all Create others Centeniers to rule ouer an hundred Cinquanteniers to beare aucthoritye ouer Fiftye and Disiniers to commaunde ouer ten Let these Iudge the people in all seasons according to their order and charge and bringing to thée the causes of greatest importance specially suche as concerne God let them iudge the rest So shalt thou bee discharged of that great burden of labour where in vaine thou dyddest consume thy selfe before In this aduise of God to Moyses we sée is expressed what ought to bée the office nature and state of suche as are chosen to leade and iudge others according to God and that not onely in highe and stately Courtes but in places of right meane sorte who notwithstanding as in degrées so also in knowledge and vertue ought to aspire to excellencie Suche then bée wise men who with the sence of deuine and humaine learning bée principally instructed in the knowledge of God and vnderstand his will and iudgement with contemplacion of the causes effectes and nature of all thinges And being wise in this sorte as theyr exact knowledge will leade them to geue a perfect iudgement of al thinges so being ignoraunt in the least much lesse that they can iudge in integretye séeing they can not merite the name of wyse men But because according to Sainct Paul men maye haue knowledge and yet in theyr doinges bée voyde of integritye Iethro addeth the feare of God that is that knowing God they doe also feare and serue him For suche men would not willingly feare God who knowe his iudgements to bée no lesse horrible to them that displease him then terrible to suche as execute false Iudgement whereby trueth is peruerted wrong pronounced to the multitude and their proper conscience defiled And therefore as hee woulde haue them to bée firme in simplicitye of worde Doctrine and iudgement without instabilytye in cases of trueth which by theyr wisedome they knowe to bée so agréeable to God as hée is called the selfe trueth so it is a breache of theyr duety if they bee subiect to the errour of mutacion They must also hate Couetousnes as in which is layde vp the roote of al euils A vyce of more damnable perril then all the rest and of a nature so wicked that it leades men to Idolatrye by preferring Golde and glorious drosse of the worlde afore the liuing God drawing from them in the ende all feare Religion Reuerence and knowledge of God translate their hearts to infidelitie both towards Heauen and earth Lyke as by lamentable experience wée sée that oftentimes the gréedines of a wretched present leades the couetous Iudge into such blinde and reprobate sence that to peruert Iustice hee stickes not to commit his soule to sale Louing rather the base Earth then the maiestie of heauen to handle Golde then behold the Sonne to bée ritche then honest and lastly seekes to laye vp his felicitie in his transitory presence of welth rather then to lift vp his minde to aspire to the life euerlasting So that in such as are chosen to the regiment of pollecie ought to bée no note of auarice and muche lesse any profe of corruption for doing any acte of iniustice seing that of all other there is this perill in that vice that being once made ritche by couetousnes there is no limit or measure of their extorcion euen as to a smal flame if you adde encrease of wod you rayse it easilie to a greater blase For by howe much more there is offer and meane of gaine euen by so much more doeth the raging zeale of auaâ—ice growe great yea euentâ—â— iâ— bée vnquencheable in the Ritche couetous man it takes continual increase not onely with the poyson of ritches but also with the yeres of their age where other vices carye this common property to diminishe with time the same being the cause why the Scripture saieth There is nothing more wicked then a couetous man for hée is not onely wicked to others by bringing pouertie vpon them in rauishing their goodes but also hee is the confounder of him selfe as touching his soule which hée bequeathes to the Deuil for nothing and oftentimes selleth it for a bare hope of a base profite executing the like iniurye vpon his bodye from the which hee oftentimes restraines natural and necessary nourishment becomes a nigarde to his health by sparing his purse makes his mind and body subiect to passions and perpetual labors shorteneth his temporal life and which worse is loseth euerlasting felicitye So that as Iesus Christ and after him Saint Paul not without cause do exhort in great affectioÌ„ to flée couetousnes as the nurse of infidelity the mother of perdition and lastly the infectious roote of al euils to such as folow it so if this vyce bring such damnable miseries to all mankinde as in respect of his continual wretchednes it ought chiefly to bee auoyded of the Iudge in whome ought not to appeare so much as a suspicion of such euil insomuch that besides the extreme peril of his Soule infinite are the temporal iniquityes which flow from a couetous Iudge in whom for gaine-sake is seldome found any difficultie to offer to hassard the goodes honour and life of many persons the same being the cause why the Sonnes of Samuel were deposed from their iudgement seate and why Cambises caused one of his Iudges to be slaine quick and with his skin couered his chaire the better to aduertise the sonne and successors of the sayd Iudge that they were subiect to the same iustice if for gaine they pronounced corrupt iudgement ¶ What gouernors God hath chosen and howe he hath declared them by myracles they ought all to be instructed at the entree of the Tabernacle and why the great benefite which commeth of good Iudges and why God doth ordaine some wicked ⧠The .2 Chapter TO resort eftsones to the matter of election of gouernours to common weales who are Iudges by theyr institution with the counsell of Iethro wée will ioyne the example of God when hée elected rulers ouer his people as Moyses for the most perfect and Iosua and for his Tabernacle Aaron and Phineus and then examine what commaundemente God gaue to Moyses for the calling of seuenty Elders or Senators whome hée ordayned as soueraygne Iudges and gouernours ouer the Townes of Israel Moyses in his complaint to be insufficient to susteine so great a charge and burden of affaires was hearde of God by him coÌ„manded to assemble at the Gate of the Tabernacle Seuenty of the most Auncient of Israel suche as were most wise best experienced amongst the people causing them to assist and stay with him to impart with them graces requisit to the estate office of good gouernors which graces hée calleth part communion of the spirite of Moyses whose perfect knowledge of thinges exact iudgement Holye zeale and integritye of Fayth Doctrine and lyfe such as were in him so they are al
¶ A forme of Christian pollicie drawne out of French by Geffray Fenton A worke very necessary to al sorts of people generally as wherein is contayned doctrine both vniuersall and special touching the institution of al Christian profession and also conuenient perticularly for all Magistrates and gouernours of common weales for their more happy Regiment according to God. Mon heur viendra ¶ Jmprinted at London by H. Middelton for Rafe Newbery dwelling in Fleetestreat a little aboue the Conduit Anno. 1574. To the right Honorable Sir William Cecill Knight Baron of Burghley Knight of the Honorable order of the Garter one of the Lordes of hir Maiesties priuie Councell and Lord high Treasurer of England Ieffray FENTON wisheth long life THERE IS nothing in this world more worthie then to hold soueraintie ouer people and nations nor any thing more happie then where a whole common weale is disposed in conuersation of iustice and pietie which yet if they bee not ioyned with true Religion can holde no long continuance for that chaunging according to the perplexities of tymes hapning daily in Realmes and Countreis they suffer alteration by little and little and in the end slyde into vices and imperfections which breede the reuolucions and ruines of all estates Religion can not be entertained if it bee not backt with ciuill Iustice which reciprocallie hath need of a deuout pietie for that as Religiō is iust and iustice of it selfe is holy and religious so thei are the two estates which the scripture names the true foundacions and pillors of cōmon weales They embrace and kisse one another and as Hipocrates twyns they ar sick togither well togither they laugh togither and weep togither and suffer in cōmon euē like self affections Ther is nothing necessary to the one which is not profitable to the other nor any thing meete for the one which is not made worthie of both yea they concurre in the same sociable vnion which we see obserued in the partes and members of an entier body who albeit they suffer distinction in their seuerall office and function yet they aspire and trauell to one common end which is to entertaine securitie in the whole Many auncient Magistrates therefore foreseeing the necessitie of Monarchies to bee erected vpon these two pillors consulted to raise ordonances for the perpetuall continuance of the Church and cōmon weal in one indissoluble vnitie of those some followed Moyses who as he was inspired of God and perswaded the people of Israell to be obedient to him so that eternall Lorde sent them holy commaundementes to establish the actions of their mindes and rates of policie to rule the residue appertaining to the necessitie of life wherein as by a diuine feare and reuerēce those people durst not attempt any thing contrarie to those holy lawes so the statuts pollitike and substitutes of iustice so supplied the residue that their cōmon weales so long as Religion was mainteined and iustice obserued and either one subsisting equally in the administration of affaires seldome suffered other chaunge then from good to better and neuer frō ill to worsse Much is required in the Magistrat to support these twoo pillors which holde vp the whole which then he dooth best performe when both in the councell and action of things hee bringes the one to consult with the other as vppon whose vnitie dependes the safetie of all and without whose conformitie and full agreement much lesse that there can be any suretie of policie seeing of the contrary things can not but diuolue to reuolt euen as in a temple or other building whose foundaciō being deuided the whole worke can not but shake hauing no stay to keepe him in integritie For this cause right honorable haue I ben bold to put out this discourse of Christiā policy qualified according to the rule of the infallible trueth which is the Scripture which onely showeth to man the true and right way for his assured gouernement in the vocation he ought to follow whether it be particular or publik and wherin he cā no more erre then the skilfull Architector following the line rule and compasse of his arte Many and great are the commaundements in the Bible recommended straitly to Gouernours as well Ecclesiastike as ciuill to holde alwayes in their hande that holy booke learning not onely that belonges to the office of their owne estates but also what they ought to prescribe for the policie of others for whom they are to render accompt in the iudgement of God wherin as to trauailing Councellours subiect to the seruice of sundrie great causes is reserued slender oportunitie to studie the Bible at large either to find out the dutie of their priuate charges or to limite statutes to the multitude and much lesse that the popular sorte for want of instruction hath meanes to vnderstand how farre their office stretcheth by the doctrine of that booke euē so I iudged it appertayning to my dutie aswell for the ease of the one as aduertisement of the other and common benefite of both but specially for the dutifull affectiō I haue alwaies borne to your Honor to offer to the same particularly these Christian memorials representing the very course and purtraite of the present gouernement vnder hir most Gracious Maiestie by the carefull direction of a most graue and wise counsell amongst whom it seemes God hath dispersed the very vertues and spirite of Moyses leading this Realme in such reuerence to God and obedience to hir Highnes that al nations confesse that here the mightie holy one of Israell hath chosen his Sanctuarie and here hath he raised hir right excellent Maiestie to that estate of power and vertue that onely she hath in hir handes the attonement of most part of the nations in this circuit of the earth which we call Christendome Amongest some of whose Princes and chiefest Potentates as I haue heard much attributed to the grauetie and prouidence of this worthy Senate for the quiet regiment of hir Maiesties Realmes in these cōspiring seasons so God graunt that as they haue happely begonne they may also long continew vnder hir Highnes carefull watchmen in the watch tower of this Church and cōmon weale of England laboring stil to maintaine peace first with God which he will thē perpetually assure and ratifie when he findes him selfe sought to and serued with one only true Religion and then to bring so many infinit soules and people the naturall subiectes of these dominions to beare to hir Maiestie but one vnfained hart and obedience which cannot but happen if there bee suffered no diuorce nor controuersie in faith and that in the church and common weale remaine but one constant consent and wil touching the regiment and disposing of all affaires J humblie beseech your Honor receiue this poore testimonie of my good will not with any iudgement of the merit or worthines of the worke but as a simple interpretor of the dutie I owe to your rare and reuerent vertues
if we feare the force of the mightie we shall feare to do good iustice and so bring Sclaunder to our light desire of souerentie but as in good iudges God displaieth some beames of his deuinitie as being the ministers of his deuine iustice so he ioynes to their office the operation of some deuine vertue which makes thē feared of their subiectes For this cause are they called Heloym that is Gods as partaking with the force and power of God the more constantly to execute his iudgementes in earth In the Scripture we reade of no Iudge or Magistrate doing his estate which did not bring feare to all their people and made them obedient to his ordinaunces for God by the Iudge geues a secrete feare to bring others to subiection And albeit the Mutinus people of Israel fel into often reuolt against their great gouernour Moises whom they would haue stoned yet he eschewed not his charge much lesse forbare for feare to do iustice but in one day made passe by the edge of the sworde twentie thrée thousand idolatours of one race of Leui and although the resisting aduersarie was twelue times more in number yet they durst not stretche out their handes to defende their Rebellion yea he apprehended at one time twelue of the greatest Lords of the people and Captaynes of the armie because they assisted the sacrifices of the Madianites with whom they committed whordome and yet not in one of the multitude was founde so much as to lift vp his finger in signe of resistaunce the which remayning in example to the succession of other Magistrates they were neuer fearefull to do iustice eyther vpon any singuler great state or vpon a whole multitude offending as knowing that hauing in hande the affaires of God whose chiefe prescript was to punishe the transgressours that he woulde not suffer them to endure hurt nor forsake them executing seuere iustice vpon the wicked ⧠Here Iudges are warned not to be credulus nor to iudge by reportes to take heede of affections and not to iudge by particuler opinion to resiste vvhich euils God ordeyned in the Lavv seuentie Counsellers to vvhom he enioyneth sobrietie chastitie integritie and wisdome to be followers of the iudgement of God in the exact examining of offences and to punishe them according to the grauitie of the transgressions that they be not couetous seeing that for couetousnesse the sonnes of Samuel vvere deposed they must leaue no sinne vnpunished terrible sentence for vnrighteous iudgementes an aduertisement of Dauid to Iudges vvith a prophecie of their miserie if they iudge not in equitie ¶ The .2 Chapter THere be other preceptes in the Scripture prescribed also to Gouernours in their estate of iustice which I néede not now bring in particuler question for that they haue the same commaundement to haue the Scripture in their handes which was geuen to Iosua their example and Patrone in causes of iudgement the better to gouerne the people and therefore I hope it can not bring offence if by the way of generall perswasion I do exhort them to be such as the scripture prescribes but chiefely according to the rule of their election that they be sober wise and discrete to the ende they be not circumuented by ignoraunce imprudence error and misintelligence and so seduce the direction of most waightie and graue affaires which fault was noted in Dauid when he gaue sentence against Miphiboseth the sonne of Ionathas by the false report of Syba seruaunt of the saide Miphiboseth at whose onely worde contrary to the Scripture which alloweth no sentence but by the testimonie of thrée or two at the least hée condemned the other and woulde not heare him in his iustification An acte contrary to all reason and right of nature by which as we sée that in hastye credulitie coniecture only or opinion suddain passion of coller or wicked affection as hate enuie sutteltie thirst of benefite lightnesse of mynde with all other affections as thinges contrarie to wisedome and discretion be of power to peruert iudgement So the same is the cause why the Lawe requires in Iudges wisdome discretion and conference with wise men and not to stay vpō their particuler opinions the same being the respect why God erected seuentie Senatours for the gouernment of the people who consulting altogether in the common businesse and one correcting the errour of another can not but forme good iudgement Besydes such a multitude as Aristotle saith can not be easilye corrupted no more then a great abundance of water but with great difficultie where a small vessell in small time can not but suffer infection The Scripture aduiseth them to be sober and moderate the better to auoyde trouble of minde by intemperaunce which hauing power to hinder the effect of good iudgement in whom it possesseth it draweth also the mind to negligēce takes away al care of the affayres They are also defended from immoderate loue of women as well by the destinie of Salomon who hauyng the gift of wisedome lost by his vnbridled loue and lust all grace in iudgement as also by the example of the twoo wicked Iudges testifying against Susanna who by their inflamed desyres of her beawtye corrupted theyr iudgement So that by the Scripture all Iudges are warned that neither in their mindes nor wyll remaine any peruersitie error or affection but a full inclination to integritie onely zeale of iustice ioyned with knowledge which as it is the same light of the mynde by the which we discerne clearely that which is good or euyll iust or vnrighteous so in a peruersed wyll or wicked affection is bred confusion of the spirite which consequentlye leadeth to perplexities and both troubles and hinders the facultie of vpright iudging euen as if there be neuer so litle a Moate or Beame in the eye the cleare sight is hindered and it hath lesse power to discerne the true difference of things presented afore it but muche lesse possibilitie of sound iudgement is there in the ignoraunt man who not vnderstanding the Lawe suffereth the same error which the blinde man doth whose want of sight makes him vnhable to discerne collours But the better to forme their iudgementes irreprehensible and without reproche the Scripture layeth afore them the iudgementes of God as the true Images and Portraictes representing such example of iudgement and iustice as the Magistrates of the earth ought to followe which Salomon and Tobias call the most true and iust ballaunce and Dauid resembling them with the trueth it selfe saith that such ought the iudge to bée in whose iudgement is founde no iniquitie So that the Iudges raised by him to dispose iustice in his place ought alwayes to haue the Maiestie of him in their mindes and his iudgementes in imitation He iudgeth not by heare say and much lesse by apparance or likelyhood but according to the trueth In which sort it is sayde in Genesis that hée descended into
Sodom and Gomorre to see if the desolution of the people aunswered the horrible brute that went of them his wordes were I will discend and see if it be so Hée that knoweth whatsoeuer is done euen in the déepest bottomes and from whome no secréete can bée hid declares by this familiar manner and phrase of Speache applyed to our infirmitye that it belonges to Iudges afore they enter into sentence or pronounce against such as are accused to bée assured of the trueth of the fact least by theyr lightnes or soure passion they committe errour in iudgement In the lawe when the affaires stoode vpon any harde or obscure doubte this was the custome to referre it to the iudgement of God as in the punishment of the blasphemour and what right daughters had to the goods of theyr Fathers in whiche cases there was no resolution set downe in the Law the same seruing as matter of aduertisement to examine exactlye such controuersies and harde causes as the lawes haue no habilitye to decide beséeching God according to the aduise of the scripture so to lighten their inward reason that they may bring forth true and perfect Iudgement But when Iudges will not beginne by this aduertisement nor conforme them selues to this iustice of God his iudgements let them looke for that terrible seuerytie which hee hath thundered vpon those Iudges countries where he found negligence in punishment to those sortes of crimes Hely the great gouernour and Iudge of Israel because hée did not iustice vppon his children brake his necke his children were kylled and all the countrey brought to desolacion The sonnes of Samuel were deposed because they tooke presentes Saul was reprooued for geuing grace to such as hée ought to haue punished after whose death famine came ouer all the land of Palestin for that hée gaue wicked iudgementes in the landes of the Gabaonites whom hée afflicted and made certaine of them passe by vniust death to satisfye which iniquity Seuen of the race of Saule were hanged vpon Gibbertes The Captiuitie of the Israelites and ruine of Ierusalem of the Temple and their Townes happened for the transgression of the Priestes and Kinges done in Iustice corrupting it by presents condemning the iust and iustifying the wicked for Bribes Whereof Esay speaketh thy Princes that is thy gouernours as well in Pollecye Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill are vnfaithfull and haue forsworne them selues yea euen they that haue taken othe to doo good Iustice and haue not obserued it but are become companions of Robbers and haue share in their praye They all loue Bribes and folowe recompenses because they haue done pleasure in iudgement to the ritche But euen those as they were the chiefe in honour and superioritye so also were they first taken Captiues murdered their houses and goodes suffered spoile and they more then others defaced with ignominie contempt and all sortes of wretchednes These bée the miseryes whiche happen to wicked Iudges and theyr Children and for theyr abuses to Tounes Countreyes and Kingdomes So that with good cause I maye recommende as a laste aduertisement to al Iudges to remember the saying of Dauid in this sorte God assistes the assembly of the Gods who are the Iudges and gouernours of his people vnder whome they exercise the iudgement which is proper to God the true and eternall Iudge and therefore are they as partakers of a deuine aucthoritye by enterteining ruling his people by that iustice and souerainty So that as God is in the Courtes of his Iudges and in the middest of them so hée iudgeth them whereby is meant that hée condemneth them if they iudge not according to God. Dauid also pursues them crying in this sort How long O ye peruerse Iudges wil you Iudge so wickedly wyll you not acknowledge your selues in your false iudgementes wyll you alwayes haue regarde to the faces of offendours geuing them support and absolution of their wickednes and liberty to sinne with impunity deliuer the poore man Orphane and iustifie the simple and néedye suffer no wrong to bée done to such as haue no maintenance in the world are without fauourers in courtes Take the poore and néedy out of the hand of the transgressor But what much lesse that these worldlie lordings haue cōmunity with this great pitie seeing as Dauid sayeth they neuer knewe nor vnderstoode what they were bound to doo according to God so greatlye were they inuironed with wretched darkenes and whollye possessed with ignorance of God and his lawes whereby it happeneth that the foundation of the earth shal be moued whiche is that by that occasion exceding great euilles and intollerable aduersityes shall fall vppon the nations of the earth Therfore where I sayd you were gods so greatlye honoured of God by the state which hée geues you representing him in case of iudgemēt I forgat not your infidelity meaning that you shal fal into no lesse miserye wretchednes then any of the auncient wicked Iudges to whose iniquitye was apointed a miserable conclusiō of their vnhappy daies Wherin Dauid considering the lamentable infelicities ouerwhelming the world for the false corrupt iudgemēt of Iudges cries out to God saying Raise thy selfe O Lord God and Iudge the Earth condemne the abuses and faultes of suche people as haue corrupted the earth with impietye by their vnrighteous Iudgementes so shalt thou raigne ouer all nations and bée honoured as a true and iust Lorde and Iudge of the earth doing iustice vpon so many iniquities By this psalme Iudges are instructed to iudge well as well for the reuerence of the great Lord sitting in the middest of them in theyr Iudgements to approue them if they bée righteous and reproue them yea dissolue them if they hold of iniquity condemning the persons to horrible misteries yea euen to shake the foundations of the maine earth so gréeuous to God is a false and vnrighteous Iudge as of the con-contrary hee delites in him who according to conscience acquites his charge duty as also for that they haue the honour estate reuerence of Iudges to distribute right to euery one remembring that lord in their iudgement who hath this perpetuall property to iudge without affection they ought also to haue such exquisite knowledge with exact iudgemēt of reason that according to cōmon naturall sence they iudge to estéeme it a horrible sinne to iudge against their conscience séeing that as infinite Pagans with this iudgement of reason haue established their perpetual glory for the true deciding of causes so the errour of our Iudges being layde vp in the memory of God wil bring them to receyue sētence afore his seate of iudgement to their assured confusion And so let all Iudges knowe that if by their sinister sentences any one is depriued of his goodes honour or life by whiche it can not bée chosen but many calamities wyll happen euen so many eternal damnations do they deserue with no lesse horrible paines
himselfe looking out of a grated window for not being séene and causing to be layd in the place instrumentes or tooles of craftes men bookes knyues swordes and such like things to obserue whereunto they were most addicted he iudged by this in what arte he was to instruct them if by long studie and his paines they changed not according to the desire of their parentes that connaturall inclination he aduised their friends to dispose them to such arte as their nature inclined them as to the warres to marchaundise or otherwayes saying which I doe well appoue that there is but one thinge to be chaunged a corrupt nature and wicked inclination for touching the naturall vocation it is necessarie séeing it is of God to follow it without contradiction onles we would séeme to resiste God because that as euery member of the naturall bodye hath his proper office so God hath giuen to euery man as to the member of his politike and mysticall body a certain instruction or rather inspiration to followe some peculiar estate or arte aboue others which S. Paule calles vocation wherin we must walke the better to expresse our obedience to God. ¶ Instructions to know by the way of contrary oppositions by the comparisons of the other Chapters the miseries which happen to the world by reason of leude schole Masters Chapter v. LEt vs now handle more at large the incommodities and euils hapning by the fault of Maisters ignoraunt negligent fayling in their charge for hitherto we haue touched them but briefely And for aduertisement to fathers and parents to prouide wise Masters for the institution of their children Let vs also looke into the miseries that happen for not hauing good doctrine in their youth Wherein not swaruing from the comparisons aforesayed in fauour of good Masters but by Antithesis or contrary opposition applying them to expresse our purpose further we say that where ignorant or negligent Dyers in place to giue good and faire die do either raise an euil cooller or ill applie that which is good and burne the cloth in not ministring fier according to time and measure What remedie to correct this desperate losse the cooller can not easely be chaunged and the cloth is either lost or at the least so defaced that he wil be no more brought to the price and value hoped for euen so when Masters vndertaking to imprint sprituall impressiōs in childrē haue taught them that which is euill and in place to leade their youth in good instructions infect them with naughtie principles either teaching that which is wicked or interpreting the good by corrupt and false exposition as not vnderstanding the pretended sence of the author or els as vain and barbarous bring it to their owne purpose how is it possible to supplant in young sprits this wicked impressiō which they haue so curiously receiued the table canuase or parchment receiuing any paynting or workemanship of drawing whatsoeuer can not so well be razed that the staine do not appeare to the disliking of the beholder and much lesse can there be bestowed vppon it any other better counterfet or painting which wil not steane corrupt or be defaced by the fier it is not possible to washe so well a pot which hath alwayes holden oyle but he will kéepe some smacke of his first liccour and putting wyne into it it is in perill to change his tast and be corrupted Euen so is it lost labour to men to breake their braines to roote out of the wittes of Children false opinions instilled into them from their youth by teachers of error and much lesse to clense or purge their fancie defiled with vnchast lessons and stayned with dissolute and filthy spéeches yea with actes and examples vile sclaūderous The Scripture teacheth by the figure of the shéepe of Jacob and Laban that they shoulde conceiue Lambes of cooller like to the roddes which Iacob shewed them in the fountaine where they dronke that euen so simple braynes receiuing any impression by Bookes or lectures preferred to them in the first heate of their conceiuing age do not onely reteine and by time expresse in action their first conception but also are hardly drawne from it most specially if it be euil either by perswasion or contrary instruction We read not that any Disciple of the Epicurien sect euer became stoicke notwithstanding all the Philosophers reproued that sect and by infinit reasons proued their opinion most damnable That was the cause why God sayed to the Jewes in Ieremie if the Ethiopian can change his skinne you may also do well séeing you haue learned in the scholes of false Prophets to do euill as if he had sayd you haue bene so much corrupted from your youth by false doctrine of wicked Masters that you can not now dispose your selues to do wel and receiue the holly doctrines which I giue you by my Prophets But now to the other infirmities if the potters be not skilful in their Art wise and carefull to prepare and worke their first matter to fashion proper mowlles and to applie the fier with rate and season shall they raise any pot or vessell to commoditie if it be euill made were he not better to breake it then to aske a new time to repaire it If the Goldsmith faile in his first workmanship notwithstanding he haue gold ready to make some excellent Iewell hee must of necessitie breake all otherwayes he is not to preferre it to the publike iudgemēt of honest men In the same sort if Masters faile by ignorance imprudence negligence or example to prepare and make perfect the sacred vesselles of the holy Ghost the better to receiue his deuine graces gifts yea tomake such faire precious Iuels as they may be presented afore God How can this error or rather infinit fault be reformed afterwardes Salamon according to the truth of the Hebrew is of opinion that that which is depraued cannot without great difficultie be corrupted meaning not without the speciall grace of GOD Let parents beware to giue to their children schole Masters vaine barbarous and dissolute seing without wise instruction and demonstration of good life there is more perill to their children then if they put them into houses of leprosie and vncleanes wyth good reason Philip of Macedonia did not onely reioyce that he had a sonne but thought him happely borne in the time of Aristotle in hope of the doctrine and vertue which he might get vnder the discipline of so wise and skilfull a Master If the laborers faile to till their grounds in season and replenish them with good séeds let them looke to make no plentifull haruest but if they suffer the vermine of the field and ayre to deuower the corne in the blade they shall reape little or no fruite at all If they suffer them to ouergrowe with thornes thistels and wicked wéedes notwithstanding their labour to wéede and purge them yet they leaue to the field that which the field
fauour to the accomplishment of all our desiers wherin our generall prayers and spirituall demeanors accompanied with charitie and correction of vices are of great power to apease the furious stormes of heauen restore to the earth the calme of gods auncient clemencie euen as we sée the roaring noyse of huge Cannons breake the cloudes and persing through tempests séeme to make cease their thuÌ„ders and clarifie and reduce the trobled ayer to his clearnes The Phisicions hauing in cure a diseased body obserue all the signes that best serue to disclose the nature and state of the disease they beholde the patient they consider the part that is grieued they enquire of the houre of his sicknes and doubting of surfet they examine what and when he hath eaten or dronken yea they wil be enformed of his kéepers what rest he taketh and how his fits do discontinue or encrease wherein as by those obseruations examinations they bolt out the true cause of the disease and from thence do drawe the remedie So albeit the patient complaine of his extreame passions and desire them to take him out of the pangs he endureth yet they will aunswere him that they must not begin that way but first curing the cause all his consequent grieues will cease euen so in a common calamitie as a generall plague afflicting a whole countrey it belongs to our Christian and spirituall dutie neuer to cease to search out the first cause till we haue found it and then to be more carefull to administer imediat remedy theÌ„ curious to heale the perticular passions of the present miserie For the cause whether it be simple double or in many sortes being remoued the sinne is also purged and the plague prepared to cease as we haue read and séene that afflictions which God hath sent vppon his people haue bene dissolued in one instant when they entred into the correction of their vices But such is the mischiefe of the present season that suffring the cause we seldome séeke further then to cure the present passion whereby our euils rise to continuance and most often to perpetuity For if we minister purgation we do it not in fulnes whereby of the dregges remayning we fall eftsones into disease and tary not long without eyther warres plagues or generall dearth yea sometimes we sée raised from the earth and from the sea fo many vapours exhalations of our vncleane pleasuees heats of lust that they gather and congeale into a terrible storme breake downe our houses roote vp our trées blast our corne and bring vppon vs so many other calamities that a whole couÌ„trey as a sick body becomes by them so shaken weakoned and made miserable that there is no expectatioÌ„ but to sée and suffer vniuersall ruine For according eftsones to the resemblance of the dregges remayning whereby wée suffer relaps of sicknesse for waÌ„t of ful perfect purging we sée that after warres famine and then pestilence follow as in common societie which are not according to the argument of Philosophers to be attributed to the starres or by good Christians can not with out apostacie of faith be referred to naturall reasons since in the scriptures wherein with the suretie of the only truth the infallible iudgement of God is declared to vs we are assured that the will of God was not to scourge vs with two nor with thrée rods and much lesse to strike vs with the staffe of his rigorous iustice but as a father sought to whip vs with one only rod to make vs acknowledge our faults and yet sent vs afore hand certaine signes fore warnings to inuite vs to demaund pardon and not to punish vs or at the most to giue vs but certaine light lashes with a small rod For which cause as we seldome finde that God hath thundred such afflictions but that he hath sent afore forewarnings So yet if he sawe the people would not correct their faultes and draw to amendement by the rod of warre he would pinch them with famine and if by that discipline he saw no reformation he trebled his rod by pestilence sending sometimes the one afore the other by coÌ„trary order But séeing into their obstinacy resolute inclination to sinne he leaueth them often times according to his threates in Ose abandoned not caring to forewarne theÌ„ by such disciplines but to dissolue and breake them altogetâ—er or which is most to be feared to deliuer them ouer to their fleshly delites and to become apostates of true religion But here we must not thinke that the people of God as they of Juda acknowledging their faultes by the scourge of warre were iouched with other persecution no we find not but in Samarya a countrey of Idolaters that eyther famine or pestilence haue folow warres bycause there was conuersion of the people only at the notable sacke and spoyle of Ierusalem and Judea both by the Assirians and the Romaines wee read that in the chastisement of those people GOD did not only vse his thrée common scourges but also he stroke with his rod of Iron to breake all adding captiuitie and banishment to those that remained of the first furie slaughter wherein such may be noted of extreame ignorance of God or apostatie of ChristiaÌ„ faith who qualefying the lamentable euents and calamities hapning in these dayes in Christendome whether by the Turks or Christian nations one against an other or whether in one kyngdome by reuoltes mutinies and Ciuill warres yea not thinking their wickednes such as they ought to be considered vppon being indeede the moste hard scourges of God and signes of his extreame fury say they are but common miseries of the world such as men ought not to bee amased withall for that they are ordinary and hapning yerely in diuerse countreys as in Spaine hath bene séene many popular mutinies in Germanie and in the climats of the Turkes and regioÌ„s of very neare neighborhead Such men do either not at all or els very coldly affirme that those miseries are sent for the scourge of our sinnes no they call them rather with contradiction repugnance fatal as destinies ineuitable that the world must passe so as the skie tourneth the elements moue alter Oh barbarous opinions language of infidels wherein what other thing do they then applawde the vices of men support wicked warres helping to excuse such as raise factioÌ„s monopolies rebellions giue countenaÌ„ce to sedicious subiects against their naturall Prince fauouring and approuing thefts sacrileges murders and spoyles of good men and all vnder cooler of certaine destinies and deuine ordinances which cannot be resisted ascribing impunitie to such as do the wrong and will not holde them worthy to be corrected Confutation of humaine Philosophie touching the affaires of faith wherein and in things serious men ought not to decide but according to the Scripture Chapter ix TOuching humane Philosophiers it is written the as the wisedom of the world