no mind to loue theyr friends or brethren and a little after they drawe out swoordes Valerius Maximus writeth Valer Max lib. 3. that in olde time the vse of wine was vnknowen among the Romane wiues least they should fall into anie reproch For wine is the first steppe to fornication and the woman that longeth after wine shutteth her gates agaynst vertue and openeth them to vice If wee that professe Christianitie stood in as great feare of offending God incurring his wrath or casting our selues headlong into hell as the Heathen women were carefull and constant in defending theyr honour wee woulde resolue neuer to drinke anie wine rather than to incurie the daunger of dronkennesse 15 Some will reply that albeit they drinke much yet they do neuer so farre exceed as to ouercome their senses But let them remember the wo that Esay denounceth Esay 5.22 1 Pet. 4.3 not only against those that drinke awaie their senses but also against such as be strong to swalow strong drinke S. Peter among our sins committed in the time of our ignorance for which he wisheth vs to be sorrie hereafter to beware noteth not onely dronkennesse but also all vnneedfull drinking Wherein both Esay and S. Peter doo shew 1. Cor. 6.10 that where S. Paul hath pronounced Prouer 21.20 that dronkards shall not inherit the kingdom of heauen vnder the name of dronkennes he cōprehendeth all vnnecessarie drinkings And in the same sense doeth Salomon warne vs to shun the companie not onely of dronkardes but of all swillers in of wine and strong drinke 16 Why saie some Is it not lawfull for one to drinke to another Truely if men were so obliuious as sitting at the table and beeing thirsty they could not remember to drinke it were a deed of charitie curtesie by drinking to them to remember them to drinke but when they remember to drinke before they thirst it is no great almes to drinke to them True but it is a testimonie of good will Neither are wee so seuere or rigorous as that wee will simply condemne the custome and vse thereof onely wee woulde inforce this condition that they should abide within the bounds of amitie and sobrietie and not vnder the pretence of a testimonie of good will to presse men to drinke more than they need neither to force them to that which they falsely tearme dooing of reason For is there anie reason that a man should drinke before he thirst or when hee cannot brooke it without his hurt Is it a reasonable request to vrge another to drinke as much as thy selfe No no more than to vrge him to eate as much as thy selfe or hauing lesse feete to weare as great shooes as thy selfe or to put as much wine in a little vessell as thou canst into a great Others are not ashamed to saie It is the custome of the Countrie but do they thinke that that wil be a sufficient excuse in the sight of God A custome repugnant to good manners is no custome but a corruption and a vice that is to be reiected Because the Heathen in olde time dyd not account simple fornication betweene two vnmarryed persons a sinne is it not therefore a sinne worthie death and euerlasting damnation God wyll not iudge men after the custome of the world and mans opinion but according to his word 17 Some wyll replie that God created wine to reioyce mannes heart but wyth Salomons mother wee will aunswere that it must bee giuen to those that faint in sorrowe Prou 31.6 whose heartes are in bitternesse not to those that are alreadie vnreasonable fat and merrie It must sayth a certayne Heathen man bee vsed soberly as a medicine It must bee so vsed as out of the sweetnesse of the lycour we may take occasion to praise God for his goodnesse not to offend him by abusing it To bee short this vse of wine to reioyce the heart extendeth not to a brutish ioy to conuert a man into an ape an hog or a lyon as is aforesayd but to a ioy that strengthneth both heart and bodie preparing and disposing euerie man to imploy himselfe in his vocation Gen. 9.21 Gen. 19. 18 Finally such as to excuse themselues doo pretend the examples of Noah and Lot do couer themselues with a wet sacke The one was dronke once the other twice both were dronke but no drunkards Neither is their example set downe for vs to follow no more than Dauids adulterie the infirmitie of S. Peter 2. Sam. 11. Math. 26 who denied Christ but rather that we should take heed therof As when we see a man fall wee will not fall as he doeth but looke better to our seet or els turne out of the waie least we should fall as he did Their example is but a representation of mans frailty that we may thereof gather this instruction If men endued with such holynes and vertue did fall what shall wee doo euen wee who liue among dronkards to which sinne both of our selues we are inclined by others forced vnles we stand wel vpon our gard and do constantly resist the allurements and temptations thereof And therefore let vs well consider the cursed fruits of the dronkennesse as wel of Noah who with his owne mouth cursed his owne sonne Chain all his posteritie as of Lot who committed incest with his two daughters to the end that such as excuse themselues by their example may expect Gods like iudgementes against them To conclude let vs alwaies thinke vppon this saying of Heraclitus That soule is best that is driest and least wet in wine Of Fornication and other whooredome Chap. 17 THe other kind of lust whereof we are now to intreat is Fornication The holy Scriptures noting mans monstrous corruption to be worse than beasts in this respect propoundeth such abhominable kinds thereof that chast eares doe euen abhorre to heare them named They be sins against nature as in deed they be called and therefore shall be iudged by all such as denie not nature common to man As God also in his law hath commanded to root out such people Leuit. 18.20 Exod. 22 Gen. 19. so his horrible vengeāce executed against Sodom and Gomorrha shal take from such monsters all excuse in the day of iudgement Neither shall they whom God hath raised to authoritie and power if they be slacke to punish such abhomination escape Gods vengeance as he well declared in the person of Philip king of Macedon who for dissembling the manifold complaints of Pausanias for the iniurie to him doone by Attalus in such abhomination finally in his full and nuptiall triumph Iust li. 9. marching between two Alexanders the one his son the other his son in law lost his life by the hands of the same Pausanias whome God made the executioner of his iudgement to punish the kinges slacknesse It shall not neede lykewise to stande vppon marriages within the degrees prohibited by the Lord
blaspheming of God Or who will not adiudge the tree that bringeth forth such fruit to be naught and worthie to be cut down or rooted vp For in this consideration haue such games bin euer more detested euen among the heathen There is among the Pandects a law that saith Digest lib. 1 ◠T it 5. lib. 1. If a man beat him in whose house he hath played at Dice or Cardes saith the Pretor or that others haue doone him iniurie or stollen his goods whiles any playd at Cardes in his house I will doe him no iustice Likewise him that forceth or induceth another to play I wil punish according to the exigence of the case Asconius Pedianus vpon the second booke of Cicero of diuination saith that in olde time such gamesters were at Rome condemned in fower times so much as they played And the law Roscia banished out of the land all such as had lost more then the condition of their person estate could beare Christian Emperours haue also very straightly forbidden these games Among the rest Iustinian Respecting saith he the good of our subiects Cod. lib. 3 Tit. 43. Leg. Alearum vsus we doe by this law forbid all men and in all places all play namely that either in common houses or priuate there bee no gaming at Cardes or Dice neither any looking thereupon Which is more in the same law he chargeth Bishops Pastors diligently to looke thereto And enioyneth them in reformation of this inconuenience to employ the power and authoritie of the iudges and gouernours of their prouinces Yea he ordaineth that no man shal be forced to pay any thing that hee hath lost at play Also that if any hath so paide he suffereth him to redemande it and commandeth that it be restored except vpon the prescription of 50. yeres In the Canon these games are also forbidden C. Epist dist 35. c. 42. 43 vnder paine of excommunication as likewise the same prohibition was made by the Canons intituled of the Apostles Cyprian of dycing and dicers 6 As concerning the Doctors of the Church Among the rest Saint Cyprian hath written a treatise expresly to shew in what detestation and abhomination Christians should holde these games of Chance and Hazard Among other things he saith that gaming is a snare inuention of the Deuil which he purposedly forged to maintaine Idolatrie in greater vse commendation among men And indeed as som are of opinion that Mercury a God of the heathen inuented Dice and Cards so S. Cyprian sayth that he caused himselfe to be painted vpon thē willing that at the beginning of their play they should sacrifice vnto him And this sacrifice or homage consisteth in kissing the Card or the Die or in pouring forth of wine in honor of this painting or in some such like ceremonie That Christians retaining the game haue onely changed the Images and in stead of Mercurie pictured a King a Queene and a varlet What else is it then to play at Cardes and Dice but to delight in the workes of the Deuill deuised for our destruction and to refresh the memorie of in part to confirme the auncient Idolatrie which wee ought to abolish out of all memorie among vs The Deuill saith Cyprian is present at our play and lurketh to catch vs and hauing taken vs to triumph ouer vs. And indeed in these games we finde nothing but deceite lying folly rage periurie wrath dissention redinesse to iniurie cruel boldnesse fellonious and fretting minds wasting of goods time and honour yea sometimes stripes and murder Thou player at Dice Cardes saith he that tearmest thy selfe a Christian thou art none indeede for thou art too much addicted to worldly pleasure and canst not be a friend to Christ so long as thou delightest in the inuentions of his enemie the Deuill O daungerous hand and tormenter of his master which can neuer forbeare playe either winning or loosing 7 An other Doctor named Nicholas Lira in a small tract called Preceptorium aledgeth nine reasons by the which hee maintaineth that playes are not to be admitted among Christians but are to be banished out of the Church of God Likewise Lambert Daneus a professor of deuinitie and a learned and godly man did lately publish a declaration concerning the games of Chance or Hazard where out I haue taken part of this here written wherein at large he declareth them to be vnlawfull The reason therefore before considered the authority of the word of God of the Doctors of the Church of the lawes both ciuill and canon the iudgements of the very heathen ought to make vs to abhorre and detest such games as matters vnworthy of Christians euen of men created to farre better purpose And indeede when Chylon was sent from Lacedemonia to Corinth to conclude aliance betweene the two nations finding the gouernours playing at Dice hee returned without any speech of his charge saying He would not defame the Lacedemonians with so great a reproch as to enter societie with Dicers How much lesse ought Christians then to abstaine frō defiling their glory with Dicers Cic. Phil. 2. so farre should they bee from being themselues gamesters We also reade that Cicero as one of his gretest offences Sueton in the life of Augustus c. 17. obiected vnto Marc Anthonie that hee played at games that consisted in chance and hazard Suetonius writeth that the only report that Augustus vsed such games redounded greatly to his reproch indeed he was much addicted therto as himselfe testifieth by two Epistles rehearsed by the same author yea this brute rūning of him made him to be reputed among vnthrifts notwithstanding many great vertues wherewith hee was endued Aurel. vict in the life of Augustus Sueton. in the life of Claudi As also another author repeating his vices among the rest sayth expressely that hee vsed much to play at Dice Claudius Caesar an Emperor of Rome as the same Suetonius doth note witnessed him selfe to be a foole not only in respect of his other vices but also because he so gaue himselfe to Cards Dice that he wrote a booke of the Art of play which bred him great obloquy How much rather then should we Christians accompt these games of chance hazard to be pernitious and vtterly to be abhorred 8 If any reply that in this case we shew too much rigour we will aunswere with Chrisostome That the cutting off of superfluitie in the life of the faithful Chrisost in a Serm. against the excesse of time is no bringing of them into too much austerity of life But these games are not only superfluous but also hurtfull pernitious Likewise albeit we might accompt them among things indiferent yet should Christian libertie bee subiect to such politicke laws as forbid them and without consideration hereof to practise the same which S. Paul protesteth of things indifferent namely Neuer to play at Cards Dice so long as we liue rather
wrath against theyr subiects Autenticalls in the title of Baudes Especially let them rigorously punish and banish out of their dominions all baudes and ruffians the cursed instruments of satan to allure and put forth women and maidens to fornication who liue vpon so abhominable iniquitie The Emperour Iustinian doth expresly command all baudes to bee punished with death as is aforesayd Withall decreeing that whatsoeuer hath bene giuen to women or maidens for the prostituting of their bodies they shall not be bound to restore August in his booke of orderings 64 But some to the contrarie will alleadge a sentence of Saint Augustine saying Take awaie the stewes and yee shall replenish the whole towne with fornication But when he wrote that he was but a nouice and meanly instructed in religion and therefore him selfe in another place confesseth that in sinne there is no tolleration that a man of two euils should choose the lesser Neither must we as Saint Paul saith doo euill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 or allowe one mischife for the eschuing of another But we must obey God who forbiddeth vs all wickednes and remit the issue and successe into his hands who cannot allowe that the wisedome of the flesh should dispense with the offending God in one sort for feare of offending him in another Basil expounding these words Psalme 1. And hath not sit in the seate of the scornfull saith that adulterie neuer stayeth is one man but infecteth the whole Citie First one will come alone to the strumpet then he wil take a companion and that companion another companion whereby as fire once kindled if the wind be high doth somtimes inflame a whole citie so this wickednes once kindled spreadeth all ouer Ambrose proceedeth fâ—rther for he expounding this sentence of Salomon Who can carrie fyre in his bosome and not be burned saith Prouerb 6. Who doth thinke that tollerating whoores in a towne young men will not resort vnto them wherein we gather this sentence which vtterly repugneth the former of Augustine Tollerate whores in a towne and ye replenish the whole towne with whoredome as God vndoubtedly for the auoiding thereof did in olde time command that there should not be anie whoore in Israel And therefore wee will conclude this argument with this saying of Tertullian Deut. 23 17 That stewes are abhominable in the sight of God Let the Popes therefore aduise with them selues what answere they will make to God for this Tertul. of the Soule that in Rome they doo not onely publikely tollerate theyr whoores and bauds but also that they take tribute of them therin shewing themselues likewise to be baudes in that in lieu of punishing expelling and banishing of them as plagues in a Christian common wealth they participate with them in their cursed gaine 65 As concerning the other point touching tipling and dronkennes Seeing that God curseth all bibbers and dronkards by his prophet Esay also that S. Paul protesteth that they shal not inherit the kingdome of God the magistrates do sufficiently vnderstand Esay â— 11.12 1. Cor. 6.10 that they in dutie so much as in them lieth are to stop the course of all such excesse The inconueniences of quarrels strife therof arising the troubles in houshold as wheÌ„ the husband or the wife do come drunke home the extreme miserie whereinto many doo bring their wiues children in suffering theÌ„ almost to starue for need whilest theÌ„selues haunt tauerns The abuse prophaning of Gods good creatures with other inconueniences that daily arise of dronkennes do cry for vengeance in the sight of God do cal the magistrates set before them their dueties wherein they are bound to remedie the same For with what conscience can they suffer such corruption among their subiects when they may remedie it by prohibiting not lodging for strangers but tauernes from their inhabitants or by punishing of tiplerrs dronkards and those tauerners that maintaine them in such excesse and riot 66 Hauing before declared how Magistrates ought to imploie themselues to bring theyr subiects to leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlynesse and honestie wee are now to intreate them to beleeue thinke that theyr authoritie shall take great increase and efficacie when theyr greatnesse and power shall be accompanied wyth the excellencie of vertue aboue theyr subiects when themselues shall bee examples vnto them in all things beseeming the children and seruants of God wherein also they are to haue such respect that they admit not in themselues euen that which may bee somewhat tollerable among theyr subiectes so farre are they from power to dispense with that in themselues which shuld not bee permitted to men of meaner calling And in deede wee may in many notable examples note that God hath greuously punished in great personages those faultes which in apparance seem small Nomb. 20. 2. Sam. 24. Esay 39. as that of Moses at the waters of strife that of Dauid when hee numbered the people that of Ezechias when hee shewed his treasures to the Embassadors of the king of Babylon and so in others In all which God doth teach vs that the authoritie of princes to dispense wyth themselues to worke wickednesse is so small that contrarywise hee wyll punish such transgressions in them as many times hee will beare with in theyr subiectes Deut. 17. And this instruction doth hee confyrme in that in olde time he declared that the king that shuld be chosen ouer his people Israel shuld haue the booke of the lawe that hee might reade therin all the dayes of his lyfe and that he might rule himselfe according to the will of God that hee shoulde not haue many wiues yet was that tollerable among his subiectes The younger Scipio knewe and put in practise his duetie in this respect for when hee had by force taken the city of Carthage Plut. in his Apoth Plut. in his Lacon Apoth Plut. in his Apoth and some of his souldyers brought vnto him a most beautifull mayden Truely sayde hee I coulde fynde in my heart to take her were I not in office or a magistrate but a priuate man To this purpose dyd Agesilaus verie wisely saie That the Prince must outgo his subiects not in pleasure lust but in temperance and magnanimitie And thereupon sayd Cyrus He is not worthie to gouerne that is no better neither more vertuous than they ouer whome hee is to commaund 67 Reason lykewise would that princes and magistrates should giue good examples to theyr subiectes leading the waie to all vertuous commendable actions that they require of them As Iustine writeth of Lycurgus Iustin lib. 3. that hee set downe no law for any thing whereof himselfe had not shewed an example and practise in his owne person Plutarch sayth that Agesilaus woulde bee the first dooer of that thing that he commanded those to doo Plutarch in his Lacon Apotheg ouer whom hee
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
seruest it but when God commaundeth thee thou hatest him This verily is a frantike rage in man thus to submit himselfe to couetousnes which engendreth so much vice and iniquitie making him an enemie both to God to men and to himselfe We are therefore so to abhorre it that it be not once named among vs Ephes 5.3 as Saint Paule doeth giue vs warning 10 Moreouer in as much as Auarice is a loue of siluer and a coueting of riches Let vs for a second remedie consider whether there bee anie ground or occasion why wee shoulde so loue them Mat. 13 22 or couet after them Iesus Christ saying that the deceitefulnesse of riches choaketh the good corne of Gods worde doeth thereby declare that they resemble a wanton strumpet such a one as by her beautye causing manie men to lust after her depriueth such as giue themselues to enioye her of all vertue honour and felicitie That they be like vnto wine which by the sweetnes and delicacie thereof allureth man to excessiue drinking yet with all taketh the man from the man that is to say his sences and reason frō him And indeed as the good corne of Gods word is a sanctified seed of saluation life so the falsehood and deceite of riches doth in such sort draw men to aboundance and with all to the peruerse vse of the same Luk. 16.9 that thereby this seede of saluation and life euerlasting is choked vp In another place our Lord Iesus Christ calleth thē riches of iniquitie either because they ordinarily doe spring from iniquitie or else that they do engender and bring foorth iniquitie Saint Paul writing to Timothie saith thus Charge them that are rich in the world 1. Tim. 6.17 that they bee not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches Riches doe commonly breede pride arrogancie contempt of others pleasures pompe forgetfulnesse of God despising of eternall felicitie peruers confidence Basill in his Serm. against couetousnesse and other like plagues And this doth Basill signifie wher he saith that the mad man desireth nothing so much as to get water by reason of his excessiue distemperature yet is ther nothing that so much tormenteth him for the onely sight thereof is able to cast him into his fit and to trouble him and so it is with riches Euerie man longeth for them yet are they the onely things that encrease his longing trouble his mind and replenish his hart with passions When rich men saith Socrates will vse their riches they pollute them selues with pleasures and pride when they list to keepe them care consumeth them and eateth foorth their hearts when they labour to get them they grow wicked and full of all miserie Chrisostome verie fitly compareth them to wilde beastes whome a man can hardly take and when he hath them hee must take great care how to keepe them from doing hurt And in truth as he that walketh in the raine shall hardly escape wetting or hee that traueleth in the whote sunne eschew heate so is it almost vnpossible for a rich man to auoid vice and corruption by his riches Mark 10.23 And hereof speaketh Iesus Christ verie resolutely saying How hardly doe they that haue riches enter into the kingdome God True it is he afterwards expoundeth this speach saying Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdome of God But then adding that It is more easie for a Camell to passe through a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Hee declareth how hardly a rich man can escape confidence in his riches and consequently enter into the kingdome of God Psal 62.11 And in this respect doth Dauid admonish vs when riches abound not to set our harts vpon the same 1. Tim. 6.17 as Saint Paul also preacheth to the rich that they should not put any trust in their riches 11 Riches do not only engender a false confidence in the same but become also a poyson to humilitie modestie courtesie and al other vertues which it transformeth into pride and arrogancie as the Apostle noteth in the place before aledged Some haue written that Bucephalus the horse of Alexander the great so long as hee was naked would suffer any man to backe him but if hee were once furnished with the royall Sadle Bridle and other furniture he grew so proud that no man might ride him but the king euen so many who in their pouertie were modest humble and vertuous by encrease of wealth haue chaunged their vertues into vice Plut. in the life of Phociō Thus we see that there is no lesse care and labour to beware that riches hurt not then sorrow and paine in getting them Thus did Phocion albeit a heathen man verie well vnderstand For when great Alexander sent him a linge sūme of mony asking him that brought the present what moued Alexander to send him such a present by the answere vnderstanding that it was in respect of the same of his vertue he refused it saying Let him leaue me as I am Wherin hee shewed what regard the vertuous man shoulde take least riches should chaunge him and make him vicious Plut. in his Laconicall Apotheg The Lacedemonians according to Licurgus Lawes expelled from among them all vnprofitable members as Cookes Players Sophisters and such like Also the vse of siluer and golde vsing no money but of yron so did vtterly banish couetousnes And so long as they obserued this discipline they remained not only vertuous but also inuincible to other nations And contrariwise as soone as forsaking Licurgus lawes they had opened a waie to wealth couetousnesse crept in who making them vicious deliuered them into the power of their enemies And indeede as these mountaines that containe mynes of golde and siluer are otherwise barren so they that haue riches and vaynes of golde and siluer are in their harts made vnprofitable to the seruice of God and man True it is Riches are Gods good creatures instruments of vertue to those that can well vse them as Saint Paul well noteth saying 1. Tim. 6. God giueth vs all things to enioy to doe good to be rich in good workes readie to distribute and communicate Laying vp in store for our selues and making a good foundation against the time to come Luk. 16.22 that wee may obtaine eternall life Neither doe wee simply condemne either the rich or their riches Poore Lazarus was receiued into the bosome of rich Abraham But the desire and possession of them is dangerous vnto man who naturally is enclined to peruert the vse of Gods good creatures To man they be so plenty as Suger fruite in the power libertie of a child as plesant wine to a drūkerd as a sword in a mad mans hand to vse rather to hurt thē to do good At the least it is euident that they can not make a man blessed
loose an infinit and eternall felicitie 6 Moreouer let vs eschue shunne al occasions that might induce vs hereunto namely such coÌ„panie as is addicted to the same For as S. Augu. saith his prouocations are least August of the singularitie of Cleargie that neuer coÌ„meth among lusts plesures for as the man shal hardly scape free from blacking or meal that coÌ„uerseth with millers or colliers so shal he hardly escape plesures that hanteth with those that are giuen to follow their lusts and pleasures And as green wood laid vpon the fire albeit at the first it resisteth yet in the end doeth burne and is consumed so is it with him that frequenteth those that giue themselues to lusts pleasures albeit at the beginning he resisteth the euill and for a while falleth not thereinto yet by continuall hant he finally falleth in with them Furthermore let vs shun Idlenes the mother and nurse of all mischiefe namely of pleasure according to the saying of olde Cato that by doing nothing men learn to doo euill and this doo we vndoubtedly finde to be most verified in the pleasures of the flesh For as still and standing waters are easily corrupted so are idle persons Besides there is nothing more repugnant to the true repentance of Gods children either to our griefe heauinesse and sorrowing for our sinnes than pleasure For as it is vnnaturall to kindle fire with water so is it vnpossible for pleasure to breede in a penitent heart that sorroweth for sinne The Lorde of hoastes sayth the Prophet Esaie in that daie did call you to weeping and mourning Esay 22.12 to baldnes and girding with sackcloth And beholde ioye and gladnesse slaying of oxen and killing of sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine and saying Let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe wee shall die Whereunto hee addeth this horrible and fearefull threatning And the Lorde of hoastes hath declared vnto mee Surelie this iniquitie shall not bee purged from you vntill yee die 7 The sole consideration of the affliction and calamitie of our brethren might also suffice to make vs to forsake al lustes pleasures 2. Cor. 12.25 remembring what Saint Paule sayth That the members haue the same care one for another if one member suffer all members suffer with it They therefore that with sorrowe feele not the afflictions of theyr brethren but giue themselues to pleasures and delightes doo manifestly declare that they bee no members of the bodie and so are to looke for the curse by the Prophet Amos pronounced agaynst those who liuing at ease doo giue themselues to the pleasures and lusts of the flesh Amos 6.1 and doo not mourne for the afflictions of Ioseph Likewise when the holy Ghost calleth vs to a solempne acknowledgement of the feeling of our sinnes Ioel 2.12.16 hee exhorteth vs to fasting weeping and sorrow adding that the new married ought to come forth of his closet the bride out of her marriage chamber They therefore that giue themselues to lusts and pleasures doo sufficiently declare that they haue no feeling sorrow or griefe either for the afflictions of theyr brethren or for theyr owne sinnes yea which is worse that they stand in no feare of offending God Plutarch reporteth that when Agesilaus was demanded what good the lawes of Lycurgus had done to Sparta Plutarch in his Apotheg hee answered that they had engendered contempt of pleasures vnderstanding thereby a soueraigne benefite to the common wealth If the lawes of a mortall man were of such efficacie with the people that had no knowledge of God what a shame and confusion may it breed with vs Christians when the laws of the great and heauenly lawe-giuer are not of force with vs to abolish and root out this plague of lust plesure out of the Christian church The same Agesilaus hauing refused a present of sundrie pleasures offered him by the Thasiens Plut. in his Lacon Apo. and lastly by their importunity being forced to take it commanded it to bee distributed among the Helots who were his seruants not much better than bond men amongst the Lacedemonians and yeelding a reason for it sayd that it beseemed not the professors of vertue to vse plesure how much lesse may it beseeme Christians euen the children of God to giue themselues thereto Agis the last king of the Lacedemonians was in his youth giuen to all lustes and pleasures but beeing established ruler of the land Erasmus in his Apotheg lib. 1. hee quite gaue them ouer and shewed such an example of temperance and sobrietie that the vse of pleasures quayling among his subiects they also addicted themselues to sobrietie euen so wee Christians albeit before the knowledge of the truth wee wallowed in the lusts of the flesh yet beeing nowe raised to this honour and estate to bee made kings and priests yea euen the children of God ought now to bee the more estraunged from all lusts and pleasures to the ende that after our example all others may renounce the same and imitate our sobrietie Rom. 13.14 And to conclude to this dutie doth Saint Pauls exhortation that we should take no care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it inuite vs. 8 As before wee haue spoken of ambition couetousnesse Heb. 11 and pleasure so that wee may the rather detest these three plagues of our soules we are still to looke vppon the example of Moses who as the Apostle to the Hebrues doth note by faith ouercame these three mightie temptations First Ambition when hee refused the honor and glorie to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter secondly Couetousnesse in accounting rebuke for Christe to bee greater riches than all the tresures in Egypt lastly pleasure in chosing affliction with Gods people rather than the pleasures of sinne for a short space Of Dronkennesse Chap. 16 NOw will wee particularly speake of the two principall kinds of voluptuousnesse namely dronkennesse and fornication As concerning dronkennesse it is an ancient and peâ—â—â—tious vice deeply rooted in some and in some countries almost past remedy The Grecians in old time were noted to bee mightily giuen therto and forced each other to drinke by a certaine measure Plutarch in the banquet of the 7. sages as Plutarch noteth alleadging to that purpose the authority of Homer yea they woulde haue no companie wyth those that woulde not frame themselues thereto and thereof grew the prouerbe which to this daie in theyr speech signifieth Either drinke or be gone Plinie writeth that in his time dronkennesse bare such swaie in Italy Plut. Simp. l. 4. 5. 6 that they would force theyr mares vnreasonablye to drinke wine Which is worse the Tartarians Persians and Grecians in theyr principall triumphs dyd celebrate dronkennesse Mithridates presumed to propound a reward to him that coulde drinke most and carrie it awaie when hee had ouercome the rest in drinking These examples do shew that the older that dronkennesse is the more haue
and pregnant groundes condemned that of necessitie he must yeeld and be conuict and if he be not a very scorner and prophane Atheist acknowledge that they are not only to be condemned and reiected but also to be vtterly abhorred and had in abhomination Of games of Chance and Hazard as Cards and Dice Chap. 19. AS concerning games in generall we are to resolue that there is none lawful vnlesse it both bring profite to man and tend to the glorie of God And this is it that Saint Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 10.31 Ephe. 5.16 Mat. 12 36. saying Whether we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe let all bee to the honour and glory of God And indeede as he warneth vs to Redeeme the time So doth Iesus Christ affirme That in the day of iudgement we must render accompt of euery Idle word Much more then of Idle deedes Euery one confesseth that Idlenes is to be condemned but Idlenes cōsisteth not only in doing nothing but also in doing such works as be Idle and vnprofitable This once laide for a foundation we are to note that ther are some pastimes which consist in the exercise of the body as shooting either in the long bow or caliuer c. Fence leaping and other such like Others in dexteritie of the mind as Cheste and Draughts These games and pastimes and such like are as things indifferent lawfull tollerable among Christians so long as they be practised for this profit namely to recreate the mind weried with ordinary busines to the end afterward to return more cheerfully to the same As also are such bodily exercises as breed dexteritie strength for the better employment in the seruice of the common wealth But heere wee are to respect three points First that we do not so exceede in them as thereby to neglect the dutie of our vocation for so in liew of redeeming time we should both loose and abuse it Secondly that we refraine such exercise and play for money For play is no meanes alowed by the lawes either of God or man to get or to spend mony in which God deliuereth into our hands to be faithfully disposed or possessed in a good conscience Lastly it is another case when the Maiestrate propoundeth some price or reward for bodily exercises to the end thereto to inuite his subiects and to make them more willingly to accomodate themselues to the seruice of the common wealth 2 There be other games which depend vpon Lots chance and hazard as Dice and Cardes signified by the Latine word Alea. As for such games we say it is meete for Christians to forbeare them First it may bee implyed that they are forbidden in the third cōmandement of the law Act 1. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine For indeede the vse of lots or hazard is to referre to the wisedome prouidence and power of God whatsoeuer is acted among men As the lot whereby Matthias was chosen to bee an Apostle was a demonstration that God who knoweth the hartes had chosen him as we may also inferre by the praier of the Apostles before the lot was call Prou. 16.33 And this did wise Salomon note saying The lot is cast in the bosome but the iudgement is in the Lord. We may therefore lawfully vse lots in matter of consequence wherein the will of God is extraordinarily to be sought either to auoide quarels controuersies or to preuent subornations or vnderminings as in elections of Magistrates Prou 18.18 sharing of goods and such like And this doth Salomon also meane where hee sayth The lot endeth strife and maketh particion among the mightie But to applie the lot and consequently Gods prouidence to our vaine and friuolous pleasures manie times in matters of offence to God we may well say that so we doe abuse them and take the name of God in vaine 3 Secondly Pastime permi ted and by God alowed among men must haue relation to some profit either of body or of mind otherwise it is but Idlenesse and time lost for the which wee must render accompt vnto God But these pastimes of Cardes and Dice as all men know doe imply no exercise of the bodie Neither do they containe any recreation of the mind For as it appeareth the euent of the chance that they expect doeth driue either side into the like griefe heauinesse so as for the most part therin is no farther content or recreation of minde then as may grow of couetousnesse if a man winne the money or of an imagination of God fauour directing the chance in such vaine and friuolous occasions If they be such games as together consist of chance and industrie or agilitie of witte yet as chance doe therein especially gouerne So is it the onely chance of the cast which if it be good reioyceth vs if bad driueth vs into griefe and sorrow Thus may euery man vnderstand that these games which tend to no profit either of body or mind are both Idle and hurtfull workes 4 Thirdly the occasion of these games at hazard is vsually a couetous desire by play to get into our hands other mens goods And indeede experience teacheth that all our play is for money And hereof ariseth an infinit nūber of most pernitious mischiefes First the looser thinking that his losse groweth not of the mans industry but of chance and hazard hopeth for change of chance with recouerie of his losse and this causeth him obstinately to continue the game in hope of gaine consequently great losse of goods if the chance run against him sometime of all that himselfe hath or they that will lend vnto him and hereof came the saying Dice Cards haue beggered me But wher exercise of the body or industry of mind without chance do beare sway the game is more moderate For either the body can beare no more labour or the minde finding the aduerse partie more skilful and readie in the game banishing all hope of winning causeth vs to abstaine from play Who then will not confesse it to bee euill doone to wast all the night and daie in play To bee great crueltie to wast and so wretchedly to consume the goods wherewith the wife and children should bee nourished and sustained That the Article of expence of so much goods in play wil neuer be alowed in the accompts of the day of iudgemēt That he which wineth mony at play hath no more right to keep it than a theefe That if it be not lawfull for the looser to loose it it is not lawfull for the winner to retaine it And indeede no vsurie is so excessiue and hurtfull as the gaine made by gaming wherein without loane or labour a man sometime winneth all his neighbours goods 5 Moreouer As the pleasure of gaine and the sorrow for losse in play are mightie passions to moue the harts so what a number of brauses quarrels and controuersies doe arise of play What swearing cursing
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
euill for euill and so to vsurpe vpon the authoritie of God to whome only vengeance doth belong 45 By the premises it euidently appeareth that it is a meere most dangerous corruption in shewing fauour to offenders to let them escape vnpunished yet this was a custome among the Iewes after the Romanes had subdued them that at the feast of the passouer they would haue such a prisoner let loose vnto them as them selues would demand to the end to exempt him of his deserued punishment and thereupon was Barrabas a seditious person and a murtherer by them preferred before the righteous Iesus Christ by Pilat at their request deliuered to go free without punishmēt But greater corruption than this may wee finde among Christians First in that at the first entrie of kings princes into their towns Math. 27. also in some places vpon the day that is tearmed Good friday many transgressors are deliuered out of prison This is a peruerse affectation of mercie in princes and a wicked imitation of the grace and mercie of God As also it it is a pernitious priuiledge pretended by those that name themselues Ecclesiasticall persons and repugnant to the dutie authoritie of magistrates to exempt from punishment by death such manstaiers as haue taken the first tonsure or crowne as they tearme it And therefore it is the office of the faithfull magistrate to abolish such corruption 46 What then Is it not lawfull for the Prince to pardon an offender In answere hereto we say that he ought to distinguish between sinnes transgressions prepetrated contrarie to the law of God which hee commandeth to punish and such offences as are committed against the lawes and statutes of magistrates in matters either of warre or pollicie only As concerning the first true it is that Christan magistrates are not bound to inflict the same punishment which God in his lawe hath decreed Yet are they bound to obserue this rule namely that they punish all transgressions each according to the grauitie thereof· For that doeth Gods Iustice require Secondly that the grauitie as well of the offence as of the punishment for the same bee estimated not after the lycence and tolleration now in vse euen among Christians but after the rule of Gods wisedome reuealed in his word Wherein wee are to consider first the kindes of sinne as that murther is more heynous then theft because mans life is more precious then his goods And therefore hath God decreed one punishment against the murtherer and another against the theefe Moreouer in one kinde of sinne there are sundrie circumstaunces to be considered which make the sinne and consequently doe enforce or mitigate the punishment As manslaughter vpon ignorance or at vnawares is not so heinous neither so seuerely to bee punished as when it is doone vpon hatred and wilfully And in that consideration did the Lorde in olde time graunte townes of sanctuarie for the safetie of such as vnwittingly chanced to kill any man Deut. 14. 4. Num. 35 As contrariwise hee commaunded the execution of such as wilfully and vpon mallice slew any man to bee performed without remission or exception So likewise doeth God by Moses decree diuers sortes of punishmentes for theft according to the diuers circumstaunces thereof Exod. 22.1 And therfore according to such considerations noted in Gods worde as the sinne is more heynous or easie euen so must the punishment be executed without respect of persons whether kinsfolke or straungers Deut. 13. friendes or vnknowne persons rich or poore and so consequently For as it is great rigour to condemne to death the man that by mischaunce killeth one So is it a mercie condemned by the Lorde himselfe to pardon him that wilfully committeth murder Neither can it bee denyed but that such negligence as wee dayly see among Christians in not punishing blasphemie against Gods Maiestie fornication and especially whoredome haunting of Tauernes and ordinarie drunkennesse cryeth for vengeance against those Magistrates that suffer such abhomination to beare sway and haue free passage without exemplarie punishment requisite for the appeasing of Gods wrath for the terryfiyng of others and for the maintenaunce of their subiectes in peace and tranquilitie But as for transgressions against the politicke lawes and Statutes of Magistrates themselues haue power and authoritie vpon sundrie and diuers reasons to mittigate or wholly to remit the punishment As when Saule following the Philistians 1. Sam. 14. decreed death against anie that shoulde tast anie foode before night and therevpon determining the death of his sonne Ionathan for tasting the honie It rested in the people to free him from death in respect of the great victorie by him obtained against the Philistians 47 But in as much as there bee sundrie Christian Magistrates that bee negligent in this dutie of punishing the trespasses and offences of their Subiectes in hope of amendement Let such remember the horrible vengeaunce executed vpon the enhabitants of Gibeah and almost the whole tribe of Beniamin Iudges 21. 21. who were in manner vtterly rooted out because that when the saide enhabitantes of Gibeah had committed great abhomination against a Leuites concubine the said tribe of Beniamin refused either to punish them or to deliuer them into the hands of the children of Israell to be punished Let them consider what became of the Lacedemonians when they cared not to punish two of their Subiectes that had deflowred and murthered and throwne into a well the two daughters of Scedasus an enhabitant of Leuctres This Scedasus vpon notice of this odious fact complained to the Magistrates tearmed the Ephores and craued iustice But in vaine Then hee went to the King but might not bee hearde Plut. in the life of Pelopidas Thence to the people weeping and crying out vpon such an outrage but no man tooke heede Shortely after in a battell betweene the Lacedemonians and the Thebans the Lacedemonians were vtterly ouerthrowne and lost the dominion that they had holden for six or seuen hundred yeeres This historie doeth Plutarch a heathen man report which thus aptly fitteth our purpose to bee fought neere to Leuctres the same ground where the two daughters of Scedasus were buried Yea hee addeth that as Pelopidas one of the Theban Captaines stoode in some doubte before the battell Scedasus appeared vnto hym in a mighty vision and exhorted him to march against the Lacedemonians assuring him as it also came to passe that they should there make satisfaction for the wrong and outrage vnto him and his two daughters done by two of theyr subiectes and theyr neglect and contempt of punishing that iniquitie Let also the sentence pronounced to Achab by a prophet concerning Benhadad king of Syria 1. King 20.42 founde in theyr cares Because thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I appointed to die thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Psal 101 Psal 75 Neither let them
sayde Abiah was ouerthrowen wyth a great wound and there remayned dead in the battell fiue hundred thousand choice men of Israel Moreouer as there be two meanes sayth Cicero to decide controuersies Cic. Off. l. 1 the one by wordes and lawe the other by force also that the first is proper to man the other to beasts so ought we neuer to proceed to force but in case it cannot bee otherwise decided And in deed it is not lawfull to leuie warre against him that is readie to determine the controuersie by lawe and to make satisfaction yea Thucid. l. 1 as it is better to loose some parte of a mans right than to goe to lawe so ought wee to beare much before wee resolue vppon warre For as the Surgion doeth neuer proceede to cauterising or cutting off of the member vnlesse the whole bodie bee in daunger to be lost so are wee neuer to enter into warre but vppon the necessarie good and safetie of the people and theyr preseruation from destruction 56 Let Magistrates also remember Salust in Iugurth Thucid. l. 1 Cicero for the law Mamlia that the enterie into warre is easie but the returne most difficult in that the ende resteth not in the power of man as doth the beginning and therefore before the warre beginne wee are to thinke what maye followe For not the warre onely but euen the verie feare thereof breedeth great calamities Augustine of the city of God lib 19. Augustine against Faustus lib. â—2 c 74. Neither can wee enter into warre albeit most iust but with horror yea euen the name whereby the Hebrewes doo signifie war sufficiently declareth that it is as a consuming of all namely of godlynes and good manners of goods and of the liues of a number of men Let them withall remember what Saint Augustine writeth that a desire to hurt a crueltie in reuenge difficultie to be appeased couetousnesse of dominion the brutish passion of rebellion and all other lyke affections are iustly to bee reprehended in warres As in deede all warres arising of ambition and couetousnesse are vniust and as an ancient historiographer sayth doo breed great inconueniences Tacitus lib 4. Euripides as also the Greeke Poet noteth who sayth He that warres vniustly craue Happie issue shall neuer haue But those warres sayth Saint Austen are lawfull that are followed August of the of the word of the Lord. Cic. offic lib 1 Liuy lib 9. not vpon couetousnesse or crueltie but for the purchasing of peace the suppressing of the wicked the releeuing of the good The end of war saith Cicero is to get peace and that warre is iust saith Liuie that is necessarie and the weapons lawfull where there is no hope but in weapons Augustus Caesar was accounted happy and great Suetonius in the life of August c. 20. Liui. li. 5 because hee neuer prosecuted anie warres but wyth iust and necessarie cause For warres are to be followed with no lesse iustice than courage neither shuld a prince notwithstanding whatsoeuer confidence in his power and strength hazard an estate certaine for an vncertaine 57 Moreouer as princes magistrates haue their lawes statutes and ordinances wherwith to contain their subiects in their duties in the time of peace so shuld they take order for good gouernment in the wars to the end their iust wars may iustly holyly be prosecuted So did God in olde time by the handes of Moses deliuer lawes to his people Deuter. 20 whereby they should be guided in the warres But especially a prince is to prouide that warlike discipline well deuised be strictly obserued likewise that his souldiers may bee restrained from blaspheming from forcing of women maidens from dronkennes as S. Iohn Baptist taught them from dooing wrong or iniurie to any But that by paying them their hire faithfullye Luke 3 14 hee may giue them cause of contentment as Saint Iohn commanded them withall may haue authoritie and iust reason to punish transgressors 58 To conclude Magistrates are to remember that in old time God commanded that the sonnes of Aaron the priest shuld sound the trumpets wheresoeuer there was anie question of warres Numb 10.9 Deut. 20.1 Also that the priest should then speake to the people to exhort them not to feare or doubt and to assure them that God marched with them to fight for them against their enemies For herein princes magistrates are admonished and taught first not to leuie anie war but that which is iust approued by God and as it were summoned thereto by Gods trumpet secondly so to behaue themselues as in his presence vnder his conduct thirdly not to trust to their own strength neither to feare the strength of their enemies but to repose themselues vppon God the captaine and conducter of the war so that albeit their enemies be more in number yet they may be assured through Gods assistance to ouercome them Thus wil he giue them grace either to preuent the tribulations of war or els to vndertake leade happy blessed wars whereby ouercomming their enimies they may keep their subiects in peace prosperity 59 We haue already declared how far the duty of the magistrate doth extend namely so to imploy his authoritie that his subiects may liue religiously in all godlynes and peaceably in tranquilitie There yet remaineth the third point namely that they also leade their liues in all honestie Now this honestie consisteth principally in two things first that among subiects ther be found no pollution in fornication lust other villanies secondly that al dronkennes gluttony such like excesse riot be suppressed bannished and driuen awaie As concerning the first point God in his word doth sufficiently testifie and by the examples of diuers his vengeances declare that he detesteth all fornication and the magistrate is the seruant of God it is therefore his dutie to conforme his will to the will of his God by making coÌ„uenient decrees to restrain all whordome fornication by abolishing all occasions Exod 20.19 Leuit. â—0 11.13.15 c. by punishing such as giue themselues thereto Neither is God satisfied with the simple prohibition of fornication but he also addeth politike decrees which he commandeth the magistrates to put in execution for the punishing of such as shall transgresse his lawes prohibitions aforesaid Deut. 22.22.24 c. First therfore he commandeth them to put to death all such male female as do abandon themselues to anie vnnaturall carnall coniunction Also all incestuous persons that is all that by carnall copulation ioyne in any degree prohibited in his law and all adulterers men or women this taketh place in him that coÌ„panieth with a woman vnmarried or betrothed to another 60 This sinne of adulterie hath euermore bin accounted so worthie of punishment that wee shall scarce finde anie people or nation in the worlde that hath not from time to time exemplarily and notably punished
admit any other counsel thē the same of Iesus Christ who by the ordināce of God doth bear the name coūsailor 3 Let vs also beware of seeking after witches forcerers or coniurers and other like ministers of Satan for any reuelation or coūsaile and to that purpose remember the prohibition of the Lord Deut. 18.9 saying When thou art come into the land that the Lord thy God shall giue thee thou shalt not learne to doe according to the abhominations of those nations There shall not be among you any witch that vseth witchcraft any obseruer of times any prognosticator of seasons any sorcerer or enchanter or that counsaileth with spirits or soothsayer or that asketh counsail of the dead For al that do such things are abhomination vnto the Lord and because of those abhominations the Lord thy God doth cast them forth before thee And least the people should reply and say Why shall we be in worse estate then these nations Shall we haue no meanes to aske counsaile The Lord answereth The Lord thy God shall raise thee vp a Prophet from among thy brethren like vnto me him shal ye heare The Prophet here promised is this counsellor Iesus Christ as S. Peter affirmeth saying as Moses had foreshewed that whosoeuer heareth him not shal be rooted out Acts 3.22 If any man replyeth saying True but Iesus Christ is not now vpon the earth to be fought vnto as he was in the time of the Apostles neither are we in the dayes of Abraham Dauid Moses and others to whome God made answere when they craued his counsaile but our answere is he hath in his worde recorded in the olde and newe testament sufficiently declared his counsaile as well concerning that which wee are to doe in obeying his will as also in regarde of all that wee are to beleeue for our saluation And to this purpose doth Esay the Prophet very well saye when they saie vnto you Enquire at them that haue a spirite of diuination and at the soothsayers which whisper and murmure answere thus Esay 8.19 Should not a people enquire at their God from the liuing to the dead To the lawe and to the testimony If they speak not according to his word it is because there is no light in them that is to say no prosperity for thē likewise whē the rich man praied Abraham to send Lazarus to exhort his brethren to amendmēt least they shuld sal into the torments that he felt Abraham answered They haue Moses the prophets let thē heare thē And vpon his reply that if any should come from the dead they would amend he saide againe If they heare not Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.27 neither will they beleeue though one should come from the dead 5 Likewise as Iesus Christ protesteth that he hath deliuered to his Apostles Iohn 15.4 euen al that he had from his father and hath appointed them to be witnesses and embassadors so haue they faithfully discharged their offices Acts 20.27 First in their owne persons as S. Paul protesteth of his person that to the Ephesians that came to Milet hee had preached the whole counsaile of God next they haue so layed it downe in writing that now we need not to seeke after any counsell or looke for any reuelation from else where but euen from this counsailor who answereth vs in the holye scriptures in case we list to pray him by his spirite to open our wits that we may vnderstand him Luke 24.45 as he did for the Apostles If therefore we desire to know the will and counsail of God we must haue recourse to his worde recorded by the Prophets and Apostles and so aske at the mouth of the Lorde and carefullye practise the same that Dauid that so excellent Prophet speaketh of himselfe Psal 119.24 saying Thy testimonies O Lord are my delight and counsellors And if it come to passe that in time of trouble and sorrowe and in such affaires as breede perplexity we know not how to resolue of our duties let this title Counsailor be vnto vs an aduertisement by prayer and supplications to require at the mouth of the Lord with full assurance that he will giue vs to vnderstand his will and wise counsel to his glory and our saluation 6 In the title of Strong and mighty God attributed to Iesus Christ we are to consider of two pointes First what his strength and power is Secondly what be the fruites and argumentes of amendement of life that doe thereof proceede For the first we are to acknowledg apprehend in him such a strength power that as at his onely word he created heauen and earth and al this beautifull frame of the worlde so by his onely will did hee worke all that he willed Iohn 11.43 Luke 4 39. Psal 14◠8 Psal 115.3 considering that his worde is no other but a declaration of his will And this did plainely appeare in this that when hee directed his wordes to dead Lazarus that heard not and to the feauer of S. Peters mother in law that vnderstoode him not with other insensible and vnreasonable creatures yet was all that he said or commaunded done Our God saith Dauid is in heauen he doth what he please howbeit to the end the better to represent this power of Iesus Christ the holy Ghost doth many times call him the God of hoastes thereby to signifie vnto vs not onely that hee hath the leading of the armies of men and giueth the victorie where he will but especially that he hath mighty armies both in heauen and in earth ready to obey him First Dauid saith That his Angels mighty in power doe fulfill his commaundement and obey the voice of his worde Of them there are great numbers as Daniel also saith that a thousand millions doe minister vnto him Psal 103.20 and ten thousand millions do stand in his presence They be mighty armies as S. Luke calleth them saying Dan. 7.10 Luke 2.13 When the Angel had declared the natiuity of Iesus Christ to the Shepheards there was a multitude of heauēly armies praising God And Dauid speaking of the Angels saith Psal 68.17 The charets of God are twenty thousand thousand angels And Iesus Christ saying that at his request hee should haue 12 legions of angels ready to defend him doth shew that all these so mighty armies of Angels Mat. 26. 53. by thousands of millions are at his commandement ready to obey him If one Angel in one night slewe all the first borne of Egipt and in the Campe of Senacherib one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand men in one night what exploytes may this strong and mighty God Iesus Christ performe Exod. 12.29 Esay 27.36 2. King 19.25 2. King 6.17 who hath at his commandement whole armies of Angels by thousands of millions we see them not no more then did the seruant of Elizeus but we should see them if it might please God but to open
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