Ghostes meaning is not to haue such an order of life obserued as these people do deuise but that euery man should gouerne well his owne house and familie relieue the brethrens necessitie according as his abilitie will suffer and beare To this end also do other places belong 1. Timothe 5. Titus 2. 1. Thessal 4. 2. Thessal 3. And when in all his Epistles almost he prescribeth to parents and children to housbands and wiues to maisters and seruauntes their office and dueties what doth he else but teach how to order our houses families thus much thus farre What may be saide of that more ouer that many wealthie men in the Gospell are reported to haue béene worshippers of God Ioseph of Arimathea which buried the Lord after hée was crucified is said to haue bene a wealthie man a disciple of Christ also The women were welthie which folowed the Lord from Galile and ministred to him and his disciples of their goods substance The gelded treasorer of Quéene Candace was a welthie man Tabitha of Ioppa whoÌ„ Peter raysed from death to life was rich and spent her substance fréely vppon poore and néedie people Lydia the seller of purple was wealthie too and innumerable more who were both godly and faithful people Wheras the Lord therefore did say to the younge man If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell that which thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and folowe mee that is no generall lawe or simple doctrine belonging to all men but is a demonstration onely to shew that the yonge man to whom he spake had not yet so perfectly fulfilled the lawe as he thought verily that he had dâ—n for hee thought hée had done all and that nothing was wanting For the younge man sett more by his goods then hée did by God and the voyce of Gods commaundement For he departed sadly and did not as the Lord had bidden him and thereby declared that hée had not yet fulfilled the lawe Moreouer wée may out of other places gather that the Lord did not casâ—e downe his disciples to miserie and beggarie Neither was Paul the Apostle ashamed to make lawes for riche men and to prescribe an order howe they ought to behaue themselues To them that be riche sayth he â–ª in this world giue charge that they bee not highe minded nor trust in vncertaine riches but in the lyuing God which giueth vs abundantly al thinges to enioy that they do good that they bee riche in good woorkes that they be ready to giue glad to distribute laying vp in stoare for them selues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold vppon eternall life Hereunto belong the admonitions of our Sauiour who sayth Yee cannot serue God mammon at once Againe Riches are thornes that choake the seede of the word of God. And againe Verilie I say vnto you a riche man shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen It is easier for a Camel to goe throughe the eye of a needle than for a rich maÌ„ to enter into the kingdome of God. And as the mindes of wealthie men are not vtterly to be discouraged and driuen to desperation as thoughe it were impossible for them to be saued so are they to be admonished of the imminente perills least peraduenture they sléepe securely ouer their riches beeing seduced by Satan to abuse their wealthe when as in déede they ought rather to vse it after the rule of the Apostle which I did euen nowe recite The Gangresian Synode a verie auncient Counsell verily condemned them which taughte That faithfull riche men could haue no hope to bee saued by the Lord vnlesse they did renounce and forsake all the good that they did possesse S. Augustine enrolleth and reckoneth the Apostoliques in his Catologue or beadrowe of heretiques They taking arrogantly this name to themselues did not admitte into their companie any of them which vsed the fellowshipp of their owne wiues or had in 〈◊〉 any proper substaunce â–ª 〈…〉 they therfâ—â—e 〈…〉 because seperating themselues from the Church they thincke that they haue no hope to be saued which vse and enioy the things that they themselues lacke They are like vnto the Encratites and are called also by the name of Apotactites Touching riches they of themselues verily are not euill but the good giftes of God It is the abuse that makes them euil But for the vse of them I wil speake hereafter Here followeth nowe the treatise of the getting of wealth and riches which bée necessarie for the maintenance of our liues and families Touching the getting whereof there is a large discourse among our Lawyers For they say that goods are gotten by the lawe of Nations and by the peculiar lawe of euery particular countrie By the lawe of Nations as by Preuention in possession by captiuitie by finding by byrth by casting vp of water by chaunging the kinde by increase in bondage by mixture by building planting sowing tilling in a ground frée from possession and by deliuerie By the peculiar lawe of euery particular countrie as by continuaunce of possession by prescription by giuing by will by legacie by feoffment by succession by challenge by purchase of all which particularly to speake it would bée a labour too tedious and for you to heare dearely beloued litle profitable That therefore which wée are to saye wée will frame to the manners and customes of oure age and wée will vtter that which shall tend to our auaile Principally and before all thinges wee must close and shutt vpp an euill eye least wee bee carried away with too much concupiscence and desire The light of the body saith oure Sauiour Christe in the Gospell is the eye If therefore thine eye be single thine whoale body shal be lightened but if thine eye bee euill thy body shal bee all darcke The minde of man béeing indued with faith and not infected with concupiscences and naughtie lustes doth giue light to all thinges that hée shall take in hand goe about and doe but if his mind bée corrupt and vncleane then shall his déedes sauour also of corruption and vncleannesse Wherfore faith and an vpright conscience must subdue and beate downe too muche concupiscence and couetousnesse which take their originall and roote from distruste making vnholie and vncleane al the counsells of man all his thoughtes all his woordes and déedes And that wée may be able and of force sufficieÌ„t to captiuate bring them into subiection necessarie it is that the Grace of Christe assiste vs which euery godly minded man and woman doeth aske of God with godly and faithfull prayers Béehoofull it is that wée alwayes set before our eyes and haue déepely grauen in our heartes the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ touching these and the instruction also of his holie Apostles which is not so much but it may bée well borne away Wée will therefore rehearse vnto
Confession of true religion 366 Conscience 100 1 Commaundement 112. 113 2 Commaundement 116 3 Commaundement 126 4 Commaundement 136 5 Commaundement 144 6 Commaundement 163 7 Commaundement 222 8 Commaundement 259 9 Commaundement 318 10 Commaundement 318 Commaundementes of the Lorde their order 136 Coniurers and witches 116 Countrie natiue 145. 151 Correction 161 Cockering of children 262 Consecrating of magistrates 177 Constantine the great 181 Common in goods in the Apostles time c. 161 Common weale deuised 216 Communion 1063 Common cost or treasure 221 Continencie 237. 238. 239. 240 Consolations generall against afflictions and troubles 306 Coueâ—ing 324 Couet what it is not that we must not 325 Congregation or assembly 335 Constancie of certeine holie meÌ„ absteining from things vnclean 383 Couenant or new people all things therein are more euident than in the olde couenaunt or testament 436 Corruption of oure owne nature what and how great 499 Controuersie betweene Augustine Pelagius touching the Grace of God. 53â— Conuersion to God 562 Confession 570. 571. 572. 573. 574 600. Consecration of breade and wine 168 Counsels of what sorte they haue bene in these latter ages 600 Consultation 574 Continual successioÌ„ of bishops 828 Coniunction with Christe and the Church 1021 Consecration or blessing chaungeth not the nature of things 796 CouÌ„sel of Nice touching baptisme 1005 Counsel of Later in what yere 986 Comforte for afflicted consciences 1110 Corruption of scholes 1116 Creation of the world 5. 637 Créede of the Apostles â—5 56 Creatures cleane and vnclean 382 Curious questioning of God forbidden 605 Cyprian expoundeth the ninth Article 78 Cyprian his errour touching Babtisme 1031 D. Dagon 117 Daungerous to speake against Iupiter 170 Damage 270. 275. 396. Dauids adulterie 233 Dauid his opinion of Iustification 555 Dauid coÌ„plaineth of his forced absence from the holy assemblies 916 Descent lineall of Messias 6 Death of the crosse reprochful 64 Death of Christ fruitfull 64 Descension of Christ into hell 65 Democracie 170 Deuises of newe fangled worships are cursed of God. 185 Deliuerance by Gods goodnes 293 Denial of Gods truth in persecution is no way to kéep our goos 312 Decree of the synode holden at Ierusalem 421 Deliuerer of vs who he is 441 Definition of sinne 408 Death of madd men is vnfruitful therefore to be construed to the best 512 Definition of the Gospel 526 Departure from the Romishe churche 849. 851. 858 Deacons what is their office 87â— Deprauation is the blotting out of the Image of God in vs. 500 Demonstration of the figuratiue woordes This is my body c in the Lords supper 1087 Destinie 480 Discretion and clemencie of the iudge 199 Dicing and carding 474 Discommodities that the saints do suffer are recompenced with greater commodities 311 Disinheriting 393 Diuorcement 394. 1133 Diuision of goods 394 Difference of the olde and newe testament and people 435 Differences of sinne 480 Difference betwéene Paena and Culpa peccati 58â— Disagréeing places of faythe and workes reconciled 463 Dionysius of the names of God. 615 Dignitie prerogatiue of bishopâ— increased 882 Diuel and diuels 479. 744. 745. 746. 747. Difference to be made of the Lordâ— body 1107 Discipline of the Nazarites 380 Discipline in scholes 1116 Discipline and correction of ministers 1129 Doctrine of Christe the chiefe contents thereof 3â— Doctours opinion of iustification by fayth 466 Doctrine Catholique of originall sinne 49â— Doctours and fathers of the church confesse with one assent originalâ— sinne 67 Doctrine of frée iustification without workes why it is to be kept incorrupted in the Churche of Christe 557 Doctrine of veritie is néedefull to repentaunce 563 Doctrine of Chrysostome touching consestion 576 Doctrine touching the Trinitie is most certeine 631 Doctrine of the auncient Church of Rome 830 Doctours or teachers 878 Donation of Constantine 888 Doctrine when it is to be teached 904 Doctrine priuat and publique 907 Doctrine for the life sake not to be receiued 9. 12. 17 Doubting in two sortes 34 Drunkennesse 440 Drunken or made dronke in the scriptures is sometime taken for made merrie 285 Dutie of parentes to their children 158 Dutie of children 162 Dutie of a good pastour 906 E. Ease and rest vpon the Sabbaoth what it signifieth 138 Eating of bloud and strangled forbidden 385 Ecclesiasticall priuileges 183 Ecclesiasticall power in what pointes it consisteth 837 Ecclesiasticall matters of diuers sorts to be disposed by the church 839 Ecclesiasticall goods 1118 Election of magistrates 175 Elders whereof they haue their name 878 Emperours lawe for the kéeping of the sabbaoth 143 End of the ministerie wherfore instituted 875 End of prayer what 819 End of the institution of sacrameÌ„ts 983 Endes of the Lords supper 1083 Ephod 333 Ephesus the twelue men thereof not rebaptised 1059 Equinâ—ctiall 363 Equalirie betwéene byshops and elders 880 Errour grosse of the Patris-passians 624 Errour in the Apostolique church â–ª 1001 Essence of God one hath a distinction of persons 624 Essence of substance 626 Ethnicks sentences of God are in some place maymed 104 Euil in two significations 494 Euangelistes what they are 878 Euill spirites 744. 878 Euil life of the minister scandalous and offensiue 912 Examples of true faith 36 Examples of warre of captaines out of the Scriptures 215 Examples of gods deliuerance 309 Examples of afflictions in the patriarches 313 Examples of afflictions of the old Church 314 Examples of God iustly punishing 521 Examination of bishops to be elected 895 Exercises of a bishop or pastour 911. Exercises of repentance outwardly 595 Exhomologesis what it is 575 Exhortation to liue 99 Expositions of the Scriptures c. 27. 28. Exposition auncient of the wordes of the Lords Supper 1086 Ezekias commended of GOD and prospered for breaking Images downe 254 F. Father what he first taught 5 Faith. 4. 6. 8. 30. 31. 33. 35. 37. 38. 40. 41. 42. 43. 48. 52. 53. 54. 203. 204. c. Face of God. 91 Fasting 242. 243 244. 245 351. False doctrine concerning riches rich men condemned 263 Fathers and we are all one church of one and the same Testament 429 Fathers and we haue all one faith 429. One spirite 430. One hope heritage 431. One manner of innocation 434 Falling awaye from religion of diuers sortes 859 False Christians 712 False counsellers vnworthie of the name 254 Fall of Angels from heauen 745 Feast of the 7. moneth or Tabernacle 353 Feast of trompets 353 Feast of clensing 353 Feast of attonement is the time of preaching the grace of God. 376 Feare of god 564. 565 Feare in Gods cause is to be excluded 890 Flaterie 323 Flaterers 890 Finall impenitencie 519 Fighting in defence of thy countrie 149 Flesh and bloud shall not be in heauen 89 Flesh taken in the scripture for the old man. 588 Flesh profiteth nothing 1101 Forme of the Lords Supper 1068 Formes and wayes of knowing God. 607 Forgiuenes of sinnes 82 Fornication 234 Frendship to be preserued 102 Fréâ—dome that we haue by Christ
wicked man he is not worshipped withsūptuous cost neither is he delighted with the sight of solemn tragedies as a wicked man is but his delight is in vertue in a mind that purposeth to doe good workes and righteousnesse Wherefore euery one must indeuour him selfe as muche as he may both to doe wel and wil wel if he desire to haue God to his friend c. Cicero in his second booke De natura deorum saith The best worshipping of the Gods and the moste holy and pure religion is alwayes to honor them with a pure perfect and vncorrupted minde and voice Seneca also in his fifte booke Ad Lucil. sayth Our vsuall custome is to teache men howe the Gods are to be worshipped Let vs giue commaundement that on holye dayes no man set pearchers or taper light before the Gods for they are much delighted with lightes as men halfe smouldered haue pleasure in smoake Let vs forbid these morning greetings and solemne knelings at the Temple dores This more then neding fiddle faddle smacks somwhat of ambitiō He worshippeth god that knoweth god Let vs forbid to bring napkins rubbars to Iupiter to hold a looking glasse to Iuno God seketh not such seruice Why so Bicause he him self forsooth doth serue and supply all mens necessities He is present euery where at hand with al mē Let euery mā heare therefore howe he ought to worship God as he shold He shal neuer verily be sufficiently cleare frō troublesome superstitions vnlesse he in his minde thinke of God as he should do that is that he hath all things that he giueth all things and that he bestoweth benefites freely not looking for any recompence at all What is the cause that the Gods doe good Their nature forsothe He is deceiued who so euer thinketh that they eyther will or possibly can doe harme they can neither take wrong nor yet do wrōg For to do harme and to suffer harme are coupled together The chiefest and most excellent nature of al is the nature of them which are themselues exempt from peril and are not by nature hurtful to others The first point of worship due to the Gods is to beleue that there are Gods then to giue them the maiestie due vnto them and to ascribe to them their goodnesse without the whiche their maiestie is none at all To confesse that they are they that gouerne the worlde that they rule all thinges as their owne that they doe generally looke to the safegarde of all mankinde and sometime to are carefull for peculiar men They neither doe nor haue any euill at all But some they chastise keepe vnder and punish somtime by whipping in hope to make them good Wilt thou please the Gods and make them thy friends Be good thy selfe thē He hath sufficiently worshipped them whosoeuer hath imitated them in goodnesse In these wordes of Seneca although notable in déede and agréeable to true religion I finde default notwithstanding of two thinges The first is bycause not so seldome as once he maketh mention of Gods when as neuerthelesse in an other place he doth frankly confesse that God is one in substance no more Neyther dare I vndertake for him that he spake after the manner of the Scripture which calleth God Elohim as if you should say Gods bycause of the mysterie of the most reuerend Trinitie And yet I know very well that learned men of our religion haue gone about to proue euē by the testimonies of the Gentiles that the Gentiles also did acknowledge the mysterie of the Trinitie The seconde is that for as muche as I can sée Seneca with the other wise men of the Gentiles doth not expresly set downe and teache the sounde truste and confidence that should be had in God. Moreouer there was not among the Romans any image of God in any temple that they had for the space of 170. yeres after Rome was builded For Plutarch in the life of Numa Pompilius sayth As for the decrees that Numa made touching Images of the immortall Gods how like are they almost in euery point to the doctrine of Pythagoras Pythagoras thought that that first beginning he meaneth God is not subiect to sense or any troublesome affection but is an inuisible and vncreated spirite And on the other side Numa forbad the Romans to thinke that the shape of God hath the likenesse of a man or else the figure or similitude of any liuing thing Neyther was there among them of the old time any painted or fashioned Image of God but in the firste 170. yeares they builded Temples and set vp houses for seruice to be done in vnto the Gods but bodily similitudes they did not make euen as if it were a detestable thing to liken the better vnto the worse and as though God could not otherwise be perceiued but by reason knowledge only The very same doth Marcus Varr◠testifie touching the Romans in the 31. chap. of Augustines booke De Ciuitate Dei. For hée sayth That the Romans worshipped the Gods. 170. yeares without any Images at all and going further hée addeth this Which if it had endured till nowe the Gods verilie should haue been more purely reuerenced Neither doubteth hée to conclude that place with these words and to say That they which first brought in Images amonge the people diminished deuoute feare augmented foolish errour in the Cities where they gouerned Wisely iudgging thereby that the Gods may easily be despised vnder the fondnesse of imagined likenesses c. Now as concerning the name of God how much the Gentiles did set by it it is euident to bée séene by the great religion that they had in taking or giuing an othe There is extant to be séene a notable discourse of this in the 18. Cap. and the 7. booke of Gellius where among the rest this is to be founde written An othe among the Romans hath bene had and kept holy and vncorrupted which is declared by many lawes and customes And if so be that among the Gentiles any man shoulde speake opprobriously against God he was reputed faultie most sharply to be punished Furthermore the Gentiles had their religion their festiuall dayes ceremonies and priestes of their religion Melchizedech and Iethro were notable priestes of the Gentiles And although Paule doth flatly say that the things which the Gentils offered were not offered to God but to deuils yet notwithstanding bycause they had in reuerence religion and holy ceremonies they did therby declare that God had printed in the mindes of men a familiar knowledge of reuerence and religion which afterward is corrupted by false doctrine and wrong opinions touching God and his holy seruice For the honouring of Parents and Magistrates for the bringing vp of children and touching the duetie of children there are excellent precepts and sentences of the wiser sorte of Gentiles Hierocles among his other writings sayth If any man shal cal his Parents certaine seconde or
of God. Wherefore this promise appertaineth as well to vs as to the Iewes bycause the prolonging of this present life is a testimonie of Gods especiall fauour He promiseth assuredly to them that do religiously honour their parents in what lande soeuer they dwel al kind of blessings felicitie and store of temporal things with a swéete prolonging of this present lyfe For Paule interpreting this in the fifte Chapter of his Eipstle to the Ephesians sayth That it may goe wel with thee and that thou mayst liue long vpon the earth Meaning any lande whatsoeuer and promising a Temporall blessing of the Lorde We therefore gather herevpon that the contrarie is threatened and set as a penaltie vpon the heades of those that disobediētly despise their parents By examples and other places of the scripture this shall be made more manifest Cham is cursed of his father Noe for behauing him self vnreuerently towarde him euen in his drunkennesse Ioseph is exalted to the chiefest dignitie in Egypt bycause from his childhoode he honoured God and reuerenced his father Iaacob Solomon in the. 17. Chapter of his Prouerbs sayth Whosoeuer rewardeth euil for good euill shal not depart frō his house Againe He that despitefully taunteth his father and despiseth the olde age of his mother shall bee confounded and left in reproch The sonne that leaueth to keepe the discipline of his father shall thinke of talke of wickednesse Who so curseth his father or mother his light shall be put out and the balles of his eyes shall see nought but darknesse For they are monsters and no men that are vnnaturall toward their parents and especially they which do not only neglect and despise thē but also beate and vncurteously handle them Such fellowes doth the Lord commaund to be slayne as people vnworthy to sée the light bycause they forget and will not acknowledge that by the meanes of their parentes they came into the world He that curseth father or mother sayth the Lorde let him dye the death And againe Hee that striketh his father or mother let him dye the death There is none of you whiche knoweth not the law called Lex Pompeia against such as kill their parents It is not amisse here to heare what the Gentile writers say touching this matter Homer sayth He did not nourish as he should his aged parents deare Therfore the Gods did frō his youth cut off the iolliest yeare And the auncient Poet Orpheus sayeth God sits aboue and sees the sonnes that do them selues apply To do their fathers hests and those that shamelesly deny Them to obey and as he doth blesse th' one with sundry gifts So for to vexe th' other he doth deuise a thousand drifts For though despised parents die yet do their ghostes remaine And are of force vpon the earth to put their sonnes to paine Moreouer the tragicall Poet Euripides hath To him that while he liues doth loue his parents to obey Whether he liue or else do dye God is a friend alwaye And Menander the Comicall Poet sayth The wretch is worse then mad that with his parents falles at oddes For wise men greatly reuerence them and honour them as Goddes Virgil also among other horrible vices which are punished in hel with eternall and vnspeakable paines doth say Here they that did their brethrē hate while life on earth did last Or beate their parents c. And immediately after He did his countrie sell for golde and made a tyrant King For bribes he made marde his coūtrie lawes and euery thing And Horace in his Odes sayth It is a sweete and seemely thing in countries cause to dye And Silius Italicus hath Doubt not of this forget it not but keepe it in thy mynd It is a detestable thing to shew thee selfe vnkind Vnto thy natiue countrie soyle for no such sinne remaines In hell to be tormented there with vtter endlesse paines As that so doth experience teache These testimonies haue I cited to this end purpose that by these dearly beloued ye may gather the hainousnesse of this offence which the verie Gentiles them selues do so grieuosly cry out against and vtterly condemn Caine slue his brother Abel but therby he gat his rewarde to be marked with a perpetuall blot of ignominie and reproche Semei did intollerably rayle vpon Dauid his ordinarie Magistrate and therefore was he punished according to his desarts Absalom rebelled vnnaturally against his father Dauid but being wrapped by the haire to a tree and hanging betwixt heauen and earth he is horribly thrust throughe with a Iauelin The Lorde called them that slue the Prophetes by the name of Adders broode and sonnes of the deuill As for them that haue reprochfully dealte with olde men or troubled widowes they haue not gone vnpunished For the Lorde in the lawe sayth Thou shalt not afflict the widowes nor fatherlesse children But if ye do go on to afflict them they shal vndoubtedly crie to me and I will heare them and my wrath shall waxe hote and I will slay you with the sword your wiues shal be widowes and your childrē fatherlesse Thus much hitherto Saint Paule alledging this lawe in his Epistle to the Ephesians dothe very aptly apply it to our learning and comfort For he sayth Children obey your parents for this is right honour thy father and mother which is the first commaundement in promise that thou mayste prosper and liue long on earth Fathers prouoke not your childrē to wrath but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord. In these wordes he telleth the parentes their duetie as well as the children Thrée thinges he doth require at the hande of the parentes that is to bring vp their children to instruct them and to correct them For it is the parents office to nourish to feede and bring them vp till they be grown to age that being once dispatched frō hanging on their parents any longer they may get their liuings with their owne labour and trauell It is the parentes office to teache and instruct their children That teaching or instructing consisteth in three things in religion in manners and skil of an occupation Nowe touching religion it hath certaine principles rudiments I say and Catechismes to teach by Secondarily it hath the Scriptures setting out the word of God with a full exposition of all things belonging to God it hath also mysteries holie signes and Sacraments to teache and to learne by If the housholder be conuersant amonge a people whiche honoureth the true religion and hath receiued the lawfull worship of God with true faythfull and godly Ministers and teachers of Christ his Church let him giue charge and sée that his children goe to the holy congregation there to be instructed in religiō by the publike preacher Yet neuerthelesse let the father at home examine his children and know what they haue learned by hearing the sermon Let both the father and mother also at home priuatly doe their indeuour to
and in as naturall and playne an order as possibly can bée Of the holie buyldings of the not makinge awaye of such thinges as were consecrated to the Lorde and finally of the mainteining and publishinge of true religion there is large speache euery where throughout the whole Scripture Neither do I thinke it to be greatly to the purpose worde by worde to recite all the lawes nor particularly to make mencion of all the commandments touching those matters Verily of the Heathen and of the ouerthrowing of their Temples and superstitious holie toyes this commaundement is briefely giuen by the Lord him selfe When the Lorde thy God hath cast out many nations before thee thou shalt roote them out neither shalte thou make league with them nor pittie them nor ioyne affinitie with them because they will seduce thy sonnes to serue straunge Goddes and so my furie waxe hoate against thee and I destroy thee But this shalt thou do to them ye shall digge downe their altars ye shall breake their idoles ye shall cut downe their groues and burne their images with fire For an holie people arte thou vnto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people vnto him selfe The same lawe is set downe in the 23 of Exodus and is againe repeated in the twelfth of Deuteron Herevnto belong the laws that were published against idols and images In the ninetéenth of Leuiticus the Lorde saith Looke not backe to idoles neither make you moulten Gods. I am the Lord your God. Also in the 26 Chapter Ye shal make you no idols nor grauen Image neither reare you vp any piller neither shal ye set you vp any Image of stone in your lande to bow downe vnto it for I am the Lord your God. Againe in the 16 of Deuteronomie Thou shalt plant no groue of any trees nighe vnto the altar of the lord thy God neither shalt thou set thee vpp any image which the Lord thy God hateth There are beside these also many other lawes to this ende and purpose in euery place through all the volume of the Scriptures Of the well handling and entreating of the poore of widowes of orphanes and straungers the Lorde giueth this commaundement Ye shall not afflict the widowe nor the fatherlesse But if ye goe on to afflicte them without doubt they shall crye to mee and I wil assuredly heare thē and wil be angrie with you and wil slaye you with the sworde and your wiues shal bee widowes and your children fatherlesse To this beelongeth a good parte of the fiftéenth Chapter of Deuteronomie In the 24 Chapter the Lorde saith Do not peruert the iudgement of the straunger of the fatherlesse and of the widowe Remember rhat thou wast a straunger in the lande of Aegypt Of the receiuinge and refusinge of witnesses and their witnesse bearings in iudgement these fewe notes are giuen in the lawe One witnesse shall not bee of force againste a man whatsoeuer his sinne or offence shall be but in the mouth of two or three witnesses shal euery worde bee established If a false witnesse rise vp against a man to accuse him of trespas the Iudges shal make diligent inquisition and if they finde that the witnesse hath borne false witnes against his brother then shal they do to him as he had thought to haue don to his brother thou shalt put euil awaye from out of the middest of thee Nowe for the othe which the Iudges haue to exact or they that are at variance or else the witnesses haue to take that doth the Lord commaunde to be done by the calling to recorde of his holy name and that too of none other but his name alone Deuteron 10 c. Moreouer that in effect is a kinde of appeale where Moses doeth so often bidd the Iudges in an hard and doubtfull matter to haue recourse vnto the high priest and so as it were to God him self or the Oracle of God for the declaration of the same as is to be seene in the eyghtéenth Chapter of Exodus and in the firste and sixtéenth Chapter of Deuteronomie Of lawfull wedlocke against incestuous and vnprofitable marriages and also of the degrées of consanguinitie and affinitie there are exquisite precepts as well in the eyghtéenth Chapter of Leuiticus as also in other places of the bookes of Moses Verily where lawfull marriages are not there is no matrimonie therefore the children that are so borne are counted bastardes neither is there for them any dowries or inheritance The Lord in many places of his lawe doth charge parents to bring vp their children honestly and to instruct them in the feare of god Among the rest he saith The wordes which I commaunde thee this daye thou shalt shewe vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou arte at home in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shalt bind them for a signe vppon thine hand they shal be as frōtlets betwixt thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates c. Againe for the honouring reuerencing and nourishing of parents there are not in the morall onely but also in the Iudiciall lawes some things set downe wherein the honour and duetie to be giuen to parentes is diligently commended to all sortes of people Of which I will speake whē I come to treate of parricidie vnder which title I do comprehend the euill handling and naughtie demeanour of men to their parents Nowe howe greate the authoritie of fathers ouer their children was we may coniecture by that especially where in the 21 of Exod. it is permitted to the father that is in pouertie to sell his daughter Againe in an other place leaue is giuen to the father either to denye or else to giue his deflowred daughter in marriage to him that did defile her And againe it was in the fathers power to breake the vow which the childe had made without his knowledge or consent Numerie 30. But that to disinherite the children if the children had not deserued it but that some corrupte affection had blynded the parents laye not in the power or will of the parents that lawe doth shew which is published in the twentie one Chapter of Deuteronomie and doth forbidde the father to place the seconde in the right of his eldest or firste begotten sonne Concerning the comming to inheritance and the succession of goods or the lawfull succession by kindred there is a precise law in the 27 Chapter of the booke of Numbers There is sett downe the case of the daughters of Zelphad who did request that their fathers name should not be wiped out but that their fathers inheritaunce and name might be giuen vnto and stil remaine with them vpon that occasion was the lawe made that if the sonnes did dye the heritage should
of Gods law He putteth 3. in the first table and 7. in the last whicâ— added to gether dâ— make vp tenne What the two tables â—â— the laâ— doe conâ—eine The first commaundement The 〈◊〉 is this I am a 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of all things â—hat this commaundemâ—nt requireth ofvs The true God is our God. The mysterie of our redâ—tion by Christ conteined in the first commauâ—dement Straunge Gods are forbidden Straunge gods whaâ— they are Coniuâ—â—rs and witches The second commaundement of God. The ende of the coÌ„maundement is to drawe vs froÌ„ strauÌ„g and forreigne worshippinges God forbiddeth a grauen Image That is the Sunne Moone starres The cause why God wil not be likened to any thing They were hâ—â—tiques â—â—firming that Goâ— hath mâ—â—bers 〈◊〉 to moâ—â— men â–ª All otheâ— images 〈◊〉 for biddâ—â— to be woâ—shipped No imagâ— must be made for Christ How farre 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 law 〈◊〉 to â—â—ke Images To Bow â—â—wne what it is To serue what it 〈◊〉 Ideles teach noâ— Wee haue no cause to choose haunge Gods. God sufâ—â—reth not mate How 〈◊〉 the fathers sinnes 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 A moste large promise is made to the godly worshippers of the Lord. The third commaundement of God. 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 How the name of God is abused The punishment of them that abuse Gods â—ame A pain 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 Of an oath Whether it be lawfull to sweare For what causes we ought to sweare What an â—â—the is Circâ—â—stances ceremonies is swearâ—â—â— How 〈◊〉 ought 〈◊〉 sweare An oath is â—he special â—onour â—one to God. The conditions of an holy oathe Whether wicked oâ—thes must be perfouâ—med It is beâ—t to 〈◊〉 an ill 〈◊〉 Monastial vowes â—ow reliâ—iously we â—ught to â—epe our â—athes A large rewarde promised to such as keepe ther Othes The 4. precept The order of the Lord his commaundements The Sabboth The Sabboth is spirituall The Sabâ—oth is the â—utward â—â—stitutiâ—n of reâ—â—gion â—â—ere is 〈…〉 to abouâ— in â—he maisâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 must teach 〈◊〉 his faâ—â—lie the 〈…〉 the Sabâ—â—th day Ease or rest The Loâ—â— did keâ—p the Sabboth day The Lord blessed the Sabboth day 〈…〉 The Sunâ—â—y Christâ—â—â— day New-yeares 〈◊〉 Good Friday Eastâ—â— day Asâ—â—â—sion day 〈◊〉 day The sancâ—â—fication of the christian Sabboth 〈◊〉 office of euery housholder Nume 15. the abuâ—â—s â—f the â—â—â—â—â—th day Promises and threâ—â—nings added to the Sabboth day The Emperourâ—â—aw for â—he keeâ—ing of â—he Sabâ—oth â—â—e Sabâ—â—â—â— made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man 〈◊〉 â—he â—â—â—both To plow land on the Sabâ—oth day â–ª â—â—d doth â—â—â—ctifie â—r make â—oly The fifth â—â—ecept â—hat is 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 name parents Our natiue Countrie Magisrates or Rulers Gardians or ouerseers of fatherlesse children Ministers pastourâ—â—â— the Câ—urch Cousins 〈◊〉 Aged perâ—â—ns or olde folks To honor what it is The honour of God 〈…〉 before The honour due to parents Math. 15. The Stork he ensign of natural loue The Genâ—iles senâ—ences touching hoâ—â—ur due â—o parents The pains 〈◊〉 trauails â—f Moâ—hers in â—hildbirth For the honoring of our Countrie Fighting in defence of our Countrie Heb. 11 â— Cor. 4 1. Iohn â— Louers of their CouÌ„trie We must pray for our Countrie For the honour due to Magistrates Against seditious rebels The hoâ—our due 〈◊〉 Gardiâ—â—ans and maisters â—f occupations â—â—e office 〈◊〉 duetie â—asters 〈◊〉 scholâ—â—â— The hoâ—our due â—o Ministers of the Churches 1. Cor. 5. Math. â—â— Act. 23. â—â— 25. The 〈◊〉 tempâ—â— the 〈…〉 God 's 〈◊〉 The honour due to our kinsfolkes For the honour due to old men Churche goods The pâ—â—mis 〈◊〉 to those that worship 〈◊〉 parents 〈◊〉 threatninges 〈…〉 their parents Exod. 22 â—phes 5 The dâ—tie of pâ—rents to the◠〈◊〉 ChildreÌ„ to be iâ—structed religâ—â—â— Counsel aduise giuen to housholders in captiuitie Precepts on the inâ—tructiâ—â— of 〈…〉 〈◊〉 The chiâ—â— must be taught manners Childrâ—â— must 〈◊〉 an occupation Of correction Cockering of children The dutie of childreÌ„ The sixt â—â—â—cept What is â—â—â—bidden 〈◊〉 this coÌ„â—aundeâ—â—nt Of Anger Of 〈◊〉 Al hurting is forbidden The Lawe of like for like The manâ—â—rs of killing The â—aâ—ses of mâ—â—der Sancâ—â—â—ries Howe great an offence murder is The magistrate may kill â—hat the 〈◊〉 is â—â—gistraâ—â—â— what 〈◊〉 Three kindes of Magistracies Monarchie Tyrannie Aristocracie Oligarchie Democracie A prouerb 〈…〉 it is 〈◊〉 â—or a subâ—â—cte to speake aâ—â—â—nst his 〈…〉 In 〈…〉 it 〈…〉 witâ— Saints The 〈…〉 must 〈…〉 Titus The 〈…〉 thâ— begâ—â—ning The Magistrate ordeined by God for the good of of men A good Magistrate and a badde Whethâ—â— an 〈…〉 be of 〈…〉 How the oppâ—essed must behaue themselues vnder tyrannical princes â— Cor. 10. â— Pet. 2. 〈◊〉 of â—â—antes The elecâ—ion of 〈◊〉 Who â—â—ght to chuse theÌ„ What â—inde of 〈◊〉 â—â—ght to â—â— chosen â—â— be Maâ—â—strates â—â— the deâ—â—iption 〈◊〉 a good 〈◊〉 The Magistrate must be sound in religion Deut. â— Num. 27. The manner of consecrating Magistrates The Magistrates 〈◊〉 Whether â—e care of religiâ—n belong â—o the Magistrate Leuiâ—â—â— Deut. 2â— An answer to an obiection 1. Iohn 2 Esai 4â— Constâ—â—tine the great Gratian Valentinian Theodose Osias the Leper The seuerall offices of the Magistrates of the ministers must not be coÌ„founded Princes haue done and dealt in religion 2. Parali 8. Priâ—ces haue 〈…〉 religâ—â—â— Ecclesiasticall priuileges What lawes the magistrate ought to appoint concerning religion 〈◊〉 â—â—â—isers of new fan 〈◊〉 worâ—â—ippes are â—â—arsed of God. 〈…〉 The Magistrate 〈◊〉 a lawe iâ—dued witâ— life To put too and take from â—awes Whâ—â— mannâ—â— lawes mag 〈…〉 ought vse Written â—â—wes are â—eedfull The lawe of Moses is not to be in forced vpon kingdom countries A prouerb vsed when one will make them blinde that were before him disanull that which wise men haue allowed Ciuill lawes what manner of lawes they bee Lawes of honestie 〈…〉 â—awes of 〈◊〉 and â—â—nimitie What â—â—â—gement IudgemeÌ„t punishment pertaine to the Magistrate as depending vpon his office The 〈◊〉 Iudgeâ—â—â—fice is â—â—scribe◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 Iudge 〈◊〉 iudg◠〈◊〉 The faultes of Iudges Respect of Persons Vehement affection The good iudg oght to haue God beâ—ore him for a patâ—rne to â—olowe 2. Pâ—â—al 9. Exodâ—â— Leuiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Iudgeâ—ents are â—ot abroâ—ated aâ—oÌ„g chriâ—tians Esai 1. Zach. 7. Of reuengemeâ—t tâ—ken by the Magistrate The sworde whetâ—â—◠〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 to kil◠〈◊〉 puniâ—â—â—â—fendeâ— Foolishe pitie Seueritie is not crueltie For what â—auses God commaunded to kill offenders Lukeâ— â–ª Whâ—â—â— magâ—â—â— ougâ—◠〈◊〉 puâ—â—â—â—â— endâ—â— â–ª The â—indes of â—unishâ—ente Diminâ—tio â—â—pitis â— kinde of â—â—dgemeÌ„t â—hereby â—â—e is put â—â—t of the â—â—ings proâ—â—ction or â—ondemâ—ed to â—ondage â—â—cretion 〈◊〉 cleâ—â—ncie of â—â—e iudge What is to be punished in offenders Whether â—â—e Magiâ—â—rate may 〈◊〉 for â—he breach 〈◊〉 religioÌ„ What moderation must be had in punishing Admonition before punishmâ—â—â— Obiections answeâ—ed Faith is the gift of God. Whether it be lawful to compel one to faith The Apostles required no â—ide of the magistrat for the maintenance of religion against the
without any trouble at all Plato also in his lawes thinketh That he hath a great treasure in his house whosoeuer doth nourishe at home in his house his father or mother or any of their pareÌ„ts in their impotent olde age and doth suppose that he needeth no other picture of any of the Gods to reuerence in his house bicause he shuld turneal his care and diligence to honour his parents And againe in another place Let vs pay sayth he to our parentes while they are aliue the oldest firste and greatest debts that we owe them for our being and bringing vp For euery one must thinke that al which he hath is theirs who did beget and bring him vp so that according to his abilitie he must supply and minister to them al that he doth possesse first of all the externall goods of fortune then of the body and lastly those that do belong vnto the minde therby restoring all that he borrowed and recompencing them in their olde age for al their old cares and griefe susteined for him It is seemely also and requisite that euen in wordes so long as we liue we shuld shew reuerence vnto our parentes For after light and foolishe wordes vsed to them doth commonly come a terrible plague For before euery man doth Nemesis the executrice of iudgment stande and doth throughly thinke vpon all their offences Wee must therefore giue place to oure Parentes when they be angrie without a cause or doe what they liste whether it bee by worde or deede knowing alwayes that the father is rightfully angrie with his son though he be angrie for nothing else but by cause hee thinkes that his sonne hath done to him the thing that he should not Let vs therefore erect to oure parents euen when they be dead monuments seemely for their estate whyle they were aliue which if we shal do then shal we vndoutedly be worthily rewarded at the hands of the gods Thus much hath Plato Saint Hierome saith Pay to mothers the reuerence that ye owe them who seruing you with the paine of their owne wombs doe beare the weight of your bodies and carrying about the infant vnknowne do as it were become seruants to them that shall be borne At that time the mother hungreth not to the filling of her owne bellie neyther doth she alone digest and feede vpon the meate that she eateth With the mothers meate is the babe nourished that lyeth within her his members are fed with another bodies eating so that the man that shall be is filled with the morsels that the mother swalloweth What should I rehearse the nurishment that they giue to their children and the sweete iniuries of way warde infancie that they take and put vp by meanes of their little ones Why shoulde I speake of the meate digested of the mother whiche comming from the other parts of hir body into hir paps is turned there into milke and moysture to fill the weake and tender iawes with thinne and liquide foode for nourishment By nature the infantes are compelled to take of their mothers that which they drinke and when as yet their toothlesse gummes are not able to byte then doe they with the labouring of their lippes drawe that from their mothers breasts that they neede not to chewe The mothers dugge doth serue the childe and still attendeth vppon the swathled babe her hands to hold and her back to bend are readie still to dandle the sucklings limmes that she loues full well God wot The mother desireth often and earnestly to haue her yongling grow and wisheth full many a time to see him a man For these so many and so great good deedes ought the childe once come to age to apply him selfe to doe her seruice with a good and readie minde and heart Let natures debt be paide let them that followe haue their due Pay childe that which thou owest and shewe thy bounden dutie by all manner of seruice what soeuer it be Bycause no man is able to pay to his parentes so much as he oweth them Thus farre out of Hierome Now touching the countrie wherin euery one is borne and brought vp euery man doth wel estéeme of it loue it and wish to aduance it euery man doth decke it with his vertue and prowesse euery one doth helpe it with all sortes of benefites stoutly defending it and valiantly fighting for it if néede be to saue it from violent robbers What is I pray you more to be delighted in then the good platforme of a well ordered citie wherin there is as one did say the church wel grounded wherein God is rightly worshipped and wherein the word of God in faith and charitie is duely obeyed so farre foorth as it pleaseth God to giue the gift of grace wherein also the Magistrate doth defende good discipline and vpright lawes wherein the citizens are obedient and at vnitie among theÌ„ selues hauing their assemblies for true religion and matters of iustice wherein they vse to haue honest méetings in the Church in the Court and places of common exercise wherein they apply them selues to vertue and the studie of learning séeking an honest liuing by suche sciences as mans life hath néede of by tillage by merchandize and other handie occupations wherein children are honestly trayned vp parents recompenâ—ed for their paines â—he poore mainteined of aâ—mes and straungers harboured in their distresse There are therefore in this common weale virgins married women children olde men matrons widowes and fatherlesse children If any by the naughtie disposition of nature transgresse the lawes they are worthily punished the guiltlesse are defended peace iustice and ciuilitie doth flourish and is vphelde Now what is he that can abide to beholde such a common weale the countrey wherein he is borne and bred vp to be troubled vexed torne and pulled in péeces eyther byseditious citizens or ferreine enimies In ciuil seditions forreine warres all vertue and honestie is vtterly ouerthrowne virgins defiled matrones vnciuily dealt withall olde men derided and religion destroyed Wherefore the valiant captain Ioab being redie to fight against the Syrians in defence of his country speaketh to his brother Abisai saying If the Syrians be stronger than I theÌ„ shalt thou helpe me but if the sonnes of Ammon be to strong for thee then will I come and ayde thee Be couragious therefore and let vs fight lustily for our people and for the cities of our god And let the Lorde doe the thing that is good in his owne eyes Moreouer Iudas Machabeus a man among the Israelites worthily estéemed and a famous warrier being singularly affected toward his countrie encouraging his souldiers and countrimen against their enimies sayde They come vpon vs wrongfully in hope of their force to spoile make hauocke of vs with oure wiues and children but we fight for our liues libertie of our lawes and the Lorde will destroye them before our faces The people also among them selues exhorting one another doe cry out
pageants I do not alledge all this as Canonical Scriptures but as proofes to declare that Princes in the primatiue church had power officiall authoritie and a vsuall custome graunted by God as Esai did prophecie and deriued from the examples of auncient kinges to commaund bishops and to determine of Religion in the Church of Christ As for them which obiect the churches priuilege let them knowe that it is not permitted to any prince nor any mortal man to graunt priuileges contrarie to the expresse cōmaundemēts and verie truth of gods word S. Paul affirmed that he had power giuen him to edifie but not to destroy I am the briefer because I wil not stād to proue that they are vnworthie of indifferent priuileges which are not such as priestes and Christ his ministers should be but are souldiers rather and wicked knaues full of all kind of mischiefe Amonge other thinges in the Canon Lawe Distinct 40 wée finde this written See to your selues bretherne how ye sitte vppon the seate for the seat maketh not the priest but the priest the seate the place sanctifieth not the man but the man the place Euerie priest is not a holie man but euery holie man is a priest Hée that sitteth wel vpon the seate receiueth the honour of the seate but he that sitteth ill vppon the seate doth iniurie vnto the seate Therfore an euil priest getteth blame by his priest hoode and not any dignitie And thus much thus farre touching this matter Since now that I haue declared vnto you déerely beloued that the care of religion doth belong to the magistrate too and not to the bishopps alone that the magistrate may make lawes also in cases of religion it is requisite that I inquire what kinde of lawes those are that the magistrates may make in matters of religion There is no cause whie the king or magistrate should suppose that power is giuen to him to make newe lawes touching God the worship of God or his holie mysteries or to appoint a new kind of true iustice and goodnesse For as euery magistrate is ordeyned of God and is Gods minister so must hée be ruled by God and be obedient to Gods holie word and commaundement hauing euermore an eye vnto that and depending stil vppon that alone The scripture which is y word of God doth abundauntly enough set downe al that which is proper to true religion yea the Lord doth flatly forbidde to adde too or take any thing from his holy word The magistrate therefore maketh no newe lawes touching God and the honour to be giuen to God but doth religiously receiue and kéepe doth put in vre and publish those auncient lawes in that kingdome which God hath allotted him vnto For hereunto apperteineth the giuing of the booke of Gods law vnto the kinges of Israell that they might learn therby the way to do the things which they of duetie ought to sée done To Iosue the Lord doth say See that thou doest obserue doe according to all the law that Moses my seruaunt commaunded thee Thou shalt not tourne from it either to the righte hand or to the left Neither shall the booke of this lawe depart out of thy mouth but occupie thy minde therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt do wiselie Deuout and holie Princes therefore did doe their faithfull diligent indeuour to cause the word of God to be preached to the people to reteine and preserue among the people the lawes ceremonies and statutes of god yea they did their best to spread it to al men as farre as they could and as place and time required to applie it holilie to the states persons on the other side they were not slack to banish driue away false doctrine prophane worshipings of God blasphemies of his name but settled themselues vtterlie to ouerthrow and roote it out for euer In this sort I say godly magistrates did make and ordeine deuoute lawes for the maintenaunce of religion In this sort they bore a godlie and deuout care for matters of religion The cities which the Leuites had to possesse were of old their scholes of Israel Now Iosue did appoint those cities for studies sake and the cause of godlines King Ezechias was no lesse carefull for the sure paiment and reuenue of the ministers stipēds than hee was for the restoring and renuing of euerie office For honour and aduauncemēt maketh learning to flourish when néede and necessitie is driuen to séeke out sondrie shiftes beggarie setteth religion to sale much more the inuented lyes of mens owne mouthes Iosaphat sendeth Senatours and other officers with the priestes and teachers through al his kingdome For his desire was by all meanes possible to haue Gods word preached with authoritie and a certaine maiestie and being preached to haue it defended and put in vre to the bringing forth of good workes King Iosias doth together with idolatrie and prophane worshippinges of God destroy the false priestes that were to be found setting vppe in their stéeds the true teachers of Gods word and restoring againe sincere religion euen as also king Ioas hauing rebuked the Leuites did repaire the decayed buildings of the holie temple I am not able to runne through all the Scriptures and rehearce al the examples in them expressed let the Godly Prince or magistrate learne by these fewe what and how hée ought to determine touching lawes for religion On the other side Ahia the Silonite saith to Ieroboam Thus saith the Lord Thou shalt reigne according to all that thy soule desireth and shalt be king ouer Israel And if thou hearken vnto all that I commaunde thee and wilt walke in my wayes and doe that is right in my sight that thou keepe my statutes and my commaundements as Dauid my seruaunt did then will I be with thee build thee a sure house But the wretch despised those large promises and reiecting Gods word his temple at Ierusalem and his lawfull worship refusing also the Leuites hée made him priestes of the dregges and rascall sort of people hée built himself new temples which hée decked nay rather disgraced with images and idolls ordeyning and offering sacrifices not taught in Gods woord by that meanes inuenting a certain new kind of worshipping god and a new maner of religion And although his desire was to séeme to be willing to worshippe God yet is he by God condemned for a wicked man Hearken I pray the sentence of the Lord which hee denounceth against him Thou hast done euil saith Ahia as the Lord had taught him aboue all that were before thee For thou hast gone and made the other Gods and moultē images to prouoke mee and hast cast mee behinde thy backe Therefore I will bring euill vppon the house of Ieroboam and wil roote out from Ieroboam euen him that pisseth against the wall
shall deale with his neighbour deceiptfully And Paule to the Ephesians saith Laying lyes aside speake ye euery man the trueth to his brother for wee are members one of another Let him which stole steale no more but rather labour with his handes in woorking the thing that is good that he may giue to him that hath neede This may wée extende almoste to all the offices and dueties of men For who soeuer denyeth the debte and duetie whiche of right he oweth the same doth sinne against this commaundement as for example if the housholder denye the duetie that he oweth to his familie againe if the familie consume the housholders substaunce and doe deceiue the good man whose care is bent to mainteine his charge and are sett to vndoe him by prodigall spending his money and goods which they filche from him priuilie Againe if the Lorde or maister although this poynte may well bée referred to the title of dammage that is done by withholding be too rough to his hyndes or husbandmen or if the ploughfolks do idely wast their maisters substaunce or slackly looke to their tillage and businesse or spende in ryott his wealth and richesse So then the seruaunt offendeth agaynst this commaundement if he doeth not séeke all the meanes that he may to haue a diligent care for his maysters affaires and faithfully augment his wealth and possessions And in like manner do mayde-seruauntes in the dueties whyche they owe offende against their mystresses And therefore Paule hauing an eye to this precept giueth Titus in charge and saith Exhorte seruauntes to be obedient vnto their owne maisters and to please them in all thinges not aunswering againe nor pickers but shewing all good faithfulnesse that they may adourne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all thinges And like vnto this is that which the same Apostle repeateth in the sixth Chapter to the Ephesians the 3. to the Colossians and the 1. to Timothie the sixth Chapter for in this commaundement his doctrine of the dueties of maisters and seruauntes hath a fitt place so farre as concerneth the housholders riches and what soeuer else is like vnto this To this precept also robberie and deceipt do fully belong both whiche extende farre and conteine manye kindes Fraude is infinite for the iniquitie of men is bottomlesse theire craftes are diuerse and of so manye sortes that no one man can number them all And robbery is not alwaies armed with force and weapons but is sometimes furnished with sleights and coloured wordes neither do robbers lurke and lay waite in wooddes and wide open fieldes alone but are conuersant also in the thickest throngs of euery good citie Thou takest away thy neighbours goods vnder the false title and pretence of lawe Thou robbest him I saye while by thy suite thy gifts or other fetches thou dost extort from the Iudges corrupted sentence to maintaine thy wrongfull claime Some there are whiche vnder the title of a deede of gift stick not to wrest whole heritages from legitimate heires These and other shiftes or coosenings like vnto these are conteined partely vnder robbery partely vnder deceipt but altogether and flatly vnder plaine théeuerie Although at dice players do giue their mutuall consent to fall to gaming yet for because eche ones desire is gréedily set to gett the others money and that they make blinde Fortune I meane the dice or cardes to be the diuider of their goodes betwirt them Therefore are the dice and cardes worthily condemned of al good diuines And Iustinian the Emperour as it is extant Cod. lib. 3. tit vltimo hauing a regarde to his subiectes commoditie decreede that it should be lawfull for no man eyther in publique or priuate houses to play at dice. For although dice playe hath bene vsed of great antiquitie yet hath it ended and burst out into teares For many hauing lost all the substance that they haue do at the laste in playe breake forth to the cursinge and blaspheming of god Otherwise there is none so ignorant but knoweth well enough that such exercises of the witt or bodie as are frée from the poysoned desire of filthie gayne whereon neither the hurte of our neyghbour nor our selfe doth depend are lawful enough to be vsed of Christians Vsurie is when thou grauntest to another man the vse of thy goodes as of lande houses money or anye thing else whereof thou receiuest some yerely commoditie For thou hast a manour a farme landes medowes pastures vineyardes houses and monye which thou dost let out to hire vnto another man vpon a certeine couenant of gaine to returne to thee for the vse thereof This bargaine this couenant is not of it selfe vnlawfull nor yet condemned in the holy Scriptures And the verie name of vsurie is not vnhonest of it self the abuse thereof hath made it vnhonest so that not without a cause it is at this day detested of all men For vsurie is in the Scripture condemned so farre as it is ioyned with iniquitie and the destruction of our brother or neighbour For who will forbid to let out the vse of our landes houses or monye to hire that thereby we may receiue some iust and lawfull commoditie For buying setting to hyre and such like contracts are lawfully allowed vs And as the parte of him that giueth is to do good so is it the duetie of him that taketh not to vse a good turne without all maner of recompence to the hurte and hinderance of him that giueth it in bestowing of méere benefites there is another consideration wherof we read in the 6. of Luke If ye lende to them of whome ye hope to receiue againe c. And the Lawyers do discusse this matter thus that it is no vsurie when the debtour giueth a pension and some yerely fée in recompence of the money which he hath borowed sauing the principall summe which he hath borowed whole by a couenant that was made before of selling it backe againe because the thing doth cease to be lent which is so graunted to another mans vse that vnlesse the debitour will the creditour cannot claime the thing so long as the debitour payeth the pension for the assured payment whereof he hath put him selfe in bonds For such a crediting is a flatt contract of buying They saye therefore that vsurie is committed in lending alone which ought to be without hire and not in other contractes or bargaines Let them therefore which deale in these kinde of trades haue this alwayes before their eyes as a rule to be ledd by Whatsoeuer thou wouldest haue done to thy selfe that do thou to an other and whatsoeuer thou wouldst not haue done to thy selfe that do not thou to another And let them thinke of those wordes of the Apostle Let no man beguyle his brother in bargaining I knowe verie wel that touching money they are wont to alledge that it endureth not as landes and vineyards but is consumed and made lesse with vse and tossing from man to
of churcherobbers suche heades and ouerséers of holye religion as some Kinges of Iuda were but Ezechias especially and manye other Bishops and pastours of the primitiue church who in many troublesome broyles when either warres did waste theire countries and common weales or else when hunger or some other publique calamitie did oppresse and pinch their sillie countriemen did not stick to bestowe the churche goods liberally and to emptie the treasure of the hallowed money that thereby they might do the oppressed some good But they had vndoubtedlye béene wrongfull churcherobbers if they to spare money others vessels whiche are without life would not haue redéemed liuing creatures their countriemen from death and penurie There is an excellent place of this matter in Sainct Ambrose Officiorum lib. 2. Cap. 28. There are also notable examples hereof in the Ecclesiasticall historie Moreouer in the number of Churcherobbers diuines accompte Simoniakes that is Merchauntes I meane buyers and sellers of spirituall and Ecclesiasticall dignities For suche an one is Simon Magus their graunde Patriarche reported to haue béene in the Actes of the Apostles In the ciuile lawe whosoeuer went about with priuie giftes to buy the voice of any man to speake on his syde when publique offices or dignities were for to be bestowed he was guyltie of ambition and beside the shame and open infamie was coÌ„pelled to pay an hundred Crownes for his offence But because this belonges not to sacrilege we lett it passe and returne to our matter They are churcherobbers whosoeuer either do not paye at all or else do paye vnwillingly the goodes that are due to the church I meane their tithes and yerely reuenues It is to be seene in the Scriptures howe terribly the Prophetes doe threaten churcherobbers Haggeus testified that the grounde brought forth so yll and little fruite for nothing else but forbecause the people did not truely paye that whiche of duetie they ought to the temple In Malachie God promiseth the people to make their ground fruitefull if they will pay liberally the stipendes and tributes due to the temple Nowe the ministers of the churches may vse those reuenues or stipendes by as good lawe and right as they that vse the profite of the grounde which they them selues haue husbanded For so doth the Lord expressely teache them in the 18. of the booke of Numbers wherewithall Paules saying agreeeth in the ninth Chapter of his firste Epistle to the Corinthians And the Lorde Iesus him selfe also gaue almes to the poore of the stipend which he had as it is to be séene in the thirteenth Chapter of Sainct Iohns Gospell Moreouer beggers committe sacrilege who abuse the name of Christ and make their pouertie a cloake to kéepe them ydle still The Apostle commaundeth Timothie not to cherishe such ydle hypocrites and wandering vacabondes with the almes and expences of the churche-goods But nowe the greatest sacrilege of all is if a man translate the glorie of God the creator vnto a creature There is a kinde of theaft called Peculatus which is committed in filching the common treasure or purloyning away the princes substance This kinde of robberie bréedeth euery houre newe exactions and giueth wicked magistrates good cause and fitt opportunitie to poll the poore coÌ„monaltie Of this sort of robbers did Cato happily speake when he saide Priuate theeues do lead their liues in chaines and fetters but publique theeues in golde and purple Vnder this title of robberie are all those conteined which either do not pay at all or else paye with yll will the tributes and taxes that are due to their magistrates Lastly all they are compted faultie in this kinde of théeuerie who soeuer do abuse the publique wealth or treasure of the common weale Other some there are that take vp children whome they know verie well and sell them to other thereby to gett aduauntage or else do steale away other mennes seruauntes This kinde of theaft the Lawyers call Plagium And of this offence are those people guyltie whiche by euill whispering persuasion and seditious doctrine do drawe seruaunts handmaydes from obedience to their maisters and children from doing reuerence and duetie to their parents And when Capitaines that are hired of straunge Princes to serue for money in forreine warres do against the parents will and knowledge carrye awaye whole bandes of sillie young men whome they intice with many faire promises and entrap with sundry sleights leading them to warres wherein they perishe and neuer returne to their friendes againe Suche captaines I saye are to be reckoned in the number of menstealers This offence of old was punished by death as it is euident in the 21. of Exodus and in the law of Constantine which is to be séene Cod. lib. 9. tit 20. An other sorte of théeues there is which we call felones and those be they which steale and driue away other mennes cattel In this order of théeues are those people placed which do misuse the cattel that is lent them and they also which when they may will not helpe another mans cattell that is in ieopardie For the Lorde in the lawe commaunded to bring back that which goeth astraye and to restore it to the right owner Thus much hetherto haue I spoken my brethren touching the sundry kindes of theaft of the iust and lawfull getting of goods and also of the proper owning of peculiar richesse ¶ Of the lawfull vse of earthly goods that is howe we may rightly possesse and lawfully spende the wealth that is rightly and iustly gotten Of restitution and almes deedes The Second Sermon I Did in my laste Sermon dearely beloued declare vnto you by what meanes goods are rightly gotten howe many kinds of theaftes there be and sundry sorts of getting wealth vnlawfully there is yet behind an other treatise for me to adde and therein to teache you what is the true vse of goods rightly gotten and howe we may lawfully possesse them and iustly spende dispose them in this transitorie life For iustice doth not onely not descaude any man but doth so muche as it may endeuour it selfe to do good to al men Neither is it â—nough for a godly man not 〈…〉 vnlesse also he do good to all that he can And in this point do many men sinne while they are persuaded that they haue done al the duetie that they owe if they hurt no man if they possesse that whiche they haue without trouble to any man although in the meane while they haue no regarde whether they helpe or do good to any man or no. And he sinneth as greatly in the sight of the Lord which doth not vse rightly goods iustly gotten as he that hath heaped vp wealth in wickednesse and naughtie meanes I will tell you therefore so farre as God shall giue me grace howe in what sort godly men may holily possesse and dispose these earthly goods First of all that the vse of worldly wealth maye be healthfull
bands wherewith they are tyed that wishe loke to be set at libertie But throughout all ages there is none such to bée found in all the world nor yet in heauen but Iesus Christ alone the sonne of God who for that cause did in the Gospell say If the Sonne set you at libertie then are ye free in deede Nowe they whome the Lord deliuereth are bondslanes wherefore hée doeth deliuer them from bondage and doth incorporate them in the libertie of the sonnes of god Hée doth set all bondseruauntes at libertie excluding none but such as do by their owne default their owne vnbeléefe and disobedience exclude themselues For the comming of the sonne of God was to set all such at libertie as were entangled in bondage Therefore he doth so farre forth deliuer vs as we are bondseruaunts For bondage and libertie are one opposed and contrarie to the other so that without the consideration of the one wée cannot conceiue the meaning of the other Wherefore I thincke it best héere to speake so much of bondage as this present argument shall séeme to require First bondage is nothing else but the state or condition wherein bondseruauntes bée Nowe those that are in boÌ„dage are either bondmen borne or else made bondseruauntes The children that issue of bondseruaunts are bondslaues borne The other that are made bondseruantes are so made either by captiuitie wherevppon they take their names and are called captiues For Pomponius saith Slaues were therevppon so called because the Capitaines commaunded to sell them for monie when they were in warres taken captiues by their souldiours and so by that means to spare their liues and saue them these bondmen are in latine also called Mancipia eo quod ab hostibus manu caperentur because they were taken prisoners by the hande of their enimies Or else they are made bondslaues by the ciuil law as when a frée man aboue twentie yeares of age doeth for lucre sake suffer himselfe to bée sould for monie Bondmen therefore haue loste all libertie and doe whoalie hange vppon their maisters gouernment in whose power it lyeth to kill them if they list Nowe of bondage there are two sortes the Politique and the Spirituall The politique bondage is not by grace the preaching of the Gospell taken out of the Churche of the faithfull so that there should bee no bondmen at all or that they should not doe their duetie or not doe the seruice that of right they doe owe. For the Apostle Paule saith Let euery man walke according as he is called And so ordeine I in al Churches Art thou called being a seruaunt Care not for it But yet if thou mayest be free vse it rather And againe Seruauntes obey them that are your bodilie maisters with feare and trembling and singlenesse of hearte as vnto Christ not with eye seruice as men pleasers but as the seruauntes of Christe doinge the will of God from the heart with good will seruing the Lord and not men knowing that what soeuer good thinge any man doeth that shall hee receiue againe of the Lord whether hee be bond or free And in his Epistle to Timothie hée saith Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke counte their maisters worthie of all honour that the name of God and his doctrine bee not blasphemed And they which haue beleeuing masters despise them not because they are brethren but rather doe seruice for as much as they are beleeuing beloued and such as are partakers of the benefite And yet in this bondage the faithfull haue this comfort by the preaching of the Gospel that howsoeuer they bée bond in body yet they are frée in mind and soule For the Apostle againe doth say Hee that is called a bondman in the Lord is the Lords freeman Likewise hee that is called free is bond to Christ This is a comfort to the faithful in all their afflictions which knowe that their spirite is safe and frée howsoeuer their bodie is streightly imprisoned or sharpely tormented Therefore the Saincts are at their libertie although they be neuer so narrowely looked to and shutt vpp in custodie they are victorers and vanquishers howsoeuer they are bound and oppressed Finally they enioy most exquisite pleasures euen then when they are vexed with most infinite euils I knowe that the children of this world doe mocke and scoffe at these pleasures and libertie of the faithfull beléeuers as though they were méere dreames and fantasiâ—s of very fooles and asses But God doth soundly pay them home for their scoffes and mockerie not in the world to come onely but also in this preseÌ„t life while they themselues like miserable caytifes beeing in extreme captiuitie doe notwithstanding euen in that slauerie thincke themselues at libertie and in most absolute felicitie For they serue a filthie seruice in detestable slauerie making themselues bondmeÌ„ to abhominable whoredome to beastly madd drunkennesse to the wicked Mammon and to other most vile pleasures wherein they die and rott with endlesse shame and infamie But of the seruice afflictions of the Sainctes who doe euen in their afflictions enioye their libertie and reioyce in the Lord the Apostle Paule speaketh where he saith We are troubled on euery side yet are wee not made pensiue wee are in pouertie but not in extreme pouertie wee suffer persecution but are not vtterly forsaken therein wee are caste downe but wee perish not bearing about alwayes in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also appeare in our bodie And againe In all things wee doe our endeuour to shewe oure selues as doth become the ministers of Christ in much suffering in afflictions in necessities in sorrowes in stripes in imprisonmentes in seditions in labours in watchinges in fastinges in glorie and ignominie in reproches and prayses as deceiuers yet speakers of trueth as vnknowen and yet knowen as dying and loe wee liue as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull and yet alwayes reioycing as poore and yet making many riche as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges Loe héere ye sée howe the Saincces in extreme seruitude haue a chéerefull consolation and are alwayes at their libertie as is to be séene by infinite examples in the Actes of the Apostles other Ecclesiasticall histories Nowe wee come to the second part of bondage The spirituall bondage hath a certaine likenesse to the bodily seruitude For Adam by his owne fault became a bondman and wée of him are all borne bondmen Hée was once at libertie and had the Lord to bee his friend and fauourer but hée did disâ—oyallie reuolte from GOD and gost himselfe an other maister the diuell a tyraunt as cruell as maye bée who for his sinne hauing gotten power ouer him did like a mercilesse Lord miserablie handle him like a bond seruaunte Nowe wée of oure corrupte graundsire are borne corrupt and sinners and for our sinne are also vnder the diuels dominion wée are
déede is holie not in respecte of the wordes rehearsed or by crosses and other signes made but because God hath instituted it and in respecte of the holie vse and prayers of the godly Of whiche matter I spake not long agoe when I intreated of the sanctification or consecration of the Sacramentes And Christe commaunded his disciples to baptise with water for diuerse causes For types or figures wente before Baptisme in water as the â—loud as the redd sea through which the people of Israel passed as diuerse cleansinges and set washings mentioned in the lawe Neither doe the Apostles of Christe dissemble those thinges For Peter sayth that Noe was saued in the water of the floud but the wicked drowned in the water Paule affirmeth that all our fathers were baptised by Moses in the Cloude and in the Sea. Therefore mortification and viuificatioÌ„ is prefigured And truely the principall badge of the newe testament is Baptisme witnessinge that full remisâ—ion of sinnes is brought vnto vs by Christe And the holye Prophetes of God by the mouth of the Lorde foreshewinge and promisinge this haue willingly shadowed out this inestimable benefite by water therefore Baptisme must be ministred in water This also serued notably to represent the mysterie Of which matter I haue spoken in my last sermon when I intreated of the analogie or likenesse of signes And for these causes chiefly baptisme ought to be ministred in this and not in any other element There is contention also aboute this Whether once or thrise hee that is baptised oughte to bee dipped or sprinckled with water Truely the Apostles haue not curiously commaunded any thing in this behalfe So that it is frée either to sprinckle or to dip Sprincklinge séemeth to haue béene vsed of the olde Fathers For honestie and shamefastnesse forbiddeth to vncouer the body And also the weake state of infants for the moste parte cannot away with dipping since sprinckling also doeth as much as dippinge And it standeth in the choyce of him that minstreth baptisme to sprincle him either once or thrise after the custome of the Church wherof he is minister Tertullian contra Praxeam sayeth The Lorde commaunded to baptise into the father and into the sonne and into the holie Ghoste Not into one For wee are baptised not once but thrise at eache name into eache person And Gregorie aunswering Leonarde the byshop saith A diuerse custome hindereth nothing the holye church so that it be done in one faith Wee by thrise dipping doe signifie the mysterie of Christes lying in the graue three dayes Againe the reuerend fathers in the fourth counsel helde at Toledo doe allowe but one dipping in baptisme and then ad immediatly this reason And lest any should doubt of the mysterie of this Sacrament why wee allowe but one dippinge he may se therein our death and resurrection For the dipping into the water is as it were the goinge downe into the graue and the comming vpp againe out of the water is the rysing againe out of the graue Also hee may perceiue that therein is shewed the vnitie of the Godhead and the trinitie of the persons The vnitie is figured when we dipp once the trinitie when we baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste This I doe not alleadge to stay my selfe vppon mans testimonyes but by mans testimonie to shewe that it is frée to followe that whiche serueth moste to the edifying of the Church Also there is a question moued touching the place of baptisme Whether it be not lawfull to baptise in any other place than in the Churche I say that the Churche is consecrated to ministeries and to the worshipp of God and therefore that comelynesse it selfe requireth to baptise openlie in the Churche But if necessitie will not permit this the baptisme of Christe is tyed to no place For we heare that Philipp baptised out of the founteine in the broade fielde Yet let vs take héede that wee make not necessitie a pretence for our lewde affections But let all thinges in the Churche bee cleane which perteine vnto Baptisme let all superfluitie be laide aside let all filth and vncleannesse bee banished let all thinges as saith the Apostle be done honestly and in order Touching the time there is no lawe prescribed of the Lord that is left frée to the iudgement of the godly They that beléeued the preaching of S. Peter at Hierusalem in the day of Pentecoste the Eunuch also whome Philip baptised Cornelius the Centurion likewise finally Paule the Apostle at Damascus yea and Lydia the purple-seller a religious or deuout woman and the kéeper of the prison they of Philippos also and other faithfull men and women as soone as they had tasted of the gyftes and graces of Christe and beléeued his worde foorthwith they dersired to be baptised they did not foade it off till another next time Wherfore they do verie wel whiche neither in themselues neither in their families do linger in receiuing baptisme The delaying of circumcision in his children fel not out wel vnto Moses As therfore we graunt that the time of baptisme is frée so it ought to bee our duetie to take héede that we abuse not our libertie being always mindefull of these wordes spoken by God The vncircumcised manchilde in whose fleshe the fore-skinne is not circumcised that soule shal be cut off from his people because he hathe brokeÌ„ my couenant But we are not ignorante that baptisme came into the place of circumcision Therefore the omitting of baptisme is not free There were some in the time of Cyprian which helde opinion that baptisme ought to bee receiued on the eighth day after the manner of circumcision But Cyprian and the 66. Bishops and Elders that were with him in the Counsell ordeyned the contrarie to wit that euery one without any delay shoulde receiue baptisme and procure the same spéedily in their familie That place is extant epist. li. 3. Epist. 8. Furthermore Socrates the hystoriographer Lib. 5. Ca. 22. saith I knowe also another custome in Thessalie according to the whiche they baptise onely on the dayes of Easter Whereby it commeth to passe that sauing a verie small number they dye vnbaptised But after a certeine time there was a lawe made that the Infantes of the faithfull should not bee baptised but at the feastes of Easter and Whitsuntide They excepted the time of necessitie We may read this in Decret Syricij Pont. in Isidore in the Epistles of Pope Leo vnto the Bishopp of Campania and Sicylia which in order are reckoned to be 57. and 62. But the thinges that moued them herevnto are suche as may bee easily disproued and ouerthrowne Truely from the beginning the time of baptisme was not so limited Neuerthelesse that Lawe of baptising the faithfull at the feast of Easter Pentecoste was renued by Pipine Charles Lodouick Lothar French kinges and was spread farre as their dominions