her enemies 6 This loue is the rather to bee esteemed and commended because the giftes of speaking with tongues working of miracles prophecying and such like are nothing without loue Yea which is more then al those gifts euen faith hope shal haue an end but loue as Saint Paul saith abideth for euer Albeit therefore that by faith and hope we be made heires of wonderfull ioy and felicitie yet is the effect and fruite of loue greater in this respect that thereby the ioy of our perticuler felicitie obtained by faith shall be infinitly doubled and encreased for euery of the electes sakes whom we shall then loue as our selues and whose felicitie will be vnto vs as great a comfort as our owne Thus wee see what loue is required at our hands and how much wee are to esteeme it Now if wee would examine our selues and trie our loue with the same which God requireth at our hands as is afore shewed we shal find that it cometh very short And indeed what man loueth his neighbour as himselfe and that for the loue of God Who doth not many times by his neighbour otherwise then himself would be done by Who dealeth with another as he would be delt by Who is resolued to giue his life for his brethren Who loueth his enemies as himselfe and in hart praieth for them If loue as is aforesaid suffereth long if it enuieth not if it seeketh not her owne if it thinketh none euil if the patience therof be such as that it endureth sustereth al things 1. Cor. 13 Then doth it sufficiently appeare that we do wrongfully boast our selues to be the children of God because his character cannot bee seene in vs which is loue or that in purpose to amend we doe not mislike our owne corruption When therefore we heare the holy Ghost say Amend your liues Let vs be assured that he doth admonish vs so to encrease in this loue that wee may loue God with all our harts and our neighbours as our selues and that to the same end these two naturall rules may continually sound in our eares and that our consciences by the same examining all our wordes and workes may bee our iudge to condemne whatsoeuer we shall peraduenture doe to others which we would not should be done to our selues and to reproue our want of loue when we do not that to him that we would haue done to our selues that so in amending whatsoeuer it shall find in vs not conformable to this loue we may dayly encrease therin and thereby more and more get printed in vs the Character of Gods children and of the true Disciples of Iesus Christ And now let vs proceed to another examination of our loue Of Almos and relieuing of the poore Chap 10. AMong other the testimonies of our loue and charitie the due reliefe of the poore is not the least And indeed in vaine doe we boast of charitie vnlesse we practise the same by relieuing the poore in their necessities Who so hath this worlds goods 1. Ioh. 3.17 saith Saint Iohn and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Whereto hee addeth My children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but indeed and in truth This dutie of loue did the Apostles of Iesus Christ so hartely commend that finding themselues to agree in the doctrine of the Gospell with S. Paul Gal. 2.10 2. Cor. 8.9 they commended nothing vnto him but to remember the poore And thereof was himselfe also very carefull as he doth affirme in his Epistle to the Galathians and did effectually shew the same in his second to the Corinthians As also it is not amisse to note that the last iudgement and sentence of felicitie or miserie shall bee pronounced in part vpon the performance or neglect of this dutie to the poore in affliction Mat. 25. 2 This reliefe of the poore is commonly tearmed Almes which word signifieth pitie and compassion The rather to teach vs that this reliefe must proceede of compassion through the feeling of their afflictions And this doth Esay declare saying If thou openest thy hart to the hungerie and satisfiest the needy soule thy light shall shine in darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall bee as the none day The word which the Prophet heere vseth Esa 58.10 signifieth as much as if wee should say if thou pullest forth thy heart to giue to him that hungreth therby teaching vs that true Almes importeth the opening communication of our harts by feeling the necessitie of others and therefore doth S. Augustine say Augustine his first booke of visit the sicke c. 3. 1. Cor. 13.3 that if our reliefe ministred to the poore proceedeth not of loue and compassion it neuer ascendeth into the presence of God Hereto may we also refer this sentence of S. Paul If we giue al that we haue to the poor haue no loue it profiteth not Yea saith a good auncient father In hart to take compassion of the poore is more then to giue them our goods for hee that giueth importeth externall things but hee that taketh compassion openeth and giueth his owne hart This compassion proceedeth of the vnion that God hath made betweene vs in that we all discending from Adam are as it were one body and one flesh As Esay exhorting vs to this compassion doth say Hide not thy self from thy owne flesh Esay 58.7 Heb. 1â— 3â— Which the Apostle also confirmeth saying Remember them that are in bondes as if ye were bound with them them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the body And indeed as Saint Paul saith This vnion should breede such a feeling of the weale or woe of the members of this body that wee should reioyce for the prosperitie of the one 1. Cor. 12.26 Rom. 12 15. 1. Cor. 12.25 1. Ioh. 3.17 and be sorrie for the miserie of the other and as in another place he saith that wee should weepe with them that weepe Otherwise as hee addeth there is no coniunction in the body but deuision partialitie And in that sence Saint Iohn denieth that ther is any loue in him who seeing the want and necessitie of his brother closeth vp his bowels by the bowels signifieng the compassion and mercy wherewith he should be moued at the sight of the pouertie of his brethren Iesus Christ also to assure vs that he will take compassion of vs whom we are persecuted for his name saith Act. 9 5. Zach. 2 8 Deut 32 10. that he is persecuted in vs that are the members of his body Yea he protesteth that who so toucheth vs toucheth the apple of his eye Therby declaring that as the apple of the eye is so tender that it may not be touched but with great griefe so the coniunction betweene him vs is such Psal 17.8 that he seeleth our afflictions therof taketh great
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
no reputation took on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto man was found in shape as a man He humbled himselfe became obedient vnto death euē vnto the death of the crosse And therefore in obedience to parents children are to lay off all greatnes and excellencie whatsoeuer and to submit themselues to any rebuke yea euen to the shamefulest death rather then by contempt or disobedience to offend their parents And least any man should reply that ther is great difference between God the father and fathers according to the flesh Luk. 2.51 S. Luke noteth that Iesus Christ was subiect to his mother and to his supposed father Ioseph What greatnes then may there bee in children that should exempt them frō obedience to their parents sith Iesus Christ the prince of glory the king of kings and Lord of Lords because subiect and obedient to a poore man his putatiue father and to a mother of simple and meane calling 8 This obedience doth S. Paul commend vnto vs saying Col. 3.20 Ephe. 6.1 Children obey your parents in all things Adding this reason for that is acceptable to the Lord. And in that he saith in an other place It is right He taketh from children all reply For is there any child that will denie that he is not bound to do that which is right or that which is pleasing or acceptable vnto God Moses saith Leuit. 19.3 Euery of you shall stand in awe of his father and mother And in truth he that loueth his father and his mother feareth their displeasure As contrariwise he that reiecteth their precepts admonitions or reprehensions and so shaketh off the yoke of obedience subiection that obstinatly he may set himself to work wickednes sheweth that he despiseth the image of God that they beare treadeth vnder foot then authoritie ouer him Such children or rather monsters in nature are to looke for no other but Gods horrible iudgement against thē Prou. 30.17 And Salomon saith The eye that meeketh his father despiseth the instruction of his mother the Rauens of the vally shall picke it out and the young Eagles shall eate it Neither would God permit that such impietie shoulde escape without an expresse decree to put to death such children If any man saith Moses hath a sonne that is stubborne disobedient Deut. 21.18 which will not harken vnto the voice of his father vnto the voice of his mother they haue chastened him he would not obey them then shal his father and his mother take him bring him out vnto the elders of his Citie and vnto the gate of the place where hee dwelleth and shall say vnto the elders of his Citie This our sonne is stubborne and disobedient he wil not obey our admonitiō he is a riotor a drunkerd Then all the men of his Cittie shall stone him with stones vnto death so shalt thou take away euill from among you that all Israell may here it feare Behold how God by cōmanding that disobedient children should be rooted out willeth that all children should feare to disobey their parents least they might incur the like punishment For surely the disobedience of children is an assured token that God will roote them out As wee reade of the sonnes of Hely the high priest 1. Sam 2.25 who when their father reproued them for their iniquitie did not obey his voice because it is expresly set downe the Lord purposed to destroy them The very heathen haue euermore highly cōmended reuerence obedience vnto parents Among the rest The Lacedemonians published a law wherby it was lawfull for parents to make whom they would Plut. in Licur euen straungers their heires Therby to induce children to reuerence and obey their parentes 9 Yet must this subiection obedience be holy and not repugnant to the seruice of God So as obedience to parents be no disobedience to God Ephe. 6.1 And this doth S. Paul note saying Children obey your parents in the Lord that is to say according to the Lord or for the Lords sake therfore if parents cōmand any thing contrary to Gods glory or the saluation of the soul the children are in duty to practise the instruction of the Apostles Act. 4.19 who said Is it right in the sight of God that we obey you rather then him The law is comprehended in two Tables the summarie wherof doth import that we loue God and our neighbor But the loue of God goeth before Iesus Christ calleth it the first gretest commandement And therfore saith Mat. 22.38 Mat 10.37 He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthie of me Gods cōmandement of obedience to parents doeth not abolish all difference betweene good euill neither bindeth children to disobey God the parents authoritie cannot priueledge their children to cōmit sin The well ordered child will alwaies agree with the law to abstaine from whatsoeuer is therein prohibited neither will he obey such cōmandements of his earthly father as are contrary to his heauenly father Yet are childrē in duty to loue honor obey their parents whatsoeuer euen Idolaters and wicked For as the loue of nature is not abolished by the wickednes of men for they still abide men so wicked Idolatrous parents remaining parents doe retaine the right of parents Prosper sentences out of Augustine and such are to be honored yea euen to command bee obeyed so long as they cōmand nothing prohibited by the heauēly father We must saith S. August so loue men that wee loue not their vices For to loue that which they are is one thing to hate that which they doe is another 10 Yet doth this word Honor cōprehend an other dutie of children to their parents That is to comfort them in their aduersities to relieue their want and to helpe and serue them in whatsoeuer they need at their childrēs hands neither shal they herein perform any more thē the payment of part of their debts whereto they are bound in cōsideration of the benefits that they first receiued from their parents This is the duty wherto S. Paul expresly exhorteth them saying If any widow haue children or childrē of her children let thē learne first to shew godlines toward their own house Tim. 54. to recompence their kindred for that is an honest thing acceptable before God Herein did Ioseph performe the duty of a child to his father brethrē Gen. 45.9 To whom when he greeued himselfe he saide make hast and get ye vp to my father and say vnto him thus saieth thy sonne Ioseph God hath made me Lord ouer all Egypt come therefore vnto me and make no tarying and thou shalt inhabite the land of Gosham shal the neere vnto me Thou thy children the children of thy children I wil relieue thee least thou shouldest perish for hunger thou
peruerse permit no murtherers or periured persons to liue that hee vpholde the Church feed the poore establish iust men in publike offices retaine ancient wise and discreet counsellers that in anie wise hee apply not himselfe to the superstitions of deuiners magitians and pythonicall spirites that he deferre his displeasure and defend his Countrie from his enemies with magnanimity and iustice that he repose his whole confidence in God that hee bee not puffed vp in prosperitie and with patience beare aduersitie that hee maintayne the Catholike faith and suffer not anie wickednes in his children that he allot certaine houres to praier vnto God and eate not but in due season for woe be to the earth where the gouernors doo arise early to eate These things sayth Saint Augustine doo minister prosperitie in this lyfe and doo leade the king to a better dominion euen to the celestiall and eternall kingdome Seeing therfore that our Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteth vs to amend our liues let all magistrates examining themselues by that which hath bin before spoken concerning their duties determine aduise themselues to amend such faultes as may be in them that they may imploy themselues to gouerne theyr subiects more and more in vertue wisedome and holynesse to the glorie of God and the benefit and saluation of themselues and their sayd subiects Of the dutie of Subiects to their Magistrates Chap. 7. NOw let vs proceede to the duetie of subiectes to their Magistrates As in the fifth commandement of the Lawe the word Father signifyeth all superiours that haue charge conduct and gouernment of others and consequently all Magistrates so the word Honour includeth all duties and offices wherein the subiects are bound to the superior powers And this doth Saint Peter confirme 1 Pet. 2.17 saying Honour the king Where this word Honor doth especially import loue reuerence subiection obedience assistance to conclude praiers and supplications for them As touching the first point that is to loue them God commaundeth it in his lawe for the summe of the second Table thereof importeth that wee loue our neighbour as our selues And if all men bee our neighbours how much rather the Magistrates who in the fiftth commandement are signified by the worde Father the rather to admonish vs that we ought to loue them as our fathers and in deed they be many times tearmed fathers of the people Moreouer if the image of God that resteth vppon all the children of Adam doth binde vs to loue them howe much rather are wee to loue those who besides the image common to all the rest of Adams brood haue yet one particular and most excellent portion therof in that they are as it were Gods lieutenants to gouerne his people and of the same doo beare the title of God I haue sayde yee are Gods and the children of the highest sayth the prophet Dauid Psalm 82.6 Agayne God sitteth in the assemblie of Gods he iudgeth in the midst of the Gods 2 This consideration bindeth vs to loue them albeit they discharge not their duties to theyr subiects For theyr faulte taketh not awaie the Image or priuiledge of God The king sayth Saint Augustine beareth the image of God and must therefore be honoured and loued If not in respect of his person yet for his calling and office howe much rather then shoulde the people loue theyr magistrats when they shew themselues to be the seruants of God for our good and as their office requireth to draw vs to liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlynes and honestie and so to make vs happie For were it not a monstrous and vnnaturall matter not to loue those by whose handes care wisedome power and authoritie God vouchsafeth to establish and preserue vs in a blessed estate both of bodie and soule 3 This image and title of God which they doo beare doth also admonish vs to reuerence and regarde them both in heart and minde in worde and worke For surely he that despiseth them despiseth God in them And that is one cause why hee forbyddeth backbiting of them saying Thou shalt not speake euill of the Iudge neither shalt thou curse the prince of thy people Exod. 22.28 And because many doo presume to murmure and backbite them as imagining that they shall neuer knowe of it Salomon warneth vs not to deceiue our selues in that point saying Curse not the king no not in thy thought for the foules of heauen shall carrie the voice Besides Preach 10.20 albeit the same bee kept secret from man yet God that heareth it wyll reuenge the wrong done to his maiestie Saint Peter and Saint Iude doo declare 2. Pet. 2.10 Iude. 8. that euen in theyr time there were some that contemned the superiour powers and dominions proude persons giuen ouer to theyr owne sense euen such as dyd not abhorre to reproue and controll authoritie And some there be in these our daies that shew themselues to haue bene their schollers for they maintaine that a faythfull man the childe of God cannot exercise the office of a magistrate especially as concerning the vse of the swoorde agaynst transgressours Doo not such men tread this holy ordinance of God vnder foote when they affyrme that superior power beseemeth none but the wicked and vnbeleeuers 4 Besides the loue and reuerence due vnto Magistrates we are also to yeeld vnto them subiection and obedience as Saint Paule admonisheth vs saying Let euerie soule bee subiect to the higher powers Rom. 13.1 for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Whereupon hee also inferreth and that iustly that whosoeuer resisteth the magistrate resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall bring vpon themselues iudgement The same Apostle writing to Titus Titus 3.1 sayth Put them in remembrance that they be subiect to principalities and powers and that they obey their gouernours And surely sith God hath printed in the person of the Magistrate the characters of his image and maiestie wee haue greate reason to beware of offending him And this wee reade of the people of Israel in the behalfe of Iosua That the Lord did magnifie him in the sight of all Israel and they feared him as they had done Moses all the daies of his life Iosua 4.14 This feare of offending the magistrate is grounded vpon two reasons first vpon the authoritie and power that God giueth him to punish such as are rebellious as the Apostle sayth If thou doest euill feare the magistrate for hee beareth not the swoorde for naught Rom. 13. 4. but is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Secondly because albeit hee were not armed with this power yet we ought to feare God who commaundeth vs to be obedient to the Magistrate and to bee subiect vnto him And this doth Saint Peter note saying Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man 1. Pet. 2.3 Rom. 13. 5. for the Lordes
shoulder as the Prophet Sophony speaketh who by that similitude sheweth Sophany 3.9 that as they that ioyntly do beare the masse of a Ship or any other great peece of timber vpon their shoulders doe employe themselues in a ioynt labour and all tende to one selfe thing so the Pastors ought to be ioyned and vnited in the affaires of the Church of Christ that happely they may aduaunce and finish their worke to his glory 44 For the maintaining therefore of this so necessary peace and concord among the Pastors among other thinges it is requisite that they beare one with another and be not soddenly prouoked but be ready to pardon and to be recōciled in case the kingdome of Christ may thereby be aduanced S. Paul hearing that some preached Christ vpon contention and not sincerely Phil. ◠1◠as weening to adde affliction to his bondes reioyced because therby Christ was preached We read of great enmitie betweene Seuerian and Chrisostome both Bishops Socrates in his Eccles Hist lib. 6. cap 11. which was augmented by a wicked slaunder of Serapion for he taking part with Chrisostom would not salute Seuerian as a Bishop Wherupon Seuerian in displeasure said If Serapion dye a Christian Christ was not made man Hereof did Serapion accuse Seuerian to Chrisostome as if hee had saide onely Christ was not made man whereupon Chrisostome driue him out of the towne but he was called againe by Eudoxia the Emperors wife who laboured diligently to reconcile thē this when she could not obtaine at the hands of Chrisostom she finally so followed the matter that her sonne Theodosius falling at his feete with many exhortations praiers and adiurations obtained that hee receaued Seuerian to reconciliation Now had there beene no enmity betweene them Serapion would haue saluted Seuerian as a Bishop Had Seuerian bene moderate he had not vsed such wordes Had Serapion borne with him hee had not vsed such a wicked slaunder against him and had not Chrisostom bene falsely incensed prouoked he would not haue driuen him away before he had knowen the truth nor yet would not haue beene so hardly entreated to be reconciled 45 For this time we will be content with this briefe deduction of the principall duties of the Ministers of the word exhorting them to employ themselues faithfully and in holines as also we do with them besides the premises to remember that the holye Apostle Saint Paul making as it were a summary or abstract of al that is to be required of a Bishop or a Pastor 1. Tim 13.2 doth ordeine that hee should bee vnreproueable as a guide in the house of God the husband of one wife not selfe willed watchfull sober modest harborous to strangers apt to teache not giuen to wyne no striker not giuen to filthy lucre but gentle no fighter not couetous one that loueth goodnes wise righteous Tit. 1.8 holy temperate holding fast the faithfull worde according to doctrine that he may be able to exhorte with holesome doctrine and improue them that say against it one that can rule his owne house honestlye 1. Tim. 3.4 hauing children vnder obedience with all reuerence for if any cannot rule his owne house how shall he care for the Church of God True it is that the Apostle heere teacheth what qualities doe beseeme him that is called vnto the ministerye yet withall hee teacheth all Pastors what vertues should be in them and what vices they ought to shunne for their happye employment in the Lords woorke Let them therefore to that purpose remember what in another place the same Apostle Saint Paul writeth to Timothy saying 2. Tim 4.5 1. Tim. 1.18 1. Tim. 6.4 Watch thou in all things suffer aduersitie doe the worke of an Euangelist make thy worke fully knowen Again Do the dutie of a good souldier with faith and a good conscience Again Shun questions and strife in words whereof commeth enuie strife raylings and surmises vaine disputations of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of truth 2. Tim. 1.12 2. Tim. ◠15 and accompt Godlynes a great gayne from such seperate thy selfe and followe after Godlynes righteousnesse faith loue patience and meekenesse fight the good fight of faith laye holde of eternall lyfe And againe Keepe the true patterne of the holesome wordes which thou hast hearde of me in faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus Againe Studye to shewe thy selfe approoued vnto God a woorkeman that needeth not to be ashamed deuiding the worde of truth aright Let such also as desire to employ themselues vertuouslye in holynesse and prosperously in this vocation read and continually meditate the exhortation of S. Act 20. Paul to the Elders that is to the Bishops and Pastors of Ephesus and generally all his Epistles but especially as S. Augustine of Christ doct lib. 4. cap. 16. Augustin doth expressely exhorte the three written to Timothy Titus whereout we haue taken the aduertisements before mentioned So shall they finde as well in his person as in his writings a most liuely and excellent patterne of all that is requisite for a true and faithfull Pastor To conclude that they may the more couragiously and constantly beare themselues let them also think vpon the promise of S. 1. Cor. 3. 8. Paul who saith Euery man shal be rewarded according to his labour and they as Daniel saith that winne most to righteousnesse Dan. 12.3 shall shine as starres for euer and euer Neither let them forget what S. Peter promiseth saying When the soueraigne shepheard shall appeare they shall receiue the incorruptible crowne of glory Now let vs goe on to the duties of the Church to her Pastors Of the duties of the Church to her Pastors and Ministers of the word of God Chap. 9. IN as much as the word Father mentioned in the fifth commandement of the law doth also include the Pastors and Ministers of Gods word it followeth that the word honor must comprehend the duties of the Church towards them and seing the said word honor signifieth the loue reuerence subiection and obedience with assistance in time of neede it therby appereth that the members of the Church are bound to doe these duties to their Pastors First to loue and beare them affection as also the dutye of this honoring is comprised in the summary of the second table of the law which containeth the loue to our neighbour And indeed if we ought to loue al men euen our enemies how much rather those whom God vseth for to beget vs to the Lord that we may be the children and heires of his heauenly and euerlasting kingdome Surely sith the soule is so excellent and the holye and euerlasting life so much to be desired wee cannot in truth sufficiently loue those good and faithfull Pastors Iohn 6 27. Fathers and nources of our soules that doe instruct vs in holinesse and lead vs to life euerlasting If we ought to labour not for the meat which perisheth
and a winde that bloweth yet neuer see either A woman feeling the motions of the babe in her wombe beleeueth that she is with childe albeit she see it not 28 If they saie that experience teacheth them to beleeue all these thinges then let them renounce their blasphemie Who hath seene God that wee may beleeue him And let them beleeue that there is a God of whom they both see and feele such experience so certaine and mightie effects both in the world and in themselues as is afore shewed If they can beleeue that they haue eies and a forehead albeit they see them not but in a glasse let them also beleeue there is a God whose image they see ingrauen throughout this vniuersall world If being in a prison where they see but a glimpse of a Sun beame they neuertheles beleeue that the Sun is vp and shineth ouer the earth wherefore do they not likewise beleeue that there is a God that guideth the world when they are forced to feel noâ—e and confesse so many whole beams of his eternitie and prouidence shining in the world By discourse passing from the riuer to the fountain and from the fountain to the spring they beleeue that the riuer hath a spring why are they not likewise guided by theyr discourse from the creatures to the creator and author of the same from the so excellent frame of the world and from man to the master Architect and builder But it euidently appeareth that these people do malitiously sight against their owne consciences against their bodily senses and against al discourse of their vnderstanding to deny that there is a God by demanding Who hath seene him that they may beleeue 29 But this is the subtiltie and poison of the deuill By this selfe reason and argument doo they also conclude that they haue no soule that there be no deuils that there is no hel for of all this they see none this to the end that they may the more outragiously as beasts giue themselues ouer to the lusts and passions of their flesh without feare of God of deuill or of hell and so liue without remorse of conscience This truely is a cable and mightie chaâ—â—e by the deuill bent to drawe them to all iniquitie and so to heape vp fierie mountaines of Gods terrible wrath against such monsters Rightly therefore haue we placed this as the chiefe and principall folly in man To beleeue there is no God For as it extinguisheth all feare of euill doing so doth it quench all affection to pietie loue holynes and patience To be briefe it is the verie meanes to transforme man not into a beast but into a deuill Let vs constantly therefore renounce this extreame folly and madnes yea let vs abhorre all such cogitations and beleeue that there is a God a creator and a redeemer who by his prouidence guideth the whole world and especially his Church Also that vndoubtedly he will punish all Atheists and other Infidels with incomprehensible torments to continue without end and that he will graunt to the faithfull lyfe comfort and eternall glorie Let the assurance and apprehension of this truth make vs to amend our liues so that by renouncing this folly which would cast vs headlong into hell thorough so horrible a blasphemie as to deny God we may bee better aduised and turne to the Lord increasing in faith and fructifying in all good workes all the daies of our life The second Folly To esteeme more of man than of God Chap. 3. WE haue alreadie spoken of those that deny God both in hart and mouth Now are we to intreate of the folly of these who professing the knowledge of God do deny him in their workes Tit. 1.16 as Saint Paul saith This folly resteth in those that esteem more of man than of God For to confesse God and yet to esteem lesse of him than of man is to denye him And this folly doth possesse many and proceedeth of this incredulity that confessing that there is a God they doo not apprehend his diuinitie that is that by his prouidence he guideth all thinges that hee is the soueraigne good and well dooing that he is holy that he hateth iniquitie that he is righteous and will punish it that hee is true and almightie to fulfil his promises and to execute his iudgements and in wisdome infinite This incredulitie and corruption procureth vs first to loue man more than God secondly to repose more confidence in man than in God thirdly to feare man more than God And these are three euident proofes most assured testimonies that we esteeme more of man than of God Also that confessing God with our mouths we denye him in our workes Now let vs proceede to the first proofe 2 Gods commandement as also ouâ— dutie doo import that wee should loue God with all our heart with all our strength with all our soule The reason Because he is God Secondly because he is our God Being God as he hath bin from all eternitie before the creation and redemption he is worthie to be loued infinitely in as much as he is our God our creator and our redeemer he deserueth that we should loue him for his incomprehensible benefites bestowed vpon vs. Neuertheles the common course of man doth euidently declare that we loue man more than God And in deed let the husband examine the loue he beareth to his wife the wife hers to her husband the parents their affection to their children and the children theirs to their parents and many others the loue that they beare to their carnall friends and they shall all find that they loue man more than God Let vs proceed to the proues We cannot abide that any man should speake euill of him whome wee loue so that if the husband heareth his wife euill spoken of or the wife her husband each of them grieueth at the iniuries cannot brooke them in quiet but when we heare God our father euil spoken of or blasphemed who is moued at it Who findeth himselfe so much grieued as to procure amends and prosecute punishment for the same Euery man reioyceth to heare his commendations whom hee loueth so that if in companie anie man speaketh of the vertues of our children of our father of our brother or of anie of our entire friends we reioyce and are gladde of it but euen in the same companie let anie man reade the praises of God set down in diuerse of the Psalmes namely in the 103.104.105.106 c. who thereby feeleth himselfe so touched to the quicke as in hart to reioyce and be glad therof We also are redy to talke of those whom we loue and do reioyce when others do minister occasion to speak of them which we will be sure to take hold of to prosecute but when we doo speake of God oâ— if in companie anie once chance to beginne how is his motion seconded or prosecuted nay rather how soone is it giuen
her owne workes praise her in the gates Of the perticular dutie of the husband to his wife Chap. 3. NOw let vs proceede to the perticular dutie of the husband to his wife First he is to vnderstand that albeit he be ordained to be her head yet must hee not tyrannize and torment her at his pleasure for such husbands are monsters in nature The creation of man doth sufficiently shew that al that is in the head as reason wisedome iudgement sight hearing and other the giftes and graces of God do tend to the conduct and happie guiding of the boby not to torment and cast it downe This dutie of a husband doth S. Paul note in the example of Iesus Christ saying Ephe. 5. 25. As Iesus Christ is the head of the Church Euen so is the husbande the head of the wife And how He is saith he the Sauiour of her body And thereof he taketh this exhortation Husbands loue your wiues euen as Iesus Christ loued his Church and gaue himselfe for it That hee might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word That he might make it a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blame So ought men to loue their wiues as their owne bodies He that loueth his wife loueth himselfe for no man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the Church It is therefore the dutie of the husband so to loue his wife that after the example of Iesus Christ hee labour not so hartely for any thing as to set his wife free from trouble and calamitie and to make her partaker in al his goodes and honor To bee short if the authoritie of the head be vnited with a loue of her that is his moytie he will neuer abuse his dominion But loue wil make his authoritie and power to serue to the bâ—nefit comfort and saluation of his wife 2 Of this fountaine of loue springeth the dutie of the husband to beare with the infirmities of his wife and not by and by to enter into bitternes and wrath Colos 3.16 as S. Paule also noteth saying Husbands loue your wiues and bee not bitter vnto them To the same ende also doth the admonition of S. Peter vnto husbands tend where he saith 1. Pet 3.7 Husbands dwell with your wiues as men of knowledge giuing honor vnto the woman as to the weaker vessell euen as they which are heires together of the grace of life that your praiers bee not interrupted This is a notable exhortation of S. Peter For by exhorting husbands to behaue themselues discreetly and with knowledge and wisedome toward their wiues hee requireth of them two thinges First that they neuer say nor doe any thing that may iustly offend their wiues as some there be who being prodigal great spenders or Idle and slacke in their businesse doe cause their wiues children to languish in pouertie Others who haunting tauernes doo consume that which should maintaine their familie Others who coming home drunke doe beate and vexe their wiues and as it were driue them into dispaire Others who by high and bitter speeches by threatning and other actions vnworthy a husband doe prouoke their wiues and so stirre vp such strife and debate as doe conuert the felicitie of marriage into an hell Sith therefore that the husband is head he ought in such wisedome reason and discreation to beare himselfe that he giue his wife no iust occasion of offence or prouocation yea he must remember that if the head be drunk the whole body is in danger of weake gouernment euen of lying in the myre Secondly that albeit the wife should minister iust cause of griefe displeasure yet that the husband should not thereof take occasion against his wiues infirmities or enter into bitternes taunts or trouble but discreetly and patiently beare with her that so they might quietly and louingly liue together 3 The hurt or weakenesse of any one member of the body prouoketh not the head to wrath or bitternes but rather to compassion and an inclination to help it And indeed whereas God hauing created woman the weaker vessell as S. Peter noteth did so ioyne her to man it was not to the end that he striuing with so frail a vessel shuld bruse breake it But that by gentle discreete entreatie he should quietly enioy the helpe that God hath giuen him Let him therefore after the counsell of S. Peter so respect her as one who albeit she be weake is neuertheles a profitable vessel for him as God himselfe in the creation of the woman hath pronounced 1. Pet. 3.7 Gen. 2.18 saying I will make him a helper Moreouer let him loue and honor her as one whom notwithanding the frailty of her sex God hath so honored Iesus Christ so loued that being together with man redeemed with his bloud she is together with her husband coheyre of life euerlasting A Christal glasse is a precious profitable vessel yet brittle euen so is the maried woman For albeit she be brittle yet is she profitable to her husband precious in the sight of God as a child of God member of Christ As therefore a man doth more carefully take heede of breaking such a glasse theÌ„ some earthen or tinne vessel the one being more base the other more strong so should the husband haue such regard of the frailty of his wife that he may beare with her entreate her with gentlenes discretion that he may vse her as a precious profitable vessel to his comfort ioy And in as much as praier is an excellent seruice that God requireth of vs the redy meanes to purchace his blessings let the husband discreetly beare with his wife 1. Pet. 3.7 least otherwise through their strife and contention their praiers as S. Peter saith might be letted and interrupted 4 Yet must we not say but the husband both may and ought to tel his wife of her infirmities that she may amend But here we are to enter into coÌ„sideration of sundry points First he is especially to proue her offences against God As when Rachell said vnto Iacob Giue me children or els I die He reproued her of importunitie Gen. 30.1 saying Am I in Gods stead who hath withholden from thee the fruit of thy womb Also when Iobs wife said to her husband Iob. 2. â— Doest thou abide in thy integritie Curse God and die hee wisely reproued such a wicked speech saying Thou speakest as an vnwise womaÌ„ What shall we receiue good at the hand of God not receiue euil Secondly that it be with gentlenes testimonie of good wil as Helcana delt with his wife Anna wheÌ„ she mourned because she had no children 1. Sam. 1. And indeed it is meet that the husband should reproue his wife louingly rather by perswasion then by force
but for that which endureth vnto euerlasting life then truely the Pastors that feede our soules with spirituall and eternall foode are more to be loued then they which giue vs bodily bread Alexander the great did highly reuerence and affect his scholemaster Aristotle and said that he was no lesse bound to him then to his Father Eras Apotheg lib. 4. for as from his Father he receiued the beginning of his life so from his scholemaister he tooke the beginning liuing well How much rather should we affect loue our faithful ministers from whom we receaue our beginning to liue well according to God whereby to attaine to life euerlasting Galat. 4.14 The Galathians shewed a maruelous loue and affection to Saint Paul as he himselfe witnesseth saying that they receiued him as an Angell of God yea euen as Christ himselfe testifiyng also that if possible they could they would euen haue pulled out their eyes to haue giuen them to him 2 Of this affection and loue is engendred a certaine respect and reuerence toward them 1. Cor. 4.1 Tit. 1.7 2. Cor. 5.20 1. Cor. 3.9 2. Cor. 3.6 the rather in consideration of their charge whereto God hath called them in that they are the Stewards of the secretes and misteryes of carnall saluation Gods Embassadors for Christ bringing the message of our attonement with God coadiutors or labourers with God in the saluation of men Ministers of the new couenaunt not of the letter but of the spirite These so honourable tytles and most excellent offices in the sight of God doe sufficiently and plainely declare what respect and reuerence the Church ought to beare vnto them Also Luke 10.16 that who so despiseth them despiseth Christ in them as himself protesteth and are vnthankfull for the benefites and blessings that God offereth by them but especially they are to be loued regarded when they doe faithfully and diligently behaue themselues in their charge according as their tytles doe admonishe and binde them And in this respect doth the holy Apostle Saint Paul so earnestly exhorte the Thessalonians to this duetye saying Bretheren 1. Thes 5.12 we beseech you that ye know that is to say that ye loue and reuerence those which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonishe you that yee haue them in singular loue for their workes sake The same doth he also signifie in his Epistle written to the Philippians For hauing touched the vertues of Epaphroditus Phil. 2.29 he exhorteth them to receiue him in the Lord with all ioye and to esteeme of all that are such Besides that in so dooing the Pastors will be the better affected to their flocke taking the greater care for their good and saluation and employ themselues therto the more cheerefullye as the Apostle Saint Paul writing to the Corinthians saith of Titus namely that when hee remembred their obedience 2. Cor. 7. 15. and that they had receiued him with feare and trembling his affection was the more encreased toward them 3 The second principal point of the duty of the church to her pastors consisteth in subiection obedience vnto them The Apostle writing to the beleeuing Hebrues commandeth thē to obey their Pastors Heb. 13.17 to submit themseues to them his reason For they watch for your soules as they that must giue accompts that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you This subiection and obedience consisteth especially in three points First in diligent hearing of Sermons communicating in the holy sacraments and assisting at publike praiers Secondly in bringing forth fruit and shewing the effects of these sacred exercises Thirdly in receiuing the admonitions reprehensions and exhortations of the worde in all humilitie and modestie In the second book cap. 3.4.5 8. But seeing we haue sufficiently before treated of these points especially of the two first we will not any more insist vpon them in this place onely we will adde this briefe aduertisement that as they that sit at a table doe eate chewe and disgest their foode so they that heare the word of God ought to listen vnto it meditate vpon it print it in their hartes that so they may receiue the nourishment signified by the worde and duetie to feede commended to the Shepheards of Christs flock And as in meate we are not somuch to seek lickorousnes as health so must it be in the preaching of the worde for Ecclesiasticall assemblies be not like to common playes whereto men resorte for plesure but in sermons we are to loke for that which is helthsome for the soule and as in a banquet if any dishe chaunce to be ouersaulted or otherwise it is not well dressed the same doth not so offend vs that therefore we can eate but little of the rest that is well seasoned so if in sermons we heare any sentence or word not so fitly applied as it wer to be wished we must not for that leaue to make our profite of the rest that is wel deuoutly spoken S. Paul confesseth that himselfe hath no eloquence neither alluring speeches in his preachings and thereof addeth one notable reason saying That your faith may not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 1. Cor. 2.3 And indeed when a man filleth out but a little wine into an excellent wrought and grauen cup men regarde more the cup thē the wine when contrariwise if most excellent wine be brought in a simple cup they consider and commend the wine rather then the cup euen so is it with the treasure of the Gospell presented in a cup either of earth or of golde as S. Paul saith because mans curiositie hath more respect to the pot 2. Cor. 4.7 the mouth or the eloquence then to the treasure 4 Such as haue no taste of the sermon that is not stuffed with humaine eloquence doe shew that they haue no appetite and consequently that they are inwardly out of frame and this breedeth great greefe and heauinesse to many faithfull Ministers as contrariwise such as shewe themselues desirous to heare the worde of their Pastors are a great encouragement to them to proceede the more cheerefully and doe euen as it were bring wordes into their mouthes as we see by experience that the sucking of the childe bringeth in milke into the mothers brest Moreuer as it is in vaine to call the Phisition and to heare his counsell when wee list not to take the medicine that he doth prescribe so they that heare the sermons and doe not put the wordes in practise in steade of reaping profite shall incurre the greater damnation for as hee that hauing bene two or three yeeres at schoole and hath not profited is worthie to be taken away so they that haue bene many yeeres in the schoole of Christ and heard his worde yet doe not amende neither increase in faith and loue doe worthily deserue to be depriued
as God hath chosen vs from among so many others like vnto vs euen before the foundation of the worlde to an incomprehensible and eternall glory and felicitie Eph. 1.5 what might be the orignall and foundation that his free loue Eph. 1.5 his mercye his incomprehensible goodnes and the onely good pleasure of his will as S. Paul also saith That euen God himselfe hath chosen vs and predestinated to adopt vs to himselfe through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will If therfore we would diligently meditate and ponder that the cause that we are preserued from the horrible condemnation of the reprobate which dayly by our sinnes we doe deserue and assured of the possession of life and euerlasting glory without any our desert proceedeth of the only election of God grounded vpon his goodnes loue grace mercy and good pleasure how should it possibly be but that the remēbrance of our election should induce vs first to humble our selues in the sight of God Eph. 2. 3. and acknowledge that by nature we were the children of wrath as well as others as also that in vs there was neither worthinesse or merit that might moue God to elect vs but that only of his meer goodnes mercy loue he elected vs to life euerlasting Secondly this feeling of his loue and mercy toward vs shining in our election ought to kindle our harts and soules in the loue of God that they might euen burne in feruent loue toward him We loue God saith S. Iohn because hee firste loued vs. 1. Iohn 4.19 If the Sunne in his force shining vpon a stone can so heate the said stone that a man shal not be able to touch it with his hād how much rather shal we if we meditate vpon this loue toward vs in our election albeit we were as colde as marble be warmed and kindled to loue him with all our harts with all our strength and with all our mindes as himselfe hath also commaunded vs. Bernard in a tract of the loue of God 10 The cause saith S Bernard why we should loue him is God himselfe and the measure is to loue him beyond measure hee declareth that the diuinity in it selfe considered is worthye that we should loue it beyond measure how much then must we loue God when he communicateth to vs his loue goodnes mercy in electing vs to life euerlasting but if we loue God in such maner as our election that leadeth vs to his loue toward vs doth binde and admonishe vs we ought to studye to amend our liues in keeping his commandements as Iesus Christ requireth at our hands saying If ye loue me Luke 14.15 keepe my commaundements As also it is our duety to loue that which he loueth and willeth vs to loue and to hate that which he hateth and willeth vs to hate and this is the root of our bond to loue our neighbour for the loue of God and contrariwise not to loue the world Iames 4.4 because as the Apostle saith The loue of the world is enmity with God And for this cause must we also denye our selues and the flesh Rom. 8.7 because the affections thereof are repugnant to God yea euen for this must we be ready to forsake father mother Luke 14 26. goods and life it selfe for the loue of God for otherwise we are not worthy to be his 11 As in this loue to God and in all that we haue shewed to depend thereof the true amendment of life doth consist so doth it sufficiently appeare that there is not any more liuely or vehement argument to induce vs to amendment then the meditation and remembrance of our election and consequentlye of the loue of God towards vs which shineth in the same and this doth the Apostle Saint Paul writing to the Romains expressely confirme for in the 9.10 and 11. Chapters hauing at large entreated vpon predestination hee thereof doth in the beginning of the twelfth gather this vehement exhortation to amendment of life Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this worlde but be ye changed by the renewing of your minde that ye may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect He heere raiseth them vp to the consideration of the great mercies of God shining in their election to saluation thereby to giue them to vnderstand how deepelye it bindeth and should induce them to amendment of life So often therefore as we finde our selues slacke in the seruice of God or attempted to offend him let vs thinke vpon our election and the loue and mercye of God the spring and originall of the same that so we may be moued to loue God and to shew forth this loue by a carefull and continuall amendment of our liues 12 Moreouer the remembrance of our election ought to stirre vs vp incessantly to praise God First for the incomprehensible riches of the life and glory wherto we are elected Secondly by the apprehension of the horrible and eternall damnation of the reprobate wherefro election onely hath saued and preserued vs. The remembrance therfore of so great so wonderfull and meere incomprehensible a benefite thus doubly considered ought to rauish our soules and open our mouthes night day infinitly and vncessantly to praise God Besides if we consider the cursed state of the reprobate and meditate vpon the fire alwaies burning the woorme perpetually gnawing the darknes that shal be without end to be short the lamentations and gnashing of teeth proceeding of their anguish that shal be the wofull fruit of their sins the iust reward of their iniquities who can but detest the offending of God Men vse openly to execute the guiltye to the ende that others by the apprehension of their punishment may feare to commit the like transgressions let then the representation of the so wofull estate of the vessels of wrath burning in hell fire make vs to feare to commit any thing wherby to deserue like punishment 13 Again the knowledge of our election ought in vs to engender a stedfast assurance that we cannot perish My sheepe saith Iesus Christ Iohn 10.27 heare my voice and follow me and I giue vnto them life uerlasting None shall take them from me My father who hath giuen them vnto me is greater then them all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Iohn 6.37 I and my Father are one Againe All that the father giueth me shal come vnto me and him that commeth to me I cast not away And this assurance is grounded first vpon the foreknowledge of God for he cannot be deceaued in the foreknowledge of that that is to come As indeed all is present in his sight yea euen more assuredly then are to vs those things that we
place Exod. 20 I am the Lord thy God that hath brought thee out of the land of Egipt keepe my statutes and my lawes and doe them Again Leuit. 19.36 Prophane not the name of my holines for I will be sanstified among the children of Israel I am the Lord that do sanctifie you Leuit. 22.32 and that haue brought you out of the land of Egipt to be your God Moreouer he commandeth all parents to shew their children of this bond wherein they stand bound to obey his commaundements saying When thy sonne shal hereafter aske thee saying What mean these testimonies and ordinaunces and lawes Deut. 6.20 which the Lord our God hath commaunded you thou shalt say vnto thy sonne Wee were Pharaohs bondmen in Egipt but the Lord brought vs out of Egipt with a mighty hand And the Lord shewed signes and wonders great and euill vpon Egipt vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his householde before our eyes And brought vs out from thence to bring vs in and to giue vs the land which he sware vnto our fathers Therefore the Lord hath commaunded vs to doe all these ordinances and to feare the Lord our God that it may goe euer well with vs and that hee may preserue vs aliue as at this present Michens 6.1 And whereas their children in the dayes of Micheas did not walk according to this bond to obey Gods commandements he sharply reproueth their ingratitude saying My people what haue I done to thee or wherin haue I grieued thee Answer me for I haue caused thee to returne out of the lande of Egipt c. And this doth he alledge to shew that he had iust cause as the prophet declareth to take the mountains and the foundations of the earth to witnes and iudge of his iust complaint and accusation against the ingratitude and disobedience of his people 4 If the deliuery from the bondage of Egipt were iustly obiected to the people of Israel to remember them of their duetye to loue God and to walke in his holy ordinances how much rather ought this name Iesus by aduertizing vs of our deliuerye from the bondage and cursed tiranny of the deuil and out of the furnace of euerlasting fire make vs bonde and affectionate to the loue of Iesus and louing him with our whole harts to amend our liues according to his commaundement Zachary the Father of S. Iohn Baptist saith in his song that this was the oath that hee sware to their father Abraham Luke 1.73 that he would giue to his people That being deliuered out of the hands of their enemies they should serue him without feare in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of their liues Here doth he speake of the deliuery which Iesus hath purchased for vs in sauing vs from the power of the deuill of hell and of all our other enemies What an ingratitude were it then in vs that the remembrance of this name Sauiour putting vs in minde of this happy deliuerance from the power of the deuil and other our enemies should not so kindle our harts as wholy to dedicate them to his seruice and to thinke our selues blessed if we could please and obey him in amending our liues 5 But this obligation will the more plainely appeare if we consider the reason of this name added by the Angell saying For hee shall saue his people from their sinnes Firste he sheweth that sinne is the way to destruction and death euerlasting Rom 6.23 as the Apostle Saint Paul saith The reward of sinne is death Now in as much as God is righteous it was expedient for our saluation that this Sauiour the righteous should by dying for vs satisfie for our sinnes Rom. 6.6 Rom 6. Col. 2.11 and as there is in vs besides the sinnes that dayly we haue and doe commit the olde man that is to say the vice and corruption the fountaine of the same so this Iesus crucified with him this olde man and corruption which Saint Paul so often tearmeth sinne and the body of sinne to the ende to mortifie him in vs and so to deliuer vs from him that through our transgressions we should no more fal into the pit of hel S. Paul writing to the Romains doth at large represent vnto vs these two benefits of Iesus the first tending to iustifie vs in the sight of God the other to testifie our iustification to the glorie of Iesus And therefore the same Apostle maketh as it were an inseparable coniunction of those two benefites saying Iesus Christ is made vnto vs wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption 6 The consideration of the first benefite That hee hath satisfied for our sinnes should most liuely kindle our heartes to loue him feruently and so in folowing his commandement to amend our liues If I should owe a man some notable summe of monie and not hauing wherewith to paie hee in compassion should acquite me the greater the debt were the greater cause should I haue the more should I be bound to loue and please him as Iesus Christ himselfe sayde vnto Simon Luke 7.40 But who is able to comprehend the greatnesse of the debt of our sinnes which this Sauiour hath paide for vs that they might not bee imputed vnto vs but bee quite discharged and blotted out How great therfore should our loue be towards him as also our care and feruent affection to obey him when he cōmandeth vs to amend or how much ought we to abhor the displeasing of him wherby we againe binde our selues to euerlasting death 7 As concerning the other benefite Inasmuch as hee hath wyth himselfe crucified our olde man and so put to death our vice and corruption What a madnesse were it in vs to reuiue nourish and maintaine these our Sauiours enemies and mortall poisons of our soules euen the souldiers of that infernall Pharaoh which labour agayne to plunge vs in the furnace of eternall fire If wee see a mad dogge euerie man laboreth to kill him and therefore what should wee thinke of him that should seeke to preserue him or after hee were dead to reuiue him againe if hee might Woulde not men thinke him to bee an enemye to mankinde yea euen worthy to bee rooted out and is not this sinne and corruption in man euen as badde as a madde dogge Are not the bitinges thereof deadly This madde dogge hath Iesus Christ slaine in crucifying him with himself that so hee might die in vs. Are not we therfore verie miserable wretches that will hearken to the world and the flesh and so reuiue nourish and maintain sinne in vs as delighting in the damnable bitings thereof which breede vnto vs euerlasting death Our olde man sayth Saint Paul was crucifyed with Iesus Christ to the end the bodie of sinne might bee extinguished Rom. 6.61 6. 8. that wee might no more serue vnto sinne Againe Beeing deliuered from sinne yee are made the seruants of
ouer and let die We do not willingly forget him whom we loue hartely wherevpon wee haue a prouerbe Hee that loueth heartely is slow to forget We call to mind his face his gesture his speech his countenance but when do we thinke vppon God how do we remember him or wherein do we cal to mind his maiestie his workes and his fauors towards vs Moreouer if to the end to spare for our children we desist from the releef of the pore and denie the maintenance of the seruice of God his church holy ministry are we not therby conuict of louing man more than God Our carnall children more than our heauenly father To be briefe how many be there who being ouercome transported by affection to parents to the husband to the wife or to the children do omit that part of their duty toward God Math. 19.37 which concerneth the confession of his name and obedience to his word Yet Iesus Christ manifestly declareth that in so dooing wee loue man more than God 3 By these examples and many others that might bee noted it doth euidently appeare that we loue and consequently do esteem more of man than of God and so do manifestly renounce God in our workes harts Augustine in his confessions whom we confesse with our lips S Augustine saith that we loue God lesse than we ought wheÌ„ we loue any thing besides him which wee loue not for his sake What will it be when wee shall loue man not for Gods sake but euen in spite of God in that wee loue him more than God It is so great a folly that Iesus Christ him selfe hath pronounced that wee bee not worthie to be his Luk. 14. â—0 vnlesse wee be readie and resolued to hate our neerest kindred best friends for his sake To the end therfore that we may amend our liues we must renounce this folly hereafter be better aduised that wee may loue God more than man yea euen that wee may loue God onely and not man but in God and for Gods sake 4 The second proofe resteth in this that we feare man more than God In case of anie transgression punishable by the magistrate no man is so prodigall of his life or honour neither so desperate as to offer himself to the sergeants or Iudge And why Least he should be apprehended and punished Theeues and robbers doo lurke in woods and dens that they may the more couertly execute theyr wickednes Iohn 3.20 Housebreakers and other theeues do chose the night to steale in To be briefe Whosoeuer as Iesus Christ saith doth euil he hateth the light neither commeth to the light least his deeds should be reproued Yet God seeth all that is committed in the woods in the darknes in secret all our imaginations desires passions enterprises punishable by his law not with the death of the bodie but with euerlasting damnation are in the presence of his maiesty yet are we as sore afeard of offending him as displeasing of man or haâ—â—â—g offended him do we stand in as great feare of punishment as when we haue coÌ„mitted some trespasse punishable by man Or are not al transgressions that are punishable by the magistrate punishable also in Gods iudgement Inasmuch therefore as those men which commit such things do shun the light for the feare of man yet in secret doo boldly commit them in the sight of God they therby do manifestly declare that they feare man more than God Euery man can confesse that the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome that thereby we restraine from euill Psal 111.10 Prou. 1.7 Prou. 16.6 2. Sam. 11 Dauid and Salomon haue so pronounced it Yet when Dauid had coÌ„mitted adulterie in the sight of God that afterward he called Vrias to minister to him occasioÌ„ to go to bed to his wife wheÌ„ he had made him dronk then had caused him to be slaine redoubling his sins in the sight of God to the end to hide theÌ„ froÌ„ men did he not declare that â—ee feared man more than God who did see al Gen. 37 Did not the children of Iacob shew that they feared their father more than God wheÌ„ they sent him Iosephs bloudie coate thereby to make him thinke that some wilde beast had deuoured him so to preuent his â—ust wrath and indignation But did not God heare them when they said Beholde this our dreamer come let vs kill him and wee shall see what his dreames will auaile him Did he not see when they let him down into the pit and afterward solde him Durst they haue so intreated him in the presence of their father Iacob Surely they feared Iacob a man more than God Let but some magistrate of a towne threaten euery one that shall take Gods name in vaine that for euerie oath they shall loose a tooth and the greatest swearer will soone be reformed and so beware that albeit through his former accustomacie he loose some of his teeth yet will he be sure not to loose all God threatneth that he will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine yet how many be there that can talke without swearing To be briefe to what guile deceit vice and iniquitie punishable in the sight of God with euerlasting death doeth man wholie giue himselfe which he would be ashamed to commit in the sight of man yea from the which if the magistrate should take notice and inflict anie punishment for them they woulde vtterly abstaine 5 But whereof commeth this folly that wee should feare man more than God Euen of this that confessing God with our lips we do notwithstaÌ„ding not beleeue that God is God that is to say that hee seeth all thinges that he is holy to hate wickednesse righteous to punish it and almightie to take vengeance thereof Gods forbearance to execute his threates maketh man to imagine that hee either seeth not either hateth not either cannot either is not able to punishe his iniquities concluding Psal 10.13 Mâ—tâ— 24.48 as Dauid in theyr person sayth that God will make no inquisition and so do they more boldly giue themselues to the woorkes of iniquitie much lyke that euill seruant mentioned by Saint Mathew who seeing that his master tarried long in the end concluded that he would not come and thereof tooke occasion to do euill euen as Salomon also noteth saying Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doo euill But is not this a foolish malice that wheras Gods patience long suffering should stirre vp induce men Eccle. â— 11 as S. Paul saith to repentance that contrariwise thereof they take occasion to denie his righteousnes prouideÌ„ce that they may the more boldly offend him The prophet speaking of some wicked ones who without feare of God wronged the widows trode the fatherlesse vnder foot sheweth that they
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
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
the fatherlesse hath eaten thereof That from their youth hee brought them vp as hee had beene their father and that from his mothers wombe hee had gouerned the widdowe That hee neuer let the naked perish for want of clothing but that their loines blessed him because they were warmed with the flecce of his sheepe Cornelius the Centurion was an Ethnike and a soldier Act. 10 yet hauing some knowledge and feare of the true God hee so extended his almes that the Angell testifyed thereof saying Cornelius thy almes and thy praiers are ascended before the Lord. And God sent Peter vnto him to instruct him more largelye in the doctrine of the Gospell Let all Christians especially such as professe themselues to bee of the reformed Churches behold themselues in the mirror of these examples and thereby bee ashamed of their neglygence and sparing from the poore Let these examples stir vp and inflame theyr hearts to imitate the same and so farre to surmount them as in doctrine they haue more instructions and in examples more plentie before their eyes which no doubt will take from them all excuse in the daie of iudgement except they amend and increase in the workes of Charitie especiallye let them euer remember the example of Iesus Christe who as Saint Paule sayeth albeit hee was rich yet made himselfe poore 2. Corint 8.0 that by his pouertie we might bee made rich Christ was verily rich not onely as God creator of all the world but also as man vnited to the diuinitie being made the vniuersall heire of all things Neuerthelesse hee voluntarilie dispossessed himselfe of all worldly riches and honour Heb. 1.2 Heb. 12. â—â— so far forth as to be content to be borne in a poore stâ—ble not hauing so much â—s a pillowe to laie vnder his head And why To the end to reestablish vs in our dominion ouer all creatures Luke 27. Math. 3.20 which was loste by the sinne of the first Adam as also to purchase for vs the treasures of spirituall and euerlasting riches But heerein consisteth our felicitie that wee conforme our selues to Iesus Christ and as Saint Peter sayth followe his steppes Whereupon God might require vs to giue both our selues and all that wee haue 1. Pet. â— 21 2. Cor â— 5 to the seruice and releefe of the poore as Saint Paule testifieth of the Macedonians that they surmounted his hope giuing not only the verie bottome of theyr goods but euen themselues to the Lord. Yet God in mercie doth so farre spare vs that he is content wee should bee disposers of his goods but so that the poore may haue a parte as the Apostle sheweth 2. Cor 8.15 where hee noteth the Manna in olde time giuen to the people of Israel Moses rehearseth that hee that gathered more than hee needed for the sustenance of his familie Exo. 16.18 might not reserue it till the next daie but was to leaue the rest to those that had not gathered sufficient for theyr families so that hee that had gathered much had nothing lefte and hee that had gathered too litle yet wanted not Let vs in like sort so take the goods that God hath imparted vnto vs for the maintainence of our families that at the least we giue of our abundance to the poore for the reliefe of their want and necessitie 14 The example of the charitie of the primitiue Church penetrating into our harts might moue vs to practise this dutie There was not saith Saint Luke anie needie person among them for all that possessed lands or houses Act. 4.34 solde the same brought the price of that which was solde and laide it at the Apostles feete and this was distributed to euery man according as hee had need It would in these daies be a wonder to see any man sell his house or land to releeue the poore so farre are Christians now from this duetie of charitie Yet the commandement to loue our neighbor as our self and consequently to doo to him as we would be done by exhorteth vs to this dutie if need require euen to sel our goods to relieue the poore Ephe. 4 2â— for so would we do for our selues in case of necessitie by sicknesse or otherwise And in deed if Saint Paul command that we should labour with our hands to haue wherwith to relieue the needie it appeareth that our labour or our goods whatsoeuer wee are to imploy in relieuing the necessity of the Saints as also we see that God in many places most earnestly commendeth vnto vs the poore by expresse commandementes by excellent promises and by notable examples as is afore shewed 2. Cor. 8 Rom. 15.26 Act. 11.29 15 Moreouer this dutie we must practise not only to those that are among vs but we must also extend our charitie to other churches that want wherwith to releeue the necessitie of their pore So did the Macedonians contribute beyond their abilitie for the reliefe of the poore faithfull that were at IerusaleÌ„ so did the Achaians straine themselues depart with their goods to the like end so did the faithfull and disciples at Antioch when by the prophesy of Agabus they were warned of the famine that shuld take hold of the whole world determine euery man according to his ability to send somwhat to the brethren in Iudea to relieue their wants so did S. Paul ordain amoÌ„g the Corinthians Apoc. 1.10 that the first day of euery weeke which since was called sunday each of theÌ„ shuld lay vp make as it were a litle tresure of so much as through the goodnes of God they could spare to the end to haue the same in readines at any gatherings for the reliefe of the poore faithfull at Ierusalem 1. Cor. 16.1 The like order did hee prescribe to the church of Galatia Hereby may we more more perceiue how far our charity shuld exteÌ„d how worthy reprofe we are in the sight of God if we neglect the pore that are among vs do not releue their necessities 16 Whatsoeuer is before spoken of our duties to relieue the pore doth sufficiently declare that they which shal despise them not help theÌ„ in their need cannot but expect a horrible vengeance froÌ„ God as Christ Iesus hath alreadie set down saying that in the day of iudgement he will say vnto them Math. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prouided for the deuill his Angels for I was hungrie a thirst I was naked a stranger sicke and ye cared not to helpe me If many times we could consider of the incomprehensible greatnes eternity of this punishment how durst we despise the pore in their necessities Or can we thinke the sentence vniust considering that we are sufficiently aduertised that wee contemne Christ Iesus in the person of the poore Or how dare man desire God to take pitie of him to pardon his sins or to succor him in his
Ephe. 5.16 we are in these long sittings to consider the losse of time for Saint Paul to the contrarie commandeth vs to redeeme time But how By forsaking the lustes of the flesh that wee may the better and the rather employ our selues in our vocation If sitting at such long feasts we would enter into meditation and think that we sit there in the presence of God who beholdeth how vnprofitably we wast time which is so precious glutted with delicacie when many others starue for hunger we would be euen ashamed and say what doe we here Doth this life beseeme the children of God Doe we thus watch for death and the day of iudgement Likewise albeit the soule bee not fed with past three or fower Sermons in a weeke while the bodie hath at the least fourteene yet will we complaine of the preacher if he stand aboue his houre and neuer finde fault with a feast that lasteth fower or fiue For custome and inclination breedeth content It would be thought strange if a man to a feast should bring his black hower glasse for a full end as he must to a Sermon 10 Some excuses men will aledge yet grounded likewise vpon vice And indeede this obstinate continuance in excessiue and sumptuous banquets proceedeth of the ambition and vaine glorie before mentioned Euerie man seeketh to make shew of his riches and liberalitie aboue his companion No man will remaine endebted to him that inuiteth him to a feast Euerie one thinketh that he shall be noted of pouertie or pinching if he do not as an other man But why should he not rather looke to bee reputed sober a reformer a man willing to giue example to others to chaunge vice into vertue Poâ—tius Cato Liuie lib. 34. A certaine heathen sayth Where there is a law for sobrietie and modestie which a man obserueth it is not to bee imputed to pouertie couetousnesse or sparing but to obedience and obseruation of the law How much rather ought wee Christians whome God by so manie preceptes and decrees hath commaunded to keepe modestie and sobrietie constantly to reiect such reproches of the world and the flesh and to bee content with the testimonie of our owne consciences that our modestie and sobrietie proceedeth from the feare of God and a feeling of our owne duties which bindeth vs to yeeld obedience to his ordinances But we cannot resolue so to doe Why Because that still wee will seeme better then other men greater then wee are and of more abilitie then wee may beare Oh cursed ambition and pride Which to maintaine wee doe reiect the will of God wee offend our neighbours and wee neglect the releefe of the poore If thou sayest thou art able Remember that thy abilitie commeth of God who hath not giuen it thee to boast of but that thy plentie may bee an argument to releeue those that neede and to magnifie the riches of the goodnesse and power of God to his glorie 11 Well doe wee confesse that God aloweth vs to feast and thereof we haue examples in the holie Scriptures neither doe wee restraine men to bread and water or halfe an howers respite God hath created meate and drinke to bee vsed Yet that according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ wee may Amend our liues it must bee in sobrietie and modestie They must bee powdered with Christian speeches and discourses beseeming Gods children There must bee no excesse either in plentie in delicacie either in long sitting Wee must remember the needie and such as are in tribulation Amos. 61 Our guestes must bee such as to maintaine amitie and to take occasion to prayse God To conclude the roote of ambition that lurketh therein must bee plucked vp that contrariwise in the aboundaunce of Gods benefites wee may confesse his liberalitie to his glorie Let vs not expect others to bee examples of our duties but let vs purchase this holie glorie in the sight of God to bee the first that through his grace shall reforme our selues in practise of the saying of Dauid O Lorde I haue made hast Psal 119.60 and delayed not to keepe thy commaundementes Of Voluptuousnesse in generall Chap. 15. THe vanitie and excesse in banquetes before reprooued doeth heere minister occasion to speake of the lustes and pleasures of the flesh first in generall Then perticulerlie in some kindes as in drunkennesse gluttonie licorousnesse and fornication As concerning voluptuousnesse in generall wee haue a number of sayings euen of the heathen whereby with common consent of all the world and in all ages the same haue beene reproued and condemne as daungerous pernitious and not beseeming man Architas the Tarentine sayde Cicero in his booke of olde age there is no pestilence more mortall then voluptuousnesse adding that thereof proceede all treasons against the countrie subuersions of common wealthes secrete communications with enemies to be short that there is not any enterprise so wicked but by voluptuousnesse a man may bee wrought thereunto And proceeding in his argument by many reasons he proueth that nothing is more repugnant to the excellencie of man or more detestable and pernicious then the same And concludeth that there can bee no fellowship betweene lust and vertue and therefore that in the kingdom of voluptuousnes vertue cannot subsist He saith farther that about the same time that Cayus Fabritius was sent to King Pirrhus hee heard that at Athens there was one that maintained that euery thing that man doth ought to haue relation to voluptuousnesse and that when two Romaine Lordes heard him talking thereof they wished that the Samnites and King Pirrhus then their enemies might be perswaded to that doctrine that so they might with greater facilitie be ouercome The like did Antistenes hearing one commaund pleasures also wish to his enemies As also the like counsell did Cyrus follow and put in practise against the Lydians Iustine in his first booke whom he had subdued for taking away their horse and armour hee commaunded them to follow theyr lustes and pleasures to the ende that thereby loosing their accustomed valour and vertue they might together therewith forget also all courage to rebell 2 This voluptuousnesse engendereth so manie vices and villanies that such as compare it to a dreame the pleasure whereof at a mans waking vanisheth awaie doe say somewhat yet nothing to the purpose The Emperour Adrian goeth a little farther when he compareth it to pils outwardly fairely guilt and rouled in Sugar but within full of bitternesse Yet goeth he farther then they all which sayth that pleasure and sorrow are twinnes For pleasure is no sooner hatched but repentaunce is at hand holding her as it were by the head readie to supplant her And thereupon some haue saide that shee resembleth a smile which presently is turned to sorrow and teares And indeede pleasure flyeth and slideth away leauing rather cause of repentaunce then occasion of remembraunce Other haue compared her to a painted sepulcher faire without but within full
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
affirming that the children issuing of such a marriage be holy that is to say partakers of the couenant of God and consequently accepted into the fellowâ—hippe of the Church Onely he addeth this exception If the vnbeleeuing man depart and forsake his beleeuing wife shee is not subieâ—t to follow him And yet must this be vnderstood where such departure ariseth either vpon hatred that he beareth to the true religion that his wife professeth or vpon a desire to vse his polluted and false religion For herein cannot his wife follow him without danger of defiling and depriuing of her selfe of the profession of the truth together with the foode of her soule 13 Likewise where S. Paule speaking of the husband and wife 1. Cor. 7.11 both beleeuers saith If the woman depart from her husband let her remaine vnmarried or be reconciled to her husband He therein meaneth not that it shall be lawfull for the woman because she cannot beare the troublesome nature of her husband or to auoide strife debate to depart and liue as a widow but only hee sheweth that when the husband vpon such like occasions shall put away or call off his wife yet is not â—he at her liberty to marry another but must remaine vnmarried and labour to be reconciled And therfore are those women which vpon the hard dealing or troublesome dispositions of their husbands do forsake them greatly to be reproued as thereby giuing occasion of great mischiefe and trouble As 〈◊〉 are those husbands who vpoÌ„ like occasions do forsake their wiues For sith nothing may make diuorce but adulterie euery purpose and determination to part vpon any other occasion or reason restrained by Gods ordinance and the law of marriage And â—â—th it is not lawfull for vs to continue in such seperation the whole course of our liues Neither is it lawfull so to abide at all either so much as to enter thereinto If therfore vpon such occasion the husband forsake his wife or the wife her husbande rather 〈◊〉 to contâ—nue the mischiefe begunne let them returne together â—gaine and thinke that the shortest follies doe least hurt 14 If they aleage their entreatie in their opinion intollerable their nature so contrarie that they cannot liue without strife and debate Also that being a sunder quiet in conscience free from trouble they may the better apply themselues and employ their time in Praier the answere is that such infirmities must not dissolue the bonds of marriage and their duties to liue together But let them thinke that God hath called them to the exercise of patience which vpon hartie Praier shall be granted them Let them labour each to beare with the other that they may liue in peace and continually pray to God to giue them grace so to doe Let them remember that the Deuill transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light when by propounding a dutie to liue in quiet and consequently a meane to pray vnto God for the compassing therof he induceth them to gaine say Gods prohibition and to seperate that which God hath ioyned together To conclude let them thinke well vpon this saying of Saint Augustine As the coniunction commeth of God Augu. vpon Iohn Trac 9. so the seperation diuorce proceedeth from the Deuill If they reply that by liuing a sunder so that they marrie not againe they breake not the bond of marriage let them remember that marriage being instituted for a remedie against fornication Iustinians Instit lib. 1. Tit. de Nuptiis August of the fruite of marriage c. 3. for the generation and bringing vp of children and for a helpe each to other in mutuall societie and inseparable conuersation of life after the Lawiers phrase yet doth there appeare no token or effect of marriage in those that liue a sunder albeit they marrie not againe Saint Augustine saith that the benefite of marriage consisteth not onely in the procreation of children but also in the naturall societie of the two diuers sexes Otherwise it could not be said that there were any marriage betweene two old folkes Plato of the precepts of mariage 15 The vnion of marriage yet teacheth vs another dutie common both to the man and to the wife Which is that their goods be common between them Happie saith Plato is that coÌ„mon welth wher they haue no vse of these words Mine and Thine But in marriage especially they ought not to be heard If the wife haue brought most goods in marriage the marriage once consumate her part is gone Aug. to Edic Epist 199. and they are made common as also are the debts whether hers or her husbands And therefore can neither of them say This is mine but this is ours When a woman hath brought great goods yet may she not say I will doe with mine owne what I list For as Saint Augustine saith her selfe is not her owne but her husbands The husband as the head chiefe guide of the familie must haue the custodie and chiefe gouernment of the goods in the house yet may he discharge himselfe of the whole or of part as him selfe shal thinke meete and conuenient Yet let him remember that he entreate her not as a seruant by giuing her money as it were in mistrust or with condition to returne him a perticular accompt For the husbands mistrust doth many times prouoke the woman and the wiues vaine expence breedeth mistrust in the husband But the faithfull and discreete employment of the wife and her husbands confidence in her will procure that as the goods bee common to both so each alike shall vndertake the custodie and employment of the same 16 Hereto for a conclusion wil we yet adde two duties common both to the husband and the wife The first that they dayly pray to God to giue them grace to liue together in peace and loue and that each may be a helpe to others saluation Let all such as desire to enioy such a felicitie vnderstand that they must dayly pray to God for the obtaining therof And let those that liue in strife and debate examine themselues whether they haue no cause to impute their miserable estate to their neglect of this dutie The second consisteth in the practise of the same which Saint Paule teacheth saying 1. Cor. 7.29 Let those that be married be as if they were not married But how By so enioying the commoditie and contentation of marriage that the benefite of their coniunction breed no diuorce betweene God and them Likewise that thereby they be not hindred or made slacke in any duty toward God and their neighbors as also that no affliction depending or proceding of mariage withdraw them or force them to resolue of any thing contrarie to the vnion of marriage and their profession that they bee the children of God Of the perticular dutie of the wife to her husband Chap. 2. NOw let vs come to the perticular duties and first to the duty of the wife to
her husband As marriage was ordained besides all other matters for generation so together with the duties common both to the husband and to the wife which thereof doe depend and are before declared the woman is also perticularly called subiect to the bearing of children to the trauaile of child birth and to the labour of suckling and bringing them vp This estate is full of trouble yet is she hereto subiect by her transgression as God speaking to Eue said I will greatly encrease thy sorrows and thy conceptions in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children But as this consideration should cause her to walke in humilitie as in all her sorrowes and labour bearing the Badge of sinne so should them the same condition and estate conceiue comfort in that as S. Paul testifieth 1. Tim. 2.15 The woman shall be saued by bearing of children In which bearing of children the Apostle meaneth the heauinesse want of relish and other the troubles while she breedeth the sorrows and trauaile of child birth and the labours in nursing bringing them vp And this is the wonderfull wisedome goodnes of God that he laieth a foundation of comfort for the woman in that which otherwise doth breed her sorrow and care for these fruites of sinne shal be conuerted to her good and saluation Also by obaying quietly in this vocation shee doth seruice to God so is saued led through this meanes and way into euerlasting life in case as Saint Paule also addeth with modestie shee abide in faith loue and sanctification 2 As by this word generation of children is also ment her dutie in suckling them so is the woman to remember that God hath giuen her two brests not that she should employ them for a shew or ostentation but in the seruice of God and to bee a helpe to her husband in suckling the children common to them both Experience teacheth that God conuerteth her bloud into the Milke where with the cilde is nursed in the mothers wombe Hee bringeth it into the brests furnished with Nipples conuenient to minister the warme Milke vato the childe whom he endueth with industrie to draw out the Milke for his owne sustenance The woman therefore that can suckle her child and doth it not but refuseth this office and duetie of a mother declareth her selfe to bee very vnthankefull to God as it were forsaketh and contemneth the fruite of her wombe And therefore the brute beastes lying vpon the ground and graunting not one Niple or two but sixe or seuen to their young ones shall rise in iudgement against these daintie halfe mothers who for feare of wrinkling of their faces or to auoid some small labour doe refuse this office of a mother due to their children They might take example by Anna the mother of Samuell who suckled her child till the daies of weaning By Sarah the wife of Abraham as Moses noteth where hee attributeth to her these speeches 1. Sam. 1.23 Gen 27.1 Luk. 1â— 27 Who would haue said to Abraham that Sarah should haue giuen children sucke And for the words of the woman that said vnto Iesus Blessed is the wombe that bare thee the pappes that gaue thee sucke As the first part of her speech must bee ment by the virgine Marie so may we in reason referre to her also the second thereof gather that she suckled her son Iesus Christ 3 But let vs goe on to other the perticuler duties of the wife to her husband The husband is the head of the wife and the wife is subiect to her husband It is the ordinance of God grounded 1. Tim. 2.13 as Saint Paule noteth first vpon this that man was created first 1. Cor. 11.8 and afterward Eue Secondly as the same Apostle sayth in this that the man is not from the woman but the woman from the man thereto adding that the man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man And therefore it is meete she should bee subiect to her husband These resons do proue that the subiection of the wife to her husband is it not in her a curse for it was established by the order and end of her creation before the transgression But the third reason ensued vpon this That the woman being seduced by the Serpent seduced her husband 1. Tim. 2.14 as Saint Paule also noteth saying Adam was not deceiued Gen. 3.16 but the woman was deceiued and was in the transgression It was also the sentence which God pronounced when hee reproued the woman for that thee beleeuing the Serpent had seduced her husband Thy will sayth hee shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall haue dominion ouer thee 1. Pet. 3.1 Colos 3.18 Ephe. 5.22 Neither is it without reason that this subiection of the woman to her husband is so often commanded and recommended in Gods word Let wiues saith Saint Peter bee subiect to their husbandes Wiues saith Saint Paul be yee subiect to your husbands as it is meete in the Lord. Also writing to the Ephesians hee saith Wiues bee yee subiect to your husbands as to the Lord. 1. Pet 3.5 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church Saint Peter the rather to induce them to this dutie addeth For in time past the holy women which trusted in God attired themselues Gen. 18.12 not in sumptuous apparell but in vertue and were subiect to their husbands And for example he aleaged Sarah the wife of Abraham who called her husband Lord. 1. Cor. 11. This subiection in the daies of Saint Paule was acknowledged by the couering of their heads And in that consideration doth he so earnestly vpholde that the woman ought to couer her head in token that shee is vnder power of her husband This did Rebecca well vnderstand and practise for seeing her husband Isaac come Gen. 24.65 before she presented her selfe in his presence shee tooke a Vayle and couered her head as a token of subiection and testimonie of the reuerence that she did beare vnto him 4 The duties of the wife comprised in this subiection Ephe. 5.24 are by Saint Paule noted who sayth As the Church is subiect to Christ so let women bee subiect to their husbandes in all thinges As the Church therefore should depend vpon the wisedome discretion Gen. 3.1 and will of Christ and not follow what it selfe listeth So must the wife also rule and apply her selfe to the discretion and will of her husband euen as the gouernment and conduct of euerie thing resteth in the head not in the body Moses writeth that the Serpent was wise aboue all the beasts of the field and that did he declare in assaulting the woman that when he had seduced her she might also seduce her husband Saint Paule noting this among other the causes of the womans subiection doth sufficiently shew that for the auoiding of the like inconueniences it is
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
For as in a great stormie winde a man lappeth his cloke about him holdeth it fast for feare of loosing but when the winde is downe and the wether calme he letteth it hang easily so when husbands will as it were perforce wrest awaie their wiues infirnities manye of them will obstinately resist yet coÌ„trariwise by sweete words louing exhortations they might be wonne voluntarily to forsake them Thirdly the husband must seeke diligently to remoue the stone wherat his wife stumbleth taketh occasion of grief So when Sarah was moued against Abraham because of Agar obiected vnto him albeit wroÌ„gfully Gen. 16. that he was the cause that she contemned her bearing with his wife he remoued the cause of the contention in suffering her to turne Agar out of doores He must also take heed that himself be not taynted with the same vice which hee reproueth in his wife least shee stoppe his mouth with the reproch of the same fault But rather by giuing her example by the contrarie vertue let her be induced to imitate him In reprouing the wife the husband must alwaies vse such discretion that she bee not brought into contempt and therefore it should neuer bee doone in the presence of more then themselues For as it is meere follie for a husband to praise and commend his wife in companie so is it as daungerous to checke and reproue her before witnesse For indeede thereof it commeth that women being not able to beare that disgrace will replie and so prouoke strife and dissention in open presence which will redound to great reproch and offence And therefore doth Cleobulus of Lyndie one of the wisemen of Greece deliuer these two precepts to the married man First that he flatter not his wife Secondly that hee reproue her not before straungers And Marcus Aurelius vseth three saying A wise husband and one that seeketh to liue in quiet with his wife must obserue these three rules Often to admonish Seeldome to reproue and neuer to smite her Let the husband also remember the sayinges of a heathen who speaking of the infirmities of the woman very aptly saith That they must bee either taken away or borne withall Hee that can take them quite away maketh the woman farre more commodious and fit for his purpose and hee that can beare with them maketh himselfe better and more vertuous 5 The husband is also to vnderstand that as God created the woman not of the head and so equall in authoritie with her husband so also he created her not of Adams foote that shee should bee troden downe and despised but hee tooke her out of the ribbe that shee might walke ioyntly with him vnder the conduct and gouernment of her head And in that respect the husband is not to commaund his wife in manner as the master his seruaunt but as the soule doth the body as being conioyned in like affection and good will For as the soule in gouerning the bodie tendeth to the benefite and commoditie of the same so ought the dominion commaundement of the husband ouer his wife to tend to reioyce and content her 6 To conclude As God hath testified his singular goodnes vnto man in creating him an helper to assist him so let him consider in how many sortes shee is to him a helper to passe ouer this lyfe in blessednesse And let this dayly seeking of such a benefite receyued at the hand of God induce him to render thankes and to dispose himselfe to vse it well to his owne comfort and saluation and not to abuse it to the destruction both of himself and his wife But if hee chaunceth as many do vpon troubles afflictions in marriage let him remember that the same doo proceed not properly from marriage but from the corruptions of the parties marryed and for his parte let him studie to amend his infirmities and faults by amendement of lyfe and withall praie to God to grant the like grace vnto his wise to the ende that the more they recouer the image of God the more feeling they maye haue of the felicitie of marryage which Adam and Eue had inioyed had they continued as they were created in the image of God Of the duties of parents towards their children Chap 4. SVch as bee married doo growe to bee fathers and mothers by bringing forth children thorough the blessing of God Let vs therefore vnderstand the duties of parents to theyr children and of children to theyr parents And now wee will begin wyth parents First of theyr due care to see theyr children taught to praie to God and to rehearse the Apostles Creed and the ten commandements For as by this exercise theyr heartes and mindes shall the rather bee inclined to godlynesse and reuerence toward God so as they increase in age they shall euerie daie better than other comprehend that which they learne to theyr owne comfort and instruction to saluation Also as the tongue is called the glorie of man because that besides all other reasons by his speech he is discerned from the brute beastes so is it meete that so soone as the child can begin to speake his tongue should bee imployed to glorifie God by calling vpon him and protesting the grounds of faith As also in repeating the will of God in such sort as he will that wee should serue and honor him 2 Secondly if parents doo note anie vice in theyr little ones as lying choller enuie couetousnesse contempt of parents reâ—dines to strife and other lyke corruptions it is theyr duetie diligently in time to reproue correct them as men vse to plucke vp weedes while they bee yet young least growing vp among the good seed they shoulde hinder their growth and choake them vp By experience wee can see that mothers swathing theyr little ones doo laie theyr limmes right each in his place likewise if a child be geuen to bee left handed they chide him yea sometimes they binde it vp or otherwise restraine the vse of it that hee may bee accustomed to the right Also if the childe hath some string vnder his tongue they cut it least it shoulde hinder his speech much rather then ought they to beware that by theyr inconuenience the vices of the soule doo not increase for it is the dutie of parents euen in the infancie to beginne to shape and frame the soule vnto vertue 3 It is also the dutie of parents to prouide that theyr children maye learne to write and reade for it maye bee vnto them a great helpe in the course of this life and a treasure of greater account than money And therfore the negligence of many is sharply to bee reproued Besides that the peformance of the dueties of parents heerein doth greatly binde theyr children vnto them Neuerthelesse the principall end thereof shoulde not haue respect to such commoditie as the children may reape thereby towardes the vse of this present life but rather that they may reade the word of God to
theyr comfort and instruction to saluation As also it were theyr partes to vse them dayly to reade some Chapters of the holy Scriptures thereby to incline theyr affections to the word of God to inure them in the phrase of the holy Ghost by lyttle and lyttle to learne the heauenly doctrine to note the examples of Gods vengeance poured vpon the wicked and disobedient and of his blessinges vnto those that walke in his feare Athanasius to this purpose sayth verie well If thou lookest that thy children shoulde obey thee Athan. vpon the 6. to the Ephe. ioyne and accustome them to Gods woorde it wyll redound greatlye to thy profyte Let thy children heare and reade the holy Scriptures for in them shall they learne Honour thy father and thy mother But if thou doest otherwise thou trainest them vp in the Scriptures of deuilles whereout they learne most wicked things But it is not so when they are instructed in the holy Scriptures 4 Parents therefore are diligently to applie themselues to this which God commandeth and so often and earnestly commendeth vnto them namely to instruct theyr children in the knowledge feare of God Plut. in his Lacon Apotheg and in the faith of Iesus Christ When one asked of Agesilaus king of Lacedemon wherin it were best to instruct children Hee answered In those things which they are to vse in theyr age This aunswere sheweth what a folly it is to linger children in the learning of vaine trifling and vnprofytable things which as they grow in yeres they will contemne and forget Parents can be carefull enough to bring vp theyr children in some course trade or other estate wherin to get their liuings wheÌ„ they come to be men and in deede such fathers as doo neglect that are vnworthie to haue children and in that consideration dyd a certaine lawe giuer in olde time ordaine Solon that the child whom his parents had not trained vp in some conuenient course whereby to get his liuing should not be bound to nourish them in their olde age But as the soule is more precious than the bodie so is it the duetie of parents in youth to traine vp their children in the practise of those thinges wherewith in age euen in this life they may glorifie God and bee heires of the Lord. 5 And to that end they are to consider especiallye so many the commandements of God so expresly inioyning parents to instruct their children in the heauenly doctrine Deut. 6.6 These words which I command thee this daie sayth Moses shall be in thine heart thou shalt continually rehearse them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house as thou walkest by the waie when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp Now the worde whereby wee doo saie Thou shalt teach in that language wherein Moses wrote signifyeth Thou shalt sharpen Therein shewing that as when wee should pitch some stake in a hard ground by making it a point we sharpen it so parents are to sharpen instruction to theyr children But how By often repeating vnto them the heauenly doctrine that it may enter euen into the dullest wits Moses hauing written that excellent song which containeth so many notable aduertisements and is rehearsed in the two thirteth chap. of Exodus Deu. 32 4â— doth adde Set your heartes vnto all the woordes which I testifye against you this daie that yee may commaund them vnto your children Ephes 6.4 that they may obserue and doo all the wordes of this lawe The Apostle Saint Paule exhorteth Christians to the lyke duetie commaunding parents to bring vp theyr children in the instruction of the Lorde 6 The examples of such as haue shewed themselues faythfull and obedient to these commaundementes of God ought to moue our heartes to imitate them This testimonie doth God himselfe giue of Abraham Gen. 18.19 1. King 2.1 1. Chro. 28.9 that he knew that he would command his children and his familie after him to keepe the wayes of the Lord and to minister iustice and iudgement Dauid before his death gaue notable and holy preceptes vnto Salomon admonishing him to keepe the commandements of God and to walke in his feare And it is not the dutie of fathers onely but also of mothers to bring vp their children and to instruct them in the knowledge and feare of the Lord. Prou. 31 2. Tim. 1.5 Act. 16.1 As Bethsheba Dauids wife gaue notable instructions to her sonne Salomon as appeareth in the booke of Prouerbes And as Saint Paul beareth witnes that Timothie euen in his childhood was instructed in holy writ thereby commending the faith of his grandmother Loys and his mother Eunice by whom no doubt hee was taught especially considering his father was a Gentile 7 Saint Hierome writing to Leta not only exhorteth her to instruct her daughter in her youth in holy writ but also telleth her that her selfe must teach her Let her sayth he in stead of precious stones and silks loue godly bookes and in those bookes let her delight not in the leaues beautifyed with sundrie colours but in the distinct and pure doctrine according to faith First let her learne the Psalter that by such Canticles she may forsake the world and in Salomons Prouerbes let her bee taught to liue vertuously In Ecclesiastes let her accustome her selfe to tread vnder foot and to contemne worldly matters in the booke of Iob let her imitate his example of vertue and patience Let her laie holde of the Gospels and still keepe them in hand and with her whole hart let her learne the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles Thus when she hath stored the closet of her heart with such treasure let her by heart learne the Prophets the bookes of Moses of Kings of Chronicles Esdras and Hester last of all let her learne Salomons song For if shee shoulde reade that first shee might take harme as not vnderstanding the holye songes of spirituall marriage vnder carnall wordes But let her forbeare all Apocrypha let her bee still busied in the bookes of Cyprian Athanasius and Hillarie It maye seeme that Saint Hierome requireth much more than a christian maiden albeit zealous is able to performe But let this exhortation make the maidens of our daies to blush yea euen men and women who are so farre from this dutie that they are not able to alleadge one sentence of holy Scripture either for their own comfort or to resell the errour of heretikes or to instruct their neighbours 8 Moreouer Parents are commanded to instruct their children not onely in the worde but also in the vnderstanding of the Sacraments sacrifices and other of Gods holye ordinaunces When thy childe Deut. 6.20 sayth Moses shall hereafter aske thee saying What meane these testimonies ordinances and lawes which the Lorde our God hath commanded you Then shalt thou saie vnto thy sonne Wee were Phaâ—aohs bond men in Egypt but the Lord brought vs out
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
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
Finally that according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ we may Amend our liues besides all that is before spoken let vs adde the counsels Ecclesiatheus 3.2 admonitions and exhortations of Ecclesiasticus deliuered vnto children concerning their due obedience to their parents Here your fathers iudgement children saith he and do therafter that ye may be safe For the Lord wil haue the father honored of the children and hath confirmed the authoritie of the mother ouer the children Who so honoreth his father his sinnes shall be forgiuen him and he shall abstaine from them and he shall haue his dayly desire And he that honoreth his mother is like one that gathereth treasure Who so honoreth his father shall haue ioy of his owne children and when he maketh his praier he shall be heard He that honoreth his father shall haue a long life and he that is obedient to the Lord shall comfort his mother He that feareth the Lord honoreth his parents and doth seruice vnto his parents as vnto Lords Honor thy father and mother in deed and word that thou maiest haue Gods blessing and that it may abide with thee vnto the end For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of the children and the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations Reioyce not at the dishonor of thy father for it is not honor vnto thee but shame Seeing that mans glorie commeth by his fathers honor and the reproch of the mother is dishonor to the children My sonne helpe thy father in his age and grieue him not as long as hee lyueth And if his vnderstanding faile haue pacience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength For the good entreatie of thy father shall not be forgotten but it shall bee a fortresse to thee against sinnes In the day of trouble thou shalt bee remembred and thy sinnes shall melt away as the Ice in faire wether Hee that forsaketh his father shall come to shame and he that angreth his mother is cursed of God These admonitions and exhortations are as a summary of the duties of children to their parents And therfore it resteth that they vnderstanding them do pray vnto God to giue them grace to put them in practise to his glory and their good saluation Lastly let them remember the saying of Plato that God is not more enclined to heare any praiers then such as parents doe poure forth for their children As they are therefore to feare their curse for offending them so must they by honoring and pleasing them seeke to be blessed in their praiers Gen. 27 28 which are bessings ratefied vnto them in heauen as the blessings of Isaac to his sonne Iacob doe manifestly declare Of the duties of magistrates to their subiects Chap. 6. NOw let vs come to the duties of Kings Rom. 13. Princes other Magistrates or as S. Paule termeth them superior powers ouer their subiects The first point that the magistrates to the end duely to discharge their office are to consider is this That God hath aduanced them to that authoritie not for their priuate commoditie or honor but to do seruice vnto God in seruing to the benefite and saluation of their subiectes And this doth the Apostle note saying The magistrate is the minister of God for the wealth of the people Which he also confirmeth in a more particular declaration Rom. 13. importing that the end of their vocation office is that we may liue a quiet and peaceable life in al godlinesse honesty Euen the heathē in sundry notable sentences did teach that Magistrates are ordained to liue and to serue not themselues but their subiects 1. Tim. 2.2 First one of thē saith Princes are the seruants of God ordained to take care for men and to prouide for their preseruation Plutarch in a booke of the doctrine required in a Prince Cicero in his cōmonwelth lib. 5. Xenophon in his rememb of Socrates lib. 3. Arist Polit. lib. 8. c. 10. Cic. Offic. l. ◠whether by ministring to them of their goods that hee hath bestowed vpon them or by defending them Cicero also writeth that the end of gouernors should ayme at the prosperous life of their subiects because as another saith they be chosen not to liue at ease daintily but that they which haue chosen them may by their industrie liue quietly and happily And therefore saith the Prince of Philosophers Herein resteth a difference betweene a King and a tyrant That the tyrant seeketh his owne profit the Kinge or Magistrate the profit commoditie of his subiects Such saith Cicero as are to gouerne the common wealth ought diligently to obserue these two instructions of Plato First that they so maintain the cōmodity of the people that euery their action without respect of their owne priuate profit may haue respect thereto Secondly that they tend to the preseruation of the whole body of their people that they seeke not so to maintaine one part that they forsake the other 2 Thus may the magistrate easily learne that the greatnesse of gouernment is but a greatnes of care also that as Seneca saith he is in duty to warant the sleep of his subiects by his own wakfulnes their peace by his labour Iustin lib. 6. Epaminondas Plutarch in his Apotheg their ease by his industrie and their leasure by his businesse And in that sence doe we reade of a great personage who neuer accepted gouernment or publike office for his owne sake but for the common wealth of his countrie so that on a time when the people were feasting and very merrie being asked why himselfe walked sadly vp and downe the towne he answered That you may make merrie and reioyce Thus when the magistrate is called the sheepeheard the father and head of the people he is to remember that the sheepheard being more excellent then the sheepe the father then the children and the head then the body the sheepheard the father and the head are established in this preheminence The one to lead and feed the flock the other to nourish and bring vp his children and the other happily to gouerne the body It is therefore the magistrates dutie so to gouerne his subiects Seneca of clemencie that by the effects they may know that he is ordained not onely to be ouer them but also for them 3 For the better vnderstanding and practise hereof let vs more perticularly lay down the dutie of their function by three principall endes thereof before mentioned Namely that wee may liue a quiet and peaceable life in al godlinesse and honestie Now godlinesse comprehendeth the religion and seruice of God Peace and quietnesse proceedeth of the administration of iustice and iudgement and by honestie is ment sobrietie chastitie and other the vertues required for an honest life as by day and in the sight of God Concerning godlinesse and religion As God is aboue all men the soule more excellent then the
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
others Thus doth hee summon euen the greatest to iudgement Col. 4.1 and in this sence doth Saint Paule speake to the masters of bondmen saying Yee masters doe vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also haue a master in heauen 32 Howbeit there is nothing that more induceth Magistrates to doe iniurie or wrong then the acceptation of persons which is acted two waies First most vsually in fauouring the ritch against the poor the kinsmā against the stranger the acquaintance against the vnknowne person the mightie against the weake as are widdowes and Orphants to be short al such as we dare not offend because it is in them to helpe or to hurt vs against such as haue no meanes to reuenge or to reward Secondly in taking such compassion of the widowes and fatherlesse the poore others in tribulation that contrary to right and equitie we wrongfully fauour them in iudgement Leuit. 19.15 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement saith the Lord neither shall ye fauour the person of the poore nor honor the mightie but ye shall iudge your neighbors iustly In this consideration did they in old time paint iustice blinde to the end to shew that iudges ought not to respect the apparance of any persons 33 Let magistrates therfore to the end to be the more constant and resolute in this dutie thinke vpon the admonition of Iosaphat King of Iuda to those of his time There is no iniquitie in God sayth he ◠Chro. 19 7. neither acceptation of any person Thereby declaring that the accepting of persons engendreth iniquitie Also as both are farre from God the Soueraigne iudge so al magistrates that in their office doe beare the imadge of God ought to abhorre as wel the one as the other and not to respect the apparance of persons least they should commit iniquitie For they must thinke that representing God in their office and calling they can not trespasse in this point without polluting the iudiciall seat of God And this doth Moses note saying Ye shall haue no respect of persons in iudgement But shall heare the small as well as the great Ye shal not feare the face of man for the iudgement is from God Let them therefore remember that they are as Gods lieutenants sitting vpon his seate to iudge vprightly To the end that closing their eies against al respect of persons their eares may be open to heare vnderstand the equitie of the cause that so they may iudge vprightly If needs they must fauour any friend or kinsman let them doe it with their owne goods not with the hurt preiudice of others To this purpose doe we read of Artaxerxes a heathen king he when one of his fauorites required him in an vniust cause to the end to finger a good sum of mony caused his treasorer to deliuer vnto him the like sum as he supposed that he should get by his sute and said vnto him by giuing thee this money I am neuer the poorer But by granting thy demand Plut. in his Apotheg I shal be the worse iusticer And as a iudge must not wrong one for anothers sake So must hee not vniustly fauour one because an other hath displeased him Hereof did Aristides in his example leaue vs a notable lesson For he sitting as iudge between two persons when the one charged his aduersarie with great wronges doone to Aristides hee saide vnto him Friend tell me onely what hee hath doone to thee For I sit heere to doe right to thee not to my selfe 34 Aboue all things let not magistrates couet rewards neither accept them when they are offered For nothing doeth more infect the heart and incline it to iniustice consydering that accordding to the prouerbe He that taketh anie thing selleth himselfe Deut. 16.19 and is bound to recompence the reward that hee hath receiued Thou shalt not saith the Lord take anie reward The reward putteth out the eie of the wise and peruerteth the wordes of the righteous Exod. 23..8 If this happen to the wise and the righteous who can boast of receiuing rewardes without corruption yea experience doth so ordinarily teach vs this that rewardes are now tearmed Corruptions And this doth the holy Ghost confyrme in that hee vsually adioyneth rewardes with corrupting and peruerting of iustice Psal 26.10 Dauid speaking of such men sayth In their hands is wickednes their right hand is full of bribes The wicked sayth Salomon taketh the reward out of his bosome that he may peruert the path of iudgement I knew Prou. 17.23 saith the Prophet Amos your manifolde transgressions and your mightie sinnes Amos. 5 12. ye afflict the iust ye take rewardes and ye peruert the cause of the poore And so strong is this poison that euen for a piece of bread wil man commit iniquitie sayth Salomon But what iniquitie Prou. 28.21 Deut. 27.25 He will condemne the innocent as Moses noteth saying Cursed bee hee that taketh rewardes to condemne the innocent to death And in this sense dyd the Egyptians who were greate obseruers of iustice paint Iudges without handes And in deede Salomon sayth The King maintaineth the land by iudgement Prou 29.4 but hee that is addicted to rewards will destroie it 35 This corruption hath euermore raigned in many euen of those that should haue been mirrors of integrity as we read of the children of Samuel 1. Sam. 8.3 who turning after dishonest game tooke rewards peruerted iustice Thy Princes saith Esay are rebellious and companions of theeues Esay 1 2◠euery one loueth giftes and followeth after rewards Mich. 13.10 They iudge not the fatherlesse neither doth the widowes cause come before them The like complaint doeth Micheas set downe saying Syon is built with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquitie The princes do iudge for gifts and the priestes doe teach for hyre the Prophets do prophesie for siluer Let not any man therfore dispence with himselfe to take rewards as thinking that he may be more constant or vertuous then others For as in a ballance that scale that beareth most we glit wayeth downe the other so he that giueth the greatest reward wayeth downe him that receiueth it euen into hell by corrupting him carrieth away his cause wrongfully gotten to his owne damnation Samuell in this matter bare himselfe vprightly 1 Sam. 12.3 refranying from all bribes and doing any iniury euen the least to others as himselfe protesteth saying Behold here I am beare record of me before the Lord before his annoynted Whose Oxe haue I taken Or to whom haue I done wrong whom haue I hurt of whose hand haue J receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you Then they said Thou hast done vs no wrong nor hast hurt vs neither hast thou taken ought at any mans hand 36 Let all magistrates here take an example and let this be a mirror before
their eyes to follow it And to that end let them remember first that by taking gifts they are bound and cannot satisfie both the giuer and a good conscience in the sight of God as a heathen hath wel noted Alâ—â—amenes the sonne of Telecres Plut. in his Apotheg Iob 15 34. Deut. 27.25 saying If I should receaue the gifts that are offered I cannot be at peace with the lawes Secondly let theÌ„ not thinke that God will suffer such corruption and prophaning of the seat and throne of his maiestie according to the saying of Iob. The fire shall deuoure the tabernacles that are built with presents which also concurreth with the sentence of almighty God before aledged Lamp in the life of Seuer Valer Max. lib. 6. cap. 3 Cursed be hee that taketh rewards to condemne the innocent And this sentence haue the hethen also coÌ„firmed by seuere executions as we read of the Emperor Alexander Seuerus who caused his secretary to bee empaled because he had been with money corrupted and induced to do some wrong And as he caused him to be executed so would he haue the body left in the high way whereby his seruants and officers had their vsuall passage that hee might so be an example vnto them Cambises King of Persia causing a iudge to be slaine quicke because he had suffered himself to be corrupted with money Valerius Max. lib. 6. c. 3 willed his skinne also to be hanged vp in the iudgement seate thereby to warne all other iudges that should succeed to beware of that iniquitie On the other side let theÌ„ ponder the saying of Salomon He that hateth rewards shal liue euen which is the principal for euer Which also Dauid confirmeth Pro. 15.27 saying He that taketh not rewards against the innocent shal not be moued but shal abide in the tabernacle of God Psal 15. and shal inhabit in the hil of his holynes And Esay also saith He that shaketh his hands from taking of gifts shall dwell on high his defence shall bee the munitions of rockes Esay 33.15 Bread shall be giuen him and his waters shall bee sure yea his eyes shall see the king in his glorie 37 But as auarice engendreth couetousnes after gifts and consequently the peruerting of iustice so out of the same spring floweth another most pernitious corruption Plato in his common wealth lib. 4. Cicero offic lib. 2. Plutarch in his politicks Namely the sale and purchase of publike offices and functions And indeede what is to be looked of such purchasers but that he that hath bought his office by whole sale will afterward sell iustice by retayle and doe wrong to reembourse and enritch himselfe And therefore the Philosophers euen the heathen are of this opinion that nothing can bee more pernicious in a common wealth then the traficke and sale of offices For the sellers of them doe sell the most sacred thing in the world euen iustice They sell the common wealth the bloud of the subiects and the lawes They take away the reward of honour Lamprid. in his life learning godlinesse religion They open the gates to the euery spoyle iniustice euen to all vice and corruption In this respect would not the Emperour Alexander Seuerus tollerate the sale of any office or dignitie His reason For the buyer must of necessitie sell againe victorin in his life Sith in a heathen and a yong Prince this holy resolution could take such roote what shame is it that Christian Kinges and Magistrates should take another course The Emperour Septianus Seuerus being endued with the like vertue wold neuer suffer the sale of any office or estate This dutie haue many Christian Kings and Princes also acknowledged Aemilius Gaguin lib 7 who haue made sundry expresse decrees in prohibition of purchase of offices especially of iudgement Among the rest King Lewes the ninth of Fraunce most straightly prohibited the sale of offices and dignities which hee willeth shoulde bee giuen to vertuous and capable persons But experience hath often taught that such decrees haue bene but simply obserued also that there was neuer seller but found a purchaser neither purchaser but found one that would sel But as such as thrust themselues into publike offices or purchase the same with quoyne doe thereby reueale their auarice and ambition the mothers and nurses of great hainous corruptions So they that make sale of the same are the causes of vniustice wrong thereof ensuing and thereof shall giue accompt in the sight of God 38 Nowe let vs proceede to another dutie requisite for the maintaining of subiects in peace tranquility That is to execute iustice against transgressions and trespasses Deut. 13.17.11 Heereof besides the commaundement of God so often and so expressely propounded in his word the holy Scripture also exhibiteth two notable reasons The one to appease Gods wrath The other that others may feare to commit the like iniquitie As concerning the first This is one resolute point albeit few doe consider of it that vpon the committing of a trespasse man-slaughter fornication or such like God is highly displeased not onely with him that hath committed it but also with the whole nation as if all the people had committed it And to this purpose hath almightie God set downe a notable decree saying If one be found slaine in the land and it is not knowne who hath slaine him then shall the elders of the next towne to him that is slaine Deut. 21.1 take a Heyfer that hath not beene put to labour and bring her into a vally that is vntilled There shall they smite off her head and wash their handes ouer the Heyfer that is beheadded and say Our bands haue not shed this bloud neither haue our eyes seene it O Lord be mercifull to thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay no innocent bloud to the charge of thy people Israel And the bloud shall be forgiuen them So shalt thou take away the cry of innocent bloud from thee This doth euidently declare that albeit the murder was committed in the field and no man knoweth who committed it yet is the people of the next towne polluted therewith holden so guiltie in the sight of God that they must haue recourse to his mercy by praier that he execute not his wrath against the people 39 This same doth the historie of Acan also represent vnto vs for when Acan had taken of the forbidden things God was wroth against all Israel And that did he testifie in causing the souldiers whom Iosua had sent Iosua 7. to flie before the enhabitants of Hay But Iosua disquieted with their flight complaineth to God who maketh him answere saying Jsrael hath sinned they haue transgressed my couenaunt which I commaunded them For they haue euen taken of the excommunicated thing and haue also stolen and haue dissembled also and haue put it euen with their owne stuffe Therefore the children
the same as before wee haue more at large declared In the second booke c. 17. of Adulterie and all fornicatiō Princes therefore and Christian magistrates that inflict no punishment for adulterie are vnexcusable in the sight both of God and men And they must thinke that as such iniquitie doeth prouoke Gods wrath not against the adulterers onely but also against the whole nation where it is tollerated so by not punishing it themselues doo maintaine the wrath of God as a fyre kindled to consume both them and their subiects To whom by such slacknesse and conniuence they also giue head to commit it wythout all feare The Emperour Iustinian in a decree whereby he ordayneth death to baudes that make sale of women or maidens for fornication In the Nouell Constitutions Rub. of Bauds Gen. 38.24 doth adde this Wee beleeue that thorough this our care to maintain chastitie our common wealth wyll take great increase and that God will graunt vs all prosperitie We reade that the Patriarke Iuda when hee sawe that his daughter in law Thamar whome hee had promised in marriage to his sonne Sella had played the harlot hee condemned her to die euen to bee burned Wherein the Magistrates of our time are to note three points that may induce them to doo their duties First that albeit the persons bee not yet married but betrothed onely yet as is aforesayd this adulterie deserueth death Secondly that adulterie was punished wyth death namely by fyre euen before the lawe giuen by Moses Thirdly that no kindred or friendshippe shoulde withholde the Magistrate from punishing adulterers And heereof we haue an instance in Zaleucus the Locryan Lawyer Val. Max ca. 5 Aelian l 1◠hee hauing ordained that both the eies of an adulterer shoulde bee pulled out when his owne sonne was taken wyth that fault would needes haue two eyes lost and so caused one of his owne and another of his sayde sonnes to be plucked forth 61 It is therefore a great reproch and slacknesse in Christians so to mitigate the punishment of this sinne that they haue shewed themselues in manner neuer touched with the abhomination of such iniquitie In the dayes of the Emperour Iustinian adulterers were put onely to some fine of monie which might in deed somewhat restraine the poore but the rich thereby tooke occasion to commit it the more as thinking themselues quit for a smal summe of monie True it is that by vertue of some decrees of the said Iustinian the women taken in adulterie were thrust into some monasterie But what else was this but formally to oppugne the saying of Saint Paule who commandeth that the woman who cannot containe should marrie In the Councell of Tibur it was decreed that if the woman that had committed adulterie Counsell of Tibu◠holden the yeare 895. cap. 46. Counsel of Orleance cap. 1. Causaid constitui mus 17. q. 4. could retire and saue her selfe in the Church shee should not bee redeliuered into the handes either of her husband or of the Iudge The lyke was also decreed in the first Councell at Orleance where it was moreouer ordained that if her husband or the Iudge did redemaund her shee should be redeliuered but with an oath that they should doo her no hurt vpon paine of excommunication And thus dyd the Cleargie in those daies drawe vnto them the notice and iudgement of adulterie whether to purchase thereby the fines for their owne profite or for anie more vilanous or detestable purpose But as by that meanes they were wylling to saue and preserue the bodyes of the adultresses so haue they strained the soules to the end to cast them headlong into euerlasting death The Counsell of Elibertin cap 18. In deed in a Councell holden in Spaine it was decreed that if a Bishoppe a priest or a Deacon were taken in adulterie hee should neuer againe be receiued into the peace and reconcilement of the Church no not in the houre of death Also that this rule should bee in force against all other persons vpon theyr seconde offence And therefore sayth Saint Cyprian in his dayes some Bishoppes woulde not receiue adulterers to the peace of the Church But hee was of opinion to vse some moderation least sinners should fall into desperation and that desperation should draw them on headlong into all wickednesse And therefore sayth hee The Councel of Ancyra Cap. 20. it were good they shoulde trye theyr repentaunce wythout limitation of time which notwithstanding by one Councell was appointed to be seuen yeres 62 Thus may wee see whereinto those men do fall that will be wiser and shew more mercie than God But mortall man notwithstanding whatsoeuer authoritie hee pretendeth must not alter the decrees of the liuing Lord. And the Lord hath commanded that adulterers should bee punished with death Neyther is there in manner anie nation in the world but agreeth to this iudgement of God as wee haue before declared If therefore wee would obeye God in punishing adulterie with death his wrath would be turned from vs and wee should bee freed from thousands of questions difficulties that growe vppon the sparing of theyr liues and men standing in more feare of God would not so soone abandon them selues thereto In olde time theeues were not by anie lawe eyther of God or man punished wyth death but adulterers were but now contrarywise theeues must die for it and adulterers must escape in manner scotfree Is not this a token that Christians are more feruently bent to the preseruation of their goods than of the chastitie or honour of their wiues They alleadge the example of Christ who dismissed the woman that was taken in adulterie with out condemnation Iohn 8. But as Christ came not to execute the office of a Iudge neither would vsurp it so when he had asked her whether the sentence of the Iudges had condemned her and vnderstood no before he dismissed her hee sufficiently declared that if sentence had bene passed he would not haue hindered the execution 1. Cor. 10.8 And therefore by the premises let all Christian Magistrates vnderstand that it is theyr dutie to punish such iniquitie and with all remember that whatsoeuer slacknesse or negligence shall bee found in them shall not remaine vnpunished And so let them in holines resolue straightly to forbid this abhomination of adultry to stop the course of it and to take away all allurements entisements thereto and that with such punishment that all other may feare to commit the like iniquitie Let them also diligently see to other fornication that it escape not vnpunished as remembring the vengeaunce that the Lorde did take of the like when for the same in one daie he slew twentie and three thousand 63 Namely let them not suffer among their subiects any stews tauernes or other receptacles of adulterie for hire which serue as baites allurements and meanes to defile and destroy both bodies and soules for euer also to prouoke Gods
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
marriners vpon theyr shippes windes and hauens so must the thoughtes mindes and affections of the ministers of the worde runne onely vppon the instructing comforting exhorting edefying and to bee short vppon the sauing of the sheepe of their folde And heereto must wee referre the saying of Saint Paule No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affayres of this lyfe 2. Tim. 2.4 because hee woulde please him that hath chosen him to bee his souldier For if hee that is enrouled to serue in the warres so soone as hee heareth the Drumme must forsake wife and children house shoppe and all other affayres that nothing may hinder or wythdraw him from the seruice of his Captaine much rather ought they whome the soueraigne king hath inrouled for the spirituall warfare and the holy ministerie of the word keepe themselues from all politike affayres and such as belong not to theyr vocation to the end wholy to serue please Iesus Christ 32 Yet many times it falleth out otherwise and the way is very slipperie Some Ministers doo thinke that vnlesse they set theyr handes to politike affayres euen to the warres that the Church cannot stande Euen as in olde time Vzzah imagined that the Arke of God must needs haue fallen 2. Sam. 6.6 had not he stretched forth his hande to holde it vp But as God was wroth wyth him for going beyonde his vocation and slewe him so let the ministers of the worde feare and that iustly least God confounde them in theyr Ministerie for vndertaking aboue theyr calling and employing themselues faythfully in theyr charge let them commende the preseruation of the Church to the chiefe and soueraigne protectour thereof and neuer thinke to keepe it vpright by passing the boundes of theyr vocation besides it is a common proueâ—be Hee that gripeth too much catcheth nothing Againe The minde that many things intend To each apart the lesse both bend A brooke sufficient to driue a mill or carrie a boate beeing cut into many ditches wyll not bee able to doo eyther euen so the pastor that medleth with many occupations is vnprofitable for anie and therefore the fruite of such presumption must finally turne to ruine and confusion 33 The Ministers of Gods woorde are also in duetie so to beare themselues in theyr charge that they may bee regarded and loued of theyr congregations to the ende theyr doctrines admonitions exhortations and all othâ—r partes of theyr ministerie maye haue the more credite and be receiued wyth greater affection Learne sayth Saint Bernard to bee mothers not Lordes ouer the sheepe of your folde Studie rather to bee loued than feared And when yee must vse seueritie let it bee fatherlyke not tyrannous Suppresse bytter speeches and preferre your pappes in offering the sweete milcke of the same A Bishoppe sayth an auncient Father must beware that he growe not into contempt through too much mirth and facilytie neyther into hatred by excessiue and vnreasonable seueritie Saint Paule grewe into such fauour wyth the Galathians that him selfe beareth them witnesse Gal. 4.15 1. Thes 2.7 Theodorâ—t Ec. hist l 4. c. 14 that if they could they woulde euen haue pulled forth their eyes to giue him And hee protesteth that towardes the Thessalonians hee was as tender as the nourse that tenderlye nourâ—eth her children Eusebius Bishoppe of Samoâ—ate was so beloued of his Church that when hee entered into the riuer of Euphrates in obedience to fulfil the banishmeÌ„t wherto the Emperour Valence inioyned him almost the whole Towne by boats followed him finding him did with teares instantly intreat him to returne But when they coulde not preuayle they offered him money garmentes and all other thinges necessarie and conuenient for his voyage And after their returne home to the towne there was not any one of whatsoeuer calling that would come to the preaching of the Arrian Bishoppe subrogated into his place so that seeing himselfe alone in the Church without any auditor he departed thence confounded 34 This loue and affection of the Church towardes her pastor is ingendered and especially increased when hee sealeth and confirmeth his doctrine by his conuersation and lyfe conformable to the same shewing himselfe in action to bee the portraiture of a good and faythfull pastour for as vertue is alwayes loued so is it loued of those for whose good and eternall saluation the same is imployed And therefore the pastour is not so much to studie and labour for anie thing except the truth of the doctrine as in his life and conuersation to bee a good example to his flocke And heereto doeth the Apostle Saint Paule exhort Timoâ—hie saying Bee to the beleeuers an example in worde 1. Tim. 4.12 Titus 2.7 in conuersation in loue in spirite in faith and in purenesse Yea the same exhortation doeth hee also vse to Titus saying In all thinges shew thy selfe an example of good woorkes 1. Pet. 5.3 Math. 5.4 with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integritie and with the wholesome worde which cannot bee reproued that hee which withstandeth may bee ashamed hauing nothing coâ—cerniâ—g vs to speake euill of And euen the verie same doth the holy Apostle Saint Peter also in one worde require where hee willeth the pastors to be examples to theyr flocke yea euen this doth our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ teach where hee sayeth You are the light of the worlde Let your l ght so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen For as in a darke euening one goeth before with a torch or lantern for others to followe so the life and conuersation of the Pastors ought to be as a burning torch to guide others in the way of saluation and life euerlasting 35 True it is saith Augustine that Pastors may somewhat profite by saying albeit they doe not â—hat which they saye Augustine of Christ doct lib. 4. cap. 27. but they should profite much more if themselues would doe as they teach others for such as doe seeke excuses for their wicked liues doe finde enow in their Pastors which liue not as they teache and say if not with mouth yet in hart why doost thou command that which thy selfe wilt not do and this is the cause that men hearing them will not obey them euen because themselues doe not obey the word that they preach and therfore the people doth coÌ„temne both the Preacher and his doctrine to be short where the Apostle saith to Timothie Let no man despise thy path hee addeth the meanes how to auoide contempt saying Be vnto vnbeleeuers an example in conuersation and loue And truely as S. Augustine saith Aug. of Christ doct l. 4. c. 27 and cap. 29. The life of the teacher is of more waight to procure obedience to the doctrine then is his facility of speaking and vtterance And againe let him that hath not the gift of eloquence in vtterance so conuerse that the example patterne of his good life may
he is not a God a farre off onely as is aforesaid but also a God neere at hand As likewise how often is it noted by the Euangelists Math 9.4 Luke 5.22 Math. 12.25 Luke 6.8 that hee did both see and know the thoughts of those that went about to tempt him or that hatched anie other conspiracie or that had any bad opinion of him 12 Dauid in his owne person doth very aptly represent vnto vs this prouidence of God seeing all things and beeing in all places saying O Lord thou hast tried me and knowen me thou knowest my sitting and my rising Psalme 139.1 thou vnderstandest my thought a farre of thou compassest my paths and my lying downe art accustomed to all my waies For there is not a worde in my tongue but loe thou knowest it wholy O Lord Thou holdest me straight behinde and before and laiest thy hande vpon me Thy knowledge is too wonder full for me it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it namely in all and by all to comprehend it Whether shall I go from thy spirit or whether shall I flie from thy presence If I ascend into heauen thou art there if I lie downe in hell thou art there let me take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parte of the sea yet thether shall thy hand leade me and thy right hand holde mee vp If I saie yet the darknes shall hide me euen the night shall bee a light about me yea the darknes hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the daie the darknes and the light are both alike For thou hast possessed my raines thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe Thine eies did see me when I was without forme for in thy booke were all thinges written which in continuance were fashioned when there was none of them before Beholde heere an excellent description of Gods prouidence which declareth vnto vs the efficacie of this title Emanuel giuen to Iesus Christ and consequently teacheth vs that hee seeth and knoweth all that wee thinke saie or do for all is open in his sight for he is with vs and in vs wheresoeuer we become 13 The knowledge and feeling of this truth may bee to greate purpose to induce and resolue vs to amend our liues For what I praie you is the spring of such abundaunce of iniquitie as wee see at this daie among men Euen this false perswasion or rather astonishment to imagine that God is blinde and seeth not the works and thoughts of men Psalme 59.8 They prate with their tongues sayth King Dauid speaking of his enemies and swordes are in their lippes For saie they who heareth vs Heereof haue wee a notable example in the ninetie foure Psalme O Lord sayth Dauid how long Psalme 94. how long shall the wicked triumph They prate and speake fiercely all the workers of iniquitie vaunt themselues They smite downe thy people O Lorde and trouble thy heritage They slaie the widdowe and the straunger murther the fatherlesse yet they saie The Lorde shall not see neither will the God of Iaacob regard it But let vs now see how hee reprooueth the blindnesse and pride of these wicked ones Vnderstand yee vnwise among the people and yee fooles when will yee bee wise Hee that planted the eare shall hee not heare And hee that formed the eie shall hee not see Or hee that chastiseth the nations shall hee not correct euen he that teacheth man knowledge The Lorde knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanitie As Dauid also hauing rehearsed the wicked cruell enterprises of his enemie obiecteth vnto him that in his heart hee sayth God hath forgotten him hee hath hidden his face Psalme 10.11 and will not see him What moued Caine to bring his brother into the fieldes and to bee so bolde as to kill him Euen this false opinion that God dyd not see him And this dyd hee verie manifestly declare in that when God asked him where his brother was hee aunswered I knowe not Haue I the keeping of my brother Gen. 4.8 As if hee woulde haue sayde that God had not anie reason to put that question to him considering that hee was not appointed to keepe him and therefore without blame hee might bee ignorant where he was 14 But what shall wee saie of Dauid a man that did so greatlie feare God when he committed adulterie with the wife of Vrias made him dronke and afterward slew him by the handes of his enimies thereby thinking to hide his iniquitie from men Must it not needes bee that at that time hee was much ouerseene when hee woulde imagine that God dyd not see him Yet is this the ordinarie perswasion of those that giue ouer themselues to wickednesse and consequently the fountaine of an infinite number of sinnes and iniquities that they commit vpon an imagination that God seeth them not Otherwise what an impudencie were it in man to commit adulterie to bee dronken to deceiue his neighbour to backbite c. if hee coulde thinke within himselfe God is with mee I am in his fight hee heareth me he seeth me commit this wickednesse And yet how often doo men commit all these iniquities euen whoredome dronkennesse deceit and backbiting in the presence of God from which they will verie diligently forbeare in the sight of men 15 That wee may the rather therfore amend our liues let vs remember Emanuel that is that God is with vs euen in vs ioyned and vnited vnto vs. And withall let vs well thinke that hee seeth and knoweth all our thoughts words and workes as is before declared yea let it be a strong bridle to withholde vs from wickednesse as Salomon teacheth vs saying Why shouldest thou my sonne Prou. 5.21 delight in a straunge woman or imbrace the bosome of a straunger Seeing the wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lorde and hee pondereth all his pathes Prou. 15.3 And in another place The eyes of the Lord are in all places to beholde both the good and badde Ribby one of the wise men of the Iewes in olde time to this purpose dyd verie aptlye saie Graue these three thinges in thy minde and thou shalt neuer sinne Drus Apoth of the Hebrues Arabians l. 1. namely that there is an eie that seeth thee an eare that heareth thee and a booke wherein all thy wordes and deedes are written Neyther let vs thinke when wee neglect our dueties in releeuing the poore that God knoweth it not albeit wee alleadge that wee knowe nothing of theyr want or had not wherewith to helpe them If thou forbearest sayth Salomon to deliuer those that are ledde to bee slaine and such as are at deathes doore by thinking that thou wilt saie I knew not of it hee that pondereth the heartes doth hee not vnderstand it And hee that keepeth thy soule knoweth hee it not Or will not hee recompence euerie man according to his workes God knoweth
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
man was crucified with Iesus Christ wee must not nowe raise him again but leaue him dead And as a dead man is no longer possessed of the motions thoughts affections and woorkes of a liuing man so wee by our Baptisme beeing dead into Iesus Christ must no longer haue anie motions affections wordes or workes of our old man 13 There yet resteth this consideration that by Baptisme we do put on Christ But Christ whom we haue put on is holy and of a sweete sauour before God Gal. 3.27 And shall we be so slouthfull as to trail this sacred garment through the mire and silthines of this worlde Or putting it off to put on the villanous and stinking garment of flesh by walking in the affections thereof Let vs walke saith Saint Paule honestly as in the daie not in gluttonie or dronkennesse Rom. 13.13 neither in chambering and wantonnesse in strife and enuying But let vs put on Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof Thus doeth our Baptisme diuersely and in sundrie wise binde vs to amende our liues But because in Baptismes names are giuen as in olde time in the circumcision so ofte as wee heare our names let the same be an aduertisement vnto vs of our Baptisme putting vs in minde of our duties to amend 14 Vpon the holy ministerie dependeth also the communion in the holy supper of the Lord. Many are the reasons for the which Christ dyd ordaine it all which doo also binde vs to amend Of these wee will now consider soure principall The first by the vse of the holy supper our faith is strengthned and our soules are spiritually fed in the hope of lyfe euerlasting And therfore as the child when hee commeth to age is bound to honor his parents not onely for his begetting bringing into this life but also because they haue fed and brought him vp still do continue the same duties vnto him euen so should it be with vs whom God hath as it were begotten into his Church through our Baptisme and to whom he hath since in his holy Supper ministered the food of our soules in the communion of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ For not onely our spirituall new birth by Baptisme but also the spirituall foode which this good father â—â—eth vnto vs in his holy supper do binde vs to honor him yea and should thereto mightily induce vs considering that for food to our soules hee hath deliuered his onely sonne Iesus Christ to be crucified for vs. If anie man had a child so sicke that nothing coulde serue for his foode and recouerie but pearles confected or preserued how much should such a child bee bound to loue and honour his parents that for his releefe had not grudged at theyr expense Truly it were a most bitter ingratitude not to care to please or obey them Euen so what reproofe shoulde we deserue of our heauenly father who seedeth vs in his holy supper not with pearles but with the verie flesh and bloud of his son Iesus Christ in case wee should make no account to please him by amendement of life withall considering that as there is no comparison betweene pearles and the body and bloud of Iesus Christ so the spiritual life of our souls is without comparison much more excellent than the life of our bodies 15 Moreouer as meate and drinke ministred vnto the bodie do maintaine the life motions senses of the bodie so from the communion in the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ which is the foode of the soule must proceed the spirituall and heauenly life cogitations affections wordes and deedes And therefore as it were a strange case if the bodie by eating and drinking shoulde gather no sustenance and consequently want all motions sense and bodyly operation so were it a monstrous matter that the soule communicating in the body and blood of Iesus Christ should gather no spirituall foode that might bring forth newnesse of life and holines in words and deeds 16 Besides as the holy supper is the table of Gods children the faithfull members of the Church of Iesus Christ so the communicating thereat is a solemne protestation that wee are the children of God true belieuers members of the church of Christ and that so we seperate our selues from the prophane worldly and vicious people and do purpose to liue holily righteously and religiously as it beseemeth the children of God and faithfull members of the Church Such therefore as communicating in the holy supper doe not neuerthelesse amende their liues but walking after the worlde and the flesh are giuen to whoredome drunkennesse gluttony couetousnesse deceite fraude ambition pride enuye hatred backbiting with other like vices and corruptions doe shew themselues counterfects hipocrites do eare and drinke their owne damnation and doe horribly scandalize or offend the Church whereof they shoulde be members togither with the doctrine that they doe professe First what an impudency is it solemnely to protest by taking the bread and wine that thou thinkest thy selfe to bee the childe of God and yet in thy selfe doest find that thou doest not so think that thou art a member of Christ and yet dost not belieue him that thou renouncest the world and the flesh and yet art in loue with them that thou wilt liue in holinesse and yet hast no will thereto that thou seekest life in Iesus Christ when voluntarilie thou doest cast thy selfe into death that thou wilt amende thy life yet hast no intent to forsake thy vice and corruptions to be short thus to abuse this holy communion to the end to make men belieue that which God seeth to bee false and contrarie to thy protestation 1. Cor. 11.27 Doest thou not belieue the protestation of S. Paule who saith that Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke of this cuppe vnworthely doth eate and drinke his owne damnation because hee discerneth not the Lords bodie namely from bodily and carnal food which the mouth of the wicked and abhominable do receiue as wel as the mouth of the righteous man one that feareth God 17 Againe doest thou not apprehende the offence that thou doest commit in that thou openest the mouth of the aduersary to religion to condemne the doctrine of truth to reiecte the Church of Christ to blame the children of God and to blaspheme God himselfe thinkest thou not that thou doest harden them in their errours in the way of destruction damnatioÌ„ doest thou not consider that thou doest arme and encourage them to seduce such as are members of the Church and redeemed by the blood of Iesus Christ by declaring vnto them that men so giuen ouer to the world and the flesh cannot bee of the true Church that the doctrine of truth can bring forth no such fruits that the Church is no house for drunkerds adulterers couetous persons deceiuers quarelers enuious people men possessed with other like vices shouldest
to the workes of darkenesse What an ingratitude will it be in vs who by nature are Gentils if when the kingdom of heauen is thus come vpon vs by the preaching of the Gospell we make no accompt thereof neither haue any care to amend our liues according to the cōmandemēt of Iesus Christ how mightily wil the deuil possesse vs vnlesse by the ministerye of the holy ghost he be expelled to the end to make roome for the kingdome of heauen in vs 8 Iesus Christ saith The men of Niniue shall rise in iudgement with this generation and condemne it for they repented at the preaching of Ionas and beholde a greater then Ionas is heere Againe Mat. 12.41.42 The Queene of the south shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it For she came from the vtmost partes of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater then Salomon is heere Woe thē be vnto vs if hearing the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13.12 we doe not obey his commandement and amend It is now time that we should arise from sleep saith S. Paul for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued by the preaching of the gospell and were before vnbeleeuers The night is past and the day is come let vs therfore cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light so as we walk honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennes c. 9 This kingdome of heauen is at hand and dayly gathereth vpon vs in two maners which for a conclusion wee will heere adde First all faithfull beleeuers doe know and are assured that at the separation of the soule and the body the soule shal be exalted into heauen with Christ Now as dayly this seperation doth by death drawe neerer and neerer to the faithfull so doth the kingdome of heauen also come vpon them how carefull therfore should we be to amend our liues and to prepare our selues to make our entry into heauen the holy Ghost protesteth that there shall enter no vncleane thing Apoc. 21.27 neither any that worketh abhomination or lyes We must therefore put of all the workes of the flesh which are as S. Paul noteth adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse idolatrie Gal. 5.19 witchcraft hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresie enuie murther dronkennes gluttonie and such lyke And afterward protesteth that they which commit these things shall not inherite the kingdome of God Let vs then beware of delaying of this amendment least in a matter of such importance we bee surprised we haue not two soules that we may hazarde one If the day of death findeth vs a sleepe in our sinnes woe be vnto vs let vs remember the saying of S. Peter The end of all thinges draweth neere 1. Pet 4. Be ye therfore sober and watchfull in praier Euery of vs shall in our death finde this end of all things and indeed let vs look vpon a rich man caried dead out at dores and we shall see that all is at an end with him neither hath his body any more then his length of ground 10 Let vs therefore remember to be sober not in workes of pietie for in them we cannot be too plentifull neither in sinne for we must vtterly abstaine therefro wherin then euen in thinges appertaining to this present life 1. Cor. 7.29 by practising this admonition of S. Paul And this I say brethren because the time is shorte hereafter that both they which haue wines be as though they had none And they that weep as though they wept not And they that reioyce as though they reioyced not And they that buy as though they possessed not And they that vse this worlde as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this worlde goeth away And I would haue you without care Here doth he shew that the sobriety whereto S. Peter exhorteth vs doth admonish vs that there is drunkennesse not onely of the body but also of the spirite And indeede where Iesus Christ saith See to your selues Luke 21.34 that your harts be not ouercome with gluttony and drunkennesse neither with the cares of this life He doth sufficiently declare that there is another kinde of drunkennesse then either with beere or wine And that is when the care for the things of this life whether of warre or marchandise or of landes and possessions of wiues or of children doe so feaze vpon and entangle our mindes and affections that we are diuerted letted frō that which is required for the seruice of God and the saluation of our soules if a man rise in the morning and goe to the Tauerne and tarry there all day and at night commeth home drunke and so againe the next day and the next and all the weeke long and neuer thinketh vpon his famely but letteth his wife and his children sit staruing at home wil we not say that he is a drunkard and in case he continue this course a moneth or two will we not reporte of him as of a perfect and desperate drunkard What shall we then say of those that doe so set their harts and mindes vpon the affaires of this life that so soone as they are vp in the morning they are presently at the Tauern of those cares wherein they delight and whereto they so giue themselues that they care neither for the kingdome of heauen the seruice of God nor the saluation of their own soules which is more during this repast at home their mindes are in their tauernes yea and which is worse whether they speak to God in their praiers or that God talketh to them by sermons their mindes are so wandering that immediatly they are in this tauerne of worldly cares and affaires and that so deepely that they neither hear God speaking to them neither wot what themselues doe say to him for there is no more but the body that speaketh or heareth euen a body as it were without a soule for their minde is in their Tauerne If they then follow this course not one moneth or sixe or tenne neyther one yeere but ten twentie thirtie yea euen to the death may we not well call them perfect drunkards Likewise as to that tauerne that beareth the name to haue the best drinke or wine the drunkards will soonest resort as seeking occasions to be drunk so these spirituall drunkards doe seeke after townes and places of most practise where there is great dooinges which breede encrease of cares that likewise they may be the more drunken in them 11 This is an excessiue and most pernitious drunkennesse yet ouer common among christians and therefore let euery man examine him selfe that knowing it he may amend And indede sith the kingdome of heauen doth dayly approch to the faithfull by death we are in duty to beware according to Christs admonition that our harts be not ouercome with this drunkennesse of cares least that day ouertake
vs in that drunkennes vnreadye and vnprepared to expect this kingdome of heauen in assurance ioy Let vs take heede that we doe not wittingly abuse our selues saying When I haue attained to such wealth or to such dignity I wil take my ease and come forth of this tauerne to serue God First it is an ordinary course that the more beere or wine that a man drinketh the more he may and the more the drunken man drinketh the more drunke he will be Euen so the more wealth and dignitie that thou hast the more shalt thou find thy cares to encrease and the more they encrease the more drunken in them thou wilt be Secondly we must take great heed that when God calleth vs to repentance and amendmeÌ„t we appoint him no time Prosper in his Sent. out of Aug. Sent. 71. He saith S. Augustine that hath promised forgiuenes to him that repenteth hath not promised another day to him that deferreth his amendement â—â—â—sius in 〈◊〉 Hebrew â—â—â—bian apoâ—â—â— lib. 1. Among the sentences of the wise men that liued among the Iewes after their return from the captiuitie of Babylon we reade of one Eleazar the sonne of Hircanus who being demanded when it woulde bee time to repent and amende aunswered One daie before death And when the other replied that no man knew the daie of his death he sayd Beginne then euen to daie for feare of failing 12 Inasmuch then as dayly we expect not onely death but also the day of iudgement that in that respect the kingdome of heauen commeth two solde vpon vs that we may the more earnestly be moued to our duty to amend let vs remember this saying of Iesus Christ Mat. 24.43 If the good man of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken Therefore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the son of man surely come And therefore he addeth Blessed is that seruant whom his master when he commeth shal finde doing his dutie And this is also represented vnto vs in the parable of the virgins For the foolish ones that tooke no oyle in their lamps were shut from comming in to the marriage Mat. 25. but the wise that had made their prouision came in Sith therefore that the kingdome of heauen is at hand let vs amend our liues and make good prouision of holy oyle increasing in the knowledge of God in faith loue holynes and all other good works let vs in time put on our wedding garments that when the bridegrome commeth if it be so dainly as himselfe hath warned vs we may be readie and prepared to enter into the marriage with him Neither let vs forget that as Iesus Christ doth aduertise vs Apoc. 22.20 It shall as a snare come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth And as he addeth Let vs watch and praie continually that we may be accounted worthie to escape all these thinges that shall come to passe Luke 21.34 and that we may stand before the sonne of man Your selues doo know perfestly sayth S. Paul that the daie of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night 1. Thes 5. 2. For when they shall saie Peace and safetie then shal come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauell vppon a woman with child and they shall not escape And then to comfort the faithfull hee sayth But ye brethren are not in darknes that that day should come vpon you as a theef ye are all the children of light and the children of the daie And thereupon he also taketh occasion to exhort them to theyr duties saying Therfore let vs not sleep as doo other but let vs watch be sober putting on the brest plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet Let vs beware that we folow not the euill seruant who seeing that his master was long in comming saide in himselfe that he wold not come therupon gaue himself to work wickednes Mat. 24.48 But as Iesus Christ addeth His master comming at an houre when he looked not for him cut him off and punished his iniquitie and incredulitie 13 Saint Peter warneth vs. that in the later daies there will come lyke people whoÌ„ he termeth mockers which will walke after their lusts saie Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers slept 2. Pet. 3.3 all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation But by a notable example he sheweth that they doo wittingly and willingly deceiue themselues in such discourses For when Noah foreshewed the floud and built the arke for his owne safetie the like mockers rise against him who seeing no apparance of the flould for aboue a hundred yeres thereof concluded that the world continuing in that estate shoulde not perish but were surprised and swallowed vp in the floud Inasmuch therefore as Iesus Christ commanding vs to amend doth affirme that his kingdom is at hand lest seeming to be long in comming we should therfore falsly conclude that it will not come let vs diligently note what S. Peter addeth Derely beloued be not ignorant of this one thing that a thousaÌ„d yeres is with the Lord as one daie and one day as a thousand yeres The Lord is not slacke as concerning his promise as some men account slacknes God is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance But the day of the Lorde will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe awaie with a noise and the elementes shall melt with heate the earth with the workes therin shall be burnt vp Then doth he thereof gather this earnest exhortation to repentance amendement of life Seeing therefore that all these things must bee dissolued what maner of persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlynes Looking for and hastning vnto the comming of the day of God wherein the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shal melt with heat But we loke for new heauens new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse c. 14 Albeit therfore it seem to our flesh that this kingdome is long in comming yet let vs not slacke our amendement Ioel. 2.12 but let vs euen this daie conuert and thinke vpon the saying of the prophet Ioel Euen this daie conuert vnto me sayth the Lord. Wherein he sheweth that he yet giueth vs this daie to repent but assureth vs not of to morrow Let the remembrance therfore of the drawing neere of the kingdome of heauen induce vs to amend 2. Tim. 4.8 to the end that in amending we may gather argument to long after the comming of Christ as it is the dutie desire of all the children of God Luke 21.28 And when we shall see the signes of his comming more more fulfilled let vs lift vp our heads reioyce because our deliuerance is at hand and that shortly wee shall be gathered and brought into the fruition of his kingdome and eternall glory FINIS
God And so let her humble her selfe in the sight of God and bee well assured that her subiection and obedience is acceptable vnto him Likewise that the more that the Image of God is restored in her and her husband through the regeneration of the holy Ghost the lesse difficultie shall she finde in that subiection and obedience as many in their marriage haue indeede tried to their great contentment and consolation 8 Some other duties ther be that particularly belong to women As first a certaine discretion and desire required at their handes to please the nature inclination and maners of their husbands so long as the same import no wickednesse For as the looking glasse how soeuer faire and beautifully adorned is nothing worth if it shew that countenaunce sad which is pleasaunt Eras Apotheg lib. 3. or the same pleasant that is sad So the woman deserueth no commendation that as it were contrarying her husband when hee is merie sheweth her selfe sad or in his sadnes vttereth her mirth And hereto may we referre the old saying of Socrates Men should obey the lawes of their Citties and women the maners of their husbands 9 Moreouer a modest and chast woman that loueth her husband must also loue her house as remembring that the husband that loueth his wife cannot so well like of the sight of any Tapisserie as to see his wife in his house Tit. 2. 5. And Saint Paule willeth the auncient women to teach the yonger sort among other things to bee chast to loue their husbands and to keepe the house Plut. in the precepts of marriage In this sence did our auncesters represent a woman by a Torteyse who neuer goeth out of her shell The woman that gaddeth from house to house to prate confoundeth her selfe her husband and her familie But there are fower seasons wherein the woman is to goe abroad The first to come to holy meetings according to the duty of pietie The second to visit such as stand in neede as the dutie of loue and charitie doe require The third for employment in houshold affaires committed to her charge The last with her husband when he shall require her As also Abimelech king of Gerar reprouing Sarah because she had as it were abandoned her selfe in that shee confessed not that Abraham was her husband Gen. 20.16 said vnto her Thy husband is the vayle of thine eyes to all men 10 The wife also is in dutie to bee content to please her husband and not to bee curious or giuen to adorning of her bodie or sumptuousnesse in apparell Which vanitie must of necessitie proceede either of ambition and pride or of some disordinate desire to content others rather then her husband And therefore it will better like him and bee more seemely and fit for her to vse modestie heerein especiall considering that such curiositie and vanitie is accompanied with great expence yea and in some with danger of lasciuiousnes And therfore Saint Paul admonisheth women to aray themselues in seemely and honest apparel with shamefastnes modesty not in brayded haire gold pearle 1. Tim. 2.9 or sumptuous apparel And the rather to correct this corruptioÌ„ being too coÌ„mon among women he exhorteth theÌ„ to be adorned with good works 1. Pet. 3.3 which saith he do best beseem such women as professe the seruice of God S Peter also hauing likewise coÌ„demned the outward ornaments which doe consist in imbrayded haire golde lace and gorgeous apparel admonisheth them to labour that the hidden man that is the soule may bee well furnished of vertue And in truth pietie and vertue are excellent ornaments for a woman of smal charge and the common prouerb is true that the women which are curious in adorning their bodies are negligent in furnishing the wants of their soules An ornament saith the Philosopher Crates is that which adorneth that adorneth which ministreth honor But gold-rings other deckings of the body are not the purchasers of honor but wisedome modestie chastitie and other vertues The woman that loueth her husband well must studie vpon all these duties aforesaid which as SalomoÌ„ saith wil make her happy Happy is the husband that hath a good wife and the reckoning of his life is double Prou. 26. Againe A vertuous wife reioyceth her husband and causeth him to liue in peace A good wife is a good inheritance which shall be giuen in recompence to those that feare God 11 To conclude let the wife carefully meditate practise the vertues which Salomon coÌ„mendeth in wise vertuous women in the 31. Chapter of the Prouerbs And the rather because the same are represented in 22. verses whereof the first beginneth at A the second at B Prou. 31. c. After the order of the Hebrew Alphabet were in that sort set downe by Salomon for a helpe to memorie consequently to shew that they are worthy to be learned by hart And therfore we wil here insert them to the end that wiues daily vsing them may studie to be more and more adorned with such vertues as make the woman commendable and the man blessed The vertues of a faithfull woman and a good huswife as they be described in Salomons Prouerbs Chap. 31. Who shall find a vertuous woman for her price is far aboue the pearles The hart of her husband trusteth in her and he shall haue no neede of spoyle She will doe him good and not euill all the daies of her life She seeketh Woole and Flax and laboureth cheerefully with her hands She is like the Marchants ships she bringeth her foode from a far She riseth while it is yet night giueth the portion to her houshold the ordinarie to her maides She considereth a field and getteth it with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard She girdeth her loynes with strength strengthneth her armes She feeleth that her marchandise is good her candle is not put out by night Shee putteth her hands to the wheele her handes handle the spindle She stretcheth out her hand to the poore and putteth foorth her handes to the neede She feareth not the Snow for her familie for all her familie is â—othed with Scarlet She maketh her selfe carpets fine linnen and pâ—â—ple is her garment Her husband is knowen in the gates when he sitteth with the elders of the land She maketh sheetes and selleth them and giueth girdles to the Marchant Strength and honor is her clothing and in the latter day she shall reioyce She openeth her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue She ouerseeth the waies of her husband and eateth not the bread of Idlenesse Her children rise vp and cal her blessed her husband also shall praise her saying Many daughters haue doone vertuously but thou surmountest them all Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie but a woman that feareth the Lord shee shall be praysed Giue her of the fruite of her handes and let
Empire consist in my due obedience to him For that man putteth off the affection of a childe to his father who by the eminencie of an office ouer him quencheth the name of a sonne Salomon forgat not himselfe in this kinde of dutie for hee did not onely bow before his mother Bathseeba as is aforesaide but also called her mother saying 1. King 2.20 Mother aske and I will not denie thee And this doe we the rather note also vpon another consideration namely that his example condemneth the custome of these daies wherein this name of father and mother is accompted so base and comtemptible that the children of Kinges Princes yea euen of meane Gentlemen speaking to their parentes must not say father mother but Sir my Lorde my Ladye Madam c. 5 But the due honor to parents that we here speake of implyeth not onely this outwarde reuerence but also that wee shoulde so esteeme of them as that neither our selues should dispise them neither shoulde wee suffer others to haue them in contempt Ioh. 8.49 Telecrus Plut. in his Lacon Apotheg And this are we to vnderstand in the saying of Iesus Christ I honor my father but you dishonour mee Hee there defendeth the honor of his father against the false opinions and slaunders of the Iewes A certaine Lacedemonian in olde time did truely performe this dutie of a childe For when one tolde him that his father spake hardly of him he aunswered Stobeus Scr. 177. that he would not doe it if he had not good cause Thus hee choose rather to beare the blame himselfe then his father shoulde In this sence when an other was readie to accuse his father in iudgement did one Pittacus reprooue him saying if thou preferrest a bad cause thou shalt bee condemned Likewise if the cause be right thou also shalt bee condemned for procuring thy fathers condemnation This also in this case is to bee noted that amonge the Romaines the childe was not admitted to sue the will or testament of his deade father by action but by petition onely wherein hee shoulde speake of him with humilitie honour and reuerence and referre his case wholy to the discretion and consciences of the iudges Thus ought children to honour and respecte theyr parentes Bodin in his first booke of a common-wealth cap. ◠But some there are so vnnaturall and peruerse that forgetting all due reuerence and respecte to theyr parents they will not onelie despise them in theyr owne hearts and suffer others to speake hardly of them but also will themselues so farre exceede as euen to laye them open to the skorne of others Gen. 3.22 C ham the sonne of Noah seeing his father lye vncouered called his brethren to shewe them his fathers shame But so odious was this impietie in the sight of God that Noah by the conduct of the holy Ghost cursed both him and all his posteritie And therefore we well and truely may say that those children who in liew of defending the honor of their parents doe lay them open to shame and reproofe are come of the cursed seede of Cham. 6 But what if they proceede farther Deut. 27.16 Exod. 21.17 Leuit. 20.9 Exod. 21 1◠and vse stubborne speeches against them with demonstration of pride and contempt which the holy Scripture tearmeth accursed This iniquitie is so abhominable in the sight of God that hee pronounceth Woe vnto those children that curse theyr father or mother Yea hee ordaineth that they should bee put to death as also all such as in action shall iniurie their parents by smiting either with staffe or fist c. And to cut off all replication as if death were to hard and rigorous a punishment especially in case there were no hurt or wound Leuit. 20.9 he confirmeth the former iudgement with this addition Because he hath cursed his father or mother his bloud shall bee vpon his owne head And indeede such children as either in word or deede shall iniurie father or mother euen those I say of whom they haue taken life who beare the Image of God and the title of father proper to God so that God is in them iniuried and condemned are monsters in nature In this respect among other the causes why the children of Israel were so hardly entreated by Nabuchadnezzer Ezech. 22.7 led captiue into Babilon the Prophet Ezechiel obiecteth vnto them that they dispised and contemned their parents Besides by experience we see that vsually those children that iniurie their parents are afterward as hardly intreated by their owne children Eras Apotheg lib. 8. And the knowledge of this iust vengeance is naturally imprinted in the hart of man as we reade of a wicked childe who being accused that he had smitten his father answered And he likewise did smite his father and this lad pointing to his owne sonne when he groweth bigger will also smite and wrong me And surely Laert. lib. 1. c. 1 as Thales the Milesian said As children doe intreate their parents so will their children entreate them Therefore it might beseeme children to suffer their parents rather to treade them vnder their feete then so furiously to rise against them And to that ende let them acknowledge this Image of God and remember what their parents haue done for them that detesting such enormities of cursing or smiting their parents as is aforesaid they contrariwise may beare them reuerence respect and honor in heart and minde both in word and deede 7 This commaundement of honoring our parents comprehendeth also subiection and obedience as Saint Paule plainely teacheth saying Children obey your parents in the Lorde for this is right Ephe. 6.1 Honor thy father and mother Which is the first commaundement with promise That it may bee well with thee and that thou maist liue long vpon the earth Hereby it appeareth that subiection obedience forced and constrained the Lord doth not accept but that which proceedeth of honor and reuerence either to father or mother And therefore it is the dutie of children vnluntarily to submitte themselues to their parents commaundements without replying or cōtradiction euen albeit the obedience might import some trouble and difficultie Ionadab the sonne of Rechab forbad his children that they should build no houses plant no vines nor drinke any wine They obeyed their father Iere. 35. and that with such constancie that the Prophet Ieremie obiecteth the same against the Iewes in reproch of their disobedience against God The obedience of Abraham vnto God when he was ready to sacrifice vnto him his only sonne is highly commended Gen. 22.9 and as notable was the obedience of his son Isaac in that he suffered himself to be bound and was content to be slaine sacrifised vnto God But most excellent of al was the obedience of Iesus Christ Who as S. Paul saith being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to bee equall with God Phil. 2.6 yet made himselfe of