things concerning the vertues yet haue they not declared at whose handes they ought to be demaunded nor whither they ought to bee referred neither haue they knowen the beginning of the corruption of mans nature nor the remedie of al euils which is reuealed in the Gospel by the knowledge of the trueth and the adoption of the Christians the remission of sinnes and the promises which giue vs a certaintie of the fauour blessing and good will of our good God whereof ensueth a good conscience hope and peace in the spirite which consumeth all the greefe and sorrowe as the Sunne doth the morning dewe And there is none of the said Philosophers except Plato which was able to set downe that the soueraigne good of man was to be ioyned with God but he had no tast at all what this coniunction meant nor the meane to attaine vnto it And as touching the comfortes of the Philosophers the complaint which Cicero made in his Epistle to Atticus is true that the medicine is not of force enough for the disease that neither the discipline learning nor bookes ought profited him Which a body cannot auerre by the holy scriptures as Dauid saide that hee was quickened comforted instructed that they gaue light to idiots And there is another manner of efficacie then the drougg which Homer called Nepenthes which he said was able to keep one from smelling yll sauours charme greefe vnderstanding therby a discreate speaker one able to apply himself to the present affections times affaires as more at large we haue before declared Which maketh me to disproue the opinion of Seneca which attributeth it to god in that we liue but in that we liue wel to Philosophie which in deede ought rather to be referred to God the aucthor of all good Horace spoke as ignorantly writing that God gaue him life riches but that he furnished himselfe with a good and right vnderstanding For God causeth the eye to see the eare to heare and giueth the right iudgement both to will and to perfourme as S. Paul sayth and he disposeth the pathes intentions of men This word Philosophie hath beene interpreted for the loue of wisedome and Aristotle in his second booke of his Metaphisicks taketh it for the knowledge of the trueth Many haue noted great varietie ambiguitie vncertaintie in the doctrine of Aristotle and that he was ignorant of the most excellent things of nature vsed verie necessarie demonstrations The which men in time past wel marked picturing behind his portracture a woman which had her face couered with a vayle named Physis that is to say Nature And it is no maruaile at al if all of them were not able to attaine to those supernaturall things since that the most excellent treasors of nature were concealed from them The which ought to make vs admyre at Gods speach in the fiue last Chapters of Iob discoursing of the mouings of the heauens force of the starres of the earth founded vpon the waters of the waters hanging in the middle of the worlde and sundry other wonders which a body may perceiue able to declare the knowledge of man to be verie ful of ignorance S. Augustine compared the life of the ancient Pagans which were accounted so wise vertuous to a wandring course their argumēts to a glasse which is shining but verie brickle Concluding it better to halt in the way of truth then to runne lightly without it He wrote likewise that their vertues were impure imperfect because there is nothing good without the soueraigne good And where there is defect of the knowledge of eternal life there vertue is false mens intentions go awrie And there is no man that can haue any quietnes of conscience but through the promises of God from which they were shut out also by the inward obedience required of God by trusting in him by repentance righteousnes iustification of the faithful by the free forgiuenes of our sinnes by hope patience confidence in aduersitie confession giuing of thanks by referring al things to the glorie of God to charitie And S. Chrisostom vpon the first to the Corinthians fourth Homelie cōpareth the subtile disputations of the Philosophers to cobwebbes which breake rent asunder with the wind speaking of a happy life were neuer able to attaine vnto it and as S. Paul writeth professing themselues to be wise they became fooles And not without cause Socrates in Plato lamented that the Philosophers studyed more the contemplation of nature knowledge then to liue well or giue good precepts And towards the end of the treatise of his lawes as through a diuine inspiration he giueth hope of the comming of one more excellent more redoubted and more holy then any man whose office was to open the secrete places of truth and the hidden fountaines who should be folowed honored of al men which surely could not be vnderstood but by our Lord Iesus Christ which is the waie the truth and the life S. Chrisostome setteth downe in the ranke of Philosophers Aristides Cato Solon Lycurgus Epaminundas sundrie other who besides their knowledge were excellent in matters of state gouernement as was our lawyer Vlpian and studied more to do good to euery one then to bee conuersant in contemplation For the Sophisters counterfait to be wise in deed their ende is but glorie and proud boasting And S. Augustine thought that all Philosophers were rather giuen to the seruice and searching out of the intelligences seperate which we call angels diuels and which they called gods and spirites then of the true God albeit they confessed there was one only almightie father of the Gods and men And it is easie to gather out of their writings how they confessed one only God in three persons the Father the Sonne the holy ghost and other Articles contained in the Apostles Creede to conuict Atheists and Epicures withal CHAP. XX. Of disguisings done to Princes and what is their duetie for their honour and quiet of their subiects and of the miseries of the wicked of the obseruation of ordinances and of that which maintaineth or altereth an estate PRinces were ordained of God to be fathers protectors and shephardes ouer the people cōmitted to their charge to serue to maintaine their libertie and to defende them against all iniuries and to shewe them good example to entertaine iustice and peace to cause vertue learning sciences and good lawes to flourish to prouide for the instruction of youth to esteeme of the good and chastice the wicked Plato did write following the fixion of Homer that children born of Kings were composed of a pretious masse to be seperate from the common sort And it is saide of Scipio and certaine other great personages that they were descended from a
detested because thorough such a mischiefe they leade men to destruction turning them from the eternall felicitie and infecte the most pure doctrine which is our spirituall foode and so separate men from the catholicke church without which is no saluation S. Augustin in his 4. booke of the Citie of God reproueth Varro Pontifex Sceuola who were of opinion that it was very expedient men should be deceiued in religiō because that there is no felicitie or rest but in the certaintie thereof and in an infallible truth And Chrisippus said that without diuinitie the doctrine of god none could take any principle at al in the discipline of maners And Polibius sheweth that there was nothing which so much aduāced the Romanes as their religion albeit it was not pure S. Paul writeth to the Corinthians that he had prepared them for one husbande to present them as a pure virgine to Christ And the Prophets cal lying adultery And S. Chrisostome vpō the argument of the Epistle to the Romanes sheweth that al mischeif proceedeth frō the ignorance of the scriptures as our Sauiour Christ imputed vnto the Iewes that they were deceiued not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God Matth. 22. Mark 12. And if it haue been saide of the auntient fathers that the word is a medicine to the greeued spirite a man may well say it is also poison being falsly taught The which moued the prophets Apostles so carefully to warne men to beware of false prophets seducers wolues which speake not by the mouth of God neither are sent by him because there is no cōparison to be made between the straw and the corne nor betweene an infected riuer and a good spring Againe we are exhorted to stand in the wayes behold and to aske for the olde way which is the good way and walke therein to the end we should not wander from that life thorough desearts but find rest for our souls And we read in the Acts of the Apostles that at the end of the sermons euerie man searched the scriptures to see whether those thinges they had harde were so For God by Isaiah sendeth vs backe to the lawe and to the testimonie because if they speake not according to this woorde it is for that there is no light in them as who would saye that they were abused and remayned in darkenesse And S. Peter caught nothing when hee fished by night vntill he cast out his net into the sea at the cōmandement of our Sauiour as some anciēt fathers haue gathered hereon What euer we do without the worde of God profiteth vs nothing and it shall be sayde vnto vs as in the first of Isaiah who hath required these thinges at your handes And if they say that the holy scripture is harde and not easely to be vnderstood God protesteth in Isaiah that he hath not spoken in secrete neither in a place of darkenesse and his doctrine is not obscure nor doubtfull but readie to instruct vs to perfection to lighten vs and guide vs to saluation And in an other place he sayth that the word of God is as the wordes of a booke that is sealed vp to the vnbeleeuers And Saint Paule wrote to the Corinthians that if his Gospel were hid it was hid to the infideles that were lost For this great Prince making his alliance with his subiectes and creatures to saue them deliuered all in cleare and simple termes And Saint Augustine writeth that whatsoeuer appertayneth to saluation is manifestly set downe in the scripture and whatsoeuer is obscure in one place is manifested in another and in the 15. Chapter of the same booke he giueth vs a notable rule howe to discerne figuratiue speeches as if we be commaunded to doe well straight wee are forbid the euill and so is it no figure for in that one shall finde the very scope of the scripture to wit the glory of God and charitie but contrariwise if taken according vnto the letter if it seeme to commaund ill and forbid the good then may we easely iudge it to be a figure whereof he giueth vs sundrie examples And Saint Paul in his seconde to Timothe sheweth that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes The holy ghost is likewise called the spirite of prudence and discretion enterteyned by meditating of the scriptures contrary vnto the Philosophers bookes where leaues are onely gathered and not the trewe fruite And after that the Prophet Baruch had set downe what a number of mischeifes grewe by the carelesnesse of hearing of the worde of God and that we should drawe from the fountaine of wisedome he exhorteth vs to Learne where is wisedome where is strength where is vnderstanding that we might knowe also from whence commeth long continuance and life and where the light of the eyes and peace is The holy Scripture is also called the worde of reconciliation of life of peace and of saluation and there is not almost one line thorough out the hole Bible which doth not pull vs by the eare and sleeue to awake vs out of the sleepe of this world and to pull vs out of the clammie vanities wherein wee hange that it may bring vs to the glory and presence of God which is our saluation The which mooued S. Augustine Chrisostome Ierome Theophilact and other doctors to exhort the laytie the simple people artificers and all kinde of persons dayly to exercise themselues in the reading and meditating of the holye scriptures adding that they which haue founde a golde or siluer mine trauayle to digge the earth and endure most pestiferous ouerheating of themselues so as they may gather some fewe drammes of golde and siluer and ought we that haue so riche precious a treasor in the holy scriptures to neglect and not search it out being called therto by God Yea wee see what toyle men take in haruest season and yet howe slacke and sluggish we are to reape our celestiall wheate And the sayde holy scriptures are better vnderstoode of a modest idiote then of an arrogant Philosopher And as Saint Basile wrote the lambe wadeth thorough the streames of the scriptures when the Elephant swimmeth And in 119. Psalme it is saide that this word of God serueth for a rule and correction to youth and lightneth and giueth grace to the humble And the most auncient trueth sayth Tertullian is the most certaine It is also called a testament and alliance because we finde therein the legacye of eternall life and an immortall succession in communicating of all the riches merites and perfections of our Lorde and sauiour Christ Iesus thorough the fayth which we haue in his promises It is giuen vnto vs for a buckler defence and safegarde against all assaultes for a present medicine
this worlde We must remember howe Saint Paule prayeth vs to be reconciled to God to watch and be sober and to liue well whyle we haue the light and while it is called to daye not being able to assure our selues thereof in time to come And that wee may the better be brought thereto we must shunne all lewde companies and euill liuers and acquaint our selues with persons which haue the feare of God as Saint Paule warneth vs yea in no case to medle with men of euill life Let vs not then be Christians in name onely as we haue before declared and let vs be patient in aduersitie modest in prosperitie in our dewtie temperate in our life iust charitable towardes our neighbours towardes the poore sweete and tractable in our conuersation louing peace integritie and truth beseeching to this ende by earnest prayers the ayde of God thorough his holy spirite and imagining that wee are alwayes in the presence of God his holy saintes and Angels And since that we are the heires of God and coheyres with Christ Iesus the temple of the holy Ghost and fellowe Bourgeses with the saintes and seruantes of God let vs be ashamed to defile that temple and holy companie thorough the lewdenesse of our life And call to minde ouer and besides that we finde so much marked in the holy scriptures the excellent vertues of the heathen as the innocencie and abstinence of Aristides the integritie of Phocion the holinesse of Socrates the charitie of Cymon the tēperance of Camillus the thriftinesse of Curius the vprightnesse grauitie iustice and fayth of the Catoes yea the sobrietie of the very Turkes and an infinite number of examples so much recōmended vnto vs the which may make vs blush as our Sauiour said vnto the Iewes that they of Sodome Tyre and Sidon shalbe better entreated then they except they repented and amended their liues I knowe that therein lyeth great difficultie but a man must surmount all for the good that ensueth theron and as Cursius writeth Phisitions cure the greeuousest diseases by bitter and sharpe remedies And Cicero wrote vnto Octauian that men neuer applye salues to greeuous woundes but such as doe as much smart as profite And there is no good without paine Cicero likewise in some places and Plato in his Phedon in Gorgias and in Axiochus describe the strange kinde of punishmentes that are prepared for the wicked in the gayle of vengeance which he calleth Tartarus a place of darkenesse and torments and that the good are heaped vp with all happines prosperitie and sent to paradise or a garden which he setteth foorth to be the most pleasant that may be and termed to be the place of iudgment and the field of truth And in the tenth of his commonwealth he writeth that neither the paines nor rewardes in this world are ought either in number or greatnes in respect of what ech of thē are in an other life Whereof we are better certified in the holy scriptures to the end we should be reconciled vnto God without differring or longer wallowing in the filth of sinne for which we ought most earnest to beseech of him pardon disposing our selues wholy to obey him since that he is our father rendring vnto him all homage fealtie for whatsoeuer we hold of him in cheife calling vpō him in all our busines And since that he hath pomised to heare and prouide for all let vs not abuse his bountie but in dewe time reconcile our selues vnto him as Saint Paul exhorteth vs. I will not here forget the exhortation which our Sauiour maketh in Saint Luke Cap. 12. howe wee should haue our loynes guirde about and our lightes burning to be readie at the instant to performe what hee commaundeth vs our fayth being alwayes accompagned with this readie obedience as we see by experience in Abraham the father of the faythfull and in sundrie other whose names are celebrated in the 11. to the Hebrewes howe they left all respect of commoditie as soone as they were called This is that which we beseech at Gods handes in the Lords prayer that his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen as much to say as that he giue vs grace to be so prompt and ready to do his will as are the Angels that are in heauen who no sooner receiue any cōmandement from god but at the instant put it in execution For since that God is our soueraygne Lord which cōmandeth nothing that is not reasonable for their profit whom he will imploy in his seruice we ought not to cōsult or descant if we shuld obey what he cōmaundeth nor be more slacke or slowe to accomplish his will then are his creatures without soule which as it is written in sundry of the Psalmes and Prophetes leaue no one iot to doe in whatsoeuer their creator commaundeth them Our Sauiour Christ in Saint Luke sayde vnto him that was so readie to followe him marie vppon condition that he mought first goe vnto his owne house and take his leaue of such his friendes as were there No man which putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is apt for the kingdome of God And we must not as we haue sayde let slippe the oportunitie to doe well or receiue that good which God presenteth vnto vs when it is offred but to serue him readily for feare least if it be once lost it be no more possible to recouer it being as olde writers report bawlde behinde and not able to haue any fast holde layde thereon This is that which our Sauiour sayde speaking vnto the Iewes Yet a little whyle is the light with you walke while you haue light least the darkenesse come vppon you for he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whether he goeth Which afterwardes they had by experience good proofe of For by reason that they did not receiue this light which was then offered vnto them they were thereby depriued therof became most miserable not knowing the time of their visitatiō hauing reiected those benefits which God was willing to haue bestowed on them We reade in S. Matth. cap. 22. that such as were inuited to the marriage of the kings sonne excused themselues some alleadging their marchandise other their domesticall affaires other hinderances to be the cause The king being extremely angry with them for that they so little regarded the fauour honour which he had offred thē pronounced thē vnworthy of his liberality neuer after to be receiued into his house And in the 24. chap. of that gospel mention is made of the euil seruant which saide in his heart My Master doeth differ his comming let vs drinke eate and be merrie and in the meane time that hee was so carelesse came his maister and put him in the ranke of hipocrites where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth the which teacheth vs by no meanes to be slothfull as we haue in Ieremiah
to be present at al shewes And by some counsels haue they beene flatly forbidden For the subiect therof is filthie vnhonest the action of the players leaueth an impression of wantonnes whoredome vilanie in the soule of the assistants that which they see so dissolute vile when it is ioyned with words deedes whereby the Comedians enrich their filthie vnhonest subiect infecteth more the spirits wrappeth them in passions then drunkennes it selfe would do And in Cassiodorus k. Theodorick writeth a long letter to his Prouost that he should hinder all such spectacles as corrupted maners honestie raised nothing but quarels and contention the which moued Aristotle in his Politiques to exhort all magistrates to forbid such playes and banish al vile wordes out of their Citie And Sainct Paul exhorteth the Ephesians that no corrupt communication proceede out of our mouth and addeth Greeue not the holie spirite of God by whome you are sealed vnto the daye of redemption I woulde wishe that Theaters might bee defaced and no occasion giuen for such plagues to enter within cities and houses accordinge to the opinion of Saluian Bishoppe of Marseilles esteeming all such spectacles to bee a verie apostasie and leauing of the faith of Sacramentes and Christian religion and therefore as the occasion of so great mischiefe they ought to bee shunned Plato his opinion was that gouernors of common weales should in sort not suffer tragedies to bee rehearsed except they had beene first considered of by censors and iudges and founde good and full of mortalitie without any one the least woorde that mought be offensiue to chast eares And Aristotle in the ende of the eyght booke of his Politiques forbiddeth all youth to bee assistaunt thereat CHAP. XXXVII That accusers talebearers false pleaders and curious persons are of the same brotherhood of lying SInce that all the vertues of the soule ought to be applyed vnto charitie then are slanders and false reports to be greatly eschewed proceeding out of the same shoppe of lying The slanderer doth euer vniustly accuse ought to be punished with the same manner of punishment as the partie accused should haue beene if it had beene founde trewe as the Emperours Theodosius and Honorius ordeyned in the latter lawe and Tranquillus in Augusto And in auncient time they marked them in the forehead with a hote yron as Plinie reporteth in Panegyr and Cicero in his oration pro Roscio The Emperours Tiberius Nero Vitellius and sundry other taking pleasure therein haue beene the occasion of much mischeif When Agesilaus king of the Lacedemonians at any time had heard any prayse or discōmende one he was wont to say that he was as well to cōsider the behauiour of him that spoke as his of whom he spoke And after that a Romaine Knight had shewed vnto Augustus the Emperour that that was most false which had beene reported of him he humbly besought him that for euer after he would haue great regarde of what was laide to the charge of any person of qualitie that it mought be doone by good men and of an approued truth God forbiddeth vs to iudge lightly or to giue credite to a sole witnesse and if our sight our hearing and our tast oft times deceiue vs no doubt so may our iudgment The Emperours Titus Vespasian Nerua and Traian made talebearers to be whipped and banished Domitian Anthonie and Macrinus thrust them out of the Empire saying that who so did not punish them encouraged them And Leontius the Emperour after that he had put Iustinian to flight caused two of his tale bearers to be trayled by the feete and burned And after the death of Apollodorus and Phalaris the Tyrantes they caused such hell houndes to be fleede and burned and put them in the rank of the accursed The which was likewise done in the time of the Emperor Pertinax after the decease of Maximinus and his sonne Salomon wrote that the wordes of a tale-bearer are as flatterings and they goe downe into the bowels of the bellie And Pliny the younger calleth them robbers and theeues And Ecclesiasticus abhorreth them and all such as are of a double tongue and thanketh God as also did Dauid in sundry Psalmes that he had deliuered him from the snare of the false tongue and talebearers And Darius made the accusers of Daniel to bee deuoured by the Lyons the word of Diuell is as much to say as an accuser Doeg by the tale he carried to K. Saul caused the Priestes to be murthered Aristobulus the K. of the Iewes thorough a false report put to death his own brother and afterwards died for sorrowe Herod in like sort caused his wife sonne to be murthered had like for griefe to haue died after that he was better informed of the truth as also it befell to Constantine the Emperour who was the cause of the death of his owne sonne mother in law and to Francis Duke of Bretaigne that caused Gilles his own brother to be slaine We reade of the ende of Seian Tiberius Plautian and Seuerus Many Emperours haue put men to death with hearing of them and there is no person whatsoeuer be he neuer so vpright and innocent but through such helhoundes may very well be brought into trouble As Socrates in Xenophon and our owne experience may teache vs. And to be able to auoyde all slanders reproch we must obserue that instruction which S. Paul giueth to the Ephesians so holily wisely to behaue our selues as no occasion or place be giuen to the accuser He giueth the like aduise in his 2. Epistle to the Cor. and S. Peter in his first epistle willeth vs to haue our conuersation honest that they which speake euill of vs as of euill doers may by our good workes which they shall see glorifie God For good men by their vertue and innocencie do quench reprooch as fire is quenched by water False pleaders are such as betray their clyents and dissemble the truth l. praeuaricatores de verb. sig titulo ad senatusc Turpil which setteth downe a punishment for slanderers false pleaders and wranglers Such plagues did Plato banish his common-wealth A man likewise may name them false pleaders which doe not acquite themselues of the charge committed vnto them and passe it ouer as it were only for a fashion to be dispatched of it The which is also to be vnderstood of souldiors suspected of treason or failing in seruice of importance And for as much as the condition of accusers and talebearers is much supported by curiositie and babling and thereby hath great alliance with enuie and malice and is engendred through idlenes and folly I haue placed those curious men in the same rank which desire so earnestly to knowe the imperfections of an other And such should doe very much for thēselues if they would bestow
that dieteth himselfe prolongeth his life And Socrates was wont to say that there is no differēce between a cholericke man a beast As also Xenophon declareth in his Pedia cōmending k. Cyrus for his sobriety for that he exercised vntill he sweat And in the 2. booke of the deeds sayings of Socrates he aduised a mā neuer to contract amity with any that is too much addicted to their belly to drinking eating sleeping drowsines couetousnes Who will haue pittie on the charmer that is stinged with the serpent As Eccl. writeth lesse pittie then ought ther to be had of him which suffreth himselfe to be throwen down hedlong through pleasure which is said to resēble the theeues of Aegypt called Philistes which euer made much of the people embrased such as they had a mind to strangle And Isocrates called her a traytor deceiuer hangmā cruel beast and tyrant God by his prophet Amos greatly threatned those that loue to liue delicately as also did our sauiour by the example of the wicked rich man And S. August vpon the 41. Psalme alledgeth the old saying that the incontinent mā calleth vpon death As also the prouerbe carieth of a short pleasure cōmeth a long displeasure And there lyeth poyson euer hiddē the hooke is couered with a baite And we must behold thē behind not before as Aristotle coūselleth vs. For plesures seeme very beautiful before as do the Sirenes sundry other monsters but behind they traine a long vgly serpents taile Whordome is also forbidden by god the immoderate vse of the act of venery ought to be shunned as altering drying marring the body weakning all the ioynts mēbers making the face blobbed yellow shortning life diminishing memory vnderstanding and the very heart as Hosea sayth S. Paul in the first to the Thessalonians writeth that the will of God is our sanctification and that we should abstaine from fornication that euerie one should knowe howe to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence In the first to the Corinthians he exhorteth vs to flye it because he that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne bodie that is to say he doth iniurie it profaning and defileth the pouertie and holinesse thereof he sayth further that of the members of Christ we make them the members of an harlot and profane the temple of the holy Ghost and that being bought with great price we are not our owne but Gods and therefore should glorifie him in our bodie and spirite Publicke honestie lyeth there violate and as Cupid was made blinde so do they which are bewitched with this foolish loue stayne and abandone their owne honour wealth libertie and health For this cause Salomon compared the whoremonger to an oxe that goeth to the slaughter and to a foole to the stockes for correction and to a byrde that hasteneth to the snare not knowing that he is in daunger We reade what happened to Dina the Beniamites and Dauid And histories are full of examples of mischiefes which haue ensued thereon And he which committeth that sinne wrappeth and setteth an other as far in and sinneth not alone By Gods lawe adulterie was punished by death Gen. 20. Leu. 22. and according to the ciuill lawe Instit de pub iud Sicut lib. Iulia. de adult lib. in ius C. But to cast off so daungerous a vipor we must craue at Gods hand that he wil bestowe of vs a pure and chast hart that we may liue soberly auoide idlenesse all foule and filthy cōmunication be it by mouthe writing or picture Ezechiel attributeth the sinne of Sodom to fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenes Dauid prayed to God to turne his eyes from vanitie Psalm 119. and Iob said I made a couenant with my eyes why then should I thinke on a mayde And in Gen. 6. the children were blamed that kept not their eyes but looked on fayre women as also did Sichem Gen. 34. and Putifer his wife Gen. 39. and Ammon 2. Sam. 13. Notwithstanding as Isocrates sayde that a lesse labour and greefe is made not to be left through a greater so doe those pleasures which proceede from vertuous and honourable actions as from temperance continencie and other vertues cleane mortifie with their ioye and greatnesse such as come only from the body which engender nothing but gowtes sciaticas cholicques palsies greefes of the stomacke tremblinges leprosies panges vomits inflammations and other daungerous accidents And when we feele heauinesse and wearisomnesse in our members head akes or stitches in our side which for the most part proceed frō crudities lacke of digestion we must not perswad our selues to doe as before and as they say to cach heare from a beast but rest quietly and obserue good dyet and long before to foresee the storme that is at hande And when we goe to visite such as are sicke and vnderstand the cause of their diseases we ought to looke into our selues according to Plato his councell and see whether we commit not the like excesse to the ende we may take heede by an other bodies harme and to stande vppon our gardes and consider howe precious a thing health is And let vs thankefully receiue at Gods hande such instructions as by chastising of vs he sendeth by reason of our intemperancie to the end we may learne to preuent such as may happen vnto vs. And as king Antigonus sayd that sicknesse had warned him not to waxe proude so ought wee to learne to humble our selues and to liue better for that God sendeth that as a meanes as well to vs as other to awake vs and keepe vs within the boundes of our dewetie For vices are as the very proper inheritance of man which wee must seeke to correct taking awaye from goods a vehement couetousnesse and vnbridled greedinesse and from euils feare and sorrowe which come but from conceite the very cause of vnquietnesse and perturbation which putteth me in minde often times of the saying of an auncient father that as the body in health easely endureth both colde and heate and maketh his profit of all kinde of meates so doth the Christian which hath his soule well compounded moderate anger ioye and all other affections which offende both body and soule Hippocrates aboue all thinges recommendeth to a Phisitian that he should well aduise himselfe if in plagues and ordinary diseases he founde nothinge which was diuine that is to saye whether the hande of God were not the proper causes of the sickenesse of the partie diseased For truely he often times sendeth sickenesse for remedies and meanes to withdrawe those whome he loueth from eternall ruyne And to punish such excesse he armeth grashoppers noysome flies wormes frostes windes plagues warre dewes and vapors of the earth As before we declared those thinges which they call euils are as great helpes to
Iouius Seigneur de Lautrec Pope Alexander 6. Xerxes Decad. 5. Prudence required to discerne opinions Princes ought to take in good part vvhat their counsellers say vnto theÌ„ Eccle. 37.15 Pro. 29.18 Of the comfort of the subiects ensueth amitie Backbiters not to be listened vnto Symonides Homer Syrenes Thucidides Comment li. 7 Aristotle Eccles 11.7 Libertie of speache S. Ambrose Pyndarus Pro. 10.17 12.1 13.1 15.5 31 The custome of Alexandria Trueth engeÌ„dreth hatred 1. King 16. Obseruation in reprehension Reprehensions yl beseeming at the bord Socrates Damaratus K. Philip. The force of trueth 1. Esd 4.38 Augustinus de ciuit dei l. 2. c. 19 Apelles table Plato Pro. 25.12 29.1 Psal Augustine Speusippus Choler darkneth iudgement and peruerteth reasoÌ„ Alexander Augustus concelled by Anthenodorus and Theodosius by S. Ambrose Eph. 4 26. The maner of the Pythagoriens Plato Seneca A remedy against choler The fagots of the licturs Socrates Architas Many mischeifes haue ensued choler The death of Valentinian Sertorius Caesar Hovv a good vnderstanding is discouered Eccl. 1.27 Rashenes in wrath whence it proceedeth To pardon is a testimony of a valiaunt minde Col. 3.12 VVisedome is seene in teÌ„perating of choler To forebeare one another Dion Anger allowed Anger the sinevve of the soule Lactan. de ira Dei cap. 17. Iactant his error Definition of anger Eph. 2.3 Rom. 6.23 Psal 103.10 Psal 86 15. Psal 143.9 Exod. 34 6. Nomb. 14.18 Nehe. 5.17 Ier. 15.13 Ioâ—l 2.13 Ionas 4.2 Nahum 1.3 Deut. 9.14 32.39 Exod. 17.2 Psal 78.41 Numb 12.9 14.9 Exod. 22 22. Valerius Cicero Demosthenes The auncient on some of the french 4. povvers in the soule It doth not become princes to vse deceate Lizander Dyonisius Policrates K. Pirrhus An Alleman prouerbe Caligula Thrasimachus Anaxarchus God and the lawes gouern kingdomes In all actions vvhat is to be considered Povver obtayned by mischeafe of smal durance D. of Valentinois Machiauel a pernitious auctor Ier. 2. Psal 27.15 Ier. 34.5 Isaiah Habacue Haggaeus Pro. 1.32 Chrisostome Dan. 11.45 Pro. 11.4 20.17 21 7. Ierem 17.11 An admonition to the nobility to keepe their promises faithfully To negotiate with princes Crueltie Pro. 20.28 Exod. 34.5 Princes murdered for their cruelty The enemies of the church punished Theodosius Pericles Phocion A braue ansvvere of K. Francis 1. Tales Eccles 10.10 Esther 13.2 Pittacus Philip. Pou. 14.28 Rodolphe Martian Discretion required in reading 1. Thes 5.21 Aug. l. de doct christ c. 3. A fault not to punishe malefactors K S. Louis Exod. 21.34 â— Sam. 15.12 1. King 20 42 21 16. 2. King 22.10 2. Chron. 6.11 Rom 13 4 Definition of a lye Lyars lose al credit Socrates Achilles Eccles 20.24 Leuit. 16.11 Al vvickednes proceadeth of lying 2. King 5.27 Acts 5.5 Esther 7.10 1. King 13.4 Craesus Dionisius Gen. 39.20 Chrysostome Pro. 19.5 Wâ—â— 1.11 Eccles 20.25 Aegiptians Scithians Garamantes Persians Indians Nestorius Popiel K. of Pologne Artexerxes Solon Iosua 9.21 Traian Cebalus Cyrus Alexander Deut. 23.2 Eccles 23.11 Chrisostome Plato 2. de legibus 1. Sam. 14.39 Titus Liuisu zecha 5.2.4 Agesilaus Si duo de iu. l. vlt. de crâ—stel ad leg lul rep Gel. li 7. c 18 Punishment of periured persons Pro. 10.31 Lib. 2. cap. 17 Iohn 12. Iustinian Pericles Hercules Oth of magistrats and officers Iosua 7.19 Man treated for the seruice of god Godlines the scope of other vertues Basil Iudg. 17.6 Error in religion most daungerous 2. Cor. 11.2 Mat. 22.29 Marc. 12.24 Ier. 15.4 Iohn 21.3 Isaiah 45.19 Esaiah 49.11 2. Cor. 4.3 2. Tim. 3.16 The holie ghost the spirit of prudence The scripture called a testament and alliaunce The Scripture called a square and ballaunce 2. Pet. 1.19 Rom. 15.4 L. cunctos pop Cont. cresc L. 2 c 22. de ba cont don l. 5. c. 17. cont max l. 3. c. 13 Markes to discerne true religion Superstition The gospell is the sustenance of our soules Deut. 6.6 1. Tim. 4.13 Epictetus Simplicius VVhat religion requireth The bible translated into frenche by the commandement of S. Louis Some kinde of bookes not fit euery man should reade Heb. 5.12 Gregorie Nazianzene Ierome Ambrose Augustine Zozom lib. 6. cap. 5. L. 1. de consensu euan c. 18. 1. Sam. 11 13. Euseb lib. â—… 33. Iosephus 2. King 22.13 S. Ierome The effects vvhich ensue the contempt of gods vvord Augustine Q. Capitolius The disorderly lyfe of a Christian proceedeth from infidelitye The hovver of death vncertaine Demonax K. Philip. Maximilian VVe must not abuse the pacience of God 1. Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.20 Eccles 5.7 Rom. 8.16 Luk. 12.20 Amendement of â—â—â—e and repentance Mat. 25.10 Isaiah 55.6 Isaiah 66.2 Ierem. 5.3 Heb. 3.7 Ieremy 13 16 Nothing hard to a good vvill 2. Cor. 5.20 Euill company to be shunned The heathen of singuler vertues Luke 12.35 Luke 9.62 Iohn 12.35 Mat 22.4 Mat. 24.8 Pro. 5.6 Ierem 8..7 Mat. 16.6 Fabius Maximus zepha 1.12 Heb. 12.1 â— Ignorance Eccles 4.25 Ciril Augustine Falshood doubt the daughters of ignorance Eccl. 2.14 K. Philip. Theodosius Vespasian Epaminundas The life of man vvithout learning a very death Zeuzis Hos 4.6 Col. 1. Eph. 4. 1. Cor. 14. 15. Ier. 8.4 Pope Pius 2. Alexander Alphonce Sigismond Petrarque Leonce Paul 2 Celestine 5. Colleges founded by good Kings The scope of Learning From conteÌ„plation must proceede practise Exod. 10.22 Inconueniences ensuing by ignorance Ier 5 21 The Persians Alexander Sophie Solon Nehem. 5.11 Deut. 15 2. Phocion Seneca Aulus Gellius Banquerouts fastened to a coller Tit. de legat The lavve of 12 tables rigorous L. 20. cap. 1. Indians 1. Kings 4.1 Pro. 22.7 Sedition at Rome for debts Abissius Calicut Pro. 6.1 11 15. 22.26 Ecclis 29.29 The vnthankfull man a more daungerous lyar then the debtor Pythagoras Simbole The temple of Graces Hesiodus The vngratefull of vvorse condition then serpents K. Pirrhus Pub. Mimus Thankes rendred vnto god for his benefits Isaiah 14. Hosâ—a 2.8 Deut. 32.25 Michah 6. â— Pro. 17.13 Senec. l. 2. de benes c. 6 The vngratefull by lawes condemned to dye K. Philip. Socrates Liberties francâ—ises vpon vnthaÌ„kfâ—lnes to be reuoked Aduersity a blessing and testimony of the good will of god tovvards vs. Thankfulnes the mother of other vertues 2. Tim. 3.2 Pro. 17.13 Pliuie Liberallitie of princes De bello Ing. Sylla Poets banished Platoes common vveale Archilochus chased out of Sparta Socrates not brought vp to Poetrye Tirteus Hieron Ouid. Archilochus Pithagoras Iuuenall Eusebius Painters Simonides Habac Isaiah 3. Deut. 27.15 Augustine Plato Aristotle Eph. 5.3 Tertullian Epictetus Plutarque Leuit. 19.11 Exod. 20.16 Pro. 6.1 Lib. 3. Ester 3.1 1. Sam 22.18 1. Sam. 24.10 2. Cor. 6.9 Eph. 4.31 Pro. 18.21 Sup. psal 57. Isaiah 14. 1. Cor. 5.11 Mockery Raylers and mockers punished 1. King 2.23 Gregory 1. Pet. 2.1 Comedies Playes Comedians and stage-players Marseilles Chrisostome Theatres Seneca Caelius Rodiginus Augustine Lacedemonians 1. Cor. 15.33