considering the excellencie of our soule in his owne nature haue great cause to boast in God which hath giuen it vnto vs and through his bountie hath vouchsafed to honour vs farre aboue all other creatures but looking backe howe this nature hath beene corrupted and esloyned from her first originall there remaineth nought to vs but shame And if there bee any good in vs it proceedeth from the liberalitie of God by whome if wee bee not continually supported wee shall fall into all miserie and mischiefe Let vs likewise considered howe manye great personages fearing to bee too much exalted haue refused Empires Kingdomes Bishoprickes Abbayes and other dignities And haue accounted themselues happie when God hath done them the honour to humble them and bring them vnto him through sundrie afflictions Philo the Iewe writeth that the occasion whie Leuen was forbid vnto the Iewes at the feast of Easter was to teache them to haue a greate care to keepe themselues from pryde and presumption into which they fell which helde any good opinion of their owne selues and puffeth themselues vp therewith as the dowe is with the leuen CHAP. XLI That Painting is Lying FOr as much as sinceritie simplicitie roundnesse and trueth are proper to such as are vertuous and all disguysing hath beene accounted odious It is not without cause that sundrye haue blamed and found fault with paynting which serueth not but to delight such as are licentious and proceedeth as Sainct Ciprian and Chrisostome wrote from the Diuel a lyar and deceiuer And if Saint Peter and Saint Paul exhort weomen not to haue their appareling outwarde as with broydered hayre and golde put about or in putting on of apparell but what is comely to weomen making profession of the trueth through good woorkes much lesse will they allowe of paynting God in Isaiah reprehendeth the daughters of Sion because they minsed as they went and decked themselues too curiously Among other things he sayeth that because they were haughtie and walked with outstretched neckes and with wandring eyes walking minsing as they went making a tinckling with their feete therefore shall the Lord make the heds of the daughters of Zion bald discouer their secrete partes and in that day shall take away the ornament of the slippers and the calles and the round tires the sweete balles the brasselets and the bonnets the tyres of the head and the sloppes the headbands and the tablets and the eare rings the rings the mufflers the costly apparel the vailes the wimples and the crisping pinnes and the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the launes and the men shal fall by the sworde for suffring such pride of women In Deuteronomie it is written The woman shall not weare that which pertaineth voto the man neither shall a man put on a womans raiment And we must glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirites which are his and the temples of the holie Ghost as S. Paul sayth and take heede of giuing offence to any It is without all doubt that there chaunceth sundrie great imperfections to children when weomen with childe goe too straite laced Tertullian in his booke of the rayments of weomen would haue them simple and differing from common maydens and such as were nice and drunken S. Ciprian and S. Ambrose vppon the like argument and S. Chrisostome vpon the 12. to the Hebrewes forbid painting to women and say that they giue occasion of offence and cause men to sinne and wallow in the stye of the brickle vanities of this world And Sueton telleth how Augustus called gorgious garments markes of pryde and nestes of riotousnes And many olde doctors of the Church haue greatly complained against such as curle their haire and aboue all things reproued the vse of wearing of perwigs And Clement Alexandrin writeth that as a man would iudge one to be yll at ease which weareth a plaster on his face or one that hath beene scourged to haue beene punished by lawe so doeth painting betoken a diseased soule marked with adulterie as Iezabel was founde fault with and punished And Platina reprehendeth Pope Paul the second The auncient fathers called it a corruption and staine if many colours were mingled togither And Homer speakinge of a peece of yuorie that was coloured red writeth that it was poluted with a staine A man may rather say so by ones face As also Horace called Lentiscus a lyar because he blacked his haire And K. Archidamus tolde an Orator which had done the like that he carryed a lye in his head therefore could say nothing well K. Philip said as much to one of Antipaters friends from whome he tooke away his office after that he vnderstood that he curled his haire beard telling him that he which in his haire was fals a liar could hardly be loyal in any good affaire This is the reason why Lycurgus forbad al kind of painting artificial garnishing to be vsed in the citie of Sparta ordaining in like sort that maidens should be giuen im marriage without dower to the ende that for want of money none should remaine vnmarried nor any sought for their goods but respecting the maners of the maiden eche one should make election of vertue in her whom he would marrie A Lacedemonian being demanded by a stranger why there was no lawe made against adulterers Why said he should there be any since all riches delicatenes al painting outward garnishing is forbidden in Sparta shame to do yll honestie obedience there hath al the authoritie preheminence And if a painter would take it greeuously for a great iniury offred vnto him if any other should adde any colours to the picture whiche had finished especially vpon the counterfaict of Princes which themselues would hold for a great contempt by the ciuil law the child may haue an action of the case against him which shal deface the portract of his father Wee may wel imagin how much it displeaseth God if by painting we seek to correct his work pollute his temple as S. Ierom writeth in an Epistle to Laeta against Heluidie And S. Chrisostom vpon the ninth of S. Matth. addeth that it maketh vs resemble strumpets hasteneth wrinkles before old age Titus Liuius telleth of one Vestale Postumea that she was accused vnder colour of appareling her self too netely S. Peter would haue a Christian woman which maketh professiō of godlines to liue holily as if she were of a religion wel reformed And it was excellently wel written by Tertullian that the force of faith is such that it is perceiued by mans vnderstāding by his countenance garments euery action And Plato said that they which were curious in bedecking of their body despised the care of their soule It were not amisse if euery one that were curious were serued as a
things concerning the vertues yet haue they not declared at whose handes they ought to be demaunded nor whither they ought to bee referred neither haue they knowen the beginning of the corruption of mans nature nor the remedie of al euils which is reuealed in the Gospel by the knowledge of the trueth and the adoption of the Christians the remission of sinnes and the promises which giue vs a certaintie of the fauour blessing and good will of our good God whereof ensueth a good conscience hope and peace in the spirite which consumeth all the greefe and sorrowe as the Sunne doth the morning dewe And there is none of the said Philosophers except Plato which was able to set downe that the soueraigne good of man was to be ioyned with God but he had no tast at all what this coniunction meant nor the meane to attaine vnto it And as touching the comfortes of the Philosophers the complaint which Cicero made in his Epistle to Atticus is true that the medicine is not of force enough for the disease that neither the discipline learning nor bookes ought profited him Which a body cannot auerre by the holy scriptures as Dauid saide that hee was quickened comforted instructed that they gaue light to idiots And there is another manner of efficacie then the drougg which Homer called Nepenthes which he said was able to keep one from smelling yll sauours charme greefe vnderstanding therby a discreate speaker one able to apply himself to the present affections times affaires as more at large we haue before declared Which maketh me to disproue the opinion of Seneca which attributeth it to god in that we liue but in that we liue wel to Philosophie which in deede ought rather to be referred to God the aucthor of all good Horace spoke as ignorantly writing that God gaue him life riches but that he furnished himselfe with a good and right vnderstanding For God causeth the eye to see the eare to heare and giueth the right iudgement both to will and to perfourme as S. Paul sayth and he disposeth the pathes intentions of men This word Philosophie hath beene interpreted for the loue of wisedome and Aristotle in his second booke of his Metaphisicks taketh it for the knowledge of the trueth Many haue noted great varietie ambiguitie vncertaintie in the doctrine of Aristotle and that he was ignorant of the most excellent things of nature vsed verie necessarie demonstrations The which men in time past wel marked picturing behind his portracture a woman which had her face couered with a vayle named Physis that is to say Nature And it is no maruaile at al if all of them were not able to attaine to those supernaturall things since that the most excellent treasors of nature were concealed from them The which ought to make vs admyre at Gods speach in the fiue last Chapters of Iob discoursing of the mouings of the heauens force of the starres of the earth founded vpon the waters of the waters hanging in the middle of the worlde and sundry other wonders which a body may perceiue able to declare the knowledge of man to be verie ful of ignorance S. Augustine compared the life of the ancient Pagans which were accounted so wise vertuous to a wandring course their argumēts to a glasse which is shining but verie brickle Concluding it better to halt in the way of truth then to runne lightly without it He wrote likewise that their vertues were impure imperfect because there is nothing good without the soueraigne good And where there is defect of the knowledge of eternal life there vertue is false mens intentions go awrie And there is no man that can haue any quietnes of conscience but through the promises of God from which they were shut out also by the inward obedience required of God by trusting in him by repentance righteousnes iustification of the faithful by the free forgiuenes of our sinnes by hope patience confidence in aduersitie confession giuing of thanks by referring al things to the glorie of God to charitie And S. Chrisostom vpon the first to the Corinthians fourth Homelie cōpareth the subtile disputations of the Philosophers to cobwebbes which breake rent asunder with the wind speaking of a happy life were neuer able to attaine vnto it and as S. Paul writeth professing themselues to be wise they became fooles And not without cause Socrates in Plato lamented that the Philosophers studyed more the contemplation of nature knowledge then to liue well or giue good precepts And towards the end of the treatise of his lawes as through a diuine inspiration he giueth hope of the comming of one more excellent more redoubted and more holy then any man whose office was to open the secrete places of truth and the hidden fountaines who should be folowed honored of al men which surely could not be vnderstood but by our Lord Iesus Christ which is the waie the truth and the life S. Chrisostome setteth downe in the ranke of Philosophers Aristides Cato Solon Lycurgus Epaminundas sundrie other who besides their knowledge were excellent in matters of state gouernement as was our lawyer Vlpian and studied more to do good to euery one then to bee conuersant in contemplation For the Sophisters counterfait to be wise in deed their ende is but glorie and proud boasting And S. Augustine thought that all Philosophers were rather giuen to the seruice and searching out of the intelligences seperate which we call angels diuels and which they called gods and spirites then of the true God albeit they confessed there was one only almightie father of the Gods and men And it is easie to gather out of their writings how they confessed one only God in three persons the Father the Sonne the holy ghost and other Articles contained in the Apostles Creede to conuict Atheists and Epicures withal CHAP. XX. Of disguisings done to Princes and what is their duetie for their honour and quiet of their subiects and of the miseries of the wicked of the obseruation of ordinances and of that which maintaineth or altereth an estate PRinces were ordained of God to be fathers protectors and shephardes ouer the people cōmitted to their charge to serue to maintaine their libertie and to defende them against all iniuries and to shewe them good example to entertaine iustice and peace to cause vertue learning sciences and good lawes to flourish to prouide for the instruction of youth to esteeme of the good and chastice the wicked Plato did write following the fixion of Homer that children born of Kings were composed of a pretious masse to be seperate from the common sort And it is saide of Scipio and certaine other great personages that they were descended from a
this worlde We must remember howe Saint Paule prayeth vs to be reconciled to God to watch and be sober and to liue well whyle we haue the light and while it is called to daye not being able to assure our selues thereof in time to come And that wee may the better be brought thereto we must shunne all lewde companies and euill liuers and acquaint our selues with persons which haue the feare of God as Saint Paule warneth vs yea in no case to medle with men of euill life Let vs not then be Christians in name onely as we haue before declared and let vs be patient in aduersitie modest in prosperitie in our dewtie temperate in our life iust charitable towardes our neighbours towardes the poore sweete and tractable in our conuersation louing peace integritie and truth beseeching to this ende by earnest prayers the ayde of God thorough his holy spirite and imagining that wee are alwayes in the presence of God his holy saintes and Angels And since that we are the heires of God and coheyres with Christ Iesus the temple of the holy Ghost and fellowe Bourgeses with the saintes and seruantes of God let vs be ashamed to defile that temple and holy companie thorough the lewdenesse of our life And call to minde ouer and besides that we finde so much marked in the holy scriptures the excellent vertues of the heathen as the innocencie and abstinence of Aristides the integritie of Phocion the holinesse of Socrates the charitie of Cymon the tēperance of Camillus the thriftinesse of Curius the vprightnesse grauitie iustice and fayth of the Catoes yea the sobrietie of the very Turkes and an infinite number of examples so much recōmended vnto vs the which may make vs blush as our Sauiour said vnto the Iewes that they of Sodome Tyre and Sidon shalbe better entreated then they except they repented and amended their liues I knowe that therein lyeth great difficultie but a man must surmount all for the good that ensueth theron and as Cursius writeth Phisitions cure the greeuousest diseases by bitter and sharpe remedies And Cicero wrote vnto Octauian that men neuer applye salues to greeuous woundes but such as doe as much smart as profite And there is no good without paine Cicero likewise in some places and Plato in his Phedon in Gorgias and in Axiochus describe the strange kinde of punishmentes that are prepared for the wicked in the gayle of vengeance which he calleth Tartarus a place of darkenesse and torments and that the good are heaped vp with all happines prosperitie and sent to paradise or a garden which he setteth foorth to be the most pleasant that may be and termed to be the place of iudgment and the field of truth And in the tenth of his commonwealth he writeth that neither the paines nor rewardes in this world are ought either in number or greatnes in respect of what ech of thē are in an other life Whereof we are better certified in the holy scriptures to the end we should be reconciled vnto God without differring or longer wallowing in the filth of sinne for which we ought most earnest to beseech of him pardon disposing our selues wholy to obey him since that he is our father rendring vnto him all homage fealtie for whatsoeuer we hold of him in cheife calling vpō him in all our busines And since that he hath pomised to heare and prouide for all let vs not abuse his bountie but in dewe time reconcile our selues vnto him as Saint Paul exhorteth vs. I will not here forget the exhortation which our Sauiour maketh in Saint Luke Cap. 12. howe wee should haue our loynes guirde about and our lightes burning to be readie at the instant to performe what hee commaundeth vs our fayth being alwayes accompagned with this readie obedience as we see by experience in Abraham the father of the faythfull and in sundrie other whose names are celebrated in the 11. to the Hebrewes howe they left all respect of commoditie as soone as they were called This is that which we beseech at Gods handes in the Lords prayer that his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen as much to say as that he giue vs grace to be so prompt and ready to do his will as are the Angels that are in heauen who no sooner receiue any cōmandement from god but at the instant put it in execution For since that God is our soueraygne Lord which cōmandeth nothing that is not reasonable for their profit whom he will imploy in his seruice we ought not to cōsult or descant if we shuld obey what he cōmaundeth nor be more slacke or slowe to accomplish his will then are his creatures without soule which as it is written in sundry of the Psalmes and Prophetes leaue no one iot to doe in whatsoeuer their creator commaundeth them Our Sauiour Christ in Saint Luke sayde vnto him that was so readie to followe him marie vppon condition that he mought first goe vnto his owne house and take his leaue of such his friendes as were there No man which putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is apt for the kingdome of God And we must not as we haue sayde let slippe the oportunitie to doe well or receiue that good which God presenteth vnto vs when it is offred but to serue him readily for feare least if it be once lost it be no more possible to recouer it being as olde writers report bawlde behinde and not able to haue any fast holde layde thereon This is that which our Sauiour sayde speaking vnto the Iewes Yet a little whyle is the light with you walke while you haue light least the darkenesse come vppon you for he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whether he goeth Which afterwardes they had by experience good proofe of For by reason that they did not receiue this light which was then offered vnto them they were thereby depriued therof became most miserable not knowing the time of their visitatiō hauing reiected those benefits which God was willing to haue bestowed on them We reade in S. Matth. cap. 22. that such as were inuited to the marriage of the kings sonne excused themselues some alleadging their marchandise other their domesticall affaires other hinderances to be the cause The king being extremely angry with them for that they so little regarded the fauour honour which he had offred thē pronounced thē vnworthy of his liberality neuer after to be receiued into his house And in the 24. chap. of that gospel mention is made of the euil seruant which saide in his heart My Master doeth differ his comming let vs drinke eate and be merrie and in the meane time that hee was so carelesse came his maister and put him in the ranke of hipocrites where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth the which teacheth vs by no meanes to be slothfull as we haue in Ieremiah
and engendreth within vs an amendment of life readie obedience and loue towardes God and our neighbour giueth vnto vs the hope of eternal life and of obtaining what we ask at Gods hands rendreth our conscience peaceable maketh vs to perseuere in the good giueth vnto vs a boldnes to addresse our selues to the throne of grace bringeth with it selfe a constancie and pacience in all aduersities and comforteth vs cleane remouing away all feare anguish vexation of minde For this cause God is called by S. Paul in the beginning of his second Epistle to the Corinthians The God of mercie and consolation And in the sixth to the Ephesians he doth exhort vs to take vpon vs the shielde of faith wherewith we may quench all the fierie dartes of the wicked CHAP. 3. Properties of the truth and how much it is requisite in a Prince and Clergie SAint Paul recommendeth this trueth vnto vs as an especiall and principall part of the armour required to be worne by a Christian Knight and as a bulwarke against all assaults And most excelent is that saying in the 8. chapter of the prophesie of Zecharie where hee exhorteth Euerie man to speake the trueth vnto his neighbour and as the bodie bereft of the soule is nought else then stinking carrion so man depriued of this trueth is no better then a verie infection and filthie carkasse For this cause Plato in his commonwealth ordained for a lawe that aboue all thinges the truth might be preserued And Xenophon bringing in a good Prince vnder the person of K. Cyrus requireth especialy that he be founde true This was also the first lesson which Aristotle taught Alexander the great And Isayah setteth downe a King to reigne in Iustice and a Prince to rule in Iudgement being as an hiding place from the winde and as a refuge for the tempest And a byshop of Cologne declared to Fredoric the Emperour that the bare worde of a Prince ought to be of as great weight as other mens othes and that the trueth ought to bee his chiefest ornament The aunsweare which Charles the fift Emperour made vnto such as would haue perswaded him by no meanes to sende backe Luther being come vnto him vnder his safe conduit is greatly praised saying that though the performance of promises were cleane banished the face of the earth yet it should be kept by an Emperour Our Sauiour also in manie places of the Euangelistes commaundeth vs in any wise to keepe truth and nameth himselfe the sonne of Iustice and the essentiall truth On the other side the Diuell is called a lyer and the father thereof to the end that euerie one abyding in God who is the soueraigne good and hauing him for a father Lorde Sauiour and Protectour might be founde true and that we should not serue so wicked a murtherer and cruell deceauer as Sathan and that we shoulde abhor lying with which he onely serueth his turne to extinguish the light of the truth the onely life of the soule And Iob sayth that the wicked abhor the light they knowe not the wayes therof nor continue in the pathes thereof The Catholique Church is likewise called of S. Paul The pillar and grounde of trueth And Lactantius calleth it the fountaine of trueth house of faith and temple of God into which who so doth not enter is cleane shut vp from anie hope of eternall life For out of her is there no saluation to be found but euen as it fared with them that were without the Arke of Noah in the time of the flood And our religion hath beene founded vppon faith which dependeth of this truth which alone hath much more vertue than Cicero would attribute to Philosophie as in casting out of spirits remouing vaine solitarinesse deliuering vs from lusts and chasing away all feare For she teacheth vs the true seruice of God how to worshippe his mightinesse admire at his wisedome loue his bountie trust vnto his promises and rule our life according vnto his holie will She cleareth and giueth light vnto the course of reason thorough the knowledge of thinges and guideth our will vnto the true good and taketh away the clowdes of our vnderstanding as it is saide the North winde doth in the ayre And wee daylie see that the afflicted and wretched innocent taketh his greatest comfort in that the trueth is of his side And this truth causeth that parte of our vnderstanding wherein reason lyeth to rule and our will affections and like partes willingly obey thereto and suffer themselues to be gouerned therby And we may the rather be termed men in neare approching to God our patron For all the doctrine of the lawe tendeth to ioyne man through holinesse of life vnto his God as Moyses in Deutronomy sayth to make him leane vnto him For neither the worlde nor anie other creature can make man happie but he alone which made him man And thorough this truth are we deliuered from false opinions and ignorance and in al actions she is the light to guide vs frō stumbling and bringeth foorth all vertues And since that the end of Grammer is to speake aptly and agreeably and the end of speech societie of Rhethoricke to carrie all mens mindes to one opinion And of Logicke to finde out a truth amidst manie falshoodes all other artes doe likewise tende to this trueth And let vs make our senses to serue our vnderstanding and that vnderstanding of ours to serue him by whom it is and doth vnderstand And since this truth is a light her propertie is to chase away the darkenesse blindnesse and ignorance of our vnderstandings and to reioyce and comfort vs as the sunne rising doth to Pilgrims except they be such as our Sauiour spoke of who loue darkenesse more then the light which maketh vs to perceaue what hath beene hidden from vs. And men are more afraide to do amisse by day then by night and we are better able to guide our selues and can yeelde a better testimonie of what we haue seene as our Sauiour sayde in S. Iohn we speake that we knowe and testifie that we haue seene CHAP. 4. Extremities in the truth and how men may speake of themselues and of that which they vnderstande and that men ought not to publish anie writing but of their owne inuention and to some purpose nor to attribute to themselues the honour of a thing well done SInce that this trueth is approued to be a vertue she ought to hold a mediocritie to be set betweene two vitious extremities of either too little or too much as it is saide of the rest of the vertues which make them selues more apparaunt in gayning vnto themselues by those actions which consist in the middest of two contrarie vices as doeth the true tune among discords The excesse and ouerplus shal proceede of arrogancie pride vaunting disdain insolencie
Psalmes 25.36.45.117 and 138. S. Augustine in his booke of confessions writeth that accursed is all our righteousnes if it should be examined and iudged without Gods mercie And saint Ambrose faith that a man should not glorifie himselfe as iust but in that he hath beene redeemed not in that he was without sinne but in that he hath pardon for it not that I shoulde aduaunce my selfe ouer other but in that Iesus Christ is my aduocate towardes his father hauing shed his precious bloud for me for he came into the worlde to destroye the workes of the Diuell to regenerate and iustifie vs not to the end we should be vnprofitable and without fruite but to exercise our selues in all good workes First to the ende that thorough them and the shyning of our light as our sauiour sayde Matth. 5. God might be glorified we stande more assured of our vocation and election and our fayth the more strengthned exercised and embrased as Paul wrote to Timothe 1. Cap. 1. that likewise our neighbours by our good example may bee mooued and prouoked to liue well 2. Cor. 9. and that we minister to the necessities of poore Orphanes Widowes and such as haue neede of our succour as members of one bodie Mat. 10. 25. and since that faith purifieth the heartes as S. Peter sayth Acts. 10. what faith I praye you can they pretende that are full of filthinesse enmitie and corruption and which are puffed vp with passions and disordinate affections This faith ought to regenerate vs and make vs newe creatures exempting vs from condemnation and clothing vs with the righteousnesse and spirit of Iesus Christ The which spirite can not abide in our heartes but it must worke that is to saye that it lighteth vs quickneth and guideth all our counselles thoughtes wordes and actions What is faith except we shewe it by our holy conuersation mortifying our concupiscences eschewing all vice and applying our selues to all vertue not onely abstayning from that which is euill but from whatsoeuer carieth any shew thereof Perseuering in this exercise euen vntill the ende of our life Nowe if we haue the feare of God and a good conscience how commeth it to passe that wee doe not abhorre any more to defile our selues hauing beene once clensed I haue washed my feete sayth the faithfull soule how shall I againe defile them For God hauing made an alliance with vs mutually requireth of all his children seruants and creatures an integritie of life And we must discouer a melodie and accord betweene the righteousnesse of God and our obedience And by this meanes we ratifie the adoption through which God hath receiued vs for his children And holinesse is the chaine of our coniunction which tyeth vs to God to whome wee ought to dedicate all our life as to the aucthor thereof And to say the trueth wee abandon our creator wantonly and disloyally and renownce him for our sauiour when wee deforme our selues in sinne where wee ought alwayes to aspire to a heauenly life and laye aside all earthly affections being raysed vppe with Christ Iesus as Saint Paule writeth and euen wee denye with Ieremie that hee hath receaued the trewe knowledge of God except we put of the olde man which is corrupt in his disordinate desires to put vppon vs the newe And to the Philippians hee requireth that our patient minde be knowen vnto all men The Lorde is at hande let not vs take care for ought but that in all thinges our requestes may be made knowen to God by prayers and supplications with giuing of thankes And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall keepe our heartes and senses in Christ Iesus Moreouer whatsoeuer thinges are true whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer thinges pertaine to loue whatsoeuer thinges are of good reporte if there be anye vertue or if there bee any prayse let vs thinke of these thinges And hee wrote to the Corinthians in his seconde Epistle Since wee haue receaued the promisses let vs clense our selues from all fylthinesse of the fleshe and spirite and growe vppe vnto full holinesse in the feare of God And to the Ephesians yee haue not so learned if you haue beene taught by him as the trueth is in Iesus And hee complayned greatly to Titus howe they professed to knowe God but by their abhominable workes denie him And our Sauiour sayeth in S. Matthewe that by their worke ye shall knowe them For such as followe not the good which they speake resemble monsters which haue but one mouth and one tongue but no feete nor handes at all He doth therefore falsly boast to knowe the truth if his life be not good and correspondent For the doctrine of trueth is not a doctrine of the tongue but of life And if for good cause the Philosophers were woont to be angrye with such as made profession of their art which they called the mystresse of life and in the meane time turned it but to a sophisticall babling and did euer esteeme wicked liuers and such as were couetous not worthye to speake as the Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian wrote that their profession and inwarde desire belide themselues howe muche greater reason haue wee to detest these bablers which onely content them selues to haue the Gospell at their fingers endes and in their life rebellious and seditious cleane despise the same Considering that the power and efficacie thereof ought to pearce the verie bottome of our heart and from thence to bee shewed in all our behauiours grace garmentes and all other our actions and comportmentes as Tertullian did wright We haue heretofore declared howe we ought to haue this ende before our eyes to tende to that perfection which God hath commaunded vs to wit an integritie which signifieth a pure simplicitie of the heart voyde of all faynednesse and contrarie to a double heart Euerie one ought thus farre to walke according to his might And it shall auayle much if to daye surmount yesterdaye And beeing entered into the listes we should enforce our selues to goe out to the verie ende assured to obtaine a verie greate prise To declare perticularlie euerie vertue would be too tedious in this Chapter but I will adde that which doeth most entertaine and delight some men in lying that is that they be too much louers of themselues and are verie forwarde for their particular profitte which doeth altogether blemishe their sight and hindereth them so as they can not consider the will of GOD nor his promisses For whatsoeuer wee deliberate couet and poursue ought to be ioyned with the good and profitte of our neighbour And wee must not be stirred vppe nor mooued with anie picke against the lawe of Charitie Saint Augustine in his first booke of Christian doctrine writeth that hee liueth excellently well which the least hee is able liueth to himselfe because the obseruaunce of
often times the ignorant and vnconstant do turne the scriptures to their owne ruyne as our Sauiour and S. Peter witnesse so is it very requisite that in the reading thereof men carry a sounde iudgement and certaine bookes to be forbidden to be reade of euery one and not to giue stronge meate vnto such as haue neede of milke and in this poynt is it very conuenient to followe the decree of the Councell of Trent in those places where it is receiued and the instruction of their Curate and Pastor Gregorie Nazianzene in his apologie maketh mention of the custome of the Hebrewes who neuer accustomed all ages to euery kinde of doctrine nor reuealed their secretes but to suche as were of a sounde iudgement The which S. Ierome marketh well in the beginning of Ezechiel and S. Ambrose vpon the 35. Psalme and S. Augustine li. de spir lit alleage for example the Cantickes which some for their owne pleasure haue very disorderly applyed I leaue to the iudgement of euery man whether we haue nowe lesse occasion then had the Prophetes to complaine of some pastors which they termed by the name of theeues wolues dumbe dogges seducers idoles couetous voluptuous hypocrits and by sundry other most detestable names The dreame or vision of S. Anthonie where hee imagined he sawe certaine swyne and moyles defiling the aultar is verified in this time Our dutie is to beseeche at Gods handes that it well please him to sende vs such as be good that they may search nought else then his glorie and nourish their flocke with good holsome food For from thence as Plinie doth witnesse commeth the good wooll that is to say good life S. Augustine commended the saying of Socrates that both God and man will be serued as he commaundeth The which he applyeth to the seruice of the trewe God who commaundeth that nothing be eyther added or diminished vnto his worde And sayth that for this cause the Romanes allowed the seruice of all gods hauing for that ende builded a Temple to all gods called Pantheon and yet would neuer receaue the trewe to wit the God of the Hebrewes Because if they had serued him otherwise then he commaunded they had not serued him at all but their owne fictions if they had done as he had ordeined then had they cleane reiected and set aside all other Gods For the principall seruice of God consisteth in obedience as Samuel sayde vnto Saul The Prophets called it a spirituall chastitie not to swarue therefrom nor to thinke that whatsoeuer wee finde good in our owne eyes pleaseth him And as Nahas the Ammonite woulde by no meanes receiue them of Iabes a citie in Iudea which he had beseaged to his mercie vntill he had put out their right eye And when the Philistins had subdued the children of Israell they disarmed them euen to their kniues So did that Apostata Emperour Iulian Dioclesian and other who studied in what they coulde to make the Christians continue in ignoraunce and blindnesse neuer enquiring of the will of GOD or order of the primatiue Churche and vnder a great payne made them to be disarmed of that worde which the scripture calleth the knife of the spirite Iosephus lib. 2. contra Apionem setteth downe the custome which the Iewes obserued euerie weeke in reading of the holie scripture so as eache man vnderstoode it and knewe it by heart The which Socrates lib. 5. cap. 22. sheweth was also obserued in Alexandria and it maye bee seene by that which is written of our Sauiour Luke 4. Actes 5. 1. Tim. 4 When in the time of Iosias 2. Kinges 21 the booke of the lawe after it had long lyne hydde was founde againe he made great estimation thereof and sayde vnto the Priestes Goe yee and enquire of the Lorde for me and for the people and for all Iudah concerning the wordes of this booke that is founde for great is the wrath of the Lorde that is kindled agaynst vs because our fathers haue not obeyed the wordes of this booke to doe according to all that which is written therein for vs. We must likewise imagine that such as haue taken vppon them to teach the way to that happinesse which all men couet to attayne vnto haue beene but counterfayte except they haue layde the foundation out of the holy and Canonicall scriptures and the lyes wherein their fathers liued ledde them into erroure according as Amos wrote We ought therefore often to praye vnto God with Dauid Salomon and Saint Paule that he will giue vs wisedome and vnderstandinge and open our eyes that we may followe that which may be most agreeable vnto him without deceiuing of our selues Saint Ierome in his Epistle to Laeta sayeth excellently well that reading ought to followe prayer and prayer reading A man might verye well impute the cause that so manie prouinces haue beene made subiecte vnto the tyrannie of the Turke so many disorders corruptions warres seditions maladies murthers and other calamities haue happened to the contempt of this worde according to which a man will not reforme his life nor his strange opinions nor supporte one an other knowing that this worde teacheth nought else then peace concord and amitie and that we may be wise as serpentes which to saue their heade laye open their bodie and with their tayle stop their eare against the enchanter So let vs spare nothing for the mayntenance of this doctrine so long a goe left vnto vs without dissolutenesse sectes or discentions for there is nothing so well established which discorde can not ransacke and as Saint Augustine sayth very well the knowledge of the trewe doctrine humilitie and patience entertayneth concorde And Quintius Capitolius in Titus Liuius sayth that partialitie poysoneth and infecteth common-wealthes making such as would gayne saye not to consider what is most expedient as we finde by experience in France and haue too many examples both at home and abroade The Emperour Maximilian the seconde had often in his mouth that it was a greenous sinne and errour to raygne ouer mens consciences as the lawes carryed it I can here affirme that if men did knowe the truth and the happinesse which followeth the knowledge of trewe religion the voluptuous man would there searche his pleasures the couetous his wealth the ambitious his glorye the onely meane which can fill their heart and satisfie their desire and it serueth vs for a guyde to leade vs vnto God whereas the false doeth cleane withholde vs from him CHAP. XXXI That those which deferre their amendment doe wrappe them selues in a daungerous lie WE haue alreadie shewed that if they which name themselues Christians would but follow their profession vice should not raigne so plentifully For who so would beleeue the promises of God and setle therein a full assurance and consider what a great blessing is prepared for such as feare him and what euerlasting punishment
and constrained to cary about them sufficient corne for one whole month and seauen piles to serue for a rampire And Vegetius ordayned that young apprentises and nouices should carie burthens to threescore pounde weight And Marius so charged his souldiers and employed them in the diches neere vnto the Rhyne that they were after termed the moyles of Marius yea they were often times imployed in amending the high wayes called militarie and there they made diches to make them the dryer and the waters to soake away The sayde Marius sayde likewise in Salust that his father and sundrye other personages had taught him that daintinesse and nicenesse were fitte for weomen but trauayle for men and that all good men ought rather to esteeme a good reputation then riches and that weapons beautified a house and not fayre mooueables The sayde Salust recyteth before howe that when Metellus was ariued in Africa he tooke away whatsoeuer might seeme to nourish slothfulnesse and caused proclimation to be made throughout the campe that none should be so hardie as to presume to sell eyther bread or any other meate dressed that the cariers of water should not follow the campe that the simple souldiers shuld neuer haue page nor beast of carriage that ech one shuld keepe his rank cast his trench and carry his victuall together with his furniture And Xenophon in the second of the Pedia of Cyrus writeth that the souldiers and men at armes did neuer dyne and sup vntill they trauailed and sweate The which ought to make our men ashamed that haue so many boyes drabs to cary their furniture such ought rather to be held in the ranke of theeues robbers cowardes and boyes then of valiant men for cōbat The sayd Caesar writeth also of a fashion which the Gaulois had the which Titus Liuius and Tacitus doe likewise affirme that when by publick ordinance proclamation of warre was made all young men aboue the age of 15. yeares were summoned to appeare armed and furnished as they ought and he which ariued last was put to death The which Plinie also doeth recite of storkes how they detest slothfulnes And in certaine Islandes namely the Baleares nowe called Maiorque and Minorque the children can not breake their fast nor eate vntill with their slinges they strike downe their meate which is set vpon the toppe of a high beame or pole Other vsed to giue their childrē nothing but what they could get by hunting And they of Crete caused them continually to exercise to make themselues the more nimble Yea Amasis K. of Aegypt forbad to all his subiectes vppon a great penaltie that none should eate before he had long iourneyed or trauayled in his occupation and thereof should render account Alexander the great called trauaile a royall thing and idlenesse seruile And in the prouerbes idlenesse is forbidden and he writeth that A slothfull hande maketh poore and he that sleepeth in haruest is the sonne of confusion And in Ecclesiastes The sleepe of him which trauaileth is sweete And the sayde Kinge Amasis condemned to death all idle persons except they had wherewithall to liue and in all sortes greatly blamed idlenesse and would that once a yeare each one should render account by what science or occupation he gayned his lyuing The which the Atheniens and sundry other well ordered cōmonwealth diligently obserued And Cicero entreating of the lawes writeth that none went in the streates but he caried the badge and marke whereby he liued Which is yet obserued in sundry cities of Germany and Cantons of Zuizerlande Of others they write that sometimes men so imployed themselues at Rome that there was not to be founde so much as one ydle man And a Philosopher sayde that as a woman can not engender any thing to purpose without a man no more doth hope without trauayle and there is nothing which continuall labour will not attayne vnto and thorough care and watchfulnesse a man ouercommeth thinges more then harde as Seneca sayde And Hesiodus counceled the laborer to make his prayes to the Gods before he went to his worke or saying marry he must lay his hande on the plough tayle And Plato hath most holily written that as through great and continuall labours concupiscences and ryotousnesse were quenched so were they set a fire agayne by idlenesse Stobeus writeth that in sundry countryes if a man lent money to one that were idle or giuen to his pleasure he should loose it for euer And if at Rome one had negligently husbanded his inheritaunce he was straightwayes censured And God in Ezechiel among the causes of the destruction of Sodom setteth downe idlenes for a principall And Themistocles was wont to say that slothfulnes buried men while they were liuing in their graue And S. Ambrose called idlenes the pillow of Satan And it is written in Ecclesiasticus what euer thou doe take exercise and cruell sickenesse shall not meete with thee and that idlenes breedeth much euill For she is the spring of iniustice of pouertie and euill disposition And Seneca wrote that trauaile nourished gentle spirits And the holy scripture teacheth vs that as the birde is borne to flie so is man to trauaile and to imploy himselfe to many fayre and good offyces for vice which watcheth hard cōmeth and runneth ouer as soone as euer it perceiueth that one is giuen ouer to idlenes maketh thē giue way because that nature being alwaies in a perpetual motion desireth to be driuē to the better part or else she suffreth her selfe to be weighed downe as a balance to the worser Which was the cause that Plato was wont to say to his children when they went out of his schoole Goe to masters studie to imploy your leasure to some honest pastime S. Paul in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians declareth howe he had eate his bread trauayling both day night to the end he would not be chargeable vnto any and that he which refused to worke ought not to eate adding that some walked disordinately doing nothing and liuing wantonly wherefore he commaunded those which were such and be sought them thorough Christ Iesus to eate their breade laboring peaceably Xenophon reciteth among the sayinges of Socrates that it is idlenesse if one do no good The Pithagoriens cōmanded none to helpe their friendes to ease them of their burthen but to charge them well as not approuing idlenesse And K. Cyrus boasted that he neuer did eate before he had first done some exercise as a sauce to breede him a good appetite The which Alexander was often times wont to say that he had no need of any other cookes for his dinner then to rise earely nor for his supper then to eate little at dinner and refused the cookes which the Queene of Carie sent vnto him The like is written of Iulian the Emperour To which purpose we reade that the Thessalonians sent vnto