of such a benefite of God and according to the threatning of Amos to endure such a famine not of bread but of the worde Amos 8.11 that the strongest and most lustie seeking after it but not finding it may perishe 5 Now it resteth that we speak of the third parte signified in the worde Honor which is the assistaunce of the Pastour and this is to be practised especially in two sortes First the Church is in dutie to prouide that her Ministers may haue conuenient mainteynance least they should be withdrawne from their charge by labouring for the sustenance of their family True it is that S. Act. 20.34 Paul did sometimes labour with his handes for his liuing but it was when the Churches had no meanes to prouide for him by reason of persecution or else when he perceiued that by receiuing his maintenance from the Church there was some back-sliding in the preaching of the Gospel as at Corinth For when some false Apostles preached there without reward Saint Paul would be no president for them to receiue maintenance from the Church as himselfe writeth vnto them saying We haue not vsed this power 1. Cor. 9.12 namely to take hyer of the Church but suffer all things that we should not hinder the Gospell of Christ 2 Cor. 11.9 but otherwise hee vsually tooke of the Churches wherwith to liue as himselfe saith that hee euen robbed them and tooke wages to doe the Corinthians seruice 6 Likewise albeit himselfe tooke nothing of them yet doth he at large tel them their duties to their Pastors Who saith he 1. Cor. 9.7 doth go a warfare any time at his owne cost Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke doth not the lâ—we say the same For it is written in the law of Moses thou shalt not mussell vp the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne doth God care for Oxen or saith he it not for our sakes For our sakes no doubt it is written that hee which eareth should eare in hope Gal. 6 6. and that hee which thrasheth in hope should be partaker of his hope And heereof he addeth a notable reason If wee haue sowen vnto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things Know ye not that they which minister about the holy thinges eate of the thinges of the Temple and they which waite at the aulter are partakers with the aulter So also hath the Lord ordeined that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell It seemeth that among the Galathians some had small care of this duetie for where S. Paul saith Let him that is taught make him that teacheth him partaker in all his goods he addeth Be ye not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape Here the Apostle sheweth that as the Church is bound to prouide for the maintenance of her Pastors so by such employment of her goods she receiueth not onely this incomprehensible benefite of instruction to saluation but also a reward in the life to come and they which make no accompt of this dutie and of Gods promises shall as contemners of him feele his vengeance Likewise as the Church is the house of God and the kingdome of Christ so they that bestow their goods vpon the maintenance of the holy ministerye without the which this house kingdome cannot subsist do offer a sacrifice of a most excelleÌ„t sweet sauour in the presence of the Lord. Prouision therfore for the Pastors whether by the magistrate or by the contribution of the flock is a most necessary and profitable duty of the church 7 The second and principall assistance that the Church oweth to the Pastors is earnestly and continuallye to praye to God for them for as Christ coÌ„mandeth vs to pray to the Lord of the hâ—uest to send workemen into his haruest Mat. 9. â—8 so is it our duty when hee hath giuen vs faithful Pastors to pray vnto him firste to preseâ—ue them in health and long life for the good and edification his Church secondly by his holy spirite to guide them that they may faithfully and with fruit employ themselues in their ministerye The rather is the Church bound to this dutie because it cannot otherwise expect any great fruit from man And indeed Sainâ— Paul an Apostle endued with most excellent giftes doth neuertheâ—esse desire the Churches incessantly to make supplications for him namely writing to the Ephesians he requireth theÌ„ to pray to God for him that he may open his mouth boldely to publishe the secrets of the Gospell that therein he may speake boldely as hee ought to speake The same doth he also require of the Colossians praying also for vs Colos 4. â— that God may open vnto vs the doore of vtterance to speake the misterie of Christ wherfore I am also in bonds that I may vtter it as it becommeth me to speake Writing also to the Thessalonians he saith Brethren 2. Thes 3.1 pray for vs that the worde of the Lord may haue free passage and be glorified euen as with you Rom. 15.30 and that wee maye be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for all men haue not faith Writing to the Romains he proceedeth further saying Brethren I beseech you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirite that ye would striue with me by praiers to God for me That I may be deliuered from them which are disobedient in Iudea and that my seruice which I haue to doe at Ierusalem may be accepted of the Saints If so excellent an Apostle doth plainely confesse that hee cannot open his mouth to preach the worde that he cannot auoide the crosses and assaultes of the wicked or that he can doe nothing that may be acceptable to the Saints without the assistance and blessing of God If hee acknowledge that to obtain these graces he standeth in need of the praiers of the Church and if in so many places so instanly he desireth her employment heerin what good may we expect in the ministery of our Pastors euen of those that be most apt and faithfull vnlesse feruently and continually we doe praye vnto God for them Most men haue small minde of the dutie and importance of these praiers yet is this negligence and ingratitude many times punished in the most dangerous faults of the Pastors which turn to the great preiudice of the Church besides that God also in his iust iudgement taking to himselfe the faithfull Ministers or transporting them elsewhere doth either giue vs hyrelinges or wholye depriueth the Church of the holy ministery To the end therefore that according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ wee maye amend let vs acknowledge how precious the spirituall heauenly and eternall giftes that we receiue by the ministery of our Pastors are And what an excellent charge
God hath giuen them ouer vs that therupon we may hartely loue them respect them obey them be carefull for them and especially employ our selues diligently in feruent praiers to God that he may vouchsafe to preserue the good and faithfull Pastors and that he would replenishe thē with the gifts of the holy spirite that they may faithfully employ themselues in their charge and that hee will mightily blesse their labours to his glory and the saluation of his Church 8 Hauing now declared the duties as well common to the Husband and the wife as perticularly of the husband to the wife and of the wife to the husband of parentes to their children and of children to their parents of Magistrates to their subiects and of subiects to their Magistrates lastly of Pastors and Ministers of the worde to the Church and of the Church to them euery one that desireth to amend his life according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ is to examine himselfe First because he is a Christian by the law of God that he may thereby know his sinnes and wickednes and so amend Next euery one in his vocation as the husband the wife the father the mother the childe the Magistrate the subiect the Pastor and the Church each in his seuerall calling is likewise to enter into examination of himselfe by that which hath bene aboue spoken in this third Booke touching their duties to the end that knowing and feeling in how many sortes and waies we do faile in that which God requireth of euery one in his perticular calling we may aduise our selues how to amend our liues And that we may be the more earnestly stirred and moued hereunto we will in the next book lay down the principall causes and reasons whereby all Christians in generall and euery one perticularly in his vocation ought may in their harts be touched and fele themselues bound and affectionate to amendment according as Iesus Christ doth exhort The fourth Booke Of the causes of Amendement of Life The first cause why we should Amend is taken of the authoritie of Iesus Christ to command vs. Chapter 1. THe onely and sole commaundement of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God who saith Amend your liues Mat. 4.17 ought to induce vs to yeald vnto him all ready and voluntarye obedience For that hee is of authoritie to commaund vs his very names and tytles doe sufficiently declare As therefore Kinges Princes and other Magistrates doe set down their names tytles in the beginnings of their Proclamations as well to authorise them as to binde their subiectes to obey them so before we enter into the reason which Iesus Christ to induce vs to this amendement of life namely because the kingdome of heauen is at hand doth alleadge we will lay downe some of the names and tytles of him that commaundeth vs to amend Exod. 20.2 whereby we may the better vnderstand as well his authoritie to commaund as our dutie to obey 2 First he is the sonne of God who in the preface of the law executing euen then the office of a Prophet a King Exod. 3.14 and a leader of his people speaking saith I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage Act. 17.28 These titles in the beginning of the law doe declare that he hath double authoritye to commaund vs and that we likewise are double bound to yealde to him our obedience First he calleth himselfe The Lord and vseth this worde Iehoua which signifieth Essence or him that is Col. 1.16.17 wherein he teacheth that it is in him and by him as S. Paul also affirmeth that we are that we liue and that we haue our mouing And therfore in another place speaking of Iesus Christ he saith All things were created by him and for him and in him all thinges consist What a monstrous matter were it if we should not consecrate our whole life to the seruice and obedience of him without whole power we can neither liue neither be neither subsist one onely houre But this name Iehoua is to be drawen yet further Exod. 6. 3. namely to the effect of his promises because it is he who giueth as it were essence vnto them and by his fulfilling a new being to his creatures Himselfe hath taught vs saying I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob in my name Schaddei that is to say God Almighty yet did they not know me by my name Iehoua Exod. 20. 2. for by this name Iehoua he meaneth his Essence whereby he hath with efficacy and effect made the truth of his promises long since promised to the Fathers to be giuing as it were a new being to their children at the bringing of thē forth of Egipt and therefore he addeth Thy God thereby to signifie that it was his people whom he had redeemed and so dedicated and consecrated to himselfe Then doth hee remember them of th◠deliuerye out of the bondage of Egipt which was to them as a resurrection reestablishment vnto life He then that gaue the law being the same God that commanded vs to amend by liuing according to the rule of the same hath declared by his titles and names set down in this preface that he hath duble right authority to commaund vs and therefore that it is a two-fold and monstrous ingratitude not to obey him Exod. 13.2 who commaunding vs by the right both of our creation and of our redemption doth sufficiently declare that we cānot subsist in life either of body or soule without his power and grace Exod. 13.2 Exod. 12.29 3 God in olde time ordained that euery male that opened the wombe should be consecrated to the Lord for at such time as for the bringing forth of his people he slewe all the first borne of Egipt he willed that the first born of the Iewes should be giuen and dedicated to him as being his owne And the more euidentlye to declare vnto them this dutie to be consecrated vnto him he took the Leuites in stead of the first borne of all the other tribes Num. 3.44 to employ them wholy in his seruice yet did he also ordein that all that were aboue twentye yeeres olde Exod. 30.12 should paye euery man halfe a shekle to be employed in the seruice of the tabernacle of the congregation to be a memoriall before the Lord of the redemption of their persons and that being freede from the yoake of Pharaoh and made a nation subiect vnto God who had redeemed and deliuered them they might giue themselues wholy to serue and obey him and altogither to liue to him The fulfilling of these figures and ordenances we haue in Iesus Christ who besides that he is our creator as is aforesaid hath also reuealed himselfe in the fleshe to be our redeemer and sauiour he it is that hath saued and brought vs forth not of the bondage of Pharaoh but from the tirannye
THE AMENDMENT OF LIFE COMPRISED IN fower Bookes Faithfully Translated according to the French Coppie Written by Master Iohn Tassin Minister of the word of God at Amsterdam MATH 3. v. â— 4. v. 7. Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand LONDINI Impensis Georg. Bishop 1595. To the chiefe Magistrates and Gouernours of the Towne of Amsterdam Grace and peace from God the Father and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour MY verie good Lordes as Sainct Iohn propoundeth vnto vs two sorts of children of whome he calleth the one the children of God and the other the children of the deuill so doeth the holie Scripture plainly testifie that in the day of iudgement there shall bee a maruellous difference betweene the one and the other For the one shal incomprehensibly and eternally be blessed and the other extreamely and infinitly accursed and wretched This difference which shall then appeare betweene the children of God and the children of the deuill doth aduertise and admonish vs that there ought also to be a great difference betweene them euen in this life And in deed euery one may well vnderstand that the waie to heauen is one and to hell another and consequently that the workes and affections of Gods children are of one sorte and the workes of the children of the deuill of another Neuertheles so brutish are many become that they neuer think vpon this difference betweene the one and the other neither in regard of this life nor of the life to come Others thinking slightly thereupon do neuer take information of this difference to vnderstand it Others somewhat vnderstanding it are so dazeled with the glistering shew of the world so carried awaie with the lusts of the flesh that they haue no care therof Yea euen among the children of God liuing in this peruerse world abandoned to all wickednes we see verie few that doo make shew of that difference that in this life should be betweene them and the children of the deuill Now Saint Mathew in this sentence Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand hauing comprehended the summarie of the first Sermons of Iesus Christ and S. Iohn the Baptist doth to this purpose teach vs. First that all the duties of the children of God are contained in this word Amend also that the same is it that representeth the difference betweene them and the children of the Deuill in this life Secondly that the apprehension of the kingdome of heauen to be so neare vs ought mightily to induce vs to Amendement Vpon this consideration to the end to correct the negligence or rather the brutishnes of men in this point I haue vpon this argument framed these fower books In the first shewing how many dangerous follies there are that hinder man from Amendment In the second Wherein we are to Amend In the third who ought to Amend And in the last haue I laid down the causes that should induce vs to Amend our liues gathered out of the names and attributes of Iesus Christ out of this reason by him selfe set downe For the kingdome of heauen is at hand The whole tending to make vs to vnderstand and indeed to practise the difference which euen in this life ought to bee betweene vs and the children of the Deuill to the ende to hope with incomprehensible ioye to beholde for our selues the most blessed separation that shall bee betweene them and vs when wee shall bee lifted vp into the fruition of the eternal glory that is prepared for vs in the kingdom of heauen And vpon three principall reasons haue I resolued and emboldned my selfe to present dedâ—cate them to your Lordships The first is generall comprised in three points First in consideration of the seruent zeale holy affection that you doe testifie to the preseruation and maintenance of the true and pure religion Secondly in regard of your iustice and politicke gouernment administred with such discretion wisedome and equitie that al your louing Subiects are in dutie to acknowledge and confesse themselues to be blessed therein Thirdly in respect of your wonderfull courtesie which you vouchsafe to extend to the faithfull fled into this towne who liue vnder your authoritie and gouernment in as great case libertie and freedome as possibly they might in their owne natiue countries Which example of your clemency is also seconded by the marueilous humanitie of your subiects towards those that are harboured among them The second reason is in respect of the French Church to the seruice whereof it hath pleased God to call me In that your Lo. haue permitted authorised the holy publick ministerie with all things necessarie to the same That you haue prouided theÌ„ of a larg coÌ„uenient Church That you giue maintenance to theÌ„ for three ministers Lastly that you exercise and performe a verierare and true Christian charitie to the poore of the same Church And this your wonderfull charitie with other the vertues before noted do I here set downe first to the end that all and euery the members of the said French Church may more and more perceiue how deepely they are bound to bee your faithfull and obedient subiects Secondly that they may vnderstand and the more diligently put in practise their dutie in feruent praier vnto God for your health and prosperitie Lastly that all other Magistrates may in heart bee moued to imitate the example of those vertues that shine in your Lordships The last reason is particuler to my selfe in regard of the desire that you had to retaine me to the seruice of this Church which your selues vouchsafed to testifie in that besides your liberalitie extended to the two other ministers you offered to prouide me also both of a house maintenance As in effect it pleased you at my coÌ„ming to make demonstration of your fauor liberality affection towards me in that behalf Whereupon all such graces as God hath vouchsafed to bestow vpon me being in reson vpon iust cause vnto you due vowed I haue formed and doe acknowledge my selfe bound to dedicate and present these my fower bookes of Amendment of life vnto you to the end that being published vnder your name they may witnesse as wel my bounden dutie vnto you as also my desire according to my smal habilitie to employ my selfe in the seruice both of the Church and your Lordships Beseeching God most magnificent and vertuous Lords to maintaine you in his holy protection and with his holy spirite to guide you in all your affaires with increase of all prosperitie both spirituall and corporall And particulerly so farre to fauour me with his grace as so to blesse this small worke together with the affection wherewith it is vnto you presented that being acceptable to your Lo. It may especially redound to the aduauncement of the kingdome of Iesus Christ From your town of Amsterdam This last of Iune 1594. Your most humble and obedient seruant Iohn Taffin
liues To bee short euen wythout praying to God to giue them his holy spirite But wee must ioyne to our reading both pietie and feare of God wyth a desire to amend our liues as it is written in the Psalmes The secrete of God is reuealed to them that feare him Psal 25 14 Ioh. 7.17 Augustine of the profite of beleeuing c. 6 and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding Agayne If anie man sayth Iesus Christ will doo the will of my Father to him it shall bee giuen to knowe my doctrine whether it bee from God or whether I speake of my selfe Euerie man maye out of the holy Scriptures sayeth Saint Augustine drawe so much as maye suffice to satisfie and replenishe his spirite in case hee reade them wyth deuotion and holynesse according as Christian relygion requireth Moreouer wee are to praie vnto God August vpon the Epistle of Iohn Tract 2 that hee wyll graunt vs his spirite of vnderstanding Iesus Christ sayth Saint Augustine dyd open the harts of his disciples that they myght vnderstande the Scriptures Let vs lykewise praie vnto him to giue vs the lyke grace and to open our mindes and hee wyll heare vs. This prayer is to bee vsed before reading and of euerie man put in practise for if the prophet Dauid Psal 119 so perfectlye instructed in the lawe of God doth notwythstanding so often praie vnto him to giue him vnderstanding to comprehende it which of vs hath not neede to praie vnto God that wee maye profite in his holye woorde Let vs also accompt this doctrine of Saint Augustine as a holy rule August vpon Ioh. Tract 18 namely to reade the holy Scriptures with fruite and due reuerence that in those thinges which we shall vnderstand according to the analogie of faith wee may reioyce as of a good foode but for that which wee cannot vnderstand according to the rule of faith to deferre the comprehension thereof Yet in the meane time let vs not doubt but euen the same which we cannot comprehend is both true and holy 12 To conclude as Saint Peter admonisheth vs Let vs bee alwaies readie to giue accompt of that hope that is in vs 1. Pet. 3.15 And that wee may effect it and dulie discharge our selues Chrisostome vpon Iohn ho. 16. toward the end let vs bee carefull and diligent in the practise of this our dutie toward the holy Scriptures It is a straunge matter sayth Chrisostom that a Phisition a Shoomaker a Taylor generally euery Artificer is readie and able to yeelde a reason in defence of his profession and trade and yet the Christians can giue no accompt of their religion And yet ignoraunce in other Artes is no hinderaunce but in this life but ignoraunce in religion is hurtfull to the saluation of the soule That wee are so feruent and earnest in applying our mindes to other sciences and yet in that which is most necessarie for vs and as it were the fortresse of our soules wee are so negligent and slouthfull This sayth hee causeth the heathen to remaine obstinate in their errors and to skorne our religion For they studiing to maintaine falsehoode and wee not knowing how to defend the truth of our doctrine they conceiue that ours haue no soundation and thereof doo take occasion to blaspheame Iesus Christ as if he cunningly abusing the simplicitie of the people had deceiued and circummented them The same occasion doe we also minister as wel to those of the Romish Church as to the Anabaptists and other sectaries whereby to remaine obstinate in their errors because most of vs are so ignorant as you shall find very fewe able to yeelde any reason of the hope of their saluation no not so much as to shew wherefore they haue forsaken the Church of Rome and will not goe to Masse 13 Now as negligence in reading the holy Scriptures breedes this offence so is there yet another greater and more daungerous And that is that wee still abide in the former corruptions of the world and the flesh wheras contrariwise we should resemble burning torches to giue light to the poore and ignorant wee should I say be wholy renewed rauished in spiritual heauenly busines As in truth were wee more diligent and feruent in reading the holy Scriptures wee might greatly profite in this duetie for as in our prayers wee speake to God so in reading God speaketh to vs. Either is there anie sitter meanes or of greater efficacie for the reforming of vs into newnesse of lyfe than by dayly hearing them speaking vnto vs teaching admonishing reproouing and comforting vs setting before vs the blessed estate of the kingdome of heauen and lifting vp our mindes into the contemplation of Gods graces and of the life and glorie euerlasting There is no passion of our soules Chrisost on Gen. Hom. 29 sayth Chrisostome but needeth phisicke and cure from the holie Scripture Also whatsoeuer increase of strength groweth to the bodiâ— by meate the lyke groweth to the soule by the reading of the holy Scripture To bee short as a barre of yron by long lying in the fire waxeth hot red and of the nature of burning fire so that soule that dayly imployeth it selfe in reading and meditating the worde of God groweth to bee spirituall diuine heauenly and kindled in the loue of God The reading of the holy Scripture Chriso third sermon of Lazarus sayth Chrisostome is a strong fortresse agaynst sinne and the ignorance thereof a great daunger readie to cast vs headlong into a deepe gulfe and bottomlesse pit To knowe nothing of the holy Scripture is a great maime to saluation It engendreth heresies it begetteth corruption of lyfe and it maketh a mixture of heauen and earth Truely it cannot bee it cannot bee I saie that that man shal departe without fruit who taketh pleasure in the continuall and attentiue reading of the Scriptures As therefore this admonition of Iesus Christ Amend your liues ought continually to sounde in our eares so acknowledging our neglygence and former slouth in dayling reading Gods worde Aug. cap 22. of his meditations let vs heartily giue our selues to amend practising the same which Saint Augustine sayth of himselfe I delight O Lorde to heare of thee to talke of thee to write of thee to deuise of thee and in my heart to print whatsoeuer I reade of thee For this cause also doo I enter into the pleasant meddowes of the holy Scripture I gather the greene hearbes of holy sentences I eate them I chewe them I gather them together and I keep them in the coffer of my remembrance Let vs I saie doo our dueties better heereafter so that endeauouring and applying our selues with our whole heartes and mindes to the reading and meditating of the holye Scriptures with an carnest desire to profite and praier to God to graunt vs his holie spirite wee maye proceede in the knowledge of his heauenly will that so beeing instructed and readie to render a
giuen themselues to the idolatries of the Ammorites and Hittites and thou hast followed their example The same did the Emperour Marcus Aurelius who aboue all men was careful to bring vp his children in vertue obiect to his wife for speaking to her of the instruction of her daughters hee said What will it auaile for her mistres to teach her honestie and modestie when our selues in our workes doe inuite her to wantonnesse 29 Verball instruction without example of good deedes is a dead doctrine and contrariwise good examples are the life of instruction to make it profitable and effectuall If the example of parents be contrarie to their instruction If I say they teach their children sobrietie modestie and chastitie and yet themselues wil follow drunkennesse foule and lasciuious speeches gestures and actions it is as if with their tongues they should say Be vertuous and by the hands lead them with them to al vice and corruption Plut. in the Educat of children Wicked fathers saith a certanie heathen Philosopher are wicked counsellers to their children If we would take him to bee a monster in nature and vnworthie to liue in a common wealth that should counsell his childe to drunkennesse and fornication what shall wee thinke of those who committing such iniquitie doe by their example much more mightily put forward their children to such abomination then by word they are able What accompt can those fathers giue vnto God who by their euill example haue drawne into hel their children whom he deliuered to their charge to be guided into heauen Albeit such fathers pitie not themselues yet at the least let them take pitie of their children and not carrie them with them into euerlasting destruction Plut. in the precepts of marriage Wee reade that the graue personage Cato deposed a senator out of the Senat of Rome onely because hee kissed his wife in the presence of her daughter This truly was extreme seueritie especially if we consider the maners of our daies But this Ethnick hereby declared how grieuously such parents are to be reproued as shall vse any lewd speeches or shamelesse behauiour in briefe any worldly or carnall actions in the presence of their children to whome their example may be as a dispensation to giue thēselues to the like As also how can they forbid that in their children which themselues doe commit How can they correct them for the faultes which themselues doe vse Albeit children in respect and reuerence to their parents dare not reply and say that themselues doe those things for the which they reproue them yet will the neighbours or others obiect it to their shame Besides their authoritie shall bee so much the lesse in that they declare in their works and actions that they alow that which they forbid in words If parents therfore desire that their instruction may be effectuall and yeeld fruite let them declare the same in holy life and vertuous conuersation Plut. in the Education of children Let them saith an auntient Philosopher so order and gouerne themselues that their children seeing the same as it were in a glasse may be restrained from dishonest speeches and wicked deedes Let them do as guides that shew the right way and foords ouer riuers by going before those whom they lead that their children following the steps and examples of their parents may conforme thēselues to their vertues so with them and by them be led to saluation and life euerlasting 39 Finally let all parentes diligently and feruently pray vnto God first for themselues that he by his holy spirit will vouchsafe to guide them in the instruction of their children that they may with all diligence faithfulnes and discreation employ themselues in euery part of their dutie toward them Secondly let them dayly commend their children by hartie praiers to the father of light who is the giuer of all goodnesse and blessings that hee blessing their labours about their children may replenish them with the gifts and graces of his holy spirit that they may profit in all things requisite to his glorie and their owne benefite and saluation And this dutrie let them begin to performe euen so soone as they are in hope of generation by praying to God to preserue it to giue to the mother happy deliuerance of her fruite and so to dispose that the child may receiue the seale of saluation by Baptisme grace to bring forth fruites to Gods glory Let them remember that the praier of the whole Church for their children in their Baptisme is a warning of their bounden dutie dayly to do the like for them after they be admitted into the couenant by Baptisme Iob. 1.5 In this point let them remember the care of Iob for his children that were already growne and come to age not only in that he dayly sent vnto them to sanctifie them by admonishing them of such infirmities as they might peraduenture haue committed in banqueting albeit modestly and soberly together But also in that he dayly rose vp earely and offered sacrifice for them according to their number saying to himselfe It may be my sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their harts Wherein hee giueth vnto parents two notable lessons One that if the children doe sinne the parents are to examine whether themselues may not be guiltie in the sight of God as not hauing sufficiently performed their duties in teaching admonishing giuing good example praying to God for them The other that they ought to haue such a care of the saluation of their children that albeit they haue not committed any notable apparent sinne yet presupposing that according to mans frailtie they liue not without offending God after the example of Iob who offered sacrifice to God for his children and that no doubt his sacrifices were accompanied with hartie praier for them they must pray for their children that their sinnes may bee forgiuen them through the onely sacrifice of Iesus Christ 31 To conclude As S. Paule tearmeth the family of Philemon Philem. ver 2. Rom. 16.5 Psalme 101. also of Aquila and Priscilla the Church so all parentes and householders ought so to gouerne their children and familie that their houses may be euen so many small Churches whereout according as Dauid protested that he would employ himself in that dutie all vice and corruption may bee expelled and banished to the ende the house of God may bee holy also that God may bee praised worshipped adored and called vpon Euening and Morning and at meales For vndoubtedly al families thus ordered shal euen feel the truth of Gods promises that he wil be in thē as in his temple will blesse thē with al his graces pomised to his Church Of the dutie of children to their parents Chap. 5. NOw let vs come to the duties of children to their parents And these doth God comprehend in the fifth commaundement of the lawe in these words Honor thy father and thy mother And
bare dominion And in deed as a great branch cut from a tree bringeth downe a number of small ones with it and as when a great prince commeth forth of his pallace a multitude doo follow him euen so doo the subiectes ordinarily followe the example of their prince and magistrate whether good or badde Quintilian in his fourth declamation As also what so euer the prince doth it seemeth that hee commaundeth it yea the affection to please princes and to imitate their actions is of more force than the lawes and punishments ordained in the same If the prince take a pleasure whether in vertue or in vice so wyll his subiects Cicero verie aptly sayth that the magistrates in matter of wickednes or vice doo not onely conceiue it Tacitus Annal. 3 but also doo spread it and as it were water theyr subiectes therewith hurting more by theyr example than by the sinne it selfe It is a common saying taken of Plato Such as the prince or magistrate of a citie is such are his subiects And this doth a poet note saying What euer the king in example doth leaue Seneca His subiects thereto full fast will cleaue And in this sense sayth one Wilt thou haue thy subiects good Cic. his book of lawes 3. be thou good For the prince by wel doing teacheth his subiects to do well The same author sayth that the examples of princes doo neuer rest where they first begin Cic. in his Ep. to Claudian Vellerus Paterculus l. 2 Seneca of clemencie but doo breake foorth and scatter farre and neere And in deed as Seneca sayth The worlde noteth the wordes and deeds of princes and magistrates neither can they lie hidden no more than the Sun beames And therefore as he addeth the magistrate is diligently to take heed to his reputation fame which is of great efficacie whether it be good or bad 68 Now let vs come to examples Zozom Eccl. hist l. 8. c. 1 When the kings of Iuda professed either the feare of God or the seruice of Idolls the people inclined accordingly either to good or to euill to serue God according to his lawe or to pollute themselues in the seruice of Idols Zozomenes reporteth of the Emperours Arcadius Honorius the sonnes of Theodosius that they following the example of their father made professioÌ„ of the truth of the heauenly doctrine and that their subiects regarding their example were therwith so touched that the heathen were easily conuerted to Christianitie the heretikes returned to the catholike church and that the Arrians and Eunomenians daily decreased and many of them ioyned with those that folowed the doctrine which their Emperors maintained Agis the last king of Lacedemon was in his youth addicted to his pleasures but after he was called to the gouernment he vtterly gaue them ouer and was so inclined to vertue that by his so notable change he purged the towne of Sparta Eras Apot. l. 1 Aurel. Victor in his life of all the corruptions wherewith the barbarous nations had infected it by his example reduced the inhabitants to their auncient frugalitie and sobrietie Likewise the Emperour Vespasian suppressed many vices by good lawes but more by example of life which in deede is of greater efficacie as the same authour reporteth as contrariwise when Ptolome king of Aegypt Iustin l. 30 Vellciuâ— Paterculus l. 2 sayth Iustine was giuen to pleasure wantonnesse all his subiects presently imitated his maners The same also exteÌ„deth eueÌ„ into buildings as we read that after the destinction of Carthage the Romanes gaue themselues to pleasures falling froÌ„ vertue to vice not by degrees but as it were by a headlong downefall And when Scipio Nasica Metellus and Câ—â—eius Octauus all principall Lordes in Rome began to build porches gorgeous galeries the magnificence of these publike persons saith the author was immediatly seconded by the excessiue superfluitie of the people 69 But as it is the dutie of magistrates to seale their good holy decrees with good and holye examples so is it not inough that they begin onely vnles they also constantly perseuer in theyr sayd dutie their estate is slipperie and as the trees that grow vpon high places are most moued and beaten with winds and consequently in greatest danger of ouerthrow so kings princes and other magistrats being exalted aboue the people are more mightily assalted whether by the deuill who knoweth the consequence and importance of theâ—â— fall whether by flatterers or euill counsellours for theyr particular profit whether by the notice of their greatnesse together with the corruptions and vices common to others which doo many times incliâ—e them to excessiue licentiousnes Salomon a man indued with many the graces of God for a long time bâ—re himselfe so wisely and vertuously that he atchiued maruellous reputation but afterward especially toward his olde age hauing taken an incredible number of wiues and concubines 1. King 11. euen strangers contrarie to Gods commandement he grew into extreame outrage miserably diuerted from the seruice of God gaue himself to all kinds of superstition and idolatrie And hereof grew that great calamitie euen the diuision of the realm in his successor Roboam when the ten Tribes reuolted were plunged in all Idolatry vnder Jeroboam his successors many times were at warre wyth the two other tribes in whom onely the kingdome of Salomon did remaine Ioas king of Iuda 2. Chron. 24 had a good and religious beginning in his gouernment which continued all the daies of Iehoida the high priest but after his death leauing the temple seruice of God he gaue himselfe to Idolatrie so drew his subiects thereto that albeit God sent them prophets to reclaime theÌ„ yet would they giue no eare Aurelius Victor in his lyfe Bab. Ignatius in his life wherupon the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Iuda and Ierusalem The Emperour Nero during the first fiue yeeres of his Empire liued so vertuously that TraiaÌ„ wold vsually say that al princes wer far behind the fiue first yeres of Nero yet he afterward grew a moÌ„ster in al lust extreme cruelty Likewise the Emperor Caligula was in the beginning a very good prince but afterwarde very wicked so that it is written of him that hee was in the begining the best in the end the worst Emperor that euer liued 70 To the end therfore that hauing well begun they may be the better instructed to perseuer in their duties besides the prejuises we will also for a conclusion adde some admonitions sentences notable aduertisements which it were good they shoulde vnderstand meditate haue in continual sight to the end to put them in practise First let them know that ther is nothing more difficult than to raigne and gouerne well Whereupon also acknowledging the waight of their charge they ought daily with SalomoÌ„ to craue wisedome at the hands of God 1. King 3.9 to the end they
For sith from them we cannot expect this soueraigne felicitie namely to liue in peace in honesty and piety vnlesse they also be guided or strengthened by the spirite of God in their charge our desire and necessitie to enioye it doe sufficiently admonish vs feruently to praye vnto God for them And whereas Kinges were in those dayes idolaters hee addeth this farther reason that God desiring the saluation of all men that is to saye men of all callinges and that they should be brought to the knowledge of the truth wee might by our praiers obtaine that the idolatrous and peruerse Magistrates might be conuerted and saued as well in respect of themselues as for the happy conduct and gouernment of their subiects 12 Now if we be bound to pray for idolatrous and peruerse Magistrates how much rather for those whome God hath already in mercy vouchsafed to illuminate or adopt for his children and to constitute to be protectors and nurses in his Church Pro. 11.14 Both reason and experience doe shew what a benefite it is to haue such Iudg. 2.19 8.33 1. Sam. 7 13 Where the Gouernour is vnwise saith Salomon the people are scattered And it is with them as with a shippe that wanteth a Pylot or guide We read that when the iudge or gouernour of Israel was dead the people returned to their wickednes And it is noted in this historye that all the time of Samuel the hand of God was heauye against the Philistines and it is truely a great fauour and grace of God when he giueth vs good Magistrates as Hyran King of Tyre said vnto Salomon 2. Chro. 2 11. Iob. 34.30 Esay 3.3 Because God loued his people he made thee to raigne ouer them and contrariwise he maketh an hypocrite saith Iob to raign for the sinnes of the people And in the same sence doth God threaten to send children to be Princes and effeminate persons to beare dominion Sith then it is so great a benefite of God to haue good holy and vertuous Magistrates is it not our partes feruently and continually to pray to God still to send vs such to preserue them to guide them by his holy spirite and to blesse their counsails and labours to his glory and to the good and saluation of his people 13 It also hath beene the continuall custome of all Christian Churches to make publique supplications for Kinges Princes and Magistrates and thereof wee haue a formularye written by that good Father and Doctor Tertullian And the reformed Churches of our dayes doe also recōmend and ordinarely vse the same dutie for in trueth there is no seruice that the Magistrates ought more to desire and require of their subiects then that they should praye for them And in this respecte Dauid a King after Gods owne hart and endewed with such excellent graces knowing neuerthelesse how highly he stoode in necessitie of the praiers of his people framed them that excellent praier for their prosperitie which we doe reade of in the twentith Psalme Eusebius reporteth that the Emperour Constantius Euseb in the life of Const lib. 1. lib. 4. Euseb in his Ec. hist lib. 10 and cap. 8. lib. 1. of the life of Const the Father of great Constantine protected his house by the praiers of such as feared God Also that his Sonne Constantine the great imitated his pietye For knowing as the saide Eusebius writeth that the praiers of good men those that feared God did greatly conduce to his preseruation he instantly required them to pray for him and commaunded the Bishops by name to imploy themselues in this duetye and contrariwise he reproued the Emperour Licinius for banishing the Christians out of his Courte alleadging this reason that hee depriued himselfe of the fruit of their praiers 14 Seing the fruit of praier for the Magistrate is such how vnthankfull are those subiects that will not feruently employe themselues therein especially considering the good and prosperity that themselues are to reape thereof we may truely say that the vsuall negligence of the people in employing themselues in this duetye doth many times procure God to giue vs Kinges and Magistrates in his wrath to chastice our ingratitude and slackenesse in matter of such importance That we may therfore amend our liues according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ let vs diligently employe our selues in this so profitable necessary a dutie wherby we may alwaies haue good holye and vertuous Magistrates that vnder their conduct and gouernement we may liue happily and beare to them all loue and reuerence yeelding vnto them voluntarilye all subiection and obedience and employing our bodies and goods in their seruice and assistance with assurance that in so doing and in praying vnto God for them as is aforesaide the Lord will blesse them and vs with them and by them Of the duety of the Pastor and Minister of Gods woord to his congregation Chap. 8. IT now remaineth that wee speake of the duties of the Pastors and Ministers of Gods worde to their Congregations and of their congregations vnto them As concerning the Pastors dutye the same may be referred to the principall end of their vocation togither with whatsoeuer is requisite thereunto This end is the saluation of the soules redeemed with the bloud of Iesus Christ as the Apostle writing to Timothy doth note saying Take heed vnto thy selfe and vnto learning 1. Tim. 4.16 continue therein for in doing thus thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee This is their principall end euen to saue soules and indeed S. Paul applieth to his Ministery this sentēce of Esay spoken in the person of the Lord I haue ordained thee to be a light to the Gentiles Esay 49.62 Acts 13.47 1. Cor. 3.1 Acts 13.26 Rom. 1.16 2. Cor 5.18 that thou maist be a saluation to all the ends of the earth True it is that God onely is the Sauiour also that he can saue without the ministery of men but it pleaseth him so to vse their seruice that S. Paul therfore calleth the Ministers of the word coadiutors and workemen with God therefore the doctrine that they preach is tearmed the worde of saluation and the power of God to saue all that beleeue likewise where the holy ministery is called the ministery and word of reconciliation with God the same is only to teach vs that where we be by nature the children of wrath and consequently in death the ende of the holy ministery is to withdraw saue vs by reconciling vs to God and making vs acceptable to him in his welbeloued sonne 2 Heerto must we also referre the saying of S. Paul that Iesus Christ gaue some to be Apostles Eph. 4.11 some to be Prophets some Euangelistes some Pastors and teachers for the gathering togither of the Saintes for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ. For sinne by seperating vs from God did engender this cursed dissipation
to help the poore than that a Church-robber or theefe shoulde carrie it awaie Wyll not God saie Why hast thou suffered so many poore to starue when thou haddest golde wherewith to buy them foode Why hast thou suffered so many poore people to be lead into captiuity and hast not redeemed them Why hast thou killed some It had bene better to haue preserued the vessels of liuing creatures then of dead mettals What answere may we make to all this For if we saie I feared the Church should haue wanted ornaments God wil answere The Sacraments craue no gold as they are not bought with golde so doo they not agree with golde The redemption of prisoners is the ornament of the Sacraments 26 Socrates writeth of Atticus the Bishoppe that hee was so affectionate and carefull to the poore Socrat. Eccle. hist l 7 c 25 that hee prouided not onely for the poore of his owne parishes but also sent money to the Townes rounde about to releeue the want of theyr poore This Bishoppe writing to Calliopius and sending to him three hundred peeces of golde to distribute to the poore exhorted him to distribute it to those that were ashamed to begge but not vnto such as for fylling theyr paunches gaue themselues wholy to beggerie Whereto hee also addeth that in the distribution of this money hee should not tie himselfe to those onely that professed Christianitie but that hee shoulde lykewise haue a care to feed the hungrie not to neglect such as hetherto had not consented to Christian religion And as it seemeth hee heerein taught vs to practise the commandement of Saint Paule namely to doo good vnto all but especially to the householde of faith Gal. 6.10 Tripart hist l. 11. c. 16 Socrates Eccl. hist l. 7. c. 21 Yet dyd Acace Bishoppe of Amyde goe farther for hee seeing a number of Persian prisoners among the Romanes in great necessitie called together his Cleargie and when hee had made vnto them an excellent exhortation wherein hee declared that God needed neyther dishes nor cups because hee neyther eateth nor drinketh hee made money of all wherewyth hee payed theyr raunsomes and furnished them of all theyr necessities for theyr returne to theyr king who so wondered at such a benefite that hee intreated and obtayned of the Emperour Theodosius that hee might bee sent to see him And in deede this was a testimonie of great charitie thus to releeue euen the enemyes Cyprian Epist 36. of the new edition Cyprian also declared a maruellous zeale care and charitie in this poynt as wee may perceiue in many of his Epistles But among the rest writing to the Cleargie of his Diocesse hee sayth Bee verie carefull for the widdowes the sicke and the poore yea if there bee anie straunger among you releeue him wyth my portion which I haue lefte wyth Rogatian our companion in Priesthood Epist 5 Agayne as concerning the releefe as well of those who hauing freely confessed the truth are in prison as also of such who beeing afflicted wyth neede and pouertie doo neuerthelesse perseuere in the truth I beseech you let them not want anie thing Epist 6 Agayne Bee euen as carefull as yee may of the poore who abiding steadfast and constant in the faith haue not forsaken the flocke of Christe that by your dilygence they maye bee prouided of all their necessities least the same which the tempest of persecution coulde not worke in them be brought to passe by the necessitie that may enforce them And as hee sayth in another place Least there shoulde bee anie want as concerning care for those that want nothing belonging to glorie in that they haue constantly confessed Iesus Christ Epist 57 Thus wee see therefore howe carefull pastours ought to bee of the widowes the sicke the needie and such as are prisoners for the faith 27 But because no man is able to discharge all dueties required in pastours Moreouer that theyr labour lyberalitie and fauour is in vaine wythout Gods blessing they are specially to imploye themselues in feruent and continuall prayer wherein they are chiefely to craue his holye spirite together wyth all the gyftes and graces thereof requisite for the due discharge of theyr ministery whether for the preaching of the worde or for anie other parte of theyr office and duetie And in deede if no man can call Iesus Christ Lorde but by the holie Ghost who I praie you is able to open his lippes to preach foorth the mysteries of the heauenly doctrine wythout the assistance of the same holy Ghost Who can bee in constancie wisedome zeale and charitie sufficient to guide the house of God and to maintaine orders in the same but hee in whome the Lorde worketh most mightily At the verye same instant sayth Augustine that the pastour goeth to preach before hee open his lippes to giue his tongue lybertie to speake let him lifte vp his thirstie soule vnto God Aug. of Christian doctrine l. 4. c. 15 and so water the people wyth the same which himselfe hath dronke and poure foorth vppon his flocke that that hee is full of for albeit a man may saie much of all things appertaining to faith and charitie and after diuerse manners yet what man is hee that knoweth what is fit and necessarie for the time present eyther for vs to speake or for others to heare from vs but onely hee who seeth and knoweth the heartes of all Or who is it that maketh vs to speake that which wee shoulde and in manner as wee ought but onelie he in whose handes both our wordes and our selues do remayne And therefore as it is true that hee that woulde both know and teach ought carefully to learne what hee is to teach and to studie howe to vtter it well as beseemeth a preacher so neuerthelesse hee must thinke euen at the verie instant when hee is to preach that it best beseemeth a minister to remember the same which our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath spoken namely that wee shoulde not take care howe or what to speake for it shall be giuen vs euen when we are to speake Also that it is not wee but the spirite of the Father that speaketh in vs. If therefore the holie spirite speaketh in those that suffer tribulation and persecution and are deliuered for Iesus Christ his sake why not also in those that doo teach them that learne Iesus Christ And in another place the same Augustine also sayeth That hee that is to preach Aug. of Christian doctrine l. 4. c. 30 Hester 14.13 ought to praie vnto God to put good wordes into his mouth For if Queene Hester when shee was to speake to king Assuerus for the bodily health of her Nation prayed vnto God to giue her conuenient wordes how much rather ought the Preacher to praie vnto God to giue him grace to speak well when hee is to preach the word and doctrine of the euerlasting saluation of the people 28 Saint Paul an
mercy righteousnes power truth both perfect infinit yea that his whole essence is no other but wisdom goodnes iustice which do infinitly surmount the capacitie of man Likewise that our true humilitye simplicitie wisdome discretion consisteth in this that albeit we do not comprehend it we doo neuertheles beleeue that his will is the rule of all righteousnes that he that demandeth any other reason or cause therof than is declared in his word entreth into a bottomlesse gulfe wherein he shal be swalowed vp that God is goodnes it selfe and can neither wil nor do anie thing but what is good that his power to dispose of all creatures as he pleaseth cannot bee separate from his wisedome and iustice and therefore that he cannot doo anie thing vniustly or vnwisely that it is too great abasemēt to God not to acknowledg in him a more profound wisdome than man is able to comprehend or not to confesse anie other righteousnes in God than such as man shall finde to be iust and to maintaine that he is not able to doo any thing whereof man is not able to comprehend the reason 6 If proude and curious mindes should obiect vnto vs that wee propound these allegations because we are not able to answere to theyr replications obiections and blasphemies yet let vs not bee so carried awaie or readie to minister contentment to theyr rashnes and curiositie but rather let vs cleane to the simplicitie most assured principles of Christian religion Heerein resteth the true sanctification of the name of God As contrarywise it is a most dangerous presumption to seeke to giue account of the workes of God in the wisedome whereof hee wylleth that man feeling his owne ignorance should humble himselfe or to minister vnto men anie accesse to the inaccessible light of God wherinto no man is able to penetrate 2. Cor. 12.2 but hee shall be swallowed vp or in briefe to seeke to nourish the presumption and rashnes of men which God to the end to ingender humilitie in them will kill Saint Paul taken vp into the third heauen and there hearing wordes vnspeakable such as it was not lawfull to vtter knew well inough how farre hee might wade in reuealing the mysteries of Gods wisedome and prouidence And our selues may perceiue how moderate hee was in this respect Lykewise how resolute constant hee shewed him selfe in opposing the onely will wisedome power glorie of God agaynst all replications reproofes and blasphemies of men And in deede speaking of Iacob the elected and Esau the reiected hee sayth Rom. 9.11 Before the children were borne and when they had yet done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was sayde vnto Rebecca The elder shall serue the younger as it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Heere doeth hee plainely declare that Iacob was elected and Esau reiected not for eyther of theyr works either good or bad but according to the determination of God grounded vpon his election And hereupon the Apostle demanding whether there were anie vnrighteousnesse in God answereth first God forbid And that kinde of phrase hee ordinarily vseth whensoeuer hee goeth about to reiect anie question as abhominable and vnworthie of aunswere and heereby admonisheth vs when men vse the lyke replications to abhorre them and to saie God forbidde as thereby maintaining that it is a matter that cannot come to passe 7 Secondly for a manifest explanation that there is no iniquitie in God he addeth For God sayde to Moses Exod. 33.19 I will haue mercie on him to whome I will shew mercie and will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion Heerein doth hee first confyrme that which wee haue alreadie touched namely that election is grounded vpon the onely mercie and free grace of God without any consideration of our works Secondly he alledgeth no other reason of this mercie to some and not to other some but the onely wyll of God saying He will shew mercie to whome he will shew mercie Thus doth the Apostle teach vs that if man thinketh it no reason that God should choose some and reiect other some onely vppon his goodnes and mercie wythout anie consideration of theyr workes our most pertinent reason to iustifie God is with the Apostle to saie It was his will Thus when our Lord Iesus Christ sayde Math. 11.25 I giue thee thankes O father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them to babes He addeth onely this reason It is so O father because thy good pleasure was such So farre therefore must we bee from hauing anie thing to replie against whatsoeuer Gods will that euen in this so strange a worke in the iudgement of flesh proceeding of the good will and pleasure of our heauenly father he sheweth that wee haue an argument to praise him and wyth Iesus Christ to giue him thankes And Saint Paul followed these steppes of his master Eph. 1.3.4.5 11. for first he praiseth God because he hath elected vs in Iesus Christ and then hee addeth that it was done according to the good pleasure of the will of God So often therefore as wee reade and see that God sheweth mercie to some whome he will saue in his kingdome and glorie and leaueth forsaketh other some It is inough that wee alleadge that it is according to the pleasure and counsell of the will of God Thus much to cut off all replications and obiections 8 Earthly kings in the ends of their edictes and proclamations doo ordinarily in stead of a reason adde this For such is our pleasure And thereby doo prohibite theyr subiectes from anie farther enquirie and examination of the reasons of their ordinaunces And shall not God bee in as good credite as mortal man to make vs to receiue and aduow whatsoeuer hee willeth and decreeth onelye adding For such is his will and such is his pleasure Men may many times bee deceiued in that which pleaseth them but God forbid that God should will anie thing that were not righteous or good Let vs therfore so learne to sanctifie the name of God that so soone as in his worde hee declareth that such was or is his will we reiect all replications and vpholde that seeing hee willeth it it is iust good and holy albeit we cannot comprehend the reason of it This is the doctrine that the Apostle by his example doth deliuer And it is our dutie not to couet to bee wiser than the holy Ghost who spake by him either to demand or to render anie reason of the wil of God which cannot be but most iust and holy 9 Saint Paul proceeding in his purpose speaketh of the hardning of Pharaohs heart saying For this purpose haue I stirred thee vp that I might shew my power in thee Rom. 9.17
owne and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ What mercy goodnesse and loue shineth in this redemption That he so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him might not perish Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 but haue life euerlasting What a seale of his truth in that notwithstanding the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of the world he yet in his appointed time sent the seed of the woman promised to our forefathers Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head To be briefe what power shewed he in this redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Gal. 4.4 wherein he surmounted and ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell But what doth such an image of God so expressely represented before our eyes in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ accomplishing our redemption shoot at but to giue vs to vnderstand and earnestly to feele the wisedome holinesse righteousnesse mercy truth goodnesse loue and power of God the father of Iesus Christ That we might loue him put our trust in him cleane vnto him call vpon him acknowledging him to be the inexpuiseable fountaine of al goodnesse and so glorifie him And the rather because by this meanes we are reclaimed from death and euerlasting damnation we bee made the children of God through the same Iesus Christ and inheritors of his kingdome and glory Rightly therefore doe we say that the ende of our redemption shoulde tend to encrease our knowledge of God that we may glorifie him That it is the dutie whereto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying You are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods Also in another place Eph. 1.6 God hath chosē vs to him throgh Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 8 Ther is yet another consideration When Christ gaue sight to the blind raised the dead healed the sicke wrought other like miracles Mat. 9.8 Luk. 13.13 the same were so many testimonies seales of his diuinitie consequently arguments to induce men to glorifie him As he himselfe saith speaking of the sicknes of Lazarus This sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God Ioh. 11.4 that the sonne might be glorified therby For his raising frō death was a testimony of his diuine power But we al are naturally as concerning the soul dead in sin blind sicke of a hūdred diseases And as the soule is more excellēt thē the body so the illuminating restoring to life curing of the diseases of the soule are miracles more excellētly representing the deuine power grace then those of the body Of necessity therefore these miracles being performed in vs through faith in Iesus Christ do bind vs to glorifie him And how By effectual demonstration that where we were blind sicke dead in spirit we are now illuminated cured raised againe to life And indeed the motions affections holy works of Gods children being assured testimonies that in soule they be illuminated risen againe are the true meanes to glorifie God Contrariwise if we walk as men yet blind in the darknes of ignorance as men sicke polluted in vice corruption as men yet dead in sin We doo so much as in vs lieth abolish the miracles of Iesus Christ consequently his glory In this respect Saint Peter saith Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2 1◠that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Mat. 5.16 And in the same sence saith Iesus Christ Let your light so shine before men that seing your good works they may glorify God your father 9 But what argument is this to glorifie God in our holy conuersation good works Because as we haue before said shewed the same be testimonies effects of our spiritual resurrection consequently of Gods power goodnes mercy toward vs. Wherupon the ignorant seing that we who in the time of our ignorāce were dead in sin giuen ouer to all vice corruption since we were illuminated in the truth of the Gospell haue by this spiritual resurrection declared such an alteration in vs that now we are contrariwise become as it were new creatures walking in purenes holines loue may also glorifie God in two sorts First in this miraculous alteration that they see in vs as being a worke truely proceeding of the power and goodnes of God Secondly in this that by such miracles they be moued to allowe and embrace the same religion which we professe as being conuict that it is truely of God not of man Psal 65.1 To conclude where Dauid crieth out O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion He manifestly declareth vnto vs that they which be regenerate through the redemption in Iesus Christ are burgeses of Sion and members of the Church bound to praise God And also that we frustrate God of his dutie and expectation Psal 119 175 if we refer not out whole liues to his glory saying with Dauid O Lord let my soule liue that I may praise thee 10 The secōd principal end of our life should tend to attaine to life euer lasting John 3.16.17 And indeed In as much as God hath sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saued that he so loued the world that he hath giuē his only begottē son to the end that al that beleue in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting It thereby appeareth that as the end of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ is the sauing of the elect so we that beleeue in him shoulde in all the course of our liues aime at this To bee saued by him Otherwyse wee doo so much as in vs lieth reuerse that excellent and wonderfull work of our redemption God hath created man without comparison more excellent than beasts yet if man be not saued nor attaineth to life euerlasting hee is much more miserable than the brute beast which passing ouer this life a great deale more easilye than man after death feeleth no euill and contrariwise the man which aimeth not at this lyfe euerlasting after all his calamities both bodily and ghostly tribulations in this life at his death entereth into incomprehensible and eternall torments If man who naturally desireth felicitie could comprehend the felicitie of such as attaine to the kingdom of heauen likewise the miserie and woe of those who at their decease doo passe into euerlasting death the very horror of the death of these wretches together with the soueraigne felicitie of the blessed would make him earnestly to couet after life euerlasting to esteeme this incomprehensible felicitie to be one of the principall endes of his lyfe Such therefore as doo neuer propound the kingdome of
is nothing better than to take pleasure for at death they see not what becommeth of the soule of man no more than they do of beastes wyth many other such lyke speeches which tend to that purpose But they themselues are in deede verie beastes so to vnderstande and misconster it For Salomons meaning tended rather to confirme the same which wee doo seeeke to mayntayne namely that no man may by the outward shew iudge of mans felicitie or miserie because all things fall out alyke to the one and to the other And that is his meaning where he saith Man knoweth not eyther the loue or hatred of God toward him Eccles 9.1 Eccle. 3.19 if he wil iudge by the outward shew Then hee passeth to beasts saying No man seeth what becommeth of the soules either of man or beasts namely with bodyly eyes Eccl. 8.12.13 But when he addeth that It shall bee well with them that feare the Lord and doo reuerence before him but it shall not be well with the wicked hee shall be like a shadow because hee feareth not before God When also he exhorteth to keepe Gods commandementes protesting that it is the whole duetie of man and that concluding his speech hee saith Eccl. 12.13.14 that God will bring euerie thing to iudgement that man hath done throughout the whole course of his life withall adding that the spirite shall returne to God that gaue it Hee doth sufficiently shew that hee beleeued the immortalitie of the soule and the lyfe euerlasting But where hee seemeth to commend those that take theyr pleasures Eccl. 5.17 saying It is comely to eate and drinke cheerefully hee meaneth in the common opinion of the foolish and vnaduised who resting vppon this lyfe and the iudgement of felicitie or miserie by the outward shew without remembring that mans soule is immortall d◠imagine him to be as a beast among whom such as are best vsed are most happie Howbeit as man is a creature of much more excellencie than a beast and yet if we regarde but the outwarde shew of this lyfe the beast is much more happie than man So we must necessarily beleeue that there is another lyfe after this and therfore conclude that it is meere folly to iudge of mans felicitie or misery by the outward shew Psal 37. 10 Neither is it in vaine that Dauid so earnestly exhorteth vs to take heed of this folly and error to iudge by the outward shew as also he is neuer weary of admonishing vs not to enuy those who outwardly seem happie but constantly to depend vpon the Lord and to walke vprightlie in his sight And in deede this iudgement by the outward shew is not onely repugnant to faith but vtterly abolisheth the same and not faith onely but also hope and desire to walke in the feare and obedience of God The Apostle to the Hebrewes sayeth that Faith is the ground of thinges which are boped for Heb. 11.1 and the euidence of things which are not seene Saint Paul also teacheth vs that hope is of thinges which wee see not Nowe the foundation and obiect of faith is the worde of God Rom. 8.23 pronouncing and assuring vs that the righteous and holye suffering persecution for his name are happie well beloued and blessed of God yet canst thou not see this but with the eye of faith and therefore in iudging of a man with thy bodily eye to be accursed in his tribulations thou dost abolish faith Hope is founded vpon the promise of celestiall spirituall and eternall goods to come If therfore when thou seest a faithfull man in trouble thou presently dost iudge him to be accursed thou dost abolish hope which regardeth not the time present but to come Againe if we were to depend vpon the externall iudgement and to say that the wicked that are in prosperitie are blessed who will dispose himselfe to endure pouertie and other afflictions by walking vprightly and in holinesse Nay will not all men rather apply themselues to fraud iniury extortion and other iniquitie sith ritches honour and other carnall commodities will redound to their blisse and felicitie 11 By the premisses we may see what a dangerous and pernitious folly this is to iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward shew wherby we abolish the immortalitie of the soule God and his righteousnesse saith hope and all care and desire to walke in the feare of God That we may therefore Amend our liues let vs hereafter be better aduised and iudge of mans felicitie or miserie not after the outward shew Mat. 5. but according to the infallible and assured testimonies of Gods word Thus when the eare shall heare these sentences Blessed are you poore in spirite Luk. 6.28 Amos. 6.1 that hunger and thirst and that mourne Blessed are you when men hate you and cast you forth and say all manner of euill against you for the sonne of mans sake Againe Woe be to you rich men woe be to you that be satisfied and reioyce wee bee to you that liue at ease in Sion Faith will iudge according to Gods word that the faithful in affliction are blessed and the wicked in prosperitie most accursed Yet if the eye beholding the ritches honour and commodities of the wicked shoulde iudge them to be happie faith leaning to the testimonie of Gods word will beate downe and suppresse the false iudgement of the eye concluding that it is meere folly to iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outwarde shewe And albeit the worlde and the flesh doe cry out to the contrarie yet will we harken to and stedfastly holde this sentence pronounced by him who is trueth it selfe saying Say yee it shall bee well with the iust for they shall eate the fruite of their workes but woe bee to the wicked Esa 3.10 11. who seeketh after iniquitie for the rewarde of his hand shall bee giuen vnto him 10 Let vs remember the contents of the 92. Psalme where Dauid exhorteth vs to praise God to declare foorth his mercie and truth to reioyce in his workes to crie out that they are glorious his thoughts very profoūd What thoughts works Euen that the wicked doe spring vp like grasse and all workers of iniquitie doe flourish that afterward they may bee rooted out for euer And heereof to giue vs the more assurance directing himselfe to God Psal 92. he saith For loe thine enemies O Lord for loe thine enemies shall perish and all workers of iniquitie shall bee destroied But the righteous shal flourish like a Palme tree shal grow like a Cedar in Libanon Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courtes of our God They shall bring foorth fruite in their age they shall bee fat and flourishing To declare that the Lord is righteous and that no iniquitie is in him And in as much saith hee as man resembling a brute beast knoweth nothing and that the foole
speaking vnto vs but because God speaketh by them and therefore whosoeuer despiseth or resisteth them when they preach the worde of God hee doth despise and reiect God in them 6 The premises doo sufficiently shew in what reuerence wee are to holde the ministerie of the worde what a blessing it is to enioye it how earnestly and diligently wee shoulde frequent sermons especially in consideration of the benefites which wee reape by them as illumination reconcilement to God and participation of saluation and lyfe euerlasting For this cause doth the Deuill our auncient enemie labour to diuert men heerefrom and to bring them out of taste saying vnto some If God woulde speake vnto vs either by himselfe or by his holie Angelles wee woulde verie willingly beleeue and obeye him alledging to others That they can reade Gods word in their houses that they haue verie good bookes and that they can heare no better instructions in the sermons of men than in the preachinges of Iesus Christ written by the Euangelists neither anie better doctrine than in the writings of the Prophets Apostles But hereto we aunswere that our selues are also in duetie to read the holy Scriptures as hereafter we will more at large declare In the meane time it is abhominable rashnes and presumption in man to seeke to alledge reasons against the expresse declaration of the will of God Albeit we should not vnderstand for what cause God would speake vnto vs by the ministery of men or that thereby he would bring vs to saluation yet might it become vs to humble our selues in his sight and without replying to obey his commandements ordinances as certainly beleeuing that to his elect hee appointeth nothing but in his wisdome goodnes to his owne glorie and to their felicitie and saluation And in deed first euer since the fall of Adam men haue bin so estranged from God by reason of sin and their own corruptioÌ„ that they cannot abide the presence of God especially when he speaketh to them And therefore this was in olde time a common saying Iud. 13.22 We shal die for we haue seene God Likewise the people of Israel hearing God speaking vnto theÌ„ in mount Sinay Exod. 20.19 sayd vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and wee will heare thee but let not the Lord speake least we die And God accepting this confession of their infirmitie together with their demaund saide vnto Moses They haue sayd well and therefore I will heereafter speake vnto them by the ministerie of men Deut. 18.17 raising them vp Prophets and putting my words in their mouthes This experience of the people of Israel that they were not able to heare God speaking vnto them theyr demand that hee would speake to them by men the approbation thereof and Gods promise to send them prophets do declare that it is an intollerable presumption if in stead of vsing the ministerie of men we wil needs haue God himselfe to speake vnto vs. 7 Neuertheles albeit God would not offer himselfe in such maiestie as to terrifie men when he speaketh vnto theÌ„ yet may we note sundrie notable reasons that moue him to vse the ministerie of men First it is a good proofe of our humilitie obedience in that he is content we should be taught and brought to saluation by the ministrie of men that be like vnto our selues sometime our inferiors for so will God haue the glory of our faith and saluation to himself but if himself shuld speak vnto vs or send his Angels some might say It is no maruell though men obey for who will not beleeue God when himselfe speaketh vnto vs Who dare disobey him But sith they bee men and many times of lowe degree yea euen such as want the perswasiue wordes of mannes wisedome 1. Cor. 2.4 â— as Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe then as hee also addeth Faith must bee from God and not from man And therefore is it not requisite that the holye Ghost shoulde perswade vs that when vve heare men speaking vnto vs wee heare God speaking by them and so doo receiue their worde not as the woordes of men but as the worde of God In this sense doth he also say that the pastors doo beare the treasure of the heauenly doctrine as it were in earthen vessels to the end to trie our humilitie and faith 2. Cor. 4.7 whether without respect of the base and meane estate of the men wee can finde in our hearts to esteeme of and accept the heauenly treasure which they present vnto vs. Secondly is it not a great honour that God doth to man when from among men hee chooseth some to bee his embassadors as it were his owne mouth to preach and proclaime his will together with the mysteries of our saluation and to beare witnesse of his great mercie goodnesse and loue towardes vs and of that eternall glorie which he hath prepared for vs in heauen 8 Thirdly the establishment of preaching is an excellent conuenient meane to maintaine loue vnion and truth among men If there were no preaching but onely priuate reading of Gods word we shuld presently find a horrible confusion in the doctrine when euery one shall expound the holy Scripture after his owne sense vnderstanding As also by experience we doo but too plainly see that they which contemne preaching doo finally fall into diuerse opinions and errours Heereto had S. Paul especiall regard when he writ to the Ephesians There is one bodie and one spirite Ephes 4. â—4 euen as yee are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and thorough al in al. But vnto euerie one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gifte of Christ Wherefore hee sayth when he ascended vp on high hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men Hee gaue vnto some to bee Apostles others to bee Prophets others to be Euangelists and others to be pastours and doctors for the gathering together of the saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnitie of faith knowledge of the son of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine but let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Iesus Christ by whom all the bodie being coupled and knit together by euerie ioynt receiueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue through the grace that is ministred according to the measure of euerie member 9 By this discourse the Apostle Saint Paule doeth manifestlye declare that this gathering together of the Saintes this building vp of the bodie of Christ our full growing vp in him that is
and aske them whetâ—â—r they haue not all toâ—â—â—e necessarie for theyr trades and occupations notwithstandiâ—â— whatsoeuer hinderaunce of their pouertie Is not this a meere â—olly to excuse themselues by pouertie in this case and yet to haue no want of things necessarie for theyr occupations 〈◊〉 hee had cause to complaine when there were no bookes but such as were in written hand and consequently dere howe much more bitterly might hee compâ—aine of the negligence and slouth of our dayes in all this great plentie and abundance of good bookes that by the helpe of printing maye bee had for so lyttle money Chri. his third sermon of Lazarus Seest thou not sayeth hee in another place the worke-men in mettalles the Golde-smith the Siluer-smith and all others that exercise anie occupation keepe all theyr tooles readie and in good order Albeit hunger compelleth and pouertie pincheth yet will they rather beare all than sell anie necessarie or needfull toole of theyr occupation to feede themselues withall yea many had rather borrowe vppon vsurie than pawne foorth anie one toole and good reason For they knowe that by pawning foorth theyr tooles they do depriue themselues of all ordinarie meanes to get theyr liuings and contrarywise that by keeping them they maye with profite discharge theyr debt But as hammers stithes and pinsers are the tooles of theyr occupations wherewyth to get theyr liuinges so the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles and all the bookes of the holy Scriptures are the tooles of Christianitie wherewith to obtaine saluation and life euerlasting And as artificers with theyr tooles and instrumentes doo finish their woorke so by the reading of the holye Scriptures our soules are corrected formed and renewed Which is more Artificers cannot transforme earth or woode into siluer or golde onelie they can by theyr arte and workmanshippe giue forme and shape vnto thinges but by the reading of Gods worde thou maist of a wooden or earthen vessell make a vessell of golde or siluer as the holy Apostle Saint Paule teacheth saying In a great house are not onely vesselles of golde and of siluer 2. Tim. 2.20 z. 1 but also of woode and of earth If anie man therefore purge himselfe from these hee shall bee a vessell vnto honour sanctifyed and meete for the Lorde and prepared vnto euerie good worke Thus concluding his speech hee sayth Let vs not be neglygent to buy books For euen the sight of them as he addeth shall put vs in minde of our dueties as well to withdrawe vs from sinne and iniquitie as to cause vs to perseuere in holynesse and righteousnesse and to praie to God to giue vs grace so to doo 3 What excuse shall wee pretende in the sight of God when in this abundance and easie meanes to get bookes by the helpe of printing wee are so loth to buy them and so carelesse of reading them thereby shewing our selues most vnthankefull and vnworthie that fauour and grace at Gods hande considering withall that wee are so often and earnestly exhorted to our dueties in reading and meditating vppon his woorde Let the word of Christ sayth Saint Paule dwell in you plenteousâ—ie in all wisedome Colos 3 1â— teaching and admonishing one another Hee speaketh to the Collossians both to men and women and willeth that this doctrine of the Gospell should be so familiar vnto them that it might take roote in them whereby to be instructed both for themselues to teach others We haue sayth Saint Peter a most sure worde of the Prophets 2. Pet. 1.19 to the which yee do wel that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Hee compareth the writings of the Prophets to a candle shining in the darke and therefore exhorteth vs to take the same to bee our light Psal 119.105 Ephes 6.17 as Dauid also sayth The woorde of God is a light to my steppes Saint Paule calleth Gods worde the swoord of the spirite wherewith he willeth vs to bee armed to fight against the deuill But how shall wee take this swoord in hande vnlesse wee become diligent readers of the holy Scriptures wherwith after the example of Iesus Christ Math. 4. Rom. 15.4 to resell the temptations of the deuill saying It is written It is written If as Saint Paule sayth all that is written is written for our learning that wee maye haue hope by patience and comfort in the Scriptures Shall not wee make vaine the prouidence of the heauenlye goodnesse which hath giuen and preserued the Scriptures for vs if we doo not with diligence reade in them to the end thereby to bee comforted and strengthned in patience 2. Tim. 3.16 hope and faith If all holie Scripture be giuen by inspiration from God and bee profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse ought not wee diligently to exercise our selues in reading and meditation thereof to the end to reape such excellent fruit of the same 4 Men are flatterers and wee are blinde in our owne corruptions whereto we are naturally affected and therefore it is most necessarie that wee shoulde often heare God speaking vnto vs in the holy Scriptures instructing improuing correcting and exhorting vs to our duties When the young man mentioned by Saint Luke asked of Iesus Christ what hee should doe to obtayne euerlasting lyfe Luke 10.26 Christ aunswered What is written in the Lawe How doest thou reade Thereby shewing that the Lawe is written for vs to reade that in it wee maye knowe what wee are to doo in discharge of our duetie towarde God When the cursed rich man prayed Abraham to sende Lazarus to his brethren Luke 6.29 hee aunswered They haue Moses and the Prophets let them reade them He thereby taught vs that wee must reade the Scriptures and in them learne the meanes to escape euerlasting tormentes with that cursed riche man and neuer hope of anie mans comming from death to teach vs. Dauid a most excellent Prophet was well instructed in the Lawe yet the hundreth and nineteenth Psalme doth at large declare Psal 119 Dan. 9.2 Act. 17.11 how diligent and carefull hee was in reading and meditating Daniel notwithstanding his many reuelations lefte not off the reading of the bookes of Ieremie Saint Luke highlye commendeth the Birrheans because they were of better stomacke than the Iewes at Thessalonica to receiue with al readines the word preached by Saint Paul and dayly to conferre the scriptures to know whether it were so so the better to gather knowledge by the conference of the Scriptures with the truth which they had heard that they might bee the rather confirmed therein This zeale and diligence of the Birrheans shall rise vp in iudgement agaynst vs euen against vs who hauing heard the preaching do no farther endeuor by reading the Scriptures to confirme our selues more and more in the heauenly doctrine preached vnto vs. Act. 8 Queene Candaces Eunuch might wel as it seemeth haue exempted
compassion After whose example we likewise ought in our selues to feele the necessitie want of our neighbours because they be our flesh and members of the same body and so to apprehend their paine anguish and sorrow as thereby to be moued with compassion towards them 3 In as much therefore as in the consideration of a woefull estate the apprehension that we take by the eare can neuer so forcibly moue the hart as that which commeth by the eye Cicero saith an ancient Orator euerie man ought diligently to visite the poore in their tribulations to the end that with their eyes beholding those that lye vpon the straw that are sicke that are naked that quake for colde that want bread that mourne for the lamentation of their poore children that crie for hunger that are lodged in places where wee would scarce lay our dogges this spectakle might moue the bowels of their harts to take compassion of their pouertie In this consideration Iesus Christ is not content that we giue to the poore bread drinke or cloth only but also doth require vs to visite him in his members I was sicke saith he and ye visited me and therefore S. Iames saith Pure religion and vndefiled before God Mat. 25.36 Iam 1 27. euen the father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersities And indeed as visitation will vndoubtedly engender compassion in the hart so will it the more aboundantly stretch foorth the hand to the reliefe of the needy and this doth experience dayly teach vs. And therfore such as thinke it a great grace of God to be charitable to the poore as indeed it is are to exercise themselues in the visitation of them to the end to comfort them both in word and deede which giueth great efficacie to the word This exercise of charitie ought the mightie and rich men of the world to put in practise for as by visiting the poor their humilitie would minister great force to their charity so would such visitatiō moue their harts the more liberally with their aboundance to relieue the needie 4 But because most men do thinke it to rest at our owne choise whether wee will relieue the poore or not let vs contrariwise assure our selues that it is a matter commended by God which we may not neglect whensoeuer God ministreth occasion and meanes least wee offend God and deserue euerlasting damnation And indeed it is a work of charitie which charitie is vnto vs commanded by God and comprehendeth the summarie of the second table of the law God in old time prescribed to his people this dutie of charitie saying Because there shal euer be some poore in the land therefore I commaund thee Deut. 15 11 saying Thou shalt open thyne hand vnto thy brother to thy needie and to thy poore in thy land To which effect Saint Paul also commandeth vs to impart to the necessitie of the Saints Also to doe good vnto all but especially to the houshold of faith Rom. 12.13 Gal. 6.10 Heb. 1.16 2. Cor. 9.10 because we are so negligent in this dutie the Apostle wakeneth vs saying To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased Saint Paul calleth Almes the workes of righteousnesse because there is nothing more righteous before God or wherein wee stand more indebted vnto man then to relieue his necessitie by loue God in old time forbad the people of Israell saying Leuit. 19.9 When you reape the haruest of your land you shall not reape euerie corner of your field neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy haruest Againe Thou shalt not gather the grapes of thy vineyarde cleane neither shalt thou gather euerie grape of thy vineyard but shalt leaue them for the poore and for the straunger Sith God sheweth himselfe so liberall vnto vs as to permit vs to reape for our selues the haruest and Vintage yet withall testifieth vnto vs such a care of the poore that he commandeth vs to leaue vnto them whatsoeuer shall remaine of the saide haruest and vinetage Deut 26 1. Exod. 23 19. 34 22. Numb 15.17 Exod. 22.19 will it not at this day be a great testimonie of disobedience and ingratitude not to impart to the poore some smal portion of the plentie that he hath put into our hands In olde time God commanded his people to offer vnto him all the first fruits of such goodes as grew to them from the earth Moreouer the first loaues of the first dowe of the new corne also the first licour pressed either out of the oliue or out of the grape And this was an acknowledgement that the land that they possessed was the Lordes and an homadge testifieng that all the goods that they enioyed proceeded from his liberalitie In consideration therefore saith Dauid that our wealth commeth not to his hands he at this day substituteth the poore in his place Psal 16.2 as hee also addeth saying But vnto the Saints that are vpon the earth am I wholy enclined And therefore whensoeuer the poore or the deacons in their name doe come vnto vs wee are to take them to bee Gods receiuers that come to chalenge his right at our hands And in refusing to pay vnto them the homadge that we owe vnto God for the goods that we hold of him sending thē away emptie and not relieuing their necessities we doe commit not onely theft but also sacriledge The image of God that the poore do beare about them should be some reason to know them and Gods commaundement to relieue them is their commission and letters patents which wee cannot disaduow without great contempt to his maiestie 5 The tenne commandements of the law of God doe vndoubtedly comprehend the whole duty of man to God to his neighbour and thereof it followeth that the reliefe of the poore and all other the works of charitie are therein comprised commanded But in which commandement of the law In the sixt Thou shalt not kill What is the ground and reason of this commandement Because mans life is deare precious in the sight of God he forbiddeth all hurting of it and commandeth vs to preserue it As therefore he prohibiteth whatsoeuer may tend to the hurt of mans life so doth he command any thing that may serue to the maintenance therof cōsequently it appeareth that all reliefe requisite for the preseruatiō of the poor is here commanded vnto vs. And being cōmanded by this word Thou shalt not kil It necessarily ensueth that he which relieueth not the poore at their need is a murderer And in deed as we quench a lampe not only by blowing it out but also by keeping awaie the oyle that shoulde seed it or as wee quench fire not onely by casting on of water but also by keeping awaie woode from it And in a great drought as many hearbes doo die not onely by plucking vp but also for want of watering so is mannes
oppose himselfe against the prouidence liberty of God as grieuing at the good that God vouchsafeth to those whom he pleaseth after his owne wisedome and power and that to such enuious persons belongeth the saying of Iesus Christ Is thine eye euill because I am good or is it not lawfull for me to doe as I wil with mine own Mat. 20.15 Neither must we forget that the end of our liues ought to tend to serue not our selues but God our neighbour that it is a most monstrous sin for vs to enuie that good which our selues either doe or should procure and set forward Yea that we euen make a skorne of God when according to our duties wee pray vnto him to enrease his mercies and blessings to our neighbours and in the meane time do enuie and are sorie for their wel-doing and prosperitie through the blessings of God As also wee ought in our harts to print this saying of Chrisostome Chrisostome hom 36. As by enuying of others we offend God so by reioycing at their prosperitie wee shall be pertakers of their goods Saint Cyprian also exhorteth vs to imitate the good Cyprian of zeale Enuy if we can follow them yet if wee can not follow them reioyce sayth he at their good In liew of enuiing make your selues pertakers through steadfast loue make your selues coheires of their goods by the coniunction of loue and brotherly vnion Finally let vs remember that there is but one commendable and profitable kinde of enuie euen the same that we so beare to the vertuous as to imitate their vertue As Themistocles giuing a reason why hee who in his yoouth was bent wholly to pleasures Plut. in his Apotheg Augustine vpon 139. Psal had lastly applyed his mind to vertue saith that the victorie of Miltiades would not suffer him to sleep As Augustine also commendeth that enuy of the righteous that pricketh vs forward to become righteous with them Of backbiting slaundering and euill speaking Chap. 21. ONe vice more will wee here entreate of which as it is no lesse common albeit smally accompted of so is it most pernitious Namely when we speake euill of our neighbours to the preiudice of their credit reputation and honor Exod. 20.16 Deut. 5.20 and this is called backbiting slaundering or euill speaking And by God is forbidden in the ninth CoÌ„mandement of his law Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour True it is that he doth expressely name false witnesse But those words do extend very far First they which in the presence of the Magistrate or else wher either by oath or but by speech only do affirme any falsehoode to the preiudice of their neighbours are heere condemned and they bee properly tearmed slaunderers Yea they may be called Deuilish For the word Deuill signifieth a slaunderer or false accuser All slaunderers therefore are the children or Disciples of the Deuill who was iustly so called because hee was the first Author and inuenter of that iniquitie Gen. 3 as the historie of the holy Scriptures doth manyfestly declare For when the Serpent perceiued that Eue remained constant in the obedience of God also that she feared that he woulde execute his threatning which imported that thee shoulde die if shee eate of the forbidden fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and euill hee wickedly slaundered God as if vpon enuie fearing least shee and her husband Adam by eating of that fruite shoulde become like to himselfe and know both good and euill he had made that prohibition This was an impudent and detestable slaunder 2 Hauing by this meanes drawen Adam and Eue to disobedience Gen. 35. among other vices he also poured this deuilish poyson vpon all their posteritie as experience by most notable examples doth teach So did Putiphars wise slander and falsely accuse Ioseph that he would haue dishonored her So did Chore Numb 16. Dathan and Abiram falsely slaunder Moses and Aaron 2 Sam. 16.3 saying that they sought to exalt themselues ouer the congregation of the Lord. So did Ziba Miphiboseths seruant slander his master in the eares of Dauid Hester 3. 8. as if he had pretended that the house of Israel shold haue restored him to the kingdome and that therupon he remained at Ierusalem 1. Sam. 24.14 So did Haman falsely accuse the Iewes that were in captiuitie vnder king Assuerus that they denied to fulfill the kings decrees 2. Sam. 15. So did Saules Courtiers slaunder Dauid Iohn 7.20 as if hee ment to take away his kingdome So did Absalom slander his owne father Dauid telling the people that there was not any to heare their suites Mat. 11.19 to iudge of their affaires or to do them right With many impudent slanders did the Iewes assault Iesus Christ Luk. 23.2 obiecting vnto him that he had the Deuil that he was a drunkerd a glutton a friend to Publicans a seducer of the people Act. 24.5 and accused him falsely that hee denied tribute to Caesar and suborned the people So did Tertullus the Orator tearme S. Paul a seditious and pestilent fellow 3 Againe if the speeches gâ—â—en forth should in themselues bee true yet if they be misreported or wrested to any other sence then they were done or spoken this is also slaunder and false witnesse As S. Marke rehearseth Matâ— â—4 58 that finally there came in two false witnesses against Iesus Christ And affirmed that they heard him say I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three daies I will build an other made without hands Here was a double slaunder First in that Christ spake it not in that sort Ioh. 2 19. but onely said Destroy this temple in three daies I wil raise it vp againe Secondly because that which he spake of his body as S. Iohn expressely addeth That he spoke of the temple of his body they referred to the materiall Temple buâ—â—â— with hands at Ierusalem 4 It is also a deuilish malitious slaunder when men report that which is true but thereof to gather or perswade some wicked and reproueable action Psal 5â— 2 As when Doeg shewed Saule that Dauid had beene in the house of the high priest Achimelech in Nob that Achimelech had asked counsell of the Lord for Dauid 1. Sam. 21. Psal 52.5 that he had giuen him bread and that he had deliuered vnto him the sworde of Goliah Dauid obiecteth vnto him That his tongue was like a sharpe razor that he had imagined mischiefe spoken lies and vsed pernitions and deceitfull wordes Yet it seemeth that all that Doeg told Saul was true But heerein we are to note his intent which was thereby to gather and to perswade Saul that there was conspiracie betweene Dauid and Achimelech and in that consisted his slaunder and false accusation Dan. 6 The chiefest officers in Darius Court accused Daniel that he called vpon his God and so contrarie to the Kings
wee haue giuen anie occasion thereof let the same bee a cause to make vs to amende our liues If it bee false let it bee a warning to beware thereof because wee are men and may fall Let vs in this case remember the saying of Socrates They speake no euill of vs when that which they saie is not in vs. And in deede it is as if a man reporting some harme of a bad man should call him by my name for whatsoeuer he should saie should concerne not mee but him that he calleth by my name Aug. against Petilian 1. Pet. 2.23 18 Especially let vs remember that as Saint Augustine sayth our patience is tryed by detraction And let vs imitate our Sauior Iesus Christ who when hee was reuiled reuiled not againe but prayed for those that reuiled him As in truth it is woorse for the backbiters than for vs and consequently wee are to take compassion of them and to praie to GOD for them For as one stripe of the tongue woundeth three the backbiter him that giueth eare to the back-biting the back-biten so the two first do thereby wound their cōsciences to the death by deseruing the sentence of eternal fire but the third is no whit damnified but in his good name and that peraduēture but for a short space It beseemeth not a christian to returne iniurie for iniurie Neither is it good to render euill for euill if he that wrongeth thee saith Seneca bee weaker then thy selfe forgiue him if stronger forgiue they selfe It is a vice to reuenge and a vertue to forgiue and therefore when Pittacus had caught one that had wronged him hee let him go and said Pardon is better than reuenge To the end therfore to take away all replication to the example of Iesus Christ let vs also ioyne the exāple of Dauid that we may follow the same Hee protesteth that when they which had charged him with reproaches and false accusations Psalme 37.13 were sicke hee put on sackcloth and vexed his soule with fasting and his prayer returned into his bosome Psal 35.13 so that hee redoubled and reiterated the same with a sorrowfull and troubled hart Yea heerein let vs imitate the moderation and temperance of Euagrius whose mortification was such Zozom in his Ecclesiastical historie lib. 6. cap. 38 Prou. 22.1 that no praises coulde lifte him vp neither anie iniuries moue him to displeasure 19 Not that we should vtterly neglect our same good name For A good name sayth Salomon is to bee chosen before great riches and louing fauor is aboue siluer and gold Besides as by our sinnes God is dishonoured and our neighbours take offence so contrarywise by our holy conuersation and good name God is glorifyed our neighbours edyfied And this doth Saint Augustine teach saying Hee that leadeth an innocent lyfe by shunning sinne and iniquitie benefiteth himselfe but he who besides is not negligent in mayntayning his good name doth benefite others and is mercifull vnto them If God therfore giue vs conuenient meanes without breach of the bond of peace loue and without giuing cause of offence to defend our innocencie and good name wee ought to keepe and preserue it in procuring honest things not onely before the Lord 2. Cor. 8.28 2. Cor. 6.8 but also before men Otherwise contenting our selues with the testimonie of a good conscience let vs with the Apostle wade thorough honour and dishonour thorough euill report and good report As being assured that God will in the end make manifest our innocencie and blesse our patience with peace and contentation in him Psalme 37.6 Thus the dutie of euerie Christian that longeth to amend his lyfe doth consist in this First that he abstaine from all slaunder backbiting and euill speech secondly that we giue no eare to backbiters and slanderers and lastly that he be not mooued by their backbitinges slanders and harde wordes in worde or deede to render euill for euill But rather let him praie vnto God for those that seeme in minde to be troubled and sicke in that they speake euill of him Amen The end of the second Booke The third Booke Who it is that ought to Amend Of the duties common both to the husband and the wife Chapter 1. WE haue in the former bookes propounded some examples of the thinges wherein wee ought principally to refourme our liues and to amend Now let vs vnderstand who ought to amend Anie man euen wythout studie will answere that euerie Christian is bounde thereto And it is true for there is no man whosoeuer but both needeth and is bound to amende his life in the premises as also in euerie other the dueties required in the generall vocation and calling of a Christian Neuerthelesse there bee also certaine particular callinges wherein eache man in his owne behalfe is to vnderstand what God requireth of men in the same that so they may reforme theyr faultes and more vertuously emploie themselues in theyr vocations according to the wyll of God But of these wee wyll consider onelye of eight First of the husband to the wife and the wife to the husbande Next of parents to theyr children and of children to theyr parents Then of the Magistrate to the subiect and of the subiect to the magistrate Lastly of the ministers of the word to the congregation and of the congregation to their ministers 2 As concerning the dueties of those that are vnited by marryage Gen. 2 some there are that bee common to eyther partie and some that particularly doo importe the husbande to the wife and other some the wife to her husband But first wee wyll intreate of those that bee common to both Iohn 2.1 Heb. 4.4 Moses writing of the institution of Marriage doeth euidently declare that it is a holy ordinance of God Iesus Christ also honoured it both with his presence and first myracle And the Apostle to the Hebrewes sayth that marriage is honourable Such therefore as doo aspyre thereunto are to beginne in prayer and holynesse to God 1. Cor. 7. 2 And hauing attayned to that estate to vse this benefite of marriage as an holy ordynance of God in all godlynesse and puritie for a remedie against the weaknesse of the flesh as the Apostle Paule teacheth and not for prouocation and lust to intemperancie True it is that honestie of marryage grounded vppon Gods ordinaunce doeth couer the shame of incontinencie yet not so as that wee shoulde defyle and pollute that estate by admitting all thinges Ambos li. de Philos but that wee shoulde so vse it as there myght bee no excesse in dissolution neyther anie intemperancie contrarie to the holynesse of marryage And in deede Saint Ambrose reproouing those that doo abuse it in lasciuious excesse tearmeth them fornicatours wyth theyr wiues And albeit that tearme seemeth harde yet let vs not thinke or imagine that hee spake it wythout reason Aug. against Iuli. li. 2 especially considering that Saint
more able to with and temptations and a line of three twists is not so soone broken They are 〈◊〉 each to helpe vp other if either of them happen to 〈…〉 or sinne Wis 4. â— Two are better sayeth the same Salomon 〈…〉 they haue better wages for their labour And if they 〈…〉 will 〈◊〉 vp the other but wo vnto him that is alone for if he 〈…〉 lift him vp They ought also each to perâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 to relieue the poore diligently to frequent 〈◊〉 to vse prayers and supplications and praise and thankesgiuings to the Lord to comfort each other in the time of affliction to be short either to exhort other to walke in the feare of God 〈◊〉 in all duties and exercises beseeming the children of God In this mâ—nner did that holy woman Elizeus hottesse exhort her husband to prepare a chamber for the prophet to lodge in Saint Paul also sayth 2. King 4 1â— 1. Cor. â—4 â—â— That women desirous to learne should question with theyr husbandes at home Whereby he sheweth that the husband ought to bee so instructed as hee maie bee readie to instruct his wyfe at home And in deede a heathen Philosopher in this sense sayth verie well Plutarch in the rules of marriage That the husband after the example of the Bee should euerie where gather euerie good instruction that he might be able to impart it to his wife and by hauing communication acquaint her therewith Thus sayeth hee maye the mindes of women well taught be wonne from vanitie to vertue 7 Other duties there are which be common both to the husband the wife as among the rest such as proceed of the vnion of marryage wherof God in the institution thereof sayde They are one flesh And Iesus Christ confyrmed saying Two shall bee one 〈◊〉 And therfore in Saint Marke hee addeth They are no more two but one flesh Gen 2.24 Math. 19. 5 Marke 10.8 And in deede if Eue being created of one of the ribbes of Adam was as parte of himselfe then is the wife also a parte of her husband and as the one halfe of himselfe And of this vnâ—â—â— and coniunction proceedeth the mutuall loue betweene man and wife For no man sayth Saint Paule hateth his owne flesh but loueth and cherisheth it And speaking to husbandes hee sayeth Husbandes loue your wiues Ephes 5.15 Titus 2.4 Eccle. 25.1 And writing to Titus hee commaundeth him to exhort the elder women to teach the younger to bee modest and to loue theyr husbandes Three thinges sayth Wisedome doo reioyce thee and with them am I beautifyed before God and men Vnitie of brethren loue of neighbours a man and wife that agree together But syth the foundation of this mutuall loue is the vnity of marriage wherby the husband and the wife are made one flesh the husbande as the head the wife as the bodie It followeth that this loue must bee stedfast not variable and that the vnion of marriage continue notwithstanding whatsoeuer befall either the husband or the wife Notwithstanding whatsoeuer complexions I saie natures infyrmities may appeare whatsoeuer sicknesse losse of goods iniuries griefes or other inconueniences that may arise yet so long as the foundation of loue that is the vnion of marriage doth continue so long must loue and affection remaine God commandeth vs to loue our neighbors as our selues because they be of our flesh Albeit therefore that hee contemne hate offend or wrong vs albeit he bee our enemie and in respect of himselfe deserueth not that wee should loue him yet because hee is of our flesh the foundation of loue remayning wee must loue him As also our sauiour Iesus Christ sayth Loue your enemies blesse those that curse you Mat. 5.44 doo good to those that hate you and praie for those that molest and persecute you Howe much rather ought they to put this in practise who by the bonde of marryage are made one flesh The rather because the vnion betweene man and wife is without comparison more straight and bindeth them each to loue other much more than the coniunction whereby man is vnited vnto his neighbour 8 But this is the mischiefe that in many their loue is not grounded vpon the vnion of marriage but vpon beautie riches other carnal and worldly considerations subiect to chang alteration and losse This corruption that respecteth beautie is olde and noted to bee among the causes of the floud The sonnes of God sayth Moses seeing the daughters of men were faire lusted after them Gen. 6. 2 toke them in marriage But in deed it is monie that maketh loue and riches ingender affection witnesse the experience of our daies Yet such loue resembleth onely a fire of straw which is but a blaze and is soone out vnles it be continued with great wood or other lyke substance Loue growing of beautie riches lust or anie other lyke slight vncertain and fraile grounds is soone lost and vanished vnlesse it be maintained with the consideration of this vnion of two in one flesh and the vertues thereto adioyned and therefore must euerie man thinke vpon this vnion in marriage that he may inioy nourish continue the loue that therof procedeth the rather because such loue is the nurse of coÌ„cord that maketh marriage happy As contrariwise the want of this loue is the fountaine of strife quarelling debate and other like afflictions that conuert the paradise of marriage into a hell Augustine of baptisme of children Dissention between man and wife saith S Augustine is the trouble and ouerthrow of the householde They that will auoid such strife must therefore loue each other and especially they must haue care heereof when they are first married For as a vessell made of two peeces glewed together may at the first be easily broken but in time groweth strong so is it also wyth two persons that are glewed or ioyned together by the bond of marriage 9 This loue the mother of peace will ingender a care and dutie each to support other and so to practise the same which Saint Paul requireth in all beleeuers Ephes 4.31 that is To be gentle one to another friendly and each to forgiue other euen as God hath forgiuen vs through Christ Let the husband thinke that he hath married a daughter of Adam with all her infyrmities and likewise let the woman thinke that she hath not married an Angell but a child of Adam with his corruptions And so let them both resolue to beare that that cannot be soone amended Let not the bodie complaine of the head albeit it haue but one eie neither the head of the bodie albeit it be croked or mishapen Such defaultes doo neuer break vnion and loue betweene the head and the bodie neyther must the infirmities of the husband or the wife infringe the loue that procedeth of the vnion in marriage If the husband be giuen to brauling or the wife to chiding let them both beware
Gods will that shee should bee subiect to her husband so that she shall haue no other discretion or will but what may depend vpon her head As also he saith Thy desire shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall rule ouer thee Gen. 3.16 This dominion ouer the wiues will doth manifestly appeare in this that God in olde time ordained that if the woman had vowed any thing vnto God it should notwithstanding rest in her husband to disaduow it So much is the wiues will subiect to her husband Numb 30.7 Yet is it not ment that the wife should not employ her knowledge and discretion which God hath giuen her in the helpe of her husband But alwaies it must bee with condition to submit her selfe to him acknowledging him to bee her head that finally they may so agree in one as the coniunction of marriage doth require Yet as when in a Lute or other musicall instrument two strings concurring in one tune the sound neuerthelesse is imputed to the strongest and highest so in a well ordered householde there must be a communication and consent of counsell and will betweene the husband and the wife yet such as the counsell and commaundement may rest in the husband 5 True it is that some women are wiser and more discreete then their husbands As Abigall the wife of Nabal and others Whether was Salomon deceiued when he said A wise woman buildeth vp the house Prou. 14. Prou. 11. and blessed is the man that hath a discreet wife Yet still a great parte of the discretion of such women shall rest in acknowledging their husbands to be their heads and so vsing the graces that they haue receiued of the Lord that their husbands may bee honoured not contemned neither of them nor of others which falleth out contrarie when the wife will seeme wiser then her husband Plut. of the precepts of matrimonie A certaine heathen Philosopher hath very well described this modestie and dutie of a wife saying That a woman should not speake but to her husband or by her husband And as the voyce of him that soundeth a trumpet is not so lowd as the sound that it yeeldeth so is the wisedome and word of a woman of greater vertue and efficacie when all that she knoweth and can doe is as if it were said and done by her husband 6 The obedience that the wife oweth to her husband dependeth vpon this subiection of her will and wisedome vnto him 1. Pet. 3.6 As S. Peter also noteth in Sarah the wife of Abraham For hauing exhorted Christian women to be subiect to their husbands hee propoundeth the example of Sarah saying As Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. And in that sence saith S. Paul Ephe. 5.33 Let the wife stand in awe of her husband For fearing to displease her husband Ester 1. she will be carefull to yeelde vnto him due obedience Vpon Queene Vashties refusall to obey her husband King Assuerus hee tooke occasion to forsake her and to depriue her of that great estate to be Queene ouer many kingdomes For albeit she might seeme in reason not to please him in that hee required of her yet had it beene better for her to haue pleased him in a matter of it selfe nature not wicked then by her refusall to prouoke her husband and giue him cause to suspect some disdaine and contempt especially considering shee might well thinke that the King coulde not paciently beare such a refusall in so solemne an assemblie Heerein are women taught not to prouoke their husbands by disobedience in matters that may bee performed without offence to God neither to presume ouer them either in kindred or wealth or obstinately to refuse in matter that may trouble householde peace and quiet Disobedience begetteth contempt of the husband Hest 1.12 and contempt wrath as we may note in this historie of Hester and is manie times the cause of troubles betweene the man and the wife If the obedience importeth any difficultie she may for her excuse gently propound the same yet vpon condition to obey in case the husband shoulde persist in his intent so long as the discommoditie importeth no wickednesse For it is better to continue peace by obedience then to breake it by resistaunce And indeede it is naturall in the members to obey the conduct and gouernment of the head Yet must not this obedience so far extend as that the husband should commande any thing contrarie to her honor and saluation and in this sence wee must take the saying of Saint Paule Wiues bee subiect to your husbands Col. 3.18 Ephe. 5 22. as it is comelie in the Lorde 7 Many women do thinke this subiection and obedience a cursed matter vnworthie them 1. Tim. 2.13 But let them remember that there was no curse or indignitie in the woman that was created with Adam after the Image of God 1. Cor. 11.8 Yet did the order of the creation of Adam being the first created and Eue the next Likewise the taking of woman from out of man submit Eue to Adam and consequently the wife to the husband as is aforesaid But as concerning the third reason of this subiection namely that when the Serpent had seduced her 1. Tim. 2.14 she also seduced her husband she is in the scarre or blemish of that her sinne to acknowledge the mercy goodnesse and wisedome of God For as for the benefite of the person God hath put the body in subiection to the head that thereby it may be guided and gouerned So the frailtie of the woman seduced by the Serpent together with her boldenesse to seduce her husband did stand in need of this remedy of subiection whereby as wel she should haue no authoritie to receiue any so pernitious counsels as also her husband should haue no excuse in case he would be induced to wickednesse by her that was subiect vnto him As therefore it were a monsterus matter and the meanes to ouerthrow the person that the bodie should in refusing all subiection and obedience to the head take vpon it to guide it self to commaund the head so were it for the wife to rebell against the husband Let her then beware of disordering and peruerting the course which God in his wisedome hath established and with all let her vnderstand that going about it shee riseth not so much against her husband as against God And that it is her good and honor to obey God in her subiection and obedience to her husband If in the practise of this dutie she find any difficultie or trouble through the inconsiderate course of her husband or otherwise let her remember that the same proceedeth not of the order established by the Lorde but through some sinne afterward creept in which hath mixed gale among the home of the subiection obedience that the woman should haue enioyed in that estate wherein together with Adam she was created after the Image of
vicious thou puttest him in danger of losse both of body and soule 16 Some doo respect their friendship with some masters rather than their vertue and so doo commit to them their children least they should be angrie for putting them to another These men do resemble him who being daungerously sick vseth the aduise of an ignorant phisition that is his kinseman or familiar friend for feare he should take offence if he shuld cal another albeit without comparison more learned skilfull If thou shouldest haue any waightie matter in law wouldest thou rather commit thy cause to an igâ—anâ— and negligent atturney because he is thy friende than to him that were both diligent and learned Making a voiage through some daungerous sea wouldest thou in a tempest commit thy ship to a yong pilot vnskilful or dronke because he is thy friend what a foole art thou that wilt not take the like care of the profit honor and saluation of thy child 17 Others commit their children either to him that is best cheap or by whome they may growe into greatest aduancement in the world but neuer respect the hazard of their child so they may either spare or get worldly goods When one shewed the Orator Lycurgus Eras Apo. li. 8 that hee had offered great wages to a philosopher to teach his children he vertuously answered If anie man will assure me to restore me my children endued with more vertue I will giue him not onely that some but euen halfe my goods The vertuous and wise Emperor Marcus Aurelius writeth that in the Annals of the Tarentine warre he found that the renowmed Purlius did weare a ring wherein was ingrauen this sentence The dominion of the whole earth is a small reward to him that is vertuous but to the vicious the losse of life is a simple punishment Heereby may fathers learne how carefully they ought to restraine their children froÌ„ vice to inure theÌ„ to vertue As in deede the fathers that instruct or cause their children to be instructed do far excel such as onely do beget them for of these they receiue life only of the other good and vertuous life 18 Moreouer parents ought not so much to relie vpon the diligence of childrens masters as neuer to care to vnderstaÌ„d how they profite and proceed in vertue for the regarde of such diligence would make the masters more carefully to discarge their dueties And thereof came the prouerbe The masters eie fatteth the horse this The masters eie is the fruitfulnes of the garden Parents ought not too much to hearken or credite children when they complaine of their masters rigor and seueritie Among the Lacedemonians if the children vpon the reproofe or chastisement of any whosoeuer Plutar. in his Lacon Instit for anie man was at libertie to vse correction euen to other mens children did complaine to their parents the same was a great reproch to them because themselues corrected not their children Not that we are not in discretion to inquire or take notice whether the master vseth crueltie or inhumanitie towarde them least through too much rigor hard vsage they shuld grow desperate 19 Howbeit such is the inclination of many euen from theyr youth to wickednesse that instruction by words either of parents or masters will not suffice without the rodde and correction And this doth God command and experience sheweth it to bee most necessarie He that spareth the rod sayth Salomon hateth the childe Prou. 13.24 Prou. 19.18 Pro. 29.15 17. Prou. 23.13 but he that loueth him basteth to correction Againe Correct thy childe while there is hope and regard not his crying Againe The rod and correction minister wisedome but the child lefte at libertie shameth his mother Correct thy sonne he will giue thee rest and pleasure to thy soule Withdrawe not correction from thy child if thou smite him with the rod hee shall not die Thou shalt smite him with the rod and deliuer his soule from hell The booke of Ecclesiasticus intreateth heereof more at large saying He that loueth his sonne causeth him oft to feele the rod Eccle. 30 1â— â— that he may haue ioy of him in the end Hee that chastiseth his son shall haue ioy in him and shall reioyce of him among his acquaintance An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton child will be wilfull 8.9.10.11.12 13. If thou bring vp thy sonne delicatly he shal make thee afraid if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauines Laugh not with him least thou be sorie with him and least thou gnash thy teeth in the end Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his folly Bow downe his necke while he is young and beat him on the sides least he waxe stubborne and be disobedient to thee and so bring sorrow to thy heart Chastise thy child be diligent therein least his shame grieue thee In this sense do we say that many times the rod is better for children than bread And in deed as Phisitions surgeons Apothecaries are necessarie in a town for the cure of sicknes and bodily wounds so are rods chastisement for the correction of the corruptions of the soule 20 Herein is God so resolute that in the dutie of the father to chastise his child he willeth vs to learn that he doth the office of a father when he chastiseth vs with afflictions And as a father by correction declareth a true loue to his child with a desire of his good and saluation Heb. 12 so is it the will of God that wee should receiue such afflictions as he laieth vpoÌ„ vs as effects of his loue towards vs as testimonies that he accepteth vs as his lawfull children and no bastardes Likewise if seeing many children fighting together wee also see a man come and correct onely one of them wee presently thinke that to bee his childe because hee performeth the dutie of a father and so sheweth that hee loueth him better than the rest whome hee letteth goe without correction Therefore as wee saie that the pittiful and gentle Surgion empaireth the wounds so doth too much gentlenesse toward children and winking at their faults without correction breed theyr disobedience vnthriftinesse and miserie Likewise as God is thereby greatly dishonoured so doeth hee not suffer the parents that are slacke in theyr duetie to their children to escape scot free And to this purpose haue we a notable example in Holy the high priest for when he heard of the wickednesse and offensiue dealings of his sons Ophny Phinces he vsed some verball reprehensions yet because he neither reproued nor chastised theÌ„ more sharply God obiecteth to him their iniquities saying Wherefore haue you kicked against my sacrifice and hast honored thy children more than me 1. Sam. 2 Then doth hee pronounce also this horrible sentence That the priesthoode should be taken from his house that both his sonnes should die in one
this commaundement is the more to bee noted because it is often repeated in the holy Scripture Now by this word Honor is signified the loue reuerence dutie obedience subiection entertainment and necessarie assistance that children owe to their parents As concerning the loue the summarie of the second Table comprehended in these wordes Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe doe manifestly confirme it For who can bee a neerer neighbour for the children to loue then the parents Besides that they are not to be loued onely as neighbours proceeding of Adam and Eue but also as fathers and mothers And therefore what an ingratitude is it not to loue those of whom next after God they haue their life and being together with many great and continuall benefites toward them Also the loue that parents doe beare to their children besides so many their labours sorrowes troubles and vexations should binde them reciprocally to loue them The sunne shining a while vpon the colde stones doth so heate them that they yeelde some warmth so albeit that children be as hard and colde as stones yet the experience and the dayly feeling of the loue of their parents towards them ought mightily to enflame their hartes to loue them againe Take away the beame from the sunne said a good old father and it wil not shine the springs from the riuer and it will drie vp the bough from the tree and it will wither the member from the body it will rot And so take from children their dutie to their parents and they are no longer children but brethren and companions with those vnto whom Iesus Christ said Yee are the children of the Deuill Plut. in his Agotheg of the Grecians 2 This loue ought especially to appeare in a certain care affection and desire to reioyce and content our parents For as we reade to this purpose Epaminondas said that of all the good and felicitie that euer happened him he neuer so much delighted in any as in his victorie ouer the Lacedemonians at Leuctria where he wonne the fielde while his father and mother yet liued Such was his loue to them that his singular contentation consisted in the pleasure that they would conceiue in the victorie of their sonne And that this his contentment consisted onely in his loue to his parents and not in couetize of vaine-glorie we may gather by his commendations published by Iustin who saith Iustin lib. 6. that it was a hard choise to discerne whether hee were an honester man or a better Captaine That in the exercise of any publike office hee neuer sought himselfe but the good of his countrie That he was not couetous either of glorie or of money These are notable commendations in a heathen Captaine God graunt that Christians may follow him and deserue the like His example doth declare that children ought so to loue their parents that their affection may tend to liue vertuously euen to reioyce them and to eschue euill least they should grieue them Prou. 10.1 And this is it that Salomon admonisheth saying A wise sonne maketh a glad father but a foolish sonne is an heauinesse to his mother Againe A foolish sonne is a griefe vnto his father and an heauinesse to her that bare him Prou. 17.25 3 This band of loue of parents should take place not onely toward such as are gentle and louing but also as Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 2.18 of the duties of seruants to their masters euen toward such as bee rigorous For if wee ought to loue all the children of Adam euen those whome wee know not or our enemies and persecutors how much rather our parents albeit they should intreate vs roughly with rigour either in word or deede And indeede the principal cause still abideth namely that they bee our father and mother This ought children well to note to the ende that patiently bearing their reprehensions reproofes and in generall whatsoeuer their troublesome and sharpe affections they may still continue and declare their childe-like affection and loue And to that purpose remember the labour greefe anguish weeping sorrow and other troublesome cares that parentes doe abide for their children 4 This loue must be accompanied with reuerence and respect And to say the truth Mat 23.2 albeit the name of father belongeth properly vnto God as Iesus Christ said You haue but one father euen him that is in heauen Yet doth hee so impart it to those that haue begotten vs that they being called fathers doe beare the title and Image of God And this is it that bindeth children to respect and honor them and to testifie the same by their outwarde reuerence The Lacedemonians did so carefully accustome their children hereto that we reade of a good personage who had such respect to parents Plu. in his Lacon Apotheg that being demaunded wherfore at Sparta the young men did rise vp when their elders came in place hee aunswered To the ende that by honoring age they may learne and accustome themselues to reuerence their parentes Of this reuerence we haue a notable example in Salomon 1. King 2.19 He vnderstanding that his mother Bathseeba was comming to speake with him arose from his seat came to meet her bowed before her and set her vpon his right hand Neither could his greatnesse neither his Royal estate priuiledge him from this respect and honor due to his mother To this purpose we also reade a notable historie which may serue for an exposition of this matter As a certaine gouernour of Creet came with his father to the Philosopher Taurus finding there but one stoole readie Aul. Gellius lib. 2. c. 2. the father woulde haue had his sonne as a Romaine Magistrate to sit down but the Philosopher willed him as the father to sit downe and calling for another seate for the sonne said When the sonne doth execute his magistracie or publike office hee is greater then his father and must beare himselfe as a Magistrate not as a sonne But when he is out of place or execution of his office he must how highly soeuer he be aduaunced haue a respect and yeelde reuerence to his father But many times it falleth out otherwise For many children when they come to honor or wealth doe so despise their parentes if they bee of meaner calling then themselues that hardly they will acknowledge or call them father as if they were ashamed of them Decius the sonne of the Romaine Emperour Decius Valer. Max. l. 4 most liuely represented mans inclination to this vice and sought in his owne person to preuent it For when his father on a time saide that hee would inuest his sonne in the Diademe Imperiall his sonne refused it saying I feare least being Emperour I forget that I am a sonne Rather will I continue an obedient sonne then being an Emperour to neglect and forget the due honour that the sonne oweth to his Father Let my father commaunde and let my
most liuely teach all Christians to feare God to serue him to put their trust in him and to set forth his glory 8 As for Cyrus Esay 44.28 45.1 as God a hundreth yeeres before the captiuitie had chosen him and by the Prophet Esaie named him to bee his minister in the deliue ie of his people so hee after hee had attayned to the monarchy of the Chaldees did declare a commendable zeale to the seruice of God in licensing his people to returne to Iudea and in restoring vnto them the golden and siluer vessells of the temple which hee suffered them to reedifie in commaunding his subiects to releeue with golde siluer goods and horse all such as were not able to furnish theyr iourney True it is that as those Heathen kings were possessed wyth great ignorance so their zeale to the seruice of God was of small continuance yet shall they in the daie of iudgement rise against our Christian kings and magistrates vnlesse more amplie and constantly than they they employ themselues in the establishment and maintenance of the pure seruice of God and in effect declare the same to bee the scope and principal end of theyr vocation and office Psal 2.10 Also that Dauid speaketh to them where hee sayth Bee wise now therefore yee Kinges bee learned yee Iudges of the earth Serue yee the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling Kisse the Sonne that is to saie Doo homage to the sonne For it is not the meaning of the holy Ghost that onely in the title of priuate persons they shoulde doe homadge to Iesus Christ But also as magistrates in maintaining and establishing the pure seruice of God And in the same sence are wee to vnderstand the promise of Esaye saying Kinges shall bee the Nursing fathers Esay 49.23 and Queenes shall bee the nurses of the Church And indeede it is one thinge to bee the suckling or nursed childe of the Church as are all the faithful and another to bee the nursing fathers or nurses that doe employ themselues to nurse vp the Church Augustine to Boniface Ep◠50 As also Saint Augustine sayth A Kinge doeth seruice after one sorte as hee is a man and after an other as hee is a Kinge As hee is a man hee serueth God in leading a faithfull and Christian lyfe But as hee is a Kinge he serueth him in making lawes pertinentlie with authoritie commaunding that which is iust and prohibiting things contrarie 9 Christian Emperours in olde time did well vnderstand and declare the same to be the end and dutie of theyr vocation namely to establish the pure seruice of God and to maintaine the truth of the heauenly doctrine Socrates in his Eccle. hist li. 1. cap. 9. Among others great Constantine in an Epistle written to the Churches sayth Because that by the prosperitie of the publike estate I doo in deed perceiue the greatnes of the heauenly grace and power I haue thought it requisite before all things that I should bend my whole endeuour to this euen among the blessed of the Catholike church to maintain one faith one true charitie and loue and one vniuersall deuotion towardes God almightie Theod. in his Eccl. hi. l. 5. c. 6 When the Emperor Theodosius accepted the gouernment of the Empire his first care tended to establish concord vnitie in the puritie of doctrine throughout the whole Church And therupō he assembled sundry Bishops to confute suppresse the error of Arrius For as in all times there haue beene heretikes that haue assalted the truth of the heauenly doctrine Ruffin in his Ecc. hi. l. 1. c. 2 The Tripartit hist li. 1 c. 8 Socrat. hist Eccl. li. 1 ca. 9 Gracian Valent Theo. li. 2. cap. de Summa Trin. fide Cath. Euseb in the lyfe of Constan li. 4 so haue christian Magistrates opposed agaynst them the remedies of generall counsels As the afornamed Emperor Constantine the great in the yeere 333. summoned the famous Counsell of Nice whether hee brought three hundred and eighteene Bishoppes to maintaine the truth of the diuinitie of Christ against Arrius So they dyd moreouer publish decrees concerning hereticall bookes and writinges importing theyr abolishment As great Constantine commanded the writings of Arrius to bee burned So other Emperors lykewise hauing commaunded to maintaine the truth haue also expreslye forbidden both the doctrine of heretikes and theyr assemblyes and haue made notable decrees for the abolishing of Idolatrie and superstition as the same Emperour Constantine the greate by many lawes and decrees prohibited all sacrificing to Idols all enquirie of Sorcerers and Charmers all erection of Images and all secret sacrifices Theod. Eccle. hist li 5. ca. 2 10 But aboue all things they tooke care to establish good Bishoppes and Pastors And in deede Gratian the sonne of the Emperour Valentine consecrating as Theodoret writeth the first fruites of his Empire to God made a lawe for the restoring of good pastors that had beene banished to theyr Churches and commanded that such as preached the blasphemies of Arrius shoulde as beastes bee put from their Churches Socrat. hist Eccle. li. 6. c. 2 and the same to bee restored to the heauenly flockes and faithfull shepheards We also reade of the Emperor Arcadius that by the common petition of the Clergy and people of Constantinople he called home Iohn and to the end to reestablish him in the Bishoprick wyth lawful authoritie he summoned sundrie Bishoppes and so hee was chosen to be Bishop of Constantinople To this purpose is the exhortation of the Emperor Valentinian verie notable Theodor. his Eccl. hist l c. 5 After the death of Auxentius the Arrian Bishoppe of Millaine hauing assembled sundrie Bishoppes he sayde Your selues hauing beene brought vp in heauenly doctrine cannot bee ignorant what manner of man hee ought to bee to whome the dignitie of a Bishoppe should bee committed Likewise how hee ought to instruct the people not onelye by doctrine but also by good example of manners and to be vnto them a myrrour of all honestie to the end that the exercise of such his duetie may beare witnesse of his doctrine and therefore establish in the Bishoppes sea him to whome wee gouernours of the Empire maye sincerely submit our heades and from whome in that beeing men wee bee all subiect to sinne wee maye bee content to receiue reprehension and admonition as healthsome phisicke for our soules 11 Which is more Eus hist Eccl. li. 10. ca. 7 Socrat. Eccl. hist l. 1. c. 9. such was theyr care that Bishoppes and pastors should not bee withdrawen by politike functions from the exercise of theyr vocation that Constantine the great writing to Anilin ordained that they that gaue themselues to the exercise of diuine matters whome he called the Cleargie shoulde be free and exempt from all publike charge The building and repairing of Churches was also commended to them as the same Constantine declareth writing to Eusebius See that
in all Churches sayth hee vnder thy charge as also in those that bee vnder other Bishoppes Priests and Deacons ye be diligent to restore such as be decaied likewise to build new in places conuenient And thy selfe and all other in thy name shall call to the gouernours and magistrates of prouinces for all things necessarie for the reparations or building of the same for I haue commanded them with al speed to prouide whatsoeuer your holynes shall call for Lykewise as it is requisite that there shoulde bee some prescript forme of Christian faith and Ecclesiasticall order and gouernment so haue they also extended theyr care in that dutie as we reade of the Emperour Iouinian of whome Ruffin writeth that the businesse of the Church was not the least parte of his care also that calling Athanasius Ruffin 〈◊〉 Eccl hist â— c. â—â— from him receiued he a forme of faith and order for the erecting and gouernment of the Churches 12 But to the end that magistrates may bee instructed and moued to the due practise of the matters aforesayde and so to cause theyr subiectes to liue in the feare of God It is also their dutie to procure the diligent reading of Gods worde and profiting in the same And some there haue beene that haue shewed great zeale in that behalfe Socr. l. 7. c. 22 Among others wee reade that the Emperour Theodosius would conferre of the holy Scriptures with the Bishops as if himselfe had bene a Bishop In this respect did God in old time command that the king that should be chosen ouer Israel so soone as he should be placed in the throne of his kingdome shoulde for himselfe write out a copie of the lawe in a booke Deut. 17.18 which he should take in the presence of the priests that it might remain with him and that he should reade therein all the daies of his life to the end to learne to feare God and to keepe all the wordes of his lawe and his ordinaunces to doo them The lyke commandement dyd hee giue vnto Iosua saying Let not this booke of the lawe departe out of thy mouth Iosua 1.8 but meditate therein daie and night that thou mauest obserue and doo according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy waie prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe The hundreth and nineteenth Psalme declareth how necessary this dutie is also how diligently Dauid emploied himselfe therein therby shewing himselfe to be a true patterne or myrror of pietie to all kings princes and magistrates Eusebius in the life of CoÌ„stantine l. 4 13 They are moreouer diligently to pray vnto God also to cause others to praie for them that they may duly discharge theyr dueties Heereto it seemeth that Constantine the great was much addicted For as Eusebius reporteth of him hee knowing verie well that the prayers of such as feared God might greatly profyte him in the due gouernment of all sought after such as might praie for him and besydes his owne prayers required also the praiers of the gouernours of the congregations for him In peeces also of golde that hee caused to bee coyned himselfe was portrayed wyth his handes lyfted vp to heauen as it were praying vnto God yea which is more hee tooke order that his souldyers shoulde learne to praie to God Pulcheria the daughter of the Emperour Arcadius Sozom. his Eccle. hist li. 9. cap. 1. vppon her fathers death at the age of fifteene yeeres taking vpon her the gouernment of the Empire caused her brother Theodosius the heire thereunto to bee brought vp in godlynesse and accustomed to much praier and hee thorough such bringing vp beeing much giuen to this godly exercise afterwarde in a matter of great importance founde the fruite of his praier for hauing on a time receiued from diuerse Bishoppes diuerse seuerall doctrines and confessions concerning the diuinitie of Christ Socrat. hist Eccl. l 5. c. 10 he went into a secrete place where hee feruently prayed vnto God to giue him grace to make choice of the same which contained the truth of that doctrine Then reading ouer all theyr confessions hee allowed and kept the same which taught that Christ was of the same essence wyth his father and defaced the rest as repugnant to the holy Trinitie Lykewise beeing to go to warre after the example of Dauid hee had recourse to prayers as knowing that it was in God onely to dispose of warres and as the same authour addeth hee executed his warres by praier and supplications Socrat. hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 22 c. 23. And after his victories ouer his enemies hee so acknowledged them to be from God that on a time as hee was looking vppon certaine triumphes and publike pastimes hearing of the death and ouerthrow of a certine tyrant that was risen against him immediatlye crying out to the people hee sayde Leauing these carnall pleasures let vs go to Church to giue thankes and praises vnto God And at the same verie instant leauing the pastimes being come into the Church they spent there the rest of the daie in praysing and blessing the Lorde 14 Some also there haue beene that so ordered theyr houses in the exercise of Christian religion Euseb in the lyfe of Constan li. 4 that theyr Courtes resembled Churches as Eusebius reporteth of great Constantine that hee had consecrated his whole house to the seruice of God the onely king of kinges that the domesticall multitude of his Court was euen a Church of God yea hee retayned aboute him sundrie ministers of God that ordinarilie praied for him Lykewise the Emperour Valerian in the beginning of his Empire so greatly fauoured the Christians that his Court beeing replenished wyth greate store of all sortes of people that feared God Eusebius tearmeth it The Church of God Eus hist Eccl. li. 7. ca. 10 They lykewyse verie well vnderstoode and perceiued that euen the prosperitie of theyr persons and estate depended vppon pietie and the establishment of the seruice of God according as the holie Apostle Saint Paule verie well noteth where hee sayth Godlynesse hath promise of the lyfe present and of that that is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 As also God speaking vnto the Prophet Samuell sayde I wyll honour those that honour mee Among others 1. Sam. 2.30 Constantine the greate writing vnto Anilin confesseth and acknowledgeth that by diuerse and sundrie experiences hee knewe that if Relygion wherein wee are to obserue wyth greate zeale a singular reuerence of holynesse and godlynesse bee anie whit neglected or diminished such neglect wyll prooue in time verye daungerous and hurtefull vnto the Common wealth And contrarywyse that being vpholden and maintained it breedeth great felicity and prosperitie to all men Zozom hist Eccl l. 9. c. 1 thorough the grace and blessing of God Heereupon Zozomenes rehearsing the wonderful prosperitie that God graunted to the Emperor Thedosius and wythall noting that this blessing proceeded of
necessitie of the Churches yea to summon the same extraordinarily according to the extraordinarie occasions that may fall out and after the ancient practise and vse of all Christian Emperours 21 Moreouer the care of the saluation of the soules of their subiects doth sufficiently admonish them not to permit any assembly of heretiks that teach anie thing contrary to the truth also to prohibit the print sale of books especially not to admit or tollerate any heretikes in the instructing of youth or in anie publike charge of teaching in respect of the danger of infecting or casting away of the soules that are redeemed by the bloud of Christ As also in duty they are to prouide for the building and reparation of Churches likewise for the conuenient maintenance of such as doo seruice in the church of Christ not to permit that want shuld driue any to the vse of meanes and practises dishonorable to their ministery or to withdraw them from their studies and the exercise of their vocation Withall to take heed least any parents otherwise reasonably inclined to the bringing vp of their children in studie wherby to serue in the ministerie be not drawen to mislike or induced to take them from studie by the apprehension of the pouertie necessitie and contempt of diuers ministers whom they see for want of means to maintaine their families pining away at their decease vnable to leaue any thing for their wiues children to liue vpon 22 Likewise inasmuch as daily experience testifieth such a dislike in parents it is necessarie that the magistrates shuld maintain such yong men as may hereafter serue in the holy ministry And in truth it is the dutie of all men especially of such as haue both abilitie authoritie to labor that the heauenly truth and doctrine may bee maintained not onely among vs during our liues but also among our posteritie so that as S. Paul saith the Lords death may be preched euen vntill he come To be short 1. Cor. 11.26 let all magistrates vnderstand that whatsoeuer may serue to the aduancemēt of the church and the good ordring of the same is to them commanded commended by the Lord to the end that their subiects may serue God according to his word to this end let them behold the zeale deuotion of the kings of Iuda the Christian Emperours before mentioned that folowing their steps themselues may also be foūd to be true nurses and protectors of the church of Christ also that their families courts may be so guided according to Gods word in his feare in al godly exercises that they may be as holy churches consecrated to the Lord. 23 This one point will I also adde that besides all publike domesticall exercises of pietie seruice of God which no man shuld neglect it is requisite that all men especially kings magistrates should daily goe aside into some secret place there make theyr priuate praiers vnto God reade some chapters of the holy scriptures whereby to feed themselues in true godlines to guide theyr subiects in al happines to purchase Gods blessings to thēselues their gouernment people To conclude it were meet they shuld practise the counsell of Demetrius Phalerius Eras Apot. l. 7 who exhorted king Ptolome diligently to reade all that was written concerning the manner of good gouernment to the end ther to find such instructions as his friends durst not declare or make shew of And to this duty let them also adioine the praier of Salomon that God would giue them wisdome wherby they may happily gouerne their subiects 1. King 3.2 24 The second principall point of the duetie of Magistrates to their subiects consisteth in the maintaining of them in a peaceable and quiet life Rom. 3.14 1. Chro. 18.14 in such sort that none may sustaine iniury in his person name or goods And because that want of loue and charitie contrariwise abundance of mallice and frowardnesse among men maketh them to be wolues foxes each to other wherby as their mouths are full of cursings and bitternes so destruction and miserie so crosseth their paths that they knowe not the waie of peace Magistrates are ordained after the example of Dauid to minister iustice in maintaining the good punishing the wicked Now that they may well execute this part of their charge it behoueth them to haue fit and conuenient lawes whereby to maintaine theyr subiects in peace and tranquility with right and equitie And this did God manifestly declare in deliuering by the hands of Moses those lawes whereby he willed that his people Israel should be directed gouerned The heathen also haue euermore had most excellent personages to prescribe vnto them their lawes as Solon to the Athenians and Lycurgus to the Lacedemonians The Romanes hearing of Solons lawes Tit. Liui. l. 3 Feneste of the Romane magistrates c. 14. Pom. Laetus of Rom. Mag. Tit. of the Decemuirat sent three honorable personages to Athens for a copie of them as also to take information of the lawes customes of sundry other prouinces And at their returne to Rome which was three yeeres after their departure with the lawes that they had gathered they chose forth ten notable personages to reduce draw the same into ten tables which done they were read vnto the people and so allowed Afterward there were also added to them yet two more And thus were the so famous lawes intituled Of the twelue Tables Lampridius in his lyfe first collected Alexander Seuerus an Emperour of Rome shewed such care heereof that being to establish a certaine lawe for the gouernment of his subiects hee called twentie of the skilfullest and most learned Lawyers of his Empire to haue their opinions which hee demanded of each of them and that not simply but so as that hee woulde also heare their reasons neither would he accept of anie present aunswere but gaue them time to consider thereof least in a matter of so great importance they might happily deliuer some rash or vnpremeditated resolution Such lawes therefore are verie profitable and euen necessarie For inasmuch as men are inclined to error subiect to their passions laws are to magistrates as wel counsellors discreet guides as bridles to keepe themselues in the right course contained in the same Thus should all townes common wealths prouinces kingdomes haue theyr assured lawes whereof the Magistrates are gardians as the prince of Philosophers tearmeth them Aristotle in the vertuous execution of their charge according to the tenure of the same Heereupon sayth Dauid to his sonne Salomon 1. King 2.3 Take heed to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his waies and keepe his statutes commandements iudgements and testimonies as it is written in the lawe of Moses that thou maist prosper in all thou doest and in euerie thing whereto thou turnest thee Astuerus also a Heathen king Ester 1.15
of Israell cannot stand before their enemies Because they bee execrable And then he addeth I will not be with you any more except yee destroy the excommunicate from among you Here do we see which also is manifestly noted in the beginning of the historie that albeit Acan onely tooke of the thing excommunicate yet was his offence imputed to all the people the wrath of God was kindled not against Acan only but also against all Israell to conclude that the punishment and execution of Acan was the only meanes to appease that wrath as it is expresly set downe Iosu 5.25 that after Acan was put to death The Lord turned from his fierce wrath 40 Another excellent mirror and example of this doctrine we haue in the historie of Ionas He only offended God in seeking to flie from the presence of the Lord to Tarsus to the end shipped himselfe But God raised a tempest a testimony of his wrath Ionas not against him onely but against all that were in the ship who al were in danger of drowning They sought to saue themselues by casting their goods into the sea But it was in vaine Then finding Ionas guiltie the motiue of this tempest they made toward the shore to preserue both him and themselues but God withstood thē Lastly the only meanes to saue their ship themselues was by casting Ionas into the sea Which being done the tēpest suddenly ceased 41 If vpon the committing of some manslaughter or some other notorious crime in some Towne or Cittie the Lord by sending an Earthquake should threaten to subuert the same vntill the offender were punished men would take better heede And therefore this first reason ought earnestly to touch the harts of Magistrates to make them to punish the offences transgressions of their subiects considering that otherwise they maintaine the wrath of God kindled against their whole nation There shal not be saith the Lord by the mouth of Moses any recōpēce for the blud that hath bin shed but by the blud of him that hath shed it And therefore hee doth expressely forbid the iudges not to take any rewarde for the life of the murtherer who is wicked and deserueth death but commaundeth that he bee put also to death Numb 35.33 For sayeth hee Bloud defileth the land cannot be clensed but by the death of the murtherer And therefore as when fire hath taken a house men vse to pull it downe to cast it to the earth least it should fire also the neighbours houses So must the magistrate pluck downe and punish the trensgressor least the heate of Gods wrath be kindled consume al the people The transgression offence of one subiect is as a cācre or gangrene to the whole body of man for if the disease which hath infected but one mēber be not taken away it consumeth the whol body negligēce therfore dissimulatiō or bearing with vice and transgressions is no mercy or clemencie but crueltie and fellonie against the subiectes because it kindleth the wrath of God against them 42 The other reason propounded by the Lord importeth that by the punishment of sin transgression the subiectes shall feare to commit like iniquities And in that cōsideratiō is the punishment of transgressors vsually in all countries publike to the end that others may vnderstand in themselues find that vpon their committing of the like wickednesse they shall in like maner bee punished and therefore may feare to offend And is not this also the meaning of Gods iudgements and punishments executed vpon transgressors in this life euen that others should feare shun sin least they also should fall into the like punishment The Apostle Saint Paul 1. Cor. 10.6 speaking of the sundrye punishments inflicted vpon the children of Israel in the wildernesse expressely saith These are examples vnto vs to the intent that we should not lust after euill things as they also lusted That wee should not commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twentie thousand That we should not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents Neither murmure as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these thinges came vnto them as ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall 43 This also is the fruit and purpose of Ecclesiasticall censures which are performed in excommunication 1. Cor. 5. as Saint Paul sheweth saying The incestuous person excommunicate least as a little Leauen sowreth the whole lump so the tollerating of the incestuous person should by his ensample corrupt the whole Church And therefore in conclusion of this purpose hee saith Put away from among you that wicked man Deut. 135 17 7.10 21 21. And this sentence and commaundement is also many times directed to the magistrate namely that hee put away the sinne or the sinner from among the people by punishing him according to his offence It is therfore the magistrates dutie to punish the transgressions of men to the ende that others may feare to commit the like iniquitie· And indeede what will become of that Towne or prouince Esay 11. wherein sinne and wickednesse is not punished If as Esay saith men be each to other as Tigers Lyons Beares Wolues and Serpents what peace or tranquilitie can there bee among the people if men bee not restrained from wickednesse by the exemplarie punishment of transgressors And indeede as Saint Augustine sayth Aug. against Petilian lib. 2. cap. 23. Albeit the feare of punishment breedeth not the comfort of a good conscience yet doeth it at the least restraine the wicked desyres inclosed in the secrets of the thought And as it is the better parte that is induced to this dutie by loue so is it the greater part that came to it by feare 44 Yet is there another consideration Saint Paul exhorting vs not to requite euill with euill but to giue place vnto wrath Rom. 12.19 addeth this reason Vengeance is Gods and hee will repaie it Rom. 13. And in the next Chapter he declareth that God hath ordayned the superior powers and magistrates as his vicars lieutenants deliuering to them the swoord to execute vengeance in his name If the magistrate therefore doth not imploy his swoord and power to the punishing of the wicked hee wrongeth those that keepe themselues within the compasse of Gods commandement and doo depende vpon his promise that hee wyll reuenge the iniuries that they doo beare and withall so farre as in him lyeth he doth bring vpon the maiestie of God a great reproch as if hee were not eyther true or almightie to fulfyll his promise or to take reuenge of those that wrong others To conclude hee giueth occasion to such as be iniured to defend themselues to render
euill for euill and so to vsurpe vpon the authoritie of God to whome only vengeance doth belong 45 By the premises it euidently appeareth that it is a meere most dangerous corruption in shewing fauour to offenders to let them escape vnpunished yet this was a custome among the Iewes after the Romanes had subdued them that at the feast of the passouer they would haue such a prisoner let loose vnto them as them selues would demand to the end to exempt him of his deserued punishment and thereupon was Barrabas a seditious person and a murtherer by them preferred before the righteous Iesus Christ by Pilat at their request deliuered to go free without punishmēt But greater corruption than this may wee finde among Christians First in that at the first entrie of kings princes into their towns Math. 27. also in some places vpon the day that is tearmed Good friday many transgressors are deliuered out of prison This is a peruerse affectation of mercie in princes and a wicked imitation of the grace and mercie of God As also it it is a pernitious priuiledge pretended by those that name themselues Ecclesiasticall persons and repugnant to the dutie authoritie of magistrates to exempt from punishment by death such manstaiers as haue taken the first tonsure or crowne as they tearme it And therefore it is the office of the faithfull magistrate to abolish such corruption 46 What then Is it not lawfull for the Prince to pardon an offender In answere hereto we say that he ought to distinguish between sinnes transgressions prepetrated contrarie to the law of God which hee commandeth to punish and such offences as are committed against the lawes and statutes of magistrates in matters either of warre or pollicie only As concerning the first true it is that Christan magistrates are not bound to inflict the same punishment which God in his lawe hath decreed Yet are they bound to obserue this rule namely that they punish all transgressions each according to the grauitie thereof· For that doeth Gods Iustice require Secondly that the grauitie as well of the offence as of the punishment for the same bee estimated not after the lycence and tolleration now in vse euen among Christians but after the rule of Gods wisedome reuealed in his word Wherein wee are to consider first the kindes of sinne as that murther is more heynous then theft because mans life is more precious then his goods And therefore hath God decreed one punishment against the murtherer and another against the theefe Moreouer in one kinde of sinne there are sundrie circumstaunces to be considered which make the sinne and consequently doe enforce or mitigate the punishment As manslaughter vpon ignorance or at vnawares is not so heinous neither so seuerely to bee punished as when it is doone vpon hatred and wilfully And in that consideration did the Lorde in olde time graunte townes of sanctuarie for the safetie of such as vnwittingly chanced to kill any man Deut. 14. 4. Num. 35 As contrariwise hee commaunded the execution of such as wilfully and vpon mallice slew any man to bee performed without remission or exception So likewise doeth God by Moses decree diuers sortes of punishmentes for theft according to the diuers circumstaunces thereof Exod. 22.1 And therfore according to such considerations noted in Gods worde as the sinne is more heynous or easie euen so must the punishment be executed without respect of persons whether kinsfolke or straungers Deut. 13. friendes or vnknowne persons rich or poore and so consequently For as it is great rigour to condemne to death the man that by mischaunce killeth one So is it a mercie condemned by the Lorde himselfe to pardon him that wilfully committeth murder Neither can it bee denyed but that such negligence as wee dayly see among Christians in not punishing blasphemie against Gods Maiestie fornication and especially whoredome haunting of Tauernes and ordinarie drunkennesse cryeth for vengeance against those Magistrates that suffer such abhomination to beare sway and haue free passage without exemplarie punishment requisite for the appeasing of Gods wrath for the terryfiyng of others and for the maintenaunce of their subiectes in peace and tranquilitie But as for transgressions against the politicke lawes and Statutes of Magistrates themselues haue power and authoritie vpon sundrie and diuers reasons to mittigate or wholly to remit the punishment As when Saule following the Philistians 1. Sam. 14. decreed death against anie that shoulde tast anie foode before night and therevpon determining the death of his sonne Ionathan for tasting the honie It rested in the people to free him from death in respect of the great victorie by him obtained against the Philistians 47 But in as much as there bee sundrie Christian Magistrates that bee negligent in this dutie of punishing the trespasses and offences of their Subiectes in hope of amendement Let such remember the horrible vengeaunce executed vpon the enhabitants of Gibeah and almost the whole tribe of Beniamin Iudges 21. 21. who were in manner vtterly rooted out because that when the saide enhabitantes of Gibeah had committed great abhomination against a Leuites concubine the said tribe of Beniamin refused either to punish them or to deliuer them into the hands of the children of Israell to be punished Let them consider what became of the Lacedemonians when they cared not to punish two of their Subiectes that had deflowred and murthered and throwne into a well the two daughters of Scedasus an enhabitant of Leuctres This Scedasus vpon notice of this odious fact complained to the Magistrates tearmed the Ephores and craued iustice But in vaine Then hee went to the King but might not bee hearde Plut. in the life of Pelopidas Thence to the people weeping and crying out vpon such an outrage but no man tooke heede Shortely after in a battell betweene the Lacedemonians and the Thebans the Lacedemonians were vtterly ouerthrowne and lost the dominion that they had holden for six or seuen hundred yeeres This historie doeth Plutarch a heathen man report which thus aptly fitteth our purpose to bee fought neere to Leuctres the same ground where the two daughters of Scedasus were buried Yea hee addeth that as Pelopidas one of the Theban Captaines stoode in some doubte before the battell Scedasus appeared vnto hym in a mighty vision and exhorted him to march against the Lacedemonians assuring him as it also came to passe that they should there make satisfaction for the wrong and outrage vnto him and his two daughters done by two of theyr subiectes and theyr neglect and contempt of punishing that iniquitie Let also the sentence pronounced to Achab by a prophet concerning Benhadad king of Syria 1. King 20.42 founde in theyr cares Because thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I appointed to die thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Psal 101 Psal 75 Neither let them
forget that Dauid putteth among his roiall verses the support of the good and the punishment destruction of the wicked Also that Salomon to the same purpose sayth Pro. 20.26 A wise king scattereth the wicked causeth the wheel to turne ouer them 48 But as there is great difference betweene iustice crueltie so this representation of the duetie of magistrates to punish vice and sin according as iustice requireth tendeth not to induce them to crueltie but to the execution of the iust iudgement and vengeance of God according to his holy lawes and commaundements For as for crueltie it is so much the more detestable as that there is nothing more against the nature of God Seneca of clemeÌ„cy to Nero and the coniunction that he hath constituted among men It is as Seneca sayth a vice not of man but of a wild beast and therefore it is to be abhorred and detested but especially by such as are not onely men but also the lieutenants and vicars of God least by crueltie they shoulde pollute and prophane the seate of his holy maiestie And they also who vpon ambition couetousnes wrath or anie other passion are moued and induced to this crueltie cannot but expect iudgement without mercy and consequently horrible and fearefull besides the hatred and feare of men and so leade a most miserable wretched life both in this world and in the world to come as by the examples of many tyrants from time to time we may euidently perceiue And Aristotle in his Politikes noteth that tyrannie can neuer holde out in one family to the fourth generation for in deede crueltie can haue no continuance and hee that is feared and dreaded of many doth also stand in feare and dread of many It breedeth rather feare in gouernment than power to gouerne the rather because that continuall seueritie taketh awaie authoritie besides it is most certaine and vndoubtedlye true as Iulius Caesar sayeth that the remembraunce of a passed crueltie is meruaylous and exceeding grieuous to olde age Seneca of Clemencie 49 This cruelty may be coÌ„sidered three wais first when by death or otherwise hee is wronged that hath not deserued it As when Saul wrongfully charging Abimelech the priest of Nob 1. Sam. 2â— of conspiring with Dauid against him caused him together wyth foure score and fiue priests that wore the Ephod to be murthered yea and which is more stroke wyth the edge of the swoord all the inhabitants of the towne men and women young and olde and all theyr cattell This was monstrous crueltie The lyke crueltye is set downe of Herod Math. 2.16 who seeking to slaie him whom the wise men reported to bee borne king of the Iewes put to death all the children that were in Bethleem and in all the borders round about from two yeeres old and vnder The second kind of crueltie consisteth in punishing transgressions excessiuely and wyth greater rigour than they deserue I call those men cruell sayth Seneca that hauing iust cause to punish doo obserue no measure in punishing Heereupon dyd God ordaine that if a wicked man had deserued stripes the Iudge shoulde in his presence cause him to bee beaten according to the hainousnes of the offence Deut. 25. â— to a certaine number of stripes but not aboue fortie The third resteth in this that some doo receiue pleasure and contentation in the euill and tormentes that others doo indure This doth Adonibezecke confesse of him selfe saying Iudg. 1.7 Ioseph in his Antiquit. l. 17 c. 9 Seuentie kings hauing the thumbes of their handes and of their feet cut off gathered bread vnder my table As also Herod seeing himselfe at the point of death knowing that the Iews would reioyce because of his cruelties exercised against them called the chiefest among them and shutting them vp in a great roome commanded that immediatly vpon his decease before there were any noise thereof they should all be slaine to the end the Iews might weepe and mourne at his death And among all tyrants Lucian Erasm in his Chiliads in this point the crueltie of Phaleris is to bee noted who caused fyre to bee put vnder a brasen bull so arteficially made that the partye there inclosed dying wyth heate and thorough anguâ—â—h crying out yeelded not the voyce of a man but the roaring of a Bull. 50 Contrarywise Magistrates in punishing the trespasses and offences of theyr subiectes ought in themselues to apprehende the nature of parents chastising theyr children for so farre are they from reioycing therein that they doo it wyth griefe and such compassion that were it not in respect of Gods commaundement together wyth experience which teacheth that correction is euen profitable and necessarie for children they would neuer do it This may we note in Iosua who seeing that Acan was taken by lot as guiltie and culpable of Gods wrath against the people Ios 7.14 did neuerthelesse call him My sonne thereby shewing a fatherly affection to him and yet disobeyed not God but condemned him to death 51 This was a kinde of mercie which being generally considered Salust to Caesar enclineth the heart to gentlenesse and clemencie but wyth iudgement and discretion And this vertue is specially requyred in Magistrates for it engendereth loue and loue safetie And by experience wee haue euermore found that such as haue vsed gentlenesse and clemencie haue alwaies prospered and haue founde theyr verie enemies more righteous in theyr behalfe Pliny Epistle Lib. 8. Liuy Lib. 8. Seneca than Citizens haue beene to those that haue exercised crueltie ouer them And in deed of greater force is the peoples loue of the magistrate for the obtaining of anie thing than theyr feare and no dominion is more sure than the same that the subiectes like of Neyther can that long indure Plut. in the banquet of the 7. Sag. which the people doo hate Wee reade that the seuen Sages of Greece sitting all at a banquet beeing demanded what might make a king happie and purchase him glorie dyd all aunswere diuersely Solon sayde by changing the dominion of one into a popular gouernment By as If himselfe be the first in obeying his countrie laws Thales If by the course of nature he die an olde man Anacharsis If himselfe onely bee wise Cleobulus If hee repose not himselfe vpon his familiars Chilon If his mind runne not vpon worldly matters but vpon immortalitie If saith Pittacuâ— hee teach and accustome his subiects to liue in feare not of him but for him But nothing doth sooner engender feare not of the magistrate but for the magistrate than good will and clemencie for as too much crueltie and seueritie of a prince doeth make his subiects to feare him with hate so doeth generall good will and gentlenesse make them to loue him and to feare leaâ—â— hâ—e should bee taken from them or incurre anie mishappe To câ—nclude this purpose let all magistrates remember the aunswere of a Lacedemonian
wrath against theyr subiects Autenticalls in the title of Baudes Especially let them rigorously punish and banish out of their dominions all baudes and ruffians the cursed instruments of satan to allure and put forth women and maidens to fornication who liue vpon so abhominable iniquitie The Emperour Iustinian doth expresly command all baudes to bee punished with death as is aforesayd Withall decreeing that whatsoeuer hath bene giuen to women or maidens for the prostituting of their bodies they shall not be bound to restore August in his booke of orderings 64 But some to the contrarie will alleadge a sentence of Saint Augustine saying Take awaie the stewes and yee shall replenish the whole towne with fornication But when he wrote that he was but a nouice and meanly instructed in religion and therefore him selfe in another place confesseth that in sinne there is no tolleration that a man of two euils should choose the lesser Neither must we as Saint Paul saith doo euill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 or allowe one mischife for the eschuing of another But we must obey God who forbiddeth vs all wickednes and remit the issue and successe into his hands who cannot allowe that the wisedome of the flesh should dispense with the offending God in one sort for feare of offending him in another Basil expounding these words Psalme 1. And hath not sit in the seate of the scornfull saith that adulterie neuer stayeth is one man but infecteth the whole Citie First one will come alone to the strumpet then he wil take a companion and that companion another companion whereby as fire once kindled if the wind be high doth somtimes inflame a whole citie so this wickednes once kindled spreadeth all ouer Ambrose proceedeth fâ—rther for he expounding this sentence of Salomon Who can carrie fyre in his bosome and not be burned saith Prouerb 6. Who doth thinke that tollerating whoores in a towne young men will not resort vnto them wherein we gather this sentence which vtterly repugneth the former of Augustine Tollerate whores in a towne and ye replenish the whole towne with whoredome as God vndoubtedly for the auoiding thereof did in olde time command that there should not be anie whoore in Israel And therefore wee will conclude this argument with this saying of Tertullian Deut. 23 17 That stewes are abhominable in the sight of God Let the Popes therefore aduise with them selues what answere they will make to God for this Tertul. of the Soule that in Rome they doo not onely publikely tollerate theyr whoores and bauds but also that they take tribute of them therin shewing themselues likewise to be baudes in that in lieu of punishing expelling and banishing of them as plagues in a Christian common wealth they participate with them in their cursed gaine 65 As concerning the other point touching tipling and dronkennes Seeing that God curseth all bibbers and dronkards by his prophet Esay also that S. Paul protesteth that they shal not inherit the kingdome of God the magistrates do sufficiently vnderstand Esay â— 11.12 1. Cor. 6.10 that they in dutie so much as in them lieth are to stop the course of all such excesse The inconueniences of quarrels strife therof arising the troubles in houshold as wheÌ„ the husband or the wife do come drunke home the extreme miserie whereinto many doo bring their wiues children in suffering theÌ„ almost to starue for need whilest theÌ„selues haunt tauerns The abuse prophaning of Gods good creatures with other inconueniences that daily arise of dronkennes do cry for vengeance in the sight of God do cal the magistrates set before them their dueties wherein they are bound to remedie the same For with what conscience can they suffer such corruption among their subiects when they may remedie it by prohibiting not lodging for strangers but tauernes from their inhabitants or by punishing of tiplerrs dronkards and those tauerners that maintaine them in such excesse and riot 66 Hauing before declared how Magistrates ought to imploie themselues to bring theyr subiects to leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlynesse and honestie wee are now to intreate them to beleeue thinke that theyr authoritie shall take great increase and efficacie when theyr greatnesse and power shall be accompanied wyth the excellencie of vertue aboue theyr subiects when themselues shall bee examples vnto them in all things beseeming the children and seruants of God wherein also they are to haue such respect that they admit not in themselues euen that which may bee somewhat tollerable among theyr subiectes so farre are they from power to dispense with that in themselues which shuld not bee permitted to men of meaner calling And in deede wee may in many notable examples note that God hath greuously punished in great personages those faultes which in apparance seem small Nomb. 20. 2. Sam. 24. Esay 39. as that of Moses at the waters of strife that of Dauid when hee numbered the people that of Ezechias when hee shewed his treasures to the Embassadors of the king of Babylon and so in others In all which God doth teach vs that the authoritie of princes to dispense wyth themselues to worke wickednesse is so small that contrarywise hee wyll punish such transgressions in them as many times hee will beare with in theyr subiectes Deut. 17. And this instruction doth hee confyrme in that in olde time he declared that the king that shuld be chosen ouer his people Israel shuld haue the booke of the lawe that hee might reade therin all the dayes of his lyfe and that he might rule himselfe according to the will of God that hee shoulde not haue many wiues yet was that tollerable among his subiectes The younger Scipio knewe and put in practise his duetie in this respect for when hee had by force taken the city of Carthage Plut. in his Apoth Plut. in his Lacon Apoth Plut. in his Apoth and some of his souldyers brought vnto him a most beautifull mayden Truely sayde hee I coulde fynde in my heart to take her were I not in office or a magistrate but a priuate man To this purpose dyd Agesilaus verie wisely saie That the Prince must outgo his subiects not in pleasure lust but in temperance and magnanimitie And thereupon sayd Cyrus He is not worthie to gouerne that is no better neither more vertuous than they ouer whome hee is to commaund 67 Reason lykewise would that princes and magistrates should giue good examples to theyr subiectes leading the waie to all vertuous commendable actions that they require of them As Iustine writeth of Lycurgus Iustin lib. 3. that hee set downe no law for any thing whereof himselfe had not shewed an example and practise in his owne person Plutarch sayth that Agesilaus woulde bee the first dooer of that thing that he commanded those to doo Plutarch in his Lacon Apotheg ouer whom hee
Aug. vpon the word according to Mat. Scr. ◠Euery soule is subiect to the superiour powers for there is no power but from God and the powers that are are ordeined by God and therefore he that resisteth the powers resisteth God but saith he what if the power commaundeth you that which God forbiddeth truly then must you not obey the power but in fearing the powers consider the degrees of humain things if the tutor cōmaundeth must thou not obey but if the Proconsul cōmandeth the contrary thou dost not contemn thy tutor but thou obeyest a greater power neither ought the lesser to be displeased Again if the Proconsul cōmandeth any thing and the Emperour cōmaundeth the contrary thou must vndoubtedly obey the Emperour but what if the Emperour commandeth a thing and God cōmandeth the contrary what will ye say thē Pay tribute wil the Emperour say obey me good reson but not to serue Idols Who forbiddeth thee God a greater power beare with me therfore O Emperour thou threatnest imprisonment and God thretneth hel Heerupon must thy saith rest that thou maist quench the fiery darts of satan Yea but the Emperour pitcheth a snare for thee what snare hee whetteth his razor that is but to shaue thee not to cut of thy head This doth S. Aug. write But not onely they that vpon obedience to the Magistrates commandement do participate in idolatry but also they that abstain from the profession of true religion because man doth prohibit it are deceiued albeit they pretend absolution in the sight of God who commandeth Dan. 3. And therfore as the three Hebrew Princes are to be commended because they did not obey King Nabuchadnezzer who commanded them to bow to the golden image so is the constancy of Daniel highly to be praised in that contrary to the commandement of Darius he praied to God thrice a day Dan. 6. and heer we are wel to note what he said to the king that in disobeying him iustice was found in him in the sight of God and to the King he had done no hurt 8 Moreouer Subiects are bound to assist the necessities of their Magistrates both with bodies goods Concerning their bodies the same doth appeare in the watches that Burgesses doe keepe at the commaundement of their superiours Whereupon it also followeth that in case of necessitie they are at their magistrates authoritie and commaundement bound to take armes Neither is this a bond of mercenarie souldiers that without necessitie doe voluntarily binde themselues But it is a bond in nature and consequently necessarie For as God armeth the magistrate with the swoord for the preseruation of his subiects against the violence of their enemies and to enforce rebels to yeelde obedience to their lawfull decrees So when alone or with his sargeants he is not able to performe this dutie he may and ought to commaunde his subiects to helpe him to execute his office and they are bound at his commandement to take armes to imploy themselues Subiects do resemble a body guided by a head which is the magistrate As therefore by naturall affection the hands and other the members of the body doe stand bound to imploy themselues for the safetie of the body but especially of the head against all violence and iniurie So ought all subiects to thinke vpon this naturall bond and affection and in dutie vnder the conduct of their head to preserue the body of the communaltie but especially the person authoritie of their Prince and Magistrate against the violence and endeuours of their enemies In this consideration when Saul vnderstood of the iniurie of Naas the Ammonite who wold not receiue the inhabitants of Iabes in Gilead to mercie but vpon condition that he might put out euerie mans right eye he commaunded the people to take armes yea and proclaimed that hee would punish euery one that would not obey 1. Sam. 11. Hereupon also did Debora commend all those that with a voluntarie mind came to helpe Barac And cōtrariwise addeth Curse ye Meros saith the Angel of the Lord Yea cursed be the inhabitants therof Iudges 5.9 for they came not to helpe the Lord among the mightie In this respect also were all the enhabitants of Iabes Gilead put to the edge of the sword because none of them came to the field with the rest of Israel to fight against the tribe of Beniamine in punishment of the infamous adulterie committed by the enhabitants of Gibeah 9 As for the reliefe by goods due vnto the magistrate Is it not reason that he imploying his time and labor in the publike good should receiue some reward or recompence Must he not also find meanes to reward many officers that attende vpon the magistrate in their charge Iudges 21. and to pay such as are in wages for the preseruation and defence of his towne or countrie Is it not requisite that the subiects shoulde defraye the building and reparations of publike places In briefe that they should beare all other expences and charges necessary for the maintenance and preseruation of the estate In this cōsideration as the magistrate is by God authorised to leauye toules taxes tributes and many other subsidies of the people so are the subiects bound to furnish and pay them And this doth S. Paul teach saying to this effect Rom. 13.6 For this cause ye pay also tribute for they are Gods ministers applying themselues for the good of the people And then he addeth saying Giue to all men therefore their duetie tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whome custome appertaineth The same doth Iesus Christ likewise cōmaund where being asked whether it were lawfull to paye tribute to Caesar hee answered Giue vnto Caesar that is due vnto Caesar Mat. 22.21 and to God that is due vnto God and this commaundement did hee confirme by his owne example in that he commaunded Peter to paye tribute for him and himselfe True it is that being the sonne of God he might haue exempted himselfe Mat. 17.27 but he would shew no euill or offensiue example as expressely he saith to S. Peter The Children are free neuerthelesse least we should offend them goe to the Sea and cast in an angle and take the first Fishe that commeth vp and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a peece of twenty pence that take Exod. 30. and giue it vnto them for me and for thee Beholde albeit it were a matter vnworthy the children of Israel to pay vnto the Emperour in those dayes a heathen and tirant the tribute which before they payed to God for an homage and acknowledgment of his redemption and for a testimony that God was their Lord and they his subiects yet in as much as they were subiect to the Emperour Iesus Christ himselfe taking vpon him the fourme of a seruant was content to pay tribute as other men Luke 2. We also finde that Ioseph and Mary in discharge of their
dutie in this point departed from Nazareth and came to Bethleem to be enrouled True it is that Kinges and Princes ought neuerthelesse to be as moderate and stayed in these matters as their estates may beare and remember this saying that taxes and tributes are as the bloud of the people also in case they haue no measure but tyrannously do oppresse their subieâ—â—s heerin the States of the Countrey are to put vp their complaintes in defence of the right and libertie of those whom God hath deliuered into their charge and so much as in them lyeth oppose themselues as also in all other tyrannous oppressions of the people But as for priuate persons it is not lawfull for them so much as to murmure or to alleadge that the taxes or tributes are excessiue either that the Magistrates doe abuse them but they must thinke that sometimes they complaine wrongfully and without cause in that they know not either the greatnes of the Magistrates charges neither wherin he imploreth that which is gathered of the people Also that albeit there were some exces or abuse yet that it is not properly for the people to take account thereof but for God who misliking with the oppression of his people and the corruption of the Magistrate can and will take vengeance of the same and therfore let those likewise who vnder like pretence doe priuiledge themselues to defraude the Magistrate of his right thinke and consider what account they may giue vnto God and to this purpose may we referre that which S. Paul saith of the subiection and obedience due to the superiour powers namly that we must yeeld iâ— not because of wrath and punishment onely but also for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. thereby declaring that albeit the fraud be not reueaâ—ed to man and so punished yet that God doth see and will punish it also that our conscience knowing it accuseth and condemneth vs for it in the sight of God 10 Some there haue beene neither are our dayes free from them that haue beleeued and vpholden that the faithfull and children of God are called to such liberty that they ought not to be subiect to superiour powers neither to paye taxes tributes or other like charges S. Augustine in his fourth exposition of the propose to the Rom. trop 72. But S. Augustine very fitlye answereth such persons saying that by this sentence of S. Paul Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers we are admonished that no man by his conuersion to Christianitie is so called to libertie by the Lord that therefore he should grow proude thereof or thinke him selfe in the course of this life freed from his obedience due to the superiour powers to whom the Lord hath deliuered the gouernement in temporall affaires for albeit we be called to this heauenly kingdome wherein there shal be no principalities or powers yet so long as we trauaâ—â—e vpon this way which leadeth vs to the possession therof wherin al powers shal be abolished we must be ordered according to the coÌ„duct of humaine affaires and yeelde all obedience not so much to man as to God who hath so coÌ„manded vs. Mat. 21.21 Likewise where Christ saith Giue vnto Caesar that is Caesars and to God that that belongeth to God he doth sufficiently declare that there is a good harmony coÌ„currence between the spirituall kingdome of God and the poâ—â—tiquegouernmeÌ„t of man 1. Pet. 2 13. Rom. 13. â— that the one subuerteth not the other but each helpeth other to perfourme the will of God For as the obedience yeelded to the Magistrate is of no value in the sight of God vnlesse it proceede as S. Peter saith of our loue toward God or that as Saint Paul willeth 1. Tim. 2. 2. it be conioyned with a good conscience so in respect of mans infirmitye the office of a Magistrate dooth greatlye conduce to this that the Church be maintayned in peace iustice and godlynesse as the same Apostle doth teach whereupon this rule is to be obserued that all faithfull for heere wee treat onely of their dueties ought to yeeld all dutie and obedience to all Magistrates euen to the vnbeleeuers how much rather when they beleeue in euery thing that is not repugnant to the will and pleasure of almightie God 1. Pet. 2.13 and the saluation of the soule Did not the Apostle Saint Peter speake to the beleeuing Iewes when he commaunded them to be subiect to all ordinances of man euen for Gods sake whether to the King as the superior or to the gouernours as sent by him Titus 3.1 The holy Apostle S. Paul writeth to Tytus to exhorte the congregation to be subiect to principalities and powers and in another place he speaketh more generally saying Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers Rom. 13â— 1. The Romish clergie exempteth themselues but Saint Paul in saying Let euery soule exempteth none from this subiection no were he euen an Apostle And this doth our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe also most plainely declare Mat. 17.27 where he commaundeth the Apostle Saint Peter as is aforesaide to pay tribute for them both neither was that which he did any new matter as the answere of Saint Peter to the Customer did declare namelye that Christ did vsuallye pay it And therefore they that did rise in Germany in the yeere of our Lord God 1525. pretending to free themselues from taxes tributs and other subiection due to their superiours were greatly deceiued and seduced for were they in woâ—ser estate then were the beleeuing bondmen whom the Apostle Saint Paul commaunded to be subiect to their maisters and to yeeld vnto them al obedience seruing them in feare and trembling in simplâ—â—â—tye of hart as vnto Christ euen albeit as the Apostle Saint Peter saith they were bitter vnto them Eph. 6.5 And where the Apostle 〈…〉 this duetye saying Least the name of God and the gâ—spell should be blasphemed he doth very euidentlye and plaâ—â—â—lye dâ—clare Col. 3.22 tâ—â—t they which teach this exemption from the subiection due vâ—â—o the Magistrate doe teach men to giue occasion to blâ—â—pheme and dishonour the name of God and to speake euill of the Gospell as if the pure woorde and sincere doctrine of Iesus Christ did â—â—bucâ—â—e and ouerthrowe all publique order and ciuile gouernement with disobedience 1. Pet. 2.18 1 Tim. â— 1. and taught no other thing but the libertye of the fleshe and vaine lustes thereof 1. Tim. 2.1 11 The fourth dutie of subiects to the Magistrates is the same which S. Paul teacheth when he saith I exhorte therefore that first of all supplications praiers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in al godlynes and honesty This end and purpose of their charge doth already teach vs how far we are bound to this dutie to pray vnto God for them
receiued from the Lord according to the rule that S. Saul prescribeth to himselfe protesteth Iere. 3.15 saying What I haue receiued from the Lord I doe deliuer to you Marke 7.9 and heereto must wee referre that fauourable promise that God made to his people saying I will giue you shepheards after mine owne hart that shall feede you in knowledge and vnderstanding Ezech. 22.28 and indeede the onely worde of God is the knowledge and vnderstanding of man and therefore Christ condemneth the Scribes and Pharisees who in steed of Gods commaundements taught the traditions of men as also by Ezechiel he reproueth such false Doctors saying Her Prophets haue daubed them with vntempered morter seeing vanytyes and diuining lyes vnto them saying thus saith the Lord God when the Lord had not spoken 6 As they are therefore to reiect the doctrine of men and to teach the pure woorde of God so must they behaue themselues therein in all reuerence and pietye as if God spake by them without mixing any prophane matters 1. Pet. 4.11 and applying euery thing to his right end that is to edifie and the same doth S. Peter note saying If any man speake let him speake according to the word of God 7 Moreouer the minister being such a one as S Paul requireth namely fit to teach must so preach that cutting out directlye and skilfully the bread of Gods worde 1. Tim. 3.2 as the housholder cutteth out bread to his children the Church may therwith be nourished and edified In correspondence whereof it is his duty not only to teach but also to comfort the afflicted hartes to exhort such as are slack to strengthen such as are weake and fainte and to helpe vp those that are fallen yea he must accommodate himselfe to the weaknes of his auditorye and after the example of the Apostle Gregory minister milke to such as are not capable of stronger meate also as saith a good father beware of teaching high misteries to yong hearers least preaching without fruite he minister occasion to thinke that he preacheth rather for ostentation of his knowledge then to seek the edification of the Church and therfore it is also the ministers duetie to insist especially vpon arguments and matters necessarye and profitable to the Church euen as the myners who when they finde a vaine of golde or siluer will not willingly leaue it but continue and follow it to an end 8 Moreouer as all scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct to righteousnes 2. Tim. 3.16 so ought the Pastors to be instructed and strengthened that they may be able not onely to teach but also as S. Paul saith Tit. 1.9 to conuince those that withstand the same doctrine and to reduce such as are gone astray into the way of saluation For as the office of the Phisition consisteth in 2. points first to prescribe things meet for the health and to preuent diseases and secondly to cure such as fall into any sicknesse so it is the office of the Pastor in such sorte to accomodate his doctrine that it may serue to preuent the snares stumbling blockes of sinne also to reproue redresse and comfort such as are fallen and as the curing of the plague requireth more forcible and violent medicines then the preuenting therof also as it is necessary to haue more helpe to pull a man out of the water when he is fallen in then to holde him from falling in euen so must the Pastor vse more sharpe and vehement admonitions in the raysing vp of such as are fallen into sinne then in preuenting the fall neither is he to imploy himselfe in his function slightly and as it were for a fashion but as S. Paul protesteth of himselfe where he saith Remember that in three yeeres space Acts 20.31 night and daye I neuer ceased to warne euerye one with teares so must hee be carefull diligent and constant to teach and admoinsh 9 And albeit many times the Pastor doe perceiue no great fruit of his labours yet must he not faint Phisitions albeit when they haue tryed many receipts for recouery of a sicke person they perceiue no amendment yet do they not desist from visiting him and continuing the employmēt of their art so long as there is any hope of life the like custome are the Pastors to vse for the soule as the Phisition doth for the bodye and still to perseuere in due admonitions exhortations and consolations in hope that finallye God will blesse their constancy in this duetie When a man taketh vpon him to fell a great Oake with 40. or 30. of the first blowes it may seeme that he loseth his labour because the tree wil not stirre but stand stiffely without stooping yet in continuance it commeth at length downe and so sheweth the effect of the firste blowes conioyned with the last Iesus Christ as Chrisostome very aplty noteth Chrisost vpō Iohn chose Fishermen to be his Apostles for as Fishermen doe often cast their nettes into the Sea and take nothing yet are not discouraged but cast so long vntill they light vpon some fish so are the fishers of men patientlye and constantlye to proceede in their duties in hope that it wil be with thē as it was with S. Peter who when he had taken nothing all the night Iohn 21. yet notwithstanding so much labour lost did againe cast forth his nets at the commandement of Iesus Christ and took a great multitude of fishes 10 And albeit the incredulity and obstinacy of man should make their constancye and labour vtterly vnprofitable in their behalfs yet should they not lose their labours with God for first as S. Paul protesteth of himselfe they are free from the bloud of those that perish as God also saide to Ezechiel Acts 20.26 Ezech. 33.9 When thou shalt admonish the vnbeleeuer to turne from his waies if he returne not from his waies hee shall dye in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule Besides our zeale and obedience in this respecte is a sacrifice of sweete sauour before God as S Paul also saith that they which preache the Gospell are a sweet sauour in Christ euen in those that perish 2. Cor. 2.15 because thereby they are made the more in excusable in the iudgement of God Esay 49.4 And therefore albeit wee thinke that we haue laboured for nothing and wasted our strength in vaine and for nothing as Esay saith yet let vs be content with this that as he addeth our iudgement is with the Lord and our worke in the sight of God The husbandmen whē they are disapointed of their expected haruest haue not anye to recompence their losse but all is gone both seede and labour but notwithstanding the labour of the Minister doth not profite with men in respect of their incredulitie yet hath hee his reward in heauen And indeed as the
modestie and piety which these men albeit Emperours dyd shew in taking this censure and repulse in good parte should be an example to all princes and magistrates not to infringe vnder colour of theyr greatnes the orders of the Church but rather to submit themselues for the defence of the same so is it the duetie of the pastours to bee discreet and moderate and not rashly or wythout a sure ground to anie vse such libertie and authoritie And as in the meane time they must not for feare or faint heart omit anie thing that God requireth at the handes of a faythfull pastour in the fulfilling of his charge so must they still remember the saying of Saint Paule 2. Cor. 10.8 13 10 confyrmed by his owne example That the power which they haue receiued from the Lorde must tende and serue to edification not to destruction 23 In correspondence heereof Saint Augustine giueth this counsell that if the pastours cannot purge and amend all faultes among theyr flocke as themselues coulde desire Augu. against Parm. l. 2. c. 1. l. 3. c. 1. 2 yet must not they therfore giue ouer theyr calling or trouble the Church wyth desperate rigor For whosoeuer as hee addeth doth correct so much as hee may by reproouing or that which hee cannot correct hee excludeth wythout breaking the vnitie or that which cannot bee excluded wythout dissention hee reprooueth yet beareth wyth all The same is exempt from the curse and is not guiltie of the sinne And the reason hee deliuereth in another place saying That the order and course to maintaine good gouernment in the Church must alwayes haue regarde to the vnitie of the spirite by the bonde of peace Thus sayth hee doeth the Apostle commaund vs to doo and dooing otherwise our remedie by correction is not onely superfluous but also pernicious and consequently looseth the nature of a remedie And going on hee sayth Hee that shall carefully consider these thinges wyll neuerthelesse vse seueritie yet so as to preserue vnion and not to infringe the bonde of peace or concorde by vsing intemperaunce in his correction Well doeth hee confesse that those Pastours which are neglygent to admonish reproue and correct tâ—e badde Ephe. 4.3 are guiltie in the sight of God And wythall hee addeth that hee which is a publyke officer and may excommunicate the wicked but doth it not sinneth to his owne condemnation As also he willeth that all bee done with discretion And lastly hee concludeth with Saint Cyprian whome hee alleadgeth saying let man therefore correct what hee may with mercie That which hee cannot let him patiently beare and mourne for it in loue Hee also giueth this counsell that if a whole nation bee infected wyth one sinne the seueritie must be moderated with mercie for saith hee to make a separation is but badde and pernitious counsell commonly hath euill successe Yea it rather troubleth the good that are weake than amendeth the bad that are obstinate in theyr sinne 24 The pastor is also in dutie to take care for the afflicted sheep whether in visiting to comfort and strengthen theyr patience and faith or in prouiding that they may be releeued and succoured in theyr want and necessitie First as concerning the visitation of the sicke If euerie faythfull man bee therein to imploie himselfe as Iesus Christ teacheth saying I was sicke and yee visited mee howe much rather ought they to exercise themselues therein to whome the soueraigne pastour Iesus Christe hath commended the health of soules For as men ordinarily at such times feeling the anguish of theyr sicknes and hauing some apprehension of death are most troubled wyth impatience mistrust and other temptations and daungerous assaultes wherein the deuill practiseth his vttermost indeuours so haue they at that time especiall neede of the presence of their pastors And therefore as the midwife hasteth to a woman in trauell to helpe her forth with her childe and the more that her paines increase the more shee helpeth and imployeth her selfe to procure the happie deliuery of her fruit euen so ought the pastours to hasten to the sicke of theyr folde to comfort and strengthen them In briefe to help them to deliuer vp their soules to God in the faith of Iesus Christ And in deede if they that are sicke in bodie haue neede of the phisition for theyr bodyes much more doo they stand in necessitie of theyr pastors for the health of theyr soules And therefore such as are negligent in this dutie do purchase to themselues the curse that almightie God hath pronounced agaynst the wicked shepheards of his people saying Wo vnto the pastors of Israel that feede themselues but feed not their flock the weake yee haue not strengthned Ezech. 34. 2 the sicke ye haue not healed neither haue yee bound vp the broken Esay hearing that Ezechias king of Iuda was sicke 2. King 20 Ruffin Eccle. hist l. 1. c. 4. dyd visite him and it seemeth that Paphnutius emploied himselfe herein for Ruffin writeth of him that by praying to God for them he healed many that were sicke 25 As it is the dutie of pastors to visit the sicke so must they be carefull to helpe the want and necessitie of the poore And this Saint Paule sayeth Gal. 1.10 2. Cor. 8. 9 was by the Apostles especially commended to him namely to haue care of the poore As also he protesteth that he was diligent herein and that doth the Epistle that hee wrote to the Corinthians manifestly confirme It is the glory of the Bishop sayth Saint Hierome to prouide for the necessitie of the poore And writing to Nepotian when hee hath reproued the superfluitie vsed in his time in adorning their Churches Hierom in his Epistles he commendeth Exuperius Bishoppe of Tholouse who then liued in that hee administred the Sacrament of the bodie of Iesus Christ in a small wicker basket and the Sacrament of his bloud in a glasse but withall taking order that no poore man should starue Like zeale and charitie dyd Cyril Bishoppe of Ierusalem also practise For when in a time of famine hee was not able otherwise to releeue the necessity of the poore he solde all the ornaments and vessels of the Church to distribute in almes Saint Ambrose seeing himselfe blamed by the Arrians for breaking the sacred vessels The Tripartite hist l. 5 Ambr. in his booke of duties l. 2. c 28 to paie the ransome of prisoners taken by the Infidels maketh his excuse or rather by an exhortation worth the memorie approueth his action saying He that sent the Apostles without golde assembled also the Churches without golde The Church hath gold not to hoord vp but to distribute and helpe in time of need To what end should wee keepe that which is to no vse Knowe we not how much siluer and golde the Assyrians tooke out of the temple of the Lord Is it not more meete that the pastor should make money of it
in execration yea maranatha or excommunicate to death That is to saie let him bee cut off from the Church as the reprobate shal be at the comming of Christ whereof they are warned in this word Maran-atha which signifieth The Lorde commeth Yet is there more This Priest dying for vs hath killed sinne and corruption in his owne bodie as is before declared And to the end that sinne might die in vs and that we might practise this saying of the holy Apostle Saint Peter Inasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 that is to saie in his humanitie let vs arme our selues with the same minde which is that wee hauing suffered and beeing dead with him as concerning the corruption of the flesh shoulde desist from sinne to the ende that hence forwarde wee shoulde liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the will of God And this is the amendement that Iesus doeth commaunde Saint Iohn sayth that Christ hath made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God This is another reason to moue vs the more seruently to amende in respect as well of the one office as of the other First Apoc. 1.6 seeing wee are raysed to this honour to bee kinges shall wee bee so miserable and senselesse as to make our selues the vile and wretched bonde men of Sathan and the seruauntes of sinne and the worlde If a king redeeming a poore bonde man whome his master diuersely tormented shoulde besides so farre fauour and honour him as to adopt him for his child Were it not a frantike or senselesse parte in him to forsake such honour and preferment and to returne to liue vnder the tyrannie and thraldome of his olde master Yet this doo they who beeing deliuered from the tyrannie and crueltie of Sathan and made kinges in Iesus Christ doo giue themselues to the lustes and pleasures of the flesh and the allurementes of the worlde thereby returning themselues into the wretched bondage of the deuill to abide eternally vnder his tyrannous dominion Let therefore this title King aduertise and admonish vs so to amende our liues that forsaking and vtterly renouncing the dominion and tyrannie of Sathan and the corruptions of the flesh wee may effectually shew our selues to bee spirituall Kinges and that the kingdome of Iesus Christ is in vs. Moreouer in as much as wee are also made Priestes let vs remember that if wee will amende our liues wee must with the kingly Prophet Dauid offer contrite and broken heartes pulled downe and humbled with the feeling of our sinnes with condition that wee will heereafter beware and take heede of the same Let vs also call to minde that we must offer our bodies a liuely holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is our reasonable seruice and not to forme our selues after this worlde Psal 51.19 but bee transformed by the renuing of our mindes to the ende wee may proue what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God Neyther let vs forget alwayes to offer vnto God thorough Iesus Christ the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing which is the fruite of our lippes confessing and acknowledging his name Rom. 12.1 To conclude let vs remember his benefites and communication wyth vs for God is delighted with such sacrifices Beholde therefore howe this honour which wee receiue of Iesus Christ Heb 13 16 euen to bee kings and priests to our God may be a mighty inducement vnto vs to amend our liues 14 There doth yet remaine the office of a Prophet which also doth admonish vs to amend because hee hath reuealed vnto vs all that hee hath knowen of his father Iohn 15.15 and declared as well what wee must doo in obeying him as what wee are to beleeue to our saluation And this is an incomprehensible benefite as wee may euydently consider by the miserable and wretched estate of those to whome the worde of God comprised in the Lawe and the Gospel is not preached And this doth Saint Paul in few words represent vnto vs saying They are not in Christ neither haue anie portion in the commonwealth of Israel but are straungers to the couenant of the promise Ephes 2 12 without hope and are without God in the world And in deede if Gods worde bee as Dauid calleth it a light to our steps those men to whome the worde is not directed Psa 119.105 are poore and blinde cannot choose in all their wordes and deeds but stumble and fall All that they doo is sinne because they doo it wythout faith whereof the word is the foundation Much lesse also haue they any knowledge of the remission and satisfaction of theyr sinnes in the bloud of Christ Rom. 14. 25 10.17 and therefore all theyr sinnes doo remaine and shall be imputed vnto them to be in the daie of iudgement most horribly and eternally punished If they then that neuer heard this prophet shall bee iustly punished in eternal fyre what iudgement and vengeance are they to expect for theyr ingratitude and rebellion that heare this Prophet and by him eyther by reading or hearing his worde doo vnderstand the will of God and yet doo make no care of amendement of lyfe by obeying the will of God vnto them reuealed Luke 12.47 and by them knowen The seruant sayth Iesus Christ that hath knowen his masters will and hath not done it shal be punished much more grieuously than hee that neuer knew it And surely the sins committed by those that know the wil of God are not only transgression against the lawe but also contempt misprision against the maiestie of God And in that regard doth Iesus Christ denounce agaynst many townes wherein the Gospell was preached a more horrible and terrible iudgement than against Sodome Gomorrha and other townes that heard the word of the Lorde Seeing therefore that this worde Math. 10.15 to vs addressed by this prophet Iesus Christ doeth tend to illuminate and to exhort vs to amendement of life Let this office and name of Prophet attributed to Iesus Christ make vs to remember our bonde and duetie whereby wee are bound to amend and to yeld obedience vnto all that our Prophet Christ doth teach ordaine and command as being assured that as they that will not heare this Prophet to obey him shall bee rooted out so contrarywise they that shall heare and obey him shall by the path of good workes proceeding of faith apprehending the iustice of Christ attaine to the fruition of life euerlasting In this sort must these two names and titles Iesus and Christ serue to make vs to feele our bond and dutie and to inflame our affections to amend all the daies of our lyfe The seuenth cause of Amendement gathered of the signification of this worde Amend Chap. 7. IN the first Chapter of the first booke we haue declared that the holy Ghost commanding vs to amend doeth ordinarily vse two wordes
obey him that hath alreadie done vs so much good both in bodie and soule Not without cause therefore doth God so sharply complaine of those that rent and tread vnder foot such vehement bondes whereby they are summoned to theyr duty in amendement as we haue many notable examples in the writings both of the Prophets and Apostles Gods benefites are the cordes of humanitie Osc 11.4 as Oseas tearmeth them whereby hee seeketh to plucke vs from the waie of perdition and by amendement of lyfe to leade vs to saluation Doeth not the deuill thinke you hold vs fall fettered in mightie and strong chaines sith we cannot be drawen by these cordes of mercie and humanitie to the seruice of our God 6 Yet is there thus much more The ministers do propound not onely the benefites receiued out also the promises of other most excellent and plentifull blessings and benefites both bodily and ghostly to those that by amending theyr liues shall labour to obey God And this it were to bee wished that euerie man would note in the reading of the olde and newe Testament to the ende they might both the better vnderstand them and be by them the more earnestly moued when they are in the sermons represented vnto vs. For how wonderfull is the goodnes of God who vouchsaseth to promise vs so many benefites if wee amend our liues that is to saie if we performe the thing whereto we are alreadie bound If I owe vpon a verie formall bill a hundred crownes will my creditor to the end to induce me to paie the same faithfully promise to giue mee ten times as many more Yet thus doth God deale with vs. For what is al our obedience and amendement of life in respect of the benefites that God promiseth to obey him whereto we are alreadie bound If he that is free bindeth himselfe to serue another then is it reason that his master should promise him some wages reward for his seruice but we are not free but alreadie bound to serue our God yet doth he promise vs great benefits if we imploy our selues faithfully in his seruice by amending our liues Are not wee then verie stubborne against God and enemies to our selues that thus contemne the promises of his rewards and benefites towards vs If a Prince should promise a tayler or shoomaker sonne thousand crownes for one yeeres seruice would any man refuse it Would not he to whome it were offered or promised bee readie to leaue his house his wise his children and all other things to goe to seruice to such a Lord for one yeere How vnthankfull or senslesse are we therefore that will not be otherwise wonne and induced to serue God who by so many so excellent and so assured promises doth daily inuite vs thereto 7 Besides the representation of benefites alreadie receiued and of promises of more to come doo they not also propounde in the name of the almightie righteous and true God most grieuous and manifolde threatnings to the end that if we will not by curteous and fatherly gentlenesse bee induced to amend Leuit. 26. Deut. 28 Leuit. 26. wee may bee as it were forced by the threatninges of a seuere and rigorous Iudge What a scroule of woes doeth the Lorde by his seruant Moses propound agaynst such as will not amend Wherein wee are also well to note that hee denounceth if the first stripes can breede no amendement hee will adde seuen times as many more Also if wee will not yet amend our liues he wyll yet double them seuen times more And in deede as hee afflicteth and punisheth vs to the ende to make vs to conuert and turne to him and consequently to induce vs to amendement of lyfe so doeth hee by his so often redoubling of his threates shewe that wee must eyther humble and bowe our selues by obedience or else breake them to our euerlasting and eternall destruction Is it not then a horrible obstinacie and monstrous mâ—re dulitie not to feare and tremble at such threatnings of the liuing God Are not the same which hee heeretofore hath executed and daily doeth execute against the impenitent euen so many seales and myrrours representing vnto vs the verie truth of his great and terrible threatnings thereby to induce and perswade vs steadfastly and vndoubtedly to beleeue that our selues vnlesse we amend shall also feele the execution of his vengeance against vs as himselfe sayth in Saint Luke Luke 13 3 1. Cor. 10.7 If yee will not amend you shall perish likewise In lyke manner also Saint Paule noting some punishmentes and vengeances inflicted in the wildernesse vppon Idolaters fornicators tempters of Christ and such as murthured against him thereby to warne the Corinthians to beware of the like iniquities in conclusion doth adde that all these things were done for example sake and are written for our learning as those vppon whome the endes of the world are come Wherefore sayth hee let him that standeth take heede that hee doo not fall And in deed wherefore are offenders publikely executed but for example to those that looke vpon them that they may beware of committing the lyke offences least themselues doo also incurre the lyke punishment When he that hath committed some wicked murther seeth another murtherer executed will hee not saie in his heart If the Iudge wist what I haue done hee would lykewise condemne mee to die But God seeth all hee is iust and will not bee corrupted with rewards WheÌ„ therfore the minister of the word doth lay before vs the horrible punishments executed agaynst those that will not amende doth hee it not to the end that they which heare of such iudgements of God shoulde immediatly resolue to amend and saie in themselues If we wil amend this fault which we so grieuously punished in such and such wee also shall vndoubtedly perish in like sorte 8 Neither maye wee harden our heartes in wickednesse because there is no lykelyhoode of occasion to feare anie calamitie or affliction but contrarywise let vs remember the Niniuites What lykelyhood was there that they shoulde feare that within fortie daies Niniuie shoulde bee destroyed Ionas 3 Math. 12.41 It was a flourishing towne the chiefe citye of a mightie realme yet at the preaching of Ionas a man to them vnknowen they also heathen deuoid of all knowledge of the true God or of his holy doctrine dyd conuert to God in fasting sackcloth And shall not they bee iudges against such as dayly hearing Gods threatnings at the mouthes of those whome they knowe to bee his seruants doo notwithstanding continue obstinate without amendement And albeit it seeme that God slackneth the execution of his vengeance against many vnpenitent persons yet ther is a time of their punishment ordained and it shall be executed vpon many in this life but in the later day of iudgement vpon all those that make no account to amend 9 Heereof let vs well note the examples propounded by Saint Peter and Saint Iude
If God sayth hee spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell 2. Pet. 2.4 and deliuered them into the chaines of darknes to be kept vnto iudgement Neither spared the olde worlde but saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnes and brought in the floud vpon the world of the vngodly And turned the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them ouerthrewe them and made them an example vnto them that afterward should liue vngodly and deliuered the iust Loth The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly that honor him out of temptation and to reserue the vngodly vnto the daie of iudgement to be punished Saint Iude in stead of the example of the floud propoundeth the vengeance of God poured vpon the vnbeleeuing Israelites in the wildernesse Also Iude vers 5 making mention of the horrible punishment fallen vpon Sodome and Gomorrha sayth that they were set forth for an example and suffered the vengeance of eternall fire When therefore wee heare the threatnings of the liuing God by the mouth of his seruants let vs make hast to conuert to the Lord in amendement of lyfe lest by our obstinacie as Saint Paul sayth and our hearts not knowing howe to repent we heape vp wrath for the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 and of the manifestation of the iust iudgement of God who shall render to euerie man according to his workes 10 Inasmuch therefore as through our infirmitie albeit wee bee taught the waie to heauen and that we bee put in minde to walke in the same by representation of benefits receiued of promises of blessings to come yea euen of threatninges with the examples of vengeance we neuertheles cannot desist from offending of God and so from turning out of the waie of saluation and lyfe euerlasting The ministers of the word doo moreouer vse reprehensions reprouing our sinnes and offences thereby to reduce vs into the right waie and in respect of our slownesse to doo good and to amend our liues they also vse vehement exhortations yea they do euen praie adiure and intreate vs in the name of God to amend and to walke in the feare of God And where wee haue many noâ—some hinderances that trouble vs and quaile our courages 2. Thes 2.11 they do likewise propound vnto vs mightie consolations in the woorde of God to the end wee may cheerefully and constantly proceede in the waie of saluation What man therefore inioying the holy ministerie can excuse himselfe in the sight of God in case hee doo not constantly resolue to amend his lyfe and dayly to put the same in practise How horrible a iudgement shall he deserue that is so hardened in wickednesse and so tied in the chaines of Sathan that there is no light before his eyes no path to the waie of saluation no feeling of Gods benefites no remembrance of his promises no feare of his threatninges no apprehension of the examples of his vengeance no reprehension no exhortation no consolation that can bee of strength and sufficient to moue his heart to amend Be not these men then that remaine thus obstinate without amendement euen monsters in nature 11 Now as the administration of the Sacraments is one part of the holy ministery let vs first see how forcibly our Baptisme shuld moue vs to amend our liues Baptisme is the seale of the couenant of God comprehending especially two graces namely remission of sinnes our regeneration or spirituall renuing When the children of Christians therfore are baptised the same is as if God speaking by the mouthes of his ministers shoulde saie O my people acknowledge my great mercie and goodnesse towards these little babes they are conceiued in sinne borne in iniquity by nature the children of wrath yet doo I aduow them for mine their sinne a d corruption is washed awaie in the bloud of Iesus Christ I doâ—â—nite and ioyne them vnto him to the end that being grafted into his death and resurrection they may bee regenerated theyr olde man bee mortified and themselues become newe creatures in my sight In them do I seale these graces whilest they be yet babes before they know me euen before they haue done anie good that so they may be acknowledged to bee meerely free to my glorie Is not this a great bond vnto children to binde them as they come to age to loue God who loued them before they knew him and to doo the dutie of children because hee aduowed them to be his children euen before they hadde done anie good Surelye loue should beget loue and loue feare to offend and feare to offend amendement of lyfe If by Baptisme wee bee regenerate and made the children of God are wee not bound to liue as the children of God and as it may beseem the holynes of such a father The kings children doo not apply theyr minds to handle crafts but to works fitting their greatnes much lesse then should the children of God applie themselues to the works of the darke Such as by Baptisme are recalled from death should doo no deadly works they that by Baptisme are incorporated into Iesus Christ ought so to be guided by his spirit that as it is the soule that worketh all the workes of the bodie so the spirit of Christ as it were the soule of this new man Iesus Christ being considered as vnited with his bodie there should be no motion thought worde or worke but such as should proceed from the spirite of Iesus Christ in all fulnesse dwelling in him and in vs his members according to the measure limited to euery one of vs. 12 Moreouer if by Baptisme we be grafted into Iesus Christ we must bring forth fruit worthie of Iesus Christ Iohn 15 5. Hee that dwelleth in me sayth he and I in him beareth much fruit If wee speake of trees experience teacheth vs that the signe that is thereinto grafted doth in such wise drawe awaie thâ— sappe and force thereof that it bringeth forth fruit according to it selfe kinde not after the kinde of the tree whereinto it is grafted but wyth Iesus Christe it is contrarie for they that are grafted in him doo in deede gather strength from him yet so that they alter their nature bring forth fruit not after the kinde of Adams children but of Iesus Christe into whom they are grafted And therefore as it were a monstrous matter to see an apple tree whereupon nothing had beene grafted beare acornes so is it as straunge and repugnaunt to reason that they who by Baptisme are ingrafted into Iesus Christ should not bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse according to his kinde Lykewise if Baptisme bee a pledge of our regeneration of necessitie the workes and affections of our first generation according to the which we are full of corruption and wickednesse must cease and be mortified and now we must shew forth the fruits and effects of our regeneration in newnes of life sith by our baptisme our olde