Gal. vi. Eph. v. Col. iii. 1 Pet. iii. Tit. ii. 1 Tim. iii. 1 Pet. iii. Gen. xviii. Eph. vi. Col. iii. Phil. iv. Col. iii. the gospel should live of the gospel." Again he saith: "Let him that is taught with the word minister unto him that teacheth him in all good things. Be not deceived: God is not mocked." Moreover, ye that are married, "love your wives, even as Christ loved the congregation. Nourish and cherish them as your own bodies," remembering that they be your own flesh and your own bones; and see that "by no means ye be bitter unto them," but "give honour unto them, as to the weaker vessels, and as to them that are fellow-heirs also of the grace of life." Teach your wives to be obedient unto you as unto the Lord, to love you as their own selves, to be of honest behaviour, chaste, housewifely, good, no evil speakers, but sober and faithful in all things. Learn them to keep silence with all subjection, and to "array themselves in mannerly apparel, with shamefacedness and honest behaviour; not with broided hair, either gold, or pearls, or costly array; but with such as becometh women that profess the worshipping of God, through good works; that the hid man of the heart may be uncorrupt with a meek and quiet spirit, which spirit is before God a thing much set by. For after this manner in the old time did the holy women, which trusted in God, tire themselves, and were obedient to their husbands; even as Sara obeyed Abraham, and called him lord." Bring up your children with the nurture and information of the Lord,” and teach them to obey and honour you. "Do that unto your servants which is just and equal, remembering that ye also have a Master in heaven." Exhort your servants to be obedient unto you in all godly things; "not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God." 66 Love all men as yourselves, in few: "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to love, whatsoever things are of honest report, if there be any virtuous thing, if there be any laudable thing, those same have ye in mind." "And all things whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do in the name of the Lord Jesu, giving thanks to God the Father by him." So shall ye in this world live with a merry conscience, and after this present life joy and rejoice in eternal glory with God the Father; to whom, with his Son Christ Jesu, our most precious jewel, and the Holy Ghost, that sweet Comforter, be all honour and praise for evermore. Theo. Amen. Chris. So be it. Phil. Now, dear neighbours, come with me, that I may deliver you those jewels which I have also prepared for your bodies; that ye, being enriched both in mind and body, may go forth to conceive a good opinion of my friendship toward you, which I wish to keep unspotted so long as my life endure. Eus. We know, brother Philemon, your good-will toward us; and although we confess ourselves much indebted to you for all your other benefits, yet for this your Jewel of Joy, wherein we have found so great comfort, we most heartily thank you, and wish that God may be merciful to you in all your affairs. Phil. Well, come and go with me. Chris. We follow gladly. Theo. Blessed be God for his benefits. Eus. Amen. Give the glory to God alone. THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOK. OF FAITH. WHAT faith is. What benefits we receive of God through faith. The articles of the christian faith, with confirmations of the same out of the holy scriptures. The Lord's prayer, called the Pater noster, with confirmations of every petition out of the holy scripture. What the law is. To what use the law was given. OF THE LAW. The ten commandments of God, with confirmations of every commandment out of the holy scripture. The duty of all estates and degrees, according to the doctrine of God's holy word. The duty of subjects toward the high powers. The duty of bishops and ministers of God's word. The duty of parishioners unto the ministers of God's word. The duty of husbands unto their wives. The duty of wives unto their husbands. The duty of fathers and mothers unto their children. The duty of children toward their fathers aud mothers. The duty of masters to their servants. The duty of servants to their masters. The duty of widows. The duty of old men. The duty of old women. The duty of young folk. The duty of all degrees and estates generally both toward God and their neighbour. TO THE MOST GENTLE AND GODLY DISPOSED CHILD, MASTER THOMAS CECIL', SON TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR WILLIAM CECIL, KNIGHT, AND SECRETARY TO THE KING'S MAJESTY, THOMAS BECON WISHETH THE FAVOUR OF GOD WITH INCREASE OF VIRTUE AND IF of holy letters we be not sleepy nor vain readers, but diligently mark what we read, we shall easily perceive that among other commandments of God this is not at the last nor the least, which he giveth concerning the bringing up of youth in the knowledge of his blessed will. For the godly wisdom knoweth right well, that except the younglings of a commonweal be virtuously brought up, and faithfully framed according to the right rule of God's holy appointment, it cannot come to pass, but that his glory (the good parents being once deceased) must needs be ob scured in this world, the invocation of his name cease, and all godly religion decay: yea, the men themselves (if they be worthy that name) must needs become brutelike, be carried about with every strange doctrine, comtemn all laudable laws, break all good orders, follow their fleshly appetites, like unreasonable beasts, and so at the last bring both themselves and their realms unto utter destruction. Therefore as God in his holy law requireth of parents nothing more earnestly than to bring up their children virtuously and according to his word; so likewise all godly fathers and mothers have ever from the beginning done their uttermost endeavour to train up their younglings, even from the very cradles, in the nurture, fear, and doctrine of the Lord; supposing themselves then best to please God, and most to do the true office of godly and natural parents, when they study how to garnish, not their children's bodies with gay and sumptuous vestures, but their minds with noble and precious virtues; not how to lift them up unto transitory dignities and [The Cecils are descended from the ancient family of Sitselt, who were early seated in the principality of Wales. Robert Sitselt aided Robert Fitzhamon in the conquest of Glamorganshire, (A.D. 1091, the 4th year of king William Rufus,) and for his services was rewarded by Fitzhamon with lands in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire. Fourteenth in direct lineal descent from this Robert Sitselt was David Cyssel of Stamford in the county of Lincoln, made by Henry VIII. one of his sergeants-at-arms. He was grandfather to Sir William Cecil, afterwards lord Burleigh, whose son it was to whom this treatise is inscribed. Of a personage so well known as lord Burleigh, who, after previously filling high employments, was principal minister of queen Elizabeth for forty years, from her accession till the period of his death in 1598, it is not necessary here to say any thing. The character of this sagacious statesman is delineated in every history of England. By his first wife Mary, daughter of Peter Cheke, and sister to Sir John Cheke, lord Burleigh had his eldest son Thomas, who succeeded him in his title, and afterwards became the first earl of Exeter. He was yet but a youth when Becon dedicated to him the Principles of the Christian Religion. He served as a volunteer, in the 16th year of queen Elizabeth, in the expedition sent into Scotland, when the castle of Edinburgh was besieged and taken. The next year, having waited on the queen at the earl of Leicester's, he received from her majesty the honour of knighthood. He distinguished himself in the wars of the Low Countries, and was in 1585 made governor of the Brille, one of the cautionary towns which the states of Holland pledged to the English queen : this command he held for about two years. In 1588, the memorable year of the Spanish attempted invasion, he and his brother Sir Robert Cecil were both volunteers on board the fleet. He afterwards took a part in the suppression of the insurrection made by the earl of Essex, and was one of the commanders of the force that obliged that ill-fated nobleman to surrender. For these and other services he was appointed a knight of the order of the Garter, and was installed at Windsor in 1601. His credit did not decline in the ensuing reign: indeed fresh honours were heaped upon him. Having been one of king James' privy-council, he was raised by that monarch in 1605 to the dignity of earl of Exeter, this being, it it said, the first instance of the earldom of the principal town or city being conferred when the earldom of the county was already possessed by another. Lord Exeter was now advanced in years; but we find him employed even to the verge of his long life; for so late as 1620 he was put in commission with the archbishop of Canterbury against heresies and errors in matters of religion; and was also at the same time in another commission with the archbishop of York for matters of ecclesiastical jurisdiction in that province. On Feb. 7, 1622, he died at the age of 80, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, where a monument still existing was erected to his memory. He was married, first, to Dorothy Nevil, one of the co-heirs of John Nevil, lord Latimer, by whom he had five sons and eight daughters; secondly, to Frances, relict of Sir Thomas Smith, master of requests to James I., and daughter to William Brydges, 4th Lord Chandos: by her he had an only daughter. It may be added that lord Exeter was a benefactor to Clare Hall. Cambridge, to which he gave lands for the maintenance of three fellows and eight scholars.] |