Deuout contemplations expressed in two and fortie sermons vpon all ye quadragesimall Gospells written in Spanish by Fr. Ch. de Fonseca Englished by. I. M. of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford

Diuisit illis substantiam, He diuided vnto them his substance.

Here the Doctors and other learned Diuines make a doubt, How so wise and discreet a father could bee brought to fauour such an vnaduised longing, such a rash and inconsiderate course? A man would haue thought, that hee should rather haue crost, controlled, and hindered this his idle and giddie resolution. But to impart his substance to a yong man that had no gouernment of himselfe, and was so apt to vndoe himselfe, it seemeth somewhat strange. Plat•• saith, That a yong man ought to be harder tyed, and faster bound than a Beast; because for the most part he is more wild, more vnruly, and vntamable. And the Lawes, where Parents are wanting, tye Tutors and Guardians to haue a great care in pre∣uenting those perills that are incident to Youth. A child set at libertie maketh his mother ashamed; it is Salomons. And Ecclesiasticus saith, Laugh not with thy son, le••t thou be sorie with him, and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end. Giue him no libertie in his youth, and winke not at his follie: Bow downe his necke while he is young, & beat him on the sides whilest he is a child, lest he wax stubborne, and be disobedient vnto thee, and so bring sorow to thine heart, &c. Men ought to be verie circum∣spect in giuing too much licence and libertie to young Gentlemen whilest they are in the heat and furie of their youth, and that their wanton bloud boyleth in their veines. It is no wisdome in parents, to giue away their wealth from them∣selues, and to stand afterwards to their childrens courtesie. Giue not away thy sub∣stance

to another, lest it repent thee; no, not to thine owne children: For better it is that thy children should pray vnto thee, than that thou shouldest looke vp to the hands of thy children. To this doubt, satisfaction hath formerly beene giuen by vs in a Dis∣course of ours vpon this same Parable: but that which now offers it selfe a fresh vnto vs, is That albeit the Father saw, that his libertie, his monys, & his absence, would be his Sonnes vndoing; yet hee likewise saw his amendment, his repen∣tance, and what a future warning this would be vnto him. And so hee chose ra∣ther to see him recouered after he was lost, than violently to detaine him, and to force him to keepe home against his will; which would bring forth no better fruits than lowring and grumbling. Saint Augustine saith, That it seemed a lesser euill to God, to redresse some euills, than not to permit any euill at all; Melius judicauit de malis benefacere, quam mala nulla esse permittere. God would not haue thee to sinne, neither can he be the Author of thy sinnes: but if men should not commit sinnes, Gods Attributes would lose much of their splendor. Saint Paul speaking of himselfe, saith, That God had forgiuen him, though he had beene a persecuter and blasphemer of his holy Name, &c. And why did hee doe this? Vt ostenderet omnem patientiam & gratiam; My sinnes (saith he) were the occasion that God pardoned me, and his pardoning of mee was the cause of the Worlds taking notice of his long suffering, and his great goodnesse. This may serue for a verie good instruction to those that are great Princes, and Gouernours of Com∣monwealths, and may teach them how to punish, and how to beare with their subiects; and it belongeth no lesse to the name of a good Gouernour, to tollerate with prudence, than to punish with courage. And Salomon giues thee this caueat, Noli esse multum justus, Et not thou iust, ouermuch.

Notes

• Too much li∣berty the bane of youth.
• Prou. 29.15. Eccl. 30.••0.
• Eccl. 33.20.
• Eccl. 7.1••.