If they feede not their flocke with the foode of the Scripture If the Pastours had done their duties the VVolues had not entered the folde ⧠The .7 Chapter IF to vnderstande the Pater-noster were inough why did Iesus christ preach thrée yéeres and an halfe many and diuers doctrines being alwayes for the moste part preaching in the Temple to the common People more then to others By what reason did the Apostles teache so long tyme as Saint Paul .xxxvi. yéeres Saint Iohn more then fiftye and others so long as they liued aswell Apostles as Disciples Martyrs and infinite holye Bishoppes distributing sometimes thrée Sermons a daye To what ende hath béene written so many Gospels so many Epistles and Sermons and all rather to the common people then to others Homelies also bee familiar and popular Sermons suche Saint Ciprian Saint Ambrose Saint Chrisostome Saint Augustine with many others haue written S. Paul coÌ„maunded his Epistles to be read in the Churches and writing them generall he willed that all the Churche shoulde vnderstande them he wrote to the common people of Colosse commaunding them to aduertise their minister named Archyppus of the word of God and to discharge well his ministerie and office And writyng to others we finde that he spake to the common sort wherein though some times he spake of Bishops and Deacons yet he alwayes preferred the people as an estate most néede of instructioÌ„ because the Clargie either be or by reason ought to be best instructed Therefore O aduersarie of Iesus Christe and enemie to trueth why art thou so full of iniquitie as not to graunt that common people may enioy the doctrine which Christ him selfe preached and caused to be taught inducing by his holy spirite that it was written by the Euangelistes Apostles and Prophetes Wylt thou take from the children the bread which their father hath put in their hande and commaunded thée to sée distribution of it Let it like thée that the people reade the Scriptures though euery one haue not libertie to enterprete them after his owne sence For what cause saith S. Paul hath God put into his Church Apostles Euangelistes Prophetes Pastours and Doctours but to giue edifiyng to his people So that as it is their office to teache interprete and preache So God hath annexed to this worde Pastour Doctour as who say he is a Pastour but by name and vsurpation if hée haue not abilitie to teache and do it In howe many places doeth the Scripture call the Pastours to teache their flocke and wylt thou be a Priest worthy of double honour and wylt not vse a simple trauaile in the worde and doctrine Saint Peter wylleth the Pastours to nourishe the flocke of Iesus Christe with the foode of the Scripture aduising them to do it diligentlye and liberallye without constraint or couetousnesse And yet thou who speakest not but for the benefite of thy Purse wilt neyther bestowe trauaile nor foode on thy Cure nor impart so muche as a thirde part with the good Preacher to whome in common equitie the whole belongeth for that according to God there is nothing due but to the labourer Learne then and geue thy selfe to studye more and more to make thée worthy to bée a Pastour make restitucion of that which thou hast taken for doing nothing yea that which was due to the merite of him that hath taken paines But now touching the constitucion and vse of all the Church concerning Doctrine wée reade in the Canons of the Apostles that no man must go out of the Temple on the holye dayes afore hée hath hearde the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes and communicated If hée do let him bée marked as if hee were an Infidel and worthy to be excoÌ„municated much more if the Pastour preache not hée is reprehendible and more worthy of excommunication of this institution Apostolâ—cal there remayneth yet to vs the Epistle and the Gospell of the Deuine seruice which wée must not heare as did the Asse of Socrates the dayly wise Lessons of his Maister and gather no fruicte by them no we must vnderstande them by the explication which ought to bée geuen to the assistauntes wherein as it is commaunded to the Pastours to preache so are the common people enioyned also to heare the Sermons euerye holydaye with reuerence And therefore according to our aduise before it belonges to the gouernours Polletike to assemble on the Festiuall dayes all the Congregation to bée taught and not suffer any to be absent Otherwise suche as haue aucthority of God to make him to bée honoured and obeyed in all his commaundementes stande in hazarde of his Iudgement not onely al those sinnes which the people commit for want of being well instructed but also for that they supported the negligeÌ„ce of pastors who doo nothing but sucke the Milke sheare the poore shéepe For ende if Moyses I meane the Lawe and the Prophetes was reade in the synagogue of the Iewes euerye Sabboth which were theyr lawful Feastes why should that synagogue be more happy then the church of Iesus Christ or why should not there bée exercise of his Doctrine in it at the least euery holyday in the which séeing it is forbiddeÌ„ to trauaile or occupy the mind in prophane secular causes what should the poore man doo in whome is no habilitye to reade and vnderstande and much lesse may not meddle to interprete the Scriptures being so obscure in what exercise should hée employ the day spending but one howre at Publike Seruice should he ioyne his time which ought to bée deare to him to drinking and eating with other actions vnlawful and damnable is that the kéeping of the Sabboth which is a time to repose altogeather in God and to sanctify him with good workes So that it is a thing no lesse holye then necessarye to annexe to the deuine seruice of the Holydaye familiar sermons to the multitude by the which they may truely reappose in tranquilitye of conscience in God in purging suche wicked affections and sinnes as trauaile perpetuallye the mindes of sinners The people will thinke al the wéeke on the Sermons they hearde on the Sundaye Fathers wyl appose their Children and maisters examine theyr seruantes who by this meane wyl take héede to offende God on worke daies Touching our worldly Philosophers who saye that since sermons haue béene so rife and common all hath beene marred I say on the contrarye that if there had béen diligence and plenty of Preachers in al Churches that the Chaires and Pulpets had neuer béene voyde of Pastours as they haue béen these fiftye yéeres men had not nowe knowen what heresie is If the foolde had béen wel kept the Wolfe had not entered yea hée had beene chased away if the Pastour and his voice had béen heard But when there was no Sermons but of the Wallet and such fabulous Trashe of begging Friars wherein was more matter of Scoffe then serious Doctrine And when some begonne to preache the
them If to men vsing great estates and offices be reserued an vniuersall reuerence What lesse honour is due to him that makes them worthy of it and by his industry brings them into the merit of such high calling If wise and learned men be famous through the world for the benefites that growe by their counsell commaūdement and authoritie is there lesse dutie of renoume and immortall praise to such as are the authors of those benefites by their learning If men learned in the lawes profite so much common weales If Phisitions be so necessary for that in them resteth the cure of bodies If lastly by the deuines wée finde comfort to our heauie soules how much are we bound to such as are the first causes of these deuine fruites who are the schoolemasters without whom and the foundation by them layed in those doctrines they had neuer ascended to those seates of honour when we sée a goodly building so excellent in beautie that the worlde giues it singuler estimation what can we ascribe lesse to him who laied the foundation and raised the worke to that excellencie then the principall praise For if faire delitefull and profitable workes be so generally praysed nothing lesse is due to the hand that fashioned them Who delites to behold a goodly picture doth great wrong to the painter if he ascribe not much to the commendation of his skill yea if there were layd on but the first coollers yet the beholder ought to be thankfull to his industrie and labour But if such as nourish our mortall bodies deserue great affection memorable renoume much more are we bound both in loue and perpetuall dutie to them that minister foode to the immortall spirites of little children if so great reuerence be reserued to Phisitions for helping the health of bodies which one day must die notwithstanding Is there not more merit of honour to such as cure our soules of immortal diseases The scripture pronounceth many textes to the shame of those which despise scholemasters of which profession Christ séemed to make his Apostles when he spake to Peter if thou louest mée féede my Lambes What other thing is it to féede then to nourish teach in good doctrine and the Lambes of the flocke of Iesus Christ according to the natural propertie of speaking are young children whom he holdes no lesse deare then his proper fleshe I saye not that vnder that name are ment all sortes of people and yet it can not be denied but that those littleones deserue chief instruction For S. John after he had taught in diuers countreys being compelled to leaue them for a time and go elswhether by speciall writing sayd to the little ones comfort your selues O ye young ones in that you are by the grace word of God strong and vertuous for that the woord of God remaynes in you and that you haue vanquished the wicked spirit through the grace and merit of Iesus Christ Yea Christ him selfe caused the little children to come into his schoole blaming the Apostles being yet of the flesh by cause they let those littleones for comming to him as though he would not haue taught and holpen them aswell as euen the greatest but he commaunded to bring them to him and pronounced them in that instruction and imposition of hands which hée gaue them worthy of the kyngdome of GOD saying that to those and such like the euerlasting worlde belongeth Then such as receiue little children into discipline exercise the office of Iesus Church the same sturring vp the Bishops in old time to take into charge of discipline and teaching little children as also did both the one and the other S. Iohn and the Prophets had many disciples who otherwayes were called the children of the Prophets it is written that many holy men went thorough the world to teach schollers with this intention that with the rules of learning they should also instruct them in the principles of faith and by that meane winne the Fathers mothers to Iesus christ amongest these Origen was not the least zealous and S. Gregorie the Pope refused not this vocation for certaine houres of the day For which considerations a certaine learned doctor of our time and chauncellor of a famous vniuersitie had no shame to go thorow the Colleadges of the vniuersities at certaine conuenient houres and teach little children in familiar doctrines which he did for the loue zeale of God And being oftentimes reproched by other doctors that he shewed an example vnworthy his place specially for that there were sufficient tuters to that purpose he aunswered that they were as fleshly doctors resembling the Apostles not yet in full libertie of the spirite who by glorious opinion forbad little children to approche neare to Iesus Christ alleadging that there was no dutie of accesse to him but by those that were graue I aske of those fleshly doctors whether the shepeheard that kéeps the Lambes of a Father of houshold do not as good and agréeable seruice to his Master as if he had in charge greater shéepe If a Father shew more deare loue to his little children then to those that haue riper age foloweth it not by congruent reason that such as giue succoures to those little ones and kéepe them from daunger deserue better recompence of the Father then if they had done seruice to his greater sonnes If the little plant in the garden of any Farmer be so much cherished that the eye of the owner is seldome from it hée then that watreth it prunes it and defends it from the cropping of beastes and other iniuries what seruice doth he to the owner Yea what greater pleasure can he do to the Farmer whose young plant without this industrie were subiect to spoyle without hope to yéeld any fruite euen as if the little Lambes of the flocke were lost and the young children corrupt there were no exspectation of restitution of that losse and corruption The schoolemaster then hauing in charge these little lambes of Iesus Christ and the preparing of this tender plant of his gardeine which is the Church and lastly the leading of these little children being the delites of the Lord how acceptable is his loyall and diligent seruice to his Lorde and to God And if such as sclaunder these little ones through wicked doctrine example deserue to haue fastened to their necke a milstone and drowned in the bottome of the déepest Sea What recompence or reward is due to those tutors scholemasters by whome those littleones are instructed and led in example of all holines Are they not worthy as Daniell sayeth to shine as the firmament and starres of heauen in euerlasting glory and to be called the greatest of the kyngdome of God Yea according to Iesus Christ euen the most happie of all And if euerie one ought to receiue the reward of his trauels as there is no estate of more hard laboures more great paines more perpetuall perplexeties and
soule which without such medicine standes in danger of eternal death his vlcere is so perilous that if there bée not applied to him a sharpe correction and that to pearse euen to the Boanes for the purging of all putrefaction of his manners it wil remayne incurable Is it then a good zeale in the Ciuill Father to leaue to perdicion his poore perplexed Childe whose cure can not come but by these remedies so that by howe muche it is most certaine according to Dauid and the booke of wisedome that there can not bée founde a medicine more wholsome and effectual to purge the sinnes of the soule then the Doctrine of God by so much is it a dutye necessary and commendable in the Magistrate to vse compulsion by paines and punishment for the hearing of Gods woorde the same being declared to vs in the meaning of the Parrable whiche Iesus Christe put foorthe of the Father of a housholde who commaundes his Seruauntes to goo foorth and constraine to come to the Banket generall whiche hée had made readye all suche as they founde in the Stréetes in the Wayes Hedges and in the Bushes What other thing is this Banket but a preparation of all spiritual meates contained in the Scripture and set vppon the Table which is propounded by familiar explication in the Churche for the norriture of our Soules with al inward delites wherein as the ministers of this great Father of housholde bée his Apostles and Disciples whiche are the Bishopps and Curates to teache and instruct the people and sommon them as it were by theyr Sermons to receiue the Graces whiche are presented to them by Iesus Christ so it appertaines also to the Ciuill Magistrate to constraine the negligent and idle people by the Stréetes and others lurking in Hedges and Bushes or hid in Tauernes or Tabling houses sporting in dissolute Gluttonye whilest this Heauenlye Banket is made readye in the Churche where is concorse of good men to refreshe them selues with it this pollicy bringes foorth these thrée speciall benefites The first is the healthfull instruction of the Soule by the hearing of the word of God which can not bée preached in any place without some fruite according to the similitude of the Raine which falles not in vaine vpon the Earth No more sayeth God shal my word returne to mée againe without profiting of some For such as are foreordained to the eternall life by hearing the woorde are in the ende conuerted how lewde and wicked so euer they bée For this cause it is called the worde of health and euerlasting life as being the instrumental cause or meane by the which God hath ordained that wée shal be instructed in Faith conuerted to him and bée saued and knowing by it his will wée are sturred vp to embrase and accomplishe it The second is that there is no man what vice iniquity so euer he hath professed in his life who although in respect of his reprobat obstinacy wil not be cōuerted altogether yet either by force of this word or for feare of the iudgements of God or for shame of men séeing others reformed of theyr faultes will not at least withdrawe him selfe from the multitude of sinnes as dyd Herode who albeit was so reprobate as the Scripture witnesseth yet by the exhortacion of Saint Iohn and the Doctrine which hée preached hée both did much good and was corrected of many vices euen in like maner the infamies and dissolutions daylye committed but chiefelye on the Holye dayes may by litle and litle bée brought to reformation and ceasse in the ende altogeather eyther by the one or other profite of hearing the woord of God. The thirde fruite depending of the two others with equall and necessarye coniunction is the vnitie of all sortes of people assembled at the Sermon instructed by one selfe teacher in Faith the Lawe Religion in one Doctrine iudgement and one consent of wil and opinion Enemyes shal be reconciled by this woorde whiche propoundes nothing but charitie Loue and vnitie The aduersaryes of the Faith and Schismatikes shal be made one with the Catholikes by the continuaunce of hearing this Doctrine which reprooueth schismes abhorreth Heresies and condemnes them to perpetuall curse So that all people assembled togeather euery Holydaye specially to heare Gods worde in the Sermon can not but bée nourished entertayned and preserued by this continuall conuersation in Preaching places and by this vnion of Doctrine in true Loue and mutuall Charitye to the rooting vp of all inimities and grudges ¶ The wyse worldelinges nowe a daies would not willinglye haue Sermons as also certaine Pastours desire nothing lesse then to preache laying the blame of the miserye of this time vppon sermons but such people are ouerthrowen by the worde of God and by this reason that to all sortes of people Preaching is necessary The .6 Chap. THere be many men too deepelie drowned in worldly wisedome who resist my counsel affirming that it is inough to the simple and popular sort to vnderstande the Paternoster the Creede and the commandements and yet oftentimes they make no mencion of the commaundements of God séeing that few learne them and fewer obserue and accomplishe them They say that since Sermons were so ryfe in the world and that men were so familiar with the Gospell and the Bible there hath béene nothing but varyetye of Heresie Suche people are angrye belike for that eyther they knowe nothing and yet ought to bée wise touching the wel directing of their estate or else bée fleshelye wise whose propertye is to desyre no Sermons because they woulde geue nothing to the Preacher but by force and lesse to the Poore but for shame their custome is alwayes to take and returne nothing but for their owne norriture yea there bée some of them so enuious of the aduauncement of theyr knowledge of God in the world that they gréeue that the people shoulde come to vnderstande any thing touching the matter of theyr saluation But it is with them as hapned to Balaam whose Asse reprooued him of his ignoraunce and faulte which ought gently to haue guided her and when he neither could or would doo it God made her teache him and gaue her power to speake against her nature correcting and reprouing her Pastor of whome shée should haue béene well taught and instructed Such people me thinke haue no reason to laye the euent of heresie to Sermons and much lesse to the declaration of the holye Scriptures yea it is a spice of blasphemie to thinke it onely because that that worde of God hath power to illuminate the poore darke and and ignoraunt spirites and geues intelligence of God and of saluation to the litle and simple ones to whom coulde not be geuen suche wholesome and necessarie knowledge but by this holy and heauenlye doctrine by the which all vice is eschewed and purged as a disease by the medicine all error eschewed and corrected as the light hath power
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
himselfe looking out of a grated window for not being séene and causing to be layd in the place instrumentes or tooles of craftes men bookes knyues swordes and such like things to obserue whereunto they were most addicted he iudged by this in what arte he was to instruct them if by long studie and his paines they changed not according to the desire of their parentes that connaturall inclination he aduised their friends to dispose them to such arte as their nature inclined them as to the warres to marchaundise or otherwayes saying which I doe well appoue that there is but one thinge to be chaunged a corrupt nature and wicked inclination for touching the naturall vocation it is necessarie séeing it is of God to follow it without contradiction onles we would séeme to resiste God because that as euery member of the naturall bodye hath his proper office so God hath giuen to euery man as to the member of his politike and mysticall body a certain instruction or rather inspiration to followe some peculiar estate or arte aboue others which S. Paule calles vocation wherin we must walke the better to expresse our obedience to God. ¶ Instructions to know by the way of contrary oppositions by the comparisons of the other Chapters the miseries which happen to the world by reason of leude schole Masters Chapter v. LEt vs now handle more at large the incommodities and euils hapning by the fault of Maisters ignoraunt negligent fayling in their charge for hitherto we haue touched them but briefely And for aduertisement to fathers and parents to prouide wise Masters for the institution of their children Let vs also looke into the miseries that happen for not hauing good doctrine in their youth Wherein not swaruing from the comparisons aforesayed in fauour of good Masters but by Antithesis or contrary opposition applying them to expresse our purpose further we say that where ignorant or negligent Dyers in place to giue good and faire die do either raise an euil cooller or ill applie that which is good and burne the cloth in not ministring fier according to time and measure What remedie to correct this desperate losse the cooller can not easely be chaunged and the cloth is either lost or at the least so defaced that he wil be no more brought to the price and value hoped for euen so when Masters vndertaking to imprint sprituall impressiōs in childrē haue taught them that which is euill and in place to leade their youth in good instructions infect them with naughtie principles either teaching that which is wicked or interpreting the good by corrupt and false exposition as not vnderstanding the pretended sence of the author or els as vain and barbarous bring it to their owne purpose how is it possible to supplant in young sprits this wicked impressiō which they haue so curiously receiued the table canuase or parchment receiuing any paynting or workemanship of drawing whatsoeuer can not so well be razed that the staine do not appeare to the disliking of the beholder and much lesse can there be bestowed vppon it any other better counterfet or painting which wil not steane corrupt or be defaced by the fier it is not possible to washe so well a pot which hath alwayes holden oyle but he will kéepe some smacke of his first liccour and putting wyne into it it is in perill to change his tast and be corrupted Euen so is it lost labour to men to breake their braines to roote out of the wittes of Children false opinions instilled into them from their youth by teachers of error and much lesse to clense or purge their fancie defiled with vnchast lessons and stayned with dissolute and filthy spéeches yea with actes and examples vile sclaūderous The Scripture teacheth by the figure of the shéepe of Jacob and Laban that they shoulde conceiue Lambes of cooller like to the roddes which Iacob shewed them in the fountaine where they dronke that euen so simple braynes receiuing any impression by Bookes or lectures preferred to them in the first heate of their conceiuing age do not onely reteine and by time expresse in action their first conception but also are hardly drawne from it most specially if it be euil either by perswasion or contrary instruction We read not that any Disciple of the Epicurien sect euer became stoicke notwithstanding all the Philosophers reproued that sect and by infinit reasons proued their opinion most damnable That was the cause why God sayed to the Jewes in Ieremie if the Ethiopian can change his skinne you may also do well séeing you haue learned in the scholes of false Prophets to do euill as if he had sayd you haue bene so much corrupted from your youth by false doctrine of wicked Masters that you can not now dispose your selues to do wel and receiue the holly doctrines which I giue you by my Prophets But now to the other infirmities if the potters be not skilful in their Art wise and carefull to prepare and worke their first matter to fashion proper mowlles and to applie the fier with rate and season shall they raise any pot or vessell to commoditie if it be euill made were he not better to breake it then to aske a new time to repaire it If the Goldsmith faile in his first workmanship notwithstanding he haue gold ready to make some excellent Iewell hee must of necessitie breake all otherwayes he is not to preferre it to the publike iudgemēt of honest men In the same sort if Masters faile by ignorance imprudence negligence or example to prepare and make perfect the sacred vesselles of the holy Ghost the better to receiue his deuine graces gifts yea tomake such faire precious Iuels as they may be presented afore God How can this error or rather infinit fault be reformed afterwardes Salamon according to the truth of the Hebrew is of opinion that that which is depraued cannot without great difficultie be corrupted meaning not without the speciall grace of GOD Let parents beware to giue to their children schole Masters vaine barbarous and dissolute seing without wise instruction and demonstration of good life there is more perill to their children then if they put them into houses of leprosie and vncleanes wyth good reason Philip of Macedonia did not onely reioyce that he had a sonne but thought him happely borne in the time of Aristotle in hope of the doctrine and vertue which he might get vnder the discipline of so wise and skilfull a Master If the laborers faile to till their grounds in season and replenish them with good séeds let them looke to make no plentifull haruest but if they suffer the vermine of the field and ayre to deuower the corne in the blade they shall reape little or no fruite at all If they suffer them to ouergrowe with thornes thistels and wicked wéedes notwithstanding their labour to wéede and purge them yet they leaue to the field that which the field
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
would haue yéelded to them If children in like sort be not carefully instructed in their beginning by good wholesome disciplines it is hardly possible to see them members of profite to their commonweale although afterwards they get knowledge No rather that is to bee looked for which the Poet speaketh of that the light and baren otes will excéede the good corne the same agréeing with the prophesie of Salomon that when the vine is neglected and so ouergrowen with thornes that the cluster cannot appeare the swéetenes of the grape wil be torned into vergesse All these we sée happen in those times wherein parēts are carelesse to exercise their children in good learning but specially in the first principles of true Religion which hath brought the world to such dissolutenes that we may say with Osea that the sinke of iniquities hath ouerflowen the earth and hath so washed all knowledge and feare of God from the world that from the lowest euen to the highest euery one hath corrupted their waye If the earth be not painefully labored well séeded and carefully kept from Crowes and Cattell what reuenue can it yéeld to the Master If the little plant in the husbandmans orchard be not pruned and preserued from cropping of beastes he cannot hope to sée it a great trée if he water it not it will wither and so either be barreine or at least bring forth fruite of little price euen no more may be hoped for of the young plant or orchard of the common weale which is the number of youth if in their first graffing they bée not pruned with good principles and preserued from caterpillers whose nature is to deuower both lease fruit Christ hath already pronounced sentence against the vnfruitefull trée or that yéeldes euill fruite either to be cut downe or cast into the fier Euen so what other thing do young children procure but by their so abhominable vices to hasten the ire of GOD vppon themselues their parents gouernours of townes and the whole realme expressed in many miseries as plagues warres famines and desolations of regiments not speaking of horrible paines prepared for them after their death We must therefore plie and bend the braunch whilest it is yet a little twigge because being come to his greatnes there is perill to breake it if in like sort the nature of little children of it selfe inclined to vice be not in his gréene tendernes corrected by discipline time and custome will enhable it aboue the power of reformation When it hath once taken his folde it will not bee easely vnfolded according to the saying of the wise man that the youngman followeth all the time of his life that way which he takes in his young age ¶ Amplifications of the sayd comparisons touching wicked Masters with aunswere to the obiections made to reiect Doctrine prayse of Science euils of ignorance and leude education Chapter v. IF lewd Masters resemble wicked heardsmen what hurt doe they to younge children béeing the little Lambs of the parke of Iesus Christ when they féed them not with good pasture which is sound doctrine the proper noriture of their soules with out the which they cannot soundly liue if they vse not care to kepe them from the iawes of Woulfes which are false prophets but leauing them to the pasture of heritikes and sectuaries suffer them to liue at randome wandring by hils valeys of infinit errours let them behold in Ezechiell how greuously God complayneth against them and all other pastours of his people If such masters be as carles and negligent parēts geuing sufferāce to the vanities of their childrē as Helie did to his what masters or gouernours can be raised to comōweals of such disordered disciples Such as be tamers of wild beasts if they fashion them not by exact industrie and by longe custome chaunge their nature sée their trauel bring forth vain effect for that their Disicples put one eftsons their originall habit Birds taught to speake retorne to their sauage lay if they bee not reteined in custome by continuall trauell of their teachers Euen so lewd wicked scolemasters neither learned diligent nor tractable to tame and frame the natures of children for bearing Discipline make them at laste like them selues and worse then they weare when they first tooke them in hand If they put euil doctrine or administer lewd cōuersasion to thē what greater paine then to reclaime them and what more hartie griefe then to sée them infected and not to be cured but by painfull remedies Tymotheus demaunded doble wages of a father presenting him with a dissciple that had ben ill taught by an ignorant master he saide that to make him méet for new doctrine he must first drawe from him that which he had learned before other waies to administer good instruction should be but paines and time loste euen as we sée good wine to bee spoiled assone as it is put into a vessell of viniger or other sower Liquore And as to preserue the goodnes and true taste of the wine it is méete first to make cleā the vessell So whoe goeth about to institute instruct youth left him geue no liberty of corrupcion for there doctrine profiteth nothing wher wicked affections remaine But if teachers haue knowlegde and wil to reclaime children of hard and infected natures wher in nothnig is better then continuance of art diligence they shall in the end bring them to facilitie of vertue mannors as wée sée the young horse fierce hawty of nature after he be well manned becomes tractable to the seruice of his master and better condicioned then the rest The earth ouer growē with bushes thornes lesse easie to be broken with the plowe is made more apt to beare good fruet when it is purged by the diligēc of the laberor wher if the grounde be sandie or couered with fearne it is not made half so frutfull by any industrie of husbandrie The vine spreding in manye branches and leaues if that which is superfluous bée cut away becomes more fertill and florishing Thus by the consideracion of these similitudes we sée what great benefits come by the instruction of youth by wise learned masters the infinyt intolerable euels rising by such as are lewd and ignoraunt of instructing well disposed wits in doctrī according to their excelent deuine capasitie But wée must not conclude by this defaulte that it were better to leaue children without any instruction least they fal into the discipline of such teachers for that were as much as to giue consent and libertie to the destruction of children and so abandone them to the perill of all wretchednesse many are the commaundementes in the holy scripture to parents for the good instruction of their children and specially in the knowledge and feare of God enioyning them for that purpose to searche out men sufficient euen such as we haue described with the scripture reason also
teacheth and naturall iudgement that we ought to bee instructed euen from our youth For as the mind as Aristotle saieth is as a table wherevpon nothing is written nor painted and so of our owne nature we can doe nothing but thinke euill speake and doe euill so reason is none other thing in vs then a little sparke of light yet so darkned in our obscure nature that it cā no more guide vs to marche in the darknes of this worlde then a little snoffe of a candell showing darkly in a lanterne dymmed with durt or other filthines is able to giue vs light to passe in suretie through darke and daungerous places it may be aptly resembled to a flashe of lightening in the night which when it showeth vppon the earth gyues a certayne glymse of light but very short leauing afterward the traueling man in greater darknesse not knowing which way to take euen so when our reason hath aduertised vs of that which is good being presently occupied with the affections and dark passions in vs striues not valiauntly to repulse and dissolue them by her naturall light being of her selfe of too great infirmities but yéeldes to them as soone as shée is surprised leauing vs in greater perplexities of oure obscure mynd then we felt afore Whereupon as wée may cōclude that reason without doctrine is as a spark quickly quenched hauing no more power in a man to do well then a body hath meane to trauell without a minde So to the end we stomble not vppon error and vice it is necessary we haue a perpetuall cleare burning lighte of mynde which is doctrine and holy erudition For the same difference that we finde betwéene light and darknes doth Salomon set betwéene the wiseman and the foole or the ignorant Chryste calles the ignorant blind who if they vndertake to leade others fall altogither in the ditch wherein is signified the extremitie of errors whereunto do runne headlong all such as haue not true science It is sayd in the law that for the infirmitie of this reason and naturall deprauation men ought not to do what séemed good to their iudgement and mind but must raise their regarde to that which God commaundeth specially in matters concerning Religion for in things naturall and ciuill there was more libertie Then seeing children are corrupte as Quintilianus saith before they can goe being norisshed in delites rather then vnderstand them and loue the vices which they learne in the pallaices of their parents afore they haue ability to iudge of them such is their infection euen from their first education and norture thei stand need of rate and measure and to be corrected euen from their cradle We sayed before that doctrine chaungeth the mind and makes it fructifie for which cause the scripture compares it to the good séede which as with good tylthe bringes foorth good fruite so without it the best groundes would rather yéelde thistles and thornes then graine of profit as happeneth in often experience by the best kinde of corne which diligently sowne but in common grounde tournes oftentymes into poppel and light graine either by the fault of the ground the tyme or the laborer So there is great néede that with the doctrine and good institution of youth there be suffered no corruption of manners We sée the grounde without tilling and séede bringes forth of it selfe naturally and without art ill hearbes wéedes much more would our nature produce vices and néedeth no instructor to doe euill where vertues come by force of instruction and labor aswell of the maisters as disciples For hauing in our selues but certain seminaries or as litle matches which we must kindle by force of blowing applying matter to entertayne the fire if we will make any So we must suffer this nature of ours to be qualified and fashioned by doctrine and labor as we sée fyer striken out of the flinte by the instrument of stéele ¶ Continuance of the said comparisons Chapter vij THE Philosophers estéemed a man without learning as a slaue that doth all his actions by force where the learned hath a liberall agilitie to all vertuous doings they compared the man without Science to a beast accompting him not worthy to be called a man reasonable of whom one of the greatest glories is to vse reason which he can not do if he haue not Science For which cause Solō the Law reader of Athens iudged not the naturall father worthy of honour and obedience of his child if he instructed not his youth in learning and exercised his tender yeares in vertuous conuersation which opinion albeit is condemned of the Scripture which enioynes to children straite charge of dutie loue reuerence and seruice to their parents Yet so great faultes of Fathers and Mothers by the iust iudgement of God deserue no dutie at all in their children hauing onely receiued of them generation fleshly noriture without goo◠struction for which end God specially blessed them with children And often doth it happen that such children without discipline dishonour their houses destroy great families and by displeasure procure death to their parents to hasten their succession yea they are troublous sedicious and ruines of good cōmon weales And when they come to the scaffolde the last pause to the gibbot they dissemble not but crie with mayne voyce that if their Fathers had made them familiar with correction and discipline they had ben farre from those miseries Truth and dicipline sayth Salomon bee two thinges that giue correction to a young man and the child that is left to his will bringes his Mother to shame and confusion meaning that a yoūg man without instruction can giue no delite nor honour to his parents and to his friendes he cannot but bring rebuke and infamie So that if hée be not reformed by good doctrine and induced to good by the spirite of God with a true faith and charitie he can not by his owne nature but dreame vppon all euill no more thē the thornie brier can of himselfe shake of his prickes or the wild trée bring forth swéete fruit if he be not oftsones gryffed And therfore it can not be iustified to say that it were better to leaue a child to liue at his owne nature wherein as S. Paule sayth is found nothing but deprauation No let him tast of good doctrine which wil be to him as a regeneration and reformation of nature And because it may be asked in what age is best to put children to learning it may be aunswered euen so soone as in the childe is expressed a minde capable of doctrine as to some at fiue yeres to some rather and toothers later beginning with them easely or as it were by pleasure without threates the rod feare or constraint For as science of it selfe is liberall so it requires in such as séeke it libertie and fréedome of wit But if there be cause or place of correction let it be for euill doing and wicked