say little of the dispositions of most Tich They say that one swallow is no argument of summer nor the Aethiopians white teeth cannot make his face faire neither may the forwardnes of a few be a generall presumption for all that be rich It were hard if amongst many blossomes all should proue blasts or amongst many rich men all shuld be misers but yet if you marke the maner of such as doo good you shall finde they either doo it grudgingly or glorionsly and that was the fault of the Pharisies one doth a pleasure and but seldome and yet he must speake of it very often hee cannot be content to doe good before God who can make restitutiō but he must haue it known to the world that laugh at his vaine ostentation to giue it is good the deede is charitable to him that hath need but not acceptable to God because he sinneth if he doth it not simplie and surely hee that braggeth or vpbraydeth where he hath done good deserueth no better amendes than his owne mouth Other there be that be wealthy that wil hardly parte from a pennie by their life but giue great promises of much after death and yet I think if they could carie it with thē they would hardly leaue it behinde It is a wonderfull thing that such men as almost haue no heires to inherite no cause to be couetous no reason to hold fast should shewe themselues so wretched to the world that they will crucifie theyr owne carkasse for want of cost and sooner die than depart with ought to doo another pleasure Alas what possibilitie of preferment is to be expected of such a person that will yeeld no likelihood of liberalitie by his life Besides doo they thinke one can feede vpon faire wordes or prosper by bare promises Why he may goe long barefoote that tarries for dead-mens shooes and yet when he hath them they wil not be worth the wearing for I haue knowen such as haue promised goldē hils by their life that haue performed but durtie daies at their death It is but a fetch of fraudulencie yea oftentimes the cause of farther incōuenience to bring one in hope of hauing a thing and then to delude him at the last with nothing These should doo well to remēber the Wisemans words to doo good before they die For it is far better they should send their workes afore them than they should follow after them it is a greater worke of charitie for them to doo good by their life freely than to doo it after their death forcibly Wel to be briefe let this suffice where there is one that doth good with his goods there are a hundred that doo hurt with them Phil. If I should make as long a description of the poore as you haue made a vayne inuection against the rich you might iustly say I vse more words than wit both because your circumstance of speech is nothing to the substaunce of the matter as also because if both their cuills were weyed together in an equall ballance although they differ in exterior estate in regard of liuing I feare me they would not be inferior in interior deserts in respect of their liues for as you say of the rich so amōgst the poore for the most part there be manie that bee leaudly addicted But because it is a needlesse discourse to discouer them I will omit that and to the matter The good man saith Salomon shall giue inheritaunce vnto his Childrens Children Prouerbs 13. 22. then it seemeth such as haue nothing to giue are vngodly But the Prophet Dauid doth make it more manifest for saith he I neuer saw the righteous forsakē nor his seed begging bread Psa 37. 25. If we conster this by the contrarie what should I say is not pouertie an argumēt of impietie Tych. It is a perillous thing to giue any peremptorie iudgement of the poore considering what the Psalmograph saith Blessed are they that iudge wiselie of such What though Salomon saith The good man shall giue inheritance c Yet that is no consequent to condemne the poore that haue nothing to part with For the Scripture saith God hath chosen such I am 2. 5. Besides that the Prophets nay the Apostles yea Christ himselfe was but poore had no worldly possessions to dispose yet we must not say they were impious therefore that position was ill put in and your latter to as little purpose For though Dauid in his dayes neuer sawe the righteous beg their bread yet since we haue seene in the Scripture an example to the contrarie for Lazarus lay begging at the rich mans gate and yet his soule did rest in Abrahams bosome Phil. You must consider there are diuersitie of pouerties Dauid was a King and yet in regard of a richer he counted himselfe but poore for saith hee to his sonne Salomon According to my pouertie haue I prepared for the house of the Lord. 1. Chr. 22. 14. Now I speake not in respect of a competent liuing for it was that the Wiseman most desired neither of him that hath but a little to liue on for with the feare of God it is better than great treasure and trouble with it Prou. 15. 16. but of such as cannot support themselues but by the beneuolence of others as the beggar doth Tych. Why hath not God ordeined such as instruments to trie the hearts of the rich and shal we so badlie accompt of beggars Phil. Yet the workman is more woorthie than the instrument if he can vse it well and why because the Apostle saith it is a blessed thing to giue rather than receiue Act. 20. 35. Tych. If the poore man bee content with his wallet shall we condemne him for want seeing we are taught that Godlines is great riches if a man be content with that he hath 1. Tim 6. 6. Phil. Yet our Sauiour Christ commaunded his Apostles to vse neither staffe nor wallet Matth. 10. nor to goe from doore to doore for as the Wiseman saith It were better to die than beg Eccle. 40. 28. It was this that made Paul labor with his owne hands rather than he would be chargeable to anie Tych. The cause of the rich-mans happines cōsists party in the poore as appears by Salomons saying He that hath mercie on the poore is blessed Pro. 14. 21. therefore the poore are most to be preferred for if the cause be adempted the effect must needes diminish Phil. This argument is not worth any thing for though I did admit your antecedent it wold make against your self if I shuld reason with you by waie of comparison in this sort If he be blessed that bestoweth on the poore what is he that hath nothing to giue them if the conclusion be made by the contrarie what say you to this yet betweene your argument and this there is neither barrell better herring as for your consequent it is vainly intruded for if the poore can effect the blessednes of the rich the cause
ignorant and there are some will finde fault be they neuer so foolish were not he a wise man could stop al their mouthes but my meaning is not to satisfie such readers which bee rude but reasonable not the curious but the curteous the one will excuse and couer a fault with discretion the other will but carpe and cauill without cause so farwell Bury S. Edmond in Suffolke Yours Charles Gibbon Whether the Election of the Parents is to be preferred before the affection of their Children in Marriage The Speakers are Philogus Tychicus Two louers of Learning Philogus THere is an olde verse which retaines his olde vertue being as credible for antiquitie as trueth It is this When Adam dig'd and Eue span who was then a Gentleman Then came a rich churle and gathered good and so came in the gentle bloud Wherein appeares that the ground of gentillity began with goods for as the wiseman saith haue not all men one entrance into life and a like going out Sap. 7. 6. are we not equall by creation heires by adoption brothers by profession and yet it is a strange thing to see what precisenes of Petigrees and difference of blouds there is amongst vs the dayes haue been that Kings would bestowe their daughters vppon plaine men and yet thought it no disparagement of bloud as Saul who bestowed his daughter Michol 1. Sam. 18. 27. vpon Dauid being but a simple shepheard that Lords would haue matched their sonnes with meane mens daughters and yet account it no blemish to their birth as Sechem the sonne of Hemor who ioyned with Dinah the daughter of Iaakob he was a Lords sonne that ruled a whole Countrie Gen. 34. 1 2. she a plaine mans daughter that dwelt in tents Gen. 25. 27. The time was when rich men would haue taken poore women to their wiues and yet neuer made any respect of their portions as Boaz did Ruth he was a man of great authoritie and riches Ruth 2. 1. as some thinke iudge of Israel Iudg. 12. 8. she a poore woman that glened vpon his land for her liuing But now it is no match amongst vs where the parties be not answerable in birth and agreeable in abilities where indeede the best gentilitie consist in pietie and the most wealth in contentment I thought good to vse this preamble for this purpose There is olde Cleanthes an auncient Gentlemā who is adorned aswell with the affluencie of fortune for great possessiōs as with the excellencie of Nature for good properties he hath amongst many children but one daughter yet a sister to euery sonne this mayde is very desirous to marrie and hath made her choyce of such a one as is both of a goodly composition of bodie and of a godly disposition of minde Yet as hee is proper and well disposed so he is very poore insomuch as her father by reason of the basenes of his linage and barenes of his liuing will not allow of her liking but hath appoynted her another which both by parentage and portion may counteruaile her calling and his contentment yet nothing answerable to his daughters desire because for his yeares hee may rather bee her father than her husband which as he cannot be the first so he is so farre from the latter that she will rather be martyred than married to him now in this case whether is the affection of the childe to be preferred before the election of the father Tichi You produce your preamble as it seemeth to impugne and reprooue such as vpon circumstances of parentage and possessions will permit or prohibit marriage and therefore before I answere your proposition I will say somewhat to your protestatiō You bring an olde verse to proue that gentilitie began with goods Indeede goods in these dayes adde a grace to many yet gentry hath not his beginning all of one ground Some haue been base borne yet came to great estimation not by their possessions but by their valiant exploytes as Iphtah being sonne of a harlot Iudg. 11. 1. became Iudge of Israel Iudg. 12. 7. Others haue been poore and yet came to great promotion not for their wealth but their wisdome as Ioseph who being an abiect of his brethren Gen. 37. 4. became fellow to king Pharaoh and was made gouernour ouer all Aegipt Gen. 41. 40. and in these dayes amongst vs many come to preferment not for their liuing but learning not by progeny but prowes not by desert but discent notwithstāding I affirme your sayings that as touching the bare birth a king hath no better beginning than a beggar or in respect of the ordinary ende the Prince hath no priueledge aboue the poore for as both proceede from a woman so both shall feede the wormes yet that followeth not although all be made of one mettall none should bee more excellent in maiestie or albeit none be noble by nature any should not be renowmed by calling for as many differ in degrees of dignity so according to their title and authoritie they are to be preferred and what renowne the predecessor dooth purchase by his life it discendeth by succession to his posteritie after him You proceed further say that kings would bestow their children vpon plaine men and for proofe you bring in Sauls daughter and Dauid this example nothing auaileth for Dauid had her not by intercession but vpon condition if hee had not slaine Goliah he had gone without her 1. Sam. 17. 25. Yet are you aduised of Dauids answer after hee should haue her What am I saith he and what is my life or the familie of my father in Israel that I should be sonne in Lawe to the King 1. Sam. 18. 18. Herein hee doth shewe his vnworthines to match with such a mans daughter I meane for petigree not for piety this argueth that in those daies they had a speciall respect of parentage And Lords say you would match with meane mens childrē for this you infer Shechem and Dinah you must note although he were a Lords sonne he plaid a leaud part to deflower her therefore no doubt it was the filthines of the fact that forced him to marrie her Yea rich men say you would take poore women to their wiues as Boaz did Ruth still you striue against the streame for Boaz was hir kinseman therefore was to take her by the title of affynity according to Gods law as it was commanded If bretheren dwel together one of them die haue no sonne as she had not the wife of the dead shall not marrie to a stranger but his kinseman shall goe in to her and take her to wife and doe the kinsmans office to her Deut. 25. 5 6 7. So that your preamble is impertinent for where parties be matched equally according to their birth and abilities there is euer best agreement Nowe to your question Whether the election of the father is to bee preferred before the affection of the childe This is as easie to answere
aske her consent and to know whether shee would goe with that man or no her answer was shee would Gen. 24. 27. c. this argueth that parents must not vse any coaction where their children haue no disposition to the partie Phi. Yet all this is to no purpose to the question I propose for the maid neither meaneth to liue single as a Virgin yet she cannot bee suffered to match to her minde as she would doe nowe in this case whether may the peruersitie of the parents hinder the choyce of the childe Tich It is needelesse to adde a double answere to a single question or to demaund a reason where there is no doubt your word peruersitie is so termed of the wilfull but it is taken for prudencie amongst the wise for they know that it is the propertie of parents not to deale frowardly but fatherly with their children and to bestow them not as they desire without discresion but as is most expedient with circumspection but admit that Parents be sometime peruerse shall children bee pernicious or as wee commonly say driue out one nayle with another God forbid they must win thē by peticion not prouocation by obedience not obstinacie The parents ioy depend vpon their children and therefore their euill placing turne to their displeasure did not Esau by taking wiues cōtrary to his fathers will procure his sorrowe insomuch as his mother sayd It should not auaile her to liue if his Brother Iaacob did bestow himselfe so Gen. 27. 46. let then the example of Esau dehort the disobedient which care more to please their fancies than their fathers and let Iaacob be an imitation to the dutifull which preferre their fathers precept before their own pleasure and to resolue you more fully I will shew some apparrant examples that shall approoue the submissiō of children to their parents in this respect Sechem the sonne of a Lorde hauing deflowred Dinah although by reason of the filthynes of the fact it was more time for him to marry the mayde than to motion the matter yet before hee woulde marry hee craued his fathers good will as appeareth in the text for it is there said He said to his father Hamer get me this mayde to wife Gen. 34. 1 c. If the consent of Parents was obserued as a principle amongst the very Infidels how much more ought wee to bee carefull of it that be Christians Sampson was Iudge of Israel and a strong and valiant man yet falling in loue with Dalilah hee did not satisfie his lust without his fathers liking for he sayde to his Father Giue mee her to wife Iudg. 14. 2. Ruth was content to bee ruled by Naomi her mother in lawe yea euen in this matter concerning her marriage Ruth 3. 5. then how much more ought we to submit our consents to our naturall parents Many such examples I could insert but these may satisfie a sensible man in a reasonable matter Phi. I haue permitted your sperch hitherto not because I could not preuent your Apologie but that I was desirous to learne what you could alleadge and now I plainely see that a fearce streame hath no stay if it be not stopped in time nor your arguments an ende if they be not intercepted to the matter I confesse that children are commaunded to obey their Parents yet I affirme they must not in many things approoue their proceedings for their limites are prescribed They must obey them in the Lord for this is right saith Paul Ephes 6. 1. if parents wil prouoke their children to marry with Infidels they may not for they haue no warrāt by the word of God 2. Cor. 6. 14. Tich Yet the same Apostle saith The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the beleeuing wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband 1. Cor. 7. 14. What say you to this Philog I thought by taking your rise so rashly you woulde leape shorte for there are three things to bee obserned which you ouerslipped in those words the cause that prouoked him 1. the persons he respected 2. the end he aymed at 3. the cause that prouoked him was to answere an obiectiō against such as thought that the godly shoulde bee defiled by the societie of the wicked which he contrarieth in the same chapt vers 14. the persons he respected were such as were so already contracted to preuēt those that vnder that pretence might take occasion purposely to seperate thēselues which we may gather by the 15. verse the ende he chiefly aymeth at was to premonish the vnmarried not to match in that manner as apeareth in the 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. Bee not saith he vnequally yoaked with Infidels then hee sheweth a reason for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnes what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial or what parte hath the beleeuer with the Infidel So hauing aunswered your obiection I will iterate where you interrupted me As children may not intercommon with Infidels so their parents may not vrge them to match with Idolators or such like because it is prohibyted Tich And yet it is nothing respected in these dayes for in mariages amongst vs we make no regarde of godlines but goods of righteousnes but riches how well but how welthy they be made be he Atheist be he Papist be he Newter we respect not the man but his money not his life but his liuing not his profession but his promotion and therefore I see no reason but that they may deale with Idolators The Israelites a chosen people of God did intercouenant with the Gentiles which were great Idolators Iudg. 3. 6. Salomon that prudent king tooke the daughter of king Pharaoh 1. King 3. 1. Dauid that holy mā matched with the daughter of king Saul yet Pharaoh and Saul were grosse Idolaters Phi. I see you striue to wring water out of the pomice or else you would neuer waste the time with such wordes doth it follow because most in marriage haue regarde of goods that I by their example should impaire Gods glory why wee are taught not to follow a multitude in euill Did the Israelites intercouenant with the Gentiles why they did contrary to the commaundement of God Deut. 7. 3. Yet the Lord did not let them passe vnpunished Iudg. 3. 8. Did Salomon marrie an Idolatrous wife why he was drawen to Idolatrie by them what followed he incurred the wrath of God for his wickednesse 1. King 11. 14. As for that act of Dauid it cannot animate vs seeing the example of diuers may deterre vs neither is it expedient for any to presume of Gods power without his will Now hauing answered your digression I will proceede where I left I say still that the glory of God not the motions of men his praise not their practises are to be preferred in euerie thing as in this matter concerning marriage we ought indeede to obay our earthly parents yet we must not dishonour one eternall
that feare him There shall none cast their frute or be barren Exod. 23. 26. It is said the Lord shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimelech and why for a punishment of sinne because of Sarah Gen 20. 18. The barren woman enioyes not the promise which God made to them that were maried to haue issue but principally shee is depriued of that promise that God made to Abraham that he would increase his seede Therfore let no man lightly esteeme of children as many do which accompt them rather a charge than a blissing a trouble than a benefit for as they bee arguments of the loue of God as may appeare in Hannah whose praier the Lord remembred 1. Sam. 1. 19. so they be meanes to increase mutuall loue betweene man and wife for after Leah had borne a sonne she was perswaded her husband would loue her and keepe her companie Gen. 29. 32. 34. Notwithstanding as godly children are a great gift of God so the wicked are a great griefe to the parēts one a renowne the other a reproach to them Now manie will say A good tree bringeth foorth good frute so condemne the parents by their childrēs impietie but let no man iudge rashly for it falleth out sometime by men as in other matters there are few trees that beare frute but haue some windfalls few gardens that bring forth flowrs but haue some weeds few men that haue issue but some proue euill Noah had Cham aswell as Sem Abraham Ismael aswell as Isaac Dauid Absolom aswell as Salomō yet Noah Abraham Dauid were the children of God But I will omit this matter and manifest my meaning by an example There is one that dwelleth by me that is verie wealthie who hath but three sonnes to impart his liuing to he hath bestowed great cost vpon the eldest to preferre him by learning yet presuming of his patrimonie as manie rich heires doo in these daies he is either foolish or vnfortunate for hee yeelds in steed of wisedome wantonnes for learning lewdnes and for obediencie obstinacie yea he had better haue bin put to Cart than to Cambridge so he might haue reaped more profite and haue eased his fathers purse but his other two sonnes hee hath brought vp with litle cost yet they increase his possessions by their paines now this man at his death doth disinherite his eldest sonne that procured his griefe and bequeath it to the two yonger that augmented his gaine Now in this case I demaund whether he may lawfully disinherite his eldest sonne yea or no. Tych. I doo not thinke that the prauitie of his demeanor can barre him of the priuiledge of his dignitie for the first borne were euer most to bee preferred according as it is written If a man haue two wiues one loued another hated they haue borne him childrē both the loued also the hated if the first borne be the son of the hated then when the time commeth that he appointeth his sons to be heires of that which he hath he may not make the son of the beloued first born before the son of the hated which is the first borne but he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the first borne giue him double portiō of al that he hath for he is the first of his strength to him belongeth c. Deu 21. 15 16 17 Phil. What dignitie hath the first borne aboue the rest of his brethren seeing they are al ingendred in one womb proceed al frō one woman beside that law you repeate was litle respected for Abrahā had children of the hated before the loued Gen. 18. 4. of his concubines before his wiues Gen. 22. 24. and yet it is said of him he gaue all his goods to Isaac whom he had by Sarah his wife Gen. 25. 5. Tych. If the elder were not to be dignified aboue his brethren what mooued the Lord to say to Cayne that his brother Abels desire shuld be subiect to him and that he should rule ouer him Gen. 4. 7 Yea what caused Iaacob to say to Reuben his eldest sonne thou art my might and the beginning of my strength the excellencie of dignitie and the excellencie of power Gen. 49. 3 Phil. But is it not lawfull for a man to giue his possessions to whom he please Tych. Not in all cases for it is neither naturall nor agreeable to Gods word for a man to giue his inheritance to a meere stranger hauing both children and kindred as it appeareth in the olde Lawe where it is written If a man die haue no sonne then ye shall turne his inheritance to his daughter and if he haue no daughter ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren if he haue no brethren ye shal giue his inheritāce vnto his fathers brethrē if his father haue no brethren ye shal giue his inheritaunce vnto his next kinseman of his familie and hee shall possesse it Nombers 27. 8. c. What was Naboths answere to King Ahab when he demaunded to buy his vineyard The Lord keepe me saith he from giuing the inheritance of my father vnto thee 1. King 21. 3. it was this that made the King not onely to kill him but to extinguish all issue of inheritance his sonnes likewise 2. King 9. 26. Naomi came out of her Countrie of Moab to sell a little parcell of ground at Bethlehem not because there was not anie would buy it but because she was first to profer it to her kindred Ruth 4. 3. If Naomi might not sell her owne to none but such as were of her alliance much more wee ought not to giue away our owne from our children and kinsmen Phil. Indeed as touching inheritance I hold with you yet all be not inheritors by discent but manie doo purchase by the pennie and gather their goods by their paines therefore what reason is there a man should not dispose of that at his owne pleasure Tych. You say verie wel but as there is no cause to constraine anie to giue against his will so there is no conscience to abridge one of that benefite he should enioy by right A man shall doo verie wel to giue seueral portions as he seeth cause yet he ought to respect the superioritie of his eldest son that he make him not equall with his brethren but as he is better by prioritie of birth so to prefer him by sufficiencie of liuing which as it is most charitable by the course of nature so it is best tollerable with the course of scripture for it is written in the behalfe of the first borne Thou shalt giue him double portiō of all that thou hast Deu 21. 17. meaning as much as to two of the others Iehoshaphat King of Iuda had manie children to whome the text saith hee gaue great giftes of siluer and of golde and of precious things with strong Cities in Iuda but the greatest thing of all which was his kingdome he gaue