speaking as when negligent children drawing to too much play and losse of time do mutuall iniuries with corruption of maners Where God is offended as in malice and wicked spéech and worke correction must not be dissembled euen from their infancie in which age aboue all other thinges they must be instructed to pray to God and by little little accustomed to feare and serue him as much as the state of their age wil beare Saint-Ierome holdeth it wel done that the childe be taught euen from his infancy to beare the yoke of the lord with whom Salomon agréeth saying Remember thy selfe O young man of thy creator in thy youth learne euen from thy youngest age to feare honour loue and serue thy God And Dauid is of opinion that there is nothing wherein a young man correcteth better his life then in considering and kéeping the commaundements of god Touching common doctrine it must be ministred gently familiarly easely and if it be possible without the rod according to the surname of scholes being called a play or exercise of learning where young wittes must be induced as to a pleasant play giuing to the young scholler some smal thing of pleasure to encourage him after the trauell of his lesson And for his better societie in studie it is good to ioyne him to a companion as a spurre to his Booke Proponing to him that merites some price commending the victor and blaming him that is ouercome yea sometimes driuing him to teares and yet afterwards recomfort him applying to the slow witte for aduauntage some what more labour of the Master to the end he dispaire not in study being alwaies ouercome This emulation in studie must be continued euen in great schollers for one of the greatest spurres to studie is mutuall enuie among companions as glory to winne and reproch to be surmounted if there be any young children malicious melancholly spitefull or negligent let the commaundement of Salomon be applied Restraine sayth he no discipline from a young childe for if thou strike him with a rod be shall not die of it beate him with a rod and thou shalt deliuer his soule from hell if malice be gathered in the heart of a child the rod of discipline will roote it out of him who spareth the rod to a young man hurteth him and sheweth no loue to the health of his soule but he that kéeps him familiar with the rod declareth his affection to him Therefore Masters that flatter their negligent leude children entertaining them in their vices for feare to loose the profite they get by them or to drawe a more number of schollers commit treble offence First against themselues being guiltie before God of all such offences together with other those faultes which their schollers shall euer commit Secondly they further the damnation of their disciples who such as they are nourished suffred such will they remaine sayth Salomon Lastly they do great wrong to their parents and common weales for that by the euils of those children the parents shall haue perpetuall sorrowe and the common weale continually vexed And in the end such Masters by the iust course of Gods iudgement shal be hated of their schollers and the gaine they shall get shall neuer rise to constant profite but perish before their eyes ¶ Masters ought to instruct their Disciples whome they receiue into commons touching the body with the same labour wherwith they institute their mindes prayses of Science Chapter viij WE must not forget here that euen as masters ought to feede the spirites of childrē with good learning forme them in ciuell mannors and kéepe them from corruption by euill example doctrine standing as condemned afore God deseruing so many eternall iudgmentes as their disciples by their negligence shall cōmit offences So they are bounde to no lesse care to norishe and to entertaine in health the tender bodies of their young scholers wher in it is chieflie necessary they vnderstande their perticuler natures together with the qualitie and operation of meates and so as phisitions prescribe their regiment touching the quantitie and qualitie of their féeding I mean that according to the naturs composicion of their children they muste varie in sorts measurs of meat and drinke geuing to some more and to others lesse As to great lampes where are great matches there muste be more infusion of oyle then to the little ones other waies where is great match and littell oyle and not often dropped in the fyer wil easely consume and put all to ashes Euen so young children whose nature bears a more ardent heat are more drye then others muste eate oftenner then such as are colde and moyst as are the flegmatike sort Let therfore masters entring in to the charge of children consider carfullye of their order of diet And as they ought to take héede not to traine them in intemperat or delicat féeding which makes them glottons and wanton and drawes both body and minde in to infirmities and corruptcion So let them no lesse beware to norishe them hardly and with meates of euill taste for great sobrietie in young children wekneth their bodyes in consumpcion of the roote humor through the naturall heat which is ardent in them by which default they fall in the end into a restraint of breth or tisycke and by the nature of euill meats they come to ill disgestion the worst of al lamentable and incurable disseases by these two extremities vnwise masters procure to their disciples expedicion of death and so are no other then the murderers of them wherin such aboue all other are most guiltie who taking children in to comons or pension for couetousnes doe eyther feede thē sparingly or by sluttishnes prepare them corrupt and vnholsom dyet wherin they merite sentence of cōdemnacion as traytors and suttel murderers of that simple youth abusing wickedly the truste of their parents who through their defaults are the proper deliuerers of their owne children to perill of death wine also being the instrument that leads them in to many sinns can not but shorten their life it burneth by his naturall heat the tender substāce of young men euen as the flame of fier consumes the oyle and so deuoureth the drye matter and wood alredy set on fier Then seing the young child is no other thing then fier to giue him wine is as to cast oyle in to a furnace to ēcrease the heat and burne all for which cause Plato in his comon weale restrained wine from youth till after xviij yeres and from those yeres till the beginning of olde age he suffered none to drinke wine but qualified with water and yet in great sobrietie Besides all these wine prouokes to whordom and engendreth coller adust which in the end by immoderat vse turneth into malencolie and so in the flower of their time makes them diseased with diuerse kindes of colde and incurable sicknes by which occasion the auncients in great reason called wine
Conflictes against vices So that theyr office standes onelye vppon these that they Preache sincerelye and Catholikelye and administer the Sacramentes Holylye if they bée Pastours let them feede the Shéepe of Iesus Christ with good Doctrine and holy example not regarding more the fléese then the flocke Let them admonishe priuately secréete Sinners to doo penaunce Rebuke suche as bée Publike seuerelye committing the impenitent to punishment Let them suffer no scabbed Sheepe in theyr Flocke and yet trauaile to heale them as all other maledyes Let them sustaine suche as bée weake and aboue all let them so prouide that no Woolues enter into theyr Shéepe fooldes and if they bée entred let them searche by all meanes to hunt them out with good Dogges I meane good Preachers whose zeale wyll not suffer them to spare to barke not onelye against Heresies but also against sinnes al abuses the onely causes of the greatest part of Schismes and conspiracies in al partes of the world Let them well consider of the Text of Ezechiel If they haue fayled sayeth hée to instruct well suche ouer whome they haue charge and that by theyr default any bée lost they can not bée saued But if they vse Faith and diligence in the execution of theyr charge being ayded with the trauaile of good Scolemaisters for the instituction of Youth in good learning and manners besides the reuerend commendation and felycitye that will growe to them selues by their industrie and dutye Ecclesiasticall the secular estate also shal be discharged of great care and trauaile in the correction of many dissolute and hurfull men to Common Weales who for want of good instruction shal nourishe hurtful members to the perril of their common ruine and miserye vntill this estate of the Churche bring foorth true effectes of their function and dutye and that young children bée diligentlye trained in Doctrine and vertue For euen as our bodye materiall replenished with humours corrupt if it bée not pourged by some inwarde Medicine wyl alwayes throwe out to the vtter partes Blaines Apostumes and Vlcers or at least engender Catars that the Surgeon sometime in vaine is dryuen to applye outwarde remedies where in déede there was this one conuenient remedye to make cleane the bodye within euen so the bodye Polletike corrupted by innumerable Vices ought to bée made cleane by inward Doctrines the true Medicines of Soules administred by Priestes and Wise Pastours otherwayes it will bée perpetuallye couered with a Scorfe of infinite factions Sedicions Heresies and other sinnes So that it is necessarye that this estate Ecclesiasticall agrée with the other not onelye in diligence and dutye to administer good Doctrine but also to shine by liuelye examples and Actes of good lyfe making cleane mens consciences by holye documents and wholsome exhortacions So shal it bée easie to the Magistrate of the Pollecy Ciuill to correct and cut of all Wheales and other outward Impostumes I meane all enormities offending their common weales This is in effect the brotherly concord deare coniunction which ought to stande indissoluble betwéene these two estates for the gouernment of this Christian man as well touching the health of his Soule as his assured tranquilitye in Ciuill societye with the preseruation of his life and goodes ¶ The Faultes of the Clargie ought to be corrected Gouernors ought aboue al things to prouide good Preachers that the rude and plaine sort should be taught in familiar doctrine all sortes ought to be constrained to be at the Sermon such constraint is aucthorised by the Scripture and is both profitable to the common vveale and vvholsome to suche as are constrained ⧠The .5 Chapter WHen the Clargie or estate Ecclesiasticall shal faile in their dutie I meane if the pastors bée careles to execute theyr vocation or negligent in the function of their charge and office wherein they are many wayes aduertised by the Scripture and being solicited thereunto by the Magistrate they ought to be constrayned by iustice as the auncient Canons and laste counsel haue ordeyned if in them selues bée no habilitye to preach at least let them substitute in their places men of sufficient facultie knowledge will to do it wherein the magistrate hath power to ioyne with them to finde out men expedient for that vse as Preachers in whose grauitye of life is expressed the Doctrine whiche they ought to pronounce to the people Let them reade certayne dayes in the wéeke and spend the Sabboth daye in Preaching publikelye in Churches In the morning let them propound to the simple and rude multitude a familiar instruction in the principles of Christian profession expounding to them first of all the Doctrine of the Articles of Faith the commaundementes of the Lawe and statutes of the Churche the misterye of Sacraments and their vse together with the Lords praier interpreting al thinges by sincere order and in such popular sence and Doctrine that euen litle Children maye easilye comprehende it the same to bée continued from yéere to yéere with such necessary repeticion as nothing bée omitted by him to whome the exposition belongeth At publike Seruice where is commonlye a presence of the principall of the Parishe let the Epistle bée expounded and at after noone the Gospel interpreted the scripture geues commaundement that if the Preacher bée learned and holye al the inhabitauntes ought to congregate in audience as was commaunded to the people of the olde Lawe to assist the Lecture of Deuteronomie yea euen the litle Children of all Iudea And because many men eyther by a Vice in nature or corruption of maners carrye this frowardnes that without compulsion they will not bée drawen to doo or bée good it belonges to the Magistrate who is to aunswere before the Iudgement seate of God if in his common weale hée nourishe by negligence or by conniuencye dissemble any vice to drawe them to the hearing of the worde by perswasions and al easy meanes and where they finde no willing conformetye in any let there bée constraynt by fine and afterward according to the nature and continuaunce of their resistaunce to Gods woorde whiche can not bée but a kinde of infidelitie to procéede by seueritye and rigour of Iustice And as these Lordes Gouernours and Magistrates are as fathers to their common weales so they â—ught in their regiment to expresse no lesse affection of fatherly will and aucthoritye to their Citizens and subiects then in a naturall Father nature demaundes to his proper Children whom by the propertye of his zeale and loue he hath power to constraine them to doo what he thinks méete for their aduauncement when hée findes them voide of wil to doo it frankely oftentimes hée makes his Sonne take a bitter medicine to cure his sicknesse and as occasion requireth makes incision in his vlcer whiche coulde not bee healed but by fire muche more ought the father pollitike to constraine him to receiue a spirituall medicine for whome hée is exercised in great care to cure his
ouer darknesse and death the deuyll and hell vanquished and ouercome For it is the victorie our assuraunce of life and puts vs lastly in the possession of the kingdome of the eternall god And as there is also one commaundement as well to men as women great as small learned as ignoraunt to heare it and make continuall exercise of it as is commaunded in Iosua So for the ignoraunce of this law of God Osee saith that the people of Israel were past into captiuitie and hauocke by the Assyrians and Babylonians to be short by hearing of this worde are knowen such as be of God and belong to Iesus Christ And nowe that Pastours are bounde to preache the Gospell and the people ought to heare it it is without question as well by the commaundement of Iesus Christ as by his Apostles and instruction of his Church not néeding further to alleadge infinite Textes of the olde Testament conteyning the same doctrine The last commaundement which Iesus Christ gaue to his Apostles when he ordayned his Testament and last wyll was that they shoulde go foorth preache throughout all the worlde vsing this speache Go into the worlde whither I sende you teache all sortes of people or preache to all creatures whether Iewes or Paynims instructing them first in Faith and Baptisme which is who beléeueth and wyll be baptized shal be saued baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and who doth not beleeue shal be damned Teache them in like sort to obserue and kepe all those thinges which I haue geuen you in charge to do and to saye to others Be not amazed nor gréeued because visibly I go to heauen for I assure you for the great loue I beare you that I am alwayes with you euen to the consummation of the heauens the same meaning as if he had sayde vnto them Feare not that I do abandon you For besides that I wyll sende you the holy ghost as a Comfortour an Aduocate and teacher yet I my selfe wyll be with you euen with that presence and power which replenisheth the heauen and the earth For it is geuen to me euerywhere And I wyll not onely remaine with you as touching the time of your persons for the Apostles and Disciples remayned but a time after him as Saint Iames the elder but two or thrée yeres at the most but also with your successours in that estate meaning the successours in the estate of the Church which is not but one body in him Yea the last and most base members haue as great interest in the promise of the presence of Iesus Christ as the first and highest according to their measure and quantitie proportioned to them as wée see the members of a naturall bodye partake by equall proportion with the presence of the soule by her vegetation sence and mouing And deliueryng to his Apostles and Disciples their charge in these wordes Go and preache c. He spake also to Bishops succéedyng his Apostles and Curates hauyng place and office of his Disciples geuyng them that commaundement euen vntyll the ende of the worlde for they are but of one bodie gouerned by one spirite vnder one heade Iesus Christ And as it is matter true in our common experience that the last speache and Lesson which a wise Father geues to his children and a Lorde to his friends is to recommende vnto them those thinges which they holde most deare and be of greatest importaunce Euen so when he geues them charge to preache the Gospell and teache all sortes of people he meaneth that euerye Pastour instruct diligently all such as are geuen to him in charge by the worlde as hauyng nothing in more deare affection then the care to féede his flocke By the Gospell he vnderstandes all doctrine of health of grace and of promise for remission of sinnes whereof Iesus Christ is the aucthour where he saith Happy are they that heare the worde of God he addeth this text and do kepe it wherein be comprehended the statutes and ordinaunces which the Apostles haue taught which we call traditions as beyng recommended vnto them by the holy spirite of Iesus Christ to his Church By the administration of Baptisme we vnderstande likewise the other Sacramentes seeyng that as he hath instituted them as well as it so they followe it afterwardes accordyng to their institution wherein séeyng he admittes the doctrine and geues it such dignitie it is necessarie that we teache the benefites graces which we receaue by the Sacramentes afore we administer them I knowe not howe such can haue excuse afore God who intruding them selues into the companie of Iesus Christ I meane Prelates and Curates successours to the Apostles and Disciples and beyng commaunded by him to teache and preache either wyll not or can not accomplishe such charge seeing that Christ called none but such as both coulde and woulde I may boldly affirme and mainteyne in trueth that according to the law deuine the office of the Preacher is annexed to the Bishop and benefice as by naturall vnion the soule is conioyned to the body therfore let such as haue charge of Soules consyder better the state and nature of their duetie as beyng not able of them selues let them at least supply it by others that both can and wyll with whom let them impart the profites and reuenues wherein in true iustice and merite they haue nothing because they do nothing Recompence is due to labour the hiered man ought to bée nourished with the benefite of the Vine and eate of the fruite he that fighteth in warre ought to receaue his paye he that féedes the flocke ought to take the Mylke and the Fléese and he that trauayles in the Temple and the Gospell deserues to liue by it Presidentes and Counsellours receiue not their wages if they do not their office then by what collour of right in conscience or common reason can he demaunde any rewarde which bringes foorth nothing but a show yea he is but an impediment to others in whom is more abilitie and better merite But if there be such Maskers in the Church as I feare there are to many let them be payde their right due to their estate according to God and to auoyde slaunder and let them not of their owne priuate aucthoritie do iustice of themselues against all pollitike order for it is not for the Shéepe to rise against his Shephearde but if they continue to bée as vnprofitable Dranes in the Hiue of the Church eating the Honie and Waxe of diligent and painefull Bées Let their processe be exactly pursued by such as beare rule in the Church and so to cut of the example of such disorder confusion and sacriledge more foule then theft reasoning that an estate so excellent shoulde not suffer so foule a staine to the contempt and blasphemie of Christian religion ¶ Suche are refuted as holde that people are not bounde to heare so many Sermons wherfore are they Pastours
not worthy of the eternall glory which he hopes for in Heauen wherof hée assureth him selfe for that by how much hée endureth afflictions heare in earth by so much is his glory layd vp the greater and he made more happy in heauen in which consideration onely S. Paul toke comfort in perplexityes Torments Extreme miseryes and in the Crosse wherin hée reioysed more spiritually as al the other Saints did then the fleshly men in all theyr banquets pleasures and idle delights of the world Let therfore the Christian pacient after the due action of penaunce submission for his faultes reioyce him selfe in his sicknes with singing of psalmes and holye himnes hauing also instruments of musicke whervnto hée maye sing deuout Notes or haue them song in his presence to raise his heart and spirite into spirituall ioye in the Lord in which sort S. Paul willeth men to dispose theyr pastimes of the worlde as also S. Iames in all euents and dollerous accidents counselles men to relieue theyr hearts with the solace of Psalmes vsing in cases of sicknes and times of aduersity with the example of S. Augustine when hée was sicke the conference of Bookes of consolation and spiritual Doctrines vsing the company of Learned men for his better assistaunce in so holy discourse sparing to ouercharge his minde with doutes and difficulties but rather to recreate it with familiar textes by the which his faith maye bee entertained and his loue to God increased with desire to bée ioyned to him and hope to enioye his euerlasting glorye But the sickeman whose conscience testifyeth against him as hauing his life embrued with dissolutiō in place of this musicke and comfortable ioye which hée can not haue because it is onely to holye men let him washe the remembrance of his life past with penitent teares and recorde his sinnes to God with vehemencye of prayer for mercye and pardon and taking his sicknes as an officer or messenger to sommon him to appeare afore the eternall iudgement let him prepare to sue for grace afore he bée presented afore the burning Throane sith afterwarde there is no remission Wherin the better to acknowledge his offence to God let him vse satisfaction to his neyghbour and doo the dutye of a true penitent Christian But now to knit vp eftsones with the matter of the Phisitions who in many partes of Christendome are worse disposed then those whome wée named before as being readye ministers eyther for hate or couetousnes fauour or hyre to murder and sell the liues of theyr miserable pacients by horrible meanes too familiar in the world now a dayes to whose vnnaturall treasons I account the tormentes of hell to bée but a due iustice O lamentable corruption of our time whē euen there where wée laye vp the confidence of our lyues wée finde murder with infidelyty and where with the breath of hope of comfort and securitye wée drinke vp the sirope of poyson prepared by the handes of the creator to the kinde of man There is an other sort in whome is litle difference of sinne from the others who geuing counsell to deuide the bodye into straunge fleshe to cure a disease do nothing els then with the title of wretched bawdrye damne many soules in the filthye suddes of the fleshe where there is prouidence by infinite remeedyes to pourge all suche vicious humours Thus they abuse the arte which being a gift of God they become vnfaithfull and vnthankefull ministers against his honour will and commaundement offending God more then they who by theyr counsell commit suche wicked actes Suche also as kéepe patientes long on theyr handes and Surgeons who for gaine and practise nourishe long time Vlcers Woundes and Apostumes as in theyr doing is expressed an imitacion of Théeues so what can they deserue lesse then the reward of that crime Lastly I wishe bothe the one and the other to treade in the steppes of certaine deuoute and good Phisitions who will not medle with the cure of the body afore they haue first prepared a purgation to the soule and muche lesse will minister any thing to the pleasure of the body against the health of the Soule but both the one and the other in sociable vnitye of frendship making alwayes the seruaunt obey his Ladye and Mistresse in humble and reasonable subiection ¶ The Second booke ¶ Iudges and gouernours of common VVeales haue of God many seuere commaundements in the Scriptures to exhibite iustice by rightful lavves vvherin as they are threatened of God if they faile so because they shall not erre the fourme hovve to Iudge is prescribed them God so being set afore them in imitacion of Judgements vvhich he doeth vvhich by reason they ought to doe because as he is of him selfe iust and his iudgementes righteous yea iustice it selfe so they are his liefetenauntes ordeyned of him to administer his iustice vvherein because they shal not be fearefull to exercise theyr estate he promiseth them his asistaunce Jf they be fearefull they deserue not to be Judges because in suche a seruice of his hee vvill haue no faint hearted ministers The .1 Chapter FOr that in Regiment of common Weales according to God the christiā Magistrates neyther may nor can erre in the executiō of their charges they haue in the scripture the cōmaundements of the Lord whose lieftenants they are yea often Reiterated with straite seuere charge faithfully to Gouerne his people with Lawful and righteous iudgements wherof as hee geueth them a forme by such as hee exerciseth vppon his people so if they proceede by imitacion of so perfect an example they ought not nor cannot bring forth faulte or errour of good iustice speciallye if they obserue those Lawes by the which hée declareth his true and vpright iudgement in iustifying the innocentes correcting and condemning the guiltie exhorting the yll liuer to reformation in teaching the Doctrines of vertue to the ignoraunte and lastly in distributing to euery one according to the rate and measure of his desert The lawes which hée will haue vs to follow bée first ordinaunces of him selfe which hee expresseth to vs in the scripture I meane as well morall as diuine and eternall whereof wée will speake heareafter the others are they which wée call natural and humaine grounded vppon the same conteyning honesty or Publike profit or altogeather By these foundacions and causes wée maye affirme the humaine lawes to bee Lawfull and directly cōmaunded by Iesus Christ by the declaration of Saint Peter and S. Paul. in the obedience to Caesar and other Magistrates to the whiche obedience wée must necessarylye ioyne the Lawes by them ordeyned And for the more vpright direction of gouernors I wil recite the expresse commaundement of God concerning their Estate of Iudging and by the scripture laye afore them in what sort they ought to kepe them from corruption of iustice and how many miseries ensue the tract of false iudgements beséeching them in the name of God whose Delegates they
the liuely foode of the life present and a comfort in all tribulations Thus may the Magistrate pollitike reléeue the infirmities of his people and kepe them from the desire of euyll and corruption in wicked wyll which is the cause of all wicked workes as by the contrary is wrought all good actions according to the text of Iesus Christ That the euil Tree bringes foorth sowre fruites and the good Tree yeeldes fruite like to him selfe But because he can neither geue ayde to them nor forme iudgement of them if the fruites declare not the nature quality of the wil he ought as shal be further declared in the fourth booke to trauayle diligently that the new plant of his commō weale be not nor remaine not corrupt no nor can not be corrupted the which shal be easie for him to do by the meanes which I wyll set out in the sayde booke treating of the institucion of youth In the meane while we wil procéede in the other sinnes which séeme not to be redily comprised in the ten commaundements of the Law and yet aswell that which we are commaunded as forbidden to do is there conteyned as may be easily discerned by whosoeuer searcheth exactly the iudgement of the Scripture for those then in whom is not that exact knowledge I wyll entreate of other offences which men would not haue sought there and yet are to be found and are most damnable determining not to omit any thing that may be preiudiciall to a Christian common weale yea euen to handle seriously those sinnes wherof men make no conscience as though they were light and contemnible in common iudgement But séeyng GOD condemnes them and inflictes gréeuous punishment vppon the parties it behooueth the polletike Magistrates beyng the follower of this great and Soueraigne Iudge to condemne them also in their Courtes with the same grauetie and measure wherewith he punisheth them in his And albeit there were verye smal vices whiche yet are not so if their errour bee considered séeing they are committed against so great a Lorde of him selfe infinite and against deuine iustice whiche punisheth them greuously yet wée can not iudge them suche but by a comparison with others that bée verye execrable as is Idolatrye Neyther ought the Magistrate for all this to neglecte them séeing as the Wise man sayeth who is careles in small thinges slides easilye into great faultes the same agréeing with the resolucion of Aristotle that an errour howe little soeuer it bée in the beginning wyll ryse great in the ende if there bée not correction in tyme. The Canker appeares litle at the first as a wheale but by sufferaunce it deuoures the partes about it and consumes at last the whole body A disciple of Plato being rebuked for playing at Cardes and Dise aunswered that he did no great harme to whome Plato replied that small Vices doo drawe with them those that bée greater sure sinnes are as linkes annexed togeather in a chaine whereof when you pull one lynke the rest doo followe Euen so the threde of vices if they be not restrained howe litle soeuer it bée wyll ryse to a great webbe of sinnes yea euen to bée able to make a long and huge Corde wherewith Satan doeth binde and imprison man in seruitude and perpetual damnation And like as Phisitions who to auoide the greater sicknesse are not careles of the least disease that happeneth to man but eyther minister some bitter Droages for purgation or at least prescribe him some Diete as also it belonges to the good Surgeon to applye some plaister to an Apostume to rype and purge it least otherwaies there might bée daunger of desperate corruption Euen so the Pollitike Magistrates whiche haue taken in cure this bodye Ciuill if the least in their Citye offende in dutye by light faultes but more if the faulte be great ought immediatelye to applye correction to the offendour and suffer no consequence nor example to others Heare if any wil saye there néedes not so straite censure hée maye be aunswered with that that maye bée sayde to a Pagan who knoweth not what miserye the impunitie of sinne doeth bring sometimes holdes vice in the reputacion opinion of vertue But the true christian who is commaunded to be perfect to offend in nothing for in breaking one commaundement he standes depriued of the fruite for obseruing the rest yea who ought not to faile so much as in an ydle worde whiche Iesus Christ holdes worthy of Iudgement is also commaunded to laye vp all his heart in the Lorde and neyther to speake or doo any thing no not to eate or drinke but to geue all the honour and glorye to God from whiche duetie if man doo swarue neuer so litle hée sinneth for hée faileth of his rule and is subiect to damnation sayeth the Scripture And Saint Paul sayeth that the recompense and stipend of sinne is death It is therfore a vaine obiection to saie that we neede not make so great conscience of so small faultes which albeit they drawe no great moment yet according to the resemblaunce of Saint Augustine If there bée but onelye one creuise or vent in a Shippe by the whiche the water entereth if it bee not stopped the whole shippe in the ende is full of water and the passengers with the vessell in manifest perril to perishe but if there bée more ventes they giue to the water a more spéedye power to drowne them all Euen so is it of vices whereof there néedeth but one to leade a man to his destruction if he bée careles but much more spedelye is he drawne into vndoing if he bée possessed with many Séest thou not sayeth hée that the ship ouercharged with Corne hath her fraught with no other thing but many graines which in tyme of tempest shée must discharge and cast all into the Sea for her safetye And as the burthen is no other thing then abundance of litle graines gathered togeather to drowne the vessel so the multitude of small sinnes leades the soule to perdition if in oportunity shee discharge not her burthen and for the safetie of her selfe and vessell throwe her fraught into the Sea. By this resemblaunce let the wyse Gouernours of this Ciuil Nauye foresée if it bée possible not to suffer one onelye faulte howe light so euer it bee without spéedye resistaunce and much lesse geue passage to many popular and vulgare offences but cast them out of their Shippes least by them they bée drowned in the bottome of all miseries many small diseases suffered rise to a great sicknes the stinging of nyne Hornettes as the saying is sufficeth to kyll a man where a lesse number were in sufficient Let the Magistrate therefore beware not to geue custome to many small vices nor yet to one for frequentacion of sinne procureth to the Soule death eternal ¶ The thirde Booke ⧠Enumeration of sinnes wherof men make no conscience and are oftentimes in the condicion of greeuous sinnes their
prayeth to God for vs with ioyned handes offereth his teares for our prosperity and yet in refusing to aide him wée chase him also frō vs as if hée were an Infidel wée reade that to geue to the poore impouerisheth not the geuer for god multiplieth the corne in the garnors of the Almes geuer blessing him with al sortes of Goodes wée reade in the Booke of Kinges that a poore widdow lodged Helias the Prophete in a season of extreame famine and hauing but one litle loafe for the whole sustenance of her selfe and family and imparting it with him as in Almes and charity Bread was not wanting in her house vntyl the time of fertillitye An other Woman lodging Heliseus became Ritche and had a Childe for recompence of her liberall hospitalitye yea let vs remember when Christ in the desert fedde the poore and hungrye troupe of so many thousand mouthes as hée was in the exercise and distribution of that Almes the Loaues and Fishes multiplyed in wonderfull abundaunce ¶ VVee must not feare that by geuing Almes wee shal be poore for God vvho is iust and true hath promised not to suffer the almes geuer to haue necessitye Strangers aboue al other sortes of poore are to be fauored in necessity Let the countreyes as vvell as Cities norish their perticular poore Such as distrust the prouidēce of God not norishing the poore are conuinced by the Turkes reasons by the vvhich vve ought not to haue distrust In times of plague ought such prouision to bee made as the poore dye not of vvant and pouertye ¶ The .5 Chapter THen seeing we haue so many cōmaundements to féede harbor the poore in theyr necessityes with ample promises cōfyrmed with exāples of plentiful graces of God why should wée doubt if wée doubt of his word we cannot bée but Infidels shal wée dare to resist God impugning so fiercelye his commaundementes are we not his subiectes is not hee the Lord which can do al thinges which is iust and true In this doubte and infidelitie wée merite the threatning in Salomon That that which wee feare shall assuredly happen vnto vs Or in place of that some other more gréeuous plague wée shal crye to him for ayde and shal find none neyther in life nor in death He sayth who kéepeth no reckoning of the poore or denyeth him his iust demaund doeth wrong to him that hath made him who heareth not the prayer of the poore shal crye shal not be hard as of the contrary who inclineth in compassion to the poore is sure to bée heard in al his requests for we haue declared that God multiplieth the corne in the Garner increaseth the wine in the seller of the Almes geuer who sayth hée wyl geue ayde to the poore of his owne towne and stretche not him selfe to helpe others Rates him selfe and prescribeth to his wil what he thinketh good leaueth to God to doo with the rest what hée will which can not but bée heaped against him as an ouerwéening rashenesse speciallye to deuide and parte that which hée hath set in state indiuidible willing at the least that wée vse as great care to poore straungers as to others that are familiar to the countrey The reason why God in the Scriptures hath more recommended poore straungers then others is that as hée that hath most néede of ayde ought most to bée succoured and is worthy of most great compassion So the straunger hauing neyther Parent Allye Neighbor or other meane of friendship by the commoditie of the countrey standes in most néede of Christian charitye For the which only being for the loue of God onely hee is succoured and not for other ende Therfore séeing the only respect of the loue of God is more great in this case then in other greater necessity also requiring the almes employed there must necessarily bée more great and the charity more commendale Heare if it bée replied that wée are most bound to our owne countrey I aunswere with S. Paul that there is neyther Iewe Greeke Scithian nor Barbarian in Iesus Christ no neyther woman nor man as who saye wee must not make distinction with Iesus Christ touching charitye no more then in the case of Saluation wée meane not heare of Parents kinred who in the actes and duty of charity ought by right of nature and deuine Lawe to bee first considered Besides although as we haue saide there were some fleshly affectiō yet the causes are greater to exercise charity to poore passengers as being more vexed with wantes haue more necessity of helpe yea hospitals or townes as we haue said were made therfore with the time expressly and principally for them For those within cities were sustayned in the particuler houses of wealthy and honest men Why should not then the place consecrated to their vse euen from the first institution be reserued for them What iniquity is it to take from them that which they haue possessed aboue prescription of time But heare I meane not that to reléeue straungers we should be carelesse ouer our familier poore and leaue them destitute But where is feruency of charity there the towne maye suffice to all so that none perishe with hungar And in our charge to nourishe straungers I comprehend them not but as passangers or wayfairing and to bée refreshed for a daye or twoo in the Hospitall and not to entertaine them in idlenes or geue sufferāce to theyr vaine pleasures touching the weake sicklye there is other consideration For in that nor in any other act wherin wée employ our selues to do wel charitye is not ruled but is gouerned by the necessitye And where it may bée feared that a whole world of poore people of the countrey may flock to the townes That doubt is answered if there bée aduertisement geuen that they receiue none but poore passangers and that those of the countrey bée ruled by a generall ordinaunce that in euery parishe the most Ritch of common liberality reléeue such as are trulye poore so that none bée suffered to come out of the countrey but certaine who eyther for shame or other necessary occation wil go séeke some meane to liue by Such men in any wise must bée applied to trauaile to auoide damnable idlenes of whome if any fal to disorder let him bée sent from whence he came with seuere threates of corporal paines hauing perhaps left Father Mother wife and children who by his absence may suffer sharpe necessitye Touching other feares which these timerous Almes giuers maye alleadge they ought no more to bée hearde then Infidels but are surmounted euen by the Turkes of this age with whome are continued goodly Hospitals to nourishe the poore but speciallye passanger strangers and that in time of dearth more thē in any other season Let also those fearefull Christians note that as true faith and charity haue neuer any feare but obedience to God with suretye of his word So the wise man
more often reproches yea being euen as little martyrs so there is no profession wherein are lesse faultes For the Masters séeking but to comunicate their learning with their disciplrs neuer endure their vices if they speake euill they correct them if they do euill they are punished they neuer giue them libertie of idlenes though they allow times of necessary recreation In this estate is nothing but chastitie for which cause they are called Pallas and the Muses being Mayds by which occasion not without cause the Poets fained Pallas the Goddes of wisedome and mayde with hir nine mayden sisters the Muses who also as they signifie the exercise of sciences contayning in it virginitie and perpetuall honestie so they are called sisters as being all of one mutuall societie and indiuidible coniunction There is no thing but vertue and godlines in a schoole and therfore it deserues well to be called a religion if in any bookes of the pagans there be wordes vnciuill bearing to vnchast loue or expressing nombers of Goddes the schollers are aduertised by their tutors that they are spéeches of infidelles which knew not God and therfore in taking the rose they may leaue the thornes and being taught the good they are also warned from that which is euill What resteth now more to be alleadged of these detractors and scoffers of the estate of schoolemasters so noble and happie and almost the generall cause of all the benefites that are done in the worlde where they being men of vaine and light spirites are also a people vnprofitable and a burden and charge to the earth Rattes and deuowring vermin of the garnors of good men bycause they haue not passed by good schooles where with ciuilitie in spéech and life they might haue learned some Art profitable to their countrey and honorable to themselues when they die they cannot leaue any testimonie that they liued vppon the earth for that to them posteritie can prescribe no memorie of god These scoffers by contempt call schoolemasters Magisters and Dominos which turnes as a glory to them for that they haue those names common with Iesus Christ saying to his Disciples you call me Magister and Domine sum etenim so schoolemasters are Magistri by the state of their teaching and Domini for that they commaund their disciples and giue lawes to their affections and lustes where those dispisers of good men for whom according to Salomon the terrible iudgements of God are prepared are thralles and slaues to their passions yea it is to be feared that they are euen the bondmen of Sathan whom they obey and are the executors of his commaundements whereof the greatest and most pernicious is to contemne the good sort and vex with violence and wrong men of learning and vertue being an estate that most batter the kingdome of Sathan bring ruine to his tirannie But notwithstanding their scoffes and vaine impediments they are both Lords and Masters as exercising both authoritie and discipline in their iurisdiction of their small common weale aswell as the greatest Magistrate of the earth and to scoffe with those scoffers we may say they haue their scepture in hand with distribucion of high inferior Iustice for they condemne iustefie and absolue when they condemne there is no appeale yea there is such direct pollecie in their coÌ„mon weale that it suffreth neither disorder nor confusion where it is hard to these inciuill iesters to put order in their small families compounded perhaps but vppon two or thrée persons but crying some times as the blind man wheÌ„ he hath lost his staffe strike sometimes without measure or reason reaping by their disorder a gréeuous curse to themselues and families whereuppon is no great cause of merueile for that being not hable to gouerne themselues for want of discipline they haue lesse capacitie to rule others For end let them remember the sentence of Seneca that euill doth he merit to commaunde others which hath not himselfe liued long vnder the discipline of good Masters and learned to obey their commaundements So that with Salomon I may aunswere them at full that a wicked man can not but leade his toung in wickednes and who abhorres good men are detested of God. An exhortation to young children to studie Chapter xiiij MOreouer waighing with the comon benefitts comming to comonweals the sweet profitts that growe to singuler men by learning I exhorte all young men to the studie of the same their nature speciallie inclining and their abillitie consenting making coÌ„scieÌ„ce to lose one only minute of time according to the examples and counsel of Theophrastus and Plinie Whereof as the on in saying time was a most precius expense signified the no more ought men to consume vainly the least parte of time then to make prodigall expenses or wast of a most delicat meate so the other held all times lost which were not imployed in studie the same being the cause that he would not suffer his reader to repeat to him one word twise alleging that it hindred his time to passe further and learn that which yet he knew not where â—he consented with the moste part of all wise men whose opinions were that in all things ought we to be liberal sauing of our honor time in which two things being so precious we ought to be so sparing as not to be prodigall in eyther of them not to our very frinds But to come to knowledg and vertu they must first demaund them of God who is the only disposer of theÌ„ the lord sayeth Salomon giues wisdom and knowleg and discresion comes from his mouth who hath néed of wisdome let him aske it of God sayeth S. James who giues it abundauntly and reprocheth none of that he giues them but enioyneth them to humilitie for on the humble and méek he bestowes his grace secondly it is necesarie to take suche masters as we haue described good learned diligent and discret Thirdly ther must be aplied great labors and seruis trauell which abeit séem heuy and painfull at the beginning yet after the first taste be past they shall féele a most swéet iuyce or likquor in the frute of lerning for which cause Jsocrates resembled learning to a trée whose root is sower and the barke bitter but in the frutes is a most pleasant delightfull tast Plutarch wills men not to stick at the labor that brings any great or excellent benefitt for with the infinitt and glorius recompence afore God and the whole worlde of suche labor the custome of those paines makes the burthen easie which was right aptly aduised of Cato that vertu hath hir exercise in hard trauells which passe away but the frute ther of remaines eternall being a perpetuall inward delight of the mind of man Therfore muche less that labor ought to terifie or with draw young witts from studie but in the consideration of knowledg accompanied with profitt pleasure glorie and immortall name ther is great cause to
benefices Prebendes Prelatesship estates are purchased wherein may bee gessed how well they will behaue themselues séeing they were neuer touched with the thought to become worthy of them and so are raised to priestes afore they deserue to be clerks Abbots not being méete to be Monkes Iudges afore they haue pleaded in causes of right and Masters afore they were disciples No greater disorder or confusion in a common weale When Fathers shall finde their children enclined to learning let theÌ„ applie their purse to their disposition so shall they make them most seruiceable to their countreyes honorable to themselues and most happy as touching their proper saluation if they haue no sufficient meane to continue entertaine their studie let them praye to God and rather then to discoÌ„tinue their booke bestow theÌ„ in colledges to serue some Doctors Regents or learned schollers and so leade them by long and painefull wayes to the estimacion and conquest of learning foreséeing in any wise not to discourage or dispaire the liuely will and spirite of a young child taking pleasure to studie For as it is a signe certaine of the calling of God so ther is no lesse hope and suertie but that to that inclination and vehement affection the almightie Lord being earnestly prayed vnto wil ioyne coÌ„uenient oportunities to come to that whereunto he calleth him by the which wée read of many prouing so excellent in all liberall sciences that by their doctrine they haue bene chosen Bishops Presidents yea and made more great then in their youth they were meane poore and simple some of them hauing no other beginning then trained in the function euen of the meanest seruant wherein is fulfilled the sentence of Salomon that there be poore seruants who in the end by their wisedome will beare rule ouer the riche children in whom is no habilitie to gouerne themselues discréetely There resteth to a young man but a strong desire and feruent mind to studie to make him at last wise and learned and such one sayth Aristotle though he knoweth nothing yet he is more then halfe learned if he begin well Touching the election of Masters to institute children I haue spoken at large in the last booke only I aduertise rich pareÌ„ts that to entertaine good Masters it is better to bestowe crownes then shillings For by them money time honour knowledge vertue are gained foure fold which all are lost where the instructor is either ignoraunt negligent or corrupt In this the consideration of couetousnes doth much blind vndiscréete parents more fearefull of the wast of their money then fauoring the benefite of their children according to the example of the man in Plutarch who suing to a Philosopher to teach his sonne and he requiring compotent hier what saith this couetous father with so much money can I buy a slaue by whoÌ„ I can raise yerely great reuenue so saith the Philosopher may you haue two for one if you leaue your childe ignorant and without discipline meaning that by his couetousnes he should haue a sonne a slaue to his desires and affections who liuing alwayes in dishonour and subiection would neuer bring forth any good actions but by force or feare where hauing institution as hée might by doctrine and vertue leade his lyfe in right honorable libertie so if for want of discipline he became prodigall and spent his wealth he should be driuen to serue to supplie the necessitie of hys miserable life Touching the subiection wherein a Father ought to leade his childe he hath prescription in the scripture that he must minister Discipline to his childe that is not wise and by the rod chastise his malice to the end to deliuer his soule from hell The wise man in an other text giues this councell if thou hast childreÌ„ teache and discipline them and leade them in humble subiection euen from their youth hold them shorte by sharp correction hyde in thy hart the loue thou bearest them and giue them no indulgence libertie to pleasure since as by thy good correction thou shalt receyue of them great ioye and comfort vppon the ende of thy dayes so how much thou doest enlarge their youth to libertie euen so farre doest thou leade them in the pathe of their owne destruction to thy right worthy displeasure and dishonor The childe sayeth Salomon that is left to liue at his will giues confusion to his mother We haue an example in our great and heauenly Father who the more he loueth the straiter discipline subiection doth he holde ouer those whoÌ„ he best loueth as we reade by his hard dealing with the Jsraelites and leauing the Pagans without correction saying In thy lyfe time giue not thy children power ouer thee as if he had sayde dispossesse not thy selfe of thy goods to thy children yea make not thy selfe familiar with them put thée not into their mercie but being maister so long as thou liuest retayne thy authoritie ouer them to correct them to disinherite them and punishe them if they offende Who spareth the rod from his child saieth Salomon hateth him and loues not his saluacion therefore â—o long as thy power remaynes ouer them if thou punish not their offences thou standest in the same estate of blame and damnation with them as witnesseth Hely whereof we haue spoken before It happeneth ordinarely by the iust course of Gods iudgement that as the father forgettes in his office and authoritie to minister instruction and discipline to his childe so in hys ryper yeares that negligeÌ„ce eftsâ—ones turnes his sonne froÌ„ the dutie of a child becomming disobedient disordered and dissolute and giues no reuerence eyther to father or mother yea sometimes he robbeth them dooth them wrong outrage and iniurie and setting his feete euen vpon their throate is the cause oftentymes that thei dye afore the ende of their dayes Saule is commended for that finding his sonne Ionathas by chaunce in transgression of the law he condemned him to death as if he had ben another which also he had suffered if the people had not deliuered him Dauid was somewhat to deare ouer his children which in the ende tourned to his rebuke and hurt Iacob depriued his eldest Sonne Ruben of his right of inheritaunce because hée was an inceste Abraham chased Jsmael because he had plaied with Jsaac which some interprete that hee had beaten him and others that he would haue committed Idolatrie and induced Jsaac to that impietie which thoughe it be vnderstand simplie to playe and loose time in importunat and vnlawfull sportes séeking also to seduce his younger brother and that Abraham could not bée ignorant but that Jsmael was corrupte yet hée expulsed him iustly yea euen by the commaundement of God. Noe punished with cursse ouer the familie of Cham the mocking that he made of him wherein is no great cause of maruell for that the father being the Lieuetenant of god here in earth ouer the regiment of his
children ought to execute his authoritie and suffer in them no impunitie of vice such commission was giuen to fathers and mothers by the law that if they vnderstoode their sonne to be disobedient or rebellious they ought to produce him into iudgement prosecute him to sentence to be stoned where the father and mother ought to cast the first stone against him But as the father is bound to seueritie towardes his children that are arrogant disobedient and corrupt so to such as are humble obedient and of most seruice to him Christianitie and natural office bind him to more franke curtesie and cōsideration So did Noe reknowledge Sem and Japhet by blissings because they had bene his good and faithefull children Abraham for the obedience of his sonne Jsaac made him his heire giuing but legacies to his other children And Iacob recompensed Ioseph with porcion double aboue the others Touching Maydes the scripture enioineth parentes to kéepe them short to haue their eye continually vpon them and neuer to accustome them to familiaritie for that sexe without subiection in youth beares a nature easie to slyde and is frayle aboue all other creatures more daungerous to be preserued thē any other brickle vessell Dyna went but to visit the maydes of the Citie of Sichem and was forthwith rauished by the prince of the countrey Thamar Dauids daughter going onely to comfort her brother Ammon whom they sayd was sick fell into violacion of hir bodie many there are of whō nothing is more required then opportunitie to expresse their corrupt willes for which cause it belonges specially to the mother to giue them no libertie out of her companie nor licence to speake to men without testimonie For there néedeth but one woorde to infecte a mayd as one word of the serpent was sufficient to seduce Eue notwithstanding hir wisedome A mayd is as a brickle glasse which as if you touche but with your least finger it is enough to make it fall and breake so the very type of a wicked toung suffiseth to entyce to euill a young maid being not instructed in the feare knowledge of God so daungerous saith the scripture is the virginitie of a maid therfore according to Salomon that father doth a great work when hée marieth his daughter And in the mean let him kepe hir in extreme subiection feed hir in sobrietie kepe hir in expresse exercise of some worke of the hand the better to restraine hir from thought of euill if they be pore let the parents prouid some occupation which with diligence and chastitie is a rich dowrie in mariage And to the riche science and labor are occupations necessarie to draw the mind from foolish and vaine thoughts for end as ther be sixe things to kepe maids from corruption doctrine shame feare subiection sobrietie and perpetual trauell So in the consideration of the charge of parents to their children let fathers remember that séeing they know by faith that they are ordeyned of God to serue him in propagation noriture and aduancement of the children which he giues them for they are as his ministers and lieftenaunts in that behalfe let them raise themselues to him in faith and hope that he will neuer abandone them seing the children do more aperteine to him then to them as hauing endewed them with a soule the figure of his deuinitie forming their bodies of wonderfull composition created infinit sortes of creaturs for their sakes let fathers confesse that they are but as nurses to God norishing his proper children and administring his seruice in those acts so deare to him they haue to receiue of him perpetuall rewardes if ther be honorable recompence in a king or prince of the earth to a comon nourse ministring noriture to the kings childe according to the will and prescript of his father Much more suretie haue fathers by their Faith ioyned with prayer that the heauenly King touching the necessities of common life will neuer for sake them if they norishe and féede his children according to his will and to his honour for that he neuer sendes children without Fatherly prouidence for their aduauncemēt By the same reason let fathers take héede that they suffer no vice or deformety of manners in them séeing that as God is pure holy and vndefiled so hee hath giuen children to fathers to fashion them such one 's for him wherein if they faile he will repute them as principall authors of their faults and with their children hold them guiltie in his terrible iustice Therfore let them not pamper nor corrupt them with wanton libertie let thē not make Idoles of them in the intrales of their hearts nor damne them selues to raise their children to riches and estates which they haue not deserued whereby perhaps for recompence they wyll procure perill to their liues But let them only obserue the will and prescript of God present them to him in the institution which he demaundes at their hands hauing no commaundement of him to make their children great Lords but rather men of honestie then possessers of great wealth which being duly obserued of fathers in the institucion of their children encreaseth the honor of their houses and bringes a recompence of eternall glorye to their whole posteritie ¶ In what dutie children are bound to their Fathers and Mothers Chapter vj. THE Scripture by many commaundements bindes children to honour and obey their fathers and mothers And by all right of nature and lawes humaine Ciuill and barbarous they are enioyned to disobey them in nothing I meane concerning humane honestie naturall dutie and diuine ordenance For if the commaundements of Fathers and mothers stretch to other things they abuse their authoritie séeing as I haue sayd they represent God in earth in the procreation and noriture of their children as the ministers of his prouidence and will and therefore their commaundements ought to agrée with the prescript rule of Gods will. And touching the disobedience of the child to the Father mother it is well expressed in the lawe of GOD giuen to Moyses how grieuous that disobedience was béeing commaunded to stoning euen a like punishment as if the disobedience had ben don against God as in déede the transgression and faulte retorned against the same Lord who being the great soueraigne Father hath ordeined this father fleshly in nature as his Liefetenant and executor of his will he cursed likewise the child that was guiltie in disobedience as in the lawe naturall Noe punished his sonne Cham with curses for that he mocked him which God ratefied Jacob depriued his sonne Ruben of his discent bycause he did outrage against him The Scripture afordes many curses to the child that either in act or word disobeyeth his Father and Mother and the Sonne that scorneth or disdaineth either of them is iudged worthy that the Rauens and crowes picke out his eyes meaning that in no sort such one deserues the vse of common light nor
seing they misknowe and offend their creator no more should they enioy it longe if the nomber of Gods elect and his faithfull seruants were accomplished for then would he reuerse the world to the which he giues not this continuance but for their sakes And therfore wicked men ought to honor the good sort by whome they are and prosper in the world as with out them they had ben ere this caried into the déepest botoms But much lesse that those pore blind men can sée the estat of their proper errors seing they haue not the facultie of consideration of thinges necessarie for they haue neyther eyes of fayth nor light of scriptures to deserne that which concernes the health or perdicion of men Touching factions and warrs of one Christian realme against an other there can not happen to the world a more great malediction no ther are no actions of men where with the maiestie of God is more offended wherin such as vnder the pretence of any profite giue councells and be as it were the bellowes to blowe the brondes of such murders cannot but stand guiltie and worthy of a thousand hels in respect of the infinit offences committed against God by breaking the league of Christian fraternitie and indissoluble aliance of amitie wherin Iesus christ hath knit vs together in more strong charitie then naturall brethern one with an other who if they raise contention one against an other what will their Father saye if they strike one an other what cause of indignation against them but if they kill one an other what great displeasur to him it is holden by the scripture the Adam remained a hundreth yeares frō knowing his wife Eue for the sorow which he had of the murder of his sonne Cayn against his brother Abell if such as sowe discord amongst brethern be aboue other most displeasing and abhominable to god what reputacion to those brothers entertayning ciuill debate amongest them selues who in nothing more can incurre so great abhomination afore god if such as only hate their brethren be murderours can not haue eternall life in what daunger of iudgement stand they who not onely hate but oppresse persecute and kill if simplie to bée angrie against reason and of a wicked hart deserueth condemnacion if to offer half an iniurie bringes merit of punishment and if for calling our brother foole we stand in daunger of hell fyer what infliction of punishmēt ought to be prepared for brethern maintayning controuersie by hate enforcing actes of mutuall hostilitie and with great cōtempt of nature cut one anothers throate if God refuseth the prayers or sacrifices of such as present them afore his aulter bearing enimitie against any and not performed reconcilement how can such as slaughter one another so directly against the will and commaundement of the Lord offer eyther prayers or other acts helping to their saluation yea if they purge not their grudge by recōciliation their praiers can not be drawn vp to heauen Let therefore these reasons with others of no lesse consideracion be drawne into déepe coūcell afore warre be taken in hand let all meanes of peace be searched and if there bee malice séeke after attonement yea let not the sunne goe downe vppon your anger saith S Paule if there be question for a towne fortresse or countrey let wise Princes Presidents and Councellours accorde the difference For if warre bée once begonne perill appeares on euery syde and as the euent is vncertaine so the charge of thrée monthes pay for an armie will ryse to more then the profit that comes by it in many yeares besides to a place being gotten with great cost belonges no lesse care to kéepe it and therefore no small grief when it is eftsoones recouered not reckoning the spoyles robberies murders violation of wiues mayds and widowes with other infinit euils incident by the fury of warre for the which what satisfaction can be acceptable afore God wo be to those seducers who for any temporal benefit sturre vp Christiā Princes to lenie warre one against another to the great dishonour of Christian Religion oftentimes their proper ruine by this it hapneth that as Kinges Christian Princes haue ben in diuision the furious tyger of Christendome obseruing his oprtunitie hath entred into our common weale of Europe and made much of it subiect to his tirannie against whom all nations Kings of the faith ought to conspire in one cōmon force and chase him out of the parke of Iesus Christ which he hath already inuaded with violent slaughter of the séely sheepe of our almightie Lord yea they ought also to keepe warre against the Wolues Foxes wandring throughout the world to deuower the residue of this poore flocke I meane heritikes authors of these new reprobat sects against whom the Princes of Christian nations ought to fight no lesse valiantly then did the Jewes against the Philistines Amalachites other Idolaters Christians ought not to commence sute one against an other least by pleading in processes there arise hate or malice And to the man of GOD better were it to suffer the losse of worldly goods then to vex the quiet tranquillitie of his spirit to lose the exercise of his godly vocation to put him selfe in hazerd of Idolatrie to corrupt Iudges for the gaining of his cause to take occasiō to beare euil wil to his aduersary to forge deceites delayes lies lastly to be constrained for his iustification to discouer the vices of the witnesses suborned against him All which perplexities ioyned to abuses damnable ought to warne arme al Christiās not to attēpt proces for light causes but rather to search all meanes of concord as Iesus Christ commaunds vs And in cases where men are cōpelled to prosecute pleading as S. Paule was to defend him selfe against the false accusations of the Jewes let them beware they beare no malice to the partie whom we are bound to loue according to the aduertisement exāmple of Christ as also whē a Prince raiseth warre against a tirant he ought not to bear hate to his person but pursue him to iustice with compassion Let Princes al other popular states obserue the rules of charitie in whom since God is delited to make his perpetual residence there is no doubt but if she be the guide to our worldly actions we shall bring forth in our cōmon cōuersatiō such true effects of Christianitie that neyther ambiciō malice nor preheminence of place or authoritie shal carie vs into actes of opression against our neyghbour nor yet the consideration of small wronges offered to our selues by others moue vs to take to blame those thinges which by the office of our religiō we ar bound to couer or at least not to enter into violent recompence but to leaue the reueng to God to whom it belongeth Let thefore publike preachers and pastors of the holy word exhorte the worlde on all sides to reconcilement