he was not dicomforted but blessed the name of GOD which gaue him grace to suffer for him Let vs leaue off then al such excuses when it is a question to obey the commaundement of the LORD for when the will is readie the powre is lacking Forasmuch as wée doe staye all in the strength of him which hath loued vs bicause that he which is in vs is greater then he that is in the worlde Let vs haue for example that liitle Dauyd who going to fight with that great Goliah measured not his strengthes but the power of him in whose name hée did fight Let vs remember that the Apostles hauing expresse cōmaundement of the Lord to go into a towne that lieth ouer against thē to the ende to vnlose an Asse and hir colte did not consider the difficultnes of the cōmaundement but staying themselues vpon the authoritie of him which commaunded them did execute incontinently their charge When Iesus Christ did send his Apostles thorow out the whole worlde for to preach declare his gospell they regarded not the daungers that might haue happened vnto them by the way the force and puissaunce of the enemies of the crosse of Christe Furthermore they excused not themselues of their ignoraunce but fortefying themselus in this word I wil giue vnto thée a mouth and wisedome to the which your enemies cannot resist did execute incontinently the commaundement of the Lorde Let vs then take example of those whom Iesus Christ hath sometime called for to followe him whereof the one excused himselfe saying suffer me first to burye my father the other sayde suffer me firste to bidde them farewell which are at home at my house Vnto whome the LORD aunswered no man that putteth his hande to the ploughe and loketh backe is apte to the kingdome of god Wherefore when the LORDE doth commaunde vs any thinge or when he doth call vs let vs doe as that good Samuel did who as often times as hée was called of the Lord as often times aunswered I am here for thou diddest call me Or as sainct Paule who sodeinly at the voice of the LORD aunswered What wilt thou haue me doe To conclude let vs kepe simplie that which is commaunded vs for to doe without putting too or taking from the word Dooing not that which seemeth good in our eies but that which God hath ordeined For the Lord doth protest by his Angell vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke that if any man shall adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall minish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take awaie his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie and from those thinges which are written in this booke Deuteronomium 30. c. The commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not separated from thee neither farre off It is not in heauen that thou needest to say who shall go vp for vs to heauen and fet it vs that we may heare it and doe it Romaines 10. b. The word is nigh thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This is that worde of faith which we preach A Prayer O Lorde which hast made fast for euer and euer all thy commaundements in all truth and equitie and which puttest in man both the will and the desire to fulfill them Teach vs the way of thy statutes and shed and poure into our hearts thy loue through thy holy spirite by the which thou doest helpe our infirmities that we distrusting in our strengthes and despising the assaultes of the flesh the world and the diuel we may stay altogether vpon the loue of him which was once offered vp for vs for to accomplish thy will. And hast made vs more then vanquishers through the victorie which doth surmount the worlde that is to say our faith thy welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer Amen ¶ A BRIEFE DEMONSTRATION vnto those which doe make profession of the true christian Religion and neuerthelesse doe refuse the ecclesiastical discipline wherein is described somewhat the vse fruite thereoff Cap. 15. Psalme 32. d. ¶ I will knowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hid And I saide I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne 2. Timothe 4. a. ¶ Preach the worde be feruent in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 2. Corinth d. ¶ So write I nowe beeing absent to them which in times past haue sinned and to all others that if 〈◊〉 come againe I will not spare THe Prophet Ioel did complaine of his people calling them to repentaunce saying Tourne you vnto the Lord with al your hearts with fasting wéeping and mourning rent your heartes and not your clothes and tourne vnto the LORD your God for he is gracious and mercifull long suffering and of greate compassion and readie to pardon wickednesse Then no doubt he also shall tourne and forgiue and after his chastening he shall let your encrease remaine for meate and drincke offerings vnto the Lorde your God blowe out with the trumpet in Sion proclaime a fasting call the congregation and gather the people together warne the congregation gather the elders bring the children sucklings together Let the bridegrome goe foorth of his chamber and the bride out of hir closet Let the priestes serue the Lord betwixt the porch and the aulter wéeping and saying bée fauorable O Lord be fauorable vnto thy people let not thine heritage be brought to such confusion least the heathen be Lords thereof Wherefore should they say amonge the heathen Where is now their God Nowe goe to sayth the Lorde we will talke together It is not so though your sinnes be as redde as scarlet shall they not be whiter then snowe And though they were like purple shal they not be like white woll The Lorde standeth waiting that he may haue mercy vppon you and lifteth himselfe vp that he may receiue you to grace Be conuerted and tourne you cleane from all your wickednesse so shall there no sinne doe you harme Cast away from you al your vngodlinesse that ye haue done make you newe heartes and a newe spirite Wherefore will yee die O ye house of Israel séeing I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lorde God. Tourne you then and ye shall liue Forasmuch then as the voice of the Lorde is commune to all as that of his sonne Iesus Christ hath bene commune who hath sayd Come vnto me all yée that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am méeke and lowly in heart and that God is not parciall But in all people he that feareth him
exhortinge them that no man defraude and oppresse his brother in any matter Wherfore if wée bée double hearted as sayth Sainct Iames let vs cleanse our hearts Forasmuch I saye as GOD is righteous let vs loue him with an entire and perfect heart that our heart may blesse the LORD and all that is within vs may praise his holy name and forget not all his benefites Let vs poure out our hearts like water before the Lorde and let vs lifte vp our handes vnto him and hee will beholde vs with pittie in the fauoure of his welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer and euer So bée it Ecclesiastes 12. d. 13. ¶ Feare God and keepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men 1. Iohn 2. d. ¶ The world passeth awaie and the lustes thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer A Prayer O Lord which hast taught vs by the mouth of Salomon the sonne of Dauyd that loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell hir coales are of fire and a verie flame of the LORD So embrace our heartes in thine heauenly loue chiefly by thy holy spirite that wée knowing that thou hast loued vs first hauing sent thy sonne to make agréement for our sinnes that so of our part we may loue thée againe and shewe by our conuersation that we loue thée not in worde neither in tongue onely but in déede in trueth Honouring thée as our celestiall and heauenly father and fearing thée as our souereigne LORD all the dayes of our life In such sorte that neither death neither life neither Angels nor principialities neither powers neither thinges preseâ—â— neither thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neither any other creature shall be able to departe vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christe Iesus our LORD To the ende that when thou shalt appeare we may be bolde and not ashamed before thée at thy comming nor by the maiestie of him who béeing in the worlde loued his vnto the ende our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer So bée it ¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVERtisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. Deuterono 15. b. ¶ The land shall neuer be without poore wherefore I commaunde thee saying open thine hande vnto thy brother that is needie and poore in the lande Prouerbes 3. b. ¶ Honour the Lord with thy substaunce and with the firstlings of al thine encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with plenteousnesse and thy presses shall flowe ouer with sweete wine Iob 1. c. ¶ When the poore desireth any thing at me haue I denied it them haue I caused the widdow to stand waiting for me in vayne haue I eaten my portion alone that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me For mercy grew vp with me fro my youth and compassion fro my mothers wombe haue I seene any man perish through nakednesse and want of clothing or any poore man for lacke of raiment whose â—ides thancked me not bicause he was warmed with the woll of my sheepe did I euer lift vp my hande to hurt the fatherlesse yea in the gate where I sawe my selfe to be in authoritie then let mine arme fall from my sholder and mine armeholes be broken from the ioyntes Iob. 29. c. ¶ I haue deliuered the poore when hee cryed and the fatherlesse that wanted helpe He that should haue bene lost gaue me a good worde and the widdowes heart praised me And why I put vppon me righteousnesse which couered me as a garment and equitie was my crowne I was an eye vnto the blinde and a foote to the lame I was a father vnto the poore and when I knewe not their cause I sought it out diligently I brake the chayers of the vnrighteous and pluckt the spoile out of their teeth ¶ An exhortation to loue towardes ones neighbour THE Apostle Sainct Paul â—peaking of the excellencie of loue sayth Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not loue I am euen as lounding braue or as a tinckling cymball And though I coulde prophecie and vnderstand all secretes and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde moue mountaines out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing And though I bestowe all my goodes to to feede the poore and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and yet haue not loue it profiteth me nothing Loue lustereth long is courteous loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe swelleth not disdaineth nothing as vnbeseeming seeketh not hir owne things is not prouoked to anger thincketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all thinges beléeueth al things hopeth al thinges endureth all thinges Loue doth neuer fall away though that all prophecyings shall be abolished And in the end of the said chapter he concludeth now abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue And forasmuch then as the life is more worth theÌ„ meate the bodie more of value then raiment And also that Iesus Christe doth commaunde vs to séeke first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereoff notwithout cause if wee mainteine that loue consisteth chiefly to helpe our neighbour in that whiche is necessarie for him for his life Insomuch that if the Lorde hath giuen vnto vs any talent I meane any grace perfection or vertue we ought not to hide it in the earth as vnprofitable seruaunts but ought to bestowe it to the profite of euerie man For the manifestation is giuen to euery one for to profit to the ende that as euerie man hath receiued the gifte so admister the same one to another as good ministers of the manifold graces of god And euen as in geuing some little part of our goods we do multiplie that which the Lord hath giuen vnto vs also in administring the spirituall things to our neighbour we augment in vs the fruites of pietie Iustice These are the wordes of Sainct Paul when he tolde the Corinthians that he that findeth séede to the sower will minister likewise breade for foode and multiplie their séede and increase the fruites of their beneuolence that on all partes they may be made ritch in all singlenesse And as we be not maisters nor owners of our goods Inasmuch as we enioy and possesse them of the hande of the LORDE so we are not but ministers of the giftes of the holy Spirite whiche worketh in vs all things Euen so saith Sainct Paul writing to the Corinthians Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of GOD. This declareth vnto vs what was gods prouidence in the dispensation bestowing of his giftes who woulde not that they shoulde abounde altogether in one man alone to the end that by them helping one an other euery one may
shal be saued as thou hast afterwardes confirmed it by thine Apostle that he that striueth for a mastrie shall not be crowned except he striue as he ought to do Giue vs grace that we all continuing in one spirit and striuing altogether in one minde through the faith of the gospell we may not be troubled by our aduersaries and that we be not as children wauering caried about with euery winde of doctrine But let vs folow the truth in loue in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is to say Christ Giue vs such constancie strength in the midst of those troubles of our enemies that we faint not in any thing so that with ioy we may end our course the charge which we haue receiued of thée for to testifie the gospel of thy grace Embrace so our harts our soules in thine heauenly loue through thy holy spirite especially that for al afflictions or threatnings we nothing varie frō thy lawe either to the right hād nor to the left that we hauing rightly accomplished the course of this presēt life And the time of our departing aprochīg euery one of vs may say with thine apostle I haue fought a good fight haue fulfilled my course haue kept the faith From heneforth is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord that is a righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day not to me onely but vnto all them also that loue his comming For all which thinges Lord we pray thée in the fauoure of him who for to accomplish and fulfill thy will humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ To whom be glorie for euer So be it ¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISMENT for to shew that we must simplie obey the voyce of the Lord without further inquiring of the cōmaundement to beleeue that euē as he is iust in al his works he is as puissāt for to fulfil in vs his wil. Cap. 14. e 1. Samuel 15. ◠¶ To obeie is better then offering and to giue heede is better then the fatte of Rammes For rebelliousnesse is as the sinne of witchcraft and stoubournnesse is wickednesse and idolatrie IT is written in the booke of Iesus Siraach that many are excellent of great renowne but vnto the wise are the secretes reuealed For great power belongeth onely vnto God and he is honoured of the lowely Séeke not out the things that are aboue thy capacitie and search not the ground of such things as are too mightie for thée But looke what God hath commaunded thée thincke vpon that alwaie and be not curious in many of his works For thou hast not to doe to sée with thine eyes the things that are secrete where the sonne of Syrach doth exhort vs to execute willingly and with a frée will the commaundement of the Lorde without enquiring any further what is the cause of his commaundemen◠bicause that the seruaunt that knoweth his maisters will and prepareth not himselfe neither doth according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes And truely as a certeine christian authour hath verie well said the Lord hath left the effect of many things of which he hath hid from vs the causes Insomuch that we séeing with our eye the fulfilling of them yet for all that we know not to what end the Lorde hath ordeined them and in the meane time he would be obeyed The which is taught vs by an exāple in the booke of Samuel where the Lorde commaunded Saul to destroy wholy all the Amalechites both man woman infant suckling and oxen shepe camels and asses But Saul spared a liue of the shéepe and of the oxen and fat things and the lambes and al that was good for to haue sacrificed it vnto the Lorde Then the Lord saide it repenteth me that I haue made Saul king because he hath not perfourmed my commaundementes In which place is shewed that to obey is better then offering The like example is witten in the booke of the kings where the Prophet which did contrarie vnto that that the Lord said vnto him that is to say that he shoulde not eate breade nor drinke water nor to turne againe by the same way he went and he doing contrarie was torne in péeces and deuoured of a Lyon. In all this we ought not to take any excuse vpon the difficultnesse and hardnes of the commaundement or smalnesse or weakenesse of our strengthes For he which maketh the commaundement doth giue vnto vs also the meane to execute it Let vs remember that Moses being called of God for to deliuer the children of Israel excused him selfe saying Oh my Lord I am not eloquent no not in times past namely since thou hast spoken vnto thy seruaunt But let vs marke what the Lord vnto him Who hath made mannes mouth or who hath made the dum or the deafe the seing or the blinde haue not I the Lord Go therfore I wil be in thy mouth teach thée what thou shalt say Euen so Ieremie being chosen of the Lorde to bée a Prophete vnto the people of Hierusalem excused himself saying Oh lord God I am vnméet for I am yet but young and the Lord said vnto him say not so I am to young For thou shalt goe to all that I shal send thée vnto and whatsoeuer I commaund thée that shalt thou speake And although that the commaundement of the Lord doth séeme to be sometime according to mans sight either to hard or contrarie vnto that that they do ordinarily Yet hée ordeineth all to a good end and for iust occasions As we do sée that it séemed to mans iudgement that the children of Israel should haue bene vanquished or taken by Pharao king of Aegipt hauing the red sea against them as a fort ineuitable for to stop them of their way It séemed also that they going to the promised lande vnder the conducting and leading of Iosua should neuer haue entred the floud of Iordain letting them But the LORD which hath commaundement vpon all his creatures deuided the waters and the children of Israel went in through the middest of the sea vpon the drie ground And the water was a wall vnto them both on their right hand and on their left hand As much chaunced of the floud Iordain for the waters which came downe from aboue did stoppe and stoode vpon a heape a great way off And the waters that were on the side of the salt sea vanished and dried vp the people went rightouer against Iericho Furthermore the Lord séemeth sometime to commaund thinges altogether against the order of nature and good manners as when he cōmaunded Abraham to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac for to proue his obedience Also he commaunded the Prophet Oseas to take an harlot to his wife Also he commaunded an
to take his alliaunce or promise in vaine In like manner what temeritie and rashnesse it is to take the childrens breade and to cast it to dogges to declare the holy thinges vnto brute beastes and to giue the pearles vnto swyne Forasmuch as wysdome shall not enter into a frowarde soule nor dwell in the body that is subdued vnto sinne For the holy Ghost abhorreth fayned nourture and withdraweth himselfe from the thoughts that are without vnderstanding and where wickednesse hath the vpper hand hée flyeth from thence I do say the same to the ende that euery one haue a regarde to apply the holy scripture to his proper vse for all Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue and to instruct in ryghtuousnesse Also that we through patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope may apply it to the in which it is dedicated without prophaning it or wresting it to any wicked purpose or vnlawefull thinges For as hée that hath dimme eyes can not well easely behold looke vpon the sunne so he which is wicked and corrupt in his soule can not rightly consider and knowe the meruailes conteined in the holy scripture And euen as we ought not to put into a vessell that is mustie or infected any precious licor so we ought not to giue vnto a malycious and frowarde heart one so riche and precious talent For the Lorde hath regarde of him which is afflicted and of a lowly spirite and which standeth in awe of his words the holy spirit is he which doth open the senses for to vnerstand the scripturs To conclude the scripture came neuer by the wil of man but by the holy men of God being moued by the holy Ghost did speake it To that end doth Iob write I say saith he that it becommeth olde men to speake and the aged to teach wisdome euery man no doubt hath a minde but it is the inspiration of the almightie that giueth vnderstanding wherefore we doe conclude here that thrée thynges are greatly necessarie vnto those which wyll cause that precious talent and inestymable treasure of the holy Scripture to profit First of all to watche dayly vnto praiers and supplycations to the end that the Lord do open their vnderstanding for to comprehend the secretes of hys Lawe As Dauid doth say Teach me O Lorde the way of thy statutes and I shall kéepe it vnto the ende O giue mée vnderstanding and I shall kéepe thy law yea I shall kéepe it with my whole harte Open myne eyes that I may consider the meruelles of thy Lawe Euen so I say doth Solomon his sonne witnesse that he hath desired and vnderstanding was giuen him hée called and the spirite of wisdome came into hym That is the cause wherefore saynct Paule doeth exhorte so often hys to pray for hym that vtteraunce might be giuen vnto him that hee might open his mouth boldly to vtter the secretes of the Gospell And also doth admonyshe and warne the Thessalonians to pray for him that the word of god may haue frée passage and to gloryfie the Lorde And saynct Hierome sayth that the reading ought to succéede and followe prayer and prayer vnto the reading Besides that I doe desire a pleasant hearte gratious and gentle I do vnderstande and meane him which doth humble himselfe vnder the law of the lord for to beléeue and obey willingly his commandements and ordinaunces For Iesus Christ doeth protest before God his Father that he hath hid these thinges from the wise prudent and hath opened them vnto Babes And the Lorde did by his Prophete checke the Scribes Doctors of the lawe that they may not vaunt themselues that they are wyse in the Lawe and that the lawe of the Lorde is with them that it is in vayne that there are Scribes and that the wyse shall be confounded and that they shall be afrayde and taken as it is written that God hath giuen vnto them a sléeping spirit and eyes that they should not sée and eares that they shoulde not heare euen vnto thys present day And sainct Paule speaking of the Philosophers sayth that they hauing knowen God did not gloryfie him as God neyther were thankefull but waxed full of vanities in their owne imaginations and their foolish hartes were blinded To cōclude as saith Lactantius Firmianus Although we estéeme the Philosophers to be wyse yet truely they haue erred in their owne knowledge here there as in a déepe sea For they haue regarded neyther the way nor the leader all their doctrine is without a head bicause that they doe not knowe God which is the heade of all veritie and doctrine Finally I do desire a long studie and meditation of the holy letters vnto the which Iesus Christ doth sende vs saying Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke yee haue eternall lyfe And Sainct Paul doth admonishe Timothe to giue attendaunce to reading to exhortacion to doctryne So was Moses learned in al manner wisdome of the Egyptians was mightie in déedes in wordes And sainct Paul was brought vp at the féete of Gamaliel informed diligently in the Law of the fathers And Timothe did know the holy Scriptures of a childe And truely we do not make any difficulte that the studie and dayly laboure is not necessary to the knowledge of holy letters as it is required of other disciplines chiefly to the true ministers of god Forasmuch as Sainct Paul doth desire that they would embrace the true worde of doctrine that they maye be able to exhorte with holesome learninge and to improue them that say against it To conclude the holy Apostle doth witnesse that strong meats belongeth to them that are perfect which thorough custome haue their wits exercysed to iudge both good euil Furthermore Sainct Peter doth aduertise vs that there are many thinges harde to be vnderstanded in the Epistles of S. Paul. For that same cause the Ebrwes did not accustome to all age all kynde of doctrine fearing that the dull and folyshe people woulde be offended with the hardnesse of the same Insomuch that the things which do containe a simple plaine hystorie were proposed and set forth vnto the common people the secrets vnto those the which with their age do bring a iudgement more whole and sound Wherfore as sainct Ambrose doth witnes he which will aduaunce himselfe in the scriptures that he do take that which is necessarie for him he which doth desire things more easie common that he do refreshe his spirite in the valle as the litle ones he that doth feare the floud that he do drinke of the Riuer he which doth feare the déepe water that he doe swim by the shore side Wherin we are taught that the holy Scripture doth apply and giue it selfe vnto al
sorts of men so that they do referre it to his right vse In that respect there doth consist and lye a merueilous wisdome and discretion chiefly for the respect of the ministers of god For as Clement saith one ought not to take any sense newe and straunge from the scripture for to confirme it by the scripture but to take or choose from the scripture the true natural sense of the veritie And as Sainct Hilarie doth write that he doth reade rightly the holy scripture which doth vnderstand the sense and meaning of the scripture by the same meanes and will not take from or put to the scripture a straunge sense or contrarie vnto the same Such are the wordes of the songes of the spouse of the Lord the which we may ofte refer rather and to apply it to some disordinate pleasure than to the fruite of a feruent loue or charitie I wyll recite besides that whiche is before thrée or foure notable examples of the olde lawe First that of the Prophete Fsaie vnto whom the Lord did commaunde to loose off the sackcloth from his loynes and to put off his shoes from his féete and to goe naked and bare foote The other is of the Prophet Ieremie vnto whome the Lorde did declare expresly that he did make bands and chaines and put them about his necke and did sende them to the kinge of Edom. The third shal be of Oseas vnto whom the same Lorde did ordeine and commaunde to take an Harlot to his wife The last shall be of Ezechiel vnto whom the Lord commaunded him to sléepe sometime vpon the right side sometime vpon the left side to eate Barly cakes and to strike them with mans doūge Things truely that one should finde very straunge farre from the veritie were not but the lawe hauinge the shadowe of the good thinges to come be the thinges which are ther presented giuing an assured witnesse that all doth serue for our instruction and learning If any doth demaunde wherefore the Lorde hath not giuen hys holy Scripture in all or by all more easie familiar I do answere with Basil that the same was to the ende that our spirit being occupied to meditate vnderstand such secretes of the scripture should draw it so much the more from euill things and hurtfull For as it dayly happeneth or chaunceth that the things which are gotten with greate paine and labour are best estéemed and set by and those are more durable and wyll continue longer whiche are brought forth by longe space and continuaunce of tyme. To be shorte as that which is offered at commaundement without any trauayle is despised there will bee also daunger that the carnall men would not abuse the holy scripture without knowledging the price and worthines of the same Euen saith Basil as the Lord would not that we should hate and abandon incontynently as other brute beastes all that which is necessarie vnto the vse of mans lyfe but is willyng and desirous that man doe resist such defalte by hys industrie and laboure Euen so the Lorde hath lefte a certeine difficultnesse and hardnesse in the scripture to the end that our spirite should exercise it selfe more more to the knowledge of the veritie That is the cause wherefore the scripture doth not permit euery one to teach And sainct Hierome doth complaine of some which doe presume first rather to teath then to learne And the Lord hath made some to bée Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some shéeperds and some teachers And all are not Prophets and teachers and all do not speake with diuerse tongues and al doe not interprete but the selfe same spirite doth all those thinges diuiding to euery man seuerall giftes euen as he wyll To the end that as euery man hath receyued the gifte minister the same one to an other as good ministers of the manyfolde grace of God. Furthermore the same doth declare verie wel that we ought to haue in great honour and reuerence the holy Scripture and not to abuse it as do the Panims of their writinges I do meane to all matters of laughing bawdry and dyssolution For Sainct Paul doth not suffer that any fylthy communication should procéed out of our mouthes but that which is good to edifie with all to the end that it may giue fauour and grace vnto the hearers yea and doth expresly forbid that fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse bée not once named among vs neither filthynesse neither folish talking neither gestinge which are not comely Also he would not that wée should mingle the holy wordes of the Scripture with so many vile and dissolute matters For as saith Sainct Ambrose although that it haue pleasures pleasaunt and honest yet notwithstanding they are very farre from the Christian and ecclesiasticall rule bicause that that which we can not finde in the holy scriptures we ought not to vsurp To that purpose Eusebius doth recite the example of a Tragicall Poet named Theodotus who in applying certeine places of the Hebrewes vnto a fable was taken blinde and beléeuing that the same affliction and punishement was happened vnto him for the same occasion did acknowledge his sins as that good aucthour saith that with in a litle while after his sight was restored to him againe What shall we say of those which do wrest the holy scripture after their own fātasie do abuse it to the arte of the Magicians inuocations of wicked spirits Although that the Apostle doth admonish and warn them so many tymes that rightuousnesse hath no felowship with vnrightuousnesse or light hath no company with darkenesse or what concorde hath Christe with Belial either what parte hath hee that beléeueth with an Infidel or howe agréeth the Temple of God with images Also that such disciplines are forbydden throughout the whole scripture I wil not forget those which do abuse it to their priuate and perticular profite as did of late the Scribes and Pharises who vnder the coloure of paying their dismes and tythes which the Lorde did vow for the seruice of his Temple do defraude deceiue in the meane time theyr proper owne parentes of the dutie which nature hath commaunded thē according as Iesus Christ did rebuke thē saying But ye say euery man shall say vnto his father and mother that which thou desirest of mée to helpe thée with is giuen GOD and so shall he not honoure his father or his mother And thus haue yée made that the commaundement of God is without effect thorough your traditions As at this day many of the Romishe Church doe handle the places of the scripture not so much for to establishe the kingdome of the sonne of GOD as for to maintaine their vtilitie and profite and truely it is very harde that amonge such people one may finde the true wysdome For as Iob sayth wysdome is not found nor the
eternall life they are they which do testifie of mée And for that cause chiefly the Lord will that the dispensatioÌ„ of his word of his sacraments be open manifest vnto all the worlde to the ende that we may seperate the church and congregation of the true chrystians from so many sectes and companies of heritickes whych doe boast themselues to haue the Churche with them according as Lactancius doth write There would be also daunger or it is to be feared that ceasing the exercise of the religion ther would happen that which is written in the booke of Iudges that is to saye that euery man doe not that which séemed right in his owne eies or that which we doe reade in the time of king Asa that ther was no peace to them that go out and in But great vexation of the inhabiters of all lands for one nation shall destroye an other and one citie another for GOD will trounce them with all aduersitie as oftentimes it happeneth that the Lord being not knowen of his as he ought to be did take from his vnderstanding and wisdome and did fill them with blindnesse or darkenesse did giue vnto them a sléeping spirite eyes that they cannot sée eares that they cannot heare doth tourne their table into a snare that for their rewarde Beholde what doth force constraine me to say that it is in the great cities in the which we ought to establish first the exercise of the true christiaÌ„ religion bicause that oftentimes in the great cities are committed the greatest wickednesse extorcions tyrannies as the Lord so many times hath rebuked by his prophets the inhabiters of Ierusalem that according to the benefites that he hath done vnto them they did multiply increase their iniquities offences And by his prophet Daniel that the iniquitie hath begun of the auncients and doctors of the lawe although that the law was come out of Sion and the word of God from Ierusalem Not without cause the Lorde hath established his temple ordeined his ceremonies in Ierusalem the chiefe citie of Iuda for to reprâ—sse the sinnes of his people and to holde and kéepe them in the obedience of his holy precepts coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts bicause that his word is like a fire like a hammer that breaketh the hard stone quicke mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged swoord and entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder the soule and the spirite wherein the scripture doth teach vs that there is no meanes more greater to same and to bridle the heartes affections of men then the woord of God. The which ought to serue for an example vnto all true Princes for to establish mainteine the exercise of religion I doe meane that in the which the woord of the Lord doth sound daily and is purely and rightly administred for in that point doth consist their power aucthoritie and greatnesse I doe remember for this matter that Licurgus the writer of the lawes of the Lacedemonians could find no time more fitter for to cause the citie of Sparta to florish then to accustome the inhabitaunts of the same to obey the lawes bicause saith hée that the lawes doe teach two things that is to say to commaund and to obey to the commaundement adding ouer and besides the same that the obedience doth consist and lye in the exhortation wherein we are learned taught that the exercise of the true christian religion is so much more necessarie for to mainteine and kéepe the rightes of Princes and Lordes the which by the word of God we doe learne to obey him as our Prince and soueraigne Lord to giue vnto all our superiours that which is due vnto them Tribute to whoÌ„ tribute belongeth Custom to whoÌ„ custome is due Feare to whom feare belongeth Honour to whoÌ„ honour perteyneth not onely for the anger but also for the conscience And although that this onely argument be sufficient for to proue that we haue nothing attempted agaynst the person of a Prince his lawes and preheminences yet truely our enimies haue thought by the meanes to make vs odious hatefull not onely vnto those of the countrey but also vnto straungers But as it happened of late amonge the disciples of the Lord the dooing of the religion béeing troubled for certeine differences or controuersies which were among theÌ„ at that time there the Apostles did assemble themselues together and hauing ordred the dooing of the religyon Notwithstanding that they could not do so much but that they were forced afterward both in their persons and in their religion and declared to bée rebels and seditious throughout all the Sinagogges Euen so is it happened of our time For though that by meere deliberation and aduise of the counsaile learned men and of good consciences haue agréed vnto some differences for to mainteine the vnitie of the kinges subiectes yet truely so many people haue risen against vs from all places that in the end haue declared vs to be rebels seditious to conclude we haue bene forced in our persons goodes conscienses In so much that we may bewaile lament that which S. Peter in his time did deplore lament after the saying of the prophet Dauid Why do the heathen rage together why do the people imagine vaine things the Kings of the earth stande vp and the rulers take counsaile together against the Lord and against his annoynted And we must not héere excuse our selues vnder colour of some yea of the most greatest part of the people speaking against the Edict and statute of the king for the gift to interprete the scriptures or to sée perceiue the differences which are done in the church is a light and knoweledge which the Lorde hath printed and imbraced in the heartes of the true and faythfull Christians and of those whiche of redie courage and frée will do beléeue the word of god And it is not bounde or tied to the number of personnes aucthoritie or greatnesse According to that which Iesus Christ did promise his Apostels in Saint Iohn that the holy Ghost shall teach them all things and that they shal be all taught of God. The whiche Sainct Peter doth declare more at large shewing that the scripture came neuer by the will of man but holy men of God speake as they were moued by the holy Ghost It is not then in the number of persons that we must way the dooing of the Religion but to the aucthoritie of the scripture and to the aduise of those which with a good conscience doe bring an eminent and ouerpassing knowledge Euen so the auncients in the primitiue Church do condempne Samosetanus and Arrius do take none other iudges for to discerne perceiue the differences then the word of God with the consenting of those which haue béene Disciples or successours of the
at this day we shall finde more straunge that vnder colour of some ordinarie tribute they doe suffer vnpunished the Iewes with the Christians the common harlots with the married women the Temples consecrated vnto strange vnknowen Gods amōg the middest of the Christian Churches But for all that it followeth not that they ought to chase driue vs out of the realme to depriue vs from our goods to exile and banishe vs from our landes to conclude to force vs in our bodies and consciences except that it be first decided and determined by the word of GOD that the Romishe Churche is the true Churche on the contrarie side that they doe knowe by the same Iudgement that ours is contrarie vnto the true Christian Churche For as the Lorde doth sende vs by his Prophet vnto the lawe and to the witnesse not vnto the deade So doth he commaunde vs by his welbeloued sonne to search diligently the Scriptures because that they are those which do beare witnesse of our saluation And euen as I say that it was but a small thing that the Iewes did reproch Iesus that he was a Samaritane and had the deuill And that they did call his Apostles deceiuours and sowers of newe doctrin To conclude that amōg the Romain Emperours they no more estéemed the Christian religion then of a new superstition or dangerous profession Also it shall not muche serue to crie dayly that they ought to kill vs banish and exile vs from our landes except that they doe declare vnto vs by the worde of God wherein we do swarue from the Christian church For it doth not followe that our religion is false because that it is contrarie vnto the Romish Church no mor then we must say that the doctrine of Iesus Christ was euil because that it was contrarie to the traditions of the Scribes and Pharises And it shall yet lesse serue in that matter to alledge vnto vs the prescription of the time in asmuch as the gospel doth rule vs or the greatnesse and magnificence of the Romish Church in regarde of ours forasmuch as they doe knowe that thorowe force and hypocrisie the ministers of the same haue vsurped such power aucthoritie and greatnesse For in those foundations the scepter reigne of Antichrist is shored vp mainteined And such are the markes of all false religion doctrine as doth witnesse vnto vs besides that which is said in the scripture of the sonne of perdition the good Cosba which did reigne in the time of Hely Adrian Emperour of the Romains him which doth call himselfe at this day the great Lord. For the true Christian religion doth not consist and lie in weapon or strength but in weeping and in bewailing no more then the brightnesse and clerenesse of the same in the force and strength of handes but in the patiēce and hope of men To conclude the perfection of our law doth not consist in visible outwarde thinges but in the most déepest places of mens hartes and imaginacions That is then without any purpose to conclude that we must be exiled from our countrie bicause they cannot suffer two religions except that the subporters mainteiners of the Romish church doe confesse by the same meanes that the truth is odious vnto them Euen so the people of Athens dyd chase and driue from their Citie and did put to death him in Cyprus which hath established the lawes Euen so Licurgus was banished of those whom he instructed in all good dysciplyne and ordinances Euen so Aristides was exiled and banished his countrye although they could rebuke him of none other thing but that he was too iuste The tyme will not serue mée to speake of the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles it suffiseth me to send or apply the rest vnto that which the Apostle speaketh off vnto the Hebrewes the xj Chapter To conclude the confession of so many martyres of our religion ioyned with the worde of God doth giue most sure witnesse that wée are not the disciples of the God of the Gentiles for to deceiue men through ambiguitie and obscuritie of matters nor of an Idol Dagon God of the Philistians for to make vs afrayde in the presence of the Arke of the Lorde The humblenesse and obedience of ours and the despising that they haue of worldly goodes doe euidently declare howe abhominable the pride of Babilon the mother of fornication is vnto them Finally their bloodshed in all places doth sufficiently teach our enimies what fayth and hope they haue vnto the promises of the Lorde and to the merite of Iesus Christ and what defiaunce and distrust they haue of the power and might of creatures I will not héere compare the pollicie and rule of our Church vnto that of the Apostles and yet lesse the manners of ours to the life of them I doe leaue off to speake to them which with right conscience doe bring some meane knowledge to the holy scripture what difference there is betwéene the church of Iesus Christ that of Rome what deformitie they doe finde of ours to that of the Apostles I doe meane for the regard and respect of the doctrine and pollicie assuring my selfe in that matter that if they doe consider it throughly rightly and without affection they shal be more attentiue to correct and amende their owne vices then enclyned to condempne so lightly ours Furthermore it is easy to iudge that our religion is neither double neither fayned in that chiefly wée do holde nothing lesse then of the superstitions of the Gentiles nor of the ceremonies of the Hebrewes knowing that they were a shadowe of thinges nowe come No more then of so many traditions of the scribes and Pharises but that the simplicitie and plainnes of the holy scripture doth please vs or for to speake better the playne and simple veritie of the same making our selues agréeable to the worde of hym which hath sayde that GOD woulde bée worshipped in spirite and truth our LORD Iesus Chryst vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen Ieremie 2. c. My people hath done two euils They haue forsaken mee the wel of the water of life and digged them pittes yea vile and broken pittes that holde no water A Prayer O Lord which art full of compassion and mercy shed out thy mercy and fatherly goodnesse vpon that mad and furious people which doe gather themselues daily against thée for to abolish thy glorious name and to deface from the earth the remembraunce of thy sonne Christ Regard with pittie all those which go about by all meanes to obscure and darken thy lawe for to establish their traditions and do enforce themselues daily to chase and dryue away him whō thou hast sent in thi name for to receiue him which of longe tyme hath vsurped the seate of thy sonne in his owne name yea which are not ashamed to presente vnto the Chrystyan people in steede of a Iesus
blame the poorenesse and littlenesse of our church forasmuch as it is staied vpon the worde of the Lorde which abideth for euer But we must rather accuse the malice of those which do rise vp against vs for to destroy and ruinate that principall foundation whiche is Iesus Christ in whom all the building coupled together groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom we also are built together made the habitation of God by the spirite for as we ought not to blame Moses nor to attribute vnto his doctrine that the people of God did not multiplie and increase but vnto king Pharao which did force them vnto an extréeme and miserable seruitude and bondage euen vnto the killing of the first borne of the people neither vnto the prophet Helyas that in his time the true Prophets were no more at commaundement but rather vnto king Achab and Iesabel his wife whiche did followe and chase them vnto death No more also then we ought to blame Sainct Iohn Baptist the messenger or forerunner of the sonne of God or the Apostles of Iesus Christe because that so many people did put themselues against the Christian lawe But to accuse the ambition of the Romaine Emperours together with the priuie hatred of the Scribes and Pharises willing to deface in the earth the memorie of Christ In like manner we ought not to condempne the true Christian religion or to stay vs or tarrie vppon the default of those which do professe it but to acknowledge the rage furie of the enimies of the crosse of Christ and in the meane season to beare patiently the manners of our domesticalls teaching them with gentlenesse prouing if God at any time will giue them grace that being conuerted they may know the trueth And because that the haruest is great but the labourers are fewe let vs on our parte pray vnto the Lord of the haruest to send foorth labourers into his haruest and that for so many hired and vnprofitable shepherds he do send good shepherds into his folde looking for or beholding the cōming of the true shepherde of our soules our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whom be glory for euer Amen 1. CORINT 1. d. VVhen the world by wisedome knewe not God in the wisedome of God it pleased god by folish preaching to saue them that beleeue A prayer O Lorde whiche hast spoken by thy Prophet I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent yea which hast chosen the foolish things of this world for to confounde the wise and the weake and féeble things for to confounde the strong and the vile and despised and those which are not for to abolish those which are to the end that no flesh doe glorifie himselfe before thée Poure out thy vengeaunce vpon those which are of a corrupt iudgement rebuke as concerning the faith Who as Iannes and Iambres withstode Moses also of a purpose doe resist the trueth of thy gospel and do count the worde of the crosse folishnesse Breake a sunder and confounde the enterprises and counsailes of all those which do eleuate themselues against thy holy Mounteine as thou hast destroyed the strength and force of all the kings and monarkes of the worlde by that little stone cut out of the rocke without any handes and hast abated the pride of the mightie through the humilitie of thy sonne to the end that all the worlde may knowe that thy kingdome is not of this worlde and that the felicitie of thine doth not lie in this present life but in the kingdome of the blessed Finally that the Christian Church is not an assemblie of proude and imperious Magistrates but of those which do humble themselues vnder thy obedience and do put themselues vnder the yoke of thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde And yet Lord that bicause of vs thy name is blamed not among the Christians onely but also among the straungers in so much that our sinnes demerites do giue occasion vnto our enimies of slaunder and to vs of confusion and rebuke Neuerthelesse O Lord in asmuch as thorough the incredulitie of some of ours thy lawe is no lesse veritable and true as it is written That thou mightest be iustified in thy sayings and ouercome when thou art iudged Remember not O Lord for thy fatherly goodnesse our offences and haue not in minde the wickednes of those which do polute and blame thy name but beholde the face of him which was holden and taken to be of the companie of the malefactours and hath protested before thy maiestie that the rebukes of them which rebuked thée were fallen vpō him our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ THAT NONE CAN HINder or stoppe the course of the religion by fire and sword threatnings and bonds Cap. 6. 2. CORINT 13. c. ¶ VVe can do nothing against the trueth but for the trueth IF the Scripture doth teach vs in diuers places that the Gospel is none other thing but a message of peace according as Esaie saith that beautifull are the féete of him that bringeth the message from the mounteine proclaimeth peace that bringeth the good tidings precheth health saith vnto Syon thy God is the king if say I the same prophet speaking of the vocation and calling of the Gentiles and message of the gospel doth write in the persone of the Lorde that he will let peace into her like a water floud and the might of the heathen like a flowing streame and that in that same time men shall breake their swords and spears to make sythes sickles sawes thereof From that time forth shall not one people lifte vp weapon against another neither shal they learne to fight from thenceforth according to that we do reade that at the fist or new comming of the sonne of God that there was with the Angel a multitude of heauenly souldiers lauding God and saying glorie be to God in the hie heauens and peace in earth and towards men good will. As it is most euident that Iesus Christ our sauiour was borne vnder Cesar Augustus reigne a kingdome full of tranquilitie and peace truely the Ambassadour and herauld of one such message ought to obserue and kéepe a great méekenesse and gentlenesse in his charge profession For it is most certeine that Moses and Iesus Christ in that haue had a singuler prerogatiue aboue all other of Moses the scripture saith that he was a verie méeke man aboue all the men of the earth what Iesus Christ was he himselfe doth manifest and declare it when he cried with a loude voice come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am méeke and lowely in heart In somuch that the Prophet speaking of his méekenesse saith he shall not be an outcrier nor
creatures of the worlde yea in whose name euery knee shall boowe both of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth On the other side let vs followe rather king Iehosophat who beeing assieged in the Citie of Hierusalem and destitute of all mannes helpe dyd crye vnto the LORD saying O our GOD forasmuch as there is not in vs any might for to resist and withstande this greate companie that commeth against vs neither knowe we what to doe But our eis will be vnto thee The which that good Quéene Iudith diâ— knowe very well to practise who séeing hiâ— enimies at the gates and the Citie béeing forced on euery side To be short the inhaâ—bitaunts of the same altogether amased and discomforted with feare with a manly and couragious heart did leane stay hir selfe vpon the strength of him which béeing infinite in puissance cannot be tied and bound in his mercy and goodnesse Wherefore iâ— the Lorde doe giue vs the grace that wé◠shall die for the name of his welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs meditate with our selues that we doe not giue vnto him but that which doth apperteyne â–ª and belong vnto him forasmuch as he loued vs first and gaue himselfe to die for vs that is to say when we were all solde vnder sinne he hath fréely pardoned and redéemed vs by the blood of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Secondly let vs confesse boldly that although that we do render vnto the Lorde life for life death for death yet truely that we doe not render vnto him the egalitie of that that he hath giuen vnto vs Forasmuch then as our sinnes were infinite so the redéeming of the same was inestimable and therefore there was no creature either terâ—estiall or celestiall which can appease the â—â—nger of that heuenly father but hée which was GOD and man that is to saye the â—onne of God. Finally let vs well consider what the Lord â—oth propounde vnto vs when he doth giue vs the grace that we should not onely beâ—éeue in his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ But also we should die for him In this that for a frayle and transitorie life he will giue vs a life eternall and perâ—urable As he hath promised that whosoeuer shall lose his life for his sake the same shall saue it This is then a very straunge thing amonge the Christians to feare death in a quarell so iust and resonable And to thinke that he which doth giue the heauenly goods will depriue vs of temporall and necessarie goodes for mans life It is I say yet more greater wrong done vnto the Lorde to forsake him for to saue their goodes to feare to die for him which humbled himselfe euen into théese lowe places for to redéeme vs from sinne hell and eternal death And notwithstanding all that which is sayde although that in our death we doe offer vnto him that which is not ours yet truely hee doth accepte the smallnesse of our power and wil when we do leane vnto him by faith vpon the merite of his welbeloued sonne He I say which hath protested before the maiestie of the father hath cried with a loude voyce Behold I come in the beginning of the booke it is written of me that I should fulfill thy will O my God and in the dayes of his flesh hauing offered vp with great cries and teares prayers supplications vnto him which was able to haue saued him from his death and being heard hath bene the author of eternall life vnto those that obey him Wo be vnto those then which do blame the Lord against their owne conscience and doe blaspheme his maiestie by othes and vnlawfull witnesses for to perswade the people that they are not the disciples of Iesus Christe As Peter did denyinge his master in the presence of a maide those are they which do repulse the gyftes and graces of the holy spiryte without any force vyolence or feare hauing tasted of the good words of GOD and of the power of the world to come doe cal agayne in their owne filthinesse and villanie Insomuch that it happened vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is turned to his vomite againe and the sowe that was washed to hir wallowing in the mire For if those children of the Hebrewes that is to say Sydrach Misach Abednago had rather to bée cast into the hot burning oueÌ„ then to do homage or adore the Idole of king Nabuchodonosor If I saye that chast Susanna hath not so much feared to fall into the handes of men then to sinne before the maiestie of god To be short if those Machabeans haue not spared their â—iues for to mainteine the honour of God yea against all the force and strength of the tyrauntes Shall we be so vngratefull for certeine priuate commodities to abandon him which hath ben made for vs wisdome also righteousnesse sanctifying and redemption I doe say yet more if the Panims haue valiantly fought for to increase the honoure of their Princes not seekinge thereby but a vaine glorie and worldly recompence shal the christians make it difficulte and a harde matter to giue their goodes dignities and prerogatiues for the name of him whiche hath endowed them with all heauenly benedictions hath also gotten for them by his bloud an euerlasting kingdome in heauen The Lord doth complaine sometime of his people for that they hauing forsaken him and digged them pittes yea vile and broken pittes that holde no water And in an other place also he rebuketh them of their ingratitude saying The oxe knoweth his Lord and the asse his masters stall but Israel which was his people knoweth nothing and hath no vnderstanding And shall the same LORD at this day holde his peace of so many apostates which of a set purpose doe tourne themselues from the knowen trueth against their owne conscience Forasmuch then as the holy Scripture doth tell vs that in death an euerlasting life in the ignomie and slaunder of men a glorie before the maiestie of GOD in the losse of our goodes of of such treasures which the eie hath not séene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man To conclude for a despising of our fauourable parentes and friendes a glorie before the maiestie of God and a blessed reioising in the companie of Angels and heauenly spirites Let vs then willingly embrace this crosse that we may get an immortall life let vs reioyce after the example of the Apostles when the Lord doth giue vs that honoure to suffer rebuke for his name Likewise let vs receiue ioyfully the rauishment of our goodes knowledging with our selues that we haue a better reward in heauen which is permanent and endureth for euer Finally let vs not at all desire the absence of our parentes and friendes forasmuch as that true shéephearde
the things which are necessaries vnto him Insomuch that the mother by coniectures and presumtions hath regard to geue vnto him that which is agreeable and profitable Beehold the cause wherefore that good Philosoper Plato said that hée of whom the father or mother or their kinsfolkes do lay vp in the house as a treasure hee ought to beeleeue that hee cannot haue one suche Image not more precious in his house if hee honoure them as hee ought To that pourpose the same author reciteth the example of Oedippus who being despised of his own children wished vnto thē the affliction that happened vnto thē as wée doe reade in the holy scripture of Cham one of the sonnes of Noe at the ende hée concludeth that there is not a thing that we ought so much to honoure as the fathers and mothers in their olde age who when they are honoured GOD is well pleased thereby for otherwise God will not heare our prayers and this purtracture and Image of the father is a great deale more admirable then so manie other Images For the liuely Images when they are honoured of vs they doe praie for vs and doe beare vnto vs dayly fauour when they are despised they doe altogether the contrarie but those which haue no life do nothing of all the same For conclusion the sayd Philosopher Plato sayth that hée which doth gouerne himselfe wel towards his father and mother and towardes his graundfathers hée hath with him an Image verie fitte for to winne the loue and amitie of the LORDE Honoure then thy father from thy whole heart and forgette not the sorrowefull trauaile that thy mother had with this Remember that thou wast borne thorowe them and howe canst thou recompence them the thinges that they haue done for thée Here one may demaunde this question that is whether we must obey in all and thorowe all the commaundement of the father the which was thought to haue béene proposed by Aulus Gellius an heathen author and neuerthelesse a learned man and verie auncient The saide authour aunswered that the thinges are either honest wicked or indifferent And concludeth in the ende that to things honest indifferent we must obey him but to thinges that are wicked wee must not obey him calllng the meane things and indifferent the ordinarie actions of this common life which are suche as we do gouerne our selues that is to say to go to the warre to labour and tille the earth to be a Magistrate to defend causes and to marrie Furthermore this learned man doth teach vs that in the places and common charges the deutie and right that the children owe vnto their fathers ought to cease for a certeine time for the childe or sonne beeing in degree of a Magistrate sitting in the iudgment seat before whom there must bée no accaption of personnes And it is often times greatly to be feared that through to great familiaritie there woulde growe a contemning or despising of the dignitie in that cause I say the father ought to acknowledge the sonne as him which is Gods minister In other places and priuate houses the sonne ought to giue all honour and obedience vnto the father Let vs then conclude with an other christian and verie auncient author that wée must honour our father so that he seperate not vs frō the heauenly father we ought to acknowledge this carnall alliance as long as our carnall father shall acknowledge his creator Otherwise we héere the voice of Dauyd which sayth hearken O daughter consider and incline thine eare forget thine owne people and thy fathers house So shall the king haue pleasure in thy beautie for hée is thy LORD and thou shalt worship him The same author hath written in the first of his Epistles that if the necessitie doth so require that the loue of parentes is against the same of GOD and that both of them cannot be kept of him that he must incurre the blame of his parentes for to kéepe pietie and godlinesse towardes god Beholde the warre the which Iesus Christ hath opened of the father to the sonne and of the sonne against the father at his comming saying Thincke not that I am come to sende peace into the earth I came not to send peace but the swoorde for I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against hir mother and the daughter in lawe against hir mother in lawe And a mans foes shall bée they of his owne housholde he that loueth his father or mother more then mée is not méete for mée Furthermore I will saye with the Philosopher Plato that such is the duetie of the childe towardes the father that he ought to thincke that all that which belongeth to him belongeth properly to the father I meane the goodes of the bodie the externall goodes and those of the spirite forasmuch as of them the sonne may comfort the father If our father haue néede of our counsell for to aide him in some thing truely we ought not to forsake him I doe except aboue all the LORD vnto whom all things apperteine Plutarch doth amplifie that duetie towardes our fathers and mothers as followeth The brute beastes a little while after they haue brought foorth their young ones are out of all care and are verie well but the nourishing and bringing vp of man is ful of all trauaile the aduauncement of him verie slowe and to acquire and get vertue that is a thing of long continuaunce And often times the fathers before that their children do come to perfection do die Euen as Ariston did neuer sée Plato to professe philosophie Also the victories of Tuchitidus Sophocles were neuer knowen vnto their fathers and mothers And verie well hath Valerius said that nature is the mister is of pietie who without any minister aide of voice without the vse of letters of hir own proper force and strengthe hath shed out into the heartes of children the loue that they ought to beare to their fathers Wherfore thē doth learning profit in this matter saith this good author he aunswereth that it doth profit not for to make their spirites better but more easie to bée taught and instructed In the same booke the same author doth propunde vnto vs the example of a vertuous and good woman Who of longe time nourished hir father béeing prisoner altogether aged and lame of hir owne milke Furthermore the seueritiē and crueltie of the olde lawe against the obstinate and rebellious children doth sufficiently declare what ought to bee the obedience of the children towardes their parentes Witnesse of this shall Moses bée who sayeth in this manner When a man shall haue a wicked and rebellious childe which will not obey nor hearken vnto the voyce of his father or mother and they shall chastise and correct him and he will not obey them then the father and mother shall take him and bring
for to draw them away from the lawe of the lord The father then which is a true Christian shal do nothing in the presence of his children which may make them swarue stray away from the lawe of the lord To this same purpose hee exhorteth al men generally where he saith Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes But that which is good to the vse of edefiyng that it may minister grace vnto the hearers Also in the same Epistle hee doth aduertise them that fornicatyon and all vncleanenesse or couetousnesse bee not once named amonge them as it bee commeth Saincts neyther filthynesse neyther foolyshe talking neyther iesting which are thinges not comely but rather gyuing of thanks For as witnesseth a certaine auncient and Christian authour verie learned Among other thinges wee ought to keepe the word as a thinge consecrated vnto the Lorde yea as our owne bodies bicause that by the worde wée ought to fighte for the trueth The reason is great and verie proper of him whiche hath sayde that it is easye to followe vices In suche sort that when wée cannot immitate and follow easely the vertues wée doe followe the faultes or vices This authour doth giue the example of Alexander the great who forgetting the vertues of Laonides his maister coulde neuer refraine himselfe from the vices of him And the Philosoper Plato hath Christianly spoken when he did write that a father must not get for his children greate abundaunce of golde but a greate deale of shame and feare The which they can not doe but in correcting the impudencie and vnshamelesse boldenesse of the children For the wise lawegiuer I meane him which garnished the cities and other common wealths with good laws will commaund rather the auncientes that they bée shamefast and fearefull before the younge men and that they take good héede that not a younge man heare sée nor speake any wicked and dishonest thing For when the olde men haue but a little shame it is necessarie that the younge men bee muche vnshamefast That is then an excellent discipline of the younge and of the olde not only the correction the which they doe by woorde but if hée which doth rebuke and checke do in all his lyfe time that which hée teacheth When I doe speake héere of the couersation of the fathers or auncientes I meane not onely their domesticall seruauntes but also other people that liue wickedly which maye tourne the spirites of the children from the veritie as it is euidently séene that euill wordes corrupte good manners Who soe toucheth pytche shall â—ée filed withall sayth the sonne of Siraac and hée that is familiar with the proude shall clothe himselfe with pride That is the cause wherefore Dauid did confesse that hee hathe not sitten amonge vaine personnes and hathe no felowshippe with the deceitefull That hée hathe hated the congregation of the wicked and that hée will not sit amonge the vngodly In the same Psalme hee prayeth the Lorde that hee will not destroye his soule with the sinners nor his life with the bloudthirsty In whose hands is wickednesse and theyr righte hande is full of gytes Beholde the doctrine of Salomon crying with a loude voyce saying My sonne heare thy Fathers doctrine and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother For that shall bringe grace vnto thy head and shall bee as a chayne aboute thy necke My sonne consent not vnto sinners if they entise thee and saye come with vs lette vs laye wayte for bloude and lurke priuely for the innocent without a cause let vs swallow them vp like the hell let vs deuoure them quicke and whole as those that goe downe into the pitte So shall we finde all manner of costly riches and fill our houses with spoyles Cast in thy lot amonge vs we shall haue all one pursse My sonne walke not thou with them refraine thy féete from their wayes For their féete runne to euell and are hasty to shead bloude These places of the Scripture teacheth vs sufficientlye that the duetie of a father consisteth not only to instruct well his children among his domesticall those of his familie But also if it bée possible among strauÌ„gers I wil rehearse vnto thee for this matter the example of Dina the daughter of Iacob who being departed from her fathers house desiring earnestly to see the host of the children of Sichem was rauished and defloured by Sichem I wil rehearse for the same purpose the example of the children of Israel who beeing not content to dwell in Sittim But willing to communicato with the Moabites were seduced by them and committed fornication with the daughters of Moab In like maner the women which were rauished by the Beniamites which came out to daunce I speake this for some men that are carefull inough that their daughters be not hurt or stoung with the serpent or snake and feare not that they be wounded with the hammer of all the whole world neither regarde they I say that they doe not drincke of the wine of that great Babilon the mother of all fornication Insomuch that Plutarch complained not without a cause as of a straunge thing that we accustome our children to take their meate with the right hande which if it happen that they do take it with the left hand we doe chastise and correct them grieuously and haue no regarde what disciplines we learne them The sayd author doth recite one Crates a verie auncient man which was accustomed to saye O that it were permitted me to goe vp to the highest place of the Citie I would crye aloude O ye Citizens what doe you that you bestowe all your trauaile to heape together money and haue no regarde or care of the children for whom you hoorde it vp and to whom you will leaue it That is one of the vanities that which Salomon in his booke of Ecclesiastices did bewaile wheÌ„ he said I was wearie of all my labour which I had taken vnder the sunne bicause I should bée faine to leaue them vnto an other man that commeth after mée for who knoweth whether he shall bée a wise man or a foole And yet shall hée be Lorde of all my laboures which I with such wisdome haue taken vnder the sunne Is not this a vaine thing For all the same which wée haue spoken off before we will not incitate or moue the fathers to shewe too great seueritie towardes their children but to shewe vnto them howe difficile and harde the nurture and gouerning of the children in their youth is According to that which the Philosopher Plato doth witnesse vnto vs that the childe is a greate deale worse to bée entreated and gouerned then all other beastes Forasmuch as he hath not yet perfectly tasted the fountaine of wisdome and euen as saith hée it happeneth vnto plantes that is to say that it is verie easie to prepare and dresse the