the doctrine wherein by his sister Pulcheria hee was trained vp namely the feare of God and the establishing of his seruice gathereth that the onely pietie of Kinges and Emperours is sufficient for the happy preseruation of the people Also that without the same all armies all strength of the empire and all other prouision whatsoeuer is in vaine The same author reporting that many and mightie enemies of the Emperour Honorius were ouerthrowen Sosom Eccl. hist l. 9. c. 16 addeth that God brought it to passe to shew that the true honour and feare of God in an Emperour as it was sayth hee in Honorius is sufficient to preserue anie Empire 16 This doth Lactantius also confirme saying that in case there arise anie question of the happy maintaining of the society of men Lact. of wrath c. 2. c. 8 euen in respect of this life religion and the feare of God is the only and true meanes to decide it as also in the same booke hee maketh this protestation Take awaie sayth hee this bond mans lyfe will be replenished wyth folly crueltie and wickednes And this is confirmed by the testimonie of the greatest heathen Philosophers Plâ—t l. 4 of his comonwelth Arist Eth. l. 5 who saie that the chiefe foundation the strongest sinew the only saftie of the establishment of a common wealth consisteth first in religion and then in iustice And Cicero a Heathen also to this purpose sayth Cicero in his nature of Gods l. 1 Take awaie deuotion to the Gods and ye take awaie all holynes and religion which beeing once vanished from among men there followeth perturbation in life and all confusion Neither doo I knowe sayth he whether vpon the taking awaye of deuotion to the Gods faith also and societie among men together wyth Iustice a most excellent vertue can remaine And in this consideration when Romulus had erected his new Romane common wealth in matter of armes Tit. Liui. Malicai l. 2 Va. Ma. l 1 c. 3 his successour Numa Pompilius for the establishment and assuring of his estate erected the religion and seruice of the Gods It must needes therefore bee a great shame and reproch to Christian Magistrates endued with the knowledge of the true and onely God and such as haue his holye worde in continuall view August to Volus Ep. 3. towards the end not to beleeue that the establishment and preseruation of religion is the steadfast foundation and happie piller of theyr estate Saint Augustine giueth a verie lit and notable reason for the premises saying The holye Scripture saieth he is the commendable safegarde of the common wealth For no man can build and vphold a citie in prosperitie without the foundation and bond of fidelitie stedfast concord Iosua 1.8 which is brought to passe by louing the common good which is the soueraigne and true God Also when men doo sincerely loue one another in him and for his sake that can sufficiently discerne with what affection they loue together And therefore to conclude this purpose God speaking to Iosua declareth that the same wisedome which is the mother and nurse of prosperitie proceedeth of the reading meditation in the word of God 17 The premises doo manifestly declare how mightily the christian Emperours in olde time were addicted to holinesse and how zealous they were in maintenance of the heauenly doctrine and establishment of the pure seruice of God how carefull to cut off the course of heresies how affectionate to the reading of the holie Scriptures how feruent in praiers and supplications To be short how readie and resolute in anie thing that might import the aduancement of the glory of God the Church of Iesus Christ And therfore may be most excellent myrrors and patterns to all kings princes and magistrates of our daies to imitate and follow 18 Especially because the truth of the doctrine is as the soule of our soules and that in consideration thereof the principall pointe requisite for the establishment and preseruation of true religion the pure seruice of God consisteth in this that there may be good and faithfull ministers of the word for the due prouision hereof it importeth all faithfull magistrates diligently to aduise As also in publike and free Churches it is conuenient that such as are to be employed in the holy ministerie beeing chosen in the consistories synods should be presented to the Magistrates protectors and fauorers of true religion that if they be meet and such as they can like of they may haue their admission and authorization But if they proue otherwise then that others be nominated who being by them allowed may by their saide authoritie bee established in their charge with the approbation of the church For sith the conseruation and aduancement of the Church is vnto them commended by the Lord as the chiefe principall end of their vocation reason willeth that they also haue knowledg of those persons that are to be as instruments helpes to them in the discharge of their office which consisteth in the maintenance of their subiectes in true religion and the pure seruice of God 19 Moreouer when themselues do allow their ministers by their authoritie establish them in their vocation it is also their dutie to maintaine their ministerie the doctrine by them taught and whatsoeuer may therupon depend But especially inasmuch as the rule order and ecclesiasticall discipline is iustly tearmed the mistres of vertue the gardian of faith the hedge to stop out vice the whetstone to sharpen reprehension and the rudder or sinnewes of the Church it is requisite yea euen verie necessarie that there should be some prescript forme in such manner set down that the Ministers Elders and Deacons might not intrude or vsurpe vpon anie matter of politike gouernment as also that the Magistrate should leaue to them the exercise of Ecclesiastical gouernment so far as it may depend vpon their charge and the authoritie of Gods word Likewise that this formularie be such as being authorised maintained by the superior powers Ierem. 7.11 1. Tim. 3.15 it may in the execution therof be effectuall to the purposes afore mentioned in the titles thereto attributed namely that so neere as may be the Church be no longer a den of theeues as Ieremie tearmeth it and a receptacle of riotous and dissolute liuers but a holy house of God and a piller and supporter of the truth 20 It is therefore the magistrates dutie to maintaine the right authoritie of the church in all matters that concerne the holy ministerie and the exercise thereof namely against the disturbers of the peace of the same as heretikes prophane persons and all contemners of Ecclesiasticall orders And particularly inasmuch as the vse of consistories and synodes is requisite for the blessed gouernment of Christs Church it is the office of the magistrates to take order that it be maintained in certaine seasons according to the state
they haue discharged themselues of a great care for it is theyr partes to thinke thereof 1 Cor. 7 and generally to prouide for the marriage of theyr children not to tarrie vntill through their negligence peeuishnesse and other difficulties in that prouision for them the children take occasion of lewdnesse or so ship themselues without the knowledge of their parents that afterward they bee forced to proceede to that that may redound to theyr greate sorrow and heartbreaking So dyd Abraham thinke vppon the marriage of his sonne Isaac to that end committed the charge thereof to his eldest and most faithfull seruant Gen. 24.3 whome hee wylled to seeke a wife for his sonne as in truth it is not properly for the children but for the parents to thinke vpon and prouide for the same The same doth Ieremie teach where writing to the Iewish Fathers in the captiuitie of Babylon hee sayth Iere. 29.6 Iud. 14.2 Take wiues for your sonnes and giue your daughters in marriage Heereupon when Sampson had found a maiden to his lyking himselfe dyd not demaunde her in marriage but comming to his parents hee sayd Gen. 34.3 Giue mee her to Wife Likewyse Sichem the sonne of Hemor hauing bent his heart vnto Dina the daughter of Iacob sayde vnto his father Giue mee this maide to wife Yet is it meete that as the parents make the motion so the children giue the consent Gen. 24.57 This dyd Laban declare when talking of Rebecca whome Abrahams seruant craued in marriage for his masters sonne Isaac he sayde Let vs call the mayden and aske her consent So calling her they sayde vnto her Wilt thou goe with this man And shee aunswered I will go For of matching eyther sonne or daughter agaynst theyr wylles there doo many times arise great inconueniences and much sorrowe and griefe yea the lawyers are of opinion that a free wyll is not so expedient in anie thing as in marryage 27 Now 1. Cor. 7.40 as it is the dutie of parents to prouide to match their children so are they diligently to see it be done as Saint Paul saith In the Lord that is not to demaund anie maiden for their sonne or to accept anie sonne for their daughter vnlesse the same bee affected to true religion and make profession thereof hauing a good reporte of pietie the feare of God and other Christian vertues which qualities and giftes of God are to be preferred before wealth or anie other worldly or carnall considerations So when Abraham sent his man to seeke a wife for his sonne Isaac Gen 24.3 he sware him that hee shoulde not take anie Daughter of Chanaan So when Sampson required his parents to giue him a wife of the daughters of the Philistians they aunswered Is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren Iudg. 14.3 or among my people that thou must go take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistines If Parents would consider of the daunger of the losse of theyr childrens soules by matching them with such as are of a contrarie religion or otherwyse giuen more to the world than to pietie and the seruice of God eyther what strife or contention doo for the most part ensue of such marriages how small comfort is taken in the same how slenderlie the dutie of praier is performed and what a neglygence or hinderance they are to the bringing vp of children in the feare of God they woulde abhorre euen to thinke of anie such match and in few speeches preferre him that were endued with godlynesse other vertues before riches and all other carnall and worldly considerations They would put in practise the wise aduertisement propounded by Salomons mother albeit but simply folowed by her sonne which wee reade in the Prouerbes Many daughters haue done vertuously Prou. 31.29 but thou surmountest them all Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie but the woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised But if the difficultie rest in question of maintenance for the familie let parents remember that it is better to choose knowledge than wealth that is skill and industrie howe to get than goods alreadye gotten and in his possession that hath no skill or knowledge howe to vse them Heereto may wee referre the answere of Themistocles Plutarch in his life Ci. in the first booke of offices who purposing to marrie his daughter and beeing asked why hee preferred a vertuous man before a rich answered That he liked better of a man without monie than of monie without a man or as some doo write that hee had rather match his daughter to a head of a man than to a head of siluer And therefore to conclude this speech we may wel say it is better to match our children with Christian vertuous heads that haue litle monie than with much treasure in the possession of worldly and vicious heads 28 Heereto will we yet adde two points concerning the duties of parents to their children first that in all their wordes workes they be vnto them continuall examples and myrrors of pietie and vertue so shall their admonitions exhortations be still of greater efficacie and themselues shall haue more authoritie to reproue admonish chastise their children And in deed the same that Marcus Aurelius saith that to make children vertuous they shall more profit by good example in one month than by instructiō in a whole yere may be most truely applied vnto parents He that teacheth a childe to write may sometime saye yee must make this letter long this short this straight c. But the chiefe meanes to make him to profit in writing is to set him good examples or coppies to write before him And so is it in the instruction of vertue and the feare of God For contrariwise he that teacheth well and liueth euil buildeth with one hand and pulleth downe with another And experience teacheth that more may be pulled downe in one hower then will be built vp in one day The euill example of parents is as a line to draw the children to follow them And therefore the Prophet Ezechiell reprouing the people of his time for their Idolatrie and other corruptions declareth that therin they haue taken the ordinarie course that is Ezech. 16 42. they haue followed the example of their parents Behold saith he all that vse prouerbs shall vse this prouerbe against thee saying like mother like daughter Thou art thy mothers daughter that hath cast off her hushand and her children and thou art the sister of thy sisters which forsooke their husbands and their children your mother is an Hittite and your father an Ammorite Here are three olde prouerbes which proue that children ordinarily are ready to imitate the bad examples of their parents First Like mother like daughter Secondly Thou art thy mothers daughter Thirdly Thy mother is an Hittite and thy father an Ammorite That is to say Thy parents forsaking the seruice of God haue
Agasicles Plut. in his Lacon Apoth Euseb in his hist and the life of Constant lib. 1. who beeing demaunded â—â—owe a king myght raigne in safetie wythout anie guarde of souldyers verie aptly aunswered By raigning ouer his subiectes as the Father doth ouer the children And it is a great comfort and felicitie to a Magistrate to see his subiects loue him As wee reade of great Constantine who reioyced in the affection and good will that his subieâ—â—es declared towardes him also that they liued so content vnder him but especially hee conceiued great content in the apparance of the ioye and comfort of the Church vnder his gouernment 52 Hereto wyll we yet adde two points necessarie for the maintaining of subiects in peace prosperity The first that magistrats obserue theyr vowed fayth both to theyr neighbours and vnto theyr subiectes Hee that confyrmeth anie promise or accorde by oath taketh God to witnesse that hee which sweareth meaneth inuiolably to obserue his oath vppon condition that doing otherwise hee submitteth himselfe to such vengeaunce as almightie God the louer of truth will poure foorth vppon falsehood and periurie And therefore as God in his holy lawe protesteth Hee will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Exod. 20. For it is indeede the polluting and prophaning of the name of God as himselfe declareth saying Leuit. 10 1â— Yee shall not sweare by my name falsely neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God J am the Lorde The verie Heathen dyd vnderstande that God was angrie and wroth wyth falsefyers and punished them in his wrath and heauie displeasure As wee reade of Agesilaus Plut. in his Apotheg king of the Lacedemonians who hearing that his enemie Tyssaphernes had infringed and broken the agreement and oath made betweene them sayde that hee greatly thanked Tissaphernes because thorough his falsehoode and periurie hee had prouoked both the Gods speaking as a Heathen and men against him Arist Rhet. to Alex cap. 18 and contrarywise made them fauourable in his behalfe The same doeth the prince of Philosophers euen Aristotle himselfe note saying Magistrates must take great heede and beware of breaking theyr oath as well for feare of the punishment of God as of the reproach and infamie which they incurre among men This feeling and resolution hath euermore and at all times beene printed in the heartes of men to the end that the feare of prouoking God by false swearing together wyth the apprehension of his iust reuenge might retayne them in theyr dueties And therefore euen the Heathen haue beene very carefull obseruers and diligent keepers of theyr oathes as the prince of Oratours doth make reporte Our auncestours sayde he neuer craued stronger bond to binde theyr faith than an oath Cic ost lib 3 witnesse heereof the twelue tables the sacrifices or sacred seruices the agreementes or confederacies wherein they bounde their faith euen to theyr enemyes To bee short the correction of the Censors who neuer more carefully iudged of anie thing than of oathes 53 But the subiects are many times also snared in the vengeance that God powreth forth vpon the periurie of the Magistrates As among the causers of the destruction of Ierusalem the captiuity of the people in Babilon 2. Cron 36.13 the periurie of Zedechias King of Iuda whom Nabuchadnezzer had made to sweare by the liuing God is noted to be one 2. Saâ—m 2â— For hee rebelled against him When Saule vpon an inconsiderate zeale had put to death certaine Gibeonites notwithstanding the oath of Iosua and the Princes of Israel aboue two hundred yeeres before who sware that they should liue God being wroth sent a famine in the daies of Dauid for the space of three yeeres wherein he also expressely declared that this murder contrarie to the oath of Iosua was the cause of this calamitie And therefore when Dauid had deliuered to the Gibionites at their request the seuen sonnes of Saule and they had crucified them the famine ceased As therefore Magistrates in dutie ought not to sweare rashly much lesse with any intent to abuse their subiects or neighbours So must they diligently obserue the oath once taken least they should breake the band of humaine societie least they should incurre the reproch of men but espescially least they should draw the wrath of God vpon them and their subiects In consideration of the premises As touching agreements confirmed by oath for the establishmeÌ„t or maintenance of peace among either subiects or neighbours of diuers religion The partie that findeth himselfe the stranger must beware of taking occasion to disturbe the state by infringing his oath vnder the pretence of keeping no faith to heretickes or Idolaters For besides the prophaning of the name of God and the Scandall ministred to those that are troubled he shall also loose all reputation of truth Hee shall breake the sacred bond of humaine societie He shal giue occasion of new troubles and hee shall extinguish all meanes of appeasing them And indeede when men can not repose themselues vpon a mans worde or his oath they must of necessitie assure them selues by weapons and force as the examples of our time doe most manifestly declare And thus we see that periury doth many times entangle whole nations in warres is the mother and nurse of great calamities when by keeping of the faith sworne they might liue in peace and tranquilitie 54 The other duty of the magistrate importeth that he employ his forces in maintaining the persons goods and liberties of his subiects against such as seeke to wrong them by violence whether by defending them against theyr indeauours or in recouerie of that which wrongfully hath beene taken or vsurped vppon them But inasmuch as within these two or three yeeres I publyshed a small treatise wherein among other matters I haue declared that God hath deliuered the swoord to the magistrate to defend the good and to punish the wicked That warre is lawfull that Christians may â—ith a safe conscience beare armes and that they whome God hath authorized to leuie warre both maye and ought when necessitie requireth to doo it in defence of his seruice and true religion I shall now be content onelye to note some aduertisements requisite for the obtaining of a good conscience in making warre and in hope of happie successe 55 First let all princes and magistrates take heed of giuing iust cause to make warre vppon them 2. Sam. 10. and to that purpose remember Hanon the sonne of Naas who causing halfe the beardes of those whome Dauid sent vnto him to comfort him vppon the death of his father to bee shauen and their garments to bee cut close oft by the buttockes gaue Dauid cause to raise warre agaynst him and to destroie him and his people Let them beware of leuying warre without a iust ground and reason 2. Chro. 13 as did Ieroboam against Abiah king of Iuda for he reiecting the admonition of the
wrath against theyr subiects Autenticalls in the title of Baudes Especially let them rigorously punish and banish out of their dominions all baudes and ruffians the cursed instruments of satan to allure and put forth women and maidens to fornication who liue vpon so abhominable iniquitie The Emperour Iustinian doth expresly command all baudes to bee punished with death as is aforesayd Withall decreeing that whatsoeuer hath bene giuen to women or maidens for the prostituting of their bodies they shall not be bound to restore August in his booke of orderings 64 But some to the contrarie will alleadge a sentence of Saint Augustine saying Take awaie the stewes and yee shall replenish the whole towne with fornication But when he wrote that he was but a nouice and meanly instructed in religion and therefore him selfe in another place confesseth that in sinne there is no tolleration that a man of two euils should choose the lesser Neither must we as Saint Paul saith doo euill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 or allowe one mischife for the eschuing of another But we must obey God who forbiddeth vs all wickednes and remit the issue and successe into his hands who cannot allowe that the wisedome of the flesh should dispense with the offending God in one sort for feare of offending him in another Basil expounding these words Psalme 1. And hath not sit in the seate of the scornfull saith that adulterie neuer stayeth is one man but infecteth the whole Citie First one will come alone to the strumpet then he wil take a companion and that companion another companion whereby as fire once kindled if the wind be high doth somtimes inflame a whole citie so this wickednes once kindled spreadeth all ouer Ambrose proceedeth fâ—rther for he expounding this sentence of Salomon Who can carrie fyre in his bosome and not be burned saith Prouerb 6. Who doth thinke that tollerating whoores in a towne young men will not resort vnto them wherein we gather this sentence which vtterly repugneth the former of Augustine Tollerate whores in a towne and ye replenish the whole towne with whoredome as God vndoubtedly for the auoiding thereof did in olde time command that there should not be anie whoore in Israel And therefore wee will conclude this argument with this saying of Tertullian Deut. 23 17 That stewes are abhominable in the sight of God Let the Popes therefore aduise with them selues what answere they will make to God for this Tertul. of the Soule that in Rome they doo not onely publikely tollerate theyr whoores and bauds but also that they take tribute of them therin shewing themselues likewise to be baudes in that in lieu of punishing expelling and banishing of them as plagues in a Christian common wealth they participate with them in their cursed gaine 65 As concerning the other point touching tipling and dronkennes Seeing that God curseth all bibbers and dronkards by his prophet Esay also that S. Paul protesteth that they shal not inherit the kingdome of God the magistrates do sufficiently vnderstand Esay â— 11.12 1. Cor. 6.10 that they in dutie so much as in them lieth are to stop the course of all such excesse The inconueniences of quarrels strife therof arising the troubles in houshold as wheÌ„ the husband or the wife do come drunke home the extreme miserie whereinto many doo bring their wiues children in suffering theÌ„ almost to starue for need whilest theÌ„selues haunt tauerns The abuse prophaning of Gods good creatures with other inconueniences that daily arise of dronkennes do cry for vengeance in the sight of God do cal the magistrates set before them their dueties wherein they are bound to remedie the same For with what conscience can they suffer such corruption among their subiects when they may remedie it by prohibiting not lodging for strangers but tauernes from their inhabitants or by punishing of tiplerrs dronkards and those tauerners that maintaine them in such excesse and riot 66 Hauing before declared how Magistrates ought to imploie themselues to bring theyr subiects to leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlynesse and honestie wee are now to intreate them to beleeue thinke that theyr authoritie shall take great increase and efficacie when theyr greatnesse and power shall be accompanied wyth the excellencie of vertue aboue theyr subiects when themselues shall bee examples vnto them in all things beseeming the children and seruants of God wherein also they are to haue such respect that they admit not in themselues euen that which may bee somewhat tollerable among theyr subiectes so farre are they from power to dispense with that in themselues which shuld not bee permitted to men of meaner calling And in deede wee may in many notable examples note that God hath greuously punished in great personages those faultes which in apparance seem small Nomb. 20. 2. Sam. 24. Esay 39. as that of Moses at the waters of strife that of Dauid when hee numbered the people that of Ezechias when hee shewed his treasures to the Embassadors of the king of Babylon and so in others In all which God doth teach vs that the authoritie of princes to dispense wyth themselues to worke wickednesse is so small that contrarywise hee wyll punish such transgressions in them as many times hee will beare with in theyr subiectes Deut. 17. And this instruction doth hee confyrme in that in olde time he declared that the king that shuld be chosen ouer his people Israel shuld haue the booke of the lawe that hee might reade therin all the dayes of his lyfe and that he might rule himselfe according to the will of God that hee shoulde not haue many wiues yet was that tollerable among his subiectes The younger Scipio knewe and put in practise his duetie in this respect for when hee had by force taken the city of Carthage Plut. in his Apoth Plut. in his Lacon Apoth Plut. in his Apoth and some of his souldyers brought vnto him a most beautifull mayden Truely sayde hee I coulde fynde in my heart to take her were I not in office or a magistrate but a priuate man To this purpose dyd Agesilaus verie wisely saie That the Prince must outgo his subiects not in pleasure lust but in temperance and magnanimitie And thereupon sayd Cyrus He is not worthie to gouerne that is no better neither more vertuous than they ouer whome hee is to commaund 67 Reason lykewise would that princes and magistrates should giue good examples to theyr subiectes leading the waie to all vertuous commendable actions that they require of them As Iustine writeth of Lycurgus Iustin lib. 3. that hee set downe no law for any thing whereof himselfe had not shewed an example and practise in his owne person Plutarch sayth that Agesilaus woulde bee the first dooer of that thing that he commanded those to doo Plutarch in his Lacon Apotheg ouer whom hee
to help the poore than that a Church-robber or theefe shoulde carrie it awaie Wyll not God saie Why hast thou suffered so many poore to starue when thou haddest golde wherewith to buy them foode Why hast thou suffered so many poore people to be lead into captiuity and hast not redeemed them Why hast thou killed some It had bene better to haue preserued the vessels of liuing creatures then of dead mettals What answere may we make to all this For if we saie I feared the Church should haue wanted ornaments God wil answere The Sacraments craue no gold as they are not bought with golde so doo they not agree with golde The redemption of prisoners is the ornament of the Sacraments 26 Socrates writeth of Atticus the Bishoppe that hee was so affectionate and carefull to the poore Socrat. Eccle. hist l 7 c 25 that hee prouided not onely for the poore of his owne parishes but also sent money to the Townes rounde about to releeue the want of theyr poore This Bishoppe writing to Calliopius and sending to him three hundred peeces of golde to distribute to the poore exhorted him to distribute it to those that were ashamed to begge but not vnto such as for fylling theyr paunches gaue themselues wholy to beggerie Whereto hee also addeth that in the distribution of this money hee should not tie himselfe to those onely that professed Christianitie but that hee shoulde lykewise haue a care to feed the hungrie not to neglect such as hetherto had not consented to Christian religion And as it seemeth hee heerein taught vs to practise the commandement of Saint Paule namely to doo good vnto all but especially to the householde of faith Gal. 6.10 Tripart hist l. 11. c. 16 Socrates Eccl. hist l. 7. c. 21 Yet dyd Acace Bishoppe of Amyde goe farther for hee seeing a number of Persian prisoners among the Romanes in great necessitie called together his Cleargie and when hee had made vnto them an excellent exhortation wherein hee declared that God needed neyther dishes nor cups because hee neyther eateth nor drinketh hee made money of all wherewyth hee payed theyr raunsomes and furnished them of all theyr necessities for theyr returne to theyr king who so wondered at such a benefite that hee intreated and obtayned of the Emperour Theodosius that hee might bee sent to see him And in deede this was a testimonie of great charitie thus to releeue euen the enemyes Cyprian Epist 36. of the new edition Cyprian also declared a maruellous zeale care and charitie in this poynt as wee may perceiue in many of his Epistles But among the rest writing to the Cleargie of his Diocesse hee sayth Bee verie carefull for the widdowes the sicke and the poore yea if there bee anie straunger among you releeue him wyth my portion which I haue lefte wyth Rogatian our companion in Priesthood Epist 5 Agayne as concerning the releefe as well of those who hauing freely confessed the truth are in prison as also of such who beeing afflicted wyth neede and pouertie doo neuerthelesse perseuere in the truth I beseech you let them not want anie thing Epist 6 Agayne Bee euen as carefull as yee may of the poore who abiding steadfast and constant in the faith haue not forsaken the flocke of Christe that by your dilygence they maye bee prouided of all their necessities least the same which the tempest of persecution coulde not worke in them be brought to passe by the necessitie that may enforce them And as hee sayth in another place Least there shoulde bee anie want as concerning care for those that want nothing belonging to glorie in that they haue constantly confessed Iesus Christ Epist 57 Thus wee see therefore howe carefull pastours ought to bee of the widowes the sicke the needie and such as are prisoners for the faith 27 But because no man is able to discharge all dueties required in pastours Moreouer that theyr labour lyberalitie and fauour is in vaine wythout Gods blessing they are specially to imploye themselues in feruent and continuall prayer wherein they are chiefely to craue his holye spirite together wyth all the gyftes and graces thereof requisite for the due discharge of theyr ministery whether for the preaching of the worde or for anie other parte of theyr office and duetie And in deede if no man can call Iesus Christ Lorde but by the holie Ghost who I praie you is able to open his lippes to preach foorth the mysteries of the heauenly doctrine wythout the assistance of the same holy Ghost Who can bee in constancie wisedome zeale and charitie sufficient to guide the house of God and to maintaine orders in the same but hee in whome the Lorde worketh most mightily At the verye same instant sayth Augustine that the pastour goeth to preach before hee open his lippes to giue his tongue lybertie to speake let him lifte vp his thirstie soule vnto God Aug. of Christian doctrine l. 4. c. 15 and so water the people wyth the same which himselfe hath dronke and poure foorth vppon his flocke that that hee is full of for albeit a man may saie much of all things appertaining to faith and charitie and after diuerse manners yet what man is hee that knoweth what is fit and necessarie for the time present eyther for vs to speake or for others to heare from vs but onely hee who seeth and knoweth the heartes of all Or who is it that maketh vs to speake that which wee shoulde and in manner as wee ought but onelie he in whose handes both our wordes and our selues do remayne And therefore as it is true that hee that woulde both know and teach ought carefully to learne what hee is to teach and to studie howe to vtter it well as beseemeth a preacher so neuerthelesse hee must thinke euen at the verie instant when hee is to preach that it best beseemeth a minister to remember the same which our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath spoken namely that wee shoulde not take care howe or what to speake for it shall be giuen vs euen when we are to speake Also that it is not wee but the spirite of the Father that speaketh in vs. If therefore the holie spirite speaketh in those that suffer tribulation and persecution and are deliuered for Iesus Christ his sake why not also in those that doo teach them that learne Iesus Christ And in another place the same Augustine also sayeth That hee that is to preach Aug. of Christian doctrine l. 4. c. 30 Hester 14.13 ought to praie vnto God to put good wordes into his mouth For if Queene Hester when shee was to speake to king Assuerus for the bodily health of her Nation prayed vnto God to giue her conuenient wordes how much rather ought the Preacher to praie vnto God to giue him grace to speak well when hee is to preach the word and doctrine of the euerlasting saluation of the people 28 Saint Paul an