The Amendment of Life, Book 3 · Chapter 6

The Amendment of Life · Book 3 · Chapter 6

p. 327Of the duties of magiſtrates to their ſubiects. Chap. 6.

NOw let vsus come to the duties of Kings,Rom. 13.Rom 13 Princes & other Magiſtrates, or as S. Paule termeth them, ſuperior powers, ouer their ſubiects. The firſt point that the magiſtrates, to the end duely to diſcharge their office, are to conſider, is this: That God hath aduanced them to that authoritie, not for their priuate commoditie or honor, but to do ſeruice vntounto God in ſeruing to the benefite and ſaluation of their ſubiectes. And this doth the Apoſtle note, ſaying: The magistrate is the minister of God for the wealth of the people. Which he alſo confirmeth, in a more particular declaration,Rom. 13.Rom 13 importing that the end of their vocation & office is, that we may liue a quiet and peaceable life in al godlineſſe & honeſty. Euen the heathē in ſundry notable ſentences did teach that Magiſtrates are ordained to liue and to ſerue, not themſelues, but their ſubiects.1. Tim. 2.2.1 Tim 2:2 Firſt one of thē ſaith: Princes are the ſeruants of God, ordained to take care for men, and to prouide for their preſeruation,Plutarch. in a booke of the doctrine required in a Prince. Cicero in his cōmonwelth. lib. 5. Xenophon in his rememb. of Socrates. lib. 3. Ariſt. Polit. lib. 8. c. 10. Cic. Offic. l. … whether by miniſtring to them of their goods, that hee hath beſtowed vponupon them: or by defending them. Cicero alſo writeth, that the end of gouernors ſhould ayme at the proſperous life of their ſubiects: becauſe, as another ſaith, they be choſen, not to liue at eaſe, & daintily, but that they which hauehave choſen them may by their induſtrie liue quietly and happily. And therefore ſaith the Prince of Philoſophers. Herein reſteth a difference betweene a King and a tyrant That the tyrant ſeeketh his owne profit, the Kinge or Magiſtrate the profit & commoditie of his ſubiects. Such (ſaith Cicero) as are to gouerne the common wealth, ought diligently to obſerue theſe two inſtructions of Plato: Firſt, that they ſo maintain the cōmodity of the people, that eueryevery their action, without reſpect of their owne priuate profit may hauehave reſpect thereto: Secondly, that they tend to the preſeruation of the whole body of their people, & that they ſeeke not ſo to maintaine one part, that they forſake the other.

2 Thus may the magiſtrate eaſily learne, that the greatneſſe of gouernment is but a greatnes of care: alſo that, as Seneca ſaith, he is in duty to warant the ſleep of his ſubiects by his own wakfulnes p. 328their peace by his labour:Iuſtin. lib. 6. Epaminondas Plutarch in his Apotheg. their eaſe by his induſtrie: and their leaſure by his buſineſſe. And in that ſence doe we reade of a great perſonage who neuer accepted gouernment or publike office for his owne ſake, but for the common wealth of his countrie: ſo that on a time when the people were feaſting and very merrie, being asked why himſelfe walked ſadly vp and downe the towne, he anſwered: That you may make merrie and reioyce. Thus when the magiſtrate is called the ſheepeheard, the father, and head of the people, he is to remember that the ſheepheard being more excellent then the ſheepe: the father then the children: and the head then the body: the ſheepheard, the father and the head, are eſtabliſhed in this preheminence, The one to lead and feed the flock: the other to nouriſh and bring vp his children, and the other happily to gouerne the body. It is therefore the magiſtrates dutie ſo to gouerne his ſubiects,Seneca of clemencie. that by the effects they may know that he is ordained not onelyonly to be ouer them, but alſo for them.

3 For the better vnderſtanding and practiſe hereof, let vsus more perticularly lay down the dutie of their function, by three principall endes thereof before mentioned: Namely, that wee may liue a quiet and peaceable life, in al godlineſſe and honeſtie. Now godlineſſe comprehendeth the religion and ſeruice of God: Peace and quietneſſe proceedeth of the adminiſtration of iuſtice and iudgement: and by honeſtie is ment ſobrietie, chaſtitie, and other the vertues required for an honeſt life, as by day and in the ſight of God. Concerning godlineſſe and religion. As God is aboue all men: the ſoule more excellent then the body: and the kingdome of heauen more precious then earthly treaſures: ſo doth the chiefe and principall end of the magiſtrates charge and office conſiſt in the eſtabliſhing and maintaining of the puritie of Doctrine, the holy adminiſtration of the Sacramentes, the inuocation of Gods name,1. Cron. 15. the order of Eccleſiaſticall Diſcipline. In brief, in the holy miniſterie and ſeruice of God. How carefull was Dauid to bring the Arke of God into his Citie? How ioyfully with praiſes and bleſsings of the Lord did he conduct it? He commanded the prieſts and Leuits to ſanctifie themſelues, and to prouide to carie it: Hee ordained them to appoint of their brethren to ſing and play vponupon inſtruments before it: And how zelouſly did hee eſtabliſh an order for the ſeruice of God? How affectionate did hee ſhew himſelfe to builde an houſe to God?2. Cron. 19. 2. Sam. 7. 1. Cron. 22.2 Sam 7:1 And vnderſtanding that God woulde not that it ſhoulde bee built by him, but by his ſonne Salomon; What ſummes of golde and ſiluer did hee leaue towards p. 329the building thereof.

4 Aſa king of Iuda, touched with the like zeale, put downe the ſtrāge alters, the high places, & other idolatries.2. Chro. 142 Chr 14 He cōmāded Iuda to praie to the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to fulfill the law & the commandements. And God for the ſame bleſſed him mightily, and gaue him victory ouer Zara the Aethiopian,2. Chro. 152 Chr 15 and reſt from his enemies. Yea, many other kindreds, namely of Ephraim, Manaſſes, and Simeon, perceiuing that the Lord his God was with him, came to him as to a refuge, and made a couenant to ſeeke the Lord God of theyr fathers, with all their harts, and wyth all theyr ſouls,2. Chro. 14.22 Chr 14:2 yea, that they ſhould ſlaie all ſuch as would not ſeeke the God of Iſrael. And of him it is ſaid, that he did that which was good in the ſight of the Lord his God.

5 Iehoſaphat his ſonne likewiſe gaue himſelf couragiouſly to re-eſtabliſh the ſeruice of God, namely, in the third yere of his raigne,2. Chro. 172 Chr 17 when hee ſent men of authoritie to cauſe it to bee taught throughout all the townes of Iuda: yea, hee ſent with them Leuites and Prieſts, to teach the inhabitants of Iuda, who carryed with them the bookes of the lawe of the Lord, and went thoroughout all the townes of Iuda to inſtruct the people. And God ſo bleſſed him in this good zeale, that the feare of the Lorde fell vppon all the nations and kingdomes round about Iuda, and they durſt not make anie warre agaynſt Iehoſaphat. He alſo in Ieruſalem ordained the Leuites and prieſtes, with the princes of the kindreds of Iſrael, for the iudgement of the Lord, and for controuerſies, that they might iudge according to the lawe of God, and appointed Amarias the high prieſt to hauehave the ouerſight ouer them.

6 As for king Ezechias, the holy Scripture greatly teſtifyeth his godlynes and feruent affection to the ſeruice of God. Hee gathering together the Prieſts and Leuites, gaue vntounto them this admonition and exhortation: Heare me ye Leuites, ſanctify now your ſelues, 2. Chro. 29.2 Chr 29and ſanctifie the houſe of the Lord God of your fathers: Our fathers hauehave treſpaſsed, and done euill in the eies of the Lord our God, and therefore his wrath hath bene vponupon Iuda and Ieruſalem: But now I purpoſe to make a couenant with the Lord God of Iſrael, that hee may turne awaie his fierce wrath from vsus. Now my ſonnes, be ye not deceiued, for the Lord hath choſen you to ſtand before him, to ſerue him. And when the prieſts & Leuites had cleanſed & ſanctifyed the temple of the Lord, king Ezechias roſe early & gathered the princes of the citie, & went vp to the houſe of the Lord, & the priests & Leuits offered ſinne offerings, for the kingdome, for the ſanctuarie, and for Iuda. And when they had made an p. 330end of the burnt offering, the king & all that were with him bowed them ſelues and worſhipped. The king and the princes commanded the Leuites to praiſe the Lord with the wordes of Dauid, and of Aſaph the ſeer: ſo they praiſed with ioy, and they bowed themſelues and worſhipped. Neither dyd this good king take care for the tribe of Iuda onelie, ouer the which himſelf raigned, but alſo when he was to celebrate the paſſeouer,2. Chro. 302 Chr 30 hee ſent poaſtes throughout the other tribes of Iſrael, to inuite them to come vp, and to celebrate the feaſt, and to ſerue God. And to that end, by his meſſengers hee made to them an excellent exhortation and admonition: whereupon albeit ſome did laugh them to ſcorne,2. Chro. 312 Chr 31 yet neuertheleſſe diuerſe of Aſſur, of Zabulon, and of Manaſſes, ſubmitted themſelues and came to Ieruſalem. Hee afterward alſo renued the ſeruice of God, according to the order eſtabliſhed by Dauid, and made a decree whereby the king ſhould be charged with a contribution taken of his treaſurie, for the morning and euening ſacrifices, for the ſaboths, the new moones, & the ſolemne feaſts, according as it is written in the law of the Lorde.

…. Chr. 34. & 357 The like zeale and dutie to the ſeruice of God, is alſo ſet down in Ioſias king of Iuda. But the premiſes may ſuffice to declare vntounto kings, princes, and other Chriſtian magiſtrates, with what affection and zeale they are bound to purge their dominions of Idolatrie & ſuperſtition: to eſtabliſh among theyr ſubiects the pure and holye ſeruice of God, with the holy miniſterie of his word, and to imploy theyr authoritie and meanes in the maintenance thereof. To bee ſhort, in theyr owne perſons to giuegive example of all godlineſſe. Sundrie kings, euen of the Heathen, hauehave ſomewhat vnderſtoode and put it in practiſe: as Nabuchadnezzer, when hee beheld the wonderfull worke of God, in preſeruing the three Hebrew princes in the fierie furnace, and therby conceiued ſome ſparke of the knowledge of the true God, did immediatly make a decree in honour of the true God, in theſe wordes, Therefore I make a decree, that euerie people, nation, or language, that ſpeake anie blaſphemie againſt the God of Shaa…ach…, Dan. 3, 24Dan 3:24Maſach, and Abednego ſhall be drawen in peeces, & then houſes shall be made a takes for there is no God that can deliuer after this ſort. Dauids likewiſe beholding the miraculous deliuerie of Daniel from the lyons, immediatly writ forth his Letters to this effect. VntoUnto all people, Pro. 25.Prov 25nations, and languages, that dwell in all the world, peace bee multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all the dominions of my kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel, for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer, and his kingdome shall not perish, and p. 331his dominion shall bee for euerlasting. Hee reſcueth and deliuereth, and he worketh ſignes and wonders in heauen and in earth: who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the lions. Theſe are excellent prayſes of God, deliuered by a Heathen king, and doo moſt liuely teach all Chriſtians to feare God, to ſerue him, to put their truſt in him, and to ſet forth his glory.

8 As for Cyrus,Eſay. 44.28, & 45.1.Isa 44:28Isa 45:1 as God a hundreth yeeres before the captiuitie had choſen him, and by the Prophet Eſaie named him to bee his miniſter in the deliue ie of his people: ſo hee, after hee had attayned to the monarchy of the Chaldees, did declare a commendable zeale to the ſeruice of God, in licenſing his people to returne to Iudea, and in reſtoring vntounto them the golden and ſiluer veſſells of the temple, which hee ſuffered them to reedifie, in commaunding his ſubiects to releeue with golde, ſiluer, goods, and horſe, all ſuch as were not able to furniſh theyr iourney. True it is, that as thoſe Heathen kings were poſſeſſed wyth great ignorance, ſo their zeale to the ſeruice of God was of ſmall continuance: yet ſhall they in the daie of iudgement riſe againſt our Chriſtian kings and magiſtrates, vnleſſe more amplie and conſtantly than they, they employ themſelues in the eſtabliſhment and maintenance of the pure ſeruice of God, and in effect declare the ſame to bee the ſcope and principal end of theyr vocation and office.Pſal. 2.10.Ps 2:10 Alſo that Dauid ſpeaketh to them, where hee ſayth, Bee wiſe now therefore yee Kinges, bee learned yee Iudges of the earth: Serue yee the Lord in feare, and reioyce in trembling: Kiſse the Sonne, that is to ſaie, Doo homage to the ſonne: For it is not the meaning of the holy Ghoſt that onelyonly in the title of priuate perſons, they ſhoulde doe homadge to Ieſus Chriſt? But alſo as magiſtrates, in maintaining and eſtabliſhing the pure ſeruice of God. And in the ſame ſence are wee to vnderſtand the promiſe of Eſaye, ſaying. Kinges ſhall bee the Nurſing fathers, Eſay. 49.23.Isa 49:23and Queenes ſhall bee the nurſes of the Church. And indeede it is one thinge to bee the ſuckling or nurſed childe of the Church, as are all the faithful, and another to bee the nurſing fathers or nurſes that doe employ themſelues to nurſe vp the Church.Auguſtine to Boniface, Ep…. 50, As alſo Saint Auguſtine ſayth: A Kinge doeth ſeruice after one ſorte as hee is a man, and after an other, as hee is a Kinge. As hee is a man, hee ſerueth God in leading a faithfull and Chriſtian lyfe: But as hee is a Kinge, he ſerueth him in making lawes pertinentlie, with authoritie commaunding that which is iuſt, and prohibiting things contrarie.

9 Chriſtian Emperours in olde time did well vnderſtand and p. 332declare the ſame to be the end and dutie of theyr vocation, namely, to eſtabliſh the pure ſeruice of God, and to maintaine the truth of the heauenly doctrine.Socrates in his Eccle. hiſt. li. 1. cap. 9. Among others, great Conſtantine in an Epiſtle written to the Churches, ſayth: Becauſe that by the proſperitie of the publike eſtate, I doo in deed perceiue the greatnes of the heauenly grace and power: I hauehave thought it requiſite before all things, that I ſhould bend my whole endeuour to this, euen among the bleſſed of the Catholike church, to maintain one faith, one true charitie and louelove, and one vniuerſall deuotion towardes God almightie.Theod. in his Eccl. hi. l. 5. c. 6 When the Emperor Theodoſius accepted the gouernment of the Empire, his firſt care tended to eſtabliſh concord & vnitie in the puritie of doctrine throughout the whole Church. And therupō he aſſembled ſundry Biſhops to confute & ſuppreſſe the error of Arrius. For as in all times there hauehave beene heretikes that hauehave aſſalted the truth of the heauenly doctrine,Ruffin in his Ecc. hi. l. 1. c. 2 The Tripartit hiſt. li. 1 c. 8 Socrat. hiſt. Eccl. li. 1 ca. 9 Gracian, Valent. & Theo. li. 2. cap. de Summa Trin. & fide Cath. Euſeb. in the lyfe of Conſtan. li. 4Sir 51:1 ſo hauehave chriſtian Magiſtrates oppoſed agaynſt them the remedies of generall counſels. As the afornamed Emperor Conſtantine the great, in the yeere 333. ſummoned the famous Counſell of Nice, whether hee brought three hundred and eighteene Biſhoppes, to maintaine the truth of the diuinitie of Chriſt againſt Arrius: So they dyd moreouer publiſh decrees concerning hereticall bookes and writinges, importing theyr aboliſhment. As great Conſtantine commanded the writings of Arrius to bee burned: So other Emperors lykewiſe hauing commaunded to maintaine the truth, hauehave alſo expreſlye forbidden both the doctrine of heretikes and theyr aſſemblyes: and hauehave made notable decrees for the aboliſhing of Idolatrie and ſuperſtition: as the ſame Emperour Conſtantine the greate by many lawes and decrees prohibited all ſacrificing to Idols, all enquirie of Sorcerers and Charmers, all erection of Images, and all ſecret ſacrifices.

Theod. Eccle. hiſt. li 5. ca. 210 But aboue all things, they tooke care to eſtabliſh good Biſhoppes and Paſtors. And in deede Gratian, the ſonne of the Emperour Valentine, conſecrating, as Theodoret writeth, the firſt fruites of his Empire to God, made a lawe for the reſtoring of good paſtors that had beene baniſhed, to theyr Churches, and commanded that ſuch as preached the blaſphemies of Arrius, ſhoulde as beaſtes bee put from their Churches,Socrat. hiſt. Eccle. li. 6. c. 2Sir 51:6 and the ſame to bee reſtored to the heauenly flockes and faithfull ſhepheards. We alſo reade of the Emperor Arcadius, that by the common petition of the Clergy and people of Conſtantinople, he called home Iohn, and to the end to reeſtabliſh him in the Biſhoprick, wyth lawful authoritie, he p. 333ſummoned ſundrie Biſhoppes, and ſo hee was choſen to be Biſhop of Conſtantinople. To this purpoſe is the exhortation of the Emperor Valentinian verie notable.Theodor. his Eccl. hiſt. l c. 5 After the death of Auxentius the Arrian, Biſhoppe of Millaine, hauing aſſembled ſundrie Biſhoppes he ſayde: Your ſelues hauing beene brought vp in heauenly doctrine, cannot bee ignorant what manner of man hee ought to bee, to whome the dignitie of a Biſhoppe ſhould bee committed. Likewiſe how hee ought to inſtruct the people, not onelye by doctrine, but alſo by good example of manners, and to be vntounto them a myrrour of all honeſtie, to the end that the exerciſe of ſuch his duetie, may beare witneſſe of his doctrine: and therefore eſtabliſh in the Biſhoppes ſea, him to whome wee gouernours of the Empire, maye ſincerely ſubmit our heades: and from whome (in that beeing men, wee bee all ſubiect to ſinne) wee maye bee content to receiue reprehenſion and admonition as healthſome phiſicke for our ſoules.

11 Which is more,Euſ hiſt. Eccl. li. 10. ca. 7 Socrat. Eccl. hiſt. l. 1. c. 9.Sir 51:10 ſuch was theyr care that Biſhoppes and paſtors ſhould not bee withdrawen by politike functions, from the exerciſe of theyr vocation, that Conſtantine the great writing to Anilin, ordained that they that gaue themſelues to the exerciſe of diuine matters, whome he called the Cleargie, ſhoulde be free and exempt from all publike charge. The building and repairing of Churches was alſo commended to them, as the ſame Conſtantine declareth, writing to Euſebius. See that in all Churches, ſayth hee, vnderunder thy charge, as alſo in thoſe that bee vnderunder other Biſhoppes, Prieſts, and Deacons, ye be diligent to reſtore ſuch as be decaied, likewiſe to build new in places conuenient: And thy ſelfe and all other in thy name ſhall call to the gouernours and magiſtrates of prouinces for all things neceſſarie for the reparations or building of the ſame: for I hauehave commanded them with al ſpeed to prouide whatſoeuer your holynes ſhall call for. Lykewiſe, as it is requiſite that there ſhoulde bee ſome preſcript forme of Chriſtian faith, and Eccleſiaſticall order and gouernment, ſo hauehave they alſo extended theyr care in that dutie, as we reade of the Emperour Iouinian, of whome Ruffin writeth, that the buſineſſe of the Church was not the leaſt parte of his care: alſo that calling Athanaſius,Ruffin … Eccl hiſt. …. c. … from him receiued he a forme of faith and order for the erecting and gouernment of the Churches.

12 But to the end that magiſtrates may bee inſtructed and moued to the due practiſe of the matters aforeſayde, and ſo to cauſe theyr ſubiectes to liue in the feare of God: It is alſo their dutie to p. 334procure the diligent reading of Gods worde, and profiting in the ſame. And ſome there hauehave beene that hauehave ſhewed great zeale in that behalfe.Socr. l. 7. c. 22 Among others, wee reade that the Emperour Theodoſius would conferre of the holy Scriptures with the Biſhops, as if himſelfe had bene a Biſhop. In this reſpect did God in old time command, that the king that ſhould be choſen ouer Iſrael, ſo ſoone as he ſhould be placed in the throne of his kingdome, ſhoulde for himſelfe write out a copie of the lawe in a booke,Deut. 17.18Deut 17:18 which he ſhould take in the preſence of the prieſts, that it might remain with him, and that he ſhould reade therein all the daies of his life: to the end to learne to feare God, and to keepe all the wordes of his lawe and his ordinaunces, to doo them. The lyke commandement dyd hee giuegive vntounto Ioſua, ſaying: Let not this booke of the lawe departe out of thy mouth, Ioſua 1.8Josh 1:8but meditate therein daie and night, that thou mauest obſerue and doo according to all that is written therein, for then ſhalt thou make thy waie proſperous, and then ſhalt thou hauehave good ſucceſse. The hundreth and nineteenth Pſalme declareth how neceſſary this dutie is: alſo how diligently Dauid emploied himſelfe therein, therby ſhewing himſelfe to be a true patterne or myrror of pietie to all kings, princes, and magiſtrates.

Euſebius in the life of Cō ſtantine. l. 413 They are moreouer diligently to pray vntounto God, alſo to cauſe others to praie for them, that they may duly diſcharge theyr dueties. Heereto it ſeemeth that Conſtantine the great was much addicted. For, as Euſebius reporteth of him, hee knowing verie well that the prayers of ſuch as feared God might greatly profyte him in the due gouernment of all, ſought after ſuch as might praie for him, and beſydes his owne prayers, required alſo the praiers of the gouernours of the congregations for him. In peeces alſo of golde that hee cauſed to bee coyned, himſelfe was portrayed wyth his handes lyfted vp to heauen, as it were praying vntounto God: yea which is more, hee tooke order that his ſouldyers ſhoulde learne to praie to God. Pulcheria, the daughter of the Emperour Arcadius,Sozom. his Eccle. hiſt. li. 9. cap. 1. vppon her fathers death, at the age of fifteene yeeres taking vponupon her the gouernment of the Empire, cauſed her brother Theodoſius, the heire thereunto, to bee brought vp in godlyneſſe, and accuſtomed to much praier: and hee thorough ſuch bringing vp, beeing much giuen to this godly exerciſe, afterwarde in a matter of great importance, founde the fruite of his praier, for hauing on a time receiued from diuerſe Biſhoppes diuerſe ſeuerall doctrines and confeſsions concerning the diuinitie of Chriſt,Socrat. hiſt. Eccl. l, 5. c. 10Sir 50:5 he went into a ſecrete place, where hee feruently prayed vntounto God to giuegive p. 335him grace to make choice of the ſame, which contained the truth of that doctrine: Then reading ouer all theyr confeſsions, hee allowed and kept the ſame which taught that Chriſt was of the ſame eſſence wyth his father, and defaced the reſt, as repugnant to the holy Trinitie. Lykewiſe beeing to go to warre, after the example of Dauid, hee had recourſe to prayers, as knowing that it was in God onelyonly to diſpoſe of warres: and as the ſame authour addeth, hee executed his warres by praier and ſupplications.Socrat. hiſt. Eccl. l. 7. c. 22 &c. 23.Sir 50:7 And after his victories ouer his enemies, hee ſo acknowledged them to be from God, that on a time as hee was looking vppon certaine triumphes and publike paſtimes, hearing of the death and ouerthrow of a certine tyrant that was riſen againſt him, immediatlye crying out to the people, hee ſayde: Leauing theſe carnall pleaſures, let vsus go to Church to giuegive thankes and praiſes vntounto God: And at the ſame verie inſtant, leauing the paſtimes, & being come into the Church, they ſpent there the reſt of the daie in prayſing and bleſsing the Lorde.

14 Some alſo there hauehave beene that ſo ordered theyr houſes in the exerciſe of Chriſtian religion,Euſeb. in the lyfe of Conſtan. li. 4 that theyr Courtes reſembled Churches, as Euſebius reporteth of great Conſtantine, that hee had conſecrated his whole houſe to the ſeruice of God the onelyonly king of kinges, that the domeſticall multitude of his Court, was euen a Church of God: yea, hee retayned aboute him ſundrie miniſters of God, that ordinarilie praied for him. Lykewiſe the Emperour Valerian in the beginning of his Empire ſo greatly fauoured the Chriſtians, that his Court beeing repleniſhed wyth greate ſtore of all ſortes of people that feared God, Euſebius tearmeth it The Church of God. Euſ hiſt. Eccl. li. 7. ca. 10Sir 51:7They lykewyſe verie well vnderſtoode and perceiued, that euen the proſperitie of theyr perſons and eſtate, depended vppon pietie, and the eſtabliſhment of the ſeruice of God, according as the holie Apoſtle Saint Paule verie well noteth, where hee ſayth, Godlyneſſe hath promiſe of the lyfe preſent, and of that that is to come. 1. Tim. 4.81 Tim 4:8As alſo God ſpeaking vntounto the Prophet Samuell, ſayde, I wyll honour thoſe that honour mee. Among others,1. Sam. 2.301 Sam 2:30 Conſtantine the greate writing vntounto Anilin, confeſſeth and acknowledgeth, that by diuerſe and ſundrie experiences hee knewe, that if Relygion (wherein wee are to obſerue wyth greate zeale a ſingular reuerence of holyneſſe and godlyneſſe) bee anie whit neglected or diminiſhed, ſuch neglect wyll prooue in time verye daungerous and hurtefull vntounto the Common wealth: And contrarywyſe, p. 336that being vpholden and maintained, it breedeth great felicity and proſperitie to all men,Zozom. hiſt. Eccl, l. 9. c. 1 thorough the grace and bleſsing of God. Heereupon Zozomenes rehearſing the wonderful proſperitie that God graunted to the Emperor Thedoſius, and wythall noting that this bleſsing proceeded of the doctrine, wherein by his ſiſter Pulcheria hee was trained vp, namely, the feare of God, and the eſtabliſhing of his ſeruice, gathereth that the onelyonly pietie of Kinges and Emperours is ſufficient for the happy preſeruation of the people. Alſo, that without the ſame, all armies, all ſtrength of the empire, and all other prouiſion whatſoeuer is in vaine. The ſame author reporting, that many and mightie enemies of the Emperour Honorius were ouerthrowen,Soſom. Eccl. hiſt. l. 9. c. 16 addeth, that God brought it to paſſe to ſhew, that the true honour and feare of God in an Emperour, as it was, ſayth hee, in Honorius, is ſufficient to preſerue anie Empire.

16 This doth Lactantius alſo confirme, ſaying: that in caſe there ariſe anie queſtion of the happy maintaining of the ſociety of men,Lact. of wrath c. 2. &c. 8 euen in reſpect of this life, religion, and the feare of God, is the only and true meanes to decide it: as alſo in the ſame booke hee maketh this proteſtation. Take awaie (ſayth hee) this bond, & mans lyfe will be repleniſhed wyth folly, crueltie, and wickednes. And this is confirmed by the teſtimonie of the greateſt heathen Philoſophers,Pl…t. l. 4 of his comonwelth. Ariſt. Eth. l. 5 who ſaie, that the chiefe foundation, the ſtrongeſt ſinew, & the only ſaftie of the eſtabliſhment of a common wealth, conſiſteth firſt in religion, and then in iuſtice. And Cicero, a Heathen alſo, to this purpoſe ſayth:Cicero in his nature of Gods. l. 1 Take awaie deuotion to the Gods, and ye take awaie all holynes and religion, which beeing once vaniſhed from among men, there followeth perturbation in life and all confuſion. Neither doo I knowe, ſayth he, whether vponupon the taking awaye of deuotion to the Gods, faith alſo, and ſocietie among men, together wyth Iuſtice (a moſt excellent vertue) can remaine. And in this conſideration when Romulus had erected his new Romane common wealth in matter of armes,Tit. Liui. Malicai l. 2 Va. Ma. l, 1 c. 3 his ſucceſſour Numa Pompilius, for the eſtabliſhment and aſſuring of his eſtate, erected the religion and ſeruice of the Gods. It muſt needes therefore bee a great ſhame and reproch to Chriſtian Magiſtrates, endued with the knowledge of the true and onelyonly God, and ſuch as hauehave his holye worde in continuall view,Auguſt. to Voluſ. Ep. 3. towards the end. not to beleeue that the eſtabliſhment and preſeruation of religion, is the ſteadfaſt foundation and happie piller of theyr eſtate. Saint Auguſtine giueth a verie lit and notable reaſon for the premiſes, ſaying: The holye Scripture (ſaieth p. 337he) is the commendable ſafegarde of the common wealth. For no man can build and vphold a citie in proſperitie without the foundation and bond of fidelitie & ſtedfaſt concord:Ioſua 1.8Josh 1:8 which is brought to paſſe by louing the common good, which is the ſoueraigne and true God. Alſo, when men doo ſincerely louelove one another in him, and for his ſake, that can ſufficiently diſcerne with what affection they louelove together. And therefore, to conclude this purpoſe, God ſpeaking to Ioſua, declareth that the ſame wiſedome which is the mother and nurſe of proſperitie, proceedeth of the reading & meditation in the word of God.

17 The premiſes doo manifeſtly declare, how mightily the chriſtian Emperours in olde time were addicted to holineſſe, and how zealous they were in maintenance of the heauenly doctrine, and eſtabliſhment of the pure ſeruice of God, how carefull to cut off the courſe of hereſies, how affectionate to the reading of the holie Scriptures, how feruent in praiers and ſupplications. To be ſhort, how readie and reſolute in anie thing that might import the aduancement of the glory of God & the Church of Ieſus Chriſt. And therfore may be moſt excellent myrrors and patterns to all kings, princes, and magiſtrates of our daies, to imitate and follow.

18 Eſpecially, becauſe the truth of the doctrine is as the ſoule of our ſoules, and that in conſideration thereof, the principall pointe requiſite for the eſtabliſhment and preſeruation of true religion & the pure ſeruice of God, conſiſteth in this, that there may be good and faithfull miniſters of the word: & for the due prouiſion hereof, it importeth all faithfull magiſtrates diligently to aduiſe. As alſo in publike and free Churches, it is conuenient that ſuch as are to be employed in the holy miniſterie, beeing choſen in the conſiſtories & ſynods, ſhould be preſented to the Magiſtrates, protectors, and fauorers of true religion, that if they be meet and ſuch as they can like of, they may hauehave their admiſsion and authorization: But if they proue otherwiſe, then that others be nominated, who being by them allowed, may by their ſaide authoritie bee eſtabliſhed in their charge, with the approbation of the church. For ſith the conſeruation and aduancement of the Church is vntounto them commended by the Lord, as the chiefe & principall end of their vocation, reaſon willeth, that they alſo hauehave knowledg of thoſe perſons that are to be as inſtruments & helpes to them in the diſcharge of their office, which conſiſteth in the maintenance of their ſubiectes in true religion and the pure ſeruice of God.

19 Moreouer, when themſelues do allow their miniſters, & by p. 338their authoritie eſtabliſh them in their vocation, it is alſo their dutie to maintaine their miniſterie, the doctrine by them taught, and whatſoeuer may therupon depend. But eſpecially inaſmuch as the rule, order, and eccleſiaſticall diſcipline is iuſtly tearmed, the miſtres of vertue, the gardian of faith, the hedge to ſtop out vice, the whetſtone to ſharpen reprehenſion, and the rudder or ſinnewes of the Church: it is requiſite, yea euen verie neceſſarie, that there ſhould be ſome preſcript forme in ſuch manner ſet down, that the Miniſters, Elders, and Deacons, might not intrude or vſurpe vponupon anie matter of politike gouernment, as alſo that the Magiſtrate ſhould leaue to them the exerciſe of Eccleſiaſtical gouernment, ſo far as it may depend vponupon their charge, and the authoritie of Gods word. Likewiſe that this formularie be ſuch, as being authoriſed & maintained by the ſuperior powers,Ierem. 7.11 1. Tim. 3.15Jer 7:111 Tim 3:15 it may in the execution therof be effectuall to the purpoſes afore mentioned in the titles thereto attributed, namely, that ſo neere as may be, the Church be no longer a den of theeues, as Ieremie tearmeth it, and a receptacle of riotous and diſſolute liuers, but a holy houſe of God, and a piller and ſupporter of the truth.

20 It is therefore the magiſtrates dutie to maintaine the right & authoritie of the church in all matters that concerne the holy miniſterie, and the exerciſe thereof, namely, againſt the diſturbers of the peace of the ſame, as heretikes; prophane perſons, and all contemners of Eccleſiaſticall orders. And particularly, inaſmuch as the vſe of conſiſtories and ſynodes is requiſite for the bleſſed gouernment of Chriſts Church, it is the office of the magiſtrates to take order that it be maintained in certaine ſeaſons, according to the ſtate & neceſsitie of the Churches, yea, & to ſummon the ſame extraordinarily according to the extraordinarie occaſions that may fall out, and after the ancient practiſe and vſe of all Chriſtian Emperours.

21 Moreouer, the care of the ſaluation of the ſoules of their ſubiects doth ſufficiently admoniſh them, not to permit any aſſembly of heretiks, that teach anie thing contrary to the truth: alſo to prohibit the print & ſale of books: eſpecially not to admit or tollerate any heretikes in the inſtructing of youth, or in anie publike charge of teaching, in reſpect of the danger of infecting or caſting away of the ſoules that are redeemed by the bloud of Chriſt. As alſo in duty they are to prouide for the building and reparation of Churches: likewiſe, for the conuenient maintenance of ſuch as doo ſeruice in the church of Chriſt, & not to permit that want ſhuld driue any to p. 339the vſe of meanes and practiſes diſhonorable to their miniſtery, or to withdraw them from their ſtudies and the exerciſe of their vocation. Withall, to take heed leaſt any parents, otherwiſe reaſonably inclined to the bringing vp of their children in ſtudie, wherby to ſerue in the miniſterie, be not drawen to miſlike, or induced to take them from ſtudie by the apprehenſion of the pouertie, neceſſitie, and contempt of diuers miniſters, whom they ſee for want of means to maintaine their families, pining away, & at their deceaſe vnable to leaue any thing for their wiues & children to liue vponupon.

22 Likewiſe, inaſmuch as daily experience teſtifieth ſuch a diſlike in parents, it is neceſſarie that the magiſtrates ſhuld maintain ſuch yong men as may hereafter ſerue in the holy miniſtry. And in truth it is the dutie of all men, eſpecially of ſuch as hauehave both abilitie & authoritie, to labor that the heauenly truth and doctrine may bee maintained, not onelyonly among vsus during our liues, but alſo among our poſteritie, ſo that, as S. Paul ſaith, the Lords death may be preched euen vntill he come. To be ſhort,1. Cor. 11.261 Cor 11:26 let all magiſtrates vnderſtand, that whatſoeuer may ſerue to the aduancemēt of the church and the good ordring of the ſame, is to them commanded & commended by the Lord, to the end that their ſubiects may ſerue God according to his word: & to this end let them behold the zeale & deuotion of the kings of Iuda & the Chriſtian Emperours before mentioned, that folowing their ſteps, themſelues may alſo be foūd to be true nurſes and protectors of the church of Chriſt: alſo, that their families & courts may be ſo guided, according to Gods word in his feare, & in al godly exerciſes, that they may be as holy churches conſecrated to the Lord.

23 This one point will I alſo adde, that beſides all publike & domeſticall exerciſes of pietie & ſeruice of God, which no man ſhuld neglect, it is requiſite that all men, eſpecially kings & magiſtrates, ſhould daily goe aſide into ſome ſecret place, & there make theyr priuate praiers vntounto God, & reade ſome chapters of the holy ſcriptures, whereby to feed themſelues in true godlines, to guide theyr ſubiects in al happines, & to purchaſe Gods bleſsings to thēſelues, their gouernment, & people. To conclude, it were meet they ſhuld practiſe the counſell of Demetrius Phalerius,Eraſ. Apot. l. 7 who exhorted king Ptolome diligently to reade all that was written concerning the manner of good gouernment, to the end ther to find ſuch inſtructions, as his friends durſt not declare or make ſhew of. And to this duty let them alſo adioine the praier of Salomon, that God would giuegive them wiſdome wherby they may happily gouerne their ſubiects.1. King. 3.21 Kgs 3:2

p. 34024 The ſecond principall point of the duetie of Magiſtrates to their ſubiects, conſiſteth in the maintaining of them in a peaceable and quiet life,Rom. 3.14. 1. Chro. 18.14Rom 3:141 Chr 18:14 in ſuch ſort, that none may ſuſtaine iniury in his perſon, name, or goods. And becauſe that want of louelove and charitie, & contrariwiſe, abundance of mallice and frowardneſſe among men, maketh them to be wolues & foxes each to other, wherby as their mouths are full of curſings and bitternes, ſo deſtruction and miſerie ſo croſſeth their paths, that they knowe not the waie of peace: Magiſtrates are ordained after the example of Dauid, to miniſter iuſtice, in maintaining the good & puniſhing the wicked. Now that they may well execute this part of their charge, it behoueth them to hauehave fit and conuenient lawes, whereby to maintaine theyr ſubiects in peace and tranquility with right and equitie. And this did God manifeſtly declare, in deliuering by the hands of Moſes thoſe lawes, whereby he willed that his people Iſrael ſhould be directed & gouerned. The heathen alſo hauehave euermore had moſt excellent perſonages to preſcribe vntounto them their lawes: as Solon to the Athenians, and Lycurgus to the Lacedemonians. The Romanes hearing of Solons lawes,Tit. Liui. l. 3 Feneſte. of the Romane magiſtrates. c. 14. Pom. Laetus of Rom. Mag. Tit. of the Decemuirat. ſent three honorable perſonages to Athens for a copie of them: as alſo to take information of the lawes & cuſtomes of ſundry other prouinces: And at their returne to Rome, which was three yeeres after their departure, with the lawes that they had gathered, they choſe forth ten notable perſonages, to reduce & draw the ſame into ten tables: which done, they were read vntounto the people, and ſo allowed. Afterward, there were alſo added to them yet two more. And thus were the ſo famous lawes intituled Of the twelue Tables, Lampridius in his lyfe.firſt collected. Alexander Seuerus, an Emperour of Rome, ſhewed ſuch care heereof, that being to eſtabliſh a certaine lawe for the gouernment of his ſubiects, hee called twentie of the skilfulleſt and moſt learned Lawyers of his Empire, to hauehave their opinions, which hee demanded of each of them: and that not ſimply, but ſo, as that hee woulde alſo heare their reaſons: neither would he accept of anie preſent aunſwere, but gaue them time to conſider thereof, leaſt in a matter of ſo great importance, they might happily deliuer ſome raſh or vnpremeditated reſolution. Such lawes therefore are verie profitable, and euen neceſſarie. For inaſmuch as men are inclined to error, & ſubiect to their paſſions: laws are to magiſtrates as wel counſellors & diſcreet guides, as bridles to keepe themſelues in the right courſe contained in the ſame. Thus ſhould all townes, common wealths, prouinces & kingdomes hauehave theyr aſſured lawes, whereof the Magiſtrates are p. 341gardians, as the prince of Philoſophers tearmeth them,Ariſtotle. in the vertuous execution of their charge, according to the tenure of the ſame. Heereupon ſayth Dauid to his ſonne Salomon,1. King. 2.3.1 Kgs 2:3 Take heed to the charge of the Lord thy God, to walke in his waies and keepe his statutes, commandements, iudgements, and teſtimonies, as it is written in the lawe of Moſes, that thou maiſt proſper in all thou doeſt, and in euerie thing whereto thou turnest thee. Aſtuerus alſo, a Heathen king,Eſter 1.15 heartely grieuing at the diſobedience of his wife, and demanding of his counſellers what he ſhould adiudge her vntounto, expreſly addeth, according to the lawe. When Simonides the poet,Eraſ. Apot. l. 5 deſyred Themiſtocles to pronounce a certaine vniuſt ſentence in his fauour: he aunſwered vertuouſly, As making verſes contrarie to the rules of poetrie, thou canſt bee no good poet: ſo can I bee no good prince, if I giuegive ſentence contrarie to the lawe:Pomp. Laet. of lawes. And this is it that Pomponius Laetus admoniſheth, ſaying: The magiſtrate hath the preheminence ouer the people, and the lawe ouer the magiſtrate: and to this purpoſe he addeth this notable ſentence of Cicero, The Magistrate is the ſpeaking Lawe.

25 This likewiſe ought reſolutely to be grounded in the hearts of all magiſtrates, that if the ſuperior magiſtrate or ſoueraign ſhuld command his ſubſtitute or inferiour officer to iudge contrarie to lawe, he ſhould therein obey him, but God who commaundeth to miniſter iudgement and iuſtice according to the law.Plutarch in his Apotheg. And hereupon did Antigonus the third thus write to Magiſtrates throughout the townes of his kingdome: If I command anie thing contrarie to the laws, obey not, but thinke that I was abuſed by ignorance. The Aegyptian kings proceeded farther, for they obſerued this law and cuſtome: They tooke an oath of their Iudges, that they ſhould not obey them, in caſe they ſhould command them to paſſe any vniuſt or wrongfull ſentence. Which is more: The Emperor Traian deliuering a ſword of iuſtice to his Conſtable, commanded him to vſe it to his behoofe in whatſoeuer his lawfull commandementes, but againſt him in caſe he required anie matter of iniuſtice. Such men therefore are vtterly deuoide of excuſe, as vnderunder pretence of the precepts or plackards of their kings or princes, doo contrarie to their owne conſciences condemne thoſe men to die, whome they know not to hauehave ſo deſerued.Mat 27.Matt 27 And in this point did Pilat greatly ouerſhoot himſelfe, for he ful well knew that Chriſt was deliuered to him vponupon enuie, yea, himſelfe pronounced him to bee innocent: yet when he heard ſome ſay, that if he did condemn him, he could not be Caeſars friend, he deliuered Ieſus Chriſt to the Iews to be crucified.

p. 34226 Howbeit as inferiour magiſtrates ought not to ſhrinke from equitie and iuſtice, notwithſtanding the commandement of theyr ſuperiours:Dan. 6Dan 6 ſo is it as great an ouerſight in the ſuperior, for feare of diſpleaſing his inferiour, to make anie wrongfull or vnlawfull decree. As Darius ſeeing himſelfe ſurpriſed by the edict that himſelf had made at the inſtigation of his princes that enuied Daniel, albeit it grieued him much, & that he wiſhed euen hartely to hauehave ſaued Daniel, yet finally he ſuffered himſelfe to bee ſo ouercome by the ſaid princes, that he cauſed Daniel to be put among the lyons. In like manner Zedechias, king of Iuda, when his princes demaunded Ieremy,Iere. 38.5Jer 38:5 to puniſh him as a ſeditious perſon, was ſo ſaint hearted, that hee deliuered him vntounto them, ſaying: Beholde, hee is in your handes, for the king cannot ſaie you naie in anie thing. This was a cowardlynes and iniquitie vnworthie anie ſoueraigne Iudge.

27 Neither muſt the pleaſure of the people, or the feare of their murmures or exclamations induce the prince to doo anie vniuſt action. As Pilat when he ſayde of Ieſus Chriſt, What euill hath he done? Seeing the people cry out the more, Crucifie him, and willing to pleaſe the people hee deliuered vntounto them Barrabas,Euſebius his Eccle. hiſt. li. 4. cap. 9. and deliuered Ieſus into theyr handes to be crucifyed. The Emperour Adrian purpoſing to preuent ſuch inconueniences, verie wiſely wrot to Fundanus, that from thence forth the Chriſtians ſhould not be condemned at the exclamations or ſlaunders of the people, but that they ſhould be heard, and being found guilty, be puniſhed, otherwiſe to abſolue and diſmiſſe them.

28 In this decree of Adrian, wee alſo learne that the magiſtrate in duetie is not to giuegive ſentence raſhly, but firſt to enquire out the truth of the matter,Deut. 17.4.Deut 17:4 leaſt hee hap to condemne the innocent. This commandement doth God deliuer by Moſes ſaying: When it is tolde thee, Iob. 29.16Job 29:16and thou hast heard it, then ſhalt thou enquire diligently, and if it bee true, and the thing certaine, that ſuch abhomination is wrought in Iſrael, Plutarch in the life of Romulus.then ſhalt thou put him to death. Iob proteſteth that he performed this duetie, ſaying: When I knew not the cauſe, I ſought it out diligently. Remus beeing brought priſoner before Nunator, ſayde vntounto him, Thou in my minde ſeemeſt more worthie to bee a king, than thy brother A…ulius: for thou doeſt enquire and heare, before thou condemned, but hee contrarywiſe, condemneth before he heare the parties. Heereto muſt wee hauehave great reſpect,1. Sam. 19.29.1 Sam 19:29 for the wiſeſt are ſometime ouertaken, as Dauid when vppon the accuſation of Siba he condemned Miphiboſeth vnheard, and without information of the truth. They are therefore in dutie, p. 343before they iudge, thoroughly to ſift out and take information either of the truth, or of the right. And in that reſpect, when queen Vaſhti denied the king her husband,Eſter, 1. & would not come to make ſhew of her beautie in the banquet of the princes, it was no reaſon that ſhe ſhould notwithſtanding be condemned and depoſed from her eſtate roiall vnheard. Good therefore was the inſtruction that great Alexander gaue to all magiſtrates and Iudges, namely, to ſtop one eare when they heard one party, to the end, to reſerue the other wholy to the other partie. But aboue all men, Ariſtides, ſurnamed the iuſt, hath in an action correſpondent to his name, declared how warie and reſolute magiſtrates ſhould be in this duties for on a time hauing brought his accuſatiō againſt an offender, ſeeing the magiſtrates by his allegations redie to condemn the offender vnheard, he fell vponupon his knees with the offender, & beſought the magiſtrate to heare him before he gaue ſentēce of condēnatiō

29 Magiſtrates alſo ought to bee affable, readie to graunt acceſſe to eueryevery one that commeth to craue audience: yet to the contrarie, the kings of Perſia kept themſelues ſo cloſe, that no man might lawfully come vntounto them into the porch vncalled. For they had one law which imported, that whoſoeuer man or woman came in, vnles the king extended his golden rodde to him, he died. And herein they reſembled wild and cruell beaſts, whom no man might come neere for feare of death. Philip king of Macedon and father to great Alexander, was not ſo wild,Eſter 4.11. yet in this which is reported of him, to be reproued, That when a poore old woman craued audience in her cauſe, he anſwered that he was not at leaſure: wherupon ſhe alſo taking hart, ſaid: Then be not king. Therin declaring it to be a dutie conioined with the roial dignitie, to be affable & eaſily intreated to heare the complaints of the oppreſſed. As indeed Philip wondring at her ſpeech, & in hart touched, gaue audience not onelyonly to her but from thenceforth to all men. Artaxerxes Mnemon followed not the auſteritie and cruell maieſtie of his predeceſſors, kings of Perſia: for he was not onelyonly redy to heare all commers, but alſo opened & ſhewed himſelfe in his chariot, that all might ſee, & ſuch as hil to ſpeake to him might draw neere. We alſo reade that the Emperour Traian being on horſebacke, ready to go to the battel, alighted to heare the complaint of a poore woman. Lewes the ninth of France, tearmed S. Lewes, may in this vertue be a mirrour to all Magiſtrates of our time, and therefore conſider heere what the Lorde of Ionuille, who liued in his time, hath written. Hee, (ſayth hee) vſed to ſende vsus the Lordes of Neſſe, p. 344of Soiſſons,Ionuille in his hiſt ca. 94 cited by H… toman in his French Gaul. and my ſelfe to the pleas of the gate: and then would enquire of vsus the ſtate of all matters, and aske whether there were anie ſuch as could not be determined without his preſence: And many times vponupon our report, he would ſend for the parties, & content them by miniſtring reaſon and iuſtice. Otherwhiles he would walke for recreation in the parke at Boys de Vincennes, and there ſit downe at the root of an oake euen vponupon the graſſe, and cauſe vsus to ſitte with him, there woulde hee giuegive free audience to euerie one that ſtood in need of him, yea, and many times aloud he would take whether there were anie man that were in ſtrife or ſute: Then if anie ſtepped in, he would preſently heare him, and giuegive ſentence according to right and equitie. Otherwhiles hee woulde charge Peter Fountain and Geoffrey Vilette to heare the parties, and to determine the cauſe: yea, I hauehave ſometimes ſeene this good king walking in a garden in the ſuburbes of Paris, verie ſimply apparelled, and there calling ſutors, command them to open their griefes, and preſently miniſter iuſtice to them.

30 Thus this king was not onelyonly affable and readie to heare ſuch as had to doo with him, but alſo ended theyr cauſes, and determined their ſutes without anie long delaies: And in truth that is one great point which the magiſtrates ought mightily to regard, namely, the ſpeedie miniſtration of iuſtice to euerie man, without admitting any long ſutes or delayes, which many times ouerthrow good cauſes, for want of meanes to proſecute. In this reſpect doeth the Prophet Eſaie commend Dauid,Eſay 16.5Isa 16:5 whome hee tearmeth a ſeeker of iudgement, and one that would haſten iuſtice. The Emperor Marcus Aurelius a little before his death, exhorting his ſonne to miniſter ſpeedie iuſtice to the fatherleſſe & widdow, ſaith thus: I commend vntounto thee Druſia, a Romane widdowe, who is in great ſute with the Senate,In a book intituled a golden booke of M. Aurelius. becauſe in the former commotions her husbande was baniſhed. I take great compaſsion of her, for ſhee exhibited her petition three moneths ſince, but in reſpect of my great warres I had no time to doo her iuſtice. Then to ſtirre him vp to his example, he addeth: Thou ſhalt in truth finde, my ſonne, that in fiue and twentie yeeres (for ſo long hauehave I gouerned Rome) there was neuer widdow that followed ſute or other buſines before mee aboue eight daies. Let therefore all Chriſtian magiſtrates continually fixe the mirror of this heathen Emperor before their eies, that they may follow his example, & ſo purchaſe the title attributed to Dauid, that he was a magiſtrate that wold miniſter ſpeedy iuſtice.

31 Herein is iuſtice by name ſpoken of, which as Cicero ſayth, is p. 345a conſtant and perpetuall will to eueryevery man reaſon.Cicero offic. lib. 2 Hierom. to Demetrius For aboue all things, it is the duty of magiſtrates, to yeald to eueryevery man his due, & ſo to miniſter iuſtice. Al vertue (ſaith S. Hierō) is comprehended vnderunder the onelyonly name of Iuſtice. And Ariſtotle termeth it the general vertue. And indeed the heathen hauehave noted that the firſt cauſe of the eſtabliſhmēt of kings & magiſtrats, was to adminiſter right & iuſtice: without the which no eſtate can ſubſiſt. For without iuſtice, ſaieth S. Auguſtin,Aug. of the Citie of God lib. 4. Plato in his fourth booke of the common wealth what are kingdomes but thieueries? And therefore hath Plato written that the moſt excellent gift that euer God gaue to man (conſidering what miſeries hee is ſubiect vntounto) was a gouernment by iuſtice, which brideleth & reſhameth the preſumption of the furious, preſerueth and mayntayneth the inocent in their honeſty, and yealdeth equally to eueryevery man his due. And in this ſence ſaith Solon. The ſafety of the common wealth conſiſteth in theſe two points: That rewards bee diſtributed after the deſert of vertue, and puniſhments after the qualitie of the offence: And this doth Plato confirme, ſaying,Cicero in his booke entituled Brutus Ariſt. Polit. lib. 5. cap. 10 that publik cōcord ſhal hereby be maintayned. And therfor hauehave ſome iuſtly tearmed the magiſtrates Guardians of iuſtice, in reſpect that in duety they are to prouide that the Poore wrong not the ſuperiors or ritch men, alſo that the ritch oppreſſe not, neither tread the poore vnderunder foote. To bee ſhort iuſtice in gouerments is as the Sunne, mercy as the moone, & other vertues as the ſtarres.Pſal. 82. Exod. 18.Ps 82Exod 18 And to theſe ends are they to thinke that in their functions they preſent God: as alſo that in that ſence the holy ghoſt termeth them Gods. And Moſes ſayth, that hee that commeth to them, ſeeketh God, that is to ſay, the iudgement of God. And this ſhal be to them a moſt liuely argument ſo to moue their harts that they ſhall not adminiſter wrongfull iudgement, vnworthy the maieſtie of God. This did Iehoſaphat declare to the magiſtrates of his time ſaying.2. Chron. 192 Chr 19 Take heed what ye doe: for yee do not admimiſter the iudgement of men, but of God: and he wil be with you in the cauſe of Iudgement: Wherefore let the feare of the Lord be vponupon you: Take heede and doe it, for there is no iniquitie with the Lorde our God, neither reſpect of perſons, Pſal. 82.2.Ps 82:2neither receauing of reward. In this reſpect doth the holy ghoſt ſo ſharpelie reproue thoſe that polute this ſo honorable title of God, by wrongfull iudgements: How long ſaith he, will ye iudge vniuſtly, and accept the perſons of the wicked? Do right to the poore and fatherleſſe: Doe right to the poore and needy: Deliuer the poore and the needy, ſaue them from the handes of the wicked? Alſo becauſe many do the rather preſume to wrong the widow, the fatherleſſe and others in like p. 346tribulations, for that they neuer thinke to giuegive accompt to God for their wickedneſſe, he addeth: I hauehave ſaid yee are Gods, and yee all are children of the most high: Here you ſee that yee are exalted into high eſtate and honor: But yee ſhall die as a man, and yee princes ſhall fall like others. Thus doth hee ſummon euen the greateſt to iudgement:Col. 4.1.Col 4:1 and in this ſence doth Saint Paule ſpeake to the maſters of bondmen, ſaying, Yee maſters doe vntounto your ſeruants that which is iuſt and equall, knowing that yee alſo hauehave a master in heauen.

32 Howbeit, there is nothing that more induceth Magiſtrates to doe iniurie or wrong, then the acceptation of perſons, which is acted two waies: Firſt & moſt vſually, in fauouring the ritch againſt the poor, the kinſmā againſt the ſtranger, the acquaintance againſt the vnknowne perſon, the mightie againſt the weake: (as are widdowes and Orphants) to be ſhort, al ſuch as we dare not offend becauſe it is in them, to helpe or to hurt vsus, againſt ſuch as hauehave no meanes to reuenge, or to reward. Secondly, in taking ſuch compaſsion of the widowes and fatherleſſe, the poore & others in tribulation, that contrary to right and equitie we wrongfully fauour them in iudgement.Leuit. 19.15.Lev 19:15 Yee ſhall not doe vniustly in iudgement, ſaith the Lord, neither ſhall ye fauour the perſon of the poore, nor honor the mightie: but ye ſhall iudge your neighbors iuſtly. In this conſideration did they in old time paint iuſtice blinde: to the end to ſhew that iudges ought not to reſpect the apparance of any perſons.

33 Let magiſtrates therfore, to the end to be the more conſtant and reſolute in this dutie, thinke vponupon the admonition of Ioſaphat King of Iuda to thoſe of his time: There is no iniquitie in God, ſayth he,…. Chro. 19 7. neither acceptation of any perſon: Thereby declaring, that the accepting of perſons engendreth iniquitie: Alſo as both are farre from God the Soueraigne iudge, ſo al magiſtrates that in their office doe beare the imadge of God, ought to abhorre as wel the one as the other, and not to reſpect the apparance of perſons, leaſt they ſhould commit iniquitie: For they muſt thinke that repreſenting God in their office and calling, they can not treſpaſſe in this point without polluting the iudiciall ſeat of God. And this doth Moſes note, ſaying. Ye ſhall hauehave no reſpect of perſons in iudgement: But ſhall heare the ſmall as well as the great. Ye ſhal not feare the face of man, for the iudgement is from God. Let them therefore remember that they are as Gods lieutenants, ſitting vponupon his ſeate to iudge vprightly: To the end that cloſing their eies againſt al reſpect of perſons, their eares may be open to heare & vnderſtand the equitie of the cauſe, that ſo they may iudge vprightly. If needs they muſt fauour any p. 347friend or kinſman, let them doe it with their owne goods, not with the hurt & preiudice of others. To this purpoſe doe we read of Artaxerxes a heathen king: he when one of his fauorites required him in an vniuſt cauſe, to the end to finger a good ſum of mony, cauſed his treaſorer to deliuer vntounto him the like ſum as he ſuppoſed that he ſhould get by his ſute, and ſaid vntounto him, by giuing thee this money I am neuer the poorer: But by granting thy demand,Plut. in his Apotheg. I ſhal be the worſe iuſticer. And as a iudge muſt not wrong one for anothers ſake: So muſt hee not vniuſtly fauour one, becauſe an other hath diſpleaſed him. Hereof did Ariſtides in his example, leaue vsus a notable leſſon. For he ſitting as iudge between two perſons, when the one charged his aduerſarie with great wronges doone to Ariſtides, hee ſaide vntounto him: Friend, tell me onelyonly what hee hath doone to thee. For I ſit heere to doe right to thee, not to my ſelfe.

34 Aboue all things let not magiſtrates couet rewards, neither accept them when they are offered. For nothing doeth more infect the heart and incline it to iniuſtice, conſydering that, accordding to the prouerbe, He that taketh anie thing ſelleth himſelfe:Deut. 16.19,Deut 16:19 and is bound to recompence the reward that hee hath receiued. Thou ſhalt not, ſaith the Lord, take anie reward: The reward putteth out the eie of the wiſe, and peruerteth the wordes of the righteous. Exod. 23..8Exod 23If this happen to the wiſe and the righteous, who can boaſt of receiuing rewardes without corruption? yea, experience doth ſo ordinarily teach vsus this, that rewardes are now tearmed Corruptions. And this doth the holy Ghoſt confyrme, in that hee vſually adioyneth rewardes, with corrupting and peruerting of iuſtice.Pſal. 26.10Ps 26:10 Dauid ſpeaking of ſuch men, ſayth, In their hands is wickednes, & their right hand is full of bribes. The wicked, ſayth Salomon, taketh the reward out of his boſome that he may peruert the path of iudgement. I knew, Prou. 17.23.Prov 17:23ſaith the Prophet Amos, your manifolde tranſgreſsions and your mightie ſinnes, Amos. 5, 12.Amos 5:12ye afflict the iuſt, ye take rewardes, and ye peruert the cauſe of the poore. And ſo ſtrong is this poiſon, that euen for a piece of bread wil man commit iniquitie, ſayth Salomon. But what iniquitie?Prou. 28.21. Deut. 27.25.Prov 28:21Deut 27:25 He will condemne the innocent, as Moſes noteth, ſaying: Curſed bee hee that taketh rewardes, to condemne the innocent to death. And in this ſenſe dyd the Egyptians, who were greate obſeruers of iuſtice, paint Iudges without handes. And in deede Salomon ſayth, The King maintaineth the land by iudgement, Prou 29.4.Prov 29:4but hee that is addicted to rewards will deſtroie it.

35 This corruption hath euermore raigned in many, euen p. 348of thoſe that ſhould hauehave been mirrors of integrity: as we read of the children of Samuel,1. Sam. 8.31 Sam 8:3 who turning after diſhoneſt game, tooke rewards & peruerted iuſtice. Thy Princes (ſaith Eſay) are rebellious, and companions of theeues: Eſay 1.2….Isa 1:2eueryevery one loueth giftes and followeth after rewards: Mich. 13.10.They iudge not the fatherleſſe, neither doth the widowes cauſe come before them. The like complaint doeth Micheas ſet downe, ſaying, Syon is built with bloud, and Ieruſalem with iniquitie: The princes do iudge for gifts, and the prieſtes doe teach for hyre: & the Prophets do propheſie for ſiluer: Let not any man therfore diſpence with himſelfe to take rewards, as thinking that he may be more conſtant or vertuous then others. For as in a ballance that ſcale that beareth moſt we glit, wayeth downe the other: ſo he that giueth the greateſt reward wayeth downe him that receiueth it euen into hell, by corrupting him, & carrieth away his cauſe, wrongfully gotten, to his owne damnation. Samuell in this matter, bare himſelfe vprightly,1 Sam. 12.3.1 Sam 12:3 refranying from all bribes, and doing any iniury, euen the leaſt, to others, as himſelfe proteſteth, ſaying, Behold here I am: beare record of me before the Lord, & before his annoynted. Whoſe Oxe hauehave I taken? Or to whom hauehave I done wrong? whom hauehave I hurt? of whoſe hand hauehave J receiued any bribe, to blinde mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it you? Then they ſaid: Thou haſt done vsus no wrong, nor hast hurt vsus: neither hast thou taken ought at any mans hand.

36 Let all magiſtrates here take an example, and let this be a mirror before their eyes, to follow it. And to that end let them remember, firſt, that by taking gifts, they are bound, and cannot ſatiſfie both the giuer and a good conſcience in the ſight of God: as a heathen hath wel noted,Al…amenes the ſonne of Telecres. Plut. in his Apotheg Iob 15 34. Deut. 27.25.Job 15:34Deut 27:25 ſaying: If I ſhould receaue the gifts that are offered, I cannot be at peace with the lawes. Secondly, let thē not thinke that God will ſuffer ſuch corruption and prophaning of the ſeat and throne of his maieſtie, according to the ſaying of Iob. The fire ſhall deuoure the tabernacles that are built with preſents: which alſo concurreth with the ſentence of almighty God before aledged,Lamp. in the life of Seuer. Valer Max. lib. 6. cap. 3 Curſed be hee that taketh rewards to condemne the innocent. And this ſentence hauehave the hethen alſo cōfirmed by ſeuere executions, as we read of the Emperor Alexander Seuerus, who cauſed his ſecretary to bee empaled, becauſe he had been with money corrupted, and induced to do ſome wrong. And as he cauſed him to be executed: ſo would he hauehave the body left in the high way, whereby his ſeruants and officers had their vſuall paſſage that hee might ſo be an example vntounto them. Cambiſes King of Perſia, cauſing a iudge to be ſlaine quicke, becauſe he had ſuffered himſelf to p. 349be corrupted with money,Valerius Max. lib. 6. c. 3 willed his skinne alſo to be hanged vp in the iudgement ſeate thereby to warne all other iudges that ſhould ſucceed to beware of that iniquitie. On the other ſide, let thē ponder the ſaying of Salomon. He that hateth rewards, ſhal liue, euen (which is the principal) for euer. Which alſo Dauid confirmeth,Pro. 15.27.Prov 15:27 ſaying: He that taketh not rewards againſt the innocent, ſhal not be moued: but ſhal abide in the tabernacle of God, Pſal, 15.and ſhal inhabit in the hil of his holynes. And Eſay alſo ſaith. He that ſhaketh his hands from taking of gifts ſhall dwell on high, his defence ſhall bee the munitions of rockes. Eſay. 33.15Isa 33:15Bread ſhall be giuen him, and his waters ſhall bee ſure: yea his eyes ſhall ſee the king in his glorie.

37 But as auarice engendreth couetouſnes after gifts, and conſequently the peruerting of iuſtice: ſo out of the ſame ſpring floweth another moſt pernitious corruption:Plato in his common wealth, lib. 4. Cicero offic. lib. 2. Plutarch in his politicks Namely the ſale and purchaſe of publike offices and functions. And indeede, what is to be looked of ſuch purchaſers, but that he that hath bought his office by whole ſale, will afterward ſell iuſtice by retayle, and doe wrong to reembourſe and enritch himſelfe? And therefore the Philoſophers, euen the heathen, are of this opinion, that nothing can bee more pernicious in a common wealth, then the traficke and ſale of offices: For the ſellers of them doe ſell the moſt ſacred thing in the world, euen iuſtice. They ſell the common wealth: the bloud of the ſubiects and the lawes. They take away the reward of honour,Lamprid. in his life. learning, godlineſſe & religion. They open the gates to the eueryevery, ſpoyle, iniuſtice, euen to all vice and corruption. In this reſpect would not the Emperour Alexander Seuerus tollerate the ſale of any office or dignitie. His reaſon: For the buyer muſt of neceſsitie ſell againe.victorin. in his life. Sith in a heathen and a yong Prince this holy reſolution could take ſuch roote, what ſhame is it that Chriſtian Kinges and Magiſtrates ſhould take another courſe? The Emperour Septianus Seuerus, being endued with the like vertue, wold neuer ſuffer the ſale of any office or eſtate. This dutie hauehave many Chriſtian Kings and Princes alſo acknowledged,Aemilius & Gaguin. lib 7 who hauehave made ſundry expreſſe decrees in prohibition of purchaſe of offices, eſpecially of iudgement. Among the reſt, King Lewes the ninth of Fraunce, moſt ſtraightly prohibited the ſale of offices and dignities, which hee willeth ſhoulde bee giuen to vertuous and capable perſons. But experience hath often taught that ſuch decrees hauehave bene but ſimply obſerued: alſo that there was neuer ſeller, but found a purchaſer, neither purchaſer but found one that would ſel. But as ſuch as thruſt themſelues into publike offices, or purchaſe the ſame with p. 350quoyne, doe thereby reueale their auarice and ambition, the mothers and nurſes of great & hainous corruptions: So they that make ſale of the ſame, are the cauſes of vniuſtice & wrong thereof enſuing, and thereof ſhall giuegive accompt in the ſight of God.

38 Nowe let vsus proceede to another dutie requiſite for the maintaining of ſubiects in peace & tranquility. That is, to execute iuſtice againſt tranſgreſsions and treſpaſſes.Deut. 13.17.11.Deut 13:17Deut 13:11 Heereof beſides the commaundement of God ſo often and ſo expreſſely propounded in his word, the holy Scripture alſo exhibiteth two notable reaſons. The one, to appeaſe Gods wrath: The other, that others may feare to commit the like iniquitie. As concerning the firſt, This is one reſolute point, albeit few doe conſider of it: that vponupon the committing of a treſpaſſe, man-ſlaughter, fornication or ſuch like, God is highly diſpleaſed, not onelyonly with him that hath committed it, but alſo with the whole nation, as if all the people had committed it. And to this purpoſe hath almightie God ſet downe a notable decree, ſaying: If one be found ſlaine in the land, and it is not knowne who hath ſlaine him, then ſhall the elders of the next towne to him that is ſlaine, Deut. 21.1.Deut 21:1take a Heyfer that hath not beene put to labour, and bring her into a vally that is vntilled. There ſhall they ſmite off her head, and waſh their handes ouer the Heyfer that is beheadded, and ſay. Our bands hauehave not ſhed this bloud, neither hauehave our eyes ſeene it: O Lord be mercifull to thy people Iſrael whom thou haſt redeemed, and lay no innocent bloud to the charge of thy people Iſrael: And the bloud ſhall be forgiuen them: So ſhalt thou take away the cry of innocent bloud from thee. This doth euidently declare, that albeit the murder was committed in the field, and no man knoweth who committed it, yet is the people of the next towne polluted therewith & holden ſo guiltie in the ſight of God, that they muſt hauehave recourſe to his mercy by praier, that he execute not his wrath againſt the people.

39 This ſame doth the hiſtorie of Acan alſo repreſent vntounto vsus: for when Acan had taken of the forbidden things, God was wroth againſt all Iſrael: And that did he teſtifie in cauſing the ſouldiers whom Ioſua had ſent,Ioſua. 7.Josh 7 to flie before the enhabitants of Hay. But Ioſua diſquieted with their flight, complaineth to God, who maketh him anſwere, ſaying, Jſrael hath ſinned, & they hauehave tranſgreſſed my couenaunt which I commaunded them: For they hauehave euen taken of the excommunicated thing and hauehave alſo ſtolen, and hauehave diſſembled alſo, and hauehave put it euen with their owne ſtuffe. Therefore the children of Iſraell cannot stand before their enemies: Becauſe they bee execrable. And then he addeth. I will not be with you any more except p. 351yee deſtroy the excommunicate from among you. Here do we ſee (which alſo is manifeſtly noted in the beginning of the hiſtorie) that albeit Acan onelyonly tooke of the thing excommunicate, yet was his offence imputed to all the people & the wrath of God was kindled, not againſt Acan only, but alſo againſt all Iſraell, & to conclude; that the puniſhment and execution of Acan was the only meanes to appeaſe that wrath, as it is expreſly ſet downe,Ioſu. 5.25.Josh 5:25 that after Acan was put to death, The Lord turned from his fierce wrath.

40 Another excellent mirror and example of this doctrine, we hauehave in the hiſtorie of Ionas. He only offended God in ſeeking to flie from the preſence of the Lord to Tarſus: & to the end ſhipped himſelfe: But God raiſed a tempeſt, a teſtimony of his wrath,Ionas. not againſt him onelyonly, but againſt all that were in the ſhip, who al were in danger of drowning. They ſought to ſaue themſelues by caſting their goods into the ſea: But it was in vaine. Then finding Ionas guiltie & the motiue of this tempeſt, they made toward the ſhore to preſerue both him and themſelues: but God withſtood thē. Laſtly the only meanes to ſaue their ſhip & themſelues, was by caſting Ionas into the ſea. Which being done, the tēpeſt ſuddenly ceaſed.

41 If vponupon the committing of ſome manſlaughter or ſome other notorious crime in ſome Towne or Cittie, the Lord by ſending an Earthquake, ſhould threaten to ſubuert the ſame, vntill the offender were puniſhed, men would take better heede. And therefore this firſt reaſon ought earneſtly to touch the harts of Magiſtrates, & to make them to puniſh the offences & tranſgreſsions of their ſubiects: conſidering that otherwiſe they maintaine the wrath of God kindled againſt their whole nation. There ſhal not be, ſaith the Lord by the mouth of Moſes, any recōpēce for the blud that hath bin ſhed, but by the blud of him that hath ſhed it. And therefore hee doth expreſſely forbid the iudges not to take any rewarde for the life of the murtherer, who is wicked and deſerueth death, but commaundeth that he bee put alſo to death.Numb. 35.33.Num 35:33 For (ſayeth hee) Bloud defileth the land, & cannot be clenſed but by the death of the murtherer. And therefore, as when fire hath taken a houſe, men vſe to pull it downe & to caſt it to the earth, leaſt it ſhould fire alſo the neighbours houſes: So muſt the magiſtrate pluck downe and puniſh the trenſgreſſor, leaſt the heate of Gods wrath be kindled, & conſume al the people. The tranſgreſſion & offence of one ſubiect, is as a cā cre or gangrene to the whole body of man, for if the diſeaſe which hath infected but one mēber be not taken away, it conſumeth the whol body: negligēce therfore & diſsimulatiō or bearing with vice p. 352and tranſgreſsions is no mercy or clemencie, but crueltie and fellonie againſt the ſubiectes, becauſe it kindleth the wrath of God againſt them.

42 The other reaſon propounded by the Lord, importeth that by the puniſhment of ſin & tranſgreſsion, the ſubiectes ſhall feare to commit like iniquities. And in that cōſideratiō is the puniſhment of tranſgreſſors vſually in all countries publike, to the end that others may vnderſtand, & in themſelues find, that vponupon their committing of the like wickedneſſe, they ſhall in like maner bee puniſhed, and therefore may feare to offend. And is not this alſo the meaning of Gods iudgements and puniſhments executed vponupon tranſgreſſors in this life, euen that others ſhould feare, & ſhun ſin, leaſt they alſo ſhould fall into the like puniſhment? The Apoſtle Saint Paul,1. Cor. 10.6,1 Cor 10:6 ſpeaking of the ſundrye puniſhments inflicted vponupon the children of Iſrael in the wilderneſſe, expreſſely ſaith. Theſe are examples vntounto vsus to the intent that we ſhould not lust after euill things, as they alſo luſted: That wee ſhould not commit fornication, as ſome of them committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twentie thouſand. That we ſhould not tempt Chriſt, as ſome of them tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents: Neither murmure, as ſome of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all theſe thinges came vntounto them as enſamples, and were written to admoniſh vsus vponupon whom the ends of the world are come: Wherefore let him that thinketh he ſtandeth take heede leaſt he fall.

43 This alſo is the fruit and purpoſe of Eccleſiaſticall cenſures, which are performed in excommunication,1. Cor. 5.1 Cor 5 as Saint Paul ſheweth, ſaying. The inceſtuous perſon excommunicate, leaſt as a little Leauen ſowreth the whole lump, ſo the tollerating of the incestuous perſon ſhould by his enſample, corrupt the whole Church. And therefore in concluſion of this purpoſe hee ſaith. Put away from among you that wicked man. Deut. 135, & 17, 7.10. & 21 21.And this ſentence and commaundement is alſo many times directed to the magiſtrate, namely that hee put away the ſinne or the ſinner from among the people, by puniſhing him according to his offence. It is therfore the magiſtrates dutie to puniſh the tranſgreſsions of men, to the ende that others may feare to commit the like iniquitie· And indeede what will become of that Towne or prouince,Eſay, 11. wherein ſinne and wickedneſſe is not puniſhed? If as Eſay ſaith, men be each to other as Tigers, Lyons, Beares, Wolues and Serpents, what peace or tranquilitie can there bee among the people? if men bee not reſtrained from wickedneſſe by the exemplarie puniſhment of tranſgreſſors? And indeede as Saint Auguſtine p. 353ſayth,Aug. againſt Petilian. lib. 2. cap. 23. Albeit the feare of puniſhment breedeth not the comfort of a good conſcience, yet doeth it at the leaſt reſtraine the wicked deſyres incloſed in the ſecrets of the thought. And as it is the better parte that is induced to this dutie by louelove, ſo is it the greater part that came to it by feare.

44 Yet is there another conſideration. Saint Paul exhorting vsus not to requite euill with euill, but to giuegive place vntounto wrath,Rom. 12.19.Rom 12:19 addeth this reaſon, Vengeance is Gods, and hee will repaie it. Rom. 13.Rom 13And in the next Chapter he declareth, that God hath ordayned the ſuperior powers and magiſtrates, as his vicars & lieutenants, deliuering to them the ſwoord to execute vengeance in his name. If the magiſtrate therefore doth not imploy his ſwoord and power to the puniſhing of the wicked, hee wrongeth thoſe that keepe themſelues within the compaſſe of Gods commandement, and doo depende vponupon his promiſe, that hee wyll reuenge the iniuries that they doo beare: and withall, ſo farre as in him lyeth, he doth bring vponupon the maieſtie of God a great reproch, as if hee were not eyther true or almightie to fulfyll his promiſe, or to take reuenge of thoſe that wrong others. To conclude, hee giueth occaſion to ſuch as be iniured to defend themſelues, to render euill for euill, and ſo to vſurpe vponupon the authoritie of God, to whome only vengeance doth belong.

45 By the premiſes it euidently appeareth, that it is a meere & moſt dangerous corruption, in ſhewing fauour to offenders, to let them eſcape vnpuniſhed, yet this was a cuſtome among the Iewes after the Romanes had ſubdued them, that at the feaſt of the paſſouer they would hauehave ſuch a priſoner let looſe vntounto them, as them ſelues would demand, to the end to exempt him of his deſerued puniſhment: and thereupon was Barrabas, a ſeditious perſon and a murtherer, by them preferred before the righteous Ieſus Chriſt: & by Pilat at their requeſt deliuered to go free without puniſhmēt. But greater corruption than this may wee finde among Chriſtians. Firſt, in that at the firſt entrie of kings & princes into their towns,Math. 27.Matt 27 alſo in ſome places vponupon the day that is tearmed Good friday, many tranſgreſſors are deliuered out of priſon. This is a peruerſe affectation of merciemercy in princes, and a wicked imitation of the grace and merciemercy of God. As alſo it it is a pernitious priuiledge pretended by thoſe that name themſelues Eccleſiaſticall perſons, and repugnant to the dutie & authoritie of magiſtrates, to exempt from puniſhment by death ſuch manſtaiers as hauehave taken the firſt tonſure or crowne, as they tearme it. And therefore it is the office of the p. 354faithfull magiſtrate to aboliſh ſuch corruption.

46 What then? Is it not lawfull for the Prince to pardon an offender? In anſwere hereto, we ſay that he ought to diſtinguiſh between ſinnes & tranſgreſsions prepetrated contrarie to the law of God, which hee commandeth to puniſh: and ſuch offences as are committed againſt the lawes and ſtatutes of magiſtrates in matters either of warre, or pollicie only. As concerning the firſt, true it is that Chriſtan magiſtrates are not bound to inflict the ſame puniſhment, which God in his lawe hath decreed: Yet are they bound to obſerue this rule, namely that they puniſh all tranſgreſſions, each according to the grauitie thereof· For that doeth Gods Iuſtice require. Secondly that the grauitie as well of the offence, as of the puniſhment for the ſame bee eſtimated, not after the lycence and tolleration now in vſe euen among Chriſtians, but after the rule of Gods wiſedome reuealed in his word. Wherein wee are to conſider firſt the kindes of ſinne, as that murther is more heynous then theft, becauſe mans life is more precious then his goods. And therefore hath God decreed one puniſhment againſt the murtherer, and another againſt the theefe. Moreouer in one kinde of ſinne there are ſundrie circumſtaunces to be conſidered, which make the ſinne, and conſequently doe enforce or mitigate the puniſhment. As manſlaughter vponupon ignorance, or at vnawares, is not ſo heinous, neither ſo ſeuerely to bee puniſhed as when it is doone vponupon hatred and wilfully. And in that conſideration did the Lorde in olde time graunte townes of ſanctuarie for the ſafetie of ſuch as vnwittingly chanced to kill any man:Deut. 14.4.Deut 14:4 Num. 35,Num 35As contrariwiſe hee commaunded the execution of ſuch as wilfully and vponupon mallice ſlew any man, to bee performed without remiſsion or exception. So likewiſe doeth God by Moſes decree diuers ſortes of puniſhmentes for theft, according to the diuers circumſtaunces thereof:Exod. 22.1.Exod 22:1 And therfore according to ſuch conſiderations, noted in Gods worde, as the ſinne is more heynous or eaſie, euen ſo muſt the puniſhment be executed without reſpect of perſons, whether kinsfolke or ſtraungers:Deut. 13.Deut 13 friendes or vnknowne perſons: rich or poore: and ſo conſequently. For as it is great rigour to condemne to death the man that by miſchaunce killeth one: So is it a merciemercy condemned by the Lorde himſelfe, to pardon him that wilfully committeth murder. Neither can it bee denyed, but that ſuch negligence as wee dayly ſee among Chriſtians in not puniſhing blaſphemie againſt Gods Maieſtie, fornication, and eſpecially whoredome, p. 355haunting of Tauernes and ordinarie drunkenneſſe, cryeth for vengeance againſt thoſe Magiſtrates that ſuffer ſuch abhomination to beare ſway and hauehave free paſſage, without exemplarie puniſhment requiſite for the appeaſing of Gods wrath: for the terryfiyng of others: and for the maintenaunce of their ſubiectes in peace and tranquilitie. But as for tranſgreſsions againſt the politicke lawes and Statutes of Magiſtrates, themſelues hauehave power and authoritie vponupon ſundrie and diuers reaſons, to mittigate or wholly to remit the puniſhment. As when Saule following the Philiſtians,1. Sam. 14.1 Sam 14 decreed death againſt anie that ſhoulde taſt anie foode before night, and therevpon determining the death of his ſonne Ionathan for taſting the honie: It reſted in the people to free him from death in reſpect of the great victorie by him obtained againſt the Philiſtians.

47 But in as much as there bee ſundrie Chriſtian Magiſtrates, that bee negligent in this dutie of puniſhing the treſpaſſes and offences of their Subiectes, in hope of amendement: Let ſuch remember the horrible vengeaunce executed vponupon the enhabitants of Gibeah, and almoſt the whole tribe of Beniamin,Iudges. 21. &. 21.Judg 21 who were in manner vtterly rooted out, becauſe that when the ſaide enhabitantes of Gibeah had committed great abhomination againſt a Leuites concubine, the ſaid tribe of Beniamin refuſed either to puniſh them, or to deliuer them into the hands of the children of Iſraell to be puniſhed. Let them conſider what became of the Lacedemonians, when they cared not to puniſh two of their Subiectes that had deflowred and murthered and throwne into a well the two daughters of Scedaſus, an enhabitant of Leuctres. This Scedaſus, vponupon notice of this odious fact, complained to the Magiſtrates, tearmed the Ephores, and craued iuſtice: But in vaine. Then hee went to the King: but might not bee hearde.Plut. in the life of Pelopidas. Thence to the people, weeping and crying out vponupon ſuch an outrage: but no man tooke heede? Shortely after in a battell betweene the Lacedemonians and the Thebans, the Lacedemonians were vtterly ouerthrowne and loſt the dominion that they had holden for ſix or ſeuen hundred yeeres. This hiſtorie doeth Plutarch, a heathen man, report, (which thus aptly fitteth our purpoſe) to bee fought neere to Leuctres, the ſame ground where the two daughters of Scedaſus were buried: Yea hee addeth, that as Pelopidas, one of the Theban Captaines ſtoode in ſome doubte before the battell, Scedaſus appeared vntounto hym in a p. 356mighty viſion, and exhorted him to march againſt the Lacedemonians, aſſuring him (as it alſo came to paſſe) that they ſhould there make ſatisfaction for the wrong and outrage vntounto him and his two daughters done by two of theyr ſubiectes, and theyr neglect and contempt of puniſhing that iniquitie. Let alſo the ſentence pronounced to Achab by a prophet, concerning Benhadad king of Syria,1. King. 20.421 Kgs 20:42 founde in theyr cares, Becauſe thou haſt let goe out of thy handes, a man whome I appointed to die, thy life ſhall go for his life, and thy people for his people. Pſal. 101 Pſal. 75Ps 101Ps 75Neither let them forget that Dauid putteth among his roiall verſes, the ſupport of the good, and the puniſhment & deſtruction of the wicked. Alſo that Salomon to the ſame purpoſe ſayth,Pro. 20.26Prov 20:26 A wiſe king ſcattereth the wicked, & cauſeth the wheel to turne ouer them.

48 But as there is great difference betweene iuſtice & crueltie, ſo this repreſentation of the duetie of magiſtrates to puniſh vice and ſin, according as iuſtice requireth, tendeth not to induce them to crueltie, but to the execution of the iuſt iudgement and vengeance of God, according to his holy lawes and commaundements. For as for crueltie, it is ſo much the more deteſtable, as that there is nothing more againſt the nature of God,Seneca of clemēcy to Nero and the coniunction that he hath conſtituted among men. It is, as Seneca ſayth, a vice not of man, but of a wild beaſt: and therefore it is to be abhorred and deteſted, but eſpecially by ſuch as are not onelyonly men, but alſo the lieutenants and vicars of God, leaſt by crueltie they ſhoulde pollute and prophane the ſeate of his holy maieſtie. And they alſo who vponupon ambition, couetouſnes, wrath, or anie other paſsion, are moued and induced to this crueltie, cannot but expect iudgement without mercy, and conſequently, horrible and fearefull: beſides the hatred and feare of men, and ſo leade a moſt miſerable & wretched life both in this world and in the world to come, as by the examples of many tyrants from time to time we may euidently perceiue. And Ariſtotle in his Politikes noteth, that tyrannie can neuer holde out in one family to the fourth generation: for in deede, crueltie can hauehave no continuance, and hee that is feared and dreaded of many, doth alſo ſtand in feare and dread of many. It breedeth rather feare in gouernment, than power to gouerne: the rather, becauſe that continuall ſeueritie taketh awaie authoritie: beſides, it is moſt certaine and vndoubtedlye true as Iulius Caeſar ſayeth, that the remembraunce of a paſſed crueltie is meruaylous and exceeding grieuous to olde age.Seneca of Clemencie.

p. 35749 This cruelty may be cōſidered three wais: firſt, when by death or otherwiſe hee is wronged that hath not deſerued it. As when Saul, wrongfully charging Abimelech, the prieſt of Nob,1. Sam. 2…1 Sam 2 of conſpiring with Dauid againſt him, cauſed him together wyth foure ſcore and fiue prieſts that wore the Ephod, to be murthered: yea, and which is more, ſtroke wyth the edge of the ſwoord all the inhabitants of the towne, men and women, young and olde, and all theyr cattell. This was monſtrous crueltie. The lyke crueltye is ſet downe of Herod,Math. 2.16Matt 2:16 who ſeeking to ſlaie him whom the wiſe men reported to bee borne king of the Iewes, put to death all the children that were in Bethleem, and in all the borders round about, from two yeeres old and vnderunder. The ſecond kind of crueltie conſiſteth in puniſhing tranſgreſsions exceſsiuely, and wyth greater rigour than they deſerue. I call thoſe men cruell, ſayth Seneca, that hauing iuſt cauſe to puniſh, doo obſerue no meaſure in puniſhing. Heereupon dyd God ordaine: that if a wicked man had deſerued ſtripes, the Iudge ſhoulde in his preſence cauſe him to bee beaten according to the hainouſnes of the offence,Deut. 25.…Deut 25 to a certaine number of ſtripes, but not aboue fortie. The third reſteth in this, that ſome doo receiue pleaſure and contentation in the euill and tormentes that others doo indure. This doth Adonibezecke confeſſe of him ſelfe, ſaying:Iudg. 1.7 Ioſeph. in his Antiquit. l. 17 c. 9Judg 1:7 Seuentie kings hauing the thumbes of their handes and of their feet cut off, gathered bread vnderunder my table. As alſo Herod, ſeeing himſelfe at the point of death, & knowing that the Iews would reioyce, becauſe of his cruelties exerciſed againſt them, called the chiefeſt among them, and ſhutting them vp in a great roome, commanded that immediatly vponupon his deceaſe, before there were any noiſe thereof, they ſhould all be ſlaine, to the end the Iews might weepe and mourne at his death. And among all tyrants,Lucian. Eraſm. in his Chiliads. in this point the crueltie of Phaleris is to bee noted, who cauſed fyre to bee put vnderunder a braſen bull, ſo arteficially made, that the partye there incloſed, dying wyth heate, and thorough angu…h crying out, yeelded not the voyce of a man, but the roaring of a Bull.

50 Contrarywiſe, Magiſtrates in puniſhing the treſpaſſes and offences of theyr ſubiectes, ought in themſelues to apprehende the nature of parents chaſtiſing theyr children, for ſo farre are they from reioycing therein, that they doo it wyth griefe, and ſuch compaſsion, that were it not in reſpect of Gods commaundement, together wyth experience, which teacheth that correction is euen profitable and neceſſarie for children, they would neuer p. 358do it. This may we note in Ioſua, who ſeeing that Acan was taken by lot as guiltie and culpable of Gods wrath againſt the people,Ioſ. 7.14.Josh 7:14 did neuertheleſſe call him, My ſonne, thereby ſhewing a fatherly affection to him, and yet diſobeyed not God, but condemned him to death.

51 This was a kinde of merciemercy, which being generally conſidered,Saluſt to Caeſar. enclineth the heart to gentleneſſe and clemencie, but wyth iudgement and diſcretion. And this vertue is ſpecially requyred in Magiſtrates, for it engendereth louelove, and louelove ſafetie. And by experience wee hauehave euermore found, that ſuch as hauehave vſed gentleneſſe and clemencie, hauehave alwaies proſpered, and hauehave founde theyr verie enemies more righteous in theyr behalfe,Pliny Epiſtle Lib. 8. Liuy. Lib. 8. Seneca. than Citizens hauehave beene to thoſe that hauehave exerciſed crueltie ouer them. And in deed, of greater force is the peoples louelove of the magiſtrate, for the obtaining of anie thing, than theyr feare: and no dominion is more ſure, than the ſame that the ſubiectes like of. Neyther can that long indure,Plut. in the banquet of the 7. Sag. which the people doo hate. Wee reade that the ſeuen Sages of Greece ſitting all at a banquet, beeing demanded what might make a king happie and purchaſe him glorie, dyd all aunſwere diuerſely. Solon ſayde, by changing the dominion of one into a popular gouernment. By as, If himſelfe be the firſt in obeying his countrie laws. Thales, If by the courſe of nature he die an olde man. Anacharſis, If himſelfe onelyonly bee wiſe. Cleobulus, If hee repoſe not himſelfe vponupon his familiars. Chilon, If his mind runne not vponupon worldly matters, but vponupon immortalitie. If, ſaith Pittacu…, hee teach and accuſtome his ſubiects to liue in feare, not of him but for him. But nothing doth ſooner engender feare, not of the magiſtrate, but for the magiſtrate, than good will and clemencie: for as too much crueltie and ſeueritie of a prince doeth make his ſubiects to feare him with hate, ſo doeth generall good will and gentleneſſe make them to louelove him, and to feare lea… h…e ſhould bee taken from them, or incurre anie miſhappe. To c…nclude this purpoſe, let all magiſtrates remember the aunſwere of a Lacedemonian,Agaſicles. Plut. in his Lacon Apoth. Euſeb. in his hiſt. and the life of Conſtant. lib. 1. who beeing demaunded …owe a king myght raigne in ſafetie wythout anie guarde of ſouldyers, verie aptly aunſwered. By raigning ouer his ſubiectes, as the Father doth ouer the children. And it is a great comfort and felicitie to a Magiſtrate, to ſee his ſubiects louelove him. As wee reade of great Conſtantine, who reioyced in the affection and good will that his ſubie…es declared towardes him: alſo that they liued ſo content vnderunder him: but eſpecially hee conceiued great content in the p. 359apparance of the ioye and comfort of the Church vnderunder his gouernment.

52 Hereto wyll we yet adde two points neceſſarie for the maintaining of ſubiects in peace & proſperity. The firſt, that magiſtrats obſerue theyr vowed fayth both to theyr neighbours and vntounto theyr ſubiectes. Hee that confyrmeth anie promiſe or accorde by oath, taketh God to witneſſe, that hee which ſweareth, meaneth inuiolably to obſerue his oath, vppon condition, that doing otherwiſe, hee ſubmitteth himſelfe to ſuch vengeaunce as almightie God the louer of truth, will poure foorth vppon falſehood and periurie. And therefore as God in his holy lawe proteſteth, Hee will not holde him guiltleſse that taketh his name in vaine. Exod. 20.Exod 20For it is indeede the polluting and prophaning of the name of God, as himſelfe declareth, ſaying:Leuit. 10.1….Lev 10:1 Yee ſhall not ſweare by my name falſely, neither ſhalt thou defile the name of thy God, J am the Lorde. The verie Heathen dyd vnderſtande that God was angrie and wroth wyth falſefyers, and puniſhed them in his wrath and heauie diſpleaſure. As wee reade of Ageſilaus,Plut. in his Apotheg. king of the Lacedemonians, who hearing that his enemie Tyſsaphernes had infringed and broken the agreement and oath made betweene them, ſayde that hee greatly thanked Tiſsaphernes, becauſe thorough his falſehoode and periurie hee had prouoked both the Gods (ſpeaking as a Heathen) and men againſt him,Ariſt. Rhet. to Alex, cap. 18, and contrarywiſe made them fauourable in his behalfe. The ſame doeth the prince of Philoſophers, euen Ariſtotle himſelfe note, ſaying: Magiſtrates muſt take great heede and beware of breaking theyr oath, as well for feare of the puniſhment of God, as of the reproach and infamie which they incurre among men. This feeling and reſolution hath euermore and at all times beene printed in the heartes of men, to the end, that the feare of prouoking God by falſe ſwearing, together wyth the apprehenſion of his iuſt reuenge, might retayne them in theyr dueties: And therefore euen the Heathen hauehave beene very carefull obſeruers and diligent keepers of theyr oathes, as the prince of Oratours doth make reporte. Our aunceſtours, ſayde he, neuer craued ſtronger bond to binde theyr faith than an oath:Cic, oſt, lib, 3 witneſse heereof the twelue tables, the ſacrifices or ſacred ſeruices, the agreementes or confederacies, wherein they bounde their faith euen to theyr enemyes. To bee ſhort, the correction of the Cenſors, who neuer more carefully iudged of anie thing than of oathes.

p. 36053 But the ſubiects are many times alſo ſnared in the vengeance that God powreth forth vponupon the periurie of the Magiſtrates. As among the cauſers of the deſtruction of Ieruſalem & the captiuity of the people in Babilon,2. Cron, 36.13 the periurie of Zedechias, King of Iuda whom Nabuchadnezzer had made to ſweare by the liuing God, is noted to be one:2. Sa…m. 2… For hee rebelled againſt him. When Saule vponupon an inconſiderate zeale had put to death certaine Gibeonites, notwithſtanding the oath of Ioſua and the Princes of Iſrael aboue two hundred yeeres before, who ſware that they ſhould liue, God being wroth ſent a famine in the daies of Dauid, for the ſpace of three yeeres, wherein he alſo expreſſely declared that this murder contrarie to the oath of Ioſua was the cauſe of this calamitie: And therefore when Dauid had deliuered to the Gibionites, at their requeſt, the ſeuen ſonnes of Saule and they had crucified them, the famine ceaſed. As therefore Magiſtrates in dutie ought not to ſweare raſhly, much leſſe with any intent to abuſe their ſubiects, or neighbours: So muſt they diligently obſerue the oath once taken, leaſt they ſhould breake the band of humaine ſocietie: leaſt they ſhould incurre the reproch of men: but eſpeſcially, leaſt they ſhould draw the wrath of God vponupon them and their ſubiects. In conſideration of the premiſes: As touching agreements confirmed by oath for the eſtabliſhmēt or maintenance of peace among either ſubiects or neighbours of diuers religion: The partie that findeth himſelfe the ſtranger, muſt beware of taking occaſion to diſturbe the ſtate, by infringing his oath, vnderunder the pretence of keeping no faith to heretickes or Idolaters. For beſides the prophaning of the name of God, and the Scandall miniſtred to thoſe that are troubled, he ſhall alſo looſe all reputation of truth: Hee ſhall breake the ſacred bond of humaine ſocietie: He ſhal giuegive occaſion of new troubles: and hee ſhall extinguiſh all meanes of appeaſing them. And indeede, when men can not repoſe themſelues vponupon a mans worde or his oath, they muſt of neceſsitie aſſure them ſelues by weapons and force, as the examples of our time doe moſt manifeſtly declare. And thus we ſee that periury doth many times entangle whole nations in warres, is the mother and nurſe of great calamities, when by keeping of the faith ſworne, they might liue in peace and tranquilitie.

54 The other duty of the magiſtrate importeth that he employ his forces in maintaining the perſons, goods, and liberties of his ſubiects, againſt ſuch as ſeeke to wrong them by violence, whether p. 361by defending them againſt theyr indeauours, or in recouerie of that which wrongfully hath beene taken or vſurped vppon them. But inaſmuch as within theſe two or three yeeres I publyſhed a ſmall treatiſe, wherein among other matters, I hauehave declared, that God hath deliuered the ſwoord to the magiſtrate, to defend the good and to puniſh the wicked: That warre is lawfull, & that Chriſtians may …ith a ſafe conſcience beare armes, and that they whome God hath authorized to leuie warre, both maye and ought when neceſsitie requireth, to doo it in defence of his ſeruice and true religion, I ſhall now be content onelye to note ſome aduertiſements requiſite for the obtaining of a good conſcience in making warre, and in hope of happie ſucceſſe.

55 Firſt, let all princes and magiſtrates take heed of giuing iuſt cauſe to make warre vppon them,2. Sam. 10.2 Sam 10 and to that purpoſe remember Hanon the ſonne of Naas, who cauſing halfe the beardes of thoſe whome Dauid ſent vntounto him, to comfort him vppon the death of his father, to bee ſhauen, and their garments to bee cut cloſe oft by the buttockes, gaue Dauid cauſe to raiſe warre agaynſt him, and to deſtroie him and his people. Let them beware of leuying warre without a iuſt ground and reaſon,2. Chro. 132 Chr 13 as did Ieroboam againſt Abiah king of Iuda: for he reiecting the admonition of the ſayde Abiah, was ouerthrowen wyth a great wound, and there remayned dead in the battell fiue hundred thouſand choice men of Iſrael. Moreouer, as there be two meanes (ſayth Cicero) to decide controuerſies,Cic. Off. l. 1 the one by wordes and lawe, the other by force: alſo, that the firſt is proper to man, the other to beaſts, ſo ought we neuer to proceed to force, but in caſe it cannot bee otherwiſe decided. And in deed it is not lawfull to leuie warre againſt him that is readie to determine the controuerſie by lawe, and to make ſatisfaction: yea,Thucid. l. 1 as it is better to looſe ſome parte of a mans right, than to goe to lawe, ſo ought wee to beare much before wee reſolue vppon warre. For as the Surgion doeth neuer proceede to cauteriſing or cutting off of the member, vnleſſe the whole bodie bee in daunger to be loſt, ſo are wee neuer to enter into warre but vppon the neceſſarie good and ſafetie of the people, and theyr preſeruation from deſtruction.

56 Let Magiſtrates alſo remember,Saluſt in Iugurth. Thucid. l. 1 Cicero for the law Mamlia. that the enterie into warre is eaſie, but the returne moſt difficult, in that the ende reſteth not in the power of man, as doth the beginning: and therefore before the warre beginne, wee are to thinke what maye followe. For not the warre onelyonly, but euen the verie feare thereof breedeth great p. 362calamities.Auguſtine of the city of God lib 19. Auguſtine againſt Fauſtus lib. …2 c 74. Neither can wee enter into warre, albeit moſt iuſt, but with horror, yea, euen the name whereby the Hebrewes doo ſignifie war, ſufficiently declareth, that it is as a conſuming of all, namely, of godlynes and good manners, of goods, and of the liues of a number of men. Let them withall remember what Saint Auguſtine writeth, that a deſire to hurt, a crueltie in reuenge, difficultie to be appeaſed, couetouſneſſe of dominion, the brutiſh paſsion of rebellion, and all other lyke affections, are iuſtly to bee reprehended in warres. As in deede, all warres ariſing of ambition and couetouſneſſe are vniuſt, and as an ancient hiſtoriographer ſayth, doo breed great inconueniences:Tacitus lib 4. Euripides as alſo the Greeke Poet noteth, who ſayth:

He that warres vniustly craue,

Happie iſsue ſhall neuer hauehave.

But thoſe warres (ſayth Saint Auſten) are lawfull, that are followed,Auguſt of the of the word of the Lord. Cic. offic. lib 1 Liuy lib 9. not vponupon couetouſneſſe or crueltie, but for the purchaſing of peace, the ſuppreſsing of the wicked, & the releeuing of the good. The end of war, ſaith Cicero, is to get peace: and that warre is iuſt ſaith Liuie, that is neceſſarie, and the weapons lawfull where there is no hope but in weapons. Auguſtus Caeſar was accounted happy and great,Suetonius in the life of Auguſt. c. 20. Liui. li. 5 becauſe hee neuer proſecuted anie warres but wyth iuſt and neceſſarie cauſe. For warres are to be followed with no leſſe iuſtice than courage, neither ſhuld a prince, notwithſtanding whatſoeuer confidence in his power and ſtrength, hazard an eſtate certaine for an vncertaine.

57 Moreouer, as princes & magiſtrates hauehave their lawes, ſtatutes, and ordinances, wherwith to contain their ſubiects in their duties, in the time of peace, ſo ſhuld they take order for good gouernment in the wars, to the end their iuſt wars may iuſtly & holyly be proſecuted. So did God in olde time by the handes of Moſes deliuer lawes to his people,Deuter. 20Deut 20 whereby they ſhould be guided in the warres. But eſpecially a prince is to prouide, that warlike diſcipline well deuiſed, be ſtrictly obſerued: likewiſe that his ſouldiers may bee reſtrained from blaſpheming, from forcing of women & maidens, from dronkennes, & as S. Iohn Baptiſt taught them, from dooing wrong or iniurie to any. But that by paying them their hire faithfullye,Luke 3, 14Luke 3:14 hee may giuegive them cauſe of contentment, as Saint Iohn commanded them, & withall, may hauehave authoritie and iuſt reaſon to puniſh tranſgreſſors.

58 To conclude, Magiſtrates are to remember, that in old time God commanded that the ſonnes of Aaron the prieſt ſhuld ſound the trumpets whereſoeuer there was anie queſtion of warres.Numb. 10.9 Deut. 20.1Num 10:9Deut 20:1 Alſo p. 363that the prieſt ſhould then ſpeake to the people, to exhort them not to feare or doubt, and to aſſure them that God marched with them to fight for them againſt their enemies. For herein princes & magiſtrates are admoniſhed and taught, firſt not to leuie anie war but that which is iuſt, approued by God, and as it were ſummoned thereto by Gods trumpet: ſecondly, ſo to behaue themſelues as in his preſence & vnderunder his conduct: thirdly, not to truſt to their own ſtrength, neither to feare the ſtrength of their enemies, but to repoſe themſelues vppon God, the captaine and conducter of the war: ſo that albeit their enemies be more in number, yet they may be aſſured through Gods aſsiſtance to ouercome them. Thus wil he giuegive them grace either to preuent the tribulations of war, or els to vndertake & leade happy & bleſſed wars, whereby ouercomming their enimies, they may keep their ſubiects in peace & proſperity.

59 We hauehave already declared how far the duty of the magiſtrate doth extend, namely, ſo to imploy his authoritie, that his ſubiects may liue religiouſly in all godlynes, and peaceably in tranquilitie. There yet remaineth the third point, namely, that they alſo leade their liues in all honeſtie. Now this honeſtie conſiſteth principally in two things: firſt, that among ſubiects ther be found no pollution in fornication, luſt & other villanies: ſecondly, that al dronkennes, gluttony, & ſuch like exceſſe & riot be ſuppreſſed, banniſhed, and driuen awaie. As concerning the firſt point, God in his word doth ſufficiently teſtifie, and by the examples of diuers his vengeances, declare that he deteſteth all fornication: and the magiſtrate is the ſeruant of God, it is therefore his dutie to conforme his will to the will of his God▪ by making cōuenient decrees to reſtrain all whordome & fornication, by aboliſhing all occaſions,Exod 20.19 Leuit. …0.11.13.15. &c.Exod 20:19 & by puniſhing ſuch as giuegive themſelues thereto. Neither is God ſatisfied with the ſimple prohibition of fornication, but he alſo addeth politike decrees, which he commandeth the magiſtrates to put in execution, for the puniſhing of ſuch as ſhall tranſgreſſe his lawes & prohibitions aforeſaid.Deut. 22.22.24, &c.Deut 22:22Deut 22:24 Firſt therfore he commandeth them to put to death all ſuch, male & female, as do abandon themſelues to anie vnnaturall carnall coniunction. Alſo all inceſtuous perſons, that is, all that by carnall copulation ioyne in any degree prohibited in his law: and all adulterers, men or women: & this taketh place in him that cōpanieth with a woman vnmarried or betrothed to another.

60 This ſinne of adulterie hath euermore bin accounted ſo worthie of puniſhment, that wee ſhall ſcarce finde anie people or nation in the worlde, that hath not from time to time exemplarily p. 364and notably puniſhed the ſame, as before wee hauehave more at large declared.In the ſecond booke, c. 17. of Adulterie and all fornicatiō. Princes therefore and Chriſtian magiſtrates that inflict no puniſhment for adulterie, are vnexcuſable in the ſight both of God and men. And they muſt thinke, that as ſuch iniquitie doeth prouoke Gods wrath, not againſt the adulterers onelyonly, but alſo againſt the whole nation where it is tollerated: ſo by not puniſhing it, themſelues doo maintaine the wrath of God, as a fyre kindled to conſume both them and their ſubiects. To whom by ſuch ſlackneſſe and conniuence, they alſo giuegive head to commit it wythout all feare. The Emperour Iuſtinian in a decree whereby he ordayneth death to baudes, that make ſale of women or maidens for fornication,In the Nouell Conſtitutions Rub. of Bauds Gen. 38.24.Gen 38:24 doth adde this, Wee beleeue that thorough this our care to maintain chaſtitie, our common wealth wyll take great increaſe, and that God will graunt vsus all proſperitie. We reade that the Patriarke Iuda, when hee ſawe that his daughter in law Thamar, whome hee had promiſed in marriage to his ſonne Sella, had played the harlot, hee condemned her to die, euen to bee burned. Wherein the Magiſtrates of our time are to note three points, that may induce them to doo their duties. Firſt, that albeit the perſons bee not yet married, but betrothed onelyonly, yet as is aforeſayd, this adulterie deſerueth death. Secondly, that adulterie was puniſhed wyth death, namely, by fyre, euen before the lawe giuen by Moſes. Thirdly, that no kindred or friendſhippe ſhoulde withholde the Magiſtrate from puniſhing adulterers: And heereof we hauehave an inſtance in Zaleucus the Locryan Lawyer:Val. Max, ca. 5 Aelian. l 1… hee hauing ordained that both the eies of an adulterer ſhoulde bee pulled out: when his owne ſonne was taken wyth that fault, would needes hauehave two eyes loſt, and ſo cauſed one of his owne and another of his ſayde ſonnes to be plucked forth.

61 It is therefore a great reproch and ſlackneſſe in Chriſtians, ſo to mitigate the puniſhment of this ſinne, that they hauehave ſhewed themſelues in manner neuer touched with the abhomination of ſuch iniquitie. In the dayes of the Emperour Iuſtinian, adulterers were put onelyonly to ſome fine of monie, which might in deed ſomewhat reſtraine the poore: but the rich thereby tooke occaſion to commit it the more, as thinking themſelues quit for a ſmal ſumme of monie. True it is that by vertue of ſome decrees of the ſaid Iuſtinian, the women taken in adulterie were thruſt into ſome monaſterie. But what elſe was this, but formally to oppugne the ſaying of Saint Paule, who commandeth that the woman who cannot containe, ſhould marrie? In the Councell of Tibur it was decreed, p. 365that if the woman that had committed adulterie,Counſell of Tibu… holden the yeare 895. cap. 46. Counſel of Orleance cap. 1. Cauſaid conſtitui mus. 17. q. 4. could retire and ſaue her ſelfe in the Church, ſhee ſhould not bee redeliuered into the handes either of her husband or of the Iudge. The lyke was alſo decreed in the firſt Councell at Orleance, where it was moreouer ordained, that if her husband or the Iudge did redemaund her, ſhee ſhould be redeliuered, but with an oath, that they ſhould doo her no hurt, vponupon paine of excommunication. And thus dyd the Cleargie in thoſe daies drawe vntounto them the notice and iudgement of adulterie, whether to purchaſe thereby the fines for their owne profite, or for anie more vilanous or deteſtable purpoſe. But as by that meanes they were wylling to ſaue and preſerue the bodyes of the adultreſſes, ſo hauehave they ſtrained the ſoules, to the end to caſt them headlong into euerlaſting death.The Counſell of Elibertin cap 18. In deed in a Councell holden in Spaine, it was decreed that if a Biſhoppe, a prieſt, or a Deacon, were taken in adulterie, hee ſhould neuer againe be receiued into the peace and reconcilement of the Church, no not in the houre of death. Alſo, that this rule ſhould bee in force againſt all other perſons vponupon theyr ſeconde offence. And therefore ſayth Saint Cyprian, in his dayes ſome Biſhoppes woulde not receiue adulterers to the peace of the Church. But hee was of opinion, to vſe ſome moderation, leaſt ſinners ſhould fall into deſperation, and that deſperation ſhould draw them on headlong into all wickedneſſe. And therefore, ſayth hee,The Councel of Ancyra Cap. 20. it were good they ſhoulde trye theyr repentaunce wythout limitation of time: which notwithſtanding by one Councell was appointed to be ſeuen yeres.

62 Thus may wee ſee whereinto thoſe men do fall, that will be wiſer and ſhew more merciemercy than God. But mortall man, notwithſtanding whatſoeuer authoritie hee pretendeth, muſt not alter the decrees of the liuing Lord. And the Lord hath commanded that adulterers ſhould bee puniſhed with death. Neyther is there in manner anie nation in the world, but agreeth to this iudgement of God, as wee hauehave before declared. If therefore wee would obeye God in puniſhing adulterie with death, his wrath would be turned from vsus, and wee ſhould bee freed from thouſands of queſtions & difficulties that growe vppon the ſparing of theyr liues, and men ſtanding in more feare of God, would not ſo ſoone abandon them ſelues thereto. In olde time theeues were not by anie lawe eyther of God or man puniſhed wyth death, but adulterers were: but now contrarywiſe, theeues muſt die for it, and adulterers muſt eſcape in manner ſcotfree. Is not this a token that Chriſtians are more feruently bent to the preſeruation of their goods, than of the p. 366chaſtitie or honour of their wiues? They alleadge the example of Chriſt, who diſmiſſed the woman that was taken in adulterie, with out condemnation.Iohn 8.John 8 But as Chriſt came not to execute the office of a Iudge, neither would vſurp it: ſo when he had asked her whether the ſentence of the Iudges had condemned her, and vnderſtood no: before he diſmiſſed her, hee ſufficiently declared, that if ſentence had bene paſſed, he would not hauehave hindered the execution.1. Cor. 10.8.1 Cor 10:8 And therefore by the premiſes let all Chriſtian Magiſtrates vnderſtand that it is theyr dutie to puniſh ſuch iniquitie, and with all remember, that whatſoeuer ſlackneſſe or negligence ſhall bee found in them, ſhall not remaine vnpuniſhed. And ſo let them in holines reſolue ſtraightly to forbid this abhomination of adultry, to ſtop the courſe of it, and to take away all allurements & entiſements thereto: and that with ſuch puniſhment, that all other may feare to commit the like iniquitie. Let them alſo diligently ſee to other fornication, that it eſcape not vnpuniſhed, as remembring the vengeaunce that the Lorde did take of the like, when for the ſame in one daie he ſlew twentie and three thouſand.

63 Namely, let them not ſuffer among their ſubiects any ſtews, tauernes, or other receptacles of adulterie for hire, which ſerue as baites, allurements, and meanes to defile and deſtroy both bodies and ſoules for euer, alſo to prouoke Gods wrath againſt theyr ſubiects.Autenticalls in the title of Baudes. Eſpecially let them rigorouſly puniſh and baniſh out of their dominions all baudes and ruffians (the curſed inſtruments of ſatan, to allure and put forth women and maidens to fornication) who liue vponupon ſo abhominable iniquitie. The Emperour Iuſtinian doth expreſly command all baudes to bee puniſhed with death, as is aforeſayd. Withall decreeing, that whatſoeuer hath bene giuen to women or maidens for the proſtituting of their bodies, they ſhall not be bound to reſtore.

Auguſt. in his booke of orderings.64 But ſome to the contrarie will alleadge a ſentence of Saint Auguſtine, ſaying: Take awaie the ſtewes, and yee ſhall repleniſh the whole towne with fornication. But when he wrote that he was but a nouice, and meanly inſtructed in religion: and therefore him ſelfe in another place confeſſeth, that in ſinne there is no tolleration, that a man of two euils ſhould chooſe the leſser. Neither must we (as Saint Paul ſaith) doo euill that good may come of it: Rom. 3.8Rom 3:8or allowe one miſchife for the eſchuing of another. But we muſt obey God, who forbiddeth vsus all wickednes, and remit the iſsue and ſucceſse into his hands who cannot allowe that the wiſedome of the fleſh ſhould diſpenſe with the offending God in one ſort, for feare of offending p. 367him in another. Baſil expounding theſe words,Pſalme 1.Ps 1 And hath not ſit in the ſeate of the ſcornfull, ſaith, that adulterie neuer ſtayeth is one man, but infecteth the whole Citie. Firſt one will come alone to the ſtrumpet, then he wil take a companion, and that companion another companion: whereby as fire once kindled, if the wind be high, doth ſomtimes inflame a whole citie, ſo this wickednes once kindled, ſpreadeth all ouer. Ambroſe proceedeth f…rther, for he expounding this ſentence of Salomon, Who can carrie fyre in his boſome and not be burned? ſaith,Prouerb. 6. Who doth thinke that tollerating whoores in a towne, young men will not reſort vntounto them? wherein we gather this ſentence, which vtterly repugneth the former of Auguſtine: Tollerate whores in a towne, and ye repleniſh the whole towne with whoredome: as God vndoubtedly for the auoiding thereof did in olde time command that there ſhould not be anie whoore in Iſrael. And therefore wee will conclude this argument with this ſaying of Tertullian,Deut. 23, 17▪Deut 23:17 That ſtewes are abhominable in the ſight of God. Let the Popes therefore aduiſe with them ſelues what anſwere they will make to God for this,Tertul. of the Soule. that in Rome they doo not onelyonly publikely tollerate theyr whoores and bauds, but alſo that they take tribute of them, therin ſhewing themſelues likewiſe to be baudes, in that in lieu of puniſhing, expelling, and baniſhing of them, as plagues in a Chriſtian common wealth, they participate with them in their curſed gaine.

65 As concerning the other point touching tipling and dronkennes. Seeing that God curſeth all bibbers and dronkards by his prophet Eſay: alſo that S. Paul proteſteth that they ſhal not inherit the kingdome of God: the magiſtrates do ſufficiently vnderſtand,Eſay ….11.12 1. Cor. 6.10.1 Cor 6:10 that they in dutie, ſo much as in them lieth, are to ſtop the courſe of all ſuch exceſſe. The inconueniences of quarrels & ſtrife therof ariſing, & the troubles in houſhold: as whē the husband or the wife do come drunke home, the extreme miſerie whereinto many doo bring their wiues & children, in ſuffering thē almoſt to ſtarue for need, whileſt thēſelues haunt tauerns. The abuſe & prophaning of Gods good creatures, with other inconueniences that daily ariſe of dronkennes, do cry for vengeance in the ſight of God, & do cal the magiſtrates, & ſet before them their dueties, wherein they are bound to remedie the ſame. For with what conſcience can they ſuffer ſuch corruption among their ſubiects, when they may remedie it, by prohibiting, not lodging for ſtrangers, but tauernes from their inhabitants, or by puniſhing of tiplerrs, dronkards, and thoſe tauerners that maintaine them in ſuch exceſſe and riot?

p. 36866 Hauing before declared how Magiſtrates ought to imploie themſelues, to bring theyr ſubiects to leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe, in all godlyneſſe and honeſtie, wee are now to intreate them to beleeue & thinke that theyr authoritie ſhall take great increaſe and efficacie, when theyr greatneſſe and power ſhall be accompanied wyth the excellencie of vertue aboue theyr ſubiects, & when themſelues ſhall bee examples vntounto them, in all things beſeeming the children and ſeruants of God: wherein alſo they are to hauehave ſuch reſpect, that they admit not in themſelues euen that which may bee ſomewhat tollerable among theyr ſubiectes, ſo farre are they from power to diſpenſe with that in themſelues which ſhuld not bee permitted to men of meaner calling. And in deede wee may in many notable examples note that God hath greuouſly puniſhed in great perſonages thoſe faultes which in apparance ſeem ſmall,Nomb. 20. 2. Sam. 24. Eſay. 39.2 Sam 24Isa 39 as that of Moſes at the waters of ſtrife, that of Dauid when hee numbered the people, that of Ezechias, when hee ſhewed his treaſures to the Embaſſadors of the king of Babylon, and ſo in others. In all which God doth teach vsus, that the authoritie of princes to diſpenſe wyth themſelues to worke wickedneſſe, is ſo ſmall, that contrarywiſe, hee wyll puniſh ſuch tranſgreſsions in them, as many times hee will beare with in theyr ſubiectes.Deut. 17.Deut 17 And this inſtruction doth hee confyrme, in that in olde time he declared that the king that ſhuld be choſen ouer his people Iſrael, ſhuld hauehave the booke of the lawe, that hee might reade therin all the dayes of his lyfe, and that he might rule himſelfe according to the will of God, that hee ſhoulde not hauehave many wiues, yet was that tollerable among his ſubiectes. The younger Scipio knewe and put in practiſe his duetie in this reſpect, for when hee had by force taken the city of Carthage,Plut. in his Apoth. Plut. in his Lacon. Apoth. Plut. in his Apoth. and ſome of his ſouldyers brought vntounto him a moſt beautifull mayden, Truely, ſayde hee, I coulde fynde in my heart to take her, were I not in office or a magiſtrate, but a priuate man. To this purpoſe dyd Ageſilaus verie wiſely ſaie, That the Prince muſt outgo his ſubiects, not in pleaſure & luſt, but in temperance and magnanimitie. And thereupon ſayd Cyrus, He is not worthie to gouerne, that is no better, neither more vertuous than they ouer whome hee is to commaund.

67 Reaſon lykewiſe would, that princes and magiſtrates ſhould giuegive good examples to theyr ſubiectes, leading the waie to all vertuous & commendable actions that they require of them. As Iuſtine writeth of Lycurgus,Iuſtin. lib. 3. that hee ſet downe no law for any thing whereof himſelfe had not ſhewed an example and practiſe in his p. 369owne perſon. Plutarch ſayth, that Ageſilaus woulde bee the firſt dooer of that thing that he commanded thoſe to doo,Plutarch in his Lacon. Apotheg. ouer whom hee bare dominion. And in deed, as a great branch cut from a tree bringeth downe a number of ſmall ones with it: and as when a great prince commeth forth of his pallace, a multitude doo follow him: euen ſo doo the ſubiectes ordinarily followe the example of their prince and magiſtrate, whether good or badde.Quintilian in his fourth declamation. As alſo what ſo euer the prince doth, it ſeemeth that hee commaundeth it: yea, the affection to pleaſe princes and to imitate their actions, is of more force than the lawes and puniſhments ordained in the ſame. If the prince take a pleaſure, whether in vertue or in vice, ſo wyll his ſubiects. Cicero verie aptly ſayth, that the magiſtrates in matter of wickednes or vice, doo not onelyonly conceiue it,Tacitus. Annal. 3 but alſo doo ſpread it, and as it were, water theyr ſubiectes therewith, hurting more by theyr example, than by the ſinne it ſelfe. It is a common ſaying taken of Plato, Such as the prince or magiſtrate of a citie is, ſuch are his ſubiects. And this doth a poet note, ſaying:

What euer the king in example doth leaue,Seneca.

His ſubiects thereto full faſt will cleaue.

And in this ſenſe ſayth one, Wilt thou hauehave thy ſubiects good?Cic. his book of lawes. 3. be thou good. For the prince by wel doing teacheth his ſubiects to do well. The ſame author ſayth, that the examples of princes doo neuer reſt where they firſt begin,Cic. in his Ep. to Claudian. Vellerus Paterculus. l. 2 Seneca of clemencie. but doo breake foorth and ſcatter farre and neere. And in deed, as Seneca ſayth, The worlde noteth the wordes and deeds of princes and magiſtrates, neither can they lie hidden no more than the Sun beames. And therefore as he addeth: the magiſtrate is diligently to take heed to his reputation & fame, which is of great efficacie whether it be good or bad.

68 Now let vsus come to examples:Zozom. Eccl. hiſt l. 8. c. 1 When the kings of Iuda profeſſed either the feare of God, or the ſeruice of Idolls, the people inclined accordingly either to good or to euill, to ſerue God according to his lawe, or to pollute themſelues in the ſeruice of Idols. Zozomenes reporteth of the Emperours, Arcadius & Honorius, the ſonnes of Theodoſius, that they following the example of their father, made profeſsiō of the truth of the heauenly doctrine, and that their ſubiects regarding their example, were therwith ſo touched, that the heathen were eaſily conuerted to Chriſtianitie: the heretikes returned to the catholike church: and that the Arrians and Eunomenians daily decreaſed, and many of them ioyned with thoſe that folowed the doctrine which their Emperors maintained. Agis, the laſt king of Lacedemon, was in his youth addicted p. 370to his pleaſures: but after he was called to the gouernment, he vtterly gaue them ouer, and was ſo inclined to vertue, that by his ſo notable change he purged the towne of Sparta,Eraſ. Apot. l. 1 Aurel. Victor in his life. of all the corruptions wherewith the barbarous nations had infected it, & by his example reduced the inhabitants to their auncient frugalitie and ſobrietie. Likewiſe the Emperour Veſpaſian ſuppreſſed many vices by good lawes, but more by example of life, (which in deede is of greater efficacie, as the ſame authour reporteth:) as contrariwiſe, when Ptolome king of Aegypt,Iuſtin, l. 30 Vellciu… Paterculus. l. 2 ſayth Iuſtine, was giuen to pleaſure & wantonneſſe, all his ſubiects preſently imitated his maners. The ſame▪ alſo extēdeth euē into buildings, as we read that after the deſtinction of Carthage, the Romanes gaue themſelues to pleaſures, falling frō vertue to vice, not by degrees, but as it were by a headlong downefall. And when Scipio Naſica, Metellus, and C…eius Octauus, all principall Lordes in Rome, began to build porches & gorgeous galeries, the magnificence of theſe publike perſons, ſaith the author, was immediatly ſeconded by the exceſsiue ſuperfluitie of the people.

69 But as it is the dutie of magiſtrates to ſeale their good & holy decrees with good and holye examples: ſo is it not inough that they begin onelyonly, vnles they alſo conſtantly perſeuer in theyr ſayd dutie: their eſtate is ſlipperie, and as the trees that grow vponupon high places are moſt moued and beaten with winds, and conſequently, in greateſt danger of ouerthrow: ſo kings, princes, and other magiſtrats, being exalted aboue the people, are more mightily aſſalted, whether by the deuill, who knoweth the conſequence and importance of the… fall, whether by flatterers or euill counſellours for theyr particular profit whether by the notice of their greatneſſe, together with the corruptions and vices common to others, which doo many times incli…e them to exceſsiue licentiouſnes. Salomon a man indued with many the graces of God, for a long time b…re himſelfe ſo wiſely and vertuouſly, that he atchiued maruellous reputation: but afterward, eſpecially toward his olde age, hauing taken an incredible number of wiues and concubines,1. King. 11.1 Kgs 11 euen ſtrangers, contrarie to Gods commandement, he grew into extreame outrage, & miſerably diuerted from the ſeruice of God, & gaue himſelf to all kinds of ſuperſtition and idolatrie. And hereof grew that great calamitie, euen the diuiſion of the realm in his ſucceſſor Roboam, when the ten Tribes reuolted, & were plunged in all Idolatry vnderunder Jeroboam & his ſucceſſors, & many times were at warre wyth the two other tribes, in whom onelyonly the kingdome of Salomon did p. 371remaine. Ioas king of Iuda,2. Chron. 242 Chr 24 had a good and religious beginning in his gouernment, which continued all the daies of Iehoida the high prieſt: but after his death, leauing the temple & ſeruice of God, he gaue himſelfe to Idolatrie, & ſo drew his ſubiects thereto, that albeit God ſent them prophets to reclaime thē, yet would they giuegive no eare:Aurelius. Victor in his lyfe. Bab. Ignatius in his life. wherupon the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt Iuda and Ieruſalem. The Emperour Nero, during the firſt fiue yeeres of his Empire, liued ſo vertuouſly, that Traiā wold vſually ſay, that al princes wer far behind the fiue firſt yeres of Nero, yet he afterward grew a mōſter in al luſt & extreme cruelty. Likewiſe the Emperor Caligula was in the beginning a very good prince, but afterwarde very wicked, ſo that it is written of him, that hee was in the begining the beſt, & in the end the worſt Emperor that euer liued.

70 To the end therfore that hauing well begun, they may be the better inſtructed to perſeuer in their duties: beſides the prejuiſes we will alſo for a concluſion, adde ſome admonitions, ſentences, & notable aduertiſements, which it were good they ſhoulde vnderſtand, meditate, & hauehave in continual ſight, to the end to put them in practiſe. Firſt, let them know, that ther is nothing more difficult than to raigne and gouerne well. Whereupon alſo acknowledging the waight of their charge, they ought daily with Salomō to craue wiſedome at the hands of God,1. King. 3.9.1 Kgs 3:9 to the end they may well and proſperouſly guide their ſubiects, together with all other vertues requiſite, and perſeuerance in their duties: alſo,Iames 8.17 the bleſsing of the father of light, from whom come all good gifts, and who onelyonly is able to giuegive ſucceſſe and happie iſſue to all their labours. Secondly, that they put in practiſe the commandement of God to Ioſua,Ioſu. 1.8.Josh 1:8 ſaying: Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein day and night, that thou maist take heed to doo all that is written in the ſame: for in ſo doing, let them be aſſured that they ſhal proſper, as the Lord addeth, ſaying: For then ſhalt thou make thy way proſperous, & then ſhalt thou hauehave good ſucceſse. And in that ſenſe let thē expect the performance of the ſame which God ſaid to Samuel,1. Sam. 2.30.1 Sam 2:30 I wil honor thoſe that honor me, & they that deſpiſe me ſhalbe ſet at naught

71 Let them remember that two things are required in a prince or magiſtrate, namely, holines in time of peace, and magnanimitie in wars: & in both diſcretiō:Aurel. Vict. in his lyfe. Polibius. wherof the Emperor Tra…an ſhewed him ſelfe as a patterne, for he was indued with both theſe vertues: That two things maintaine the commonwealth: Force and magnanimitie againſt enimies, and concord among ſubiectes: That the preſeruation of the Princes eſtate conſiſteth, firſt in the integritie p. 372of religion. Secondly, in the louelove of the ſubiects: That they which are in office of magiſtrates, muſt, as ſayth great Cato, vſe ſoberlie their power & authoritie,Plutarch in his Apoth. Plato in his comonwelth. that they may ſtil vſe it: That that com-wealth is happie, wherein euerie man obeyeth the prince, and the prince obeyeth the lawe: That the magiſtrate, as the ſame Cato ſayth, muſt not tarrie for exhortation to gouerne iuſtly, neither by exhortation bee mooued to beare himſelfe vniuſtly: That it is a calling both ſteadfaſt and to bee deſired,Polib l. 6 when euerie one in priuate doth liue in peace and holyneſſe, and that iuſtice and merciemercy doo abide in publike perſons: That the prince muſt make his ſubiects to louelove him, and his enemies to feare him: and as well to remember that he is a man,Tacitus. Annal. 11 Plinie in his Panegiricks. Curtius l. 7. as that he is eſtabliſhed ouer men: That there is nothing ſo firme & ſtrong, but is ſubiect to inconuenience and danger, euen by the feeble and weake. And to this purpoſe let them call to minde that great trees are long in growing, but cut downe in an houre. Let them not forget that they beare the image of God in regard of theyr office, and are called Gods, to the end they ſhould neither ſpeake nor doo anie thing vnworthie the maieſtie of God.Tacitus. Let them beware of abating theyr authoritie, either by too much lenitie, or the peoples louelove by like ſeueritie. Let them not prefer the aduiſe of young Counſellors before the iudgement of the auncient, and to that purpoſe make vſe of the example of Roboam,2, Chro. 10 who by the contrarie alienated the ten Tribes of Iſrael, and loſt his dominion ouer them. Let them neuer pronounce ſentence in wrath, neither vndertake anie thing in diſpleaſure, but remember the ſaying of Saint Iames, Wrath in man fulfilleth not the iustice of God. Let this ſaying of Saint Auguſtine bee printed in their heartes:Iames 1, 20 Auguſtine in the 13. a-abuſes of degrees. Degree 6.Jas 1:20 Three things are requiſite in a gouernor, Calling, feare of him, and louelove towards him, Calling is requiſite, to the end he may beare himſelfe in a good conſcience cheerefully, yet if hee bee not both loued and feared, he cannot ſubſiſt in his calling. Let him therefore aduiſe himſelfe to procure louelove by benefites and aff…bilitie: and …eare, by puniſhing wrong done, not againſt himſelfe, but againſt the lawe.

72 Let him conſider of the titles that Iulius Pollux, who was gouernor of the Emperor Comodus in his youth, attributeth to the prince, whome hee calleth father of the people, gentle, louing, mercifull, wiſe, iuſt, courteous, couragious, deſpiſing monie, not ſubiect to paſsion, but commaunding ouer himſelfe, ouercomming luſt, vſing reaſon, quicke of conceit, ſober, religious, carefull for his ſubiectes, conſtant, no deceiuer, adorned p. 373with authoritie, readie in his affayres, prouided to doo well, ſlowe to reuenge, affable, gracious in ſpeech, open hearted, a louer of the vertuous, deſyrous of peace, valiant in warre, an example of good manners to his ſubiects, a maker of good lawes, and an obſeruer of the ſame. Let him remember theſe wordes of Lewes the ninth, lefte by his laſt will to his eldeſt ſonne and ſucceſſour Philip, and are recorded in the chamber of accounts. Be deuout in the ſeruice of God, bee in heart pittifull, and charitable to the poore, and comfort them wyth thy good deedes, keepe the good lawes of thy realme, take no ſubſidies or releef of thy ſubiects, but vponupon vrgent neceſsitie, and for the profite of thy common wealth, vppon iuſt cauſe, and voluntarily.

73 Let them continually looke vponupon the table of Ptolome Arſacides, which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius found at Thebes, an auncient towne of Aegypt, and was alwayes layde at the kinges beds head, when hee was choſen, and by the ſayde Marcus Aurelius at his death giuen as a ſingular treaſure to his ſonne Comodus. This Table was written in Greeke Characters, and contayned the proteſtations and ſentences following: I neuer exalted the proud rich man, neyther hated the poore man that was iuſt: I neuer denied iuſtice to the poore for his pouertie, neither pardoned the wealthie for his riches: I neuer benefited or gaue rewarde for affection, neither puniſhed vponupon paſsion onelyonly: I neuer ſuffered euill to eſcape vnpuniſhed, neyther goodneſſe vnrewarded: I neuer committed the execution of manifeſt iuſtice to another, neyther determined that which was difficult by my ſelfe alone: I neuer denied iuſtice to him that asked it, neither merciemercy to him that deſerued it: I neuer puniſhed in anger, neither promiſed benefite in mirth: I was neuer careleſſe in proſperitie, neyther faint hearted in aduerſitie: I neuer dyd euill vponupon mallice, neither committed villanie for couetize: I neuer opened my gate to the flatterer, neither gaue eare to the backbiter: I alwais ſought to be loued of the good, and feared of the wicked: laſtly, I alwaies fauoured the poore that was able to doo little, and God, who was able to doo much, fauoured me.

74 To conclude, wee will adde theſe ſhort & excellent ſayinges of Saint Auguſtine,Auguſtine of the degrees of abuſe. Degree 9. wherein he repreſenteth vntounto vsus the duties of princes and magiſtrates. The iuſtice of the king, ſaith he, is, that he doo not wrongfully oppreſſe anie man by his power, that he iudge without acceptance of perſons betweene man and man, that hee bee a defence to the ſtraunger, the fatherleſſe, and the widow, that p. 374he ſuppreſſe theft, puniſh adulterie, exalt not the wicked, maintain no quarrellers or laſciuious perſons, root out the peruerſe, permit no murtherers or periured perſons to liue, that hee vpholde the Church, feed the poore, eſtabliſh iuſt men in publike offices, retaine ancient, wiſe, and diſcreet counſellers, that in anie wiſe hee apply not himſelfe to the ſuperſtitions of deuiners, magitians, and pythonicall ſpirites, that he deferre his diſpleaſure, and defend his Countrie from his enemies with magnanimity and iuſtice, that he repoſe his whole confidence in God, that hee bee not puffed vp in proſperitie, and with patience beare aduerſitie, that hee maintayne the Catholike faith, and ſuffer not anie wickednes in his children, that he allot certaine houres to praier vntounto God, and eate not but in due ſeaſon: for woe be to the earth, where the gouernors doo ariſe early to eate. Theſe things (ſayth Saint Auguſtine) doo miniſter proſperitie in this lyfe, and doo leade the king to a better dominion, euen to the celeſtiall and eternall kingdome. Seeing therfore that our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt exhorteth vsus to amend our liues, let all magiſtrates, examining themſelues by that which hath bin before ſpoken concerning their duties, determine & aduiſe themſelues to amend ſuch faultes as may be in them, that they may imploy themſelues to gouerne theyr ſubiects more and more in vertue, wiſedome, and holyneſſe, to the glorie of God and the benefit and ſaluation of themſelues and their ſayd ſubiects.