bee vnto vs as a heralde crying in our ears O men remember that you are mortal Are not the heads and bones of the dead packed vp in charuell houses or laid by the walls so many witnesses that we also must die The world hath continued 5530. yeres yet doth experience teach vs that if so many millioÌ„s as in all that long time haue liued Gen 5.24 Heb. 11.5 â— King 2.11 not one hath escaped death but only Enoch Elias who both were traÌ„slated saw not death Of whom then haue they that now liue purchased exeÌ„pption froÌ„ death nay contrariwise senteÌ„ce is past that they also must die Psal 82.6 Dauid speking to the kings princes of the earth saith thus I haue sayd ye are Gods ye are all the children of the highest But ye shall die like men ye princes shall fall like others Is it not then a double folly in vs yea are we not more foolish than the veriest fools that in this vniuersal continual schole of experience that hath stood euer since the beginning of the world we cannot yet learn that we must die 9 But behold yet an other great abuse This life which we take to be immortall is of very small continuance We thinke to liue vpon the earth for euer and yet we liue but a small time Psal 90.10 Moses in his Canticle saith The time of our life is threescore yeares ten if they be of strength fourescore yeres Of euery thousand that come into the world hardly shal you find two or three that liue to 70. or 80. yeres yet Moses in the same Canticle saith that this long life of 70. or 80. yeares is soone gon and we flee away What shall wee then say of the life of 40 30. or 20. yeares Wised 5.8 In the booke of Wisedome we reade that such as looked neuer to die but liued in pleasures wealth and honour did notwithstanding plainely confesse their folly abuse saying What hath pride profited vs or what hath the pompe of riches brought vs All those things are passed away as a shadow as a post that passeth by As a ship that passeth ouer the waues of water or as a bird that flieth through in the ayre or as when an arrow is shot as a marke Psal 102.12 1. Chron. 29.15 Psal 144.4 Iob. 8.9 Psal 103.15 Esay 40.6 Psal 73.20 Iob. 8.9 Iob. 7.6 Iam. 4.14 In how many places doth the holy Ghost coÌ„pare mans life to a shadow going vanishing away How often to the grasse yesterday green this day cut down withered How often to a flower yesterday flourishing this day gathered faded How often to a dream or to a nights watch Iob saith that we are of yesterday And in an other place My daies are swifter then a weuers shitle S. Iames compareth our life to a vapour which appeareth for a while then vanisheth away Yea the heathen haue also noted it of whom one doth say In our birth we begin to die an other that life is a race from one mother to another namely to the earth An other That man is a bubble And another being demanded what the life of man was made no answere but entred into his chamber straight came forth againe And being required of an answere said that by his going comming forth he had answered Therby signifying that life is but a passage in out Yet do we not so take it We resemble those who beholding the index or hand of a Dial do by their sight deny that it goeth albeit experieÌ„ce of euery half houre do shew the contrary For so do we imagine that the course of our liues wasteth not 10 But reckoning the life of a childe first by dayes then by weekes Gen. 47.9 so by moneths and yeeres before wee bee aware his life is run euen to death The Patriarch Iacob after hee had liued 130. yeeres said vnto Pharaoh that his daies had bene short the rather in respect of his auncestours who had liued 800. or 900. yeeres What comparison may wee then make where the strongest that now are do not liue aboue 70. or 80 yeares 1. Ioh. 2.18 with the eternity that shall ensue this present life It is not as a drop of water in respect of the whole sea So S. Iohn calleth the time froÌ„ the coÌ„ming of Christ in the flesh to the consuÌ„mation of the world the last hour fitly diuiding the continuance of the world into three or foure houres
than himselfe But Solon answered that no man was to bee called blessed before his death Rightly did Solon there reproue the folly of Croesus who thought himselfe blessed in vncertaine prosperitie As Solon lykewise being accounted so wise shewed his follye by signifying in such an answere that Croesus had bene blessed if he had continued in such prosperitie vntill his death Yet if Solon iudged that Croesus coulde not thinke himselfe blessed in all his prosperitie what would hee haue iudged if he had beene a Christian and had seene the change of Croesus prosperitie not into that calamitie that befell him when Cyrus afterward tooke him prisoner but euen into hell and death euerlasting Might hee not and that iustly haue sayd that Croesus notwithstanding his prosperitie euen albeit the same had stuck by him vnto his death was neuer blessed but most accursed 6 Plato a Heathen confirmeth the same by a notable discourse Plut. in his consolation to Apolonius which Plutarch indeauouring to comfort Apollonius vppon the death of his sonne doth alleadge This euermore sayth hee was one resolute opinion that whosoeuer departed this lyfe had liued vertuously at his death he was transported to the Ilands of the blessed and there feeling no inconuenience inioyed soueraigne felicitie And contrarywise they which liued wickedly and vniustly were sent into the prison of iustice and vengeaunce called Tartarum At the first sentence was awarded by liuing Iudges and while men were yet aliue but the same daie that they were to die Howbeit there grewe such abuse heerein that complaint was brought from the Ilandes of the blessed that some were sent thether that had beene wicked and peruerse liuers And thereuppon was the occasion of such abuse examined which was sounde to proceede of this that iudgement was giuen while the men yet liued clothed with honourable carcases wyth riches nobilitye and other lyke qualities In respect whereof they found many witnesses who making their apparaunce before the Iudges affirmed for them that they were men that deserued to passe to the sayde Ilandes of the blessed The cause of the errour once found out it was decreed that from thence forth ther should no iudgement passe vntill after death when the soules should bee depriued of theyr bodies and that also not by men yet aliue and subiect to bee abused by the outwarde shew but by spirites who should see nothing but the spirits and naked soules of those whom they were to giue sentence vppon to the ende that they which in this world had wrought wickednesse in theyr honourable bodies clothed with nobilitie riches and such other qualities might bee sent to tormentes and contrarywise that they who during theyr liues had kepte righteous hâ—lye and vertuous soules albeit in poore abiect and afflicted bodies might passe into the Ilandes of the blessed This was the discourse of a Heathen man who had attained some sight of the truth albeit intangled in ignorance and errour yet fitly confirming our argument namely that wee must not iudge of mannes felicitie or miserie by the outwarde apparance 7 This folly of iudging by the outward apparance doth yet proceede farther For it can take no place at the least wherein to stay and settle it selfe in mans heart but onely among those that denie Gods prouidence namely those that thinke there is no righteous God that administreth iustice For confesse that there is a God and that hee is righteous and thou canst not iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward shew Thou canst not I saie iudge whether hee that liueth in prosperitie be blessed or another in affliction cursed For sith most vsually the wicked do prosper in this lyfe and contrarywise the children of God haue most trouble what should become of Gods iustice whose nature is to rewarde euill to the wicked and good to the good A certaine Bishop of Verdune in his Chronicle reporteth that one Almauri king of Ierusalem on a time demanded of a certaine Doctor howe he could proue another life after this The Doctor asked him whether he beleeued there was a God Which when he had graunted It sufficeth sayd the Doctor For if there be a God he is righteous if hee bee righteous he must administer iustice in rewarding the good and punishing the wicked Nowe thy selfe sayde hee hast knowen such a wicked man who alwayes liuing in pleasure and honour slept in peace Thou knewest such another a verie good man in continuall tribulation euen to the death If therefore there bee a righteous God it cannot bee chosen but there is another lyfe wherein this good man resteth nowe in blisse and the wicked man in woe Whether this was a true reporte or but a fiction for example and doctrine yet doeth it surely most playnelye teach vs that hee that by outwarde prosperitie iudgeth a man to be blessed and by tribulation to bee accursed denyeth a God in that hee denyeth his iustice The doctrine of this historie or example doeth Saint Paul also confirme saying That the tribulations of the faithfull layde vppon them by the wicked that are in prosperitie are a manifest testimonie of the iudgement to come farre other than the fooles do by the outward apparance imagine The reason hee also addeth saying 2. Thes 1 For it is a righteous thing wyth God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and rest to you that are troubled Which iustice if it be not executed in this life he concludeth that it shal be in the latter comming of Iesus Christ to iudgement 8. It is blasphemie against God sayth Dauid to saie that he will not regard mans transgressions to punish them according to his iustice Wee will not therefore saie Psal 10.13 that the sinner liuing in pleasure alreadie condemned in the sight of God and waiting but the houre of eternall death can bee blessed or more blessed than the faithfull and troubled man who walketh through tribulations to take possession of the kingdome of heauen For if by outward apparance wee iudge the wicked man that is in prosperitie to be blessed and the good man that is in affliction accursed we shall abolish Gods iustice yea euen God himselfe And this is the rather to bee noted to the end that when the children and seruants of God doo finde themselues sometime pricked with this temptation they may the better stand vpon their gard with constancy to resist the same 9 Some men in olde time reiected the booke of Ecclesiastes Philast in his catal of heretikes c. 132. Iac. Chrisost polit in the preface before the com on the Canticles thinking that Salomon wrote it in his olde age after hee had beene carryed awaie by the multitude of his wiues Alleadging that in that booke hee placed mans soueraigne and chiefe felicitie in the pleasures and lustes of the flesh as if there were no other lyfe after this Some Epicures lykewise in our time doo abuse it to the lyke purpose alleadging that there
29.23 Ieremy noteth Gods horrible iudgement against Zedechias and Achab adulterers and false Prophets saying All they of the Captiâ—iâ—ie of Iudah that are in Babell shall take vp this curse against them and say the Lord make thee like Zedechia and like Ahab whome the King of Babell burnt in the fire because they haue committed villanie in Israell 1. Kin. 11. and haue committed adulterie with their neighbours wiues and haue spoken lying wordes in my name Into how many horrible Idolatries did Salomon fall when transgressing Gods commaundement he was not content with one wife but tooke almost as many Concubines as there be daies in the yeere 1. Kin. 11.4.11 besides seuen hundred wiues that he had married His example teacheth vs how faire man doth exceede when hee forsaketh the law of God Besides that the historie noteth 2. Sam. 11. that his wiues alienated his hart set it vpon strange Gods and that for his transgression God rent from him the tenne Tribes in the daies of his Sonne and successor Roboam 2. Sam. 12.10 What caused Dauid by the sword of the Ammonites to slay his faithfull seruant Vrias but the adulterie committed with his wise God was blasphemed and against him was this sentence pronounced That the sword should neuer depart from his house 8 God also sometime suffereth that hee which defileth another mans wife receiueth the like measure in his own 2. Sam. 16.22 WheÌ„ Dauid had committed adultery with Vrias wife his sonne Absolon publikly defiled his owne Concubines as God had foretold him Iob. 31.9 And this is it that Iob noteth saying If my hart haue been deceiued by a womaÌ„ or if I haue laide waite at the doore of my neighbour Let my wife grinde to another man and let other men bow downe vpon her For this is a wickednesse and iniquitie to be condemned Among the three young men that had laid their sentences vnder the kinges pillow 3. Ezra 4.26 he that had written that woman is strong among other his reasons addeth this Many haue perished and haue erred and sinned for woman Denis the king or rather the tyrant of Siracusa vnderstanding that his sonne had committed adulterie wrathfully reprouing him Plut. in his Apotheg demaunded whether he had knowen the like offence in him Wherto his sonne answered that his father was not borne a Kings sonne as he was but his father replyed saying Neither shalt thou if thou continuest this wicked life leaue a sonne to inherite this kingdome Herein he shewed a vertuous life and vsed a wise speech for a heathen king And as Erasmus noteth this tyrant thought his sonne worthy to be disenherited for adulterie which in our daies the greatest do make but a sport and pastime Yet Salomon goeth farther and saith that if a man touch another mans wife Prou. 6.27 it will be his destruction wil bring vpon him Gods horrible ineuitable iudgements Can a man sayth he take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Or can a man goe vpon coles and his feete not be hurt So he that goeth into his neighbours wife shall not be innocent whosoeuer toucheth her A theefe that stealeth to satisfie his hunger is not vtterly dispised but if he bee sound he shall restore seuen fould Hee shall giue all that he hath but he that committeth adulterie with a woman he is destitute of vnderstanding He that doth it destroyeth his owne soule He shall finde a wound and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer bee put away For Ielouzie is the rage of a husband who will not spare the adulterer in the day of vengeance He cannot beare the sight of any ransome neither will he consent though thou augment the giftes And in an other place Prou. 5.3 The lippes of a straunge woman drop as a honie-combe and her mouth is more soft then oyle But the end of her is bitter as woormewoode and sharpe as a two edged sworde Her feete goe downe to death and her steppes take holde on hell Keepe thy way farre from her and come not neere the doore of her house Least thou giue thine honour to others and thy yeeres to the cruell Least a straunger should bee filled with thy strength and thy labours be in the house of a straunger And thou mourne at thine end when thou hast consumed thy flesh and thy body and say how haue I hated instruction and my hart despised correction Againe speaking of him that suffered himselfe to bee ouercome by the entisementes of a wanton woman hee sayth Hee straight waies followeth her as an Oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole to the stockes for correction Vntill a darte strike through his liuer As the birde hasteth to the snare not knowing that shee is in daunger 9 Notwithstanding all adulterers are not exemplarily punished in this life yet doth it not follow that either they haue not so deserued or that Gods threatnings are in vaine for hee is righteous and true And albeit in their harts they bee not touched with the apprehension of such mishaps and calamities as are incident to adulterers euen in this life Yet at the least let the horrible sentence of death and euerlasting dammation pronounced against them by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.10 cause them to resolue to leaue it Adulterers saith S. Paul shal not inherite the kingdome of God Againe Marriage is honorable among all men and the bed vndefiled but whore-mongers and adulterers God will iudge Neither may we thinke to escape the hand of almightie God Heb. 13 4. the iudge of the world who seeth the hidden things For as Salomon speaking of adulterers doth say The waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord Mala. 3.5 and hee pondreth all his pathes His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the cordes of his owne sinne Prou. 5.22 Againe I will come neere saith the Lord to iudge you and I will bee a swift witnesse against sorcerers and adulterers Numb 5.11 And this is euidently confirmed in that in olde time he ordained that the woman suspected of adulterie should drinke a certaine water deliuered to her by the high priest vpon condition that hauing committed adulterie if she denied it her belly might burst and so she might perish 10 Let vs therfore abhorre this abhomination Deut. â—â—â—â— and shunne al occasions that might mooue vs thereunto God in olde time ordained that if two men stroue together and that one of their wiues should take the other by his preuities her hand should be cut off without fauour Deut. 22 1â— albeit shee did it simplie to saue and deliuer her husband What shall be then done in such villanous coniunctions proceeding from lustfull hartes bent to adulterie Because the Iewes ware no breeches God commaunded them to vse Laces at the fower corners of their garmentes least by any occasion Deut. 22.5
in all Churches sayth hee vnder thy charge as also in those that bee vnder other Bishoppes Priests and Deacons ye be diligent to restore such as be decaied likewise to build new in places conuenient And thy selfe and all other in thy name shall call to the gouernours and magistrates of prouinces for all things necessarie for the reparations or building of the same for I haue commanded them with al speed to prouide whatsoeuer your holynes shall call for Lykewise as it is requisite that there shoulde bee some prescript forme of Christian faith and Ecclesiasticall order and gouernment so haue they also extended theyr care in that dutie as we reade of the Emperour Iouinian of whome Ruffin writeth that the businesse of the Church was not the least parte of his care also that calling Athanasius Ruffin 〈◊〉 Eccl hist â— c. â—â— from him receiued he a forme of faith and order for the erecting and gouernment of the Churches 12 But to the end that magistrates may bee instructed and moued to the due practise of the matters aforesayde and so to cause theyr subiectes to liue in the feare of God It is also their dutie to procure the diligent reading of Gods worde and profiting in the same And some there haue beene that haue shewed great zeale in that behalfe Socr. l. 7. c. 22 Among others wee reade that the Emperour Theodosius would conferre of the holy Scriptures with the Bishops as if himselfe had bene a Bishop In this respect did God in old time command that the king that should be chosen ouer Israel so soone as he should be placed in the throne of his kingdome shoulde for himselfe write out a copie of the lawe in a booke Deut. 17.18 which he should take in the presence of the priests that it might remain with him and that he should reade therein all the daies of his life to the end to learne to feare God and to keepe all the wordes of his lawe and his ordinaunces to doo them The lyke commandement dyd hee giue vnto Iosua saying Let not this booke of the lawe departe out of thy mouth Iosua 1.8 but meditate therein daie and night that thou mauest obserue and doo according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy waie prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe The hundreth and nineteenth Psalme declareth how necessary this dutie is also how diligently Dauid emploied himselfe therein therby shewing himselfe to be a true patterne or myrror of pietie to all kings princes and magistrates Eusebius in the life of CoÌ„stantine l. 4 13 They are moreouer diligently to pray vnto God also to cause others to praie for them that they may duly discharge theyr dueties Heereto it seemeth that Constantine the great was much addicted For as Eusebius reporteth of him hee knowing verie well that the prayers of such as feared God might greatly profyte him in the due gouernment of all sought after such as might praie for him and besydes his owne prayers required also the praiers of the gouernours of the congregations for him In peeces also of golde that hee caused to bee coyned himselfe was portrayed wyth his handes lyfted vp to heauen as it were praying vnto God yea which is more hee tooke order that his souldyers shoulde learne to praie to God Pulcheria the daughter of the Emperour Arcadius Sozom. his Eccle. hist li. 9. cap. 1. vppon her fathers death at the age of fifteene yeeres taking vpon her the gouernment of the Empire caused her brother Theodosius the heire thereunto to bee brought vp in godlynesse and accustomed to much praier and hee thorough such bringing vp beeing much giuen to this godly exercise afterwarde in a matter of great importance founde the fruite of his praier for hauing on a time receiued from diuerse Bishoppes diuerse seuerall doctrines and confessions concerning the diuinitie of Christ Socrat. hist Eccl. l 5. c. 10 he went into a secrete place where hee feruently prayed vnto God to giue him grace to make choice of the same which contained the truth of that doctrine Then reading ouer all theyr confessions hee allowed and kept the same which taught that Christ was of the same essence wyth his father and defaced the rest as repugnant to the holy Trinitie Lykewise beeing to go to warre after the example of Dauid hee had recourse to prayers as knowing that it was in God onely to dispose of warres and as the same authour addeth hee executed his warres by praier and supplications Socrat. hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 22 c. 23. And after his victories ouer his enemies hee so acknowledged them to be from God that on a time as hee was looking vppon certaine triumphes and publike pastimes hearing of the death and ouerthrow of a certine tyrant that was risen against him immediatlye crying out to the people hee sayde Leauing these carnall pleasures let vs go to Church to giue thankes and praises vnto God And at the same verie instant leauing the pastimes being come into the Church they spent there the rest of the daie in praysing and blessing the Lorde 14 Some also there haue beene that so ordered theyr houses in the exercise of Christian religion Euseb in the lyfe of Constan li. 4 that theyr Courtes resembled Churches as Eusebius reporteth of great Constantine that hee had consecrated his whole house to the seruice of God the onely king of kinges that the domesticall multitude of his Court was euen a Church of God yea hee retayned aboute him sundrie ministers of God that ordinarilie praied for him Lykewise the Emperour Valerian in the beginning of his Empire so greatly fauoured the Christians that his Court beeing replenished wyth greate store of all sortes of people that feared God Eusebius tearmeth it The Church of God Eus hist Eccl. li. 7. ca. 10 They lykewyse verie well vnderstoode and perceiued that euen the prosperitie of theyr persons and estate depended vppon pietie and the establishment of the seruice of God according as the holie Apostle Saint Paule verie well noteth where hee sayth Godlynesse hath promise of the lyfe present and of that that is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 As also God speaking vnto the Prophet Samuell sayde I wyll honour those that honour mee Among others 1. Sam. 2.30 Constantine the greate writing vnto Anilin confesseth and acknowledgeth that by diuerse and sundrie experiences hee knewe that if Relygion wherein wee are to obserue wyth greate zeale a singular reuerence of holynesse and godlynesse bee anie whit neglected or diminished such neglect wyll prooue in time verye daungerous and hurtefull vnto the Common wealth And contrarywyse that being vpholden and maintained it breedeth great felicity and prosperitie to all men Zozom hist Eccl l. 9. c. 1 thorough the grace and blessing of God Heereupon Zozomenes rehearsing the wonderful prosperitie that God graunted to the Emperor Thedosius and wythall noting that this blessing proceeded of
forget that Dauid putteth among his roiall verses the support of the good and the punishment destruction of the wicked Also that Salomon to the same purpose sayth Pro. 20.26 A wise king scattereth the wicked causeth the wheel to turne ouer them 48 But as there is great difference betweene iustice crueltie so this representation of the duetie of magistrates to punish vice and sin according as iustice requireth tendeth not to induce them to crueltie but to the execution of the iust iudgement and vengeance of God according to his holy lawes and commaundements For as for crueltie it is so much the more detestable as that there is nothing more against the nature of God Seneca of clemeÌ„cy to Nero and the coniunction that he hath constituted among men It is as Seneca sayth a vice not of man but of a wild beast and therefore it is to be abhorred and detested but especially by such as are not onely men but also the lieutenants and vicars of God least by crueltie they shoulde pollute and prophane the seate of his holy maiestie And they also who vpon ambition couetousnes wrath or anie other passion are moued and induced to this crueltie cannot but expect iudgement without mercy and consequently horrible and fearefull besides the hatred and feare of men and so leade a most miserable wretched life both in this world and in the world to come as by the examples of many tyrants from time to time we may euidently perceiue And Aristotle in his Politikes noteth that tyrannie can neuer holde out in one family to the fourth generation for in deede crueltie can haue no continuance and hee that is feared and dreaded of many doth also stand in feare and dread of many It breedeth rather feare in gouernment than power to gouerne the rather because that continuall seueritie taketh awaie authoritie besides it is most certaine and vndoubtedlye true as Iulius Caesar sayeth that the remembraunce of a passed crueltie is meruaylous and exceeding grieuous to olde age Seneca of Clemencie 49 This cruelty may be coÌ„sidered three wais first when by death or otherwise hee is wronged that hath not deserued it As when Saul wrongfully charging Abimelech the priest of Nob 1. Sam. 2â— of conspiring with Dauid against him caused him together wyth foure score and fiue priests that wore the Ephod to be murthered yea and which is more stroke wyth the edge of the swoord all the inhabitants of the towne men and women young and olde and all theyr cattell This was monstrous crueltie The lyke crueltye is set downe of Herod Math. 2.16 who seeking to slaie him whom the wise men reported to bee borne king of the Iewes put to death all the children that were in Bethleem and in all the borders round about from two yeeres old and vnder The second kind of crueltie consisteth in punishing transgressions excessiuely and wyth greater rigour than they deserue I call those men cruell sayth Seneca that hauing iust cause to punish doo obserue no measure in punishing Heereupon dyd God ordaine that if a wicked man had deserued stripes the Iudge shoulde in his presence cause him to bee beaten according to the hainousnes of the offence Deut. 25. â— to a certaine number of stripes but not aboue fortie The third resteth in this that some doo receiue pleasure and contentation in the euill and tormentes that others doo indure This doth Adonibezecke confesse of him selfe saying Iudg. 1.7 Ioseph in his Antiquit. l. 17 c. 9 Seuentie kings hauing the thumbes of their handes and of their feet cut off gathered bread vnder my table As also Herod seeing himselfe at the point of death knowing that the Iews would reioyce because of his cruelties exercised against them called the chiefest among them and shutting them vp in a great roome commanded that immediatly vpon his decease before there were any noise thereof they should all be slaine to the end the Iews might weepe and mourne at his death And among all tyrants Lucian Erasm in his Chiliads in this point the crueltie of Phaleris is to bee noted who caused fyre to bee put vnder a brasen bull so arteficially made that the partye there inclosed dying wyth heate and thorough anguâ—â—h crying out yeelded not the voyce of a man but the roaring of a Bull. 50 Contrarywise Magistrates in punishing the trespasses and offences of theyr subiectes ought in themselues to apprehende the nature of parents chastising theyr children for so farre are they from reioycing therein that they doo it wyth griefe and such compassion that were it not in respect of Gods commaundement together wyth experience which teacheth that correction is euen profitable and necessarie for children they would neuer do it This may we note in Iosua who seeing that Acan was taken by lot as guiltie and culpable of Gods wrath against the people Ios 7.14 did neuerthelesse call him My sonne thereby shewing a fatherly affection to him and yet disobeyed not God but condemned him to death 51 This was a kinde of mercie which being generally considered Salust to Caesar enclineth the heart to gentlenesse and clemencie but wyth iudgement and discretion And this vertue is specially requyred in Magistrates for it engendereth loue and loue safetie And by experience wee haue euermore found that such as haue vsed gentlenesse and clemencie haue alwaies prospered and haue founde theyr verie enemies more righteous in theyr behalfe Pliny Epistle Lib. 8. Liuy Lib. 8. Seneca than Citizens haue beene to those that haue exercised crueltie ouer them And in deed of greater force is the peoples loue of the magistrate for the obtaining of anie thing than theyr feare and no dominion is more sure than the same that the subiectes like of Neyther can that long indure Plut. in the banquet of the 7. Sag. which the people doo hate Wee reade that the seuen Sages of Greece sitting all at a banquet beeing demanded what might make a king happie and purchase him glorie dyd all aunswere diuersely Solon sayde by changing the dominion of one into a popular gouernment By as If himselfe be the first in obeying his countrie laws Thales If by the course of nature he die an olde man Anacharsis If himselfe onely bee wise Cleobulus If hee repose not himselfe vpon his familiars Chilon If his mind runne not vpon worldly matters but vpon immortalitie If saith Pittacuâ— hee teach and accustome his subiects to liue in feare not of him but for him But nothing doth sooner engender feare not of the magistrate but for the magistrate than good will and clemencie for as too much crueltie and seueritie of a prince doeth make his subiects to feare him with hate so doeth generall good will and gentlenesse make them to loue him and to feare leaâ—â— hâ—e should bee taken from them or incurre anie mishappe To câ—nclude this purpose let all magistrates remember the aunswere of a Lacedemonian
Agasicles Plut. in his Lacon Apoth Euseb in his hist and the life of Constant lib. 1. who beeing demaunded â—â—owe a king myght raigne in safetie wythout anie guarde of souldyers verie aptly aunswered By raigning ouer his subiectes as the Father doth ouer the children And it is a great comfort and felicitie to a Magistrate to see his subiects loue him As wee reade of great Constantine who reioyced in the affection and good will that his subieâ—â—es declared towardes him also that they liued so content vnder him but especially hee conceiued great content in the apparance of the ioye and comfort of the Church vnder his gouernment 52 Hereto wyll we yet adde two points necessarie for the maintaining of subiects in peace prosperity The first that magistrats obserue theyr vowed fayth both to theyr neighbours and vnto theyr subiectes Hee that confyrmeth anie promise or accorde by oath taketh God to witnesse that hee which sweareth meaneth inuiolably to obserue his oath vppon condition that doing otherwise hee submitteth himselfe to such vengeaunce as almightie God the louer of truth will poure foorth vppon falsehood and periurie And therefore as God in his holy lawe protesteth Hee will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Exod. 20. For it is indeede the polluting and prophaning of the name of God as himselfe declareth saying Leuit. 10 1â— Yee shall not sweare by my name falsely neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God J am the Lorde The verie Heathen dyd vnderstande that God was angrie and wroth wyth falsefyers and punished them in his wrath and heauie displeasure As wee reade of Agesilaus Plut. in his Apotheg king of the Lacedemonians who hearing that his enemie Tyssaphernes had infringed and broken the agreement and oath made betweene them sayde that hee greatly thanked Tissaphernes because thorough his falsehoode and periurie hee had prouoked both the Gods speaking as a Heathen and men against him Arist Rhet. to Alex cap. 18 and contrarywise made them fauourable in his behalfe The same doeth the prince of Philosophers euen Aristotle himselfe note saying Magistrates must take great heede and beware of breaking theyr oath as well for feare of the punishment of God as of the reproach and infamie which they incurre among men This feeling and resolution hath euermore and at all times beene printed in the heartes of men to the end that the feare of prouoking God by false swearing together wyth the apprehension of his iust reuenge might retayne them in theyr dueties And therefore euen the Heathen haue beene very carefull obseruers and diligent keepers of theyr oathes as the prince of Oratours doth make reporte Our auncestours sayde he neuer craued stronger bond to binde theyr faith than an oath Cic ost lib 3 witnesse heereof the twelue tables the sacrifices or sacred seruices the agreementes or confederacies wherein they bounde their faith euen to theyr enemyes To bee short the correction of the Censors who neuer more carefully iudged of anie thing than of oathes 53 But the subiects are many times also snared in the vengeance that God powreth forth vpon the periurie of the Magistrates As among the causers of the destruction of Ierusalem the captiuity of the people in Babilon 2. Cron 36.13 the periurie of Zedechias King of Iuda whom Nabuchadnezzer had made to sweare by the liuing God is noted to be one 2. Saâ—m 2â— For hee rebelled against him When Saule vpon an inconsiderate zeale had put to death certaine Gibeonites notwithstanding the oath of Iosua and the Princes of Israel aboue two hundred yeeres before who sware that they should liue God being wroth sent a famine in the daies of Dauid for the space of three yeeres wherein he also expressely declared that this murder contrarie to the oath of Iosua was the cause of this calamitie And therefore when Dauid had deliuered to the Gibionites at their request the seuen sonnes of Saule and they had crucified them the famine ceased As therefore Magistrates in dutie ought not to sweare rashly much lesse with any intent to abuse their subiects or neighbours So must they diligently obserue the oath once taken least they should breake the band of humaine societie least they should incurre the reproch of men but espescially least they should draw the wrath of God vpon them and their subiects In consideration of the premises As touching agreements confirmed by oath for the establishmeÌ„t or maintenance of peace among either subiects or neighbours of diuers religion The partie that findeth himselfe the stranger must beware of taking occasion to disturbe the state by infringing his oath vnder the pretence of keeping no faith to heretickes or Idolaters For besides the prophaning of the name of God and the Scandall ministred to those that are troubled he shall also loose all reputation of truth Hee shall breake the sacred bond of humaine societie He shal giue occasion of new troubles and hee shall extinguish all meanes of appeasing them And indeede when men can not repose themselues vpon a mans worde or his oath they must of necessitie assure them selues by weapons and force as the examples of our time doe most manifestly declare And thus we see that periury doth many times entangle whole nations in warres is the mother and nurse of great calamities when by keeping of the faith sworne they might liue in peace and tranquilitie 54 The other duty of the magistrate importeth that he employ his forces in maintaining the persons goods and liberties of his subiects against such as seeke to wrong them by violence whether by defending them against theyr indeauours or in recouerie of that which wrongfully hath beene taken or vsurped vppon them But inasmuch as within these two or three yeeres I publyshed a small treatise wherein among other matters I haue declared that God hath deliuered the swoord to the magistrate to defend the good and to punish the wicked That warre is lawfull that Christians may â—ith a safe conscience beare armes and that they whome God hath authorized to leuie warre both maye and ought when necessitie requireth to doo it in defence of his seruice and true religion I shall now be content onelye to note some aduertisements requisite for the obtaining of a good conscience in making warre and in hope of happie successe 55 First let all princes and magistrates take heed of giuing iust cause to make warre vppon them 2. Sam. 10. and to that purpose remember Hanon the sonne of Naas who causing halfe the beardes of those whome Dauid sent vnto him to comfort him vppon the death of his father to bee shauen and their garments to bee cut close oft by the buttockes gaue Dauid cause to raise warre agaynst him and to destroie him and his people Let them beware of leuying warre without a iust ground and reason 2. Chro. 13 as did Ieroboam against Abiah king of Iuda for he reiecting the admonition of the