The demands of holy scripture, with answers to the same wherein are defined, and…The demaundes of holy scripture, with answeres to the same wherein are defined, and…

In this shall all men know, that ye are my Disciples (saith Christ) if one of you love an other. As discord bringeth all things to havoc: so doth concord conserve, keep in good order, and make to increase what so ever is good and profitable to a common weal, or to any part thereof. As Salustius saith: By concord, small things increase and grow: but by discord, mighty and great things decay, and come to nought. It was very wittily and learnedly answered of Terence, when the noble Senate of the most noble Romans demanded of him after the destruction of Carthage, what he thought to be the cause of the subversion if so ⟨image 5⟩ample, populus, and flourishing city, whether the puissance of the Romans, whose force seemed to be incomparable, or the feebleness of the Carthaginenses not being able to resist, No, saith he, neither your valiance, nor our want of puissance, was the subversion of our city, but the discord of the Citizens. The mightiest fortress, and strongest Bulwark, that either City or Town can have, is the concord of Citizens, without the which, all puissance, all force, all wit, all policy, all castles, all martial armouries are vain, and unprofitable, verily in this behalf, are ye also greatly blessed of God, which both in godly & worldly affairs, are of one mind, & of one meaning, without all dissension among you. O blessed fruit of Gods spirit. Moreover, how idleness that chief mistress of vices all, utterly exiled, and banished out of your Town? No man liveth there idly. All degrees of persons are godly, virtuously, and profitably occupied, every man according to his vocation and calling. All study to be quiet,¹ and to meddle with their own business, and to work with their own hands, that they may not only eat their own bread according to the commandment of God, but also through those their labours have whereof they may give unto such as have need, as Saint John saith, he that hath two coats, let him give one to him that hath none. And he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Certes diligent, and virtuous travail, upholdeth the City: but idle and sluggish hands, root up the foundations thereof.

In this shall all men knovve, that ye are my Disciples (sayth Christe) yf one of you loue an other. As discord bringeth al thinges to hauocke: so dooth concord conserue, keepe in good order, and make to increase vvhat so euer is good and profitable to a common vveale, or to any part thereof. As Salustius sayth: By concord, small thinges encrease and grovve: but by discorde, mighty and great thinges decay, and come to nought. It vvas very vvittely and learnedly ansvyeared of Terence, vvhen the noble Senate of the most noble Romanes demaunded of him after the destruction of Carthage, vvhat he thought to be the cause of the subuertion if so