TheSouldiers honour, after Aíhwednefday. 25 thatwould makea Phew tooutface Heaor andvichilles, or (Afars himfelfe fuchas will breake glaffewindowes , and threaten at euerieword tokill their poore Hoff ; but when the enemie comesvpon them, morefeareful than hares, and betakethen to their heeles. Thegreateft crueltie that euer was commit- ted, was the fcoùrging and crucifying of Chrift , vendthis thefouldiers did; fo faith S. Iohn. Inaword,that youngmanthat lifts himfelfe for a fouldier,fhakes hands almoft withal kindofvertue.But to leaue this Theme,thatmy difcourfe may not feeme tedious in the enumerationof their vices; thoughamong foul- diets thereare a refufe kind of fort which Quintus Curtiva calles Purgamenta erbiumfitarum, Theojf-fcumofCommonwealths; yet therearemany ofthem that arc valiant difcreet, Chriftian, andreligious. The Scripturemaketh mention ofthree Centurions ; one refeph,Decurion,anoble gentleman,whowas captain of aRomancompanie when ourSauiour fuffered : whofcorningthe powerand illwill ofall lerufalem,went boldly tobeggehis bodie ofPilat , for togiue it burial.There was another Centurioncalled Cornelius,whonot knowingChrift, was fo religious, fo full ofgoodworkes,fogiuen to prayer,and fofearingGod, that anAngel was fent vnto him toilluminate his vnderftanding.Ofanother, S. Mathew makes mention; whowhen the lights ofHeauen were darkned , yet his fight was focleere , that bee fawChrift our Sauiourwas the SonneofGod, PereflituDei erat isle : Betidesthis Centuriontvenow fpeake of, whofe Faith our Sauiour did admire. Saint viuffencelebrates another Captaine , which in themidi} of Armes tookewonderful! care toknow the things of God . But thatwe may not wearyour felues with countingthe goodones onebyone,hea- uen it felfe hauinggreat Squadrons offouldiers ; this may fuffice to honor this kind ofCalling, not onely for it's Faith, but for it's loueand charitie. Many did petition our Sauiour for their fickebrethren,children,and friends; but fora Seruant this Centuriononely makethfuit. Puerwensjacet in domoParaliticus. [cmychild,or] myferuant lyeth at homeficke ofthe Palley. The commonfay- Mg is, notferuos, totholes, So manyferuants,fOmany enemies, lobcomplaineth, That his i etruants would haue eaten him piecemeale, Who fhallgluevs ofhraflejh, thatwe maybeftlled.Ifthey then that ferue fogood aMatter be his enemies,who Thal be his friend Seneca feemeth tomake thewordSeruant to lignifie Indiffe- rencie, and that it isin the Maifters choice tomakehim either his friendor foe. In this matter there areCome rules ofprudence, nobilitie,and Chrillianitie. The firft on the Mailers part ; whoare to treat their feruant withmuch loue andkindneffe, like abrother,faith Eccleftaslicus : and in another place indeering it more, Sittibiquaffanima tua, Lethim bevnto thee ar thyfoule; oras the Greeke bath it, Sicut tu, .ts thyfelfe. Horacecalls a mans friend , The one halfe ofhis foule : Sicut v f erameeafufcipe, Receiue him as my swneboiuells,faithSaint Paul, re- commending his feruant one(mus toPhilemon. Noman is a feruant by nature, and being that God might hauemade theeof amailer a feruant, howoughteft thou to refpe& thy feruant beingamailer r This nobleneffe ofnature (hewedit felfe apparently in this our Centurion ; Puer metrejacet,cilly childliethfscke : bee cals his feruant Child, a wordof loue andofkindneffe, and lignifiesin the ori- ginal], a Sonne. And SaintLukedothexpreffe it witha great dealeof tender- neffe Erat illspretiofus Hee mas deereunto him. Condemning thofe mailers which vie their feruants as they doetheir fhooes, whowhen theywaxe old, and are worne out , caft them out vpon the dunghill. Saint Paulcalles there, C Sine motet S. Mataó. Of&truants. lob.; s.v.3 t. Pce6;;. Ecct..
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=