Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 1 · Decade 2 · Sermon 5
Of the fift precept of the ſecond table, which is in order the fifte of the tenne Commaundements, touching the honour due to parents.
¶ The fifte Sermon.
NOwe followeth the ſecond table of Gods lawe, which (by the good helpe of Gods holy ſpirite) I will declare as briefly vntounto you, as I hauehave already gone through the firſt. And as the firſt conteined the louelove of God, ſo doth the ſecond teach vsus the charitie due to our neighbour, inſtructing all men what they owe euerie one to his neighbor, and howe we may in this world liue honeſtly, ciuily, and in quiet peace among our ſelues. For our good God woulde hauehave vsus to liue well and quietly. But we, that will not knowe how to liue well, nor yet obey his good commaundements, doe with our ſinnes and iniquities, neuer ceaſe to heap vponupon our own pates, an infinite multitude of miſerable calamities. This table conteineth ſire cōmaundemēts, the firſt whereof is: Honour thy father The fifth …ecept.and thy mother, that thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lord thy God ſhall giuegive thee. Very well and rightly doth the Lorde beginne the ſecond table, with the honoring of our parents. For after our dutie to God, the next is the reuerende louelove that we owe to our parentes, of whome next after God we hauehave our life, and by whom we are from our infancie, brought vp with incredible care and excéeding great labour. Now the very order of nature doth require that the moſt excellent and deareſt things ſhould alwayes hauehave the firſte and chiefeſt place. And that this commaundement may the more eaſily be vnderſtood, I mean to diuide my treatiſe therof into thrée parts. In the firſt whereof, I will declare what degrées and kindes of men are comprehended vnderunder y• name of parents. Secondarily, I will ſearch out what kinde of honour that is, and howe farre it extendeth, which the Lorde commaundeth to giuegive to our parents. And laſtly, I will both touche the promiſe made to godly children, and therevpon coniecture & gather the puniſhment appointed for the vngodly and diſobedient ofſpring. There is none ſo ignoraunt, …hat is … by … name parentsbut knoweth what parents are. The Lord our God hath giuen vsus them for vsus to take of them our beginning of life, that they might nouriſh and bring vsus vp, and that of rude & almoſt brutiſh things, they might make vsus ve…e men. Greater are the good turnes that parents do for their children, greater is the coſt & labour that they beſtowe on them, & greater is the care, grief, & trouble which they take for them, thā any man, how eloquent ſoeuer he be, is able to expreſſe. And here is not the name of the father only, but alſo the name of the mother in expreſſe words ſet downe in the law, leaſt ſhe peraduenture ſhould ſéeme & be contemptible wtout any offence to God, bycauſe of the weaknes of her fraile ſexe. The godly & vertuous mothers, doe feele & abide more pain & grief in the bearing bringing vp, & nouriſhing of their children, than the fathers do. For no ſmal cauſe therfore hauehave we the name of ye mother, preciſely expreſſed in this cō maundemēt. We do alſo comprehend herein the grandfather and grandmother, ye great grandſire & great granddame, & all other like to theſe. In the Our natiue Countrie.ſecond place we do contein eueryevery mās countrie wherin he was borne, which fed, foſtered, adourned, & defended him. Thirdly, we take Princes and Magiſtrates Magiſrates, or Rulers.into the name & title. For the Senators and Princes are in the holy ſcriptures, called the fathers and paſtors of the people. Xenophō was perſuaded, that a good Prince did differ nothing from a good father. Fourthly, ther are to be reckoned vnderunder ye name Gardians, or ouerſeers of fatherleſſe children,of parents thoſe gardians, which are vſually called ouerſéers of fatherleſſe children, or orphans. For they ſupply the place of departed parents, taking vponupon thē the charge & defence of their children, whom they muſt (for that affection ought to be in them) bring vp, defend, & aduance euen as they would do to their owne, & thoſe that they thē ſelues did once beget. Among whome alſo we muſt make account of ſuche maſters and workmen as teach them an Art or occupation. For of thē yong men and ſtriplings learne ſome honeſt ſcience, for eueryevery one to get his liuing honeſtly, and by them they are taught good manners, being thereby, after a certaine ſort, out of rude vnpoliſhed ſtuffe, made perfect ſéemely mē. Fiftly, Miniſters & paſtour… … the C…urch.the miniſters, doctors, & paſtors of the Churches, are taken for parents. whom Paule him ſelfe did call by the name of fathers, not ſo much for the care & louelove wherwith they are affected toward the diſciples & ſhéepe of Chriſt his flocke, as for bicauſe we are by thē through the goſpel begotten in Chriſt. In the ſixte place, we muſt thinke of our couſins and kinſfolkes, brother & Couſins & …ſiſter, nephues and néeces, mother in lawe, and daughter in lawe, father in lawe and ſonne in law, who are by alliance knit together, as the members of the body are faſtned with ſinewes. Finally, in the laſt place, olde folkes & widowes, fatherleſſe children and impotent Aged per…ns or olde folks.weake perſons, muſt be reputed among our parents: whoſe cauſe and tuition, the Lorde hath in more places then one, commended vntounto vsus. So then (my brethren) here ye hauehave hearde who they be that in this firſte precept of the ſecond table, we hauehave to take for our parentes, and who and howe many are comprehended and commended to vsus vnderunder that name: and nowe ſhall ye heare what honour we owe to them, and what the honour is that we ſhuld attribute vntounto them.
To honour, in the ſcriptures is diuerſly To honor what it is.taken, but in this treatiſe it ſignifieth to magnifie, to worſhip, to eſteeme well, and to do reuerence, as to a thing ordeined by god: and alſo to acknowlege to louelove, and to giuegive praiſe as for a benefit receiued at Gods hād, and as for a thing giuen from heauen that is both holy, profitable, and neceſſarie. To honour, is to be dutifull & to obey, & ſo to obey, as if it were to God him ſelf, by whom we knowe that our obedience is cōmaunded, and to whom we are ſure that our ſeruice is acceptable. Otherwiſe we hauehave not in any caſe to obey either our parents or magiſtrates, The honour of God … before.if they thē ſelues ſhall do or elſe cōmaund vsus to do, the things that are wicked and vniuſt. For ſtill the later cōmandements hauehave a relation to thoſe that went before. In the ſecōd cōmaundement we learned, that God wold viſit ye ſinnes of the fathers in ye children, & therfore children ought not to obey their parents, if they cōmaund any thing contrarie to god, or preiudiciall to his lawe. Ionathan obeyed not his father Sauls cōmandement, who charged him to perſecute Dauid: and therfore is he worthily cōmended in ye holy ſcriptures. The thrée cōpanions of Daniel obeyed Nabuchodonoſor in al that he ſayd, they loued him, & reuerenced him as a moſt mightie, puiſſāt, & bountifull king, but ſo ſoone once as he charged them to fall to Idolatrie, they ſet not a button by his cōmaūdement. And S. Peter, who taught vsus yt honor & obedience yt we owe to our parents & magiſtrates, when he was cō maūded by y• princes & fathers of ye people, not to preache Chriſte crucified to ye people any more, did anſwere them, that we ought to obey God more thē men. But what néede I thus to ſtand reckoning vp this, when the Lord him ſelf in one ſhort ſentence, hath knit vp this, & al other like to this? If any man (ſaith he) cōmeth to me, & hateth not his father & mother, his wife, his children, his brethren and ſiſters, yea, and his owne life, he can not be my diſciple. Furthermore, thou doſt honor thy parents, when thou doſt not cōtemptuouſly … thē, vnthankfully neglect … thinke ſcorne of thē, if peraduenture they happen to fal into aduerſitie. Thou honoreſt thy parents, when wt thine help & coūſel, yu aydeſt thē in their old age & vnweildie crookedneſie, when yu eaſeſt thē in time of their neede, or ſuccoureſt thē otherwiſe in any caſe elſe. For yt in déed is ye true and proper honor due to our parents, ye Lord him ſelf bearing witnes thervnto in ye. 15. of Mat. & cōcluding, yt we ought to prouide & hauehave a care for our parents, to ſaue & defend them, & wholy to giuegive our ſelues & hazard our liues in their behalf. And now yt this yt I hauehave ſaid may be more eaſily & euidently vnderſtood, I wil confer & apply this honor to thoſe. 7. ſeueral kinds of mē, which we do cōprehend vnderunder the name of parents, yt thereby eueryevery one may ſée what and how much honor he ought to beſtow vpō his parēts, his cū try, ye magiſtrats therin, & thoſe ſorts of people yt are afore named. Wheras The honour due to parentsof dutie we ought to honor our parēts, yt dutie is paid if we do ſo worſhipfully eſtéeme of thē as to think yt they are giuen to vsus of God to y• end yt we ſhuld reuerence, louelove, & always hauehave an eye to them, although for nothing elſe, yet only for ye Lords ſake, who is and doth thinke him ſelfe deſpiſed, ſo long as we go on to contemne our parents, and to thinke vilely of them. Neither doth it make any matter to vsus, whether they be worthy or vnworthy, whom ye lord cōmaundeth vsus to honor. For be they as they may be, yet notwtſtāding, they did not wtout ye prouidēce of god, chāce to be our parentes, in reſpect of which parentage, the lawgiuer him ſelf will hauehave thē to be honored. Whatſoeuer therfore children ſhal hauehave occaſion to ſpeake to their parents, let it alwayes ſauour of humble reuerence & childely affection: and let thē with ſuch affection & reuerence obey their parents. If they ſéeme to vsus to be ſomwhat bitter & vngentle, yet let vsus wiſely winke at it, & not ſéeme to knowe it, by litle & litle ſtil declining from ye euill, which by force they ſéeme to compell vsus vntounto, & let vsus ſo diſcretely handle ye matter, yt we may giuegive them as ſmal occaſion as may be to be offended at vsus. We hauehave Ionathas y• ſonne of Saul, to be an example to vsus of a godly & obediēt child. He did with great griefe & trouble of mind, behold his fathers madneſſe vponupon Dauid, & wrongful dealing againſt him ſelf, yet did he for ye preſit diſcréetly ſuſtain & wiſely diſſemble it, finding occaſion at another time and in a place cōuenient to tel him of it, he neuer ayded his father in any conceiued miſchief, he claue alway to the iuſt man & righteous cauſes, he bewayled his fathers ſtubborneſſe, & ſought not ouer boldly to reſiſt him and ſtriue againſt him, whē he offered to deale by violēt extremitie with him, but ſaued him ſelf by fléeing away, & yet for all this, he loued his father neuer ye worſe, but praied ſtill to God for his helth & welfare, ſhewing him ſelfe in al things an obedient ſonne to his crabbed father. This verily is ye duetie of a godly ſon. This ought eueryevery one of vsus moſt diligently to folow in doing our dutie and hūble obeiſance vntounto our parēts, how froward or crooked ſoeuer they be. Let none giuegive a rough anſwere ſtubbornly, yea, let none ſo much as mūble an anſwere or mutter againſt his parēts Let none curſe or ſpeake euil of his father or mother, vnleſſe he wil perforce ſéeke ye way & means, to make highe & mightie Gods curſe hang ouer & light vponupon his pate. If haply our parents be poore, if miſhapen in limmes, or otherwiſe diſeaſed with any infirmitie, let none of vsus therfore in mockerie floute at, or diſdaynefully deſpiſe them.
Let vsus not ſhew our ſelues vnthankfull to them, to whome for their good déedes to vsus warde, we are of duetie bound for euer. Let vsus nouriſh, cheariſhe, and ayde them in all their neceſſities: yea, let vsus wholy beſtowe our ſelues and all that we hauehave, to doe them good withall. For all that we poſſeſſe vndoubtedly is theirs: and all that we hauehave, we inioy by them, for if they were not, then ſhould not we be: Let vsus here call to remembrance the charge that the Lorde in Matthe we Math. 15.giueth vsus, touching this commaundement. Let vsus conſider what is ment by the Gentiles, foreign, which is, to requite one good turne with another, and eſpecially, to nouriſhe and cheariſhe them, by whome thou thée ſelfe in thy youth, waſt brought vp and tendered. There is among the Gentiles a lawe extant worthy to be called the miſtreſſe of pietie, whereby it is enacted, that the children ſhould eyther nouriſhe their parents, or elſe lye faſte fettered in pryſon. This lawe many men doe careleſly neglect, which the Storke alone among all lyning creatures doth kéepe moſt preciſely. For other creatures doe harde and ſearcely know or looke vponupon their parents, if peraduenture they néede their ayde to nouriſh them, whereas the Storke doth mutually nouriſhe The Stork he enſign of natural louelove.them being ſtruc…en in age, and beare them on her ſhoulders, when for feebleneſſe they cannot flee.
There are to be ſéene among the The Gen…iles ſen…ences touching ho…ur due …o parentsGentiles, very religious and excellent ſentences, touching the honour due vntounto parents. Iſocrates ſayth. Shew thee ſelf ſuch an one to thy parents, as thou wouldeſt wiſh to hauehave thy children ſhewe them ſelues to thee. Ana…imenes ſayde, He loueth his father exceedingly well, which doth his indeuour to make him ioyfull without any trouble at all. Plato alſo in his lawes thinketh, That he hath a great treaſure in his houſe, whoſoeuer doth nouriſhe at home in his houſe, his father or mother, or any of their parēts in their impotent olde age, and doth ſuppoſe that he needeth no other picture of any of the Gods to reuerence in his houſe, bicauſe he ſhuld turneal his care and diligence to honour his parents. And againe, in another place: Let vsus pay, ſayth he, to our parentes, while they are aliue, the oldeſt, firſte, and greateſt debts, that we owe them, for our being and bringing vp. For eueryevery one muſt thinke, that al which he hath is theirs, who did beget and bring him vp, ſo that according to his abilitie, he muſt ſupply and miniſter to them, al that he doth poſſeſſe: firſt of all, the externall goods of fortune, then of the body, and laſtly, thoſe that do belong vntounto the minde, therby reſtoring all that he borrowed, and recompencing them in their olde age, for al their old cares and griefe ſuſteined for him. It is ſeemely alſo and requiſite that euen in wordes ſo long as we liue, we ſhuld ſhew reuerence vntounto our parentes. For after light and fooliſhe wordes vſed to them, doth commonly come a terrible plague. For before eueryevery man doth Nemeſis (the executrice of iudgment) ſtande, and doth throughly thinke vponupon all their offences. Wee muſt therefore giuegive place to oure Parentes, when they be angrie without a cauſe, or doe what they liſte, whether it bee by worde or deede, knowing alwayes that the father is rightfully angrie with his ſon, though he be angrie for nothing elſe, but by cauſe hee thinkes that his ſonne hath done to him the thing that he ſhould not.
Let vsus therefore erect to oure parents, euen when they be dead, monuments ſeemely for their eſtate whyle they were aliue: which if we ſhal do, then ſhal we, vndoutedly, be worthily rewarded at the hands of the gods. Thus much hath Plato. Saint Hierome ſaith: Pay to mothers the reuerence that ye owe them, who ſeruing you with the paine of their owne The pains … trauails …f Mo…hers in …hildbirth.wombs, doe beare the weight of your bodies, and carrying about the infant vnknowne, do as it were become ſeruants to them that ſhall be borne. At that time the mother hungreth, not to the filling of her owne bellie, neyther doth ſhe alone digeſt and feede vponupon the meate that ſhe eateth. With the mothers meate is the babe nouriſhed that lyeth within her, his members are fed with another bodies eating, ſo that the man that ſhall be, is filled with the morſels that the mother ſwalloweth. What ſhould I rehearſe the nuriſhment that they giuegive to their children, and the ſweete iniuries of way warde infancie, that they take and put vp by meanes of their little ones? Why ſhoulde I ſpeake of the meate digeſted of the mother, whiche comming from the other parts of hir body into hir paps, is turned there into milke and moyſture, to fill the weake and tender iawes, with thinne and liquide foode for nouriſhment? By nature, the infantes are compelled to take of their mothers, that which they drinke, and when as yet their toothleſſe gummes are not able to byte, then doe they with the labouring of their lippes, drawe that from their mothers breaſts that they neede not to chewe. The mothers dugge doth ſerue the childe, and ſtill attendeth vppon the ſwathled babe, her hands to hold, and her back to bend, are readie ſtill to dandle the ſucklings limmes, that ſhe loues full well God wot. The mother deſireth often and earneſtly to hauehave her yongling grow, and wiſheth full many a time to ſee him a man. For theſe ſo many and ſo great good deedes, ought the childe, once come to age, to apply him ſelfe to doe her ſeruice, with a good and readie minde and heart. Let natures debt be paide, let them that followe hauehave their due. Pay childe that which thou oweſt, and ſhewe thy bounden dutie by all manner of ſeruice, what ſoeuer it be. Bycauſe no man is able to pay to his parentes, ſo much as he oweth them. Thus farre out of Hierome.
Now touching the countrie, wherin eueryevery one is borne and brought vp, For the honoring of our Countrieeueryevery man doth wel eſtéeme of it, louelove it, and wiſh to aduance it, eueryevery man doth decke it with his vertue and proweſſe, eueryevery one doth helpe it with all ſortes of benefites, ſtoutly defending it, and valiantly fighting for it, if néede Fighting in defence of our Countrie.be, to ſaue it from violent robbers. What is (I pray you) more to be delighted in, then the good platforme of a well ordered citie, wherin there is (as one did ſay) the church wel grounded, wherein God is rightly worſhipped, and wherein the word of God in faith and charitie is duely obeyed, ſo farre foorth as it pleaſeth God to giuegive the gift of grace? wherein alſo the Magiſtrate doth defende good diſcipline and vpright lawes, wherein the citizens are obedient and at vnitie among thē ſelues, hauing their aſſemblies for true religion and matters of iuſtice, wherein they vſe to hauehave honeſt méetings in the Church, in the Court, and places of common exerciſe, wherein they apply them ſelues to vertue and the ſtudie of learning, ſéeking an honeſt liuing by ſuche ſciences as mans life hath néede of, by tillage, by merchandize, and other handie occupations, wherein children are honeſtly trayned vp, parents recompen…ed for their paines, …he poore mainteined of a…mes, and ſtraungers harboured in their diſtreſſe. There are therefore in this common weale, virgins, married women, children, olde men, matrons, widowes, and fatherleſſe children. If any (by ye naughtie diſpoſition of nature) tranſgreſſe the lawes, they are worthily puniſhed, the guiltleſſe are defended, peace, iuſtice, and ciuilitie doth flouriſh and is vphelde. Now what is he that can abide to beholde ſuch a common weale, the countrey wherein he is borne and bred vp to be troubled, vexed, torne and pulled in péeces, eyther byſeditious citizens or ferreine enimies. In ciuil ſeditions & forreine warres, all vertue and honeſtie is vtterly ouerthrowne, virgins defiled, matrones vnciuily dealt withall, olde men derided, and religion deſtroyed. Wherefore the valiant captain Ioab, being redie to fight againſt the Syrians in defence of his country, ſpeaketh to his brother Abiſai, ſaying: If the Syrians be ſtronger than I, thē ſhalt thou helpe me: but if the ſonnes of Ammon be to ſtrong for thee, then will I come and ayde thee. Be couragious therefore, and let vsus fight luſtily for our people and for the cities of our God. And let the Lorde doe the thing that is good in his owne eyes. Moreouer, Iudas Machabeus, a man among the Iſraelites worthily eſtéemed, and a famous warrier, being ſingularly affected toward his countrie, encouraging his ſouldiers and countrimen againſt their enimies, ſayde: They come vponupon vsus wrongfully in hope of their force, to ſpoile & make hauocke of vsus, with oure wiues and children, but we fight for our liues & libertie of our lawes, and the Lorde will deſtroye them before our faces. The people alſo among them ſelues exhorting one another, doe cry out and ſay. Let vsus take this affliction frō our people, and let vsus fight for our nation and our religion. Let not any man make an obiection here, and ſay: Tuſh theſe are workes pertaining to the lawe, which we that are in the church of Chriſt, hauehave nothing to do withall. For the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaking to the Hebrues, as concerning Chriſtiā faith doth ſay. Theſe through faith did ſubdue kingdomes, wrought righteouſneſſe, Heb. 11 …. Cor. 4were valiaunt in fight, and turned to flight the armies of aliaunts. Now ſince our faith is all one, and the very ſame with theirs, it is lawful for vsus as well as for them, in a rightfull quarell, by warre to defend our coūtrie and religion, our virgins and olde men, our wiues and children, our libertie and poſſeſſions. They are flatly vnnaturall to their countrie and countrimen, and doe tranſgreſſe this fift commaundement, whoſoeuer doe (vnderunder the pretence of religiō) forſake their countrie afflicted with warre, not indeuouring to deliuer it from barbarous ſouldiers and forreine nations, euen by offering their liues to the puſh and pike of preſent death, for the ſafegard therof. Saint Iohn ſaith: By this we knowe his louelove, by cauſe he gaue his life for vsus, and we ought to 1. Iohn. …giuegive our liues for the brethren. The hyred ſouldiers, who fight vnlawfull battels for pay of wages, and ſel their bodies for gréedineſſe of money, ſhall iudge the men that leaue their countrie in perill and daunger. For the one put leſſe of life and limmes in aduenture for gaine of a fewe odde crowns: whereas the other deintie fooles and effeminate hartes, will not hazard the loſſe of a limme for their religion, magiſtrates, wiues, children, and all their poſſeſſions. What I beſéech you, ſhall thoſe traytours to their country ſay in that day, wherein the Lord ſhal reward the louers and the vnnatural traytours of their countrie and countrimen, when before their eyes, they ſhal ſée the Gentiles to excell them in vertue and louelove to their countrie people? Publij Decij, the Father Louers of their Coū trie.and the ſonne, gaue their liues fréely for the ſafegard of the common weale, and died willingly for the louelove of their countrie. Codrus, the naturall and louing king of the Atheniens, when he vnderſtoode by the Oracle of Apollo, that Athens could not be ſaued but by the kings death, and that therefore the enimies had giuen commaundement that no man ſhould wounde the King, this Codrus layd aſide his kinglike furniture, and cloathing him ſelfe in baſe apparell, ruſhed into the thickeſt of his enimies, and foūd the meanes by egging to prouoke one of them perforce to kyll him. The two brethren called Phileni choſe rather to lengthen their countrie with a myle of ground, then to prolong their liues with many dayes, and therefore did they ſuffer them ſelues to be buryed aliue. But what ſuffer we for the health and ſafegarde of our countrie? Hierocles ſayth. Our countrie is as it were a certaine other God, and our firſt and chiefeſt parent. Wherefore he that firſt called our countrie by the name of Patria, did not vnaduiſedly giuegive it that name, but called it ſo in reſpect of the thing whiche it was in déede: for Patria our countrie is deriued of Pater a Father, & hath his ending or termination in the Feminine Gender, thereby declaring, that it taketh the name of both the Parentes. And this reaſon dothe couertly leade vsus to thinke that our countrey, which is but one, ought to be reuereneed and loued as well as both our Parentes, ioyntly knitting them together, to make them equall in honour.
Furthermore, we muſt make our earneſt prayer for the ſafegarde of We muſt pray for our Countrie.oure countrie. Babylon was not the countrie of the Iewes, but yet for bicauſe the Iewes for their ſinnes were baniſhed by God to Babylon for the ſpace of ſeuentie yeares, Babylon was counted to them in ſtéede of their countrie. And therefore ſaith the Prophete Ieremie. Builde vp houſes, and dwell therein, plant gardeines and eate the fruite therof, marrie wiues, and beget ſonnes and daughters, and giuegive them in marryage, that they maye get children. Seeke the peace of that citie to which I doe carrie you, and praye to the Lorde for it, bycauſe your peace and ſafegarde is ioyned with the peace thereof. Chapter twentie and nine. Traytours to their countrie therefore ſinne exceedingly, whome the lawes of the realme doe commaunde for their foule offence, to be hanged and quartered.
Touching the Magiſtrate and his For the honour due to Magiſtrates.office, I nieane to ſpeake of them in another place: ſo much as it is neceſſarily requiſite for this preſent time, Saint Peter vttereth where he ſaith: Feare God, honour the King. Let vsus therefore acknowledge and confeſſe, that the Magiſtrates office is ordeined of God for mens commoditie, and that GOD by the Magiſtrate dothe frankly beſtowe on vsus very many and great commodities.
The péeres do watch for the commō people, if they do rightly diſcharge their office, not ſhewing them ſelues to be deteſtable tyraunts, they iudge the people, they take vp controuerſies, they keepe iuſtice in puniſhing the guiltie, and defending innocentes, and laſtly, they fight for the people. And for the excellencie of their office, which is both the chefeſt and the moſt neceſſarie, God doth attribute to the Magiſtrate the vſe of his owne name, and calleth the princes and Senators of the people, Gods, to the intent that they by the very name ſhoulde be put in minde of their duetie, and that the ſubiects might therby learne to hauehave them in reuerence. God is iuſt, good, righteous, and one which hath no reſpecte of perſons. And ſuch an one ought the good Iudge or Magiſtrate to be. Monkes and Heremites do prayſe their profeſſion and ſolitarie life, extolling it aboue the ſkies: but I think verily, that there is more true vertue in one politique man, who gouerneth the common weale, and doth his dutie truely, than in many thouſandes of of Monkes and Heremites, who hauehave not ſo much as one word expreſſed in the holy Scriptures, for the defence of their vocation and vowed order of liuing: yea, I am aſhamed that I hauehave compared the holy office of Magiſtrates with that kinde of people, in whome there is nothing founde worthy to be compared with them, in ſo muche, as they flée from the labour and ordinaunce that God hath made profitable for their people and countrimen. Truely, if the Prince doe faithfully diſcharge his office in the common weale, he heapeth vp to him ſelf a number of very good works, and prayſe that neuer ſhall be ended. Therefore the Magiſtrate muſt be obeyed, and all his good and vpright lawes. No ſedition or conſpiracies ought in any caſe to be moued againſt him. We muſte not curſe or ſpeake euill of the Magiſtrate. For God him ſelfe in his lawe doth charge vsus, ſaying: Thou ſhalte not ſpeake euill of the Gods, nor curſe the Prince of the people. If he chaunce at any time to ſinne, let vsus behaue ourſelues toward him, as to our father. Of whome I hauehave ſpoken a little before.
It happeneth often times, that Againſt ſeditious rebels.Magiſtrates hauehave a good mynd to promote Religion, to aduaunce common iuſtice, to defende the lawes, and to fauour honeſtie, and yet notwithſtanding, they are troubled with their infirmities, yea, ſometime with grieuous offences: Howbeit, the people ought not therefore to deſpiſe them, & thruſt thē beſide their dignitie. Dauid had his infirmities, albeit (otherwiſe) a very good Prince. By his adulterie, he indamaged much his people & kingdome: and for to make his trouble the more, Abſolon ſinned grieuouſly, & went about to put hym beſide his crowne and kingdome. So likewiſe in other Princes, there are no ſmall number of vices, which neuertheleſſe neither moue nor ought to moue godly people to rebellious ſedition, ſo long as iuſtice is mainteined, & good lawes and publique peace defended. We ought to pray earneſtly and continually for the Magiſtrates welfare. We muſt ayde him with our helpe & counſell, ſo oft as néed ſhal ſerue & occaſiō be giuen. We muſt not deny him our riches or bodies to aſſiſt him with all. The Saints did gather their ſubſtance in common, to helpe the Magiſtrate, ſo oft as publike ſafegard did ſo require. The Iſraelites of all ages, did alwayes fight for their Iudges, for their Kinges, & other Magiſtrates, & ſo did all other people vponupon good aduice taken: and likewiſe on the other ſide, did the Princes fight for the people. I would therefore that thoſe offices of godly naturalnes were of force, and did flouriſh euen at this day in all kingdomes, cities, and cōmon weales. Let eueryevery nation giuegive to his Magiſtrate that whiche by lawe, or by cuſtome, or by neceſſitie it oweth him. For Paule the Apoſtle ſayth: GiueGive to eueryevery one that which ye owe, tribute to whom tribute belongeth, cuſtome to whome cuſtome, feare to whome feare, and honour to whome honour is due. Rom. 13.
Nowe for bycauſe the gardians or The ho…our due … Gardi…ans and maiſters …f occupations.ouerſéers of Orphans, doe ſupply the roome of parents, and execute the offices of deceaſſed parentes to the childrē that remain, they do worthily deſerue to hauehave the reward that is due to parents, whether it be louelove, reuerence, thankes, or obedience. The ſame alſo doe I iudge, touching workmen and maiſters of ſciences, who for the fatherly affection, louelove, goodwill, fayth and diligence ſhewed to their ſcholler or apprentice, ought mutually of their ſchollers to be regarded as a maiſter, to be reuerenced, feared, & hearkened vntounto as a louing father. But in theſe vnhappaie daies of ours, it is abhominable to ſée the negligence of maiſters in teaching their ſchollers, and intollerable to beholde the péeuiſhe rudeneſſe of vntoward ſchollers. Let maiſters therefore learne here to ſhewe …e office … duetie …aſters … ſchol….themſelues to be fathers, not being otherwiſe affected toward their ſchollers, then toward their owne childrē. Let them teache their apprentices their ſcience or occupation, and traine them vp in manners, and all pointes of ciuilitie, with the very ſame care and diligence, that they vſe in bringing vp their owne. On the other ſide, let youths learne to break their naturall ingraffed rudeneſſe, and to bridle their youthful luſtes: let thē learne to be humble and ſubiect, to kéep ſilence, to reuerence, to feare, to louelove, and obey their maiſters. Let them always remember that their maiſters are giuen them of God, and therefore that God is deſpiſed in their contemned maiſters. Let them be diligent, earneſt, and truſtie in their worke. Let them giuegive their maſters cauſe to perceiue their earneſt deſire, and readie good will, that they beare to him, their occupation and principles of their ſcience. Let eueryevery one thinke vponupon, and diligently practiſe in déede, the thing that their maſter teacheth by word of mouth. Let thē not grudge to watch and take paynes. Let not the maſters be grieued, ſo often as they be aſked how to doe a thing, to ſhewe it readily in eueryevery point as it ſhoulde be done. Vnthankfulneſſe and lack of diligence in the ſcholer, doth many times make the maiſter vnwilling and negligent to teache him. Obſerue this, and in the reſt, feare God, and hauehave an eye to ſound religion. When thou arte abroade, come not in companie of blaſphemous and ryotous toſſpots, behaue thy ſelfe honeſtly, prouoke no man to anger, …eſpiſe no man, ſpeak yl by no mā, deſire peace & quietneſſe, honour all men, and ſtriue to doe good to eueryevery one. When thou art at home, helpe forwarde thy maiſters commoditie, do not indamage him nor his affaires, if any man eyther hurt, or doth go about to hinder him, giuegive him warning of it betimes: ſéeke to appeaſe & hide as much as thou canſt, all occaſions of falling out and chidings: what ſoeuer thou heareſt at home, doe not blabbe it abroade, and make no tales at home, of that that thou heareſt abroade. Be ſilent, quiet, chaſte, continent, temperant, truſtie in déedes, true in wordes, and willing to do any honeſt and houſholde buſineſſe. Beware of them by whome euill ſuſpicions and offences may chaunce to ariſe. Doe not ouer boldly dally with thy maiſters wife or daughters, nor yet with his maydens, doe not ſtande familiarly talking with them in ſight, or ſecretly. Imagine thou, (as it is in déede,) that thy maiſters wife is thy mother, his daughters thy ſiſters: whome to defile it is a filthy and villanous offence. Let eueryevery yong man be neat, not naſtie, gentle, iuſt, content with a meane dyet, not licoriſhe lipped, nor deintic toothed. But why ſtay I hereabout ſo long? Let eueryevery yong man be perſuaded and kéepe in memorie, that his duetie is to kéepe him ſelfe chaſte from filthy defilings, to obey and not to rule, to ſerue all men, to learne alwayes, to ſpeake very little, not to bragge of any thing ouer arrogantly, not to aunſwere tip for tap, but to ſuffer much, and winke thereat.
For the honouring of Miniſters of the Churches, which are the Paſtors, The ho…our due …o Miniſters of the Churches.teachers, and fathers of chriſtian people, many thinges are wont to be alledged by them, who couet rather to reigne as Lordes, than to ſerue as miniſters in the Churche of Chriſte. But we which are not of that aſpiring mynde, do acknowledge that they are giuen vsus by the Lorde, and that the Lorde by them doth ſpeake to vsus. I ſpeake here of thoſe miniſters which tell vsus not an headleſſe tale of their owne dreames, but preache to vsus the word of truth. For of them the Lord in the Goſpell ſayth: He that heareth you heareth me: and he that deſpiſeth you deſpiſeth me. Wherefore the miniſterie is of the Lord, and through it he worketh our ſaluation. And therefore muſt we obey the miniſters whiche do rightly execute their office and miniſterie, we muſt thinke well of them, we muſt louelove them, and continually pray for them. And ſince they ſo we to vsus their heauenly things, we muſt not donie them, the reaping of our bodily and temporall things. For 1. Cor. 5. Math. …the labourer is worthy of his reward. And ſince the Romane preſident among the Iewes did not denie it, but ayded the Apoſtle Paule againſt the pretended murther and open wrong Act. 23. … 25.of the Iewiſh nation, a Chriſtian Magiſtrate verily ought not to denie his aſſiſtance and defence, to the godly miniſters of Chriſte and the Churches. Herevnto belong the teſtimonies of Saint Paule, that may be alledged. In the laſt chapter of his firſt Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians, he ſaith: We beſeeche you brethren to knowe them which labour among you, and hauehave the ouerſight of you in the Lord, and admoniſh you, that yee may hauehave thē in reputation through louelove for their worke, and be at peace with them.
Again, to the Hebrues he ſayth: Obey them that hauehave the rule ouer you, and giuegive place vntounto them: for they watch for your ſoules, as they that ſhall giuegive account for them, that they may do it in ioy and not in trembling: for that is profitable for you. For how many and great calamities hauehave falne vponupon kingdomes and peoples, for the contempt of Gods worde and his miniſters? The … temp… the … Gods …many examples can teache vsus, but that eſpecially which in the laſte chapter of the ſecond booke of Chronicles, is ſet downe in theſe words. The Lorde God of their fathers, ſent to them by his meſsingers, riſing vp betimes, and ſending, for hee had compaſsion on his people, and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the meſsingers of God, and deſpiſed his wordes, and ieſted at his Prophetes, vntill the wrath of God aroſe againſt his people, and till there was no remedie.
Like vntounto this are the wordes of the Lorde in the Goſpell, where he ſayth: I ſende vntounto you Prophetes and wiſe men, ſome of whome ye ſhal ſcourge and kyll, that all the righteous bloud may light vponupon you, whiche hath bene ſhead vponupon the earth from the bloud of the righteous Abel, vntounto the bloud of Zacharias the ſonne of Barachias, whom ye ſlue betweene the temple and the altar: and ſo foorth: for the place is knowne to you all (dearely beloued) and is to be ſéene in the. 23. Chapter after S. Mathew. We muſt beware therefore in any caſe, that we doe not deſpiſe God, who ſpeaketh to vsus in his word, by his ſeruants the Prophets.
We owe by the force of this commandement, all louelove, reuerence, help, The honour due to our kinſfolkescomfort, and humanitie, to our kinſfolkes and alliance. In this commandemēt are they condemned, that ſhew them ſelues to be, foreign, that is to ſay, men without all naturall affection and friendly louelove to their owne bloud and kinſfolkes. There is a certaine naturall affection, goodwill, louelove and pitifull mercy (which the Scripture calleth the bowels of mercy) in the father and mother towarde their children, in brother towarde brother, and in couſins toward their kinſſolkes and friends of their aliance. We hauehave notable examples hereof ſet downe in the Scriptures, of Abrahams louelove toward his ſonne Iſaac, and of Ioſephes affection toward his father Iacob, and his brethren, but èſpecially towarde Beniamin his brother by one mother. Mothers and daughters in lawe hauehave a notable example to followe in Noemi and Ruth. Mothers and daughters in lawe (for the moſt part) do beare a deadly hate the one to the other, which is the cauſe of muche miſchiefe in the houſes where they be. Let them learn therfore by this preatie example, how to behaue them ſelues on both parts. Let the mother in lawe thinke the daughter in law to be her own daughter: and let the daughter in lawe honour and reuerēce her mother in law, euen as if ſhe were her owne mother. Many thinges muſt be winked at on both ſides, many things muſt be taken in good part, and many thinges put vp with a quiet mynde. Many thinges muſt be forgiuen, and they muſt both hauehave their eares ſtopped againſt tatling talebearers, and wrongfull ſuſpicions. Concorde in eueryevery houſe is the greateſt treaſure that may be, and diſcord at home, is the moſt perillous and endleſſe miſchiefe that can be inuented. Paule his wordes touching good turnes, and honour to be giuen to our kinſefolkes, are very wel knowne, and extant to be ſéene in the fift Chapter of his firſt Epiſtle to Limothie.
Laſt of all alſo, there is to be found in the worde of God, a peculiar lawe For the honour due to old men.for the honouring of olde men, which biddeth vsus to riſe before the hoary and gray haired head. Olde men therefore are to be honoured, whome we muſt worthily magnifie, and in whom we muſt acknowledge the ſingular grace of God in giuing them long life, and that by long and continuall experience of all thinges, they hauehave attayned to muche witte or wiſedome whereby they are able to helpe vsus with their counſell. They therefore ought to be prayſed, that all may vnderſtand that gray haires are a crown of glory. Moreouer, if aged impotent perſons are driuen into néede, then muſt our aboundance ſupply their neceſſitie. To be ſhort, we muſt not denie to olde men any dutie of humanitie, wherewith we may pleaſure them. In the ſame ſort alſo there are here commended vntounto vsus, widowes, orphans, wardes, poore men, ſtraungers, ſicke and miſerable people. And for that cauſe did the deuout and good men of olde, beſtowe their goods liberally to the refreſhing of olde men, widowes, fatherleſſe children, and poore ſillie creatures. Thoſe goods at Churche goods.this day are called Churche goods, or Eccleſiaſticall contributions: whiche vndoutedly are very wel beſtowed, if they be layde out on them for whome they were giuen. In the Emperours conſtitutions, we may ſée that there were common houſes and ſubſtaunce builded and appointed for all ſorts of néedie people. For there is mention made of houſes for fatherleſſe childrē, of Hoſpitals for olde men, of ſpittles for beggars, of places for ſicke men, and nourceries for children. Among vsus at theſe dayes, there are Hoſpitals and Monaſteries, very many whereof hauehave ſeuerall places appointed for orphans, olde men, poore people, impotent creatures, ſicke perſons, and infants. They therefore doe commit an vnappeaſable offence, whoſoeuer beſtowe to other vſes, the ſubſtance and places ordeined for olde and poore people, and laſh out (they care not howe prodigally in ryot and luſtineſſe) the almes beſtowed vponupon poore ſilly ſouls. And nowe hitherto hauehave I declared howe our parents ought to be honoured, and they which are conteined vnderunder the name of parents.
There is now remaining the third The p… mis … to thoſe that worſhip … parents, … threatninges … their parents.and laſte part of our preſent treatiſe, wherin we hauehave to ſée what God promiſeth to them that honour their parents religiouſly, whereby we hauehave to gather, what perill hangs ouer the heades of them, that wickedly neglect, and irreligiouſly deſpiſe their parents. The Lord in the lawe therefore ſayth: That thy dayes may be long in the lande, which the Lorde thy God ſhall giuegive thee. The meaning of which ſaying is, Honour thy father & thy mother, that thou maiſt for many dayes inioy the poſſeſſion of the lande, whiche thou ſhalt hauehave in teſtimonie of my fauour to thée ward. Theſe wordes doe properly belong to the Iewes: But very well and truly doth a godly miniſter of Chriſte writing vponupon this place, ſay: Bycauſe the whole earth is bleſſed to the faithfull, we do nothing amiſſe, when we reckon this preſent life among the bleſſings of God. Wherefore this promiſe appertaineth as well to vsus as to the Iewes, bycauſe the prolonging of this preſent life, is a teſtimonie of Gods eſpeciall fauour. He promiſeth aſſuredly, to them that do religiouſly honour their parents, in what lande ſoeuer they dwel, al kind of bleſſings, felicitie, and ſtore of temporal things, with a ſwéete prolonging of this preſent lyfe. For Paule interpreting this in the fifte Chapter of his Eipſtle to the Epheſians, ſayth: That it may goe wel with thee, and that thou mayſt liue long vponupon the earth: Meaning any lande whatſoeuer, and promiſing a Temporall bleſſing of the Lorde. We therefore gather herevpon, that the contrarie is threatened and ſet as a penaltie vponupon the heades of thoſe that diſobediētly deſpiſe their parents. By examples and other places of the ſcripture, this ſhall be made more manifeſt. Cham is curſed of his father Noe, for behauing him ſelf vnreuerently towarde him, euen in his drunkenneſſe. Ioſeph is exalted to the chiefeſt dignitie in Egypt, bycauſe from his childhoode he honoured God, and reuerenced his father Iaacob. Solomon in the. 17. Chapter of his Prouerbs, ſayth: Whoſoeuer rewardeth euil for good, euill ſhal not depart frō his houſe. Againe, He that deſpitefully taunteth his father, and deſpiſeth the olde age of his mother, ſhall bee confounded and left in reproch. The ſonne that leaueth to keepe the diſcipline of his father, ſhall thinke of talke of wickedneſſe. Who ſo curſeth his father or mother, his light ſhall be put out, and the balles of his eyes ſhall ſee nought but darkneſſe. For they are monſters and no men, that are vnnaturall toward their parents, and eſpecially they which do not only neglect and deſpiſe thē, but alſo beate and vncurteouſly handle them. Such fellowes doth the Lord commaund to be ſlayne, as people vnworthy to ſée the light, bycauſe they forget and will not acknowledge that by the meanes of their parentes, they came into the world. He that curſeth father or mother, ſayth the Lorde, let him dye the death. And againe, Hee that ſtriketh his father or mother, let him dye the death. There is none of you whiche knoweth not the law, called Lex Pompeia, againſt ſuch as kill their parents. It is not amiſſe here to heare what the Gentile writers ſay, touching this matter. Homer ſayth.
He did not nouriſh as he ſhould his aged parents deare,
Therfore the Gods did frō his youth cut off the iollieſt yeare.
And the auncient Poet Orpheus ſayeth.
God ſits aboue, and ſees the ſonnes that do them ſelues apply
To do their fathers heſts, and thoſe that ſhameleſly deny
Them to obey, and as he doth bleſſe th'one with ſundry gifts,
So for to vexe th'other, he doth deuiſe a thouſand drifts:
For though deſpiſed parents die, yet do their ghoſtes remaine,
And are of force vponupon the earth to put their ſonnes to paine.
Moreouer, the tragicall Poet Euripides hath.
To him, that while he liues doth louelove his parents to obey,
Whether he liue, or elſe do dye, God is a friend alwaye.
And Menander the Comicall Poet ſayth.
The wretch is worſe then mad that wt his parents falles at oddes,
For wiſe men greatly reuerence them and honour them as Goddes.
Virgil alſo among other horrible vices, which are puniſhed in hel, with eternall and vnſpeakable paines, doth ſay.
Here they that did their brethrē hate while life on earth did laſt,
Or beate their parents, &c.
And immediately after,
He did his countrie ſell for golde, and made a tyrant King,
For bribes he made & marde his coū trie lawes and eueryevery thing.
And Horace in his Odes ſayth,
It is a ſweete and ſeemely thing in countries cauſe to dye.
And Silius Italicus hath.
Doubt not of this: forget it not, but keepe it in thy mynd.
It is a deteſtable thing, to ſhew thee ſelfe vnkind
VntoUnto thy natiue countrie ſoyle, for no ſuch ſinne remaines
In hell to be tormented there, with vtter endleſſe paines,
As that: ſo doth experience teache.
Theſe teſtimonies hauehave I cited to this end & purpoſe, that by theſe (dearly beloued) ye may gather the hainouſneſſe of this offence, which the verie Gentiles them ſelues do ſo grieuoſly cry out againſt and vtterly condemn. Caine ſlue his brother Abel, but therby he gat his rewarde, to be marked with a perpetuall blot of ignominie and reproche. Semei did intollerably rayle vponupon Dauid his ordinarie Magiſtrate, and therefore was he puniſhed according to his deſarts. Abſalom rebelled vnnaturally againſt his father Dauid, but being wrapped by the haire to a tree, and hanging betwixt heauen and earth, he is horribly thruſt throughe with a Iauelin. The Lorde called them that ſlue the Prophetes by the name of Adders broode, and ſonnes of the deuill. As for them that hauehave reprochfully dealte with olde men, or troubled widowes, they hauehave not gone vnpuniſhed. For the Lorde in the lawe ſayth. Thou ſhalt not afflict the widowes nor fatherleſſe Exod. 22children: But if ye do go on to afflict them, they ſhal vndoubtedly crie to me, and I will heare them: and my wrath ſhall waxe hote, and I will ſlay you with the ſword, & your wiues ſhalbe widowes, and your childrē fatherleſſe. Thus much hitherto.
Saint Paule alledging this lawe in his Epiſtle to the Epheſians, dothe …pheſ. 5very aptly apply it to our learning and comfort. For he ſayth: Children obey your parents, for this is right, honour thy father and mother (which is the firſt commaundement in promiſe) that thou mayſte proſper and liue long on earth. Fathers, prouoke not your childrē to wrath, but bring them vp in inſtruction and information of the Lord. In theſe wordes he telleth the parentes their duetie, as well as the children.
Thrée thinges he doth require at The d… tie of p… rents to the… ….the hande of the parentes, that is, to bring vp their children, to inſtruct them, and to correct them. For it is the parents office to nouriſh, to feede, and bring them vp, till they be grown to age, that being once diſpatched frō hanging on their parents any longer, they may get their liuings with their owne labour and trauell. It is the parentes office to teache and inſtruct their children. That teaching or inſtructing conſiſteth in three things, in religion, in manners, and ſkil of an occupation.
Nowe touching religion, it hath Childrē to be i… ſtructed relig…certaine principles, rudiments I ſay and Catechiſmes to teach by: Secondarily, it hath the Scriptures ſetting out the word of God, with a full expoſition of all things belonging to God: it hath alſo myſteries, holie ſignes and Sacraments to teache and to learne by. If the houſholder be conuerſant amonge a people whiche honoureth the true religion, and hath receiued the lawfull worſhip of God, with true faythfull and godly Miniſters and teachers of Chriſt his Church, let him giuegive charge and ſée that his children goe to the holy congregation, there to be inſtructed in religiō by the publike preacher. Yet neuertheleſſe, let the father at home examine his children, and know what they hauehave learned by hearing the ſermon. Let both the father and mother alſo at home priuatly doe their indeuour to teache their children the. 10. commaundementes, the Apoſtles Créed, & the Lords prayer, and let them teach thē a briefe and ready rule out of the Scriptures, for the vnderſtanding of the ſacraments. Let them oftē and many times cauſe them to repeate the Catechiſme, and beate into their heads ſuch ſentences as are moſt neceſſarie to put them in memorie of their faith and duetie of Counſel & aduiſe giuen to houſholders in captiuitie.life. But if ſo it be, that the houſholder hauehave his dwelling with a people that perſecuteth the Chriſtian faith and doctrine, which hateth the true and lawfull worſhip of Gods name, & cannot abide the congregation & miniſters of Chriſt: as it hapneth in the Turkiſh captiuities, and troubleſome perſecutions of our days: then ſhal he take héede and kéep him ſelf from idolatrie, neither ſhal he in his owne perſon goe, nor ſuffer his familie to come to thoſe vngodly aſſemblies, but ſhall rather in his owne houſe at home inſtruct them in true religion, firſt in ye Catechiſme, and then in déeper diuinitie. Moreouer, ſo oft as the caſe and neceſſitie ſhal require, he muſt fréely and openly profeſſe Chriſte and his Goſpell. For it is apparantly euident by the Epiſtles of Paule and other hyſtories, that ſuch Churches were in priuate houſes of great cities in the time of the Apoſtles, and thickeſt of thoſe hote and auncient perſecutions. Neyther is it likely that the Iewes in their captiuitie at Babylon, although they lacked the outwarde vſe of ſacrifices, were altogether without all worſhip of God. Although Daniel did not ſacrifice, yet did he at certaine houres in the day time, worſhip God in his owne houſe.
The houſe of Cornelius at Ceſarea was the Church, wherin Peter preached in a very good and eccleſiaſticall aſſemblie or congregation, and he, bycauſe Ioppe had no Church for him to pray in, went vp to the higher part of the houſe to make his prayers there. Neyther is it to be doubted but that the Eunuch of Quéene Candaces nobilitie, of whome mention is made in the Actes of the Apoſtles, did ordeine a Church in Aethiopia. And let them be perſuaded, whiche are without the publique and lawefull vſe of the Sacramentes, that that ſhall not be imputed to their default, whiche is committed, not by them but by anothers offence. For euen in ſuch a caſe can the Lorde worke well by his ſpirite, in the myndes of his people. But whereas by the grace of God, libertie is giuen for the congregation to aſſemble, and to heare the frée, ſincere, and true preaching of the Goſpell, and laſtly, to celebrate the Sacraments, there muſt thoſe priuate and domeſticall Churches be broaken vp and come to an end: not for bycauſe the houſe of a godly houſholder is not, nor remaineth ſtill a Church, but for bycauſe the hearing of Gods worde, prayer, and the celebrating of the Sacramentes, ought to be publique and common to all the Saints. For thoſe aſſemblies by ſtealth, which the Anabaptiſtes vſe, and all other ſectaries, are bothe worthily and vtterly condemned.
And now let vsus heare the teſtimonies Precepts on the in…tructi… of … & ….of Scripture, which commaund all houſholders to inſtruct holily their familie in the true religion, and to declare to their children the meaning of the Sacramentes. Moſes in the ſixte of Deuter. ſayth:
Heare Iſraell the Lorde our God is Lord only: Therfore ſhalt thou louelove the Lord thy God, with all thy hart, with all thy ſoule, and with all thy might. And theſe wordes whiche I commaund thee this day, ſhall be in thy heart. And thou ſhalt ſhew them vntounto thy children, and ſhalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine houſe, and as thou walkeſt by the way, and when thou lieſt downe, and when thou riſeſt vp. And thou ſhalte bind them for a ſigne vponupon thy hand, and they ſhall be as frontlets betwene thine eyes. And againe, When thy ſonne asketh thee in time to come, ſaying: what meane theſe teſtimonies, ordinaunces, and lawes, whiche the Lord our God hath commaunded vsus? Then thou ſhalte ſay vntounto thy ſonne, we were Pharaoes bondmen in Egypt, and the Lorde brought vsus out with a mightie hande, and ſhewed ſignes and mightie wonders before oure eyes, and brought vsus out from thence and gaue vsus all theſe preceptes and ſtatutes to doe and to feare the Lord our God. Herevnto belongeth a great part of the. 78. Pſalme. And in the. 13. of Exodus, the Lord doth ſay againe: Sanctifie to me all the firſte borne, And when thy ſonne ſhal aske thee in time to come, ſaying: what is this? Thou ſhalt ſay to him, The Lord ſlue all the firſt borne of Egypt, and therefore I ſacrifice vntounto the Lord all the males that open the matrice. Alſo in the. 12. Chapter, God, or Moſes in Gods name, expounding the myſterie or ſacrament of the Paſſeouer, ſayde: When your childrē aske you ſaying, what manner of ſeruice is this that ye do? ye ſhal ſay, It is the ſacrifice of the Lords Paſſeouer, which paſſed ouer the houſes of the childrē of Iſrael. &c. Theſe teſtimonies are ſufficiently euident and néed no further expoſition. I will nowe therefore adde to theſe the other things which parents hauehave to teach their children.The chi… muſt be taught manners.
Let the father inſtruct his children in manners. We all from our byrth are clowniſh & rude, & all childrē hauehave vnſéemly and vnciuil manners: which euill is made double as much by euill cuſtome and clowniſh company. Let the parents therefore teach their children manners betimes, which may adorne them at home, and become thē abroad. Let him inſtruct him, how to behaue him ſelf decently in his going, and geſture of his body, howe in the Church, how in the market, howe at the table, howe in mens companies, and in all other places of companie. There are excellent preatie bookes ſet out for that purpoſe, ſo that I néede not ſtande to diſcuſſe to you the particularities thereof.
Laſtly, let the father place his children Childr… muſt … an occupation.with expert and cunning workmen, to teach them ſome handie craft whereby to get their liuing another daye. But firſte, hée muſte make tryall of their wits, to ſée wherevnto eueryevery one is beſt apt, and wherein he doth moſt delight. For, cunning will neuer be come by, where good will is wanting in him that muſt learne it. If thou haſt any fit for learning, thou ſhalt do a good and godly déede, to train them vp to the miniſterie of the churche, or ſome other office that ſtandeth by learning. But of all other, thoſe parents are to be founde faulte withall, that bring vp their children in lazie idleneſſe. For although there be left vntounto them huge heapes of treaſure, yet in thrée or foure odde houres, al may be waſted and come to nought. Wherevnto then ſhall your deintie idle Gentleman truſte, what ſhall hee do, when there is nothing left but his bare carkaſſe yt is a lumpe of clay not good for any thing? The inhabiters of Maſſilia would not admit any into the number of citizens, but ſuch as had learned an occupation to liue by. For to a citie there is no greater a plague, than an vnprofitable citizen. But who I pray you may be thought to be a worſe citizen than hée, that being accuſtomed to eaſe, and delicatenes, and of a ſoudeine by ſome miſhap, or elſe by prodigall riottouſnes being depriued of them both, and driuen to extreme pouertie, is compelled, perforce to ſéeke out vnlawfull ſhiftes to get more wealth againe? Furthermore they of old had a Prouerbe worthy to be remēbred of vsus at this time, Euerie lande mainteyneth Arte. By this ſētence they meant that learning and ſcience, is the ſureſt preparation for eueryevery iourney. For they cannot be taken away by theeues, but whether ſoeuer thou goeſt, they beare thée company, and are no burthen for thee to beare. If therefore miſhappe doe ſpoyle thy children of the wealth that thou leaueſt them, if thou haſt taught them an occupation, it is enough for them to liue by. Kings are depriued of their princelike dignitie, and put beſyde their excéeding riches, ſo that it is no meruayle though kinges inferiours be ſpoyled of their wealth, & baniſhed their countries. Dionyſius of Syracuſe is reported for his tyrānie to hauehave bene thruſt beſide his ſeate. But hauing loſt his kingdome he departed to Corinth, where he ſet vp a ſchole, & taught children their Grammar and Muſicke, wherby in that neceſſitie he got his lyuing. Hée had béene hard beſted verilie, & in a miſerable taking, if he had neuer learned any thing, but had ſettled his hope vppon dignitie and riches, vaine hope had bene his deſtruction. For hée had died in extreme beggarie. Thus much touching the bringing vp of childrē in learning, or knowledge of ſome occupation.
I hauehave in that which is behinde, to ſpeake ſomewhat touching the correction Of correction.of thoſe that are cōteined vnderunder the name of children. This correction conſiſteth partly in words, and partly in ſtripes. In both, there muſt be had a middlemeane and meaſure, that nothing be done outragiouſly. Let not the admonition, yt is giuen in words, be bitterer than the fault deſerues. Let it nippe for the time preſent, but being paſt, let it beſpoken off no more. Continuall chiding bréedes contempt. Thou ſhalt finde ſome children alſo, with whom gentle dealing wil ſomewhat preuayle. And vnleſſe thou doe ſometime prayſe them, & ſpeake well of that which they doe, although peraduenture, not ſo well done as thou wouldeſt require, thou ſhalt perceiue that …ter deſperation wil take away hope and courage cleane from them. I thincke it not good with too heuie a burden to ouer awe ſuch children as are willing to beare. Stripes muſt not be beſtowed but for ſome great offence, and that too, not in the fathers anger but moderately, not to marre but to amend them. Let the parents alwayes remēber yt golden ſaying of S. Paul: Fathers prouoke not your children to anger. For the beſt witts are hurt by too much rigorouſnes. Salomon, wher he ſpeaketh of moderate correction, ſayth: The rod and correction giueth wiſedom, but the childe that runneth at randon bringeth his mother to ſhame. Againe, chaſtiſe thy ſonne and thou ſhalt be at quiet, and he ſhal bring pleaſure vntounto thy ſoule. Theſe woords of his do vtterly condemne y• fathers cockering, & the mothers pāpering, which is the marring Cockering of children.of very many children. For the parēts offend God as much in to much cockering their children, as they do in ouer much puniſhing of them. Heli in the ſcriptures is ill reported of for doating ouer his childrē, he himſelf dieth miſerablie, & bringeth the ſhameleſſe wicked knaues his ſonnes, to a ſhamefull ending. What is to be thought of that moreouer yt in the 21. of Deut. the parents themſelues are comaunded to bring their diſobedient children before the iudge, & there, by complaint to ſue them to death? By this exāple, which may otherwiſe ſéeme to be ſomewhat to ſharpe, it pleaſed God to put other men in remēbrance to kepe their children in awe & obedience. For God is a god of ſaluation & not of deſtructiō, ſo yt when diſobedient rebels & godles people periſh through their own default, he turneth yt deſtructiō of theirs to the ſafegard of his obedient ſeruants. Let parents therefore alwaies remember this ſaying in the goſpell: It is not the wil of your heauēly father that one of theſe litle ones ſhold periſh. Whoſoeuer offēdeth ſuch an one, it were better for him that a milſtone were hanged about his necke, and that he were drowned in the deapth of the ſea.
Now touching ye dutie of children I The dutie of childrē.hauehave ſpokē of it before in yt place wher I taught how & after what ſort parēts ought to be honoured. Paul as it were in one word knitteth vp much matter and ſaith: Children obey your parents in the Lord. He telleth ye reaſon whie. For that (ſaith he) is righteous. And againe he addeth the cauſe ſaying, For God hath comaunded it. Let children therefore conſider & thincke vppon the nightly watchings, & continual labour yt their parents toke in bringing them vp, and let them learne to be thankful for it, & content with their preſent eſtate: when their parents inſtruct thē, let them learne attentiuely, and ſhew themſelues like to godly Iacob, rather than to godleſſe Eſau. Let them learn to accuſtome thēſelues to good & honeſt maners. Let them willingly learn the art or occupation whereunto they are ſet. Let them yeld & ſubmit thēſelues to their parents correction. Let them not ſtirre vp or prouoke their parents to anger. Let them chooſe to learn wit and obey their parents of their owne mind & accord, rather than to be driuē to it by beating and brawling. If parents at their departure leaue litle behind them for their children to inherit let not ye good children therfore ſpeake ill by ye dead. If thy father hath taught thée any art or occupation, he leaueth for thée a ſufficient inheritance. Thriftines alſo & moderate ſpēding, is a very great reuenue. If thy father hath wel and honeſtly taught thée good maners, and trayned thée vp in the true wiſedome & perfect religion, then hath he bequeathed thée a patrimonie ſufficient for to mainteyne thée. For what elſe are excéeding great riches left to a foole or irreligious fellow, but a ſword in a madde mans hand? Thou art left wealthie enough by thy fathers legacie, if that yu art godly, painful, heedful & honeſt. For goods gotten by ye ſweat of our own browes, do for ye moſt part cōtinue longer, & proſper better wt vsus, then thoſe which other leaue vntounto vsus. We hauehave again (derely beloued) ſpent an houre and an half in handling this matter touching the honour due vntounto parents, I hauehave ſtayed you longer thā of right I ſhold hauehave done, but ye ſhal impute it to the louelove and good will I beare to the matter. I am not ignorāt how neceſſarie this argument is, almoſt to all men: and therefore ſtick I the longer vppon it. For I indeuour mee ſelf not onelyonly to teach you things profitable and neceſſarie, but alſo to beate them into your memories ſo much as I may, to the end that ye neuer forget them. God graunt you all a fruitefull increaſe of his holy word, which is the ſéede that is ſowen in your harts. Let vsus pray. &c.