Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Lastly let them bring up their ¹children in holy discipline, & the fear of God, to the health of their own house, and the whole common weal. Paul saith: I would have the younger women marry, to get children and to govern the house, for that is honest and acceptable before God. But touching the bringing up of children. I have already spoken in the fifth sermon of this Decade. Now the very begetting of children alone is very profitable both to every private or particular house, and also to the common weal: for here I will not stand to show that the honour and glory of God, is very greatly augmented, if children be not only begotten, but also brought up in the fear of God, and knowledge of his word. Hierocles saith: I confess that marriage is profitable: especially because it bringeth children forth, which is in deed a goodly fruit, for they, being of our very blood, do while we are in health aid us in all our affairs: and in old age when years come upon us, they succour us well with all that they may: they are familiar companions of our joy in prosperity, and in adversity are our partners in sorrowing with us for our heavy mishaps. And so forth. Antipater also saith: Man which is endued with a civil disposition to maintain society, must augment his country and common wealth with increase of children: for cities could not have been preserved by any means at all, unless the head men of every city, and the sons of noble gentlemen, seeing their ancestors wither and fall away like goodly leaves of a fair tree, had married in time convenient, and left behind them children as worthy plants to succeed in their country, thereby to make it to flourish for ever, doing their best so far as they could, to keep it from the assaults and conquests ⟨p. 231⟩of enemies and strangers. They therefore shooting at nothing more, than to defend and assist their country, both in their life time, and when they were dead, did think it most necessary and especially convenient to marry and be married, desiring thereby both to do all things that nature requireth, and also those that touch the health and increase of their country, & most of all the worship of God. &c.

Lastly let them bringe vppe their ¹children in holy discipline, & the feare of God, to the health of their owne house, and the whole common weale. Paule saith: I would haue the younger women marrie, to gette children and to gouerne the house, for that is honest and acceptable before God. But touching the bringing vp of children. I haue alreadie spoken in the fifte sermon of this Decade. Now the very begetting of children alone is very profitable both to euery priuate or particular house, and also to the common weale: for héere I will not stand to shew that the honour and glorie of God, is verie greatly augmented, if children be not onely begotten, but also brought vp in the feare of God, and knowledge of his woord. Hierocles saith: I confesse that marriage is profitable: especially because it bringeth children forth, which is in deede a goodly fruite, for they, being of oure verie bloud, doe while wee are in health ayde vs in all our affayres: and in olde age when yeares come vppon vs, they succour vs well with all that they maye: they are familiar companions of our ioy in prosperitie, and in aduersitie are our partners in sorowing with vs for our heauie mishapps. And so forth. Antipater also saith: Man which is indued with a ciuil disposition to mainteyne societie, must augmente his countrie and common wealth with increase of children: for cities could not haue bene preserued by any meanes at all, vnlesse the head men of euerie citie, and the sonnes of noble gentlemen, seing their auncetours wither and fal away like goodly leaues of a faire tree, had married in time cōuenient, and left behind them children as woorthie plantes to succeede in their countrie, thereby to make it to flourish for euer, doinge their beste so farre as they coulde, to keepe it from the assaultes and conquestes