Mandments, Touching the Honour Due to Parents. The Fifth Sermon
Now followeth the second table of God’s law, which (by the help of God’s Holy Spirit) I will declare as briefly unto you as I have already gone through the first. And as the first contained the love of God, so doth the second teach us the charity due to our neighbour; instructing all men what they owe every one to his neighbour, and how we may in this world live honestly, civilly, and in quiet peace among ourselves. For our good God would have us to live well and quietly. But we that will not know how to live well, nor yet obey his good commandments, do with our sins and iniquities never cease to heap upon our own pates an infinite multitude of miserable calamities.
This table containeth six commandments; the first whereof is, “Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.” Very well and rightly doth the Lord begin the second table with the honouring of our parents. For after our duty to God, the next is the reverent love that we owe to our parents, of whom, next after God, we have our life, and by whom we are from our infancy brought up with incredible care and exceeding great labour. Now the very order of nature doth require, that the most excellent and dearest things should always have the first and chiefest place.
And that this commandment may the more easily be un-
derstood, I mean to divide my treatise thereof into three parts: In the first whereof I will declare what degrees and kinds of men are comprehended under the name of parents: secondarily, I will search out what kind of honour that is, and how far it extendeth, which the Lord commandeth to give to our parents: and lastly, I will both touch the promise made to godly children, and thereupon conjecture and gather the punishment appointed for the ungodly and disobedient offspring. tn There is none so ignorant but knoweth what parents are. The Lord our God hath given us them for us to take of them our beginning of life, that they might nourish and bring us up, and that of rude and almost brutish things they might make us very men. Greater are the good turns that parents do for their children, greater is the cost and labour that they bestow on them, and greater is the care, grief, and trouble which they take for them, than any man, however eloquent soever he be, is able to express. And here is not the name of the father only, but also the name of the mother in express words set down in the law, lest she peradventure should seem and be contemptible without any offence to God, because of the weakness of her frail sex. The godly and virtuous mothers do feel and abide more pain and grief in the bearing, bringing up, and nourishing of their children, than the fathers do. For no small cause therefore have we the name of the mother precisely expressed in this commandment. We do also comprehend herein the grandfather and grandmother, the great grandsire and great granddame, and all other like to these. In the second place we do contain every man’s country wherein he was born, which fed, fostered, adorned, and defended him. Thirdly, we take princes and magistrates into the name and title: for the senators and princes are in the holy scriptures called the fathers and pastors of the people!. Xenophon was persuaded, that a good prince did differ nothing from a good father? Fourthly, there are to be reckoned under the name of parents those guardians, which are usually called overseers of fatherless children or orphans: for they supply the place of departed parents, taking upon them the charge and defence
[1 2 Kings v. 13; Isai. xxii. 21, and xliv. 28; Jer. xii. 10, and xxv.]
[34 Micah v. 5.] [2 Ἀλλὰ πολλάκις μὲν δὴ, ὦ ἄνδρες, kai ἄλλοτε κατενόησα, ὅτι ἄρχων]
[ἀγαθὸς οὐδὲν διαφέρει πατρὸς ἀγαθοῦ. ---- ΚΘ ΠΟΡΉ. Cyrop. Lib. vir]]
of their children, whom they must (for that affection ought to be in them) bring up, defend, and advance, even as they would do to their own and those that they themselves did once beget. Among whom also we must make account of such masters and workmen, as teach them an art or occupation: for of them young men and striplings learn some honest science, for every one to get his living honestly; and by them they are taught good manners, being thereby, after a certain sort, out of rude unpolished stuff made perfect seemly men. Fifthly,
the ministers, doctors, and pastors of the churches, are taken for parents, whom Paul himself did call by the name of fathers, not so much for the care and love wherewith they are affected toward the disciples and sheep of Christ his flock, as for because we are by them through the gospel begotten in Christ. In the sixth place, we must think of our cousins and kinsfolks, brother and sister, nephews and nieces, mother-inlaw and daughter-in-law, father-in-law and son-in-law, who are by alliance knit together3, as the members of the body are fastened with sinews. Finally, in the last place, old
folks and widows, fatherless children and impotent weak persons, must be reputed among our parents: whose cause and tuition the Lord hath in more places than one commended unto us. So then, my brethren, here ye have heard who they be, that in this first precept of the second table we have to take for our parents, and who and how many are comprehended and commended to us under that name: and now shall ye hear what honour we owe to them, and what the honour is that we should attribute unto them.
To honour, in the scriptures, is diversely taken; but in this treatise it signifieth to magnify, to worship, to esteem well, and to do reverence as to a thing ordained by God; and also to acknowledge, to love, and to give praise as for a benefit received at God’s hand, and as for a thing given from heaven, that is both holy, profitable, and necessary. To honour is to be dutiful and to obey; and so to obey, as if it were to God himself, by whom we know that our obedience is commanded, and to whom we are sure that our service is acceptable. Otherwise we have not in any cause to obey either our parents or magistrates, if they themselves shall do, or elsc command us to do, the things that are wicked and
[3 conservantur, Lat.; omitted
unjust. For still the latter commandments have a relation to those that went before. In the second commandment we learned, that God would visit the sins of the fathers in the children; and therefore children ought not to obey their parents, if they command anything contrary to God, or prejudicial to his law. Jonathan obeyed not his father Saul’s commandment, who charged him to persecute David: and therefore is he worthily commended in the holy scriptures. The three companions of Daniel obeyed Nabuchodonosor in all that he said, they loved him, and reverenced him as a most mighty, puissant, and bountiful king; but, so soon once as he charged them to fall to idolatry, they set not a button by his commandment!. And St Peter, who taught us the honour and obedience that we owe to our parents and magistrates, when he was commanded by the princes and fathers of the people not to preach Christ crucified to the people any more, did answer them, that “we ought to obey God more than men2” But what need I thus to stand reckoning up this, when the Lord himself in one short sentence hath knit up this, and all other like to this? “If any man,” saith he, cometh to me, and hateth not his father and mother, his wife, his children, his brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Furthermore, thou dost honour thy parents, when thou dost not contemptuously despise them, unthankfully neglect them, nor shamefully think scorn of them, if peradventure they happen to fall into adversity. Thou honourest thy parents, when with thine help and counsel thou aidest them in their old age and unwieldy crookedness?; when thou easest them in time of their need, or succourest them otherwise in any case else. For that indeed is the true and proper honour due to our parents, the Lord himself bearing witness thereunto in the 15th of Matthew, and concluding that we ought to provide and have a care for our parents, to save and defend them, and wholly to give ourselves and hazard our lives in their behalf.
And now, that this that I have said may be more easily and evidently understood, I will confer and apply this honour to those seven several kinds of men which we do comprehend
[1 tantum non contempserunt, Lat. Dan. i. and iii.] [2 Acts v. 29.] [3 Luke xiv. 26.] [4 confectos diuturna state, Lat. ]]
under the name of parents; that thereby every one may see what, and how much, honour he ought to bestow upon his parents, his country, the magistrates therein, and those sorts of people that are afore named.
Whereas of duty we ought to honour our parents, that duty is paid, if we do so worshipfully esteem of them, as to think that they are given to us of God to the end that we should reverence, love, and always have an eye to them, although for nothing else, yet only for the Lord’s sake; who is and doth think himself despised, so long as we go on to contemn our parents and to think vilely of them. Neither doth it make any matter to us, whether they be worthy or unworthy, whom the Lord commandeth us to honour. For be they as they may be, yet notwithstanding they did not, without the providence of God, chance to be our parents; in respect of which parentage the lawgiver himself will have them to be honoured. Whatsoever therefore children shall have occasion to speak to their parents, let it always savour of humble reverence and childly affection; and let them with such affection and reverence obey their parents. If they seem to us to be somewhat bitter and ungentle, yet let us wisely wink at, and not seem to know it, by little and little still declining from the evil, which by force they seem to compel us unto; and let us so discreetly handle the matter, that we may give them as small occasion as may be to be offended at us. We have Jonathas, the son of Saul, to be an example to us of a godly and obedient child. He did with great grief and trouble of mind behold his father’s madness upon David, and wrongful dealing against himself; yet did he for that present discreetly sustain and wisely dissemble it, finding occasion at another time, and in a place convenient, to tell him of it: he never aided his father in any conceived mischief; he clave alway to the just man and righteous causes; he bewailed his father’s stubbornness, and sought not over boldly to resist him and strive against him, when he offered to deal by violent extremity with him, but saved himself by flying away; and yet, for all this, he loved his father never the worse, but prayed still to God for his health and welfare, shewing himself in all things an obedient son to his crabbed father. This verily is the duty of a godly son. This ought every one of us most diligently to follow, in doing our duty and humble obeisance unto our parents, how froward
or crooked soever they be. Let none give a rough answer stubbornly; yea, let none so much as mumble an answer or mutter against his parents. Let none curse, or speak evil of, his father or mother, unless he will perforce seek the way and means to make the high and mighty! God’s curse hang over and light upon his pate. If haply our parents be poor, if misshapen in limbs, or otherwise diseased with any infirmity; let none of us therefore in mockery flout at or disdainfully despise them. Let us not shew ourselves unthankful to them, to whom, for their good deeds to us-ward, we are of duty bound for ever. Let us nourish, cherish, and aid them in all their necessities: yea, let us wholly bestow ourselves, and all that we have, to do them good withal. For all that we possess undoubtedly is theirs; and all that we have we enjoy by them; for if they were not, then should not we be.
Let us here call to remembrance the charge that the Lord, in Matthew, giveth us touching this commandment? Let us consider what is meant by the Gentiles’ ἀντιπελαργεῖν 5, which is, to requite one good turn with another; and especially to nourish and cherish them, by whom thou thyself in thy youth wast brought up, and tendered. There is, among the Gentiles, a law extant, worthy to be called the mistress of piety, whereby it is enacted, that the children should either nourish their parents, or else lie fast fettered in prison. This law many men do carelessly neglect, which the stork alone, among all living creatures, doth keep most precisely. For other creatures do hard and scarcely know or look upon their parents, if peradventure they need their aid to nourish the them; whereas the stork doth mutually nourish them, being love.
[1 justissimi, Lat.]
[2 Inspiciatur cap. 15, Lat.; omitted. ]
[2 ἀντιπελαργέω, to cherish in turn. Liddell and Scott’s Greek and Eng. Lex. 2nd ed. Oxf. 1845, from πελαργός. a stork. Metaphora a ciconiis, quae parentes senio jam confectos nutrire, et fessos ad terga recipere, dicuntur ab Aristotl. Scapula. in voc. See also, Calvin. Opp. ed. Amstel. Tom. 1. p. 496, and Tom. 11. p. 608. Early Writings of Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. page 359, and Erasm. Adag. Chil. p. 282. Han. 1617.]
[ ut cum liberi parentes setate fessos vicissim alunt foventque, Lat.; omitted: as when children requite their aged parents by nourishing and cherishing them. ]
[5 See Potter’s Archaeol. Gree. Book 1. chap. 26. Vol. 1. p. 181. Lond. 1813.)
stricken in age, and bear them on her shoulders, when for feebleness they cannot fly.
There are to be seen among the Gentiles very religious and excellent sentences touching the honour due unto parents. Isocrates saith: Shew thyself such an one to thy parents, as thou wouldest wish to have thy children shew themselves to thee.” Anaximenes said: “He loveth his father exceedingly well, which doth his endeavour to make him joyful without any trouble at 8117. Plato also, in his Laws, thinketh, that “he hath a great treasure in his house, whosoever doth nourish at home in his house his father or mother, or any of their parents, in their impotent old age;” and doth suppose that he needeth “no other picture of any of the gods to reverence in his house, because he should turn all his care and diligence to honour his parents.” And again, in another place: “Let us pay,” saith he, “to our parents, while they are alive, the oldest, first, and greatest debts, that we owe them for our being and bringing up. For every one must think, that all which he hath is theirs, who did beget and bring him up; so that, according to his ability, he must supply and minister to them all that he doth possess: first of all, the external goods of fortune; then, of the body; and lastly, those that do belong unto the mind; thereby restoring all that he borrowed, and recompensing them in their old age for all their old cares and grief sustained for him. It is seemly also and requisite, that even in words, so long as we live, we should shew reverence unto our parents: for after light and foolish words used to them doth commonly come a terrible plague. For before every man doth Nemesis (the executrice of judgment) stand, and doth throughly think upon all their offences. We must therefore give place to our
[6 Τοιοῦτος γίγνου περὶ τοὺς γονεῖς, οἵους av εὔξαιο περὶ σεαυτὸν]
[γενεσθαι τοὺς σεαυτοῦ waidas.—Isocrat. Orat. ad Demonicum. ap. Stobeei]
[Floril. ed. Gaisford. Oxon. 1822. Vol. mr. p. 113.] [7 Οὗτος yap μάλιστα πάντων φιλοπάτωρ ἐστὶν, ὅστις ζητεῖ OC οὗ]
[μηδὲν λυπήσας τὸν πατέρα πλεῖστ αὐτὸν εὐφράναιτ av.—Anaximenes,]
[1014.] [8 Πατὴρ οὖν ὅτῳ καὶ μήτηρ ἢ τούτων πατέρες ἢ μητέρες ἐν οἰκίᾳ κεῖνται]
[κειμήλιοι ἀπειρηκότες γήρᾳ, μηδεὶς διανοηθήτω ποτὲ ἄγαλμα αὑτῷ, τοιοῦ-]
[τον ἐφέστιον ἵδρυμα ἐν οἰκίᾳ ἔχων, μᾶλλον κύριον ἔσεσθαι ἐὰν δὴ κατὰ]
[τρόπον γε ὀρθῶς αὐτὸ θεραπεύῃ ὁ kekrnuévos.—Plato de Legib. Lib.]
[XI. et ap. Stobai Floril. ubi supra. ] 18 [BULLINGER. ]]
ΜΝ 214 THE SECOND DECADE. [sERM. parents, when they be angry without a cause, or do what they list, whether it be by word or deed; knowing always, that the father is rightfully angry with his son, though he be angry for nothing else but because he thinks that his son hath done to him the thing that he should not. Let us, therefore, erect to our parents, even when they be dead, monuments seemly for their estate while they were alive: which if we shall do, then shall we undoubtedly be worthily rewarded at the hands of the gods.” Thus much hath Plato. δύ Hierome saith: “Pay to mothers the reverence that ye owe them, who, serving you with the pain of their own wombs, do bear the weight of your bodies; and, carrying about the infant unknown, do, as it were, become servants to them that shall be born. At that time the mother hungereth, not to the filling of her own belly, neither doth she alone digest and feed upon the meat that she eateth: with the mother’s meat 1s the babe nourished that lieth within her; his members are fed with another body’s eating; so that the man that shall be is filled with the morsels that the mother swalloweth. What should I rehearse the nourishment that they give to their children, and the sweet injuries of wayward infancy, that they take and put up by means of their little ones? Why should I speak of the meat digested of the mother, which, coming from the other parts of her body into
[1 Τονέων δὲ pera ταῦτα τιμαὶ ζώντων, ὡς θέμις ὀφείλοντα ἀποτίνειν]
[τὰ πρῶτά τε καὶ μέγιστα ὀφειλήματα, χρεῶν πάντων πρεσβύτατα νομί-]
[ζειν δὲ, ἃ κέκτηται καὶ ἔχει, πάντα εἶναι τῶν γεννησάντων καὶ θρεψαμέ-]
[νων πρὸς τὸ παρέχειν αὐτὰ εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν ἐκείνοις κατὰ δύναμιν πᾶσαν,]
[ἀρχόμενον ἀπὸ τῆς οὐσίας, δεύτερα τὰ τοῦ σώματος, τρίτα τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς,]
[ἀποτίνοντα δανείσματα ἐπιμελείας τε καὶ ὑπερπονούντων ὠδῖνας παλαιὰς]
[ἐπὶ νέοις δανεισθείσας, ἀποδιδόντα δὲ παλαιοῖς ἐν τῷ γήρᾳ σφόδρα κε-]
[χρημένοις. Tapa δὲ πάντα τὸν βίον ἔχειν τε καὶ ἐσχηκέναι χρὴ πρὸς αὑτοῦ]
[γονέας εὐφημίαν διαφερόντως, διότι κούφων καὶ πτηνῶν λόγων βαρυτάτη]
[ζημία πᾶσι γὰρ ἐπίσκοπος τοῖς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐτάχθη Δίκης Νέμεσις]
[ἄγγελος. Θυμουμένοις τε οὖν ὑπείκειν δεῖ καὶ ἀποπιμπλᾶσι τὸν θυμὸν,]
[ἐάν τ᾽ ἐν λόγοις ἐάν T ἐν ἔργοις δρῶσι τὸ τοιοῦτον, ξυγγιγνώσκοντα ὡς]
[εἰκότως μάλιστα πατὴρ υἱεῖ δοξάζων ἀδικεῖσθαι θυμοῖτ᾽ ἂν διαφερόντως.]
[Τελευτησάντων δὲ γονέων ταφὴ μὲν ἡ σωφρονεστάτη καλλίστη, μήθ᾽]
[ὑπεραίροντα τῶν εἰθισμένων ὄγκων μήτ ἐλλείποντα ὧν οἱ προπάτορες]
[τοὺς ἑαυτῶν γεννήτας ἐτίθεσαν.. Ταῦτ᾽ ἂν ποιοῦντες καὶ κατὰ ταῦτα]
[ζῶντες ἑκάστοτε ἕκαστοι τὴν ἀξίαν ἂν παρὰ θεῶν καὶ ὅσοι κρείττονες]
[ἡμῶν κομιζοίμεθα.---- ῬΙαίο de Legib. Lib. 1v. et ap. Stobai Floril.]
[Vol. m1. p. 116.]]
her paps, is turned there into milk and moisture, to fill the weak and tender jaws with thin and liquid food for nourishment? By nature the infants are compelled to take of their mothers that which they drink; and when as yet their toothless gums are not able to bite, then do they with the labouring of their lips draw that from their mother’s breasts that they need not to chew. The mother’s dug doth serve the child, and still attendeth upon the swathled babe; her hands to hold, and her back to bend, are ready still to dandle the suckling’s limbs, that she loves full well, God wot. The mother desireth often and earnestly to have her youngling grow, and wisheth full many a time to see him a man. For these so many and so great good deeds ought the child, once come to age, to apply himself to do her service with a good and ready mind and heart. Let nature’s debt be paid; let them that follow have their due. Pay, child, that which thou owest, and shew thy bounden duty by all manner of service, whatsoever it be; because no man is able to pay to his parents so much as he oweth them?” Thus far out of Hierome.
Now touching the country wherein every one is born and brought up; every man doth well esteem of it, love it, and
[2 Matribus quoque debitam impendite reverentiam, que, vobis]
[uteri labore servientes, pondus vestri corporis tolerant; atque ignotam]
[portantes infantiam, famulatum quendam exhibent nascituris. Illo]
[tempore non sibi tantum mater esurit, nec acceptos sola digerit cibos.]
[Materno victu alitur et ille qui latet, ejusque membra alterius comes-]
[tione pascuntur; ut homo futurus alienis morsibus saturetur. Quid]
[ipsa memorem nutrimenta, et tenerze infantie dulces injurias, quas]
[nutritoris affectus de suis parvulis sumit? Quid cibos in matre con-]
[fectos, qui foemineis manantes ex membris lacteum solvuntur in succum,]
[et fauces invalidas liquido sapore perfundunt? Cogente natura su-]
[munt infantes de matre quod bibant, et dente non nato hoc sibi curren-]
[tibus labris eliciunt, quod non sit necesse mordere. Serviunt materna]
[posteris pectora, serviunt ipsis incunabulis, manus et terga membris]
[devota lactentium gratos artus accipiunt. Optat mater parvulum]
[crescere; optat cito videre majorem… His tot tantisque praeceden-]
[tibus factis—matri tota debet alacritate serviri. Reddatur natura]
[debitum; reddatur et posteris quod debetur. Exsolve, fili, quod]
[debes, et officia debita qualicunque exhibe famulatu, quia parentibus]
[nemo potest reddere quod debetur.—Hieron. Opp. Par. 1706. Tom.]
[v. p. 97. Epist. de Honorandis Parentibus. The Benedictine editors]
[consider that this treatise is not Jerome’s. ] 18—2]
in wish to advance it; every man doth deck it with his virtue and prowess; every one doth help it with all sorts of benefits, stoutly defending it, and valiantly fighting for it, if need be, to save it from violent robbers. What is, I pray you, more to be delighted in, than the good platform of a well ordered city, wherein there is (as one did say) the church well grounded; wherein God is rightly worshipped; and wherein the word of God in faith and charity is duly obeyed, so far forth as it pleaseth God to give the gift of grace; wherein also the magistrate doth defend good discipline and upright laws; wherein the citizens are obedient and at unity among themselves, having their assemblies for true religion and matters of justice; wherein they use to have honest meetings in the church, in the court, and places of common exercise; wherein they apply themselves to virtue and the study of learning, seeking an honest living by such sciences as man’s life hath need of, by tillage, by merchandise, and other handy occupations; wherein children are honestly trained up, parents recompensed for their pains, the poor maintained of alms, and strangers harboured in their distress? -There are therefore in this commonweal virgins, married women, children, old men, matrons, widows, and fatherless children. If any (by the naughty disposition of nature) transgress the laws, they are worthily punished; the guiltless are defended; peace, justice, and civility doth flourish, and is upheld. Now what is he, that can abide to behold! such a commonweal, the country where he is born and bred up, to be troubled, vexed, torn, and pulled in pieces, either by seditious citizens or foreign enemies? In civil seditions and foreign wars all virtue and honesty is utterly overthrown, virgins defiled, matrons uncivilly dealt withal, old men derided, and religion destroyed. Wherefore the valiant captain Joab, being ready to fight against the Syrians in defence of his country, speaketh to his brother Abisai, saying: “ΠῚ the Syrians be stronger than I, then shalt thou help me; but if the sons of Ammon be too strong for thee, then will I come and aid thee. Be courageous therefore, and let us fight lustily for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do the thing that is good in his own eyes” Moreover Judas Machabeus,
[1 zquis et patientibus oculis videat, Lat.] [2 2 Sam. x. 11, 12.]]
a man among the Israelites worthily esteemed, and a famous warrior, and singularly affected toward his country, encouraging his soldiers and countrymen against their enemies, said: “They come upon us wrongfully in hope of their force, to spoil and make havoc of us, with our wives and children; but we fight for our lives and liberty of our laws, and the Lord will destroy them before our faces.” The people also among themselves, exhorting one another, do cry out and say: “Let us take this affliction from our people, and let us fight for our nation and our religion?”
Let not any man make an objection here, and say: “Tush, these are works pertaining to the law, which we, that are of the church of Christ, have nothing to do withal.” For the apostle Paul, speaking to the Hebrews, as concerning christian faith, doth say: These through faith did subdue kingdoms, wrought righteousness, were valiant in fight, and turned to flight the armies of aliants.” Now, since our faith is all one, and the very same with theirs, it is lawful for us, as well as for them, in a rightful quarrel by war to defend our country and religion, our virgins and old men, our wives and children, our liberty and possessions. They are flatly unnatural to their country and countrymen, and do transgress this fifth commandment, whosoever do (under the pretence of religion) forsake their country afflicted with war, not endeavouring to deliver it from barbarous soldiers and foreign nations, even by offering their lives to the push and prick of present death for the safeguard thereof. St John saith: “By this we know his love, because he gave his life for us; and we ought to give our lives for the brethren.” The hired soldiers, who fight unlawful battles for pay of wages, and sell their bodies for greediness of money, shall judge the men that leave their country in peril and danger. For the one put loss of life and limbs in adventure for gain of a few odd crowns; whereas the other dainty fools and effeminate
[3 1 Mace. iii. 20—22, 43.] [ Hebr. xi. 33, 34.) [6 “In 1549, he (Bullinger) by his influence hindered the Swiss]
[from renewing their league with Henry II. of France, representing to]
[them, that it was neither just nor lawful for a man to suffer himself to]
[be hired to shed another man’s blood, from whom himself had never]
[received any injury.”— Chalmers’ Biogr. Dict. Vol. vir. p. 280.]]
hearts will not hazard the loss of a limb for their religion, magistrates, wives, children, and all their possessions. What, I beseech you, shall those traitors to their country say in that day, wherein the Lord shall reward the lovers and the unnatural traitors of their country and countrymen; when before their eyes they shall see the Gentiles to excel them in virtue and love to their country-people!? Publi Decii, the father and the son, gave their lives freely for the safeguard of the commonweal, and died willingly for the love of their country? Codrus, the natural and loving king of the Athenians, when he understood by the oracle of Apollo that Athens could not be saved but by the king’s death, and that therefore the enemies had given commandment that no man should wound the king; this Codrus laid aside his kinglike furniture, and, clothing himself in base apparel, rushed into the thickest of his enemies, and found the means by egging to provoke one of them perforce to kill him3. The two brethren, called Phileni, chose rather to lengthen their country with a mile of ground than to prolong their lives with many days; and therefore did they suffer themselves to be buried alive. But what suffer we for the health and safeguard of our country? Hierocles saith: Our country is as it were a certain other god, and our first and chiefest parent. Wherefore he, that first called our country by the name of patria, did not unadvisedly give it that name, but called it so in respect of the thing which it was indeed; for patria, our country,’ is derived of pater, ‘a father, and hath his ending or termination in the feminine gender, thereby declaring, that it taketh the name of both the parents. And this reason doth covertly lead us to think that our country, which is but one, ought to be reverenced and loved as well as both our parents, jointly knitting them together, to make them equal in honour?.”
[[! Curtius Romanus adolescens nobilissimus in hiatum fori ingen-]
[tem sese preecipitem dedit, ut sua morte spontanea servaret patriam,]
[Lat.; omitted by the translator. Curtius, a most noble Roman youth,]
[cast himself headlong into a vast gulph in the forum, that by his]
[voluntary death he might preserve his country.—Liy. Lib. vir. cap. 6.] [2 Liv. Lib. vir. cap. 9, and Lib. x. cap. 28.] [8 Justin. Lib. 1. cap. 6. Vell. Patercul. Hist. Rom. Lib. 1. cap. 2.]
[Valer. Max. Lib. v. cap. 6.] [4 Sallust. de Bell. Jug. p. 333. Lugd. Bat. 1654.] [6 Ἔστι yap ὡσανεὶ δεύτερός τις θεὸς αὕτη (i.e. ἡ πατρὶς) νὴ Ala,]
Furthermore, we must make our earnest prayer for the pray safeguard of our country. Babylon was not the country of the Jews; but yet, for because the Jews for their sins were banished by God to Babylon for the space of seventy years, Babylon was counted to them instead of their country. And therefore saith the prophet Jeremy: Build up houses, and dwell therein; plant gardens, and eat the fruit thereof; marry wives, and beget sons and daughters, and give them in marriage, that they may get children. Seek the peace of that city to which I do carry you, and pray to the Lord for it; because your peace and safeguard is joined to the peace thereof.” Chapter twenty and nine. Traitors to their country therefore sin exceedingly, whom the laws of the realm do command for their foul offence to be hanged and quartered.
Touching the magistrate and his office, I mean to speak of them in another place: so much as it is necessarily requisite for this present time St Peter uttereth, where he saith, “Fear God, honour the king6.” Let us therefore acknowledge and confess, that the magistrate’s office is ordained of God for men’s commodity, and that God by the magistrate doth frankly bestow on us very many and great commodities. The peers? do watch for the common people, if they do rightly discharge their office, not shewing themselves to be detestable tyrants; they judge the people, they take up controversies, they keep justice in punishing the guilty and defending innocents, and, lastly, they fight for the people. And for the excellency of their office, which is both the chiefest and the most necessary, God doth attribute to the magistrate the use of his own name, and calleth the princes and senators of the people gods? to the intent that they by the very name should be put in mind of their duty, and that the subjects might thereby learn to have them in reverence. God is just, good, righteous, and one which hath no respect of persons: and such an one
[πρῶτος kai μείζων γονεύς παρ ὃ δὴ kal ὁ τοὔνομα τῷ πράγματι τιθέ-]
[μενος οὐκ ἀνεντρεχὲς ἔθετο, παρασχηματίσας μὲν τῷ πατρὶ, θηλυκῶς δ᾽]
[ἐξενεγκὼν, ἵν᾿ οἷον μίγμα τυγχάνοι, τῆς τε τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τῆς μητρώας.]
[Καὶ δὴ οὗτος μὲν ὁ λόγος ὑπαγορεύει πατρίδα τιμᾷν, ἐπίσης τοῖς δυσὶ]
[γονεῦσι τὴν piav.—Hierocles ap. Stobaei Floril. ed. Gaisford. Vol. π.]
[pp. 75, 76.] (6 1 Pet. ii. 17.] [7 principes, Lat.] [8 Psal. Ixxxii. 1, 6; John x. 34, 35.]]
ought the good judge or magistrate to be. Monks and heremites! do praise their profession or solitary life, extolling it above the skies; but I think verily, that there is more true virtue in one politic man, who governeth the commonweal and doth his duty truly, than in many thousands of monks and heremites!, who have not so much as one word expressed in the holy scriptures for the defence of their vocation and vowed order of living: yea, I am ashamed that I have compared the holy office of magistrates with that kind of people, in whom there is nothing found worthy to be compared with them, insomuch as they fly from the labour and ordinance that God hath made profitable for their people and countrymen. Truly, if the prince do faithfully discharge his office in the commonweal, he heapeth up to himself a number of very good works and praise that never shall be ended. Therefore the magistrate must be obeyed, and all his good and upright laws. No sedition or conspiracies ought in any case to be moved against him. We must not curse or speak evil of the magistrate. For God himself in his law doth charge us, saying: Thou shalt not speak evil of the gods, nor curse the prince of the people2” If he chance at any time to sin, let us behave ourselves toward him as to our father; of whom I have spoken little before.
It happeneth oftentimes, that magistrates have a good mind to promote religion, to advance common justice, to defend the laws, and to favour honesty; and yet notwithstanding, they are troubled with their infirmities, yea, sometime with grievous offences: howbeit, the people ought not therefore to despise them and thrust them beside their dignity. David had his infirmities, albeit otherwise a very good prince. By his adultery he endamaged much his people and kingdom: and, for to make his trouble the more, Absolon sinned grievously?, and went about to put him beside his crown and kingdom. So likewise in other princes there are no small number of vices, which nevertheless neither move nor ought to move godly people to rebellious sedition, so long as justice is maintained and good laws and public peace defended.
[1 Anachoretee, Lat.] [2 Ex. xxii. 28.] [85 Peccavit tamen graviter Absolon, qui, &ec., Lat. Yet Absalom]
[sinned, &c.]]
We ought to pray earnestly and continually for the magistrate’s welfare. We must aid him with our help and counsel, so oft as need shall serve and occasion be given. We must not deny him our riches or bodies to assist him withal. The saints did gather their substance in common to help the magistrate, so oft as public safeguard did so require. The Israelites of all ages did always fight for their judges, for their kings and other magistrates; and so did all other people upon good advice taken: and likewise, on the other side, did the princes fight for the people. I would therefore that those offices of godly naturalness were of force and did flourish even at this day in all kingdoms, cities, and commonweals. Let every nation give to his magistrate that which by law, or by custom, or by necessity, it oweth him. For Paul the apostle saith: “Give to every one that which ye owe; tribute to whom tribute belongeth, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, and honour to whom honour is due.” Rom. xiii.
Now, for because the guardians or overseers of orphans do supply the room of parents, and execute the offices of deceased parents to the children that remain, they do worthily deserve to have the reward that is due to parents, whether it be love, reverence, thanks, or obedience. The same also do I judge touching workmen and masters of sciences, who, for the fatherly affection, love, good-will, faith, and diligence shewed to their scholar or apprentice, ought mutually of their scholars to be regarded as a master; to be reverenced, feared, and hearkened unto, as a loving father. But in these unhappy days of ours it is abominable to see the negligence of masters in teaching their scholars, and intolerable to behold the peevish rudeness of untoward scholars. Let masters therefore learn here to shew themselves to be fathers, not being otherwise affected toward their scholars than toward their own children. Let them teach their apprentices their science or occupation, and train them up in manners and all points of civility, with the very same care and diligence that they use in bringing up their own. On the other side, let youths learn to break their natural ingraffed rudeness, and to bridle their youthful lusts; let them learn to be humble and subject, to keep silence, to reverence, to fear, to love, and obey their masters. Let them always remember, that their
masters are given them of God, and therefore that God is despised in their contemned masters. Let them be diligent, earnest, and trusty in their work. Let them give their masters cause to perceive their earnest desire and ready good-will, that they bear to him, their occupation, and principles of their science. Let every one think upon, and diligently practise indeed, the things that their master teacheth by word of mouth. Let them not grudge to watch and take pains. Let not the masters be grieved, so often as they be asked how to do a thing, to shew it readily in every point as it should be donel. Unthankfulness and lack of diligence in the scholar doth many times make the master unwilling and negligent to teach him. Observe this, and, in the rest, fear God, and have an eye to sound religion. When thou art abroad, come not in company of blasphemous and riotous toss-pots?; behave thyself honestly, provoke no man to anger, despise no man, speak ill of no man, desire peace and quietness, honour all men, and strive to do good to every one. When thou art at home, help forward thy master’s commodity; do not endamage him nor his affairs; if any man either hurt, or doth go about to hinder him, give him warning of it betimes; seek to appease, and hide as much as thou canst, all occasions of falling out and chidings; whatsoever thou hearest at home, do not blab it abroad, and make no tales at home of that that thou hearest abroad. Be silent, quiet3, chaste, continent, temperant, trusty in deeds, true in words, and willing to do any honest and household business. Beware of them by whom evil suspicions and offences may chance to arise. Do not over-boldly dally with thy master’s wife or daughters, nor yet with his maidens; do not stand familiarly talking with them in sight or secretly. Imagine thou (as it is indeed) that thy master’s wife is thy mother, his daughters thy sisters; whom to defile, it is a filthy and villanous offence. Let every young man be neat, not nasty; gentle, just, content with a mean diet, not licorice-lipped nor
[[! The translator seems here to have missed Bullinger’s meaning.]
[The Latin is: Sit gratus fideliter docenti magistro, ut seepius roganti]
[de modo agendi dignetur fideliter indicare omnia. Bullinger still]
[declares the duty of the apprentice to his master, and not of the]
[masters to their apprentices. ] [2 luxuriosorum, Lat. ] [3 pacificus, justus, Lat.]]
dainty-toothed4. But why stay I hereabout so long? Let every young man be persuaded and keep in memory, that his duty is to keep himself chaste from filthy defilings, to obey and not to rule, to serve all men, to learn always, to speak very little, not to brag of any thing over arrogantly, not to answer tip for tap but to suffer much and wink thereat.
For the honouring of ministers of the churches, which are the pastors, teachers, and fathers of christian people, many things are wont to be alleged by them who covet rather to reign as lords, than to serve as ministers, in the church of Christ. But we, which are not of that aspiring mind, do acknowledge, that they are given us by the Lord, and that the Lord by them doth speak to us. I speak here of those ministers which tell us not a headless tale of their own dreams, but preach to us the word of truth: for of them the Lord in the gospel saith, “He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me.” Wherefore the ministery is of the Lord, and through it he worketh our salvation. And therefore must we obey the ministers which do rightly execute their office and ministery; we must think well of them; we must love them and continually pray for them; and since they sow to us their heavenly things, we must not deny them the reaping of our bodily and temporal things. For the labourer is worthy of his reward.” And since the Roman president among the Jews did not deny it, but aided the apostle Paul against the pretended murder and open wrong of the Jewish nation; a christian magistrate, verily, ought not to deny his assistance and defence to the godly ministers of Christ and the churches. Hereunto belong the testimonies of St Paul, that may be alleged. In the last chapter of his first epistle to the Thessalonians he saith: “We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and have the oversight of you in the Lord, and admonish you; that ye may have them
[[ non palato delicato et moroso, Lat.] [> non responsare, Lat. Shakspeare has tap for tap. King Henry]
[IV. Part 2. Act IL. Scene 1.—Tip, to strike lightly. Wilson’s Dict. ] [6 qui non sua nobis adferunt somnia, Lat. ] [7 Luke x. 16.] [8 conceptum, Lat.]]
in reputation through love for their work, and be at peace with them!” Again, to the Hebrews he saith: Obey them that have the rule over you, and give place unto them; for they watch for your souls, as they that shall give account for them, that they may do it in joy, and not in trembling; for that is unprofitable for you?” For how many and great calamities have fallen upon kingdoms and peoples for the contempt of God’s word and his ministers, many examples can teach us; but that especially, which in the last chapter of the second book of Chronicles is set down in these words: “The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; for he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and jested at his prophets, until the wrath of God arose against his people, and till there was no remedy.”
Like unto this are the words of the Lord in the gospel, where he saith: “I send unto you prophets and wise men, some of whom ye shall scourge and kill, that all the righteous blood may light upon you, which hath been shed upon the earth; from the blood of the righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar;” and so forth: for the place is known to you all, dearly beloved, and is to be seen in the twenty-third chapter after St Matthew. We must beware therefore, in any case, that we do not despise God, who speaketh to us in his word by his servants the prophets.
We owe, by the force of this commandment, all love,
reverence, help, comfort, and humanity to our kinsfolks and alliance. In this commandment? are they condemned that shew themselves to be ἄστοργοι“, that is to say, men without all natural affection and friendly love to their own blood and kinsfolks. There is a certain natural affection, good-will, love, and pitiful mercy (which the scripture calleth the “bowels of
[[ chap. v. 12, 13. pacem habete cum illis, Lat., Erasmus’ version.]
[“And be at peace with them,” Tyndale’s Test. 1525, and Cranmer,]
[1539.] [2 Hebr. xiii. 17] [3 sicut et Apostolicis seriptis, Lat.; omitted by the translator. As]
[also in the Apostolical writings. ] [4 Rom. i. 31.]]
mercy 5) in the father and mother toward their children, in brother toward brother, and in cousins toward kinsfolks and friends of their alliance. We have notable examples hereof set down in the scriptures, of Abraham’s love toward his son Isaac, and of Joseph’s affection toward his father Jacob and his brethren, but especially toward Benjamin his brother by one mother. Mothers and daughters-in-law have a notable example to follow in Noemi and Ruth. Mothers and daughters-in-law (for the most part) do bear a deadly hate the one to the other, which is the cause of much mischief in the houses where they be. Let them learn therefore by this pretty example how to behave themselves on both parts. Let the mother-in-law think the daughter-in-law to be her own daughter; and let the daughter-in-law honour and reverence her mother-in-law, even as if she were her own mother. Many things must be winked at on both sides, many things must be taken in good part, and many things put up with a quiet mind. Many things must be forgiven; and they must both have their ears stopped against tattling tale-bearers and wrongful suspicions. Concord in every house is the greatest treasure that may be, and discord at home is the most perilous and endless mischief that can be invented. Paul his words, touching good turns and honour to be given to our kinsfolks, are very well known, and extant to be seen in the fifth chapter of his first epistle to Timothy.
Last of all also, there is to be found in the word of God a peculiar law for the honouring of old men, which biddeth us to rise before the hoary and grey-haired head’. Old men therefore are to be honoured, whom we must worthily magnify, and in whom we must acknowledge the singular grace of God in giving them long life, and that by long and continual experience of all things they have attained to much wit or wisdom, whereby they are able to help us with their counsel. They therefore ought to be praised, that all men may understand 8, that grey hairs are a crown of glory? Moreover, if aged impotent persons are driven into need, then must our abundance supply their necessity. To be short, we must not
[5 quee scriptura viscera vocat, Lat. See Gen. xliii. 30; 1 Kings]
[iii. 26; 2 Cor. vii. 15, marg.] [6 lepido exemplo, Lat. ] [7 Levit. xix. 32.] [8 et praedicent, Lat.; omitted. ] [9 Prov. xvi. 31.]]
deny to old men any duty of humanity wherewith we may pleasure them. In the same sort, also, there are here commended unto us widows, orphans, wards, poor men, strangers, sick and miserable people. And for that cause did the devout and good men of old bestow their goods liberally to the refreshing of old men, widows, fatherless children, and poor silly! creatures. Those goods at this day are called church
goods, or ecclesiastical contributions?: which, undoubtedly, are very well bestowed, if they be laid out on them for whom they were given. In the emperor’s constitutions we may see that there were common houses and substance builded and appointed for all sorts of needy people: for there is mention made of houses for fatherless children, of hospitals for old men, of spittles for beggars, of places for sick men, and nurseries for children3. Among us, at these days, there are hospitals and monasteries?, very many whereof have several places appointed for orphans, old men, poor people, impotent creatures, sick persons, and infants. They therefore do commit an unappeasable offence, whosoever bestow to other uses the substance and places ordained for old and poor people, and lash out (they care not how prodigally) in riot and lustiness the alms bestowed upon poor silly souls.
And now hitherto have I declared how our parents ought to be honoured, and they which are contained under the name of parents.
There is now remaining the third and last part of our present treatise, wherein we have to see what God promiseth to them that honour their parents religiously; whereby we have to gather, what peril hangs over the heads of them that wickedly neglect and irreligiously despise their parents. The Lord in the law therefore saith: That thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.” The meaning of which saying is: Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest for many days enjoy the possession of the land which thou shalt have in testimony of my favour
[1 silly, i. e. weak.] [2 facultates ecclesiasticee, Lat. ] {3 Orphanotrophiorum, Gerontocomiorum, Ptochotrophiorum, No-]
[socomiorum, et Brephotrophiorum, Lat. See also Bucer’s Script.]
[Anglic. de Regno Christi, p. 82. Basil. 1577. These are often men-]
[tioned in Novell. Justinian. ] [ Ceenobia et Hospitalia, Lat. ]]
to thee-ward. These words do properly belong to the Jews. But very well and truly doth a godly minister of Christ, writing upon this place, say: “Because the whole earth is blessed to the faithful, we do nothing amiss, when we reckon this present life among the blessings of God. Wherefore this promise appertaineth as well to us as to the Jews, because the prolonging of this present life is a testimony of God’s especial favours.” He promiseth assuredly to them that do religiously honour their parents, in what land soever they dwell, all kind of blessings, felicity, and store of temporal things, with a sweet prolonging of this present life. For Paul, interpreting this in the sixth chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians, saith: “That it may go well with thee, and that thou mayest live long upon the earth:” meaning any land whatsoever, and promising a temporal blessing of the Lord.
We therefore gather hereupon, that the contrary is threatened and set as a penalty upon the heads of those that disobediently 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 behaving himself unreverently toward him, even in his drunkenness. Joseph is exalted to the chiefest dignity in Egypt, because from his childhood he honoured God and reverenced his father Jacob. Solomon, in the seventeenth chapter of his Proverbs, saith: “Whosoever rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.” Again: “He that despitefully taunteth his father, and despiseth the old age of his mother, shall be confounded and left in reproach.” “The son that leaveth to keep the discipline of his father, shall think of talk of wickedness.” Whoso curseth his father or mother, his light shall be put out, and the balls of his eyes shall see nought but darkness.” For they are monsters and no men, that are unnatural toward their parents; and especially they which do not only neglect and despise them, but also beat and uncourteously handle them. Such fellows doth the Lord command to be slain, as
[6 Quia tota terra fidelibus benedicta est, preesentem vitam inter]
[Dei benedictiones merito reponimus. Quare ad nos similiter spectat]
[ἰδίῳ promissio, quatenus scilicet divine benevolentice documentum]
[nobis est preesentis vitee duratio.—Calvin. Instit. Lib. 11 cap. 8. 37.]
[Tom. 1x. p. 101. Amst. 1667.] [6 Gen. ix. 25.]]
unworthy to see the light, because they that by the means of their the world. He that curseth father Lord, “let him die the death.”
his father or mother, let him is none of you which knoweth not the against such as kill their parents. hear what the gentile writers Homer saith: He did not nourish as he should His aged parents dear; Therefore the gods did from his Cut off the jolliest years. ancient poet Orpheus saith: God sits above, and sees the sons That do themselves apply To do their fathers’ hests, and those That shamelessly deny Them to obey; and as he doth Bless th one with sundry gifts, So, for to vex the other, he doth Devise a thousand drifts: For though despised parents die, Yet do their ghosts remain, And are of force upon the earth, To put their sons to pain.
[1 Ex. xxi. 15, 17.]]
[2 Lex Pompeia de Parricidiis; passed in the time of Cn. Pom-]
[peius: “He who killed a father or mother, grandfather or grandmo-]
[ther, was whipped till he bled, sewn up in a sack with a dog, cock,]
[viper, and ape, and thrown into the sea,” &c.—See Smith’s Dict.]
[of Gr. and Rom. Antiquities, 286, a. P.; and Early Writings of]
[Bp. Hooper, Parker Soc. ed. p. 368.]]
[3 οὐδὲ τοκεῦσι]
[θρέπτρα φίλοις ἀπέδωκε, μινυνθάδιος δέ οἱ αἰὼν]
[ἔπλεθ᾽. Hom. Il. Lib. xvir. 801. P.]]
[4 Ζεὺς δ᾽ ἐφορᾷ γονέων ὁπόσοι τίουσι θέμιστας,]
[ἠδ᾽ ὅσοι οὐκ ἀλέγουσιν ἀναιδέα θυμὸν ἔχοντες.]
[καὶ τοῖς μὲν πρόφρων τε καὶ ἤπιος ἐσθλὰ δίδωσι,]
[τοῖς δὲ κακὰ φρονέων νεμεσίζεται ἐμμενὲς ἀεί”]
[δειναὶ γὰρ κατὰ γαῖαν ἐριννύες εἰσὶ τοκήων.]
[Orpheus ap. Stobzei Floril. ed. Gaisford. Vol. ur. pp. 111, 112.]]
the tragical poet, Euripides, To him, that while he lives doth His parents to obey, Whether he live, or else do die, God is a friend alway?. Menander, the comical poet, The wretch is worse than mad, His parents falls at odds6: For wise men greatly reverence And honour them as gods’. also, among other horrible vices hell with eternal and unspeakable Here they that did their brethren While life on earth did last, Or beat their parents, &ec.
after
He did his country sell for gold, And made a tyrant king; For bribes he made and marr’d try’s laws and every thing 8. Horace in his Odes saith: It is a sweet and seemly thing, In country’s cause to die?. Silius Italicus hath: Doubt not of this; forget it not, But keep it in thy mind: It is a detestable thing To shew thyself unkind
[6 Δίκας γραφόμενος πρὸς γονεῖς μαίνῃ, Tahav.—Menand. ap. Sto-]
[beei Floril. Vol. mr. p. 112.]]
[7 Θεοὶ μέγιστοι τοῖς φρονοῦσιν oi yoveis—Menand. Sentent. Mo-]
[ral. Lugd. 1817.]]
[3 Hie, quibus invisi fratres, dum vita manebat,]
[Pulsatusve parens, &c.]
[Vendidit hic auro patriam, dominumque potentem]
[Imposuit, fixit leges pretio atque refixit. Virg. An. νι. 608, 9, 21, 22.]]
[9 Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. Hor. Od. Lib. mr 2, 13.] 19]
Unto thy native country soil; for no such sin remains in hell to be tormented there with utter endless pains, as that: so doth experience teachl
These testimonies have I cited to this end and purpose, that by these, dearly beloved, ye may gather the heinousness of this offence, which the very Gentiles themselves do so grievously cry out against and utterly condemn. Cain slew his brother Abel, but thereby he gat his reward; to be marked with a perpetual blot of ignominy and reproach. Semei did intolerably rail upon David, his ordinary magistrate; and therefore was he punished according to his deserts2. Absalom rebelled unnaturally against his father David; but, being wrapped by the hair to a tree, and hanging betwixt heaven and earth, he is horribly thrust through with a javelin The Lord called them that slew the prophets by the name of adders’ brood and sons of the devil As for them that have reproachfully dealt with old men, or troubled widows, they have not gone unpunished. For the Lord in the law saith: Thou shalt not afflict the widows nor fatherless children: but if ye do go on to afflict them, they shall undoubtedly cry to me, and I will hear them; and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will slay you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.” Thus much hitherto.
St Paul, alleging this law in his epistle to the Ephesians, doth very aptly apply it to our learning and comfort. For he saith: Children, obey your parents, for this is right; honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment in promise, that thou mayest prosper and live long on earth, Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but
[Jamque hoc (ne dubites) longeevi, nate, parentis Accipe, et @terno fixum sub pectore serva: Succensere nefas patrie; nec foedior ulla Culpa sub extremas fertur mortalibus umbras. Sic docuere senes. Sil. Ital. Punic. Lib. vir. 553.] [2 2 Sam, xvi. 5—8; 1 Kings ii. 8, 9, 36—46.] [3 2 Sam. xv. and xviii. 14.] [4 Matt. xxiii. 33; John viii. 38—44.]]
bring them up in instruction and information of the Lord.” In these words he telleth the parents their duty, as well as the children. Three things he doth require at the hand of the parents; that is, to bring up their children, to instruct them, and to correct them. For it is the parents’ office to nourish, to feed, and bring them up, till they be grown to age, that, being once dispatched from hanging on their parents any longer, they may get their livings with their own labour and travail. It is the parents’ office to teach and instruct their children. That teaching or instructing consisteth in three things,—in religion, in manners, and skill of an occupation.
Now touching religion, it hath certain principles, rudiments, I say, and catechisms to teach by: secondly, it hath the scriptures setting out the word of God, with a full exposition of all things belonging to God: it hath also mysteries, holy signs and sacraments, to teach and to learn by. If the householder be conversant among a people which honoureth the true religion, and hath received the lawful worship of God, with true, faithful, and godly ministers and teachers of Christ his church, let him give charge and see that his children go to the holy congregation, there to be instructed in religion by the public preacher. Yet nevertheless, let the father at home examine his children, and know what they have learned by hearing the sermon. Let both the father and mother also at home privately do their endeavour to teach their children the ten commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Lord’s prayer; and let them teach them a brief and ready rule out of the scriptures for the understanding of the sacraments. Let them often and many times cause them to repeat the catechism, and beat into their heads such sentences as are most necessary to put them in memory of their faith and duty of life. But if so it be, that the
householder have his dwelling with a people that persecuteth the christian faith and doctrine, which hateth the true and lawful worship of God’s name, and cannot abide the congregation and ministers of Christ, (as it happeneth in the Turkish captivities and troublesome persecutions of our days;) then shall he take heed and keep himself from idolatry: neither shall he in his own person go, nor suffer his family to come, 19—2
to those ungodly assemblies, but shall rather in his own house at home instruct them in true religion, first in the catechism, and then in deeper divinity. Moreover, so oft as the case and necessity shall require, he must freely and openly profess Christ and his gospel. For it is apparently evident by the epistles of Paul and other histories, that such churches were in private houses of great cities in the time of the apostles and thickest of those hot and ancient persecutions!. Neither is it likely that the Jews in their captivity at Babylon, although they lacked the outward use of sacrifices, were altogether without all worship of God. Although Daniel did not sacrifice, yet did he at certain hours in the day-time worship God in his own house? The house of Cornelius at Cesarea was the church, wherein Peter preached in a very good and ecclesiastical assembly or congregation; and he, because Joppe had no church for him to pray in, went up to the higher part of the house to make his prayers there. Neither is it to be doubted, but that the eunuch of queen Candace’s nobility, of whom mention is made in the Acts of the Apostles, did ordain a church in Athiopia%. And let them be persuaded, which are without the public and lawful use of the sacraments, that that shall not be imputed to their default, which is committed, not by them, but by another’s offence. For even in such a case can the Lord work well by his Spirit in the minds of his people. But where as’, by the grace of God, liberty is given for the congregation to assemble, and to hear the free, sincere, and true preaching of the gospel, and lastly, to celebrate the sacraments, there must those private and domestical churches be broken up and come to an end: not for because the house of a godly householder is not, nor remaineth still, a church; but for because the hearing of God’s word, prayer, and the celebrating of the sacraments, ought to be public and common to all the saints.
[1 Rom. xvi. 55 1 Cor. xvi. 19; Coloss. iv. 15; Philem. 2. Bing-]
[ham, Orig. Eccles. Book vir. cap. 1.. 13, and 14; Staveley’s Hist. of]
[Churches, chap. 3. pp. 26—34. Lond. 1712 ] (2 Dan. vi. 10.] [3 Acts x.] [4 Acts viii. 27, &c., and Euseb, Eccles. Hist, Lib. 11. cap. 1. Vol.]
[I. p. 85. ed. Burton. Oxon. 1838.] [5 i. 6. where: ubi, Lat.]]
For those assemblies by stealth, which the Anabaptists use, and all other sectaries, are both worthily and utterly condemned.
And now let us hear the testimonies of scripture, which command all householders to instruct holily their family in the true religion, and to declare to their children the meaning of the sacraments. Moses in the sixth of Deuteronomy saith: “Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is Lord only: therefore shalt thou love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart. And thou shalt shew them unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou art at home in thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes?.” And again: “When thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean these testimonies, ordinances, and laws, which the Lord our God hath commanded us? Then thou shalt say unto thy son: We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out with a mighty hand, and shewed signs and mighty wonders before our eyes; and brought us out from thence, and gave us all these precepts and statutes to do and to fear the Lord our God.” Hereunto belongeth a great part of the seventy-eighth Psalm. And in the thirteenth of Exodus the Lord doth say again: “Sanctify to me all the first-born. And when thy son shall ask thee in time to come, saying, What is this? Thou shalt say to him, The Lord slew all the first-born of Egypt, and therefore I sacrifice unto the Lord all the males that open the matrix.” Also in the twelfth chapter God, or Moses in God’s name, expounding the mystery or sacrament of the passover, said: “When your children ask you, saying, What manner of service is this that ye do? ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, which passed over the houses
[3 unus est, Lat.] [7 Scribes quoque ea super postes domus tue et in portis tuis, Lat.]
[omitted by the translator. “And thou shalt write them upon the]
[posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”] (8 inter alia, Lat.]]
of the children of Israel,” ἅς. These testimonies are sufficiently evident, and need no further exposition. I will now, therefore, add to these the other things, which parents have to teach their children.
Let the father instruct his children in manners. We all from our birth are clownish and rude; and all children have unseemly and uncivil manners: which evil is made double as much by evil custom and clownish company. Let the parents, therefore, teach their children manners betimes, which may adorn them at home, and become them abroad. Let him instruct him how to behave himself decently in his going and gesture of his body; how in the church, how in the market, how at the table, how in men’s companies, and in all other places of company. There are excellent pretty books set out for that purpose, so that I need not stand to discuss to you the particularities thereof.
Lastly, let the father place his children with expert and cunning! workmen, to teach them some handycraft whereby to get their living another day. But first, he must make trial of their wits, to see whereunto every one is best apt, and wherein he doth most delight. For cunning will never be come by, where good will is wanting in him that must learn 103. If thou hast any fit for learning, thou shalt do a good and godly deed, to train them up to the ministery of the church, or some other office that standeth by learning. But of all other those parents are to be found fault withal, that bring up their children in lazy idleness. For, although there be left unto them huge heaps of treasure, yet in three or four odd hours all may be wasted and come to nought. Whereunto, then, shall your dainty idle gentleman trust, what shall he do, when there is nothing left but his bare carcass, that is a lump 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 live by% For to a city there is no greater a plague than an unprofitable citizen. But who, I pray you, may be thought to be a worse citizen than
[1 fidis et peritis, Lat.] [2 Invita Minerva nihil feliciter perfeceris, Lat.—P.] [8 Quo tunc confugiet miser tellurisque inutile pondus? Lat.] [4 Valer. Max. Lib. mm. cap. 6. ὁ 7.]]
he that, being accustomed to ease and delicateness, and of a sudden by some mishap or else by prodigal riotousness being deprived of them both, and driven to extreme poverty, is compelled, perforce, to seek out unlawful shifts to get more wealth again? Furthermore, they of old had a proverb worthy to be remembered of us at this time: “Every land maintaineth art”.” By this sentence they meant, that learning and science is the surest preparation for every journey. For they cannot be taken away by thieves, but whithersoever thou goest, they bear thee company, and are no burden for thee to bears.” If therefore mishap do spoil thy children of the wealth that thou leavest them; if thou hast taught them an occupation, it is enough for them to live by. Kings are deprived of their prince-like dignity, and put beside their exceeding riches; so that it is no marvel though kings’ inferiors be spoiled of their wealth, and banished their countries. Dionysius of Syracuse is reported for his tyranny to have been thrust beside his seat: but, having lost his kingdom, he departed to Corinth, where he set up a school, and taught children their grammar and music, whereby in that necessity he got his living. He had been hard bested verily, and in a miserable taking, if he had never learned any thing, but had settled his hope upon dignity and riches: vain hope had been his destruction; for he had died in extreme beggary. Thus much touching the bringing up of children in learning or knowledge of some occupation.
I have, in that which is behind, to speak somewhat touching the correction of those that are contained under the name of children. This correction consisteth partly in words, and partly in stripes. In both there must be had a middlemean and measure, that nothing be done outrageously. Let not the admonition that is given in words be bitterer than the fault deserves. Let it nip for the time present; but, being
[5 injustissimas planeque seditiosas rationes, Lat. ] [6 omnibus parentibus, Lat. ] [7 Artem queevis alit terra, Lat.—Erasmi. Adag. Hanov. 1617. col.]
[368 a.] [8 The quotation is from Erasmus’ Adag. in loc. cit.] [9 Erasmi Adag. in loc. cit.; Justin. Lib. xx1. cap. 5; Cie. Tusec.]
[Quast. 11. 12.] [19 ne quid nimis, Lat. ]]
past, let it be spoken of no more. Continual chiding breeds contempt. Thou shalt find some children also, with whom gentle dealing will somewhat prevail’. And, unless thou do sometime praise them and speak well of that which they do, although peradventure not so well done as thou wouldest require, thou shalt perceive that utter desperation will take away hope and courage clean from them. I think it not good with too heavy a burden to overawe such children as are willing to bear. Stripes must not be bestowed but for some great offence, and that too, not in the father’s anger, but moderately; not to mar, but to amend them. Let the parents always remember that golden saying of St Paul, “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger2” For the best wits are hurt by too much rigorousness. Salomon, where he speaketh of moderate correction, saith: “The rod and correction giveth wisdom; but the child that runneth at random bringeth his mother to shame.” Again: “Chastise thy son, and thou shalt be at quiet, and he shall bring pleasure unto thy soul3” These words of his do utterly condemn the of father’s cockering?, and the mother’s pampering, which is the.. marring of very many children. For the parents offend God as much in too much cockering their children, as they do in overmuch punishing of them. Heli in the scriptures is ill reported of for doting over his children; he himself dieth miserably, and bringeth the shameless wicked knaves, his sons, to a shameful ending. What is to be thought of that moreover, that in the twenty-first of Deuteronomy the parents themselves are commanded to bring their disobedient children before the judge, and there, by complaint, to sue them to death? By this example, which may otherwise seem to be somewhat too sharp, it pleased God to put other men in remembrance to keep their children in awe and obedience. For God is a God of salvation, and not of destruction; so that, when disobedient rebels and godless people perish through their own default, he turneth that destruction of theirs to the safeguard of his obedient servants. Let parents therefore always remember this saying in the gospel: “It is not
[[ plus efficias, Lat.] [2 Eph. vi. 4.] [3 Prov. xxix. 15, 17.] [ indulgentiam, Lat.) [51 Sam. ii. 29. & iv.]]
the will of your heavenly Father, that one of these little ones should perish. Whosoever offendeth such an one, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Now, touching the duty of children, I have spoken of it
before in the place where I taught, how and after what sort parents ought to be honoured. Paul, as it were in one word, knitteth up much matter, and saith: Children, obey your parents in the Lord.” He telleth the reason why: For that,” saith he, “is righteous.” And again he addeth the cause, saying: “For God hath commanded it”.” Let children therefore consider and think upon the nightly watchings and continual labour that their parents took in bringing them up, and let them learn to be thankful for it, and content with their present estate. When their parents instruct them, let them learn attentively, and shew themselves like to godly Jacob rather than to godless Esau. Let them learn to accustom themselves to good and honest manners. Let them willingly learn the art or occupation whereunto they are set. Let them yield and submit themselves to their parents’ correction. Let them not stir up or provoke their parents to anger. Let them choose to learn wit, and obey their parents, of their own mind and accord, rather than to be driven to it by beating and brawling. If parents at their departure leave little behind them for their children to inherit, let not the good children therefore speak ill by the dead. If thy father hath taught thee any art or occupation, he leaveth for thee a sufficient inheritance. Thriftiness, also, and moderate spending, is a very great revenue, If thy father hath well and honestly taught thee good manners, and trained thee up in the true wisdom and perfect religion, then hath he bequeathed thee a patrimony sufficient for to maintain thee. For what else are exceeding great riches, left to a fool or irreligious fellow, but a sword in a madman’s hand? Thou art left wealthy enough by thy father’s legacy, if that thou art godly, painful, heedful, and honest. For goods gotten by the sweat of our own brows do for the most part continue
[6 Matt. xviii. 14, 6.] [7 Ephes. vi. 1, 2.] [8 Frugalitas ac parsimonia magnum est vectigal, Lat. Cf. Erasm.]
[Adag. Chiliad. fol. 269. a. Parsimonia summum vectigal.]]
longer, and prosper better with us, than those which other leave unto us.
We have again, dearly beloved, spent an hour and a half in handling this matter touching the honour due unto parents. I have stayed you longer than of right I should have done, but ye shall impute it to the love and good will I bear to the matter. I am not ignorant how necessary this argument is, almost to all men: and therefore stick I the longer upon it. For I endeavour myself, not only to teach you things profitable and necessary, but also to beat them into your memories so much as I may, to the end that ye never forget them. God grant you all a fruitful increase of his holy word, which is the seed that is sown in your hearts. Let us pray, το. OF THE SECOND PRECEPT OF THE SECOND TABLE, WHICH IS IN ORDER THE SIXTH OF THE TEN
Commandments, Thou Shalt Not Kill: And of the Magistrate. The Sixth Sermon
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