deuill and to cal him into testimony of any thing ¶ Gouernors ought to punishe by death such as God condemnes to eternall and temporall death and vvhome the Gospell detesteth and pronounceth vvorthy of eternall fire So that all sinnes committed against the ten commaundements ought to be so punished so that they vvere committed directlye and by a deliberate vvill but aboue all such deserue greeuous punishment as are done contrarye to the three preceptes of the fyrst table The .6 Chapter THE Christian Magistrate conforming him selfe thus to the lawe of God maye punishe crimes de lesa maiestate diuina Atheismes idolatries blasphemies Inuocation to deuilles sorceries incantacions charmes and al sortes of magicke damnable supersticions with other faultes against the first commaundement which is to know feare worship loue and serue God in spirite in trueth and obedience These crimes haue béene condemned to death by God for the whiche there neuer could bee any grace obtained in his lawe The magistrate shall not suffer to sweare by the name of God in vaine nor geue libertye to any light othes no though they bring no offence to conscience but onelye to sweare in iudgement in iustice and in trueth Hée shal not winke at any rashe othe made by any creature what so euer and muche lesse suffer in impunitye periuries renouncementes and execrations as to betake them selues to the deuill or other othes coniured in the name of the wicked fende which muche lesse that it is not a sinne most detestable but also it carieth euen a naturall kinde of Idolatrie hée ought not to suffer this common abuse to speake of God and holye thinges without reuerence and muche lesse to abuse the sacred scripture with scoffes other sence then the holy Ghost vnderstoode it as is done now a dayes in Pasquilles and which worse is in Charmes diuinations and sorceries as by the mistery of turning of a keye and pronouncing certaine holye names to finde a thing that is lost and by writing scrowes to cure an Ague Hée ought not to suffer prophanation of the Sabboth whiche is the Sundaye a daye appointed to rest in the Lorde and dispose in meditacion and exercise of deuoute labours yea let him see it sanctifyed with good and holye workes as by prayers hearing Sermons and lessons with doing actes of mercye not suffering games or dissolucions gluttonies dronkennes nor other actes whereby the holye daies maye be polluted Let him lastlye defende prophanation of the holy sacramentes temples with the holye relikes of holye men which in their liues they presented in immulation to God for the faith of Iesus Christ It is most certaine that the transgression of these three commaundementes of the first table was in all seasons punished with stoning to death Whereunto the good gouernours of the auncient common weales of Israell would neuer graunt grace In the first churche when any were receyued into penaunce the church ministred so straite paine and for so long time that there was none to whome the grauetye of the punishment gaue not great horrour euen to haue the thought to transgresse And I wishe in God that at the least those Crimes were punished with no lesse rigour then certaine naturall faultes committed against Kinges Princes and Lordes of the worlde hée that committes treason against the King knoweth his torment to be dismembred with fowre horses Who liues in court and entertayned by the wages of the King and should misknowe or derogate his Maiestie falsefye his Sygnet speake of the King as of a vile person without due honour woulde geue no obedience to his Lawes shoulde defile his Pallace with actes of villanye shoulde offer wrong to the reputacion of the Princes Gentlemen of his trayne or lastly should offende in any sort of contempte touching the greatnes and dignitye of the King would it not iustlye sturre vp the officers and good seruauntes of the King and laying handes of the offendour to commit him by good reason to the tormentes of the whéele or punishe vpon a Gibbet this arrogant contemnor of the sacred maiestie of the King. Oh howe many more vile actes doo our eyes beholde in all partes of the world committed against the sacred maiestie of our GOD afore whome his Aungels are restrained to so great reuerence that they dare not beholde him and for his wonderfull brightnes haue no power to settle their sight vppon him But where is the care of our magistrates who possessing the chiefest place in the house of God haue theyr reuenues to maintaine his honour with power to plant a reuerence and vniuersall obedience Saint Paul and Barnabe in a holye indignation and Spiritual anger which wée call zeale to God rent in peeces theyr Gownes for one onelye contempt which men would haue offered to the liuing God in theyr presence But howe many millions of blasphemies epicurities and impieties are offered afore our eyes and eares euerye daye and yet what officer of God entereth into the rebuke of them The Chaldees and Egyptians with theyr Iuglinges and artificiall masking of the sence are welcome into Courtes yea they which in times paste were burned quicke at Rome Deuinors Charmers and Sorcerers are in credite falsefiers of the sacred seale of the holye Ghost who are the false Prophetes are called great Doctours of the trueth Inuocatours of the Deuill denyers of GOD prophanours and contemnours of all holye thinges much lesse that they are delt with all iudiciallye but of the contrarye they haue honour countenaunce and rewarde of many Deuoute swearers or more properlye Anatomistes of the blessed Bodye and blood of Iesus Christ by the whiche they are redeemed get them selues the reputacion of greate Gentlemen by theyr cursed swearing and renounsing of God. Whereof thoughe the practise bée generall yet what Iudge takes suche impietye into punishment yea who is displeased with them And yet in the Iewes whose handes persecuted Christe with paynes of the Crosse was not founde perhappes so wicked an acte against the Lorde whose Garmentes they neuer durste teare in peeces and muche lesse dismember his bodye whiche these swearing Crucifiers forbeare not to committe to a thousande morselles Let then the administours of common Weales if they will haue theyr estates to prosper and procure felicitye to that poore multitude ouer the which they gouerne with the correction of suche vices haue Gods honour in deare regarde whiche they they doo in ful office when they cause these thrée first commaundements to bée straitelye obserued imparting no grace to transgressions wherein let them folowe the auncient gouernours of Israel and speciallye Moyses in whome for one only offence against one of these sayd three commaundementes was expressed suche passion of feruent zeale that they had no rule ouer their patience till they had done seuere iustice as standing in most assured resolucion that some cloude of misery hong ouer their heads whiche woulde burst out into a storme to the whole multitude if the offence were not
true frindes for that when such rich men shall become pore which God doeth often suffer they are for saken of their frindes because riches was the only cause of such frendship and who loues an other as it were in recompence of affection that he beareth to him loueth not as he ought for that the cause rising of bare fancie which afterwardes may chaunge into hate the frendshipp can not be certein nor perpetuall yea he that loueth an other for his vertue loues not simplie as he ought according to God for that as the vertue of the man enclines to vice so the affection of his frend will conuert into hate for which cause Aristotle aloweth the sentence of a wise Philosopher saying that men ought to loue but not so much but that they may hate meaning that louing men of vertue and their vertues torning into vices our affection may resume his first qualitie if for charitie sake we forbeare to hate them This was his iudgment of frendes that might chaung by francke and louing will But by the Gospell we are warned to loue our ennemies and wicked men yea Infidels which séeke to persecute vs to death so much are we bound to loue them as to praye to God for thē and to present them with our goodes help and life if there be hope of their saluation not so much as willing or doing to them any displeasure so did Christ loue vs all and died for vs being his ennemies The cause of this loue is God for the honor loue and commaundement of whome we loue louing that which he loueth according as he loueth and for what cause he loueth conforming vs wholy to his will and his loue in the which and for the which he loueth vs all Let vs loue therfore that which is of him as in man his Image and semblance his handie worke his vertues his graces conforming ourselues to the loue which he bears him hauing made for him so many creaturs giuen him his Aungells for his protectores and guides and his only sonne to death for him yea euen when man was his enemye blasphemed him and was altogether disobedient to him Thus must we loue the soule of our neighboure albeit he be our ennemie as the deare cōquest of the precious blode of IESVS CHRIST and his body being the sacred temple of the holy ghost yea so we must loue him as Iesus Christ loued him giuing his life frankelye for him whom by baptisme as he hath incorporated him in him selfe to be a member of his bodye and by faith in the holy communion made him his flesh and blood so I ought to loue him as one of the members of the bodie of this Lord and as his flesh and blood with all seing we are all made by him members of the same misticall bodye and childrē all of one father by spirituall adoption then the same affection ought to be conuersant amongest vs which passeth betwéene members of one selfe bodye proper and naturall brethern in effect the friendship that we ought to beare one to another ought to be without acception of personnes counthries kindred or parents with which zeale if we loue not euen the most strangers of the worlde the most vnthankefull amongest men and our mortall enemies we are not the disciples of Iesus Christ by whome we are tolde that then we declare our selues his folowers when we do that which he commaundes vs his precept is that we loue one an other as he hath loued vs to saye and doe well by our enemies yea to dye for them if néede require in hope to gaine and saue their soules in sorte as he is deade for ours So that who hateth another beareth malice to him doeth him iniurie séeckes reueng of him strikes him and which is extreme iniquitie killeth him apertains no more to Iesus Christ as to beare the name of on of his disciples or of his flock thē the wolues Lions Tigres are of the heard and flocke of Lambes vnder the charge of a shepherd Suchthen that haue quarrells aspiringe to combate one against another practise reuenge of wronges by their proper authorities belong nothing to the profession of Christ and in their hartes haue no more taste of God then Pagans and vnbeleuing Atheists He that will offer sacrifice to God can not by Iesus Christ make it acceptable to his father if he haue offended his neyghboure and is not reconciled as also who hateth his Brother is a murderer and stands voyde of grace for eternall life I comprehend not in this such Christians as by lawfull iustice pursue the restitution of their goods honour or wrongs receiued by any wicked men for séeing iustice and iudiciall order is of God and by him commaunded to procure punishment in forme of iustice to the wicked acording to their merits and that by the Magistrate the law is not onely lawfull but also acceptable to god so that it be done without hatred and affection of perticular vengeance not regarding so much our proper benefit honour or priuate interest as to correct vices by that iustice to giue succour to the soule of the transgressor to the better stay and example of a whole communaltie This is also expressed in the exāple of a body which we go about to purge frō botches impostumes boyles In which body if there be any member so corrupt that it would infect the others to the daunger of the whole bodie it is cut of but with a great displeasure to all the other members who by a communion of nature being conioyned and knit together do loue one an other with connaturall and perfect zeale And to retourne to the matter of Christian amitie we are bound to loue men as God loueth thē whose loue is so much the greater towardes them by how much hée findeth their affection pure to him and the more doth his zeale increase the more he séeth in them that which is his as faith and charitie with feruent zeale to his honour and exercise of good déedes euen so the more faith and simplicitie we find in men the better affected to Gods honour of a more ready and franke minde to his seruice better disposed to actes of compassion and aspiring nearer a deuine perfection of God euen in so much greater affection honour and franke mind of seruice are we bound to them as knowing that in that we most please God who for those respects honoreth them more then others And therefore we honour nor loue them not so much in their persons as we expresse our selues to loue God in them in whom we honour his giftes and graces and all that we find to be deuine in them So that as we are bound in a stronger affection and more readines of seruice to those whom we know to be men of honest integretie then to others in whom we can acknowledge no such vertues So yet we must hate no creature according to the example of
comprehended in the grace gift of Prophecie which they had receiued of God Prophesying alwaies miraculouslye wherby they coulde not erre in iudgement because prophesye is without error and much lesse suffer impunity of sinn for that to Prophetes is a propertye of singular zeale to execute the wil and iudgement of God neither would they bée reproued in the action of those faultes whiche they condemned in others By this we sée what gouernours God choseth and by his example standing as a precedent to vs so farre as wée haue power to Imitate him we sée what godly respectes we ought to obserue in the choyse of our gouernors So that chosing them auncient such as alreadye haue beene invested in the office of Maisters and Leaders of the people hée prescribeth further that they be wise graue constant of good iudgment such as doubt not to cōmit their life to perill for the dutye of their office no more then olde Age feareth death which nature telleth them is not farre of and lastlye that they haue already exercised the state of Maisters the better to furnishe theyr counsels with experience examples Then where hée willeth that they assemble at the Tabernacle to institute them and impart graces he declareth how they ought al to concurre and agrée in one knowledge feare and seruice of God without scisme or faction obseruing deuout prayers to implore the inspiration power and grace of heauen to direct this estate of gouernors who being in this sort chosen and offered to God by the people presenting them selues vnto him in this holy preparatiō there is no doubt but God wil giue them part of the spirite of Moyses which is such perfection as is requisite to wéelde an estate in sort as he exercised his wherin by the spirite of Moises being made al one with theirs is meant that al gouernours Iudges ought to consent with the Law signified by Moyses and agrée with their Prince in al Law spirituall doctrine The people must assemble at the Tabernacle after the Election to pray to God for the institucion of these Magistrates for as it is one of the greatest benefites that can happen to the world when men of honestye wisedom and good counsel are called to publike gouernment so to raise euil men to rule and principallye is to prepare misery to kingdomes and ouer whelme the world with al iniquity So that wée see that by how much God doth ordaine inspire and distribute power and wil to Magistrates to execute offices by so much is it necessary to praye to him to institute them such as were the .70 Auncients to rule ouer the pollecie of Israel God created Moyses a supreame Iudge whose properties Saint Paul dyscribes to vs in this sort Moyses sayth hée being become great in the house of Pharao was at times prouoked to deny him selfe to bée the sonne of the kinges daughter by whom hée had béen nourished and raised to honour that is to say to renounce al vanityes of courts and worldly delites desiryng rather to bée afflicted with the people of God then to take his pleasure in sinne for a time as also estéeming more a reproche for Christ that is to bée partaker of the afflictions of his sauiour then to take reckoning of al the receites treasures and delightes of the Egiptians Being then such one both fearing louing God and an embraser of the truth and very wise hée was chosen of god Lyke as also such iudges and gouernours of Israel were chosen by diuine inspiration as Iosua Gedeon Sampson Ieptha and Samuel yea God sayd hée had chosen them to the estate Royal Wée know that Moyses had Children which hée might haue made gouernours after him if hée had would But hée preferred afore them his seruaunt Iosua who had alwaies assisted him in his affaires communicated with him in the perplexity of al his troubles and requited the trust and friendship of his Maister with fayth and obedience yea hée was the seruaunt of God in simplicitye and trueth of heart And therefore knowing him to bée more perfect in conscience and better exercised in the regiment of people then any other hee gaue him dignity aboue the rest reseruing no preheminence in publike businesse eyther to his fleshe blood friendes or great Lords but distributed offices to the most vertuous and best instructed in such charge No man of good iudgement wil call his kinseman or friend to gouerne a ship wherin hée meaneth to passe the Seas in presence vnlesse hée bée more assured of his knowledge then of any other much more ought wée to proue the skyll of him whome wée call to guide this pollitike shippe If this aduise had stande before the eyes of Hely the great sacrificator and gouernour of Israel hée had not chosen his Children to the regiment of the people wherein was wrought the confusion of him selfe common also to them the common Weale Yea the great Iudge recompensed theyr execrable Royats and offences with sharpe iustice and because hée abused his estate in chosing such to iudge the people in whom was merite of death both hée and they by the iust resolution of God dyed miserablye the poore people for their offences were ouerthrowen in Warre by the Philistines and the Arke of alliaunce which was the glory of Israel for their sinnes was taken transported into the lande of Infidels here we sée how much the deuine election of gouernours serueth to a common weale whervnto may bée applied the reason of the wise man that such as is the Iudge of the people suche is his minister and in the conuersation of the ruler is expressed a fourme of behauiour to the multitude the same being confirmed by examples in the Scripture and therefore of more necessitye to bée considered by suche as are chosers of gouernours it is sayde in the booke of Iudges that whilest hée and his Elders or senatours being gouernors of Israel and men of integrity liued the people serued God and prospered but when by theyr death there was no further restraint but a common libertye of wyll being voyde of good readers and no feare or respect to any good gouernour that people fell into Idolatrie and extreme wretchednesse Salomon is of opinion that where is no gouernour or where is any and hée subiect to negligence or vices the people runne headlong into impietie But when the merciful eyes of God saw his people in miserable desolation hee sent them a good gouernour during whose time they liued vnder good rule and obeyed the Law of God who suffred them eftsones with the death of theyr Iudge to reuert to their auncient impietye So long as Rome Lacedemonie and Athens liued vnder good rulers they with theyr siegniories and Townes depending vpon them florished but after they admitted fauour ambition and couetousnes and that knowledge and vertue were depriued of dominion they declined and suffered extreame ruine And
men are condemned for sinne so it behoueth euerye one howe Ritche so euer he bée or what power or principalitye so euer he possesse to obeye the lawe and this ordinaunce otherwaies he is a transgressour of the lawe and punishable as an offendur it is therfore that S. Paul teacheth that all men ought to trauaile condemning the loyterour not to bée worthy to liue and with all excōmunicates al idle people calling them disordered because they are not in the order polletike where all the worlde according to theyr perticular vocation doth trauaile and none is founde vnprofitable euen as in the natural body which suffereth no part or member to be Idle but all seruing an vse in their body do trauaile in their humane functions If no man bée excommunicated but for some great crime séeing Saint Paul excommunicated Idle people they can not be but very criminal God hath ordained labour as a penaunce to man and to be to him as a remembraunce of the wretchednes which sinne bringeth an exercise to kéepe him in vertue and a meane to traine him to humility and dutye according to the arte whereunto hée is called by the which his spirite is drawn from wicked thoughts corrupt affections and reprobate desires wherwith the Idle man is continuallye vexed For this cause S. Ierome biddes vs bée doing alwaies some worke to the ende the Deuil may finde vs occupied Besides this moderate labour is very profitable to the health of the body without the which by crudity and indigestion of humours retaining the excrements many diseases may bréede And therfore who wil not bende his body to labour should in the consideration of these reasons commit great faultes against God against him selfe against his common weale wherunto hée is bound with al his meane and power For as according to the resemblance before there is no member in the humane bodye which trauailes not according to the facultye of his nature and office to geue ayde to the general bodye and euery member in perticular which otherwayes would fal into infirmitye yea if it should perseuere without geuing succors and bréede hurt by contagion it should bée cut of from the body not onely as vnprofitable but as a corruptor of the other members so what lesse office belonges to the member of this body polletike Deserueth hée not that which S. Paul geues to the idle Thessalonians to bée cut of and excluded from Christian society And if Iesus Christ condemne an idle worde that is bringing no profite to our neighbour to the iudgement of God what sentence may bée geuen of suche as not onelye liue in idle wordes but loase theyr precious time and omitting innumerable good déedes stand idle vnprofitable euen in their proper vocation If any wil saye that in this idlenes men offende not for that they doo but walke talke sléepe make méerye passe the time without doing euil to any hauing withall whereupon to liue without trauaile it maye bée denyed for the first part of the aunswere that they cannot but doo euill for that as suche lyfe and Pastimes are reprooued and that in all times and for all our workes and wordes wée are bounde to geue accoumpt to God. So it is not inough to abstaine from doing euill but wée must also without ceassing bée exercised in doing good according to the Scripture So that the Ritche man must not say I haue inough and néede not take paine Nor the Gentleman must not vaunte of his great reuenues say hée hath no further care but to passe his time in hunting and other delites Nor let the Bishop and Churchman excuse him selfe of trauaile for that his liuing is plentifull and prepared to his handes For euery man is bounde to followe his vocation and walke as Saint Paul sayth according to the same Hée must not sléepe then in that vocation if his office bée to trauaile and that with as great diligence as he maye euen no lesse then belonges to him that hath vndertaken for some necessary affaires to make some painefull iourney Let suche people whome God hath blessed with suche wealthe as to maintaine theyr life there is no necessitye of labour consider why they were raysed to such Ritch estates who the more they haue the greater reckoning haue they to make to God are subiect to more déedes of charitye then others In this I bind not al sorts of men to a dutye of trauaile with the hand in workes of labour But as there be diuerse sorts of trauailes some of the minde and some of the body So to some kindes of labor is required sometimes the strayning of the bodye and sometime the exercise of the minde The Ritch man hath his part of trauaile to direct his affaires kéepe his seruantes in office wherin let him with Abraham seeke out in the high wayes poore passangers about his house his néedy neighbors imparting vnto them of his goodes geuen him by God for that ende The Gentleman hath inough to prouide for the quiet of his Tenauntes that they consume not one another with sutes and to defend them from the oppression of the théefe or enemye hée ought to bée to them as a shéephearde to his flocke whose office is not onelye to defend them from the Iawes of the Wolfe but also so to leade them as they doo no hurt to the seuerall Féeldes of another But in warre the Gentleman is bounde for the publike defence of his Countrey to commit his person to hazarde So that whether in peace or in warre the Gentleman hauing due regarde to the discharge of his office and estate hath no leasure to leade or loase his time in Idlenes What belongeth then to the Magistrate Polletike who likewise is a pastour of his people to guide them ciuilly by counsell to kéepe them according to the Lawe to defende them with his aucthoritye and vse such prouidence as they bée not molested But much more yea most of all it belongeth to the spirituall pastour of Soules the churchman of what order soeuer he bée to bée vigelaunt in his estate as hauing in charge farre more precious thinges then the others of a greater perrill if he loase them for in loosing one Soule being so deare to Christ as he gaue his life for it he loseth also his owne and can not bée saued if onelye one bée spilt thorow his default Right straitely therefore is he bound to pray incessauntly to preache diligently and to show holy conuersation in his office who if he lose many soules eyther by his example or through his false Doctrine or by negligence in his duty incurreth horrible damtion for that in losing a Soule hée suffereth to bée lost and spilt the blood of Iesus Christ Thus as there is no man who notwithstanding his sufficiencye of wealthe hath not occasion to trauaile more then others whome necessitye enforceth to paynes for theyr reléefe so the more hée is bounde to God for his wealthe by
let them labour to kéepe their common weale whole and sound that neyther in maners nor discipline nor touching the lawes customes statutes and ordenances there bee no error by superfluitie or want receyuing succours by doctrine sermons and perticular lessons touching Religion of the Churchmen to whome they are bound to stretche and leade their hand according to GOD as we sée the bodie serueth the soule in that is necessary for the vse and conseruatioÌ„ of man And if in the said bodye politike there bee hapned any euill of what side soeuer it be eyther of them selues or others eyther within or without whether of one or many or all together they ought presently to discend to the remedie to the rooting vp of the euill if it be possible in the beginning and not suffer it to encrease by conueniencie or dissimulation Let them not doubt but God as he is of nature mercifull so he is greatly prouoked when he punisheth man for vice but more angrie when he scourgeth a whole family afflictes a towne and visites a whole countrie but extremly and most of all is he stirred when he distroyeth a kingdom and generall nation let them not thinke that then the cause of the sinne is small or simple but in diuers sorts multiplied touching the nomber of haynous importaÌ„ce concerning the qualitie quantitie yea encreased with the nomber complet euen to an incensible grauitie for often times God attends the fulnes of our sinnes specialy afore he strike a nation or whole people according to the text of Genesis that he would not punishe the Channites till their iniquities were accomplished The best preseruatiue against all these euils is diligent prouidence of the gouernour and magistrat who then may best restrain vices when they prouid that the lawe may be vnderstand of all with such commandement to kéepe it vnder paine of such due ponishment that euen in the first that transgresseth against him that made it there may be actuall iustice to the common instruction and example of others wherein for their better helpe and effect of this verteous pollicy they must begin to institute the litelones to teach the ignorant blaming both sorts if they do not learne and obserue and so to others instructtng euerie one in the office and dutie of their estate and in what sort they ought to serue the common weale vsing herein specially for their first foundation the doctrine of fayth then the groundes of good conditions and lastly the rules of policie which doctrine in these thrée partes we haue declared before In this sort the magistrate may preserue his common weale from infinit euills as we read Iosua and Samuell standing vppon these reasons of gouernment neuer were trobled with sedicious nor any miseries hapened to them after they had purged them by penance of former offences There hapened in the gouernment of Josua but one defalt by Achan but imediatly after inquisition was made he passed by ponishment by whose example let gouernours bring into correction what vice soeuer they find done against god with out regard to qualifie it eyther by persone parentage place or other partiall or corupt circomstance for it is most cerraine that as that vice being suffered will be the cause of the damnation of the doer so the impunitie and example will drawe many oâ—hers to do euill wherby the ire of God will kindle against a whole kingdome For which cause Abraham assone as he vnderstode that Ismaell went forth to playe with Isaac or as some in terperet to prouoke him to Idolatrie he expulsed him his howse with his mother Moses when he founde any fault done in his campe specially bearing offeÌ„ce to God exercised present and sharp punishment what iustice thundredhe vppon those that worshipped the golden Calfe and no lesse vppon the blaspheamor and transgressor of the Sabaoth with other offences which he foresawe might prouoke god to sentence against the doers and to destroy him first being gouernour for negligence of iustice and so consequently all others consenting to the vices he was aduertised of the iudgemeÌ„t of God aswell by his expresse lawe as by examples past and such as stood in present experience as in the case of whoredome he had séene 24 thousand ouerthrowne by the hands of God with commaundement to him to xecute the Princes captaines of the people by whose wicked example the multitude ronne to their sinne of vncleanes he knew also that for the zeale of iustice God appeaseth his fury as appeareth by that which Phineas the sonne of Eleazer did vppon two fornicators thrusting them both thorow with his sword for the which it is writteÌ„ that God ceased to make the people die he knew by many other examples that the furie of God was terrible vpon a whole world if he fouÌ„d not exercise of good iustice by correctioÌ„ which the Israelites sought to eschew in punishing the offences done in Gabaa as hath ben sayd And Saule being yet a man of grace and fearing God when he vnderstood the people had eaten flesh with his bloud against the lawe cried out saying roole vppon me some great stone and put me to death Oh what sinne haue the people commitied against the Lord séeing God hath ben offended he will punish vs all iustly by some miserable accident if we resort not all to penance therefore he commauÌ„ds to make ready sacrifices to confesse their sinnes detest them and aske pardon of God by prayer whose example if the Magistrates of the world afore the flood had obserued and after in many places of the world if gouernours had applied such quicke Iustice and discipline in the first beginning of vices neyther had the vniuersall ruine hapned nor such common miserie to many generall nations if Helie had chastised his sonnes and kept the people from corruption of Idolatrie he nor his children had not died nor the people suffred slaughter and destruction If Jonathas had not transgressed the Edict of Kyng Saule his father the oracle of God had not ceased he not runne vnder iudgement of death which he had suffred had it not ben for the intercession of the people if Saule had not done wrong to the Gabonites he had not ben the cause of the famine which hapned in the time of Dauid for the appeasing whereof there was commaundement to execute seuen of the race of Saule By these exemplary aduertisements let Magistrates of the present time foresee that in their gouernements there be no vice done or being done that it be pursued with present punishment other wayes let them be assured that with the example of a disease in the body entertained and norished and neither preuenting it afore it happen nor being hapned is carefull to purge and heale it wil breede by continuance a feuer disquieting the head so much vex the whole body that in the end he shal not be able to haue any vse of his meÌ„bers wherby death doth