that happen in the world they are alreadie well proued to discend directly from God and not by any prouidence of fortune as the Epicuriens and Atheists of our time beleue nor fatally according to the opinion of the infidels togither with the Astrologians who attribute all to their aspects constellations oppositions and reuolutions of starres and much lesse according to the philosophicall perswasion of the Phisitions bringing in the alterations and corruption of Elements and naturall bodies not raising vp their spirites to the consideration of the deuine prouidence that the soule gouernes not better all the parts of our humane body then the great God rules measures this huge world not suffring the least herb or plant to moue or grow without feeling his vertue and power Nor little bird to fall vppon the branch of any trée without the prouidence and will of that omnipotent mouer of all things nor lastly the least haire of our head which is not kept in reckoning by him The Phisitions or later Philosophers do oftentimes beguile themselues by the second causes as making them the imediat or first causes of any euill that hapneth which is a kind of infidelitie not fixing their iudgmeÌ„ts but on things which they see as when the South wind hot and moyst hath blowne much most commonly in a yere when ponds lakes and fennes are corrupted when in a dearth of vittailes people are constrayned to eate vnseasonable meates when the ayre is close and giues out an euill seat when the winter contrary to his nature is hot and sootie when many vile and vememous beastes engender vppon the earth and caterpillers frogges and other vermine fall out of the ayre when such signes appeare the Phisitions say they are the cause of plague sicknes not considering that GOD vseth these second causes ordeyned by his prouidence as instruments and manifest signes of the same prouidence that for this reason By those signes he giues warning to the world that he prepareth to execute his iustice vppon people nations and by these foretokens inuites and aduertiseth men to fall to submission and supplication for pardon to the end he thunder not suddenly his ful indignatioÌ„ rigor vppon sinnes A child séeing his father prepare rods and bindes them shake them in his hand hath to thinke that he hath offended the time of his scourging draweth neare and therfore in feare teares humilitie he ought to fall prostrate afore the knées of his father as we haue afore aduised By these meanes sayth Joel what know we if God of nature good and reconcileable to our vices wil be conuerted and aforde grace at the least he will not condemne our soules if with a changed harte we performe action of penance when the Prince by long counsell and aduise causeth to be erected in many publike places of his Realmes great scaffoldes gibbets and the instruments of torment such as haue offended the law haue no meane to flée what other thing can they thinke of this preparation then a resolute purpose of the Prince to execute smarting iustice vppon them great is their present feare but farre greater the griefe displeasure which they ought to haue of their offences ought they not to call into practise all meanes seruing for their deliuery yea if they tary till they be led to the scaffold their haÌ„ds and feete bound with other attires of high offenders being ready to be offred to the execution there is small hope or expectation of mercie let them go themselues with their halters about their neckes and taking their best frieÌ„ds to solicit in their intercession to the Prince let them discouer true effects of contricion and imploring the frée mercy of the Prince let theÌ„ offer restitution to the parties offended and better obedience and behauior here after in them selues so shall they with Dauid not suffer the vtter most rigor of iustice or els auoid it altogither as the Jsraelites escaped it in the time of Jonathas the Niniuits also by their seuere woÌ„derful penaÌ„ce eueÌ„ so al these second causes are but signes instruments of Gods iustice tokens preparations and fore shewes as according to the examples of the rodds skafoldes and gibbets by the which he declares his anger and disposicion to punish sin The semblance that is made the preparation and the rod as they are no causes of gods iustice but it is for the punishment of our sinnes that execution is so aparantly prepared So after such shewes and warnings doeth not the Father begin to scourge his sonne Doth he lay aside the rod afore he sée the amendment of his sonne or at least some hope that he will coreâ—t him selfe and not returne eftsoones to his naughtines The childe can not accuse the rod as the cause of his scourging much lesse the trée where it was gotten and least of all his father that layd one the lashes But entring in to the vew and iudgment of his owne life let him accuse himselfe and saye that his sinne is the first cause of the euill that he suffereth For if he had done well because the lawe is not to punish the iuste he had not feared that rod as in déed to speak properly he feareth it not though he haue offended but feares his father which holdes it in his hand since the rod can do him no harme if he be reconsiled to his father ¶ To remedie all euils the causes must be taken away the discrtion and wisdome requisite there vnto Chapter viij I Would we were as good Philosophers touching our faith as Phisicions be in their medicines and phisick Then would we apply as good spiritual cures against sinne as by them are ministred temporall remedies to heale and preserue bodies from diseases They assone as they deserne the second causes of a sicknes apply present prouision to the place where they remaine they minister purgations to kepe bodies from corruption by euill humors they cause the stréets and straight corners of the towne to be clensed lest the ayer congeale infectioÌ„ they make fiers abroad to mortefie and purge euill smells and within howses disperse and strew perfumes They prescribe sobrietie and forbid excesse they banish all vnsauerie meates bringe in abstinence from cohabitacion they apoynt Methredat and other preseruatiues and giue order to weare Rue and other strong hearbs proper against the Plague In like sort if we vsed spirituall meanes to kéepe vs from euill doing we should with the fact of sinne auoid also the perills miseries that are brought with it yea if assone as we deserned the second causes threatning signes of the vengance of God we would purge our selues of all wicked affections and vices not suffer in our commoÌ„ weale impunitie of sinne but performe one holy and generall conuertion and conuersation according to christianitie we should not only tourne away the hand of God from vs but eftsones restablish his gracious
to stay altogeather vpon them for that the most part were erected of Infidelles whose reason was darkned with infidelitye and certaine of them expresly against our faith séeme to deserue no more aucthoritye or credite and lesse to bée receyued then theyr Idolatries that is to saye oblations done to their Gods In this we haue to answere twoo obiectes very harde to resolue if wée consider the simple reasōs of some who séeking to absolue christians from al lawes say that they are not subiect therunto by Iesus Christ and that the spirite of God is our Father who if wée doubte will instruct vs and reueale all that shal be necessary to our saluation Besides S. Paul willeth that the wise christian bée iudge without hauing regarde to lawe I confesse that the lawe of Moyses touching Ceremonies and sacrifices signifying the state of the new Testament for Christ in that is the ende of the lawe yea touching the statutes of the law applied to the times and maners of the Iewishe nation is abolished as the libell repudiatorye of the wyfe But touching commaundements moral conteining instruction of good maners correcting sinne with punishment much lesse that the lawe is abolished but it is confirmed by the Gospel Christ saith Al such as haue taken vp the sworde to strike and kill shall perishe with the sworde which the lawe doeth also teache wée know the lawe is good but let vs vnderstande and apply it to lawful vse Saint Paul sayeth that the lawe that punisheth is not ordained for the Iust but to bridle the rebell vniust wicked sedicious murderers of parentes whether hée meane of Moyses Lawe which punisheth all these sinnes or comprehend al the lawe in generall grounded vpon the foundacions whiche we haue recyted before it is inough that wée declare that all doctrine of vertue whether it bée in the lawe of Moyses or in Philosophie is good and holye so farre forth as it raiseth and recompenseth vertue detesteth sinne and condemneth al vice for which cause the Philosopher sayth that reward and paine be the forces and strengthes of the lawe In déede this doctrine is not simplye deriued of Moyses lawe but it is natural and therfore Saint Paul saith that the Gentiles people without all vnderstanding of Moyses Lawe but liued by theyr reason wel instructed albeit they had no law yet did they naturally the things conteyned in the lawe whose examples as they doo well declare that the worke of the lawe was written in their hearts by the accusations defences of their cōsciences So in this S. Paul expresseth aptly that al doctrines moral pollitike contained in the Law of Moyses bée connaturall to man engraued in him euen from his first birth by that deuine creation wherein the soule receyuing the figure similitude of god hath taken this excellent grace to knowe that which is of her exemplary patrone from whom shée is portrated by exercise of the spirite in the studie of learning with a continual heauēlye inspiration assisting ioyned with integritye of good life hath béen and is remaining in such as were not vnder the Lawe of Moyses such wée maye saye as were Iethro Iob and many great Philosophers who knewe God spake deuinelie of him and of vertues and vices Therfore as that Doctrine is in some sorte deuine by his originall as procéeding from that deuine caract imprinted by God in man which is the spirite reason and iudgement So the holy scripture yea the scripture of the Gospel hath aucthorised it to bée perfectly deuine so by the same scripture where it was darkned before by corruptions happening by ignorance of God and dissolutiō of life it is made perfect in that wherein it had imperfection and so it is not onely restored by Iesus Christ reformed by his spirite which hée hath geuen vs But with abundance of grace science augmented yea euen vnto such knowledge as now we behold the glory light of the Lord with open face and be transformed from light to light that is from perfect knowledge such as may bée had in the world into the selfe image yea euen to be made one in God by a deuine transformation the same being wrought by the spirit of this good soueraigne lord Therfore al the moral doctrines of the olde Testament be acknowledged reputed by man from the first and eternal obseruacion according to the which lawes haue béene wil be alwayes ordeined obserued of the faithful people And where Iesus Christ sent backe the adulterer without punishment of the Lawe wee confesse that albeit he came to preache penaunce geue grace to penitent sinners yet for al that he hath not abolished pollitike Lawes which wickedlye was layd against him by Iulian the Apostate But hath conserued them by his doctrine and examples willing to giue to Caesar that which belonged to him wherein him selfe shewed obedience to the Ciuil Lawes in paying tribute to Caesar although he was not subiect therunto Hée which was the supreame lawmaker and sonne of God his Apostles also taught that men must obey Kinges Princes gouernours which obedience is necessarily ioyned with the lawes for how farre shal I obey them if I know not the rate state of theyr commaundement nor what they prescribe me to do So that my obedience must encline to the limit prescript of their Lawes which I ought not resist so farforth as they are established vpon such foundations as we haue laid before Iesus christ in asking where were those that condemned the adulterer did not hinder or defend that he should not be stooned But he being not come to take vpon him the state of a Ciuil Iudge condemneth not according to the sentence of ciuil lawes tendring caring alwaies for the principal which was to saue soules and touching body goodes he leaueth the gouernment pollecie therof to Kings temporal Princes theyr iudges to whom he geues aucthority to debate execute punishments in that he saith He that hath murdred or killed shal die the trée that bringeth forth no fruit deserues to be cut down cast in the fire and who doth wrong sclander to the litleones ought to be cast into the sea with a milstone about his necke Approuing with paines he approueth also the Iudges executours of the same hée chaseth out of the temple marchauntes buiers and sellers hée biddes excōmunicate the rebellious wrong doers and by S. Paul condemnes many pernicious Christians to the deuill hée willed Saint Peter to execute a maruailous sentence against Saphirus and Ananias who fell dead at his feete for doubling with the holy ghost promising to geue all theyr goodes to the poore and distributed but a part reseruing the other by an vnfaithfull feare to suffer necessitye It is true that being afore Infidels hee woulde not haue vs to vse or appeale to iustice in cases to suffer for the faith
185 ¶ Still touchinge the recommendation of hospitalitie and almes Chap. 6. fo 187 ¶ Generall and speciall recommendation for prisoners and that for debtes we ought not lightly to emprison one an other fo 189 The fifth Booke OF the institution of youth with a prayse of free schooles c. Chap. 1. fol. 191 ¶ What Principall and Regents ought to bee called to institute a Colledge c. Chap. 2 fol. 190 ¶ A continuance of the discourse of Colledges by other comparisons Chap. 3. fol. 193 ¶ Wisedom science vertue diligence and feruent zeale to their disciples are very necessary for scholemaisters Chap. 4. fol. 197 ¶ Instructions to know by the way of contrary oppositions by the comparisons of the other chapters the miseries hapning by lewde scholemaisters Chap. 5. fol. 202 ¶ Amplifications of the said comparisons touching wicked maisters c. Chap. 6. fol 206 ¶ Continuance of the sayd comparisons Chap. 7. fol. 211 ¶ Maisters ought to instruct their disciples c. Chap. 8. 214 ¶ A continuance of the prayse of science c. Chap. 9. fo 219 ¶ Examples of commodities which science bringeth to the learned c. Chap. 10. fol. 223 ¶ It is necessarie for many reasons that all schollers remayne in one Colledge Chap. 11. folio 227 ¶ In a Colledge or schoole there ought to be statutes authorised by the Vniuersities c. Chap. 12. fo 215 ¶ Refutation of the false iudgements of some proude worldlings touching the profession of schoole maisters Chap. 13. fol. 235 ¶ An exhortation to young children to studie Chap. 14. fol. 241 The sixt Booke OF the office of euery estate and first of the dutie of the husband to his wife Chap. 1. 247 ¶ A continuance of the matter of mariage and the dutie of c. Chap. 2. fo 255 ¶ Still touching the dutie of the wife Chap. 3. fol. 263 ¶ The office of fathers and mothers and the dutie of children Chapter 4 folio 273 Still touching the education of young children Chap. 5. fo 280 ¶ In what dutie children are bound to their fathers and mothers Chap. 6. fol. 289 ¶ The dutie of maisters towardes their seruaunts Cha. 7. 398 ¶ How men haue ben made noble and of their dutie towardes their subieetes or tenantes Chap. 8. fol. 307 ¶ The dutie of Aduocates or Councellors at law Cha. 9. 315 ¶ The dutie of Marchants Chap. 10. fo 321 ¶ How the Marchant may performe his lawfull trades gayne iustly his estate Chap. 11. fol. 328 The seuenth Booke AL other estates are comprehended in those that haue bene alreadie debated the explication of the qualities of personnes Chap. 1. fo 339 ¶ Still touching the qualities of persons Chap. 2. fol. 345 ¶ Of Christian amitie and how many sortes of friendship there be Chap. fo 350 ¶ How a common weale is gouerned and wherein it erreth Chap. 4. fol. 359 ¶ Councell of the remedies to cure and preserue common weales from miserie Chap. 5. fol. 366 ¶ How God some times punisheth a whole people for a secret sin c. Chapter 6. fol. 375 ¶ To remedie all euils the causes must be taken away the discretion and wisedome requisite thereunto Chapter 8. fol 440 ¶ Confutation of humaine philosophie touchinge the affaires of faith wherein and in things serious men ought not to decyde but according to the scripture Chap. 9. folio 345 FINIS ¶ What is first requisite in the well gouerning of a common weale howe Cyuil pollicie ought to be conformable to the celestiall gouernement what good commeth of good pollicie what maner of gouernours and Iudges ought to be chosen to direct publique states ⧠The first Chapter TO dyrect a true and Christian pollicie it is necessarie in the first consyderation that suche as are chéefe disposers of the same bée chosen accordyng to the wil and ordinaunce of God of whom in respect of their institution they are to bée fauoured assisted in their Counsels actions and gouernements as also for that all power rule belonging to him the administration therof dependeth likewise vpō him wherein he hath ordayned for vs in earth a forme to rule guide and gouerne this inferiour Hierarchie by the example of that supreme and celestiall estate of Angels and happy soules aboue in all good order and perfect pollecie So that by thimitation of the same it is requisite that we be directed by wise Magistrates who hauing power to commaunde may vse simplicitie in the measure and rate of their Aucthoritie and wée in our common life expressing an immoueable zeale to obedience may concurre with them and agrée altogether in one lawe and doctrine one wyll and iudgement And to be short the better to exercise one vniuersall and holy conuersation standing vppon puretie of affection and wyll with one true religion in God we must obserue one vnitie in Iustice one integritie of life and maners fulfillyng alwayes our duetie to our neighbour the better to prepare vs with communitie of heart voyce and example to loue and feare God and with one mouth to praise honour and serue him with redie obedience and humilitie to his commaundements together with sincere and mutuall Loue one to another expressed in Actes of perfect charitie And this as it is the marke and ende of the Lawe the Magistrate and Christian gouernement being directed according to the forme celestiall and example aboue So in it wée declare our selues to bee common members of one bodye for a common Weale is a bodye Ciuil so knit together with indissoluble vnitye in friendship that wée suffer one selfe zeale and affection and geue one common ayde and succour to all our affayres reléeuing euery perticular necessitye with one constant and perpetuall rate and measure of compassion in this sorte are wée reduced into one body pollitike and by this pollicie drawne into one Spirite as being but one in God led and guided by his Spirite inwardly and outwardly by wise gouernours euen as God hath planted in our naturall body members more soueraigne and perfect in nature to gouerne the others more inferiour the same being more deuinelye resembled in the celestiall Hierarchy where the Spirites indued with more grace and greater perfection haue by heauenly election power ouer the others To this ought to bée referred the example of electing gouernours to publike states as both cōcurring with the order of nature with whom things of most perfection beare most rule and also resembling the Supreame gouernement from whence Moyses had commaundement to drawe the plot of his terrestriall pollecie calling vnto him such as were most wise and perfect aboue others wherein God geueth him aduertisement by Iethro his Father in-law to prouide such gouernours by the counsell which hée giueth him in this sort Prouide saieth hée to bée Iudges ouer others wise men whom thou shalt chose amongst the people fearing God true and louers of trueth and such as hate Couetousnes of them make some Tribunes who may stand as generall Iudges ouer
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
as in prescribing Medicines without the knowledge of the phisition purging restrayning and geuing Diottes yea taking vppon them the qualitye of sufficient Maisters being not halfe instructed in the office of simple seruauntes of these are sprong our Triaclors gadding vp and downe the Countrey Bragging that in them is power to Cure all Diseases and many mo Tying Laces about mens Armes and Shreedes aboute theyr Neckes with theyr Cossinges enchamtors and Sorcerors of these some vndertake with greate impudencye to reméedye Ruptures and Disloâ—ations by holy wordes sending away the girdle of the pacient But in suche Charmes those holy wordes are abused being written and spoken by the holy spirite to other endes yea olde wiues carye suche generall practise in these thinges hauing more Cures then the great Phisitions that to good workemen the Arte is become vnprofitable Lastly there be Horse Leaches who whispering secretly in the Eare of the Horse do bragge that they heale him which is also one of the Sorceryrs of Satan ⧠The discourse continued of the abuses happening in the vvorlde by the supposed name of Phisitions Pothecaries and Surgeons The .9 Chapter THus we see the foolish world abused and yet no man complaineth but such as vnderstanding the common misery of this deceite do sée many diseases become incurable and mo passe by the peryll of death we speake not here of the conference and confederacie which Charmers haue secretely with the deuyll who with Papers and certayne wordes either intelligible or made holy against reason do vndertake to heale men and beastes not sparing to deale with daungerous and desperate cures which drawes great concurse and admiration of people and yet it is but a subtile kinde of idolatrie wherein as it were better for the pacient to abide the hazarde of death then to take remedie at the handes of such Sorcerers so in the case of inchantment the Christian man ought not to resort to the remedie of Witches but recommende him selfe to God without whose power nothing can be done The couetous lewde Pothicaries desirous to make spéedy sale of their Drognes and by quicke vent to raiâ—e present gaine do solicite the Phisitions to prescribe manye simples in the composition of their medicines geuing great estimation to them that confect most not regarding the goodnesse of the confection and much lesse what conformitie it hath with the disease of the pacient and least of all fauouryng the expenses of his Purse There be also of them which sell this for that against whom is no lesse rigour to be vsed then to those lewde Notaries which in writings of importaunce wyll vse etcetera In these men the Phisitions reappose great trust touching the receiptes which they sende to them wherein their negligence bringes no small offence for that they ought to see the Droages to the ende there bee no supposition which may sende the patient to his last ende These abuses are eyther the instrumentes of death or at least the causers of long and languishing diseases they wyll not sticke to affirme that they are neuer without all sortes of Droages of Arabya which they can well set out in the showe of manye gallande Boxes which being but painted without cary also lesse matter within There is also another abuse no lesse daungerous which is the corruption of Droages by their long and negligent keping by which corruption as Phisicke is turned into poyson and the facultie to cure into mortall perill of life So in this expert Phisitions haunting Shoppes are so much the more to blame by how much they forbeare to cast such poysons into Sinke holes for to throw them into Riuers were to infect the Fish but it hapneth that the Phisition is either gossop neighbour friend or parent to this pratling Pothicarie wherby the tromperie shall not be discouered yea it behooueth the Phisition to vse silence if hée will haue Credite and gaine by his Pothicarye The ignoraunt knoweth not what to saye to it who much lesse that hée can comprehende the abuse séeing of the contrarye hée is often taught by the Pothicarye to prescribe his receiptes and compounde his Droages There bée Phisitions called by the multitude conscionable as to whose knowledge is ioygned regard of conscience and desyre to discharge the dutye of honest men they neuer prescribe medicine of importaunce but they taste the Droages and sée the making of the composition and where they finde corruptions they caste them out committing the offendours to the censure of the Magistrate to whome also belonges the rate and taxation of Droages if the Pothicaries excéede therein Touching Surgeons and suche whose want of vse makes them ignoraunt they are so muche the more worthy of reprehension as from them are deriued perillous diseases to many and to the more sort death with these maye bée coupled the couetous Surgeons who to aduaunce their gaine of a litle wheale can make a great Vlcer prolonging the paine of the patient to geue more value to their practise But to preuent ignoraunce it were expedient not to receyue any professour of that Arte without good proofe of his knowledge and exact examination of the rest touching his resolute sufficiencye Let him bée sworne not to abuse the Arte to the hurt of any nor suffer his seruauntes vnder him to vndertake any Cure eyther in the Citye or Countrey without his commaundement and Counsell as both to searche truelye the state of the disease and appoint due reméedye calling if néede require the assistaunce of the Phisition but not as some doo who hauing a Phisition friende doo call him rather for theyr common gaine then for any necessitye of the disease which is a suttle Robberye cunninglye cloaked with apparant reason Here is requisite the wise aucthoritye of the Magistrate to whome according to the grauitye of the matter belonges to applye exact reformation For in it is hazarded the state of your lyues O ye Gouernours and the health of your Familyes Friendes Parentes Kinred Parishe whole common weales and euerye priuate mans well doing whereunto you haue Dedicated your selues with solemne othe to discharge your dutye in good offyce and equitye of conscience But here it may be obiected that greater is the necessitie to reforme the ecclesiasticall abuses which I do not onely confesse but wishe it with expresse desire for that as by the other the bodie is led to hurt and hazarde so in this is laide vp the health or perdition of Soules wherein as Iesus Christ saith is no exchaunge or commutation nor any thing more precious more diuine or of more woonderfull excellencie then the soule fourmed to the image and semblaunce of God the daughter of God the Spowse of Christ and sanctuarie of the holy Ghoste I wishe in God that touching Preaching no man might be admitted to that estate without the study of ten or twelue yeres in holy Scripture ioyning with all the conference of Lectures and Lessons of learned men as also I woulde that in the Vniuersities
aduising vs by this rather to loase both the hoode and the cloake as the prouerbe is then to bée reuenged of them and endure death rather then to geue one blowe But in cases not touching faith wée maye vse iustice as did Saint Paul who when reproches and false crimes by malice were layde vpon him and Christian faith not touched hée defended him selfe against his false accusers and in extréeme reméedye hée appealeth to Caesar at Rome Touching the Lawes of the Gentiles if according to our opinion before they bée founded in vniuersal reason without errour or infidelitye they ought as braunches springing out of the law naturall to be receiued and obserued as was the marriage of Infidelles But where they suffer errour let them with their idolatries bée abhominable abhorred To answere the obiection which some deriue from S. Paul that the wise christian ought to iudge differences amongest the faithfull where there is no mencion of lawes Saint Paul in saying that the wise man may Iudge meaneth that he bée wise in the vnderstanding of the lawes for in this is the true propertye of wisedome to bée well séene and wise in God concerning thinges deuine and humane so shall his singular wisedome kéepe him from errour in iudgement hauing in him as the teacher of wisedom saith the feare of God knowledge and wisedome and being truly spiritual which by the spirite of God makes exact iudgement in all thinges and can not bée reproued of that whereof hée hath geuen sentence Yet when he ought to Iudge I will not saye but that it is méete that hee haue the lawes of the world in his head yea let him haue a good spirite a sound ripe iudgement and vnderstand wel the cause in present question so laying aside al affection let him recōmend him selfe to God whose iudgement hée exerciseth Let him confer in difficult maters with other sages which with remembrance of Gods holy feare will leade him in integrity of iudgement And knowing that the ende of al lawe is vtility necessity honesty let him prefer honesty before profite publike profit before the perticular gaine of any man that rather certaine priuate persons lose in obseruing the Lawe then the multitude to suffer distresse But aboue all let that honestye which consistes in vertue bée alwayes entertayned doing no euill whereupon to hope for good ¶ The lawe naturall grounded vpon reason vvas two thousand yeres in vse vvithout other ordinaunces sauing the Sabboth and Circumsition and God hath geuen fevve lavves concerning this naturall and ciuill right nor the auncient vvise gouernors of cōmon vveales for iust causes the people of God according to reason haue made iudgementes and follovved the interpretacion of their moral lavves by the instinct of reason by the vvhich God did institute them and therefore vvhen the Scribes and Pharisies peruerted that reason they vvere condemned Gouernours asvvell in theyr ordinaunces as constitucion of paines to punishe offences ought alvvaies to follovve those lavves vvhich God hath ordeyned according to that reason ¶ The .5 Chapter THus vve haue seene that gouernours maye Iudge according to Lawes naturall deuine and humane both in what sort they ought to iudge and that it is not necessarye alwayes to consult with the written Lawe in all Iudgementes for that as there bée more matters then words more causes then lawes So the actions of men as Aristotle saith being infinite can not bée conteyned all by memoryes as also by reason of the dissimilitude varieties they can not be comprehended in generall constitucions such as be the Lawes this was the cause that the Lacedemonians made no great vse of writtē lawes leauing to the discretion of wise Iudges and graue men the iudgement of that whiche was not written God him selfe the Image of all wisedome for the same reason caused no Lawe to bée written in twoo thousand yeeres but that of the Sabboth circumsicion nor in the Gospel we see none expresly instituted by Iesus Christ for a cōmon weale but al was referred to the arbitracion and wise iudgement of gouernours yea when God emploied Moyses to bée the Lawmaker of the Iewes hée erected but fewe lawes and they onelye in principall matters for the preseruation of societye and polletike quiet referring the iudgemēt of other affaires not contained in the same generall Lawes to the discretion of such Iudges as hée had ordained willing for that it was impossible to write lawes to all affaires that in those newe causes theyr iudgement should hold perentory aucthority as wel as in other matters to bée decided by the written Lawes yea hée commaunded that the wise men should interprete his lawes by theyr wisdome as in the interpretacion of the ordinaunce of circumcision that the eyght day men should bée Circumcised they reserued forty yéeres that they were in the desert without being Circumcised In lyke sort of the Phascal or feast of Easter for the seconde moneth to suche as had not done it in the fyrst and so in infinite others by verye good and iuste reasons approued and receaued in the Lawe wherein he gaue them aucthoritye not onely to iudge according to discresion and good aduise and to interprete all Lawes but also gaue them power to make newe as the necessitye of the affaires required whereof for a more assured proofe of others erected according to reason wee sée twoo approued in the Gospell as on the Sabboth day not to goo further then halfe a league to celebrate the feast dedicatory in the moneth of Decēber which Iesus Christ did assist preache there forbearing to speake of many other as in the time of Easter which the Seniors general Iudges and gouernors of the people had ordeyned So that as their aucthoritye is greate to iudge and interprete lawes alwaies erect according to the circumstance of time matter So notwithstanding this must be considered that in a monarchie gouernors neyther haue power nor office to create ordinances but vnder the approbation of the Prince with this regarde further that they hold conformety with the law deuine to prefer Gods honor common profit wherin let gouernors in the constitucion of their statutes haue a perpetual respect to the wil iudgement of God which they ought to preserue interprete and not peruert them as did the scribes pharisies certaine of the Seniors geuing value to their proper inuentions ordinances contrary to the law of god as oftentimes to wash their hādes enritche the treasour of the temple by defrauding the poore fathers mothers of their naturall right touching the norriture which they ought to their children Chiefly let Magistrates obserue cause to bée exactly obserued the lawes of God and afterward the ordinances of man such as they create tending to those endes and others agreeing with the time and nature of places and persons conforming all with the Lawes of God So that when they sée in the Scripture that
much it is an instrument to sow discord among brethrē This cryme of false witnesse can haue no excuse as hath theft nor stayeth not vppon one poynt certaine to do wrong but sometyme it rauisheth a mans goodes sometimes deuoureth his life most often endangereth his honor wherein if in the acte of one of these thrée euyls is sufficient cause of death howe much more is he wretched in whom they all thrée concurre with equall power Salomon compareth it to a Dart a Sworde and to Arrowes as if he shoulde attribute no lesse euyll to it then a wicked man may do with those thrée instrumentes Besides all this he contemneth the Iudge and derides his iudgement and by consequent both God and his iustice beléeuing as an Atheist either that there is no God which vnderstandes his falshood and not punish it or not fearing him stands in carelesse state and defieth him in what he can do against him and so is a contemner and prophaner of Iustice and of him which administreth it in the name of the Soueraigne Iudge the same being a sinne against the first Table in this case The false witnesse is adiured ordinarily in the name of God to speake the trueth and therefore is periured wherein he committes eftsones a crime most damnable for which cause Salomon saith often times that much lesse that he shall escape vnpunished but that he shall perishe miserablie the same falling vpon the two olde Iudges of Israel who falsely deposed against Susanna Therefore gouernours of common weales haue great reason to search diligētly after such plagues and to restraine all pardon and grace from such wretched offendours The wise man saith that if false witnesse bearers were but simplie in the case of lyers théeues they had alredie inherited perdicion much more then in so great cōcurse of offences do they iustly deserue seuere punishment No lesse iustice is due also to their subornors inducing them to lye to periure them selues and depose falsly to the domage of another the like also to all falsefiers with counterfaite stampes signes and seales of Princes or priuate men corrupt Notaries making false contractes caryers of vntrue reportes and lyes to be short the like iustice is due to all other working falshood either by worde writing actes subornation or supposition whether it be in case of doctrine or life Such as deceiue by faire wordes as flatterers by faigned promises as abusers by scoffes as Maskers and Cosoners with other Pharisées Ypocrites and false Prophetes being the children of Satan the great father of lyes and shifting ought to passe vnder rigorous punishment For such falshoodes are not onely preiudiciall to our neighbour but also do derogate for the most part the diuine honour for that God being the trueth it selfe is by lyes and falshood falsified and dishonoured either through ignoraunce of God or for want of his feare which is a kinde of infidelitie ¶ There is a double lust or vnlawfull couetousnesse forbidden vs as the vvife daughter or handemayde of our neighbour by the vvhich is forbidden all fleshly lust and the desire of the vvealth honour and life of any man this couetousnesse is the cause of all sinnes and the resistaunce of it is a counter defence against all sinnes to our neighbour meanes to resist it and not to suffer to seede any roote of sinne for by litle and litle it grovves great and becomes desperate against all remedies The .11 Chapter THE twoo last commaundements forbid concupiscence whiche without this prohibition many woulde haue thought to bée no sinne and are as preseruatiues of the other former which be Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wyfe nor couet his house his fielde his seruant his maide his Oxe his Asse nor any thing that is his I call them with good reason preseruatiues séeing God in them forbiddes vs all lust aswell after women pleasures with Gluttony as the desyre of other mens goodes in gréedines In the same is forbidden al coueuetousnesse of Estates honours and dignityes by ambition presumption and glorye and no lesse the thyrste after another mannes life by hate enuye or Auarice Wherein we are expreslie commaunded to beare desire and will to doo pleasure and seruice to our neighbour by the contraye defence to haue no affection or disposition to hurt him This wicked lust is the principall roote and first cause in the corruption of nature to make vs Whoremongers to become théeues to commit murder to enter into false testimony and to be stained with all other vices So that as when the Lawe stoppes the conduittes of these common offences against our neyghbour shée foreseeth that the vices rising therupon ouerflowe no more the worlde So if the first societye comprehended in this lust or thirst after glorye and pride were as well chained that shée issued not out of her vncleane channell whiche is our nature corrupte in Adam restrained by the first commaundements aswell of the first as second Table by the which man is taught to humble and make him selfe nothing before God expressyng the same humility in obedient heart and wyll to such as haue fatherly rule in a common weale there should be no more ouerwening ambition vaine glory nor presumption causes of so many intollerable euylles enuyroning the worlde And hauing remedies in these first commaundements such as God hath prouided for vs we must not fayle to arme our selues therewith and refraine to do the thing wherwith he may be offended The remedyes are fayth holy doctrine continuall prayer and assistaunce of the holy spirite inspiryng into our heartes secrete mocions to do well together with diligent exercise of vertue and studie of moral and pollitike disciplines by the which we are enterteyned Ciuilly in a state of common duetie towardes our neighbours and common weale Let therefore gouernours of common weales vse prouidence that of these originall springs there issue out no infect or corrupt ryuers which then comes best to passe when diligence is most applyed to youth to exercise them in good doctrine loue to vertue the better to entertaine those graces which they haue receiued in their first renouatiō by faith baptime For as it is a thing easie that a Tree notwithstanding in her first nature she be wylde and sauage yet beyng well griffed doth bring foorth and deliuer to her labourer good and swéete fruites with continuaunce of the same fertilitie being relieued at the roote and often lycoured euen so it is easie to a Christian when he is griffed and renued in Iesus Christ by baptisme where he hath taken the holy Ghost the aucthour of euery good worke to bloome in good wyll florish in doctrine fructifie in all good workes the roote of that trée being holy spirituall diuine taking her norriture of the worde of God and which Trée is made liuely by the holy spirite augmented fortified enterteyned by the sacraments specially by the sacrament of the Communion which is
Panther sheweth her Beautye to the pleasure of foolishe Beastes and scattereth a swéete Odour but it is with this purpose to entrap and rauishe them when the Crokodile puttes on a countenaunce of compassion to the poore wayfairing men it is then shée prepareth her selfe to deuoure them The glorious webbe of the Spider is stretched out to none other ende but to take the foolishe flye Let vs neuer thincke but that in the inuention of wordes disguising of Tongues artificiall strayning of speaches with such like pleasant snares is disgested euerye sutteltye of a Foxe with all other partes that may bée in a sophisticall poyson The trueth néedes no disguised speache nor is decked with any goodlye apparaunce outwardly to please men and much lesse is it set out with Flowres whose smell geues Poyson to the senses of men as this deceytefull flatterye doeth trueth cares not for the outward bewtye being fraught within with incomparable ornamentes and Ritches It is a goodly treasure hidde and couered without with a vile stone or vncleane earth Where the other is as a painted Sepulcher without and containes within nothing but stincke and vncleannes ¶ Heare flatterye is declared verye hurtfull to common weales and families It makes yong People ryse into great Pride to furnishe the vvhich they fall into fonde and vvastfull expenses VVhat is to bee done for the remedye of the same ⧠The .2 Chapter AND because flatterie carieth this nature to raise light spirites into vaine glory whose swéetenes giues norriture to theyr delightes not thinking it to bée a sinne of that grauitye and importaunce it is we wil adde to that wée haue already sayd that as glory of Ritches Noblenes or of any other excellency aboue the rest is condemned of great contempt ignominy in the Scripture so there is no sort of people more miserable then such as vaunt vpon the quantety and value of theyr Ritches If I should alleadge the direct texts examples of theyr condemnation it were to stand vpon infinites and encomber the exercise of the Reader onely they are warned of theyr presumptuous follie in this passage of the wise man Let not the wise man sayth hée glorify him selfe in his wisedome nor the strong man in his force nor the Ritche man in his wealth But he that wil glorifie him selfe let him doo it in God who knoweth him for according to Saint Paul al the good that they haue is of god Touching Ritches Salomon sayth that the blessing of the Lord makes men Ritche and that it is hée which distributes glory Lordship power and kingdoms to such as it pleaseth him It is hée that geues wisdome and science yea all that is is the gift of God geuen to men of his pure liberalitye to the ende hée onely may bée honoured for it What wrong then doo wée vnto God to attribute to our selues that which is the Lordes and vsurpe the glorye which belonges to him wée which haue no power not so much as ouer the least haire of our head as neyther to turne it from white to blacke and much lesse to make it grow yea euen we in whom is no power but to sinne and heape to our selues proper damnation That is the cause why S. Paul saith That who glorifieth him selfe ought to do it in the Lorde to whom onely belonges all honour and glory That we liue mooue and are procéedes of his grace and vertue In him we are as we are and out of him we are but sinne and damnation The Bishop of Laodice thinking him selfe in his iudgement riche wealthy and happy hearde the voyce of God saying Thou art a caytife miserable poore blinde and naked The onely poore man and he that beares with patience his pouertie and miserie of the worlde yea also the riche man in goodes but truely poore and humble in heart geuing no estimacion to richesse but disperseth them to those that haue néede they onely are they who onely may glorifie them selues in their simple pouertie from whence they shal be raised into great wealth and glorie But let the riche man feare and humble him selfe for the miseries which are prepared for him And let the great man thinke that according to his greatnesse hée shal be seuerely punished Let therfore the Magistrate pollitike vnderstande Gods indignation against flatterers who lift vp light spirites into wéening boasters into vayne glory Let them I say punishe the one and humble the other according to the rule and wyll of God expressed in many examples in the Scriptures God embased so much the state of Nabuchodoniser King of Babylon that of a mighty King he made him a poore insensate creature yea geuing him a condicion to eate Grasse with the terrible beastes of the fielde And as he neuer suffered to prosper any long time either kingdomes regions Cities or priuate houses of the proude and hauty so therefore let him stande in example afore our Magistrate to constraine such people to humilitye and taking lowe courses not to hoise vp Golden sailes eyther in apparel Iewels Houses or other pompes and vaine expenses But rather according to theyr grosse reuenues let them make a méere liberall reléefe to the poore and cuttyng of their superfluous spending Let them trauayle to deserue well of their common weale Here they can not say that they haue power to dispose their richesse as they thinke best for séeing they are members of one common wealth they must be gouerned by the iudgement of the chiefest wherein like as the members of one body the more force they haue the more seruice do they to it aswell in generall as to euery particuler member euen so by all right of God nature it belonges to the most mighty in goodes estates to apply their wealth to the helpe of their Citie which if they wyll not do liberally they are subiect to constraint as are also for their partes the wisest the noblest all other of better ability and meanes to reléeue their countrey who much more then the riche sort ought to be prostrate in humility because God hath indued them with more great honourable graces then are common and temporall riches And because we haue touched in passing the pompe of apparell we can say no lesse with the opinion of the scripture thē that in the vse of them now a dayes is a true representacion figure of sinne being farre from the attyre of Adam Eue who ware onely a couer ouer their natures made of Figge leaues deuised necessarily to shrowde the filthinesse of the body God gaue them at last Skinnes of Beastes teaching them therby omitting here the opinion of the morall doctrine of mortification signified by the Skinne how thei ought to vse garmentes for necessity against the colde iniury of the weather and to couer the vilenesse of nature Who therfore vseth them for other purpose then these two respectes if the state and custome of the
he oftentimes passed nightes in watching and prayer By whose example suche as are called to the estate of Ministers in the Church Byshops and Pastors ought to direct their behauiours employing their times in spirituall labours being séene in no place but in excercise eyther to teache the ignoraunt comfort the afflicted exhorte the negligent confirme the weake and reprooue the offendor and expresse withall alwayes some good doctrine and confirme it by example of their good life And so for the rest I send them to the treatise of their institution resorting eftsones to the labor wherof we spake ydlenesse whether in them or any other men of learning is an vncomly staine Let them with all others of knowledge but speciallye gouernors pollitick and spirituall do as the naturall head of man wherein as the spirite meditates debates and deuiseth that which is good and profitable to the body and euery member so by counsell of the same spirite the heade prouides by pollicy beholdes with the eyes hearkeneth with the eares and speaketh with the tongue that which is necessary for the whole studying altogither for the entertainement of the body and al the members whome he commaundes in perticuler to trauell with all their force industry naturall as the eye to looke euery where where neede is the eare to heare that which is good and profitable to the body and all his members the hande to worke in diuers sortes the féete to marche and go c. So that there is no member ouer whome he hath soueraintie and which hath meane to obey his commandement to whom he prescribes not what he ought to doe And euen as the stomacke receyues the meate to decokt and disgest it and afterwards to distribute it thorow the body euen so ought the magistrates of the Churche to doe with the doctrine which they haue learned out of the holy scryptures commending the same imitation also to the magistrats of iustice lawyers imparting the science of the laws which they haue learned in schools to the people some to the instruction health of soules other to direct the pollicy of their commonweals The like also belongs to Phisitions touching the disposing of their science for the cure of bodies Other members haue their propper and outward labour as the hand that worketh and the féete that serue to marche and go So Marchauntes Labourers and Artificers haue the trauayles of the bodye for excercise not onelye to the particuler profite of them selues but also to the behoofe of the whole as others haue the labours of the spirite Here it is not impertinent to the matter to rehearse the Fable of Marcus Agrippa Orator of Rome pronounced to the people which were assembled to do violence against the Lordes of the Senate whom they sayde kept them in too great subiection of labours and contribucions of tributes to entertayne their rest and tranquility This Oratour to apease this popular mutinie and eftsones to reconcile them to the Senat brought in this resemblance the members of the body sayeth he murmured on a time against theyr stomacke and bellye obiecting that they did nothing but toyle in perpetual trauell to norishe it yet it was neuer satisfied and so being weary forbare to labour any more to reléeue it the hand would worke no more the feete laye at rest would go no further the mouth refused to speake the eye to sée and al gaue ouer to prouide for the bellye By which occasion within few dayes all the members became feble weake yea without hability to moue so that the man had no power to set one foote before another And so foreseeing in what danger of death hée stode for not ministring foode to his stomacke and bellye perswaded al his members eftsones to recontinue their trauaile geuing them to vnderstand that they were not fallen into that infirmity by any other meanes then because they disobeyed the stomacke refraining frō trauaile to prouide him sustenance and norriture to the bellie which being thus beaten into theyr knowledge they tooke againe theyr first office labour and diligence and so eftsones recouered theyr agilitye and force neuer afterwards mutined against their stomackes or belly To this stomacke he resembled the Senat in the members were represented the people applying so aptly this cōparison which is as a natural lesson visible doctrine that he brought the people to returne to their citie yéeld theyr accustomed obedience to the Lords of the Senate declaring by this peremtorye reason that it is not possible to the world to bée well gouerned nor lyue without counsel iudgement and prouidence of God and graue gouernors some prouiding for the safetye of soules and others caring for the temporall affayres the better to establishe a happye tranquilitye in a common wealth ¶ In all creatures is seene a perpetual labour whether in Heauen in Earth or in the Sea The profite vvhich riseth in a Citie by the trauaile vvhereunto the idle sort are constrained Exhortacion to the Magistrates to purge their common vveales of vnprofitable people declaring the euill vvhich comes of them and the authoritie vvhich they haue to doo it The .11 Chapter THere is no naturall Common Weale no not amongest the Beastes which is not in continual and common labour without excepting any singular creature frō trauaile In the Monarchie of Bées where the king commaundes wée haue already proued that there is no Idlenes Among the Antes where the most auncient guide the rest euerye one is busye to beare his burden builde his Garner In the flocke of Cranes where al be equal in aucthoritye none is suffered to be idle Nor of Grashoppers when they flye in Troupe There is no winged Birde which flyeth not geues to euery day some acte of trauaile according to his nature No Fishe in the Sea or other water to whome with the vse of life is not ioyned perpetual trauaile No Beast aboue or vpon the earth who after his natural rest doth not employe him selfe according to his natural facultie no natural thing if it haue life and strength is suffered of nature to bee idle The Sea alwaies bringeth forth Fishe beareth great Shippes and hath her other mouinges and as the Riuers fall into the Sea so the fountaines slide into the Riuers The Earth without ceassing engendereth or preserueth Herbes Séedes Plantes and the plantes neuer forbeare in theyr season to expresse their vertue and bring forth fruites and are neuer vnprofitable yea if there bée any vnfruiteful it is committed to the fire as not worthy to bée susteyned with the fatnes of the earth without yéelding good fruite Christ cursed the figge trée because it brought forth leaues yéelded no fruite signifying to vs that it is not inough to trauaile if our labours bring forth no profite to others The fire continuallye burneth The skye hath his perpetual mouing carying about his planets and starres The Sunne geueth light without intermission And the
them If to men vsing great estates and offices be reserued an vniuersall reuerence What lesse honour is due to him that makes them worthy of it and by his industry brings them into the merit of such high calling If wise and learned men be famous through the world for the benefites that growe by their counsell commaūdement and authoritie is there lesse dutie of renoume and immortall praise to such as are the authors of those benefites by their learning If men learned in the lawes profite so much common weales If Phisitions be so necessary for that in them resteth the cure of bodies If lastly by the deuines wée finde comfort to our heauie soules how much are we bound to such as are the first causes of these deuine fruites who are the schoolemasters without whom and the foundation by them layed in those doctrines they had neuer ascended to those seates of honour when we sée a goodly building so excellent in beautie that the worlde giues it singuler estimation what can we ascribe lesse to him who laied the foundation and raised the worke to that excellencie then the principall praise For if faire delitefull and profitable workes be so generally praysed nothing lesse is due to the hand that fashioned them Who delites to behold a goodly picture doth great wrong to the painter if he ascribe not much to the commendation of his skill yea if there were layd on but the first coollers yet the beholder ought to be thankfull to his industrie and labour But if such as nourish our mortall bodies deserue great affection memorable renoume much more are we bound both in loue and perpetuall dutie to them that minister foode to the immortall spirites of little children if so great reuerence be reserued to Phisitions for helping the health of bodies which one day must die notwithstanding Is there not more merit of honour to such as cure our soules of immortal diseases The scripture pronounceth many textes to the shame of those which despise scholemasters of which profession Christ séemed to make his Apostles when he spake to Peter if thou louest mée féede my Lambes What other thing is it to féede then to nourish teach in good doctrine and the Lambes of the flocke of Iesus Christ according to the natural propertie of speaking are young children whom he holdes no lesse deare then his proper fleshe I saye not that vnder that name are ment all sortes of people and yet it can not be denied but that those littleones deserue chief instruction For S. John after he had taught in diuers countreys being compelled to leaue them for a time and go elswhether by speciall writing sayd to the little ones comfort your selues O ye young ones in that you are by the grace word of God strong and vertuous for that the woord of God remaynes in you and that you haue vanquished the wicked spirit through the grace and merit of Iesus Christ Yea Christ him selfe caused the little children to come into his schoole blaming the Apostles being yet of the flesh by cause they let those littleones for comming to him as though he would not haue taught and holpen them aswell as euen the greatest but he commaunded to bring them to him and pronounced them in that instruction and imposition of hands which hée gaue them worthy of the kyngdome of GOD saying that to those and such like the euerlasting worlde belongeth Then such as receiue little children into discipline exercise the office of Iesus Church the same sturring vp the Bishops in old time to take into charge of discipline and teaching little children as also did both the one and the other S. Iohn and the Prophets had many disciples who otherwayes were called the children of the Prophets it is written that many holy men went thorough the world to teach schollers with this intention that with the rules of learning they should also instruct them in the principles of faith and by that meane winne the Fathers mothers to Iesus christ amongest these Origen was not the least zealous and S. Gregorie the Pope refused not this vocation for certaine houres of the day For which considerations a certaine learned doctor of our time and chauncellor of a famous vniuersitie had no shame to go thorow the Colleadges of the vniuersities at certaine conuenient houres and teach little children in familiar doctrines which he did for the loue zeale of God And being oftentimes reproched by other doctors that he shewed an example vnworthy his place specially for that there were sufficient tuters to that purpose he aunswered that they were as fleshly doctors resembling the Apostles not yet in full libertie of the spirite who by glorious opinion forbad little children to approche neare to Iesus Christ alleadging that there was no dutie of accesse to him but by those that were graue I aske of those fleshly doctors whether the shepeheard that kéeps the Lambes of a Father of houshold do not as good and agréeable seruice to his Master as if he had in charge greater shéepe If a Father shew more deare loue to his little children then to those that haue riper age foloweth it not by congruent reason that such as giue succoures to those little ones and kéepe them from daunger deserue better recompence of the Father then if they had done seruice to his greater sonnes If the little plant in the garden of any Farmer be so much cherished that the eye of the owner is seldome from it hée then that watreth it prunes it and defends it from the cropping of beastes and other iniuries what seruice doth he to the owner Yea what greater pleasure can he do to the Farmer whose young plant without this industrie were subiect to spoyle without hope to yéeld any fruite euen as if the little Lambes of the flocke were lost and the young children corrupt there were no exspectation of restitution of that losse and corruption The schoolemaster then hauing in charge these little lambes of Iesus Christ and the preparing of this tender plant of his gardeine which is the Church and lastly the leading of these little children being the delites of the Lord how acceptable is his loyall and diligent seruice to his Lorde and to God And if such as sclaunder these little ones through wicked doctrine example deserue to haue fastened to their necke a milstone and drowned in the bottome of the déepest Sea What recompence or reward is due to those tutors scholemasters by whome those littleones are instructed and led in example of all holines Are they not worthy as Daniell sayeth to shine as the firmament and starres of heauen in euerlasting glory and to be called the greatest of the kyngdome of God Yea according to Iesus Christ euen the most happie of all And if euerie one ought to receiue the reward of his trauels as there is no estate of more hard laboures more great paines more perpetuall perplexeties and
cause helping to the excuse and they by vnrulie disobedience abuse her in their dutie or that by some collaterall match shée may eyther bring encrease to hir reuenue or helpe the porcion of her daughters shée is iustified in her second mariage wherein aboue all other cares let her beware that no moode of incontinencie lead hir for that in our Christian religion it is accompted a vice moste slaunderous Touching such as are contented with the state of widowhed let them with S. Paules councel exercise their times in prayers take their delites in holy and godly things and trauell with all their harte to cleaue to God and to please and serue him in al puritie of will and spirituall affection and for their better meane to those holy actions let them eschew conuersation with men and prepare their flesh by fastinges and great sobrietie for as S. Paule sayeth the widowe that liues in delites is dead as whose wanton conuersation wallowing in ease and belly cheare hath corrupted hir mind with affections of mortall sinne wherein shée is readie to ioyne effect to hir fleshly wil as opportunitie shall consent But holy widowes liue spiritually and kéepe their bodies in necessities and their myndes in deuoute exercise as fasting prayer and other deuoute meditations of the spirit séeking after the perfection of the vertuouse widowes in the scripture as Iudith and Anne the prophetisse who from their youthes béeinge widowes receiued great graces from God as the one in the execution of Gods enemies and the other in prophesying of the comming of Christe publishing openly in the temple when the Lord was brought thither that hée was the true Messias ¶ The office of Fathers and Mothers towardes their children and the dutie of children to their parentes Chapter iiij TOuching the office of the second societie in nature pertaining parents towardes their children and of them reciprocallie to their fathers and mothers we will discourse according to the scripture Leauing the doctrine of the Pagan Philosophers as opinions doubtfull in themselues and vncertaine to Christians fathers and mothers haue in comen to bring vp and institute their children where of the mother is tied to a speciall care whilest they are young as growing into state of years and bignes thei belong chiefly to the fathers aswel for their authoritie as their greater and more wise prouidence Touching administration of noriture to their bodies with all other prouisions which the necessitie of nature requiers the mother most cōmonly takes vppon hir that special care as in whom the zeale of nature doeth most abounde some times sparing foode from hir selfe to féed hir children and restraining hir owne body to colde and hunger stickes not to cloathe hir naked tender impes to whome she bears more compassion then to hir proper wantes But for the féeding of the soule being the principall part of man and by the which wee are men and regenerated in to the children of God the body being none other thing then the vessell or mantiō of this sowle the prouision and care is equall to the father and mother both streightly enioyned without distinction to prouide such spirituall féeding clothing as may be worthy for this soule formed to the Image of God which is holly doctrine of saluation and correction instruction in good maners the same as it is the principall cause why God hath blessed them with children So with out those institutions children would fall into degeneration with natures and actions of brute and hurtefull beastes they would be come children accurssed whose dispsiscion would bring forth nothing but pride couetousnes glottony whoredome malice dissolute maners yea they wold become instruments altogither obedient to the wil of Sathan Prince of the world some what to qualifie the grieues of mothers bringing forth their childrē in great paine sorow often times in hard mortal peril of life lulling cherishing them with cares and watching day night with many other perplexities belonging to the institution of their litle youth S. Paule giues them this great consolation that the woman shall be saued by the generation of hir children if with hir instruction she conioyne this care to kepe them by exhortation and hir example in the constancie of faith charitie and sanctification which they receiue by baptisme enclining alwayes to do holy déedes with sobrietye which to young people is the mother noresse of all good doctrines and vertue as of the contrarie children dissolute folowing their foule will neuer attaine to scence and lesse folowe studie and least of all exercise verteous actions and because the mother ought thus to teatch hir children Salomon giues them commaundement to heare and receiue hir lawe aswell as to harken to the doctrine of their father And for example he resites that his mother Bersaba taught him from his infancie in the feare and wisdom of God wher by euen in his youth he became so wise as the scripture reporteth And albeit S. Paule restraines a mother of a family to preache in the church yet he takes no libertie from hir to instruct hir houshold and children in their dutie and office of life with out offending god which then is best performed when she makes the doctrine of God familier with them The daughter of Pithagoras well instructed by hir father in vertue and loue to virginitie kepte a schoole for mayds whō she made so singulerly wise and learned that they confounded the ignorance of many men and with hir resolued to perseuer in the state of perpetuall virgins Cornelia mother to both the Gracchus read to hir children the arte of retoricke whearein she raised them to such knowledg of excelency and eloquence that she was estemed for the most happie lady of Rome yea one day when a gallant or vaine dame of the cittie bragging of hir Iewels shewed hir much stately worke of embrodery and stones she aunswered hir I neuer was careful to make my selfe shine with so false lights as Iewels and stones nor to embosi my house with florishing hangings of goldworke but here sayth shée shewing hir eloquent and learned children is the sunne wherin I shine and the tapistrie Iewels and treasure of my house which in déede as they brought hir more honour then if she had ben Lady and owner of all the riches in Rome So yet she had aspired to more great supreame felicitie if according to hir trauell to distill knowledge into them they had expressed their excellēt learning in actes of modestie vertue in the discourse of their life But because it is a common question at these dayes whither the dugge of a mother is more proper to féede the tender infancie of the childe then the milke of a straunger as also what sortes of meates afterwardes are fit for their noriture it can not bée impertinent to declare our opinion as it were in passing Touching the first noriture if there be no lawfull excuses in the
prouide so that this soule I meane the diuine law entertayning with it the lawe naturall and politike as the reasonable soule in man compreheÌ„des vnder her regiment the spirit sensitiue and vegatiue be Lady and mistres chiefly ouer your selues as gouerning your dooings according to hir direction to the ende that by your guyde she gouerne and entertayne all the rest of the body politike without being hindered by you in fauours or other corruptions ciuill yea let her fréely stretche out her selfe in vigour and vertue equally to euery generall and particular parte for the better abilitie of his proper and naturall action I meane let euery one exercise the particular vocation whereunto he is called for the better regiment of the whole in one equall faith without acception of persones euery one with franke readines enclining to the prescript of that law according to the limite of his particular charge by which obseruation there can not happen eyther to the whole or any peculiar proporcion of the body any disorder disagréement contencion or confusion And euen as when the humane body of man is gouerned and ruled by phisicke it seldome falles into disease for that in that Science is prescription of all thinges necessarie to conserue health euen so by this lawe the true Phisicke medcine of mindes so long as they obserue the rules of it common weales are not onely entertained in plausible and constant prosperitie but withall armed against the assaultes of al casuall inconuenieÌ„ces eyther by suttletie malicious force or pollecie But as the body then slides into infirmities and diseases when it giues ouer the counsell and iudgement of phisicke so the body ciuill neglecting the rule of the law prepares to it self occasions of many passions as warre famine with such miseries as God vseth to sende for the transgression of his law God in many places in his law but specially in Deuteronomie forespeakes blissinges and happy successe to the good obseruers of his lawe that aswell in their houses as their Cities Countreys and whole affaires as of the contrary his threates be terrible to the traÌ„sgressors prophesying all miseries to their families their goods their cattell yea to their owne bodies with these miseries the Prophetes often tymes threaten the Israelites for their transgression as also other straunge nations for that they had ben cruel to the desolate people of Jsraell There are none more imediat causes of the miseries afflicting men in priuate or common weales in generall then the transgression of the lawe and obstinate constancie in wickednes For we find that in all times miserie hath followed sinne as the smoke doth the fier aswell to perticular men as in Cayn Lamech Agar Iâ—maell Esau Hei Onan with many such from the beginning of the world as to whole commoÌ„ weales suffring impunitie of sinne as in Josua it is sayed that for Acham who contrary to Gods commaundement tooke a wedge of gold and for the sacrileage of Hiericho all the Armie of Jsraell to whom was promised victory was put to flight so grieuous to God is sinne how secret so euer it be who will haue it punished for that cause Salomon sayth that sinnes makes people and nations vnhappy which then appeareth most when it is knowne and the common weale makes no care to do iustice of it as we sée hapned in Gabaon of the Beniamits in which Citie for the vnchast violacion of a woman dying of the violence almost all the sayd Beniamites were ouerthrowen by the other Jsraelites God ordeyning this iudgement for the reuenge of the womans dishonour oftentimes the man that hath done euill is not punished only but also the affliction stretcheth to his house as hapned to Cham for mocking his Father with whom his sonne Canaan with all his Chananites were scourged The sinne of Loth and his daughters is not punnished only with the penance of the good Patriarch but also vppon his children The Moabites and Ammonites who were reiected froÌ„ the alliaÌ„ce with the Jsraelites for their reproued generatioÌ„ yea forbideÌ„ to enter into the temple albeit thei were coÌ„uerted to god much more grieuously is punished the sin of the Prince the Magistrate not vppoÌ„ themselues only but what they loue is touched their whole people visited as is manifest in Dauid who notwithstanding he did penaÌ„ce for his adultery murder yet his sonne died for the punishmeÌ„t or satisfaction of those two sinnes as also for the adultery he did to an other maÌ„s wife his owne coÌ„cubines in the meane while were polluted And for that he rose into pride he was striken with plague by the death of three score and ten thousaÌ„d persons who consenting with their Prince in his vain glory and vices had their share in his iudgement and punishment when all the world was resolued into sin God spared not a generall punnishment by the great flood which had power ouer all flesh sauing eight persons preserued in the Arke In Sodome and Gomorrhe the fier of heauen consumed all but Loth his wife his two daughters And in the first sacking of Ierusalem but much more in the last and generall spoyle of Titus Vespatian to the ruine of all Iuda according to the prophesie of Iesus Christ For all the world had erred eyther actually or by manifest consent or secretly and to come yea euen the little-children who albeit had yet done none euill yet if they had had then iudgement or ripe age they had had the same will with their pareÌ„ts as with all children in some sort are the substance and principall goods of their parents So that their fathers offending and deseruing to be grieuously punished the scourge falles also vpon their goods children I meane touching temporall paines for concerning the soule the sinne followeth the author according to the iudgement of God who as a iust and soueraigne Lord punisheth the man for his proper vice and euery vice in the man as we sée hee did in the first ruine of the worlde when he drowned fathers mothers children seruants with all sortes of beastes sauing such as he reserued for propagation and sacrifice ¶ Counsell of the remedies to cure and preserue common weales from miserie Chapter v. IT belongs then to gouernours of a common weale as to good Phisitions by the doctrine of the law both deuine and humaine the true medecine and preseruatiue of Christian soules to kéepe and conteyne their people and gouerning them both in generall and perticular by this law that they fall into no daungerous sinnes and mortal diseases of the soule they are restrained to no lesse care art and dutie to preserue them then the Phisitions corporall are bound to defend the bodies from sicknesses by iudgement rule of good regiment And not confounding the two estates Ecclesiastical and pollitike or secular from doing their perticular functions albeit in profession diffring yet teÌ„ding to one generall end to erect Gods kyngdome