and Transsâ—luania ouerrunne besides y â— Austriche was by thassaultyng of Vienna sore shakeÌ„ Wherevnto if ye recken that whiche wee loste before twoo greate dominions were spoiled by that Idolater the Turke Constantinople and Trapezus twelue kyngdomes taken from vs emong which wer Chalcis Scodra and many other Ilandes HidruÌ„tum with twoo hundred citees Neither did other lesse desire to augment their dominions By al whose tirannicall attemptes it is comen to passe that the Turke hath enlarged his Empire Eastwarde vnto Euphrates Westwarde to the Sea of Ionia Southwarde to Ethiopia Northward to the sea called Euxinum and vnlesse the nobilitie moued with Gods loue and outcrie of the selie people whiche bee reserued to the pitifull yoke of seruitude or els be next to the daunger of death doe withstande it nether the countreis whiche are borderyng vpon the Riuer Dunowe whiche yet remain entier shall coÌ„tinue safe neither will he cease continually to enlarge his dominions But he wer not so moche to be feared if our bodies and goodes onely were in daunger of him and not also our soules in neglecting the doctrine of our faithe For he causeth the childreÌ„ in their teÌ„der age to drinke the Mahometicall poison and leadeth the elder sort to helle fire by forsakyng the crosse of Christe Where is that famous citee ConstaÌ„tinople whiche was so highlie renoumed by so many Patriarkes whiche were soche holie fathers and wherein the Sinode and generall counsaill was kepte by an hundred and fiftie Bisshoppes againste Macedonius whiche denied the holie Ghost to be God Where is Nicea a citee of Bithinia where three hundred fower score and eight bisshops condeÌ„pned the heresie of the Arrianes Where is Ephesus the greate Toune where the marte was kepte for all the hetherside of Asia to whom Saincte Paule preached the Gospell wherein Nestorius appoincting two natures in Christ was accursed by the Iudiciall sentence of twoo hundred bisshops Where is Chalcedon situate vpoÌ„ y â— streites of Thracia whose name is blased welnigh through the worlde for that there sixe hundred thirtie fathers gathered in counsaill did condempne Eutiches Dioscorus his scholer one of the same secte whiche held opinion that the nature of the worde of God incarnate and the fleshe whiche Christ tooke wer but all one Where be the GalathiaÌ„s Corinthe of Achaia Philippi Thessalonice twoo citees of Macedonia and Athenes the citee of wisedome of whence was Dionisius Areopagita Whiche when the Apostle had regenerated he did partlie by his writyng set forthe for a perpetuall memorie Be not thei through extreme rigour of warres brought to naught and haue so swarued from the true God that of al there can scarce one or twoo be found that will stand to the confession of the crosse of Christ and call vpon the God of heauen And that ambition discord ciuill warres impietie studie of priuate gain and vnfaithfulnes haue giuen no small occasion to this mischief the histories of christen Princes to declare and we by experience to late and to our great calamitie be taught the same Learne therfore ye anointed Kinges ye good Princes to whom the gouernement of the common weale is coÌ„mitted spare your subiects spare those that haue entred into the same Baptisme with you whiche doe acknowledge one God one Sauiour whiche be one with you in Christe by whome we be all Bretherne all enheritours of Heauen wherein there is nether Hebrue nor Greake nether Lorde nor Subiecte but euery one shall giue an accompt of that he hath done in his bodie Demas the Philosopher perceyuing the Athenians verie busie to appoynt diuine honoures to Alexander willed theim to beware lest while they minded Heauen they loste the Earthe But take you heede lest you lese Heauen while you kepe the earth Consider with your selues that all warres be daungerous and deadlie euen to the first authours bicause of Robberies Theifte vnrecouerable losse of bodie and soule inordinate desâ—ouring of maidens and widowes burning spoyle of all thinges the oppression and rigorous handeling of innoceÌ„tes so manie kinde of blasphemies wheras no droppe of innocent bloode vniustlie shedde shalbe left vnreuenged but that the iust and euerlasting iudge which knoweth the certain number of our heares will require it at their handes Note besides here so many maÌ„slaughters so moche hooredome so much vilanie the losse of so many soulles wherby a great weight of accompte lieth on their handes whereas the burden of euerie mannes owne iniquitie is so great that he neadeth not to be laden with other mens mischieues Wherefore if any man respectinge godlines louinge peace and bicause God coÌ„maundeth his seruauntes to turne their swordes into culters their speires into mattocks that the Woulfe may dwell with the Lambe the Leopard lye doune with the Goate the Calfe Lion and shepe kepe coÌ„panie together so that one natioÌ„ do not arise fight againste another but doe forget hencefurth the name of warre will not for all this cease but continue stil w e out feare of correction to walke after his own lust he shall one daie find that he shall not escape vnpunished If we wil needes shew our selues valiaunt yonder is the Turke youÌ„der be thenemies of Christes crosse any man maye arme himself against theÌ„ and go to recouer that part of christendome which thei haue subdued infected with impietie by the negligence of our princes to rescew froÌ„ cruell seruitude and the iawes of hel the poore people that crie for help and let euery man so shewe himself stoute in his quarell that it may appere that he fighteth for his couÌ„trey for his brethreÌ„ for the glory of Christ and so he shalbe not onely commended emong men but shal also receiue a reward of him whiche leaueth no euill vnpunished nor no good deede vnrewarded THE Ninthe Booke concernyng the good ordering of a common weale The argument of the first Chapiter That the keping of peace and quietnesse in a Common weale is a greate furtheraunce to felicitie AS it is extreame impietie alwaie to minde warres and to turne al thinges vpside doun So it is a singular vertue an excellent poinct of wisedome to be quiet and to maintaine in a common weale peace the onelie staie thereof For Seneca borne at Corduba the Greate Maister of good maners semeth to haue saied not much amisse That it is the propertie of a very king in deede not to exercise his aucthoritie euer when he maie And the very ende and knittyng vp of the warres by experience teache vs that it is not so expedient alwaie although wee maie somtime prouoke others with warres iustlie to break peace and disturbe quietnesse So that it maie seame moche better to sustaine any losse either of goodes yea or estimacion bicause some dooe thinke their honour and estimacion stained if thei dooe not wreake themselues vppon the insolencie of others and cause an burlie burlie in the common weale then to yelde vnto maliciousnes
to destroy them in the wildernes with famine and honger GOD minding to represse this sedicion at the first breaking out sente downe fire foorthe of heauen which so burnt vp Chorah with an hundred and fiftie men that toke his parte that their bodies were neuer sene after Moreouer the earth gapynge so deuoured Dathan Abiron their adherentes with their tents and all their substaunce that they pearished from among the midst of the people and couered with earth so went quicke into helle Ensamples certainlie whiche God woulde not in vaine haue set furth vnto vs in writinge were it not that thereby we should learne to reuerence the magistrates to submit our selues vnto lawes tâ— kepe peace and quietnes and to beare the burden of the crosse with a suffering and patient mynde Then ought we not to make anie coÌ„motions against our magistrates be they neuer so euill ne yet againste anye other but euery man beyng content with that which God hath giuen him muste do his dewtie and thinke him selfe to be a parte of that bodie whiche God would should be vnseuered and vnbrokeÌ„ whose true head is Christ in whiche bodie if either magistrates or subiectes beginne to go out of kinde and to anoye theÌ„ thou muste not either violentlie or riottouslie go about to amend it and lewdlie to take vpon the reuengement whiche is dew onelie to God But pursewe thou the matter with that armour which the holie word of god giueth the that is thou must aduise counsayle warne sollicite and earnestlie charge theim to cease from their enterprise as vnhonest vngodlie and wicked not to offende goddes people but that they repeÌ„t and worke that which is good and godlie Now if they vouchsafe to heare thy good counsell thou haste doen a Christen mannes office preseruing theim whiche were in the readie passage towardes the Deuill so much the readier bycause it is so open and playne that a man maie go thither euen blindfield But if thei shut their eares and refuse to heare thy godlie admonicioÌ„s thou must not therfore draw thy swerd leste thou perish with the sweâ—rde But thou must paciently remit the cause vnto him whiche knoweth the number of the heares of thine heade and punisheth the sorer the longer he forbeareth The argument of the fourth Chapiter That suche men are to be receauid into a citie as will be carefull to prouide for them selues without disturbaunce of the common concorde THerfore not al kinde of men ought to be admitted into a citie but onelie suche as â—e discrete and wel manered For it forceth muche what maner of men thei be wherupoÌ„ the Citie doeth consiste And therefore Socrates in Plato gathereth that as one kinde of man is fitte for one kinde of common weale another for another so one kinde of common weale is fit for sondrie kindes of men For the diuersitie of condicions in men causeth the diuersitie of coÌ„mon weales as in Hesiode the diuersitie of ages was measured by the diuersitie of mens behauiours For they in the Golden age liued without sorow or griefe bicause they were godlie iuste temperate and onelie giuen to vertuouse life After ensued the Siluer age wherein by litle and litle grewe iniurie pride impietie intemperaunce and obstinacie Then came the Brasen age wherein all mischiefe braste out Then firste began warres then were the Giauntes whiche despised heauen who had none other lawe then stode in armes and violences so that it was neadful to raise vp noble men to tender the weake to protecte them from suffering wrounge Last of al is comen the yron worlde the moste accursed of all other full of labour miserie carefulnes impietie iniustice deceipte murther periurie and to be short there is scarse anie wickednesse on the yearth whiche is not holden as a vertue These menne for their iniquitie be in daunger of many greate and terrible mischiues in so muche that oft times an whole Citie hath been punished for one trespace besides that Iustice sitting by God the heauenly father continuallie complaineth vpon iniustice and iniuries of menne vntill suche tyme as reuengement be appoincted So writeth Hesiode Iupiter which casteth a large vew ouer al doth sore punish those whiche delight in reproches and naughtie workes OfteÌ„times an hole Citie fareth the worse for one euill man And further Iustice is a maide and daughter vnto Iupiter gracious and is reuenged by all the goddes in Heauen Yea and when as any man with vniuste doinges doth displease her she sitteth by Iupiter her father and openeth to him the wickednes of mannes mynde that he maye reuenge her As the maners of men varied so the ages varied vntill suche time as their iniquitie of life came to such extremitie that it might be compared euen vnto yron Then can it not otherwise bee but that a Citie must haue in it al sortes of men wherof some be wardens and gouernours some men of occupacioÌ„ and artificers some men of liuelyhoode and possessioners wherin let euery man learne to do his dewtie and diligentlie to execute the office whereunto he is called Thauncient writers make souldiours and suche as follow the warres a porcion of theyr Citie as though it were not ynoughe for Citizens to liue accordynge vnto theyr desires in peace onlesse they had some to defend them at such time as thei be prouoked with iniurie or elles constreyned to warre in theyr enemies lande For profe wherof we maye bryng Rome Carthage NumaÌ„tia Lacedemon Thebes Athens Venice Ienua and all other free Cities whiche neuer acknowledge any forreyne Prince but lyue alwayes within their owne liberties as you maie also vnderstand by Aristotle in his polytiques And not Emperours onlye and Capitaines do commende vnto vs the estate of warriers as verie necessarie but Tullie also him selfe doth preferre it before the knowledge of the ciuill lawe His wordes in the oracion whiche he made in the defence of Lucius Murâ—na be these And certainly for I must neades say as I thinke this martiall vertue farre surmounteth all other for this hath gotten a name vnto the people of Rome this hath wonne eternall glorie to this Citie this hath compelled the whole circuite of the worlde to obeye this our Empire All these ciuill matters all these our excelleÌ„t studies all this our courtlie and oratorious praise and diligeÌ„ce do lurke vnder the warrantie and defence of warlie prowes As soone as anie suspicion of tumulte is noised al our artes be whisht Then all the aucthoritie is committed to them that be best men of warre For all thinge belonginge to the empire and state of the Citie are thought by them to be strengthened and fortified Howbeit gouernours muste in this paincte haue a vigilant iye that their people and citezeins be so trained vp and enured that thei maie knowe their true allegeaunce and be warie in thintertainement of forriners receiuyng none but soche as be bent to obedieÌ„ce and not
talent and restore it againe to the good man of the house with gaine and all to this ende that we maie bee receiued into the communion of sainctes and bee enterteined in the housholde of God This thyng must the Smithe at his anuile consider the maiden at her distaffe the plowman at his plowtaile the woman at her babes cradle and euery one in his vocatiō must wey this referryng al his workes to the glory of God his creatour and redemer haue in speciall care that this common weale whose beginnyng nature hath almoste wrought maie be the Image of that whiche is in heauen that the passage and flitiyng from this to that maie be the more redily had Certainly who so liueth in a common weale vnlesse he doe leuell at this marke and directe all his doynges therevnto with a mynde lightened vpward he is an vnprofitable citizen for he hath not charitie and if he shewe any thyng in outwarde apparaunce good bicause he doeth not place it well it is all in vaine and but a ciuill piece of worke whiche shall receiue his owne honour and vanishe awaie like the soūdyng brasse or tinkelyng Cymball euen with the sounde thereof ¶ The argument of the. v. Chapiter That a citee ought so to be appoincted that none be lefte idle therein but euery man taxed to doe his duetie whereby it maie cause as it were an harmonie or an agreable note of thynges of it self WHO so beholdeth the comlie proportion of this worlde shall steight waie see that all thynges were created and compacted togither with so great wisedom that neither any thing can bee required more ye yet couched in more commendable order Wherevpon the Grekes name the worlde Cosmos as who saie an ornamente as Plato in his dialogue whiche is intuled Cratilus dooeth reason whereby our citees maie take ensample to agree in one through al their partes and to declare a certain ioyntmeasure and concordaunce in thēselues whiche shall then come to passe when euery man dooeth his duetie not passyng his function when euery man bringeth with him that cognisaunce and meane to further the common weale whereby the partyng of cōmodities aswel priuate as publike is sought with great trust and peaceablenesse whē euery man endeuoureth y ◠euery thyng maie go forward holdyng the citees profite to be his owne For by experience we be taught that by agremente smalle thynges encrease and growe but by disagrement as Salust also writeth the greatest decaie and goe bacwarde for what can bee worse in a common weale then that any manne should prefer profite before honestie or be enuious or troubled with inward grudge or rancour of mynd against his felowe citizens Which thyng moste lighteth among suche as doe more regard their owne peculiare gaine then the generall auaile of the whole citee whereof as the worlde goeth now the greatest sorte is bicause of their corrupte conditions whiche maie so muche the soner and easier trouble the common peace as the discipline of the common weale is so weake and yelden ouer to the wickednesse and luste of naughtie men Whervpon idlenes taketh occasion of entrie and contempt of lawes after whiche as Pythagoras is aucthor deliciousnes did crepe in streight theron surfeit then violence last of all destruction Neither doe we call him onely idle that neither doeth neither moueth any thyng but hym also whiche doeth not hold him self content with his owne but is nothing ashamed to occupie his sithe in an other mannes croppe of corne and beyng but a priuate man will not sticke to iudge examine and cōptroll as hym liketh that whiche belongeth to an other mannes duetie forgettyng the cōmon prouerbe Let not the Shoemaker medle aboue the latchet of his shoe auenturyng not onely to questiō that he hath nothyng to doe withall but also to attempte the same whiche poincte is so muche against the common wealth and societie as nothyng can be more For he pitcheth his mynde rather vpon the dissoluyng then preseruyng the societie of life For as by temperaunce common weales doe seamely claspe together so by insolēce thei perishe and be vndoen whiche specially chaunceth amōgest the greatest nomber of the people whē lawes ordinaunces be had incōtempt And like as man is made milde gentle and ciuill by discipline of lawes so ye shal finde hym the moste cruell beast of all others if he maie ones shake of this bridle and yoke For it is manifestly knowen that by the firste synne wherewith man was corrupted he is of a stubburne boldnes and vnles he bee kept vnder of lamentable estate as wholy addicted to affections whiche be snaffled and commannded to be obedient to the lawe of the spirite by wisedome godlines and gouernement of discipline whiche thyng Apuleius a Philosopher of Plato his sect doeth after a sort mean saiyng Men reioising in reason eloquēt in talke hauing immortall soules mortalle limmes beastlike and feble bodies light and vncertain myndes vnlike conditions like errours stubburne stoutnes harde hope vaine trauaile fickle fortune particulerly decaiyng yet vniuersally euer liuyng chaungeable in the engenderyng of children of swifte tyme flowe wisedome quicke death complainyng life doe inhabite the yearth In whiche wordes y ◠Philosophers◠liuely describeth and setteth furthe mankynde in his qualities that Augustine the Bisshoppe of Hippone and a greate doctour of the churche could not mislike ne dissallowe the same And yet for all this frowarde inclination and vnlikenes of maners in men thei shall easely agree among thē selues if euery one wil continue to doe his duetie in the concourse with others neither entermeadle with other but beyng contente with his owne vocation will shewe a proofe of hymself in tyme that he maie ones gaine the reward worthy suche liuyng therevnto warned by these wordes of sainct Paule Therefore I a prisoner in the Lorde doe exhort you to walke worthy the vocation wherevnto ye be called with all humilitie and lowlines with long sufferyng one bearyng with an other in charitie labouryng to kepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bande of peace So good a thyng so holy and so pleasaunt to God is it that euery man abide in his vocation whervnto he is receiued with all submission For so shall it bee that of those vnlike doynges of euery citezen in particulare and sundrie kindes of life brought into one concord by a certaine agreable meanes and vniforme order a moste swete harmonie of ciuill agrement shal be occasioned whiche also shall represent the image of the heauenly cōtinuyng and kepyng vnshaken bothe the likenes and also the vnityng togither of manly ciuilitie Whiche order either troubled or dissolued it shall not go forwarde muche lesse ought it to be called a common weale bicause it is not direct to her owne ende but rather a clusteryng of suche a companie as labouryng in vain doe not passe to offende their neighbour and to displease God Thus a citee must no
A VVOORKE OF IOANNES FERRARIVS Montanus touchynge the good orderynge of a common weale wherein aswell magistrates as priuate persones bee put in remembraunce of their dueties not as the Philosophers in their vaine tradicions haue deuised but according to the godlie institutions and sounde doctrine of christianitie Englished by William Bauande 1559. ¶ Imprinted at London by Ihon Kingston for Ihon Wight dwellyng in Poules Churchyarde TO THE MOSTE HIGH and vertuous Princesse ELIZABETH by the grace of God Quene of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendour of the faith c. long raigne prosperous health and perpetuall felicitie THAT ELECT VESSEL and blessed Apostle S. Paule saieth that all power commeth from God and that he that resisteth power resisteth the ordinaunce of God Whereas then it hath pleased the greate Lord of Lordes and Kyng of Kynges moste gracious soueraigne Ladie to enstalle your highnesse by his diuine prouidence in the Roialle throne of maiestie to rule ouer this realme of Englande it behoueth your grace to be vigilaunt and carefull that the weightie administracion thereof bee by your good gouuernemente throughlie executed and discharged Whiche then cometh to passe when God is in his creatures truelie glorified and honoured and the people trained vp in godlie learnyng decēt order and vertuous conuersacion And althoughe there bee many holesome Lawes and ordinaunces sette foorthe and established in your graces dominiōs wherby your highnesse subiectes bee brideled and restrained from corrupt abuses and licenciousnesse of liuyng and enduced to embrace Iustice temperaunce vpright dealing and all kindes of vertues yet as soone as one vice or enormitie is rooted out and abolished an other more notorious and horrible ariseth and encreaseth soche is the peruersitet of man prone to all kinde of iniquitie euen as it were out of Hydras heade So easie is the waie that leadeth manne to perdicion so harde is the passage that bryngeth hym to saluacion But happie be thei yea and mooste happie that can so stronglie arme theim selues that thei maie be able to encounter the fearce assaultes of their enemie to neglect the wicked allurementes of the worlde to passe the streites of yearthlie vanitees and to prouide theim selues of suche furniture for their iourney that frō this vale of miserie and calamitee thei maie be conueighed vnto the high palaice of felicitie from this mortafie and visible habitacion vnto that immortall and inuisible Hierusalem Vnto the whiche mansion place not the dreames and fancies of the olde Philosophers nor their vaine supersticions and fonde tradicions although some of theim deuised many good Lawes and rules for politique gouuernement can directlie leade vs but the diuine institucions of the Prophetes of God the sounde doctrine of the Apostles and the perfecte trueth of Christes Gospelle are there vnto our mooste sure guides and conductours In whiche pathe soche maie the better learne to walke as will diligentlie reade and willinglie followe suche learned lessons godlie instructions as are set forth in this treatise touchyng the good orderyng of a common weale Wherein as vices bee sharplie rebuked abuses reproued and many exhortaciōs vsed that al impietee should bee vtterlie abandoned So bee vertues highlie commēded good customes approued and mennes myndes moued to embrace Godlie liuyng Whiche thinges how profitable and necessarie thei bee to bee knowen soche shall beste iudge as haue respecte to their owne safetie and tender mannes wealthe and the common commoditee And that your highnesse subiectes of this your common weale of Englande might the easelier vnderstande the same for their better instruccion I haue published vnder your graces protection this peece of worke in our vulgare English toūgue wherin as nere as I could I haue doen the duetie of a faiethfull interpretour But when these my simple doynges and first fruictes of my studie be presented before your Maiestie it maie then please your highnesse to calle to your remembraunce that GOD at the tyme of the erection of his tabernacle did not onelie accepte soche as brought to the beutifiyng and ornament thereof golde siluer purple scarlette white silke precious stones sweete perfumes other riche and sumptuous presentes but also he toke in verie good part the good willes of thē that offered brasse iron goates heare oile candelstickes frankincense and other thynges of like smalle value and importaunce So my moste humble peticion vnto your Maiestee is most benyng and gracious soueraigne that you would aswell accepte this my poore presente as though it were some greater gifte or costlier iewell And I as my bounden duetie requireth as it becometh al soche as owe vnto your highnesse their true allegeaunce will praie to almightie God that your grace maie long raigne ouer vs in greate honour with victorie ouer all your enemies and that this your graces common weale of Englande by your Godlie Lawes and ordinaunces and throughe the comelie order and honest behauiour of your highnesse subiectes maie bee a worthye spectacle of vertue to all christendome At the middle Temple the. 20. daie of December 1559. YOVR highnes moste humble and obedient subiecte w. Bauande THE Firste Booke touchyng the good ordering of a common weale ¶ The argument of the firste Chapiter That manne is then in the redy waie toward true felicitie when the common weale wherevnto nature hath made hym framable and he hath yelden hymself is by good gouernment well appoincted SEyng myne entent is to write of the good orderyng of a common weale me thinke it expediente to beginne at man whiche bicause he ioyned hymself in felowship of life with others caused first citees to bee builded as one that is emong all other kyndes and natures of liuing creatures alone receinable aswell of reason as also of knowlege and forecast wherof all other thinges lacke the benefite Whervpon M. Tullius writeth that there is a certaine likenes of cousinage betwene God and manne Bicause that God whē he had made all other liuyng thynges stoupe doune for foode reared vp onely man and giuyng hym an high countinaunce stirred hym vp to heauen as to viewe the place frō whence his auncient parentage was fet Man therefore by nature is bent to a ciuilitie bent to gentlenes so bent that no poinct of vngentlenes might stain hym if that by synne and a continuall corruption of life he were not ledde to the contrarie wherefore it is moste for his behofe to entre suche a trade of liuyng as wherby he maie recouer and shewe hymself by the couenaunt of his societie to be borne vnto the appliyng of vertue Not so moche but the Philosophers Heathen writers by searche of thinges learned that nature had laid in vs certain sparcles and cherishementes of vertues wherby incontinent we should bee moued to honestie and goodnes to the ende that we might shewe the nighnes of our reason vnto God if we were not hindered therein by a certaine inward corrupeion and vntowardnes whiche euen within our body swarueth from goodnes forgettyng that the
euerlastyng father embraced man with so greate zeale with so great loue that for his sake wheÌ„ he had made all thinges he did put all vnder hym declaryng by an vnreproueable reason that all thynges whiche be vpon yearth were create and brought furthe for mannes vse and man to the glorie and honour of his creatour from the whiche benefite of calling he streight degendreth that folowyng vngodlinesse neither attaineth the true vse of thinges neither shooteth or bendeth his minde toward the pricke of this life Wherein there is no neade to seke forreine testimonies seyng the holie Scriptures bee so full thereof for the holy Moses saieth thus And God created man after the image and likenes of hymself after the image of God he created hym male and female he created them and God blessed theim and saied Encrease and bee multiplied furnishe the yearth and bryng it vnder you bee ye lordes ouer the fisshes of the sea and birdes of the aire and al liuyng thinges that bee moued vpon the yearth and God saied Beholde I haue giuen vnto you all herbes that bryng furthe seede vpon the yearth and all trees that haue in theim selues seede â–ª graine after their kinde to bee vnto you for sustenaunce and to al that liueth vpon the yearth c. And an other where Bicause God created man to be vndestroyed and made hym after the likenes of his own Image You vnderstand the excellencie of mankind to whom it was not inough that he was create after the likenesse of God but also he had in charge to bee gouernour of all liuyng thinges Therfore man is create to haue charitie to bee godlie and vertuous to vse the creatures subiecte vnto hym to the glorie of God to call vpon hym and finally at his departure hence to be conueied vp to heaueÌ„ wherevnto he is ordeined For at the beginning he was so appoincted that counsaill should bee in his hande and before hym should be life and death water and fire good and euill that he might stretche his hande to whiche he would But bicause he bestowing that counsaill naughtely chosed to fall into sinne death ensued bicause man did transgresse the lawe and commaundement of God whiche staine hath issued froÌ„ the first man into all mankinde so that in hym there is nomore either any truthe mercie or godlinesse but curse liyng aduoutrie manslaughter stealth and all kinde of mischief Wherefore his glorie is tourned into shame as the Prophet and the other scripture witnesseth so that there is not one whiche can directe his counsaill to good or attain vnto heauen wherevnto he is allied for no manne goeth vp vnto heauen but he whiche came doune from heauen the soonne of man that is in heauen Therefore none is good but one that is God Howbeeit although in this calamitie of mankynde by reason of the corrupte nature there is not one that of hymself can doe any good yet those sparcles whiche at the beginnyng were laied in manne of himself to desire honestie and goodnesse bee not so vtterly quenched but that he maie by studie compasse bothe honestie and vertue get the name of a good liuer in the common weale and so as it were win a certaine taste of happinesse Accordyng to whiche drift the elder Africane me seameth warned P. Cornelius Scipio in the dreame reported by Marcus Cicero in the sixte of his bookes whose argumente is touchyng a common weale by these woordes There is a certain and appoincted place in heauen where suche as haue saued helpte and enlarged their countrey shall euerlastyngly enioye blessednesse For there is nothyng more acceptable vnto God the greate prince whiche ruleth all this worlde that can be doen in this worlde then the assembles and repaire of menne established by lawe whiche be called citees The gouernours and preseruers whereof as thei wente hence so thei shall retourne hether again Naie to speake the verie truthe thei alone doe properly liue whiche haue taken their flight furthe of these bodily boundes as it wer furthe of a iaole For your life as you terme it is death And in deede the bokes of olde writers be full of suche as haue clomme aboue the sterres and been canonized emong sainctes either for some singularitie of iustice and stoutnesse or shewyng some excellent qualitie or otherwise deseruyng well of their countrey For thei haue vsed to accoumpte suche as goddes in deede whiche haue doen well to men Herevpon riseth the Prouerbe Man is a God to man So greatly did thei beyng verie Painims acknowledge onely God to be the benefactour Therefore there haue alwaie been founde in commoÌ„ weales suche as neuer ceased to embrace iustice to doe bothe stoutly and wisely to preferre the common wealâ— before their owne priuate to engraffe the discipline of good behauier to defende the good to snaffle the naughtie to embrace vertue to support their countrey whiche poinctes doe rather beloÌ„g to a ciuill order then that any man should holde them as a short waie to the heauenlie life and true happinesse And after suche sorte God from tyme to tyme hath alwaie raised vp certaine whiche should gather men to gether into citees frame guide thesame whiche like good menne might kepe the rest in quietnesse Whiche poinct seyng it commeth by the verie motion of nature it maie not be iudged to surmount nature muche lesse ought it to be rekened any poinct of ciuill gouernement and to be imputed to the true goodnesse Neither yet although I accompte these not to be any parcelles of the verie true and godly goodnes doe I therefore holde it euill in our ciuill life to liue vertuously to obeie lawes not to doe to other that we would not haue doen to our selues as without whiche the societie of men appoincted originally by the ordinaunce of God should hang stailesse and become rather a swarme of vilaines then a reuerent resort of good persones And therefore for the eschewyng of further misunderstandyng it shalbe requisite to declare the difference whiche we put in goodnes The first kinde of goodnesse maie be called Ciuill whiche perteineth to the honestie of life when we doe vertuous deedes whiche then take place when we dooe one thing ofte tymes well whiche maketh good and vertuous men and after a sorte traineth vs toward felicitie and a blessed life For thappoinctement whereof the Philosophers as men that neuer tasted what true happinesse ment be in variaunce For some accompt the wealth of the worlde outward gooddes happinesse ledde therevnto by this reason for that suche as haue them by the profite and commoditie thereof be holden as happie suche thynges be riches possessions fairenesse of body strength and other kinde of vanitios whereof Epicurus Chrisippus and soche like be pattâ—â—s and vouchers Other drawing nigher vnto nature or rather reason do place happines in the gooddes of the minde that is vertues wisedome prudence temperauÌ„ce iustice sobrenes stoutnes and other good