reserued for them in the fornace of hell ¶ In humane thinges Magistrates ought to follow the lawe naturall and in causes deuine the Doctrine of faith and the loue of God It vvas necessary that God by his Scripture reneued the lavve naturall for it vvas darkened by sinne and the lavve of faith and of loue deuine vvas altogeather vnknovven vvithout the doctrine of God according to both the one and other lavve the Magistrate maye make ordinaunces so that they tende to the confirmacion of the same or haue a likenes vvith them The .3 Chapter GOuernors of common weales thus raysed to a state of diuine honor by the which they haue the title of Gods as hath béene recited in the former Booke the better to enhable them to this deuine office peculiar and proper to God which is to iudge rather in wisedome discrecion and perfection let them imitate God who iudgeth perfectly without errour then folowe man in whose nature is propertye of errour and with his perticular reason oftentimes bringes forthe actes contrarye to reason Let them also at all times folowe one rule deuine certaine and infallible which shall leade them in a deuine course and exercise of theyr estate Let them haue alwayes in theyr hande for the managing of humane and ciuill affaires the lawe natuturall I meane the lawe general proponed by the scripture making it their Loadestone to direct infallibly the state of all their doinges That is the lawe wherunto euen Iesus Christ sendes vs in all common and humane actions meaning wée shall not doo to others that which wée would not haue done to vs as withall Let vs doo to others what wée woulde haue done to our selues whereof the Gospel geueth this interpretation Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Vpon this foundacion al Lawes customes and constitucions ciuill and humane so farre forth as they bée good and iust are grounded But if there bee any ordinaunce wherin is not conteyned this precept of the Lawe naturall or agréeing therewith I meane in affayres concerning onely the profit and benefite of men it can not but holde of iniquitye So that it behoueth that it comprehende something necessarye to the socyetye of man profitable and honest lyke as the Lawe ought not to bée made to geue fauour to pleasure or bring hurt to any one and muche lesse to suffer dishonour or villanye to bée done Thus the Lawe naturall in her generall foundation being in this sort aucthorised by the holye Scripture standes to vs as a rule for al ordinaunces in causes concerning humane gouernement But touching the faith the loue and seruice whiche wée owe to God in thinges deuine and spiritual wée haue an other lawe the foundacion of al holy deuine ordinances I am thy God c. which is thou shalt loue thy God with al thy hart with all thy vnderstanding with al thy soule and with al thy strength which commaundement Saint Paul includes in the natural loue towardes our neyghbour as in déede a man can neuer loue well his neighbour but that it is for the loue of God as the cause formal and effectual of the other friendship And this law was no lesse natural then the other imprinted in the hearts of the fyrst men But the corruption of nature vaine opinions and wicked manners haue so strongly peruerted the iudgement of men that God sawe a necessitye being indused by his mercy to reueale to man this lawe yea reuealed him selfe for men knew him not and muche lesse loued him Thus this first lawe was cleane defaced whiche was easely séene touching the lawe to our neighbour for that there were not many men in the world in whome was desire to doo pleasure to others without recompence of asmuch or more benefite but natures for the most part bearing inclinations to enemities vsuries quarelles pertialityes factions warres with other infinite cōspiracies raised mutually of one man against another And consernyng faith knowledge loue of God all men had declined and erred by extreame transgression wherfore God gaue eftsones these preceptes and the explication of the same by diuers documentes for theyr better vnderstanding and according to the same hath erected many lawes and ordinaunces tending to those twoo endes I meane to vnderstand and kéepe those twoo commaundementes Touching faith hée hath reuealed it to vs expounded and caused it to bée expounded by his prophetes and Apostles and according to the same wée haue also statutes and Lawes reduced into twelfe Articles of the Creede euen as the workes whiche wée ought to doo in charitye and loue of God are comprehended in the ten commaundementes So that sith gouernours ought neuer to erre in iudgement it is méete that they iudge according to these twoo lawes And séeing there can be no others but eyther they haue affinitye with the Pagans or are replenished with iniustice and impietie there is great necessity that these bée thorowlye studied And so loking with déepe iudgement into the lawe of nature they may erect ordinaunces tending to the sayd thrée endes necessity vtility and honestye being all concluded in one generall whiche is the common wealth they maye also ordaine paines for the transgressors by the conformety of those which they sée conteined in the lawes receiued and accustomed in al Christendome euen so in the lawe of the loue of God they maye also make statutes to induce men and leade them to that loue and if any haue lost it A thing happening by sinne they maye make ordinaunces of reconcilement according to the precedent of the auncients by the exhortacion of the Prophetes as to fast and assemble at Prayers which was vsed in the time of the Iudges of Hester the Niniuites and Machabees without expresse commaundement of God. ¶ Men may vse the morral Lawes of the olde Testament but not the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall applied to the times and maners of the Jevves vvhich Iesus Christ and also Saint Paul doeth confyrme These vvere natural and therefore ought to bee eternall notvvithstanding for charitye to our neyghbour and loue of God and for aduauncement of faith that lavve sometimes is not to bee vsed at the time vvhen men do greatest seruice to God vvhich then is an acte of perfection The vvise man can not faile to Judge vell according to the lavve of nature The .4 Chapter BVT because it maye bee asked of some whether magistrates may iudge according to the deuine Lawes of the olde Testament séeing the Lawe of Moyses was abolished by Iesus Christ The lawe saith Saint Luke and the Prophetes led man no further then vntill the time of Saint Iohn Baptist And as the lawe of nature before Moyses conteynes not but certaine examples of Iustice so the lawe of the Gospell medling not with Pollitike ordinaunces entreates onelye of mercye as is séene in the grace which Iesus Christ shewed to the adulterour Go thy wayes sayeth hee and sinne no more And touching humaine lawes it séemes that men ought not
God who beareth no malice to any man he hath made as hauing declared therein his power his wisedome and his boūtie For which three things we must acknowledge his handy worke with thankes giuing Besides we know that God is not but charitie and loue and who is constant in charitie dwelleth in God and God is firme in him as of the contrary who hateth any man hath no perfect charitie and by conclusion cannot be of God So that as we are first bound to loue GOD with all our heartes so in the second place we ought for his sake to loue al men with a true perpetual loue as our selues But if we find them possessed with any vice or faulte louing still the creature we may hate that which we sée not to be of God and hated of men as knowing that in God there is nothing but integretie and what els is good and vertuous These be the causes why we ought to loue the soules and bodies of sinners as being the hādie workes of God but lawfully maye we hate their sinnes and wicked condicions as we ought not to loue any thing in the Deuill but his creation which is deuine since touching the rest he is nothing but peruersitie of his proper will for which cause he is called wicked as not taking pleasure no which is worse not hauing power to delite in any thing but to do euill the same being the reason why so often we are commaunded to shonne him and not to suffer him to enter into vs by any pleasant suggestion but to resist him estéeme him our onely enemie a serpent and venemous Dragon a rauining Wolfe a roaring Lion a théefe and murderer séeking after nothing but by suttletie force ambushes and treasons to betray our soules yea if it were not by his wicked and wretched temptations we should neuer haue enemies malice or miseries no not once haue the thought to do wrong one to another the same being the cause that our sauiour Christ calles him our enemie it is he only whom we ought to hate and all that is in him except the spirituall substance the first creature of God it is he onely whom we ought so much to detest as not once to hear him sée him or séeke to learne any thing of him in whom is nothing but deceite lying abuse and murder it is he of whom wée ought to take nothing that he offreth for he corrupteth all that he giueth And séeing he is a poysoner let vs alwayes take héede that he enuenime not our thoughts with vaine and wicked pleasure with infidelitie consent to euill and that he poyson not our wordes with vanitie iniuries detraction lies false othes and blasphemie nor infect our workes or actions with ipocrisie or dissembled intention nor by any other trangression of Gods commaundements This wicked spirite hath stretched out his snares in all places and dispersed his poyson throughout the worlde he entrapped Eue in the earthly paradise and poysoned hir with lust of glory which as an infection hee hath earst distilled into infinit nations and persons his ginnes are so suttlely wrought and layd that they are espied and auoyded of none but such as are humble and lowly such as liue in continuall contemplation of Gods wisedome and his holy feare such as resolued into spirite haue no conuersation with the flesh and the world such as are strōg in fayth and of that immouable loue to God that they take no other pleasure but to do his commaūdements Suche doeth the spirit and wisdome of God instruct to espie and breake his suttle snares and giue them remedies against the poyson of that venemous basiliske Touching amitie cyuill which we get by societie of studie by coniunction of life and similitude of estates and functions or in recompence of benefits we may conioyne it with the Christian amitie by the which it hath his confirmation and is made better and more agreable to God By this if I loue better him that is thus my frend then an other professed vnto me by cōmon Christian amitie I do no wronge to no Christian frēd for the I take nothing from him of the which is his I mean of the which I owe him in true spiritual loue in the same sort the loue natural is not deminished by the christiā amitie but is made more firme spiritual as the Christiā Father louing better his owne sonne then an other childe forgetts not for all that to expresse effectes of Christian amitie to the other So that by this loue parents kindred and Christian neighbours may loue one an other with greater loue and yet do no wronge to others touching the zeale which they ought to beare them as we sée by the comparison of the fier where in is resembled charitie and perfect Christian loue which béegins first to heat and burne those thinges that are presented nearest to it I will not hold for all this that in case of election of a magistrate friendship is to be expressed for that there perticuler amitie shoulde giue place to publike friendship as where is more neede of vertue veritie and iustice then of singuler loue onely for as vertue being deuine is and ought to to be preferred afore all humaine affections So he in whome is most reputation of wisdome learning ' integritie iustice although he stand to vs neyther in parentage nor kindred yet for the friendship we beare to the publike or common weale ought to haue our voyce to the state of magistrate And in case of iudgment the father being iudge ought not to be partiall to his childe his kinsman his frend nor dearest familiar For there perticuler friendship giuing place to publike regarde hath no respect to affectiō but to reason right and iustice And séeing as hath ben sayde that amitie aswell naturall as ciuill ought to be ruled by christian frendship and that directed according to the will and comaundement of God with whome sinne is condemned and detested we ought to beare to our frend no percialitie of fauor support nor councell to the hurt or dishonor of an other much lesse obey his fancie plesure or will so far furth as it may bring detriment to the estate of his soule we must not flatter him to the ende to please him in any thing dishonest or vniust much lese heare or incline to him in any thing against God or the puritie of our conscience which we are bound to kéepe altogether to God The gréeke prouerb is the we ought to loue one an other euen to the alter the is so far forth as God be not offended eyther by othe or other vice no who maketh a lie to further the benefit of his frend yea or to fauor his owne life offends God what interest soeuer it bear to father or mother magistrate Kinge or Emperour ¶ How a common weale is gouernened and wherein it erreth Chapter iiij IN al estates in their particular function discharge
185 ¶ Still touchinge the recommendation of hospitalitie and almes Chap. 6. fo 187 ¶ Generall and speciall recommendation for prisoners and that for debtes we ought not lightly to emprison one an other fo 189 The fifth Booke OF the institution of youth with a prayse of free schooles c. Chap. 1. fol. 191 ¶ What Principall and Regents ought to bee called to institute a Colledge c. Chap. 2 fol. 190 ¶ A continuance of the discourse of Colledges by other comparisons Chap. 3. fol. 193 ¶ Wisedom science vertue diligence and feruent zeale to their disciples are very necessary for scholemaisters Chap. 4. fol. 197 ¶ Instructions to know by the way of contrary oppositions by the comparisons of the other chapters the miseries hapning by lewde scholemaisters Chap. 5. fol. 202 ¶ Amplifications of the said comparisons touching wicked maisters c. Chap. 6. fol 206 ¶ Continuance of the sayd comparisons Chap. 7. fol. 211 ¶ Maisters ought to instruct their disciples c. Chap. 8. 214 ¶ A continuance of the prayse of science c. Chap. 9. fo 219 ¶ Examples of commodities which science bringeth to the learned c. Chap. 10. fol. 223 ¶ It is necessarie for many reasons that all schollers remayne in one Colledge Chap. 11. folio 227 ¶ In a Colledge or schoole there ought to be statutes authorised by the Vniuersities c. Chap. 12. fo 215 ¶ Refutation of the false iudgements of some proude worldlings touching the profession of schoole maisters Chap. 13. fol. 235 ¶ An exhortation to young children to studie Chap. 14. fol. 241 The sixt Booke OF the office of euery estate and first of the dutie of the husband to his wife Chap. 1. 247 ¶ A continuance of the matter of mariage and the dutie of c. Chap. 2. fo 255 ¶ Still touching the dutie of the wife Chap. 3. fol. 263 ¶ The office of fathers and mothers and the dutie of children Chapter 4 folio 273 Still touching the education of young children Chap. 5. fo 280 ¶ In what dutie children are bound to their fathers and mothers Chap. 6. fol. 289 ¶ The dutie of maisters towardes their seruaunts Cha. 7. 398 ¶ How men haue ben made noble and of their dutie towardes their subieetes or tenantes Chap. 8. fol. 307 ¶ The dutie of Aduocates or Councellors at law Cha. 9. 315 ¶ The dutie of Marchants Chap. 10. fo 321 ¶ How the Marchant may performe his lawfull trades gayne iustly his estate Chap. 11. fol. 328 The seuenth Booke AL other estates are comprehended in those that haue bene alreadie debated the explication of the qualities of personnes Chap. 1. fo 339 ¶ Still touching the qualities of persons Chap. 2. fol. 345 ¶ Of Christian amitie and how many sortes of friendship there be Chap. fo 350 ¶ How a common weale is gouerned and wherein it erreth Chap. 4. fol. 359 ¶ Councell of the remedies to cure and preserue common weales from miserie Chap. 5. fol. 366 ¶ How God some times punisheth a whole people for a secret sin c. Chapter 6. fol. 375 ¶ To remedie all euils the causes must be taken away the discretion and wisedome requisite thereunto Chapter 8. fol 440 ¶ Confutation of humaine philosophie touchinge the affaires of faith wherein and in things serious men ought not to decyde but according to the scripture Chap. 9. folio 345 FINIS ¶ What is first requisite in the well gouerning of a common weale howe Cyuil pollicie ought to be conformable to the celestiall gouernement what good commeth of good pollicie what maner of gouernours and Iudges ought to be chosen to direct publique states ⧠The first Chapter TO dyrect a true and Christian pollicie it is necessarie in the first consyderation that suche as are chéefe disposers of the same bée chosen accordyng to the wil and ordinaunce of God of whom in respect of their institution they are to bée fauoured assisted in their Counsels actions and gouernements as also for that all power rule belonging to him the administration therof dependeth likewise vpō him wherein he hath ordayned for vs in earth a forme to rule guide and gouerne this inferiour Hierarchie by the example of that supreme and celestiall estate of Angels and happy soules aboue in all good order and perfect pollecie So that by thimitation of the same it is requisite that we be directed by wise Magistrates who hauing power to commaunde may vse simplicitie in the measure and rate of their Aucthoritie and wée in our common life expressing an immoueable zeale to obedience may concurre with them and agrée altogether in one lawe and doctrine one wyll and iudgement And to be short the better to exercise one vniuersall and holy conuersation standing vppon puretie of affection and wyll with one true religion in God we must obserue one vnitie in Iustice one integritie of life and maners fulfillyng alwayes our duetie to our neighbour the better to prepare vs with communitie of heart voyce and example to loue and feare God and with one mouth to praise honour and serue him with redie obedience and humilitie to his commaundements together with sincere and mutuall Loue one to another expressed in Actes of perfect charitie And this as it is the marke and ende of the Lawe the Magistrate and Christian gouernement being directed according to the forme celestiall and example aboue So in it wée declare our selues to bee common members of one bodye for a common Weale is a bodye Ciuil so knit together with indissoluble vnitye in friendship that wée suffer one selfe zeale and affection and geue one common ayde and succour to all our affayres reléeuing euery perticular necessitye with one constant and perpetuall rate and measure of compassion in this sorte are wée reduced into one body pollitike and by this pollicie drawne into one Spirite as being but one in God led and guided by his Spirite inwardly and outwardly by wise gouernours euen as God hath planted in our naturall body members more soueraigne and perfect in nature to gouerne the others more inferiour the same being more deuinelye resembled in the celestiall Hierarchy where the Spirites indued with more grace and greater perfection haue by heauenly election power ouer the others To this ought to bée referred the example of electing gouernours to publike states as both cōcurring with the order of nature with whom things of most perfection beare most rule and also resembling the Supreame gouernement from whence Moyses had commaundement to drawe the plot of his terrestriall pollecie calling vnto him such as were most wise and perfect aboue others wherein God geueth him aduertisement by Iethro his Father in-law to prouide such gouernours by the counsell which hée giueth him in this sort Prouide saieth hée to bée Iudges ouer others wise men whom thou shalt chose amongst the people fearing God true and louers of trueth and such as hate Couetousnes of them make some Tribunes who may stand as generall Iudges ouer
a cōmendable property to minister cure to the Soules of their patientes afore they vndertake to Remoue the diseases of the body But such is the wretchednes of many that if the Phisition speake to them of God or of consideration to the reckoning weale of their conscience they subborne by and by an habilitye of health saying they are not yet so farre spent nor that the necessity of theyr sicknes requireth the aduise or comfort of the Preacher And as such pacientes desire to bring them into no fancye of death and much lesse to increase theyr fraile sorrow with heauye counsell so there bée also phisitions of so colde reuerence and taste to God that they wil not haue theyr pacients to feede of other dyet then pleasaunt Speach and if they haue béene whoremongers they dispose the time into discourses of wanton Ribaldry feeding their cares and eyes with the presence of fayre Damselles singing and playing of Instrumentes and so leade them with theyr Pastimes into the bottome of Hell where they ought with the féeling of theyr Pulses to sounde also the bottome of their Consciences and Salue theyr sicke mindes with perswasions to demaunde pardon of God for want of whiche it maye bée that they are drawne into those afflictions But when these wretched Sycke men are as it were at theyr laste and abandoned of theyr Phisytions then God is brought into theyr remembraunce when the Spirites being weake the Sences dissolued the hearing without vertue and the heart languishing to his laste hée hath no iudgement of that which is preached to him but what so euer stoode in his affection afore bee it good or ill hée retaynes it and the minde hauing no Capacitye to comprehende Doctrine is without regarde to call it selfe to account or correction whereby it happeneth by the Iustice of God according to Sainct Augustine that that almightye and terrible Iudge doeth punishe the Synner in the ende of his dayes because during his health and good disposition hee liued in negligence towardes God and neuer gathered the actions of his life into accounte It is saide that as in death men haue no remembrance of God so the feare of death and hell more then the loue of God makes men oftentimes confessing their sinnes for touching the will there is more daunger that sinne will leaue man then man renounce sinne So that by the waye of aduertisement let as well the Phisition as the patient bee warned heare to exhibite the dutye of Christians and not to grudge if I dooe exhorte them for that hauing in hande to wryte a Christian gouernement and Pollecye I can not without offence dissemble any thing whiche tendes to common dutye in thinges concerning God. Therefore I aduise the sicke man so soone as hée comprehendes the mocion and qualitye of his disease to bequeathe himselfe altogeather to God and consulte with his Soule For suche maye bée the furye and violent nature of his Sickenesse that what for debilitye of bodye or sorrowe of minde or other accident of infirmitye muche lesse that hée shall haue oportunitye to common with his Conscience but of the contrarye power shal be taken from him to discerne in what state hée standes It is not good that euerye one make a Custome and common recourse to Phisicke reducing the disposition of theyr Stomackes to a Pothicarye shoppe the same agréeing with the prescript of the best Phisitions of our tyme who aboue all thinges geue this generall counsayle that men dispose theyr lyues in sobryetye forbeare Excesse and not to become subiect to immoderate affections as to bee geuen to anger to heauines of heart and to the actes of vnchaste loue They must refraine from hurtful thinges as corrupt meates infected ayres vncleane places contagious sicknesses vsing moderate labours neuer eating without appetit nor drinking without a desyre to quenche thirste wherin if any by negligence do runne into excesse let him vse the contrarye as if hee haue offended his Stomacke with surfeite let him suffer fasting and correct crudelitye by spéedye concoction If hée haue ouerwearyed his Bodye with trauaile let him vse rest and as health is to bée preserued by thinges lyke so in all excesses the reméedy is to bée deriued by their contraries obseruing this perpetual medicine to absteine as nere as hée can from offending God who is the generall most often the special cause of al diseases Who so euer entreth into medicines let him doo it in necessity as the scripture teacheth vs forbeare phisicke till the extremity for which purpose it was ordeined of God of whom as wée are taught the phisitions are ministers raised for the sick and not for the sounde so Gallen is of opinion that all Phisicke bringes with it some dommage to the person And therfore not without cause the Greeke word calles a Droage or reméedy Pharmacum signifying properly Venim rather then a thing wholsome as if the Greekes would haue said that medicionable droages are as matters venemous to a man touching a nature well disposed so that it behoueth there bée in the body corruptions and humours infected afore you receiue Droages by the which the enemye of the sound and not corrupt nature may bée driuen out which otherwayes woulde haue murdered and deuoured the same nature Such as compare medicine and Phisicke to a bucke of foule cloathes meane that they are not to bée vsed but in necessity For as the Bucke serues no other turne but to cleanse the Cloathes when they are foule which also being often Buckt can not but waste and consume So the body suffereth the like effect by Phisick whose often medicines as a canker doo fréete and eate out the strength of youth and so cleanse vs of health that wee can not reache to olde Age. Bée sure to kéepe your breathing Bodies pure and cleane so shal you haue no neede of Purgation no more then your Linnen being neate hath neede to be put into the buck the same standing with the aduise example of most wise Phisitions with whome nothing is lesse familier then to apply phisick to them selues and nothing more intollerable then to ioyne theyr stomackes to the custome of medicines which we may conclude bring no fruite but when they are vsed by necessity Therfore let euery one tye him selfe to good Regiment to temperate labour to wholsome meates sound Ayre sweete water cleane Places But aboue al let him eschewe the sweete allurement to sinne And when wée offend God let our first cure stand in action of penaunce and after vse mearines of minde and not to gréeue for any thing that may happen as in déede the faithfull Christian ought neuer discend into sorrow but for his sinne but hath cause to reioyce in al aduersity sicknes yea and in death it selfe for that as S. Paul sayth in al these thinges is wrought the matter of his benefite and health as thinking that al the passions and tribulations of this fraile and humane life are
speaking as when negligent children drawing to too much play and losse of time do mutuall iniuries with corruption of maners Where God is offended as in malice and wicked spéech and worke correction must not be dissembled euen from their infancie in which age aboue all other thinges they must be instructed to pray to God and by little little accustomed to feare and serue him as much as the state of their age wil beare Saint-Ierome holdeth it wel done that the childe be taught euen from his infancy to beare the yoke of the lord with whom Salomon agréeth saying Remember thy selfe O young man of thy creator in thy youth learne euen from thy youngest age to feare honour loue and serue thy God And Dauid is of opinion that there is nothing wherein a young man correcteth better his life then in considering and kéeping the commaundements of god Touching common doctrine it must be ministred gently familiarly easely and if it be possible without the rod according to the surname of scholes being called a play or exercise of learning where young wittes must be induced as to a pleasant play giuing to the young scholler some smal thing of pleasure to encourage him after the trauell of his lesson And for his better societie in studie it is good to ioyne him to a companion as a spurre to his Booke Proponing to him that merites some price commending the victor and blaming him that is ouercome yea sometimes driuing him to teares and yet afterwards recomfort him applying to the slow witte for aduauntage some what more labour of the Master to the end he dispaire not in study being alwaies ouercome This emulation in studie must be continued euen in great schollers for one of the greatest spurres to studie is mutuall enuie among companions as glory to winne and reproch to be surmounted if there be any young children malicious melancholly spitefull or negligent let the commaundement of Salomon be applied Restraine sayth he no discipline from a young childe for if thou strike him with a rod be shall not die of it beate him with a rod and thou shalt deliuer his soule from hell if malice be gathered in the heart of a child the rod of discipline will roote it out of him who spareth the rod to a young man hurteth him and sheweth no loue to the health of his soule but he that kéeps him familiar with the rod declareth his affection to him Therefore Masters that flatter their negligent leude children entertaining them in their vices for feare to loose the profite they get by them or to drawe a more number of schollers commit treble offence First against themselues being guiltie before God of all such offences together with other those faultes which their schollers shall euer commit Secondly they further the damnation of their disciples who such as they are nourished suffred such will they remaine sayth Salomon Lastly they do great wrong to their parents and common weales for that by the euils of those children the parents shall haue perpetuall sorrowe and the common weale continually vexed And in the end such Masters by the iust course of Gods iudgement shal be hated of their schollers and the gaine they shall get shall neuer rise to constant profite but perish before their eyes ¶ Masters ought to instruct their Disciples whome they receiue into commons touching the body with the same labour wherwith they institute their mindes prayses of Science Chapter viij WE must not forget here that euen as masters ought to feede the spirites of childrē with good learning forme them in ciuell mannors and kéepe them from corruption by euill example doctrine standing as condemned afore God deseruing so many eternall iudgmentes as their disciples by their negligence shall cōmit offences So they are bounde to no lesse care to norishe and to entertaine in health the tender bodies of their young scholers wher in it is chieflie necessary they vnderstande their perticuler natures together with the qualitie and operation of meates and so as phisitions prescribe their regiment touching the quantitie and qualitie of their féeding I mean that according to the naturs composicion of their children they muste varie in sorts measurs of meat and drinke geuing to some more and to others lesse As to great lampes where are great matches there muste be more infusion of oyle then to the little ones other waies where is great match and littell oyle and not often dropped in the fyer wil easely consume and put all to ashes Euen so young children whose nature bears a more ardent heat are more drye then others muste eate oftenner then such as are colde and moyst as are the flegmatike sort Let therfore masters entring in to the charge of children consider carfullye of their order of diet And as they ought to take héede not to traine them in intemperat or delicat féeding which makes them glottons and wanton and drawes both body and minde in to infirmities and corruptcion So let them no lesse beware to norishe them hardly and with meates of euill taste for great sobrietie in young children wekneth their bodyes in consumpcion of the roote humor through the naturall heat which is ardent in them by which default they fall in the end into a restraint of breth or tisycke and by the nature of euill meats they come to ill disgestion the worst of al lamentable and incurable disseases by these two extremities vnwise masters procure to their disciples expedicion of death and so are no other then the murderers of them wherin such aboue all other are most guiltie who taking children in to comons or pension for couetousnes doe eyther feede thē sparingly or by sluttishnes prepare them corrupt and vnholsom dyet wherin they merite sentence of cōdemnacion as traytors and suttel murderers of that simple youth abusing wickedly the truste of their parents who through their defaults are the proper deliuerers of their owne children to perill of death wine also being the instrument that leads them in to many sinns can not but shorten their life it burneth by his naturall heat the tender substāce of young men euen as the flame of fier consumes the oyle and so deuoureth the drye matter and wood alredy set on fier Then seing the young child is no other thing then fier to giue him wine is as to cast oyle in to a furnace to ēcrease the heat and burne all for which cause Plato in his comon weale restrained wine from youth till after xviij yeres and from those yeres till the beginning of olde age he suffered none to drinke wine but qualified with water and yet in great sobrietie Besides all these wine prouokes to whordom and engendreth coller adust which in the end by immoderat vse turneth into malencolie and so in the flower of their time makes them diseased with diuerse kindes of colde and incurable sicknes by which occasion the auncients in great reason called wine
statutes by all the Courtes of their prouince in inuiolable stabilitie For as the lawes diuine and humaine are as it were the strength and walles of common weales euen so are the statutes of a Colledge the fortresse and bulwarke of the same without the which it can not bée long kept from disorder and vtter ruine Let the benefactors and Citizens honour their Colledge with often visitacion and contemplation of the principall and Regentes to whom for their learning sake belonges that merit of honor but specially if they be come farre off to doe seruice to their Citie leauing their proper Countreis and priuat commodities By this visitacion it will come to passe that the principall and Regents shall be better obeyed and feared of their schollers and they which with their tutors and altogyther better moued with common readinesse to doe the duetie of their Colledge and in cases of wrong iniurie and vexation offered by any let them ioyne with them in ayde and councell to aduaunce exemplarie iustice wherein in applying fauor and protection to those that represent them all aswell Magistrates as general parentes of a whole prouince in the institution of their youth to whom then if iniurie be offered the Magistrate and whole cōmon weale haue interest therein and therefore with common affection ought to pursue the offender to publike iustice they doe honor to their cōmon weales in those learned men who resorting to Vniuersities or other publike or priuat places will giue honorable opinion rapport touching the pollicie and order of that Citie To be short there can not be to great honor reuerence and affection borne to those persones by whose industrie in the institution and education of youth so many benefites grow as by them whole common weales become happie so that if men loue and honor vertue science honor dignities ritches reste and publike felicitie much more ought they to honor and cherishe those men by whom all those benefites are brought to whole countreys If Fathers and mothers beare so deare loue to their children with desire to sée them rise into manners and qualities of ciuill men ought they not with great affection to embrace and cherishe suche by whom in their places and with no lesse Fatherly zeale their children are instructed taught corrected and trained euen to their desires yea if their Disciples were their proper children by kind and bloud they could vse no more affectiō to make them learned and vertuouse In déed suche deserue not the name of maisters who bearing no frank care and loue to their schollers séeme as marcenary men and but to regarde the present gayne holding their Schollers in negligence and their parentes in hipocrisie touching their paines diligēce Touching the principal he ought to loue his regents as his bretherne who as he is the auncient and first in authoritie ouer them so by the scripture to the eldest is ascribed the preheminence and supreame rule in a familie and acknowledging him selfe as a brother in the aduauncement and protection of his bretherne giuing them aide and fauour to his vttermost power and credit in an other consideration he is called the head of the regents and schollers the regents being the chiefe and principall members of the body vnder the head and the schollers the inferior So that as he being a brother must behaue himselfe to his brothers in brotherly office and as the head gouerne his most principall and excellent members with a chiefest care and dutie and so sée the rest beare mutuall amitie one to another In like sort ought the Regents to acknowledge all loue feare and franke obedience as they are warned by the law of God to their eldest and most auncient brother forbearing as neare as they can to grieue their head or giue him any occasion of offence the same being altogether against the law of nature God and man as in a naturall bodie by how much the members are neare to the head by so much doo they trauell to giue aide and pleasure to their naturall head as retayning of it more prouidence or influxion euen so schollers according to all law and reason ought to beare loue reuerence feare and obedience in all subiection to their head and principall first and next to their Regents yea the same loue honour feare and obedience which they owe to their parents and duties to the Magistrates ought they to performe substancially to their principall and Regents being as Lieftenants to their Fathers Mothers and Magistrate and whom the Principall Regents loue with the affection of Fathers no lesse then if they were their proper children For recompēce therfore let them honour them with equall loue and dutie and with reuerence as to the formers of their wittes and Fathers of their learning alwayes considering that if their had not ben instructed their ignorāce and vice had taken from them all dignitie and honour in their life and as blind men they had walked in perpetuall darknes falling into errors and neuer confessed God and in the end had ben perpetually wretched In which respects as they well deserue to be loued and honoured as their Masters so yet they are bound to it most of all when they are risen into knowledge by which they receiue the honorable fruit of their studies how often so euer they sée themselues honored for their learning how often they gaine by it when they take most pleasure in their Science and sée themselues raised into dignitie and felicitie aboue others bycause of their learning and vertue euen so often let them honour the remembrance of their Masters and embrace them with perfect loue as who were their originall happy meanes to raise them to those estates and without whom they had ben contemnible to the world with out any honorable ornament of nature forbearinge the rudenes of some vnthankfull disciples who being once highly mounted make no more reckoning of the stirop that raised them to their high seat wherin much lesse that they deserue that they haue but with vnthākfull children not acknowledging to their parents their due honour nor the aide and dutie which they owe thē are not worthy of common life Let such and all other vnthankfull people remember that it is a sinne which S. Paule findes condemned of Christ to eternall perdicion and a signe of reprobation with God. Refutation of the false iudgements of some proude worldlings touching the profession of schoolemasters with a praise of that profession Chapter xiij MAny there be of too fleshly and reprobate iudgement who eyther ignorant in the dignitie of learning or sworne enemies against it despise the state of schoolemasters calling them by many scornefull and ridiculous names But according to my former opinion I hold it afore God a calling most honorable and acceptable and in a common weale the most profitable and necessary profession For if knowledge be commendable vertue deserue honour much more merite of reuerence belonges to such as teach
benefices Prebendes Prelatesship estates are purchased wherein may bee gessed how well they will behaue themselues séeing they were neuer touched with the thought to become worthy of them and so are raised to priestes afore they deserue to be clerks Abbots not being méete to be Monkes Iudges afore they haue pleaded in causes of right and Masters afore they were disciples No greater disorder or confusion in a common weale When Fathers shall finde their children enclined to learning let theÌ„ applie their purse to their disposition so shall they make them most seruiceable to their countreyes honorable to themselues and most happy as touching their proper saluation if they haue no sufficient meane to continue entertaine their studie let them praye to God and rather then to discoÌ„tinue their booke bestow theÌ„ in colledges to serue some Doctors Regents or learned schollers and so leade them by long and painefull wayes to the estimacion and conquest of learning foreséeing in any wise not to discourage or dispaire the liuely will and spirite of a young child taking pleasure to studie For as it is a signe certaine of the calling of God so ther is no lesse hope and suertie but that to that inclination and vehement affection the almightie Lord being earnestly prayed vnto wil ioyne coÌ„uenient oportunities to come to that whereunto he calleth him by the which wée read of many prouing so excellent in all liberall sciences that by their doctrine they haue bene chosen Bishops Presidents yea and made more great then in their youth they were meane poore and simple some of them hauing no other beginning then trained in the function euen of the meanest seruant wherein is fulfilled the sentence of Salomon that there be poore seruants who in the end by their wisedome will beare rule ouer the riche children in whom is no habilitie to gouerne themselues discréetely There resteth to a young man but a strong desire and feruent mind to studie to make him at last wise and learned and such one sayth Aristotle though he knoweth nothing yet he is more then halfe learned if he begin well Touching the election of Masters to institute children I haue spoken at large in the last booke only I aduertise rich pareÌ„ts that to entertaine good Masters it is better to bestowe crownes then shillings For by them money time honour knowledge vertue are gained foure fold which all are lost where the instructor is either ignoraunt negligent or corrupt In this the consideration of couetousnes doth much blind vndiscréete parents more fearefull of the wast of their money then fauoring the benefite of their children according to the example of the man in Plutarch who suing to a Philosopher to teach his sonne and he requiring compotent hier what saith this couetous father with so much money can I buy a slaue by whoÌ„ I can raise yerely great reuenue so saith the Philosopher may you haue two for one if you leaue your childe ignorant and without discipline meaning that by his couetousnes he should haue a sonne a slaue to his desires and affections who liuing alwayes in dishonour and subiection would neuer bring forth any good actions but by force or feare where hauing institution as hée might by doctrine and vertue leade his lyfe in right honorable libertie so if for want of discipline he became prodigall and spent his wealth he should be driuen to serue to supplie the necessitie of hys miserable life Touching the subiection wherein a Father ought to leade his childe he hath prescription in the scripture that he must minister Discipline to his childe that is not wise and by the rod chastise his malice to the end to deliuer his soule from hell The wise man in an other text giues this councell if thou hast childreÌ„ teache and discipline them and leade them in humble subiection euen from their youth hold them shorte by sharp correction hyde in thy hart the loue thou bearest them and giue them no indulgence libertie to pleasure since as by thy good correction thou shalt receyue of them great ioye and comfort vppon the ende of thy dayes so how much thou doest enlarge their youth to libertie euen so farre doest thou leade them in the pathe of their owne destruction to thy right worthy displeasure and dishonor The childe sayeth Salomon that is left to liue at his will giues confusion to his mother We haue an example in our great and heauenly Father who the more he loueth the straiter discipline subiection doth he holde ouer those whoÌ„ he best loueth as we reade by his hard dealing with the Jsraelites and leauing the Pagans without correction saying In thy lyfe time giue not thy children power ouer thee as if he had sayde dispossesse not thy selfe of thy goods to thy children yea make not thy selfe familiar with them put thée not into their mercie but being maister so long as thou liuest retayne thy authoritie ouer them to correct them to disinherite them and punishe them if they offende Who spareth the rod from his child saieth Salomon hateth him and loues not his saluacion therefore â—o long as thy power remaynes ouer them if thou punish not their offences thou standest in the same estate of blame and damnation with them as witnesseth Hely whereof we haue spoken before It happeneth ordinarely by the iust course of Gods iudgement that as the father forgettes in his office and authoritie to minister instruction and discipline to his childe so in hys ryper yeares that negligeÌ„ce eftsâ—ones turnes his sonne froÌ„ the dutie of a child becomming disobedient disordered and dissolute and giues no reuerence eyther to father or mother yea sometimes he robbeth them dooth them wrong outrage and iniurie and setting his feete euen vpon their throate is the cause oftentymes that thei dye afore the ende of their dayes Saule is commended for that finding his sonne Ionathas by chaunce in transgression of the law he condemned him to death as if he had ben another which also he had suffered if the people had not deliuered him Dauid was somewhat to deare ouer his children which in the ende tourned to his rebuke and hurt Iacob depriued his eldest Sonne Ruben of his right of inheritaunce because hée was an inceste Abraham chased Jsmael because he had plaied with Jsaac which some interprete that hee had beaten him and others that he would haue committed Idolatrie and induced Jsaac to that impietie which thoughe it be vnderstand simplie to playe and loose time in importunat and vnlawfull sportes séeking also to seduce his younger brother and that Abraham could not bée ignorant but that Jsmael was corrupte yet hée expulsed him iustly yea euen by the commaundement of God. Noe punished with cursse ouer the familie of Cham the mocking that he made of him wherein is no great cause of maruell for that the father being the Lieuetenant of god here in earth ouer the regiment of his
obseruatiō amongst the Lacedemonians who vsed not only the lawe of perfect pietie to their proper and fleshly parents but also euen to all old people whome they honored as their fathers and gaue succor to all their affaiers as if they had bene their naturall children They estemed them happie if they were called to do seruice to olde men tacking it for the greatest prayse that coulde be ascribed to the actions of their life to pushe forward the affires of auncient men wherby it was sayde in comon prouerbe that happie was he that became olde in Lacedemonia as hauing so many childrē readily disposed to honor serue and support him as there was young people in the towne ¶ The dutie of Maisters towards their Seruauntes Chapter vij THe third ground of a cōmon weale and order of pollecie conteineth the authoritie of Maisters ouer Seruauntes and obedience of seruants to maisters wherein the maister mai be considered in two manners either as Lord buying with his money his seruaunt which they call bondman or slaue or conquering him in warre by victorie as his enemie or else he is maister not as Lord proper or owner but as trying and vsing the seruaunt only for a time as in England we haue no others So that this second sorte of seruaunt is no bond man but rather in the nature of a hyreling or marcenarie reteyned for a season when the scripture speakes in the Hebrew woorde of this name aued and the auncient Latines of seruus as also the Gréekes of their Donlos thei meane no other commonly then the perpetuall bondman This maister called Lord hath borne afore time supreme power ouer hys seruauntes putting them to death by his discretion without lawe of reprehension For so we reade Metellus a Citizen of Rome handled so many bond men as brake him cuppes of Crystall and was not called to punishement for it which comming to the knowledge of Augustus an Emperour pitifull he entred the house of the said Romane and to take away the occasion of a second crueltie to his poore bond men passhed in péeces al the vesselles of Crystall and glasses that hée founde in the house Olde Cato otherwayes reputed very wise was so tyrannous ouer his bondmen that whē by extréeme age they had no further abilitie to serue hym hée caused some to be committed to slaughter and suffered others to dye of hūger which cōmō humanitie denieth euen to a dogge or horse that had ben long vsed in seruice but that libertie or rather imperious and vnnatural authoritie of Maisters was afterwardes bridled and limited by many lawes as is written in Exodus who strikes his bond man or bond woman with a rod and they dye presently vppon the blow is guiltie of capitall crime but if they liue a daye or two after he shal not be punished for he hath bought them with his money as if the law had saied he thought not to kil them and so loose the money which they had cost him And albeit God often times recommendes vnto maisters to handle their bond men gentlie wherein to drawe them to more pitie hée puttes them in remembrance of the miserable seruitude which they endured in Egypte yet the hautie couetous and malicious nature of manye maisters draw them often tymes into actes of great tyrannie towardes their bond men vsinge them more cruelly then their necessary and trauelling cattell yea in no other estimacion nor vse then as brute beastes For the which God by his prophete declares howe angrie he is and sending ruine spoyle to their townes he suffereth some of them to be murdered and others made slaues to straunge and barbarous nations The Jewes had commaundement to giue libertie to the bond men of their nation the vii yeare which was as a sabboth sanctified to god But because aboue their prescript limite thei retayned their poore bondmen in hard subiection and if they complayned redoubled the straynesse of their bondage eyther not suffered them to appeare in the court to demaund iustice or else corrupted the Iudges and so choak the way of their remedie the Lord partly for this transgression sent desolation vpon Juda and transmigration into Babylon Let vs nowe sée the office of a maister to his bonde seruauntes wherein we shall finde that by reason hée ought with much more lenitie to behaue him selfe towards those which are not to him but as temporall seruauntes First séeing their slaues are men as well as they they ought to loue them as their neighbours for all men are our neighbours and if he were a Pagan or ennemie should a man doe wrong to him whom he loueth would hée enioyne him to thinges vnrighteous hurtfull hard and too full of labour If euery one by the law of nature be bounde to doe to an other as hee would be done vnto him selfe would he in the state of such subiection be commaunded to things aboue his abilitie to execute Secondly if the bond men or slaues be Christians religion much more then the law of nature ought to draw vs to affection towardes them If they be young we ought to hold them in the reputacion of our brethren if they be auncient let vs giue them reuerence as to Fathers I meane touchinge loue for concerning the bond ciuill and seruile it is not cancelled by the law of the gospell why should wée then with so arrogant proud and angrie hart commaund such rigorously whom we ought to loue and cherish with Christian humanitie If we be al vnited by one IESVS Christe as are the members of one bodye vnder this Lord which is made our head should it bée possible that the maister who in this body is as the eye or hand and the bond seruaunt to him is as the foote or least toa of his foote to obey and serue him should commaund or enioyne to this bond man any thing which should not bée reasonable honest and profitable the same agréeinge with the commaundement of Saint Paule not to doe any displeasure damage or wrong to that low part being so conioyned to him by naturall harmonie no rather if it suffer necessitie grief or anguish the superior parte is bound to trauell for it and yéeld compassion to his sorrow The Maister not touched with this spirituall iudgement and lesse féeling of this inwarde sence touching his office to his seruaunt doth not rightly acknowledge him selfe to be a man but much lesse a true Christian and faithfull member of the mysticall body of this Lord The same being the cause why many Christian nations in the consideration of suche loue according to nature and grace will not vse that imperious authoritie in their house ouer any bond man But taking certayne infidelles prisoners in lawfull warres as soone as they become Christians they giue them libertie and receyue them into their houses with wages and hyers for their labours obseruinge the vertues of the auncient Nations who after long proofe of their bond mē in
the dutie of the seruant to his master as he is not only bound to feare and honoure him as his lord but loue him as his head as in déede he is according to God so it is chieflie his office to ioyne to his seruice an effectioned francke and readye will euen as the member should serue his naturall head and as the sonne with a good hart should do seruice to his father his seruice must not be for the eye only or for manners sake as the saying is but with the consent of the hart vsing his absence and presence with one loyaltie in seruice as if he should serue God and that with out hipocresie or wicked affection for that God seing into the meaning of the hart abhoreth all corrupt will malice hipocrisie and sutteltie so that if he serue with these vertues fidelitie diligence hartie zeale or true loue with humilitie or obedience with out resistance or countermaund with consideration that what seruice he doth for his master ought to be profitable agreable and honest he serueth God for so doeth God lay out the estat and rate of his seruice which he ought to accomplish according to the vocation whervnto he hath called him referring the end of all to Gods honoure by faith and hope to please him and to obtaine in the end his last and eternal reward Therefor being thus instructed as S Paule teacheth him hée néed not care to be saued remayning still a bondman for in such estate he may pertake with the grace of saluation aswell as his master for that God as was euen nowe sayd regardes more the vertue then the persone Besides he is made fre by Iesus Christ from the seruitude of sinn and sathan which only seruitude is to be feared of the Christian and not the other which often times helpes to saluation where licentious libertie giues occasion to many of perpetual sentence here some philosopher might saye further for the bondman who seruing still not hauing where with to redéeme his libertie for that he ought to do to the end to serue God with more fréedome of mind liues a martir taking and suffering patiently his seruile condicion and praysing his creator in all trauel when he dieth in Iesus Christ they will folowe him for eternall rest and perpetuall recompence in heauen And so he shall so much the more glorifie God for that bondestate by how much he knoweth that by the prouidence and goodnes of heauen he hath béene preserued in it from infinit sinnes which with many others he had committed in fleshly libertie and receiued damnacion where now he hath hope to be saued in this estate Thus his seruile condition is made happie which with worldly men was holden wretched desperate here also we haue to vnderstand that God doeth a great grace to such as of their natures are seruants that is borne to serue and hauing neither iudgment nor authoritie nor meane to get power knowledge yet acknowleging themselues do follow their humble vocation in honest seruice and dutie But if they take it against their naturall inclination being a secrett motion of God touching the vocation their vsurped ambiciō and ouerwéening leades them into manie offences being causing to their damnation Touching hireling or yeare seruants their condicion is all one for the time they serue and dayly laborers for the dayes and space of their couenant are no lesse bound to serue then the slaue condemned to perpetuall seruice during his life And being subiect to the same lawes of discipline with the bond seruants they are also bound to the same fidelitie and simplicitie of heart in working by this generall commaundement of nature authorised by the scripture thou shalt not do to an other that thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe and by consequent thou shalt do to another as thou wouldest be done vnto and as thou wouldest doe for thy selfe louing an other as thy self and his goods as theine owne And as God hath cōmaunded the master to pay well his seruant and workman yea not to detaine the hier of the day laborer till the morning for it is the sweat of his bodie his life So seruants and workemen are enioyned by the same commaundement to trauell in simplicitie honestie and truth euen as they should trauell for them selues in their owne busines ¶ How men haue ben made noble and of their dutie towards their subiects or tenants Chapter viij WE haue discoursed vppon the authoritie of Magistrates touching their rule ouer common weales as Fathers Maisters and Lordes polletike hauing a lesson in the Scripture to entertaine their authoritie by true fatherly loue and care vnder the rule or Lordship of these may bee comprehended the regiment of gentlemen ouer their tenants hauing gotten their noblenes prorogatiues of honour iurisdiction in their landes by their vertues valiantnes and high enterprises euen as gouernours and Magistrates for the merit of their doctrine and knowledge haue worthely aspired to the regiment and gouernment of others Noble men and gentlemen are as speciall gouernours and Magistrates in their proper landes wherein they haue double office as both to gouerne by the lawe being perticuler iudges of their tenants and defend them by armes from the inuation of oppressors And as to gouernours and Magistrates belongeth vnder the Prince generall authoritie ouer all so these haue speciall iurisdiction vnder the same Prince for their perticuler gouernement And therefore are bound to gouerne their tenaunts not onely as masters vse their seruants but as fathers cherish their children with singuler loue and as the head with louing direction guides his members and being also as pastors and heards men ouer their peculiar people they are bound to no lesse affection care prouidence dutie then the shepheard to his flocke the head to his members and the Father to his deare children But if they fayle in their regiment or misleade their priuate charge as we haue shewed these for the vices of their generall gouernement to deserue a horrible sentence of God without grace fo gentlemen abusing their perticuler estate stand in hazerd of a terrible iudgement séeing as the mightie saith the wise man shall suffer cruell torments so stand they accomptable afore God for euery their perticular tenaunt touching ciuill gouernement and defence of them as the curate must answere for euery soule within his parishe And so the temporall Lord for temporall pollecie hath speciall gouernement ouer his landes so to guide his tenants as their conuersation be honest farre from quarrelles discordes do no mutuall wrong one to another nor iniurie to straungers to kéepe them from sutes or at least to accord their diffrences and cut of waye to processes and giuing no scope to controuersies to kéepe thē all in modestie and office and suffer no idlenes nor vagabondrie Lastly let him prosecute the obseruation of Gods commaundements and establish and follow the instructions and doctrine which the Curat or spiritual pastor
that the lawe bindes to no restitution though the wares bée solde at double prise all these spéeches and the effectes that followe of them are of the very inuencion of Pagans wretchedly vpholden and entertayned by pagan christians whose eyes of vnderstandinge couetousnes hath closed vp and restrained them from the cleare light of reason infused into vs from heauen euen by IESVS Christ the self light But all men what so euer not hauing these two lawes of conscience ready to serue thē in contracting bargayning selling buying choppinge chaunging and in the traffike of euery particular marchandise I saye if he doe not all in conscience as a brother ought to doe to a brother and one friende to an other abandoning deceyte in euery dealing for in case of desire to gayne by deceite bloud and brotherhoode friendship also will swell against it he ought not to aspire to the reputacion of a christian as hauing no place there séeing he hath not obserued those two lawes as the first letters of his christian Alphabet But here the Marchantes alleadge that it is so with all the worlde and if they should goe so stricktly and iustly to work the principall and necessarie charges would not be gained Little doe they remember in this that it is forbidden to conforme our dooings with the worlde but to reforme our selues in spirit to take vp a new life conuersation truely Christian not louing the worlde nor any thing therein as vnworthie of loue nor to followe the errours of the world springing of glorie couetousenesse and pleasure Let vs rather estéeme this worlde wretched as to the which Iesus Christ would not once vouchsafe to imparte one onely prayer but hath prophesied vpon it malediction in respect of the miseries who followeth then the guide of this diring cursed and blind world is it not directly to suffer him selfe to bée ledde into the bottomes of hell Touching the other point that by selling iustly is no great gaine let them behold the persuasion of Dauid that a little is better with the feare of God then all the ritches of sinners what doth it profit to gayne a whole world for certain daies and loose a paradise for euer Oh you Marchantes of little faith fearing to féele necessitie if you liue in the state of honest men beholde the man following his vocation in the feare of God and liuing accordinge to his lawes is assured by the word of GOD not to fall into want but that God will ayde him and giue blessing to his labours where of the contrary it hapneth that the deceyuer is beguyled and who doth wrong to an other findes recompense of wrong and what he feareth hapneth often tymes vnto him yea albeit God suffer him to become ritch by vnrighteouse meanes his wealth taryeth euen no longer then we sée a landflud fallings in great aboundaunce and presently passeth away and the place become drie And as we see in dayly experiēce that the second or third heires of suche marchantes vniustly enriched sell their houses shoppes liuinges and become bankerout leauing no other remembrance then that which a foule smoak leaues to a new whited wall So the small stocke of a good and vpright marchant takes his encrease by little and litle as the corne and grasse multiplieth into plentie yea his succession becomes an infinit generation There bée marchantes of honest pollicie but of couetous intenciō who selling at reasonable rate do often times gayne more then others for setting reasonable prices of their wares they draw more buyers and by consequence more vse of money whereby it happeneth that gayning but a groate in a yarde hée findes his encrease more in the yeares end then an other that with a slow vent gaines a testor in euerie yarde who to auoyde the hazarde of his wares by long kéeping and because he would rayse a great gaine selles his wares of credit to chapmen in the countrey but at his owne price some tymes double or treble aboue their proper worth thus selleth he time which is none of his and beguiles simple people who eyther not knowing the value of his wares or at least constrayned to take them by necessitie whereby the marchant bound by Gods lawe to reléeue and fauour the necessities of the néedie leaues thē not in this but committes them to raunsome and afterwardes when payment comes layeth them vpon the racke distreyning their corne their haruest and for a small matter leades away the substance that should nourishe them their poore families all the yeare There be also that vse a worse trade encreasing their money by monthly loane which they call honest interest but because aswel monthly vsurie as the lewd dealings of many marchāts their broakers being as the deuil his disciples are sufficiently detected punished by wholesome lawes of many christian nations I wil not here touche any person in perticular much lesse discourse vpō the whole abuses of interest men hauing now to do with publike trafficke of marchauntes who to the other lawes aforesayde séeme to haue one more concurring with thē which is the rate of markets the state of times and the consideration of places whereby as they may as lawefully gain at on time as they casuallie loase at an other which is the common fortune of marchaunts so let them take héede that in the meane and pollicie to make their profite they be not founde the causes of the euill season or to abuse the market or the place as for example there are in on citie an hundreth or more of the most principall marchaunts who doubting the dearth of corne with in the yeare or at least hope to gaine much by bargaines of corne go from market to market to restraine corne in the season that they sée it good cheape and somtimes make it rise higher to enforce pore men to sell to them By which intolerable trafficke all the corne of a countrie is drawen into their handes and yet will sell none during the store of the countrie But when it falleth wherby the necessitie of the market redobleth the price then those corne marchaunts or more properlie cormorantes begin by litle and litle by mutuall intelligence eyther to sell one after an other or euerye one to féede the market with his proportion or else sell in their priuate garners by their discreation raising at wonderfully and extorted gaine here if they saye they sell according to the rate of the market and are ruled by the estate of the time and place they may be aunswered that in taking the benefit of their owne lawe which is but concurringe they transgresse the two first lawes seeming to do pleasure to others with the common ruyne and miserie of a whole countrie and so by their vnlawfull gaine abuse their vocation they only are the imediate causes of the dearth of corne for if they had suffered eueri one to sell his corne according to his necessitie and forborn to
their wealth a kinde of Idolatrie to honor a creature vile and insensible in a man as is riches and not reuerence the pore by reason of his pouertie which notwithstanding is most acceptable and honorable with God as being innocent and without hurt where in the riche man according to the Apostle is founde many actes of oppressions which haue fauour of impunitye albeit they deserue extreame iudgement To dispise also the pore man is double sinne as both retorning in iniurie against God who hath made the pore aswell as the riche yea honoreth him with his more singuler graces as apeared euen since the time of the lawe chusing for his prophetts men extremelye pore as also againste the pore man himselfe who with his present pouertie feeles yet an other affliction when he findes him selfe dispised Secondly riche men ought to be perswaded by faith that their welth comes not altogether by their labors their witts nor prouidences for sayeth Salomon the blessing of God makes men riche and keepes them from suffering affliction it is of mear grace that God makes some to prosper in the goodes and affairs of the worlde with out suffering losse or vexation And as ther be many that trauell no lesse then they yea with equall industrye prouidence and care and yet are vnder the yoke of pouertie So then let riche men attribute nothing to them selues but all to the bountifull prouidence of God by the mean of some little labor which they take as if they would attribut the fertilytie of a good ground yelding for one graine aboundance of corne being but simply tilled to the prouident ordenance of God and not to their industrie manuring seeing there is no ground which though it be tilled and fatted with great labour and sowen with neuer so good séedes will yet yéeld no fruite neither in plentie nor price because the blessing of God hath not bene giuen to that ground to make it riche in corne euen so the poore are ordayned of God to their estate of pouertie I meane the good sort for such as by negligēce by whoredome or other vnthriftines become poore are causes of their owne decaye as there be that contrary to the ordenāce of God get riches by vseries and other vnlawfull meanes deseruing not to bée called the rich men of God but of Sathan as also such as by misgouernement become poore are not called by the poore of God and as such are not true poore falling into pouertie by their owne vices and not poore by God but by his permission so also riche men are rauinors by the suffring power of God and not by his will. Thirdly rich mē by faith may apprehend Gods prouidence bearing them fauour and frendship to establish them in prosperitie ease aboue their other bretherne as belonging all to one heauenly Father drawne out of one mother which is nature and qualified of cōmon elementes touching the constitution of the body whom they sée subiect to more pouertie and affliction for the which as they are bound to a more action of thankes to God so let them search the cause why he reserueth such fauour for them and why also and for what ende there bée so many poore euen to the ende of the world which can neuer attaine to ritches on whom if it had so pleased him he might by the opening of his plentiful hand haue bestowed great ritches as he did vppon Job after his extréeme pouertie In consideration of all which causes it will fall out necessarie with our purpose to prescribe aswell to the ritch as the poore their particular dutie according to god First then the riche ought not to swell or presume by any opinion of his ritches nor the poore fall into infirmitie of hart by reason of his pouertie and much lesse estéeme him selfe of inferiour grace with God or estimacion amongest men according to one self iudgement of reason but with Saint James let him take occasion to glorifie him selfe in God of his poore and abiect condition in hope to be exalted as of the contrary the ritch arrogant man hath to feare to be throwne downe after this life the same being expressed in the example of the wicked riche man cast by wicked spirites into extréeme necessitie and horrible tormentes of hel where the soule of poore Lazarus was caried by Angelles into the bosom of Abraham The promise of Gods kingdome is made onely to the poore and therefore if the riche wil be saued let them buy it of the poore by true faith and charitie and almes with deedes of compassion You rich men saith Iesus Christ make you friendes of the Mammon of iniquitie that is of the richesse which induce men to much euill draw mindes to vnlawfull lustes torment hartes with wicked cares make their owners idolators being vniustly gotten are also carefully kept and by their abuses are the causes to infinit people of euerlasting damnacion In this also the rich sort ought to feare for that GOD giues riches to many as their porciōs which they haue to looke for from him according to the saying of Abrahā to the riche man in the Gospell My sonne thou hast already receyued thy pleasures and Lazarus likewise his paynes in the world content thy selfe if thou hast at any time dou any good as prayed to GOD or heard his word thou hast ben sufficiently payed for it thou canst not passe from a vaine pleasure to a true and perpetuall pleasure from temporall richesse which thou didst abuse to an euerlasting felicitie from worldly glorie honour whiche were thy delites to a glorie eternall which as a swéete reward is reserued for this man on whom the world threw contempt because of his pouertie Wherein then as the rich men of the worlde haue more occasiō to submit in humilitie and feare so to the poore is giuen comfort and hope to bée exalted for whō the more miseries perplexities and contemptes they haue suffered in the world the greater recompence is layed vp in the ioyes felicities and eternall delites of heauen ¶ Still touching the qualities of personnes Chapter ij RIch men considering in thē selues that wealth is a gift of God and not the onely fruite of their industrie as they ought to glorifie the Lord so by how much hée fauoureth thē aboue others by so much are they bound to submission and humble recompence of thankes giuing with encrease of loue towardes him because without their merite he hath aduaūced them to goods as foreséeing that they could not easely beare the pouertie and miserie of the world They haue also to consider that he hath blissed them with so great store to the end to make distribucion to their poore bretheren for which purpose as their heauenly father raised them to that plentie to the ende that in their liberalitie might be expressed their office of brothers So if they failed in this zeale what iniquitie did they to their brethren hauing right in the goods
Augustin let me releeue him whose necessitie is first offred to me drawing by my example rich men to reléeue others In this case the rich man refusing to ayde the poore is a tyrant and vniust possessor of the goods of others for that the superfluitie is a due portion of the poore according in the wordes of Saint Basill The money saith he that thou kéepest in thy coffers the apparel not seruing thée to vse and the vittailes that thou hast in aboundance are the goods of the poore ouer whose right thou dost vsurpe In this he séemes to holde conformitie with S. James that the rich men ought to sighe and wéepe for the miseries that will happen to them whereof he alleadgeth thrée causes the first for that they kéepe their gold and siluer till it ruste and haue no néede where many poore bodies perish of hunger and that their garments are gnawne with moathes where infinite poore creatures stand naked subiect to the iniury of the weather The second is that they paye not reasonably suche as serue them whose crye pearceth the very eares of the lord of hostes demaūding vengeance of their iniquitie The third is that they make great cheare and anoynt their throats with the liccorous sirops of swéet meats suffer the téeth of their poore brother to bite no bread nor his stomacke to be refreshed with whole some liccour Many other néedy people remaine in a Citie who notwithstanding their trade and occupation are driuen by some ouercharge of children or casualitie to sel their necessary implements and sometime the very instruments of their occupation not being hable to borowe and hauing shame to aske Of Christian amitie and how many sortes of friendships there be Chapter iij. HAuing not yet spoken of the dutie of a friend but in generall sort nor of Christian charitie wherein consists the perfection of a Christian and of moste deare commendacion in the Scripture it cannot be impertinēt to inferre some discourse therof the necessitie of our purpose so requiring Amitie is of foure kindes as naturall ciuill carnall such as was amongst the Pagans and Christian or spirituall The two first haue their approbation euen by the scripture the third which is carnall hath ben by the iudgemēt of good men reputed corrupt as in déede it is and much reproued according to the doctrine of god Naturall friendship is as the loue of parents towards their children and one kinsman or countrey man to an other Ciuill amitie is got either by conuersation and society of men together or in respect of profites eyther receiued or hoped for this friendship is called of the Philosophers humane and as it were due of common office But better is it expressed whereby it is called a vertue morall when it vnites mutually heartes and willes together sometimes it is but of the one part which is the cause of Tullies opinion that such is the force and propertie of vertue that it constraynes men to loue such on whom there goeth but an opinion and reputatiō of honestie though they neuer saw nor knew the persons But notwithstanding the reasons and iudgements of the Philosophers touching that kind of amitie the Scripture will neuer repute it a vertue if it haue not a purpose and end to the honour and loue of God without which end much lesse that all vertuous actions haue any recompence or glory afore God but with Saint Ambrose that kind of amitie is accompted corrupt as not done to that end which the Scripture cōmaundes by which we are cōmaunded to do al things for the honour of god Fleshly amitie or friendship is contracted vnder a hope or present enioying of goods honours and carnall pleasures And sometimes the naturall and ciuill amitie degenerate into this damnable loue being most often the very loue wée beare to our selues deliting more in our owne glory and pleasures then in GOD or that concernes our saluation Where vppon it is sayd that men vppon the end of the world shal be so worldly and fleshly a signe of reprobation that they shal be more feruēt followers of their proper delites then of God This loue Saint Augustine with good reason sayth is the foundation of the Citie of the Deuil as the loue to God is the ground worke of the holy citie of the soueraigne Lord Christian loue is that charitie which so often God recommends to vs comprehending an entier loue with all our power to him and a sincere amitie without fiction to our neighbour euen by the same measure that naturally we loue our selues with this intēdement alwayes that all be for the loue honor of God as the cause end of al amitie al our actions to the end to receiue for it eternal retribuciō This amitie leads directs makes perfect the natural ciuil moral friendship euen so corrects altogether that the is carnall as being corrupt by wicked affections makes it turne into spiritual by spiritual conuersation as if a man louing his wife onely for that she is faire and riche and for his beastly pleasure a Pagan loue and little differing from the affection of a whoremonger to his concubine and being afterwardes instructed by Christian doctrine with what zeale he ought to embrase his wife in mariage loueth her not for the reasons of the flesh aforesayd but as his companion of grace coenheritrice of the glory of heauen louing hir with that spirituall and true loue wher with Iesus Christ loued his Church And as a Father louing his sonne not simplie nor naturally but with a worldly affection as making him his Idoll falleth to loue him afterwards in God by Christian institution that is according to the prescript of the Scripture kéeping him in discipline and vertuous exercise Thus the whoremonger is conuerted and forbearing his fleshly affection to his troll will hate in him selfe and hir all damnable lightnes and neuer looke on hir but with a displeasure and remorse of his sinne which after their conuersion she is also bound to do And if there bée daunger eftsones to fall they are bound to restraine sight and mutuall company and stand vpon their gard no lesse then such as hauing ben once enuenimed with a swéete poyson by an antidot preserued from death will beware eftsones of charmes or swéete liccours neyther is penaunce of any force if the sinne bée not altogether abandoned and all carnaletie abhorred And if in déede amitie to speake more properlye bée a vertue more then morrall and not affection onely according to the error of some Philosophers it can not be ioyned with vice for so théeues other of vice albeit they vaunt of frendship in susteyning one an other can not truly be called frends but confederats in league conspiring by common consent to do euill Amitie is perpetuall as is all vertue of his liuely and proper nature So that such as loue richmen by reason of the proffites they receiue by them are not