bée to the soule then the knowledge of the woorde of trueth For the soule of man liueth by euery woorde that procéedeth from the mouth of GOD. Wherefore if the father at any time heare his Childe or Seruant rapping out any execrable curse or detestable and blasphemons othe by and by hée shall rebuke and correct him that hée may vnderstande that it is a foule fault and vitious thing and that hée take greater héede to his spéech and tongue vpon the paine that thereof shall ensue And let him bée admonished also of the Angels of GOD standing by him which cannot endure nor abide such things and if the Angelles for such filthie and Diabolicall cursing and blasphemie bee compelled to execute punishment of those offendors how shall the Almighty GOD suffer the same which séeth and knoweth all thinges Therefore the moste sharpe and terrible wrath of God must alwayes be set before our eyes least lightly and negligently we regard the instruction of our youth Theophilus You haue most perfectlie and playnelie shewed vs that children shoulde not onelye bee instructed but also corrected and you haue confirmed the same as well by the Scriptures as by the Godlie Fathers and Wise Ethnickes But nowe a dayes wee see and knowe among Fathers of Families not a fewe which too filthily and shamefully doe abuse their power and authoritie and are in correcting their children so ireful fierce and cruel that they seeme to vse a tyrannical power rather then that a man would thinke they haue anye naturall and fatherly affection towardes them Wherefore wee earnestly beseeche you that you woulde briefly describe vnto vs the manner and order howe to chastice them least that when wee woulde performe the duties of good and naturall Parentes wee playe the partes of vnnaturall wicked Tyrantes Theodidactus For that hitherto as is conuenient you haue made so greate accompt of the holie Scriptures and opinions of Godlie men and with so greate reuerence imbraced the same Therefore héere shall you heare not myne but the moste Godly and wise answeares of Solomon which sayeth Chasten thy Sonne while there is yet hope but let not thy soule bée mooned to slay him for greate wrath bringeth muche harme Againe hée sayeth Punishmentes are ordayned for the scornefull and stripes for fooles backes And Saint Paule sayeth Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath And Saint Ambrose also teacheth after what manner children are to bée corrected saying Leuiter castigatus exhibet reuerentiam castiganti qui vero crudeliter castigatur vel increpatur nec increpationem suscipit nec salutem A child that is gently and easily corrected yeeldeth reuerence vnto his corrector but who so is cruelly chastened and rebuked doeth neither admit rebuke nor receiue health nor amendment And Seneca writeth Cordatorum esse parentum filios obiurgare citra contumeliam laudare citra adulationem quamobrem curare debent parentes vt filii eos reuereantur ob vita seueritatem ament ob morū iocunditatem castigandi quidem sunt filii verum paternè non tyrannicè It is the part of wise parents to rebuke their children without contumely checke or taunt and to prayse them without flattery or adulation wherefore parents ought to haue great regard vnto this that their children reuerence them for their grauitie of life and loue them for the pleasantnesse of their maners truely children are to be corrected but yet fatherly not tyrannously Theophilus Was there euer Parenes at any time that haue been moued with such wrath crueltie or rather madnesse which haue exceeded the bounds and limits of their function and dutie in chastening and haue vsed themselues like Tyrants towards their children Theodidactus Yea in Titus Liuius is described at large the tyrannie of Lucius Manilius the which against all equitie and against the lawe of armes commaunded his sonne to bee beheaded Wee reade also that Axio a Noble Romane whipped and scourged his sonne in suche cruell manner that hee dyed thereof presently whome through the indignation of which cruell and horrible fact when all people as well Parents as Children were gathered togeather and woulde haue slayne hym with their penciels or bodkins in the market place Augustus Caesar with all his authoritie and power though very great coulde scarscely saue and deliuer out of their hands Wherefore Parents ought to traine vp their Children so warily and wisely that they beate them not like Asses nor that they spoile them with cockeringe or dallyinge with them like Whelpes But that they goe directly in the middest admonishing them sometime with prayses sometime with seueritie as the mater time doeth require minister occasion vnto them For Parents must obserue and kéepe the golden meane least that they amase their children with too muche threatning discourage them with their two sharpe and bitter reproches or with their rigor and crueltie to kill and murder them which great faultes and errors haue so preuailed in those which haue supposed and iudged that threatninges and stripes are the best meanes and readiest way to bring their children to vertue and learning whereas on the contrary part it hath put them very often in such seare amazednesse and terror that it coulde hardly bée remoued from them when they haue attained vnto mature and riper yeeres For as too much drowth doeth wither dry vp and kyll the young plantes and graffes euen so doeth too sharpe and austere seueritie kill the heartes of young men It were good for Parents to kéepe alwaies in remembrance those good lessons of Phocilides which saith Filiis ne difficilis sis tuis sed mitis esto Sine contumeliaplectito quibus praees In filium iram non bonus nutrit pater Bee not too sharpe to children deare but vse a modest checke And ouer whom thou hast a charge without reproch correct Good parents will not foster vp their wrath against their childe But rather seeke their mendment with their counsels graue and milde Theophilus Wherefore and with what purpose and intent ought children to bee corrected Theodidactus Agustine saith Nemo prudens punit quia peccatum est sed ne peccetur Res est enim optima non sceleratos omnino extirpare sed scelera There is no wise man that correcteth and punisheth an offendor because of the offence which is committed but rather least hee or any other shoulde offende againe by the like example For it is not alwaies the best way vtterly to extirpe and roote out the malefactors and offendors but rather their haynous and wicked offences that they may bée amended and brought to a better order of life Theophilus What shoulde the father thinke vpon while he is correcting his child Theodidactus It shall greatly mittigate and asswage the rage aud fury of our mindes if wée heare in memory this saying of Plinie which after this maner doeth admonishe a sharpe seuere and cruell father that hée shoulde not deale with his sonne or
Ciuile dueties theyr paynes and industrie may floorishe and haue some force Caueant intemperantiam meminerint verecundiae sobrietatis libidinosa intemperansque adolescentia effatum corpus tradit senectuti Let them beware of intemperancie and haue mynde of shamefastnesse and sobrietie For a Libidinous and intemperate youth soone committeth and deliuereth a weake bodie vnto olde Age. But to the ende that our youth may more manifestly see and perceiue what a greate euill lust is and howe great a plague fornication and Adulterie is out of the Fountaynes of the holie Scriptures I will plainely shewe howe straying and wicked Lustes are vtterly forbidden of GOD and thereunto will ioyne the paynes and grieuous punishmentes due for the same It is written in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus Thou shalt not committe Adulterie And Leuiticus 20. Si quis maechatus fuerit cum Vxore alterius adulterium perpetrauerit cum Coniuge Proximi sui morte moriantur maechus adultera If a man shall breake Weadlocke with another mans wife euen hee that shall breake Weadlocke with his neighbours wife let them bee slayne both the Aduouterer and the Aduoutresse Tobias performing the duetie of a good and Godlie Father admonisheth his Sonne after this manner Attende tibi mi Fili ab omni Fornicatione praeter Vxorem tuam nunquam patiaris crimen scire My Sonne keepe thee from all Fornication and besides thy wife see that no faulte bee knowen by thee And Saint Paule sayeth Bée not deceiued neyther Fornicators nor Idalaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminat nor Abusers of themselues with mankinde nor théeues nor couetous nor drunkardes nor reuilers nor pillers shall inherite the kingdome of God And to the Ephesians hée sayeth Fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse neyther foolishe talking nor iesting whiche are not comelie Let it not bee once named among you For this yee knowe that no Whooremonger neyther vncleane Person or couetous Person which is a Worshipper of Images hath anye inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christe and of GOD. With these Godly Sentences shall Parentes terrifie their Children least they pollute and defile them selues with these horrible and filthie crimes And because this vice augmented and increaseth verie much of ydlenesse riotous banquetting and drunkennesse therefore I also iudge it meete that children bee restrayned from wyne the immoderate vse whereof is enemy to good health besides many other perils and daungers as may appeare héere following It is written by the Prophete Esaie Vae qui consurgitis mane adebrietatem sectandam potandum vsque ad vesperam vt vino aestuetis Câ—â—hara Lyra Timpanum Tibia vinum in conuiuijs vestris opus Domini non respicitis nec opera manuum eius consideratis Vae qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum viri fortes ad miscendam ebrietatem Woe vnto them that rise vp earle to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue vntil night till the wine doe inflame them And the Harpe and Vial Timbrel and pipe and wine are in their feastes but they regarde not the woorke of the Lorde neither consider the worke of his handes Woe vnto them that are mighty to drinke wine and to them that are strong to power in strong drinke Vinum mulieres apostatare faciunt sapientes arguunt sensatos Wine and Women leade wise men out of the way and put men of vnderstanding to reproofe The Drunkard and the glutton shalbe poore and the sléeper shalbe clothed with ragges Cui vae cuius patri vae cui rixae cui foueae cui sine causa vulnera cui suffosio oculorum Nonne his qui commorantur in vino student calicibus epotandis To whom is woe To whom is sorrowe to whom is strife to whom is murmuring to whom are woundes without cause and to whom is the rednesse and glaring of the eyes Euen to them that tarrie long at the wine and to them to goe and séeke mixt wine Ebrietas est blandus Daemon dulce veneâ—um suaue peccatum quam qui habet seipsum non habet Drunkennes is a flattering Diuel a pleasant poyson a sweete sinne which who so vseth knoweth not how to vse and guide himselfe Ebriosus quum ab sorbet vinum ab sorbetur à vino abominabitur à Deo despicitur ab Angelis deridetur ab hominibus destituitur à virtutibus confunditur a daemonibus conculcatur ab omnibus The Drunkarde when he suppeth vp the wine the wine swalloweth him vp againe he is hated of GOD despised of Angels derided of men depriued of all vertues confounded of the Diuels and vtterly forsaken of all honest men Moreouer the same Saint Augustine saith Aufert memoriam ebrietas discipat sensum confundit intellectum concitat libidinem inuoluit linguam corrumpit sanguineÌ„ omnia membra debilitat vitaÌ„ diminuit omnem salutem exterminat DrunkeÌ„nes taketh away the memorie it dissolueth the sence and feeling It confoundeth the vnderstanding it prooueth filthie Lust it faltreth the tongue it dyminisheth and shorteneth the life it banisheth all health and prosperitie Wherefore I thinke it not amisse to describe vnto you the order of the Lacedemonians concerning this point which when they had any of their seruants so beastly blemished and ouertaken with drink caused them to bée brought before them at their feasts and bankets not to sport and delight themselues with beholdyng their beastly behauiour and fonde or foolishe wordes voyde of all reason but rather by their example to shew their young men and children howe filthie and odious a thing it is to sée and beholde a drunkarde Therefore children in their drinking of wine from their young and tender yéeres shoulde temper and mixe the same more with water then with wine Nam fomentum est libidinis vtnum For wine is the nourishment and prouocation of luste if wee giue credite to Saint Paule which saith Nolite inebriare vino in quo est luxuria Bee not drunken with wine wherein is excesse Wherefore Parents also ought to haue great care that they inglut not their children either with too muche meate or too muche sléepe for that maketh them dull witted drowsie and slouthfull if they vse it But let them rather studie that their children may loue and imbrace sobrietie learne to talke of God and be kept from filthie communication Moreouer they shal take héede that their children do not waxe hautie being puffed vp with too much pride of praises commendations without their iust desert Furthermore wise Parents ought to indeuour with great diligence y â— they induce theÌ„ vnto modestie sometime set before them the examples of such which for their lewdnesse haue suffered griefe and punishment or for their vertues haue obteined praise and great glory Haec enim duo perinde ac virtutis elementa sunt spes honoris formido paenae For these two thinges the hope
besides y e study exercise w t he had in in y e liberal sciences w t his Tutors teachers it was his fathers chief care to haue some daily coÌ„fereÌ„ce w t him in y e sacred scriptures w t studie daily exercise was nothing grieuous to him but coÌ„trari wise he had such plesure delight therin y â— he was not conteÌ„t w t the simple orderly reading but to enquire for some special points of religioÌ„ to search out the déepe knowledge of y e words wherby he added a spurr vnto his father to y â— great increase of his own studie by his de manding of many questions Hereof â—usebius maketh report And if all housholders woulde indeuour themselues to follow the exaÌ„ples of the godly fathers Athanasius Origen O good God how soone woulde all thinges in the Churche of Christe nowe miserably racked and defaced bée restored againe Then vndoubtedly shoulde wée sée in short time the Apostolike Churche in her pristinate state to florishe with the saluation of many soules For the glory and aduancement of Christes Church doeth depende for the most part of such like godly education instructioÌ„ of youth wherefore I doe exhort and humbly beséech all godly Parentes that they would followe the examples of these and such like godly Fathers which if they will in some measure followe then shall they easily perceiue what great prosperitie health and profite they shall purchase vnto their families And again let them consider what great shame reproch and hinderance they bring vnto them which doe neglect and contemne this duetie Iohn Egiptius a very godly man was wont to admonish men comming vnto him to aske counsell That they woulde carefully prouide that their children should be vertuously brought vp and instructed in the holy Scriptures whose counsel would God many parents would folow Moreouer because as I haue saide the examples of good men haue great force in teaching I will describe héere the example of Cato of the fatherly care and great loue towards his young sonne Whose businesse and affaires in the common wealth was neuer so great but that hée woulde alwayes be present at the washing dressing of his sonne being new borne and after as hée grewe vp and was both of yéeres and aptnesse to learne hée woulde neuer coÌ„mit him to any other teacher then himself And wheÌ„ he was perswaded by his friends to commit that care and paines to some one of his seruantes whom hée best trusted and that hée thought méetest for that purpose answered that hée coulde not abide to sée his seruant pluck his sonne by the eares and looke vpon him with angrie and frowning countenance if Parents now adaics had such and so great care of their sonnes rather then to suffer them to consume and spend their times so vainely in Hauking Hunting Diâ—ing Carding and many other such like vaine pastimes then shoulde it neuer chaunce so often that such wildings and vnsauory fruites shoulde bée gathered of so fayre and floorishing trées Theophilus It is verie truly saide and therefore these examples ought to stirre vs vp vnto a more diligent care For if Cato being an Heäthen man did so diligently carefully teach instruct his sonne shal we which professe our selues to be Christians be moued with no care or loue of the godly ver tuous education of our children But stil remaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any natural fatherly affectioÌ„ chiefly in a labor so necessary a work so godly Theodidactus I might alleadge héere many such examples both out of the writings of godly fathers wise Philosophers but I wil let them passe least that I séeme tedious vnto the readers or hearers Theophilus Your words are sweeter and more pleasaunt vnto vs then the dulcere drinke of the Gods whereof the Poets faine Wherfore I beseâ—ch you for the olde acquaintance and friendship which hath beene betweene vs that you wil pretermit or forget nothing which you shal iudge profitable for vs or our children Theodidactus It would bée to long to prosecute euery thing but to the ende I might som what satisfie your request I wil recite those things that shal séeme most profitable S. August saith Non magnum esse pascere ventres cito morituros sed magnum esse pascere animos in aeternum victuros It is no great thing to feede the bellies which shal die very quickly but it is a greater thing to feed the soules which shal liue for euer And Seneca saith Science being distributed receiueth increase it is no lesse godly to teach the soule wisedome then to giue meate to the bodie for saith he great care diligence is bestowed about the prouision of the body but much more ought to bee bestowed about the soule mind by how much the diseases infections are more secret grieuous also more dangerous S. Basil also saith As parents haue imparted to euery one of their children alike the essence of their bodies so by very good right they ought to bestowe giue vnto theÌ„ equally with like condition such thinges as doe appertaine to the vse of their life Theophilus Seing that the instruction of children is so needful necessary the care of the magistrate ought not to be the least concerning the same Theodidactus You put me well in remembrance of the Magistrate for Aristâ—tlo saith That hée ought chiefly to looke and haue spetiall regard to the discipline of youth for if that bée neglâ—gted in Cities and great townes it bringeth great detriment and damage to the common wealth Plato in his 4. booke de Legibus is of the same minde saying We say that a man is a méeke and gentle creature truly if with his nature hee get also good vertuous disciplins he is made a gentle and diuine creature But if hee haue not good bringing vp he becomes the most fierce and cruell beast of all that are bred vpon the earth Wherfore the magistrate should not light ly regard the necessary education of youth but ought chiefly to vse all diligence and care that the most vertuous and godly man bée chosen which should haue the gouernment education of youth Therfore the Lord God hath especially commaunded euen to the Princes themselues that they should not haue greater care of any thing thaÌ„ of y â— gouernmeÌ„t custodie of youth Nemo enim sapiens nascitur For no man is born wise but it coÌ„meth to passe in processe of time For as a field albeit it be very fertile without culture diligent dressing and 〈…〉 ing cannot be feuitefull no more can the mind without doctrine And Aristotle saith Iâ—â—e 〈…〉 s non potest esse sapiens quia prudentia requirit experientiaÌ„ quae indiget teÌ„pore A young man caÌ„not be wise because wisdome requireth experience which needeth time As Seneca saith Id sapit vnusquisque quod didicit Euery man perceiueth that which he hath learned
graunted vnto them Prayer is most necessary in so great perils daungers of life neither is there any thing more séemely pleasant in the house than to sée behold an honest godly societie of the husband wife children wheÌ„ they striue in their seuerall dueties to loue cherish comfort one an other that they talke vpon God and of his benefites that they call vpon him with one voice and haue a care that the knowledge and true worship of God may be set foorth And lastly that the Parents hold not this doctrine only in wordes but also by example of life Theophilus Seing nowe you haue so excellently set forth vnto vs the Godly dueties of Matrimonie it resteth that you declare somewhat concerning the procreation of children Theodidactus You put me well in remembrance for as the procreatioÌ„ of children is the gift of God so is it the proper office of true and lawfull wedlocke which alwayes for the most part doeth waite theron as an inseperable companion which hath the blessing of God as witnesseth she scripture Gene. 1. where as Moses saith God blessed them and said increase and multiply and replenish the earth Herevpon it is that shée was holden accursed which had no séed in Israell and it was a great shame to haue no children Thus did Rachael bewayle the shame and reproch of Lyae So did Hâ—nna when shée was â—aâ—ren pray vnto the Lord and conceiued So in like maner Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist moued God with continuall prayers and was heard Theophilus As the scripture pronounceth them happy whom God hath thus blessed with the increase of children So at this day the common people iudgeth them most vnhappie to whom God hath giuen many children such is the peruerse and preposterous iudgement of the vnlearned nay rather wicked men which looke what God calleth good they dare call euil and what God blesseth they dare curse Theodidactus It is the error or rather the malice of the common people from the which as from a common plague the godly ought to shun and let them rather agrée with Solomon which saith The crowne of the aged is childers children and againe The crowne of olde men is their sonnes sonnes and the glory of the sonnes is their fathers and great graund fathers And Dauid saieth Blessed are they that feare the Lord and walke in his waies For thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands O well is thée and happie shalt thou be Thy wife shalbe as the fruitfull vine vpon the walles of thine house Thy children like the Oliue braunches rounde about thy Table Lâ—e thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lorde And Isocrates being an heathen man coÌ„firmeth y e same also in these versâ—s Foelix fouet bene moratum quifilium Matre sobolis prouentu eris fâ—licior Happie is he which fostereth vp A well taught childe saieth hee Yet in thincrease of many good more happie shal hee bee ANd when Cambises compared himselfe with his father Cyrus and that his friends did sooth him that hée farre excéeded his father Cresus ouerhearing the same answereth after this maner That hée was nothing comparable to his father the which had left behinde him a sonne in the world for at that time Cambises had neuer a childe iudging that this was not the least benefite towardes the common wealth if not only a man shewe himselfe a vertuous and worthie man but if hée beget such as hée is himselfe and make them fit members for his countrie and common wealth And let this be sufficient touching the procreation of children Now let vâ— prosecute the second point that is to say of the necessitie and vtilitie of the instructing of children And first we wil approue the same by the commandement of God secondly by the example of the holy scriptures and lastly by the Ethnickes Theophilus Verie wisely and worthily spoken forsâ—eing that the procreation of children is not the common gift of God it is not without cause that wee ought to bestow al our paines diligence that youth may bee brought vp in the feare word of God But in what words hath God commaunded and inioyned vnto vs this diligent education and instruction of children Theodidactus The God of Israell beginneth after this maner Deut. 4. saying Be not forgetfull of the words which thine eyes haue séene that they slip not out of thine heart all the dayes of thy life Thou shalt teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes saying When thou stodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord saide vnto mée gather mée the people together and I wil make them heare â—â—â— wordes that they may learne to feare mée all the dayes that they shall line vpon the earth that they may teach their children And againe These wordes which I commaund thée this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt shewe them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home sitting in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand And they shal be warninges betwéene thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates And in the 11. Chapter he saith Therfore shal ye lay vp these my words in your heart in your soule bind them for a signe vpoÌ„ your hands set them before your eyes teach them your children that they may talke of them when thou sittest in thine house And when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down wheÌ„ thou risest vp yea thou shalt write them vpon thy doore postes of thine house vpon thy gates y t your dayes the dayes of your children may be multiplied Tel your children of it let theÌ„ shew it to their children so they to certefie their posteritie therof Behold y e truth hateth not the light but wil be manifested in all things Therefore the Prophet is not coÌ„tent to teach the people of his time but doeth desire y t they might be taught vnto y e end of the world And he doeth exhort them y t one generation might teach instruct an other And now albeit that very many Parents at this day my Theophilus do lightly regard y e teaching instructing of their children yet how earnestly the instructing of them is charged commaunded here your self may easily iudge So y t when I do bewaile sometime the negligeÌ„ce of many parents I oft burst out into these wordes Alas vnto what end would the education of children haue come if there had béen no commandement nor order prescribed for the same By this we may gather none other thing then excéeding darknesse and confusion of minde that the nature of mankinde should haue vtterly béen defiled which so shamefully contemneth her children of her own self
vnto obedient children saying after this maner O my sonne heare the instructions of thy father forsake not the law of thy mother For that shal bring grace vnto thine head shalbe as a chaine about thy necke And againe Heare ye children the fatherly exhortation and take good héed that ye may learne wisdom Hearken vnto counsell and receiue correctiō that thou maist be wise at the last My sonne incline thine eare and hearken vnto the wordes of the wise And in the booke of Wisedome it is written Who so despiseth wisedome and instruction is vnhappie Saint Paul that elect vessell would not with silence passe ouer this place but wold also admonish all children and would shew them the wayes of obedience when in the 6. to the Ephe. hée commaundeth children thus Filij obedite parentibus vestris in domino hoc enim iustū est Children obey your Parentes in the Lord for this is meete and conuenient Honour thy father and mother which is the first commaundement in the promise that thou maist prosper and liue long c. And againe vnto the Coll. Children obey your parents in all things for that is pleasing vnto the Lord. Saint Peter also is not vnmindfull of this place saying thus Adolescentes subditi estote senioribus Young men be yee in subiection vnto your elders Godly children which haue any care of their saluatiō ought alwayes to haue these holy precepts fixed before their eyes for they are full of wonderfull promises they promise vnto children long life honour wisdō diuers other kinds of blessings Theophilus By this your godly communication my good Theodidactus it nowe sufficiently appeareth vnto vs that vnto godly and obedient children all happinesse whatsoeuer is to be expected but now would I gladly knowe what maner plagues and punishments rebellious obstinate and wicked children are constrained to feare and sustaine Theodidactus The holy scriptures euerie where doe speake of the malidictiōs threatnings and miseries of wicked and rebellious children and a thousand kindes of euils as we read in Moses Deut 27. Accursed is he which doeth not honour his father and mother And in Leuit. 27. hée saith Cursed is hée which doeth not honour his father and mother and all the people shall say Amen And Solomon saith who so curseth father or mother his light shall be put out in obscure darknesse Theophilus With these so horrible threatninges of God wicked and disobedient children are to be restrained from their peruerse kinde of life vnto the obeying of their Parents For as there is nothing more true than those promises made vnto godly and obedient children So is there nothing more certaine than those curses and threatninges which God hath threatned to light vpon the wicked and rebellious children at the last except they bee moued with sorowfull and heartie repentaunce and that speedely Amusus Yesterday you promised to declare and shew vnto vs after what maner Parentes are to bee honoured of their children and what great obedience is to be required of them and that not out of the scriptures only but also you said you would make the same manifest by the testimonies of the auncient fathers and Philosophers wherof I pray you discharge your selfe first of those your promises Theodidactus My good friend Amusus I will with all my heart recite vnto you and to your children those sentences which I collected of late as well out of the monuments of the auncient fathers as also out of the decrées of the Philosophers For Cyrill saith Christianorum prima landabilis piet as est vt eos qui nos procrearunt honore afficiamus labores eorum remuneremus omnibus viribus conemur illis otium dare quietem Et si enim plurima illis reddiderimus at certè vicissim illis procreationem reddere nunquà m possumus The chiefest godlines of Christians worthie to be commended is this that we honour them which haue procreated begot vs and that we requite their paines bestowed vpon vs indeuour our selues to the vttermost of our power to procure their ease and quietnesse For albeit wee shal be able to requite many thinges which they haue bestowed vpon vs yet certainly are wee neuer able to requite againe vnto them our procreation Saint Chrysostome saieth Tanquam seruus Parentibus tuis inseruito quid enim tantum illis reddas quantum ab illis accepisti non enim licet illos procreare Euen as a seruant obey thy Parents for what thing so great canst thou restore vnto them as thou hast receiued from them for thou canst by no meanes beget them again Liberigrati ait Basilius magnas efficiūt parentum landationes Thankful and obedient children saieth Basil doe procure and accomplish the great praises of Parentes Qualem parentibus retuleris gratiam talem in senectute à liberis expectato Such duetie and reuerence as thou shewest to thy parents looke for the like from thy children when thou art olde I will also héerevnto adde the saying of Euripides Nihil est quod magis decorum honestum sit liberis quà m si è patre bono nati sint genitoribus dignam referant gratiam There is nothing more comely and honest vnto children than if they bee borne of good parents and that they giue worthie thankes vnto their begettors Theophilus You haue recited vnto vs many and notable sentences concerning the honour and obedience of children towardes their Parents but before you recite any more it shall not bee amisse to shew and declare vnto Amusus his children more plainely the signification of this word honor which is due vnto parents Theodidactus This worde honor doeth signifie a true reuerence and lowlynesse of hearte for this outward shewe in vailing of the Bonnet and bowing of the knée or body is nothing worth except there bée ioyned there withall the inward reuerence of the minde wherein godly children doe testifie that they estéeme nothing more precious and deare vnto them then the loue and honour of theyr Parentes Theophilus Our vnlearned youth haue alwaies supposed and thought that true honour hath consisted in the putting of their Cappe and making of curtesie and that there is none other thing due vnto Parents Wherefore wee woulde bee right glad to heare further of you what it is to honor Parents Theodidactus To honor Parents is to déeme and iudge honorably of them for that God hath made vs subiect vnto them for by the determinate will and appointment of God they are to gouerne and we to obey And therefore with all our heartes wee must submit our selues vnto their wisedome iustice iudgement and authoritie And albeit they shall sometime offend and erre in performing their duties as it is the nature of all men yet must wée pardon excuse and couer their faultes most louingly and reuerently For wheras Saint Paule saith Honor thy father and mother c. Hée requireth this one thing
point yet for the goodwil I beare to Amusus and his children I will declare open vnto you whatsoeuer may séeme to apperteine to this purpose if so bée now I can call to my remembrance those things which héeretofore I haue read in good authours concerning this matter Although Parents bee neuer so poore base simple féeble c. They ought not for any of these causes to bée destitute and spoyled of the honor giuen them of God for they ought not to behold their person to wit what maner men they hée but héere the will of God only is to bée obserued and regarded which hath willed and commaunded it so which also to this his commaundement hath added a promise farre more excellent then all the riches in this worlde For who so doe truely and vnfeignedly honour their parents there are promised vnto them of God in this world long life peace health and happy and prosperous successe in all thinges But contrariwise who so resist the diuine worde of God an vnhappie life and that very short is ready to fall vpon them by and by because they haue disobeyed the Lord of life For these stubborne rebellious wretches are vtterly forsaken of God and so become théeues robbers and murtherers to their owne shame confusion For with great disdaine and hatred they contemne the good and godly instructions of Parents and wil not suffer any correction or chastisement and so it often chaunceth that these varlots come very seldome vnto mature and rype age but are cut of before their time Neyther be they so happy as that they fall into the handes of the hangman whereby they may haue time to repent them of their former liues but being ouercome with drunkennesse and ryot behaue themselues in such ruffianlie maner that in their desperate frayes they dye of the sworde or by some other misfortune are slaine or els by fier or water doe miserably perish As in the children of Heli and in Absolon with many others hath béene séene S Gregory hath left vnto our memory a horrible example of a certaine disobedient childe which of a wicked spirit was caught out of his fathers lappe and in his sight torne in péeces and destroyed Héereof let children learn to feare and loue the Lorde God and to honor their parents not contemn them although they be neuer so poore wayward or deformed Let them also kéepe in memory the horrible example of Dathan and Abiron which for resisting the Magistrates were swallowed vp quicke throwne into Hell The waywardnesse wrabbednesse of parents doth not discharge the fift coÌ„mandement as witnesseth S. Peter saying Non solum bonis sed ettam discolis obedite Obey not only your good and wise parents but also your wayward foolish parents As also the Prophet Baruch saith 2. Vult Iudaeos malis impâ—is obedire God would haue the Iewes to obey their wicked vngodly parents as hath bin said before Moses doth not say honor yée your good wise rich parents but speaketh simply without any distinction or difference Honora parentes Honor thy parents But when God at any time sendeth wrabbed wayward and hard hearted parents this chaunceth for our sinns wickednes For it maketh no matter to vs whether they bée worthie or vnworthie noble or base rich or poore for what maner parents soeuer they bée yet not without the great prouidence of God they are our parents But who so thinketh that decript doting parents are not to be honored and reuerenced Let them heare now a notable example and worthie to bee remembred of a certaine housholder which had an olde father decript and bowed together with age and therewithall doting and very childish againe so that when the meates things were set vpon the table he would by and by ouerthrow the dishes and pottes powre out the pottage vpon the table to the great annoyance of the guests many times but wheÌ„ this had chanced thus very often y e housekéeper his sonne begaÌ„ to disdain therat to take y e matter gréeuously studied which way he might find a remedy for this trouble at the last he deuised a trough or hollow thing to be made of wood whereout he might eate his meat And whiles the thing was in making preparing the young sonne of this housholder began to reason with his father demaunded of him to what vse that shoulde serue for hée knewe very well his father had no Swine to féede therein his father answered that hée had made it for his graundfather that hencefoorth he may dine and suppe out of the same Then the litle child asked his father againe saying after this maner My good father when you shalbe as old as my grandfather shall I be compelled to make such a hogges trough for you also which wordes so soone as his father heard he was excéedingly astonished and began to sigh meruellously and straight way with great sorrow of mind hee threw from him the trough very disdainfully and began to bethinke with himselfe what that childishe question should meane rightly wayed and considered with himself vnto how many great miseries and calamities mans life was subiect insomuch as after that he euer gaue great honor reuereÌ„ce vnto his old father and neuer was offended after that with the mad doting pranckes of his father so long as hée liued Theophilus Alas there be not only amongst vs disobedient rebellious children but also selfe willed proude and very stubborne what shall become of such or howe are such wont to die for the moste part I woulde bee gladde to hearâ— Theodidactus Children whith doe not willingly obey their Parents fall into the most gréeuous iudgement and wrath of Almightie God for y â— most stubbornly they do disobey resist their parents commandemeÌ„ts at the last they are coÌ„pelled to obey the hangmaÌ„ will they nill they or els by some other kinde of Tragicall death they ende their dayes miserably as is aforesaid As a number of examples do witnesse as this in the 4. booke of the kings 2. the scripture sayth Helisaeus went vp into Bethel and as hée passed on his way the litle children came out of the Citie and derided that good olde man saying Ascende calue ascende calue Get thee vp thou bald paâ—e get thee vp who looking backe séeth them and curseth them in the name of the Lorde And immediatly came out of the woodes two fierce and cruell Beares and they tare in péeces and destroyed 42. of those children very lamentably By this children ought to learne to feare and honour the Lorde God to reuerence their Parents and elders not to deale dispitefully with them nor for any cause to contemne and deride them least in like maner the Lord God bée angry and displeased and so destroy them in his wrath But rather let them followe the example of the Stork which when their parents are