his conscience And from this ground of Gods fauour and loue he rayseth an argument of charitie and kindenesse to other wherefore Coloss 3. saith Saint Coloss 3. 12. Paul As the elect of God holie and beloued put on the bowels of mercie kindenesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another as Christ forgaue you euen so doe yee For it is an Article of Couenant beetweene God and our selues rehearsed in our prayers and parle with the Lord that as wee are forgiuen our offeâ—ses so should wee forgiue If wee breake couenant and forgiue not others how can wee demaund performance at his hands and not rather looke for such measure as wee mete to others When our Master remitteth ten thousand talents if wee bee straight laced and will not forgiue a trifle Math. 18. of some hundred pence it is a token that our finall quietus est is not signed by the Lord but that hee will call vs backe to an after reconing to pay the vtmost farthing or indeede lye by it for euer Dearely beloued sayth Paul as of God so beloued for his sake of my selfe I loue you and yet may not flatter you What will many of our paynted Christians say to this Surely hee is not my friend hee loues mee not that would aduise mee to suffer this disgrace or put vp this iniurie It is against my honour my worship say the greatest against my profit credit say the meaner sort nay it is against my conscience say many to endure these wrongs when alas it is lust and concupiscence Iam 4. 1 not conscience that fighteth in their members and breedeth this disquiet Are wee then beloued of the Lord and of those that are his deare children though wee be maligned and hated and oppressed of others O let vs keepe this hauen of refuge and succour open that when the world is a sea of troubles raging against vs wee may shoot our selues into the same and giue backe into the comfortable armes of his loue Let vs rather loose our longing desire of reuenge then the fauour of that Lord by whom we are so dearely beloued Thus doth the Apostle sweeten his Prou. 27. 6. sharpe message like a louer giuing a faythfull wound for health and not for hurt in a tender regarde to preserue his clients like a good counsaylour in the euerlasting possession of their soules by patience As Paul so I would all Ambassadours of heauenly peace would keepe this note of loue that one string souÌ„ding right might serue to set all the other in tune And thus much for this sweet title Dearely beloued which I desire of the Lord may make such melody in your hearts at this present time that all desire of reuenge and bitter passions of the minde asswaged you may be transformed into such sincere keepers counsaylours and seekers of peace that this title may remaine for euer verified in your soules Dearely beloued Now foloweth the restraint Auenge not your â— The restraint selues Reuenge is a rash proceeding to the punishment of iniuries receaued without law without order without authoritie In euery priuate Of reuenge by heart tongue and hand man there be three instruments readie to further this reuenge the heart the tongue the hand First is the heart prohibited from all purpose and deuise or desire of vengeaunce 1. The heart For in the heart is the bottome and coare of this disease There lurkes a roote of bitternesse which if it be not stocked vp will spring vp and defile both mouth and manners Concupiscence is the mother of many wicked impes fathered by the diuell and conceiued in the wombe of the heart which must be strangled in the byrth or else like the vipers broode they destroy the wombe and mischiefe many others From the heart come Math. 15. 19. euill thoughts murthers false testimonies slaunders said he that knew the heart But me thinkes I heare some whisper that thought is free It is free indeede but how free from the detection or punishment of man but the Lord which made the frame of the heart and searcheth the thoughts is a Iudge standing before the doore therof to condemne those that doe but Iam. 5. 9. grudge against their bretheren saith saint Iames. Hell and destruction are before the Lord how Prou. 15. 11. much more the hearts of the sonnes of men The sinne of the diuell was but an exaltation of the heart A wicked heart is an abhomination to the Lord although it want meanes either of strength to giue correspondencie to the will or audacitie to vtter the poyson and spight in tearmes for intention is action and hating is 1. Iohn 3. 15. killing before almightie God the Iudge of all secrets The situation of Iericho was pleasaunt but the water was naught and the ground venemous and barren till Elisha the Prophet by an â— King 2. 19. infusion of Salt cast into the spring of the waters cured those infectious qualities and so beloued is the estate of a professed Christian pleasaunt to behold with many seeming commodities which if the waters of the heart be bitter and infectious with the inueterate leauen of malice are all dashed and made matters of daunger and death rather then meanes of comfort and life The word of God is the salt which must be cast into the Fountaine head of the hart which beeing healed redresseth all daungers and inconueniences and this is that word and that salt wherewith wee desire to season and sucke out all corrupt humors from the bottome of your hearts Auenge not your selues dearely beloued Diuerse be the reasons that backe this prohibition Reasons against a Reuenging hart and may make it of force to withdraw vs froÌ„ this priuate priuie rancour of the minde though commonly the affections incensed haue no eares But see beloued before the Cocatrice egges bee hatched and they breake Isai 59. 5. out into a serpent what trauaile and payne there is in the conception breeding of mischiefe nourishing of a reuenging thought What disease can so disfigure the bodie and consume it what losse can so take away the Reuenge oâ— hart coÌ„sumes body goods and soule benefit of Riches or honour or what canker can so infect and poyson the soule as an enuious thirst of vengeaunce and a desire to cry quittance with our enimies Hee that carrieth 1. The bodie the fire of malice in his bosom first burnes himselfe pyneth and scorcheth his braynes dryeth the marrow of his boanes drinketh vp his owne bloud bewrayeth his worme-eaten conscience with the malicious sparkles of an euil eye For as Wisdome maketh the face to shine Prou. 15. 13. Prou. 14. 30. and a ioyful hart maketh a cheerfull countenance as a sound minde is the life of the flesh and restoratiue to the boanes so doth malice put the face Genes 4. 5. out of fauour maketh Caine walke with
president against those rulers that be all for vengeance and extremitie nothing for mercy nor compassion For the Lord hath appointed the rulers to be shepheards and watchmen to feed and preserue not roaring lyons and hungry beares Pro 28. 15. Micha 3. to prey vpon the people to trample vpon them as mire and grinde them in peeces with extortion polling Our Sauiour Christ therefore calleth gouernors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benefactors and gracious not malefactors and mischieuous because by their title hee would teach them their duety And if the Lord had ordained his magistrates onely to kill to racke and to poll his people hee might haue put in the diuell for a sole Commissioner for hee can practise nothing else but mischiefe and vengeance but because the magistrate must vse mercie and a fauourable defence of the good a correction of euill and not a confusion of all together therefore hath the Lord committed his sword vnto men and gaue them this title I haue saide you are Gods intending they should Psal 82. 6. be iust as God holy as God mercifull vpon occasion as God without partiality as God without iniquity as God so doing they may be fearelesse of the faces of men as God himselfe Thus may all men in authoritie behold their faces dueties in the glasse which sheweth the Lords properties and telleth them how neere they come to his perfection The Lord doth not onely exercise punishment but pitie and compassion How farre be those Iudges and officers from the Lords example that pinch all in the purse let none goe free what person soeuer in what cause soeuer if hee light in their clawes whose courts resemble the Popes Purgatory if he say the word or any of his proctors that the soules of men are in though they be out yet pay they must by theÌ„selues or their friendes before they be at rest though they were at quiet before And how like are such to the ignorant physitions that prescribe to all persons in all causes phlebotomie and letting of bloud as though euery disease were of excesse and superfluitie none of defect and penurie for they drawe bloud of all and lighten the purse of euery Patient and this maketh the world to decrease in wealth but increase in sinnes What warrant such officers haue for their dealings I knowe not except it be this vulgar proued trewe hee that buyes deare must seldeare he that farmes at a hard rent must take vp all with the angle drag all with the net Neuerthelesse it is a more desperate case when in a Commonwealth a man may do any thing without punishment then when hee can doe nothing but he smarts for it A licentious liberty is more daÌ„gerous then seruitude it selfe therfore better haue a sharpe gouernour theÌ„ In execution mercy but not remissenesse an Idole a blocke that suffereth the people to be deuoured one of another coÌ„sumed of theÌ„selues Wherfore as the Lord conueyeth ouer his authority to men confirmeth theÌ„ in their place with these titles that IudgemeÌ„t is his power is his the throne his the sword his vengeaÌ„ce is his so he teacheth them the diligent vse carefull execution adding this clause I will repay When Iehos hap hat had ordained Iudges vnder him he giueth them the same charge that he had receiued from God the same encouragement Take beede what yee do for ye execute not the Iudgements of man but of the Lord 2. Chron. 19. 6 and hee will be with you in the cause of iudgementâ— wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take heede and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of person nor receiuing of rewarde So that the place of a Iudge is not a place of priuate reuenge nor a dumbe shewe of honour and pompe nor a pillowe of ease and securitie whereon men are to sleepe or tell the clocke but there must be circumspection diligence and wisdome they must take heede and doe it hoc agite attend vpon this office doe this and yet take heede what ye doe When the Lord hath saide to rulers yee are gods hee meaneth not that they shoulde be like the Epicures idle god which sate in his throne and Psal 82. let all inferior matters alone as to base for his eyes nay rather the Lord woulde haue them like himselfe which doth not onely Isai 40. 12. weigh mountaines and hilles in his ballance but the very dust of the earth and sandes of the sea And therefore he setteth downe iudgement Exod. 18. 22. for small matters and as he saith vengeance is mine so by Salomon he descendeth lower and Prou. 16. 11. layeth claime to the ballance and telleth vs that all the weightes in the bagge be the worke of the Lord. And who are weaker or lower then the fatherlesse the widowe the poore and yet al Iudges haue the Lords Letter commendatory or mandatory rather in their behalfe the tenor whereof is this doe right to the poore and fatherlesse Psal 82. doe Iustice to the poore and needy and how they should do this right he telleth them deliuer the poore and needy saue them from the hand of the wicked And further to keepe the Iudges themselues in awe hee standeth ouer them and telleth them of his presence in the very entrance of the Psalme saying God standeth in the assembly of gods hee Iudgeth amongst gods he maketh one in all courts all assises Psal 82. 1. sessions and that which men passe ouer he finds out that which they winke at hee punisheth The Iudges ignorance will not excuse him if for carelesnes he suffer the calamitie of the innocent for if thou say Behold we knew not of it the holy Ghost will reply as in the Prouerbes hee that poÌ„dereth the heart doth not he vnderstand it Prou. 24. 12. and hee that keepeth thy soule knoweth hee it not and will not hee also recompense euery man according to his worke And the righteous man Iob will teach thee in dignitie what thou oughtest to haue done in his Apology touching Iob. 29. 16. intricate matters for when he knewe not the cause hee sought it out diligently as hee saith of himselfe At leastwise the Lord himselfe that vpon the clamorous outcry of Sodomes sinnes in his eares commeth downe Gâ—â— 18. 21. on the earth to examine if their sinnes were so grieuous or no doth rather intend an instruction to those whom he honoureth with the title of Gods then further intelligence to his owne wisdome from the which nothing was hidde According to the power assigned from God must be the purpose practise of euery gouernour For what is a sword if it be alwaies like a childes dagger riuetted in the sheath and put to no vse what are good lawes without execution but as belles without clappers And what are magistrates that hauing neither the life
hanging lookes consumeth the eyes in the holes hasteneth Zechar. 14. death to the body filles the boanes with corruption The spirit of a man sayth Salomon sustayneth Prou. 18. 14. his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can bearâ— it Anger resteth in the bosome of fooles and yet Eccles 7. 11 lyke a restlesse beast it teareth the soule of him that keepeth it It swelleth like poyson maketh Iob. 18 4. grin and gnash the teeth like a dogge for so it is said of Stephens enemies Their hearts burst for spight and they gnashed at him with Acts 7. 54. their teeth they shew the tricks of hell and the propertie of the diuell in this life for Diaboli propria est inuidia saith Basil Enuie of all other Basil de Inui sinnes is the diuels peculiar brand wherewith he is marked Doe but take a view of the enuious creature marke his ioy and laughter it is but to see others weepe and wring by this hastening vengeance vpon himselfe from the Lord which causeth malicious men to bee caught in their owne snares Therefore sayth Salomon be not glad when thine enimie falleth Prou. 24. let not thine heart reioyce when he stumbleth least the Lord see it and hee be displeased and turne his wrath from him to thee So great an enimie is the enuious man to himselfe that he deriues the plagues of others vpon his owne body and soule Whereof Iob desireth to cleare himselfe Iob. 31. 29. protesting that hee reioyced not at the destruction of him that hated him nor was mooued to ioy when euill came vpon him As for the sorrow and deadly vexation of the minde which this desire of reuenge and hatred effecteth 2. The vse of goods honor abridged by reuenge of heart Esthâ—r 5. 11. as it tormenteth the bodie so it depriueth the rich of his ease and the most honorable of his contentment his owne abundance cannot pleasure him nor his purple garments heale him When Haman hath reconed vp all the glorie of his riches the multitude of his children all his promotions wherwith the king had honored him the fauour and banquet wherewith the Queene had graced him what is all this to cheere him vp that hath a clog in his heart which driues him to confesse that all this is nothing so long as hee sees Mordechat the Iew sitting at the Kinges gate so that Haman cannot goe ioyfully to the banquet except he be the hangman of his enimie for default of a little curtesie towards him But if this venime were but only daungerous to the body or only such as wrought a discontentment toward 3. Reuenge iâ— heart an enimie to thâ— soule riches honor and things externall it might seeme tolerable but it poisoneth also the soule infecteth religion intercepteth prayers depriueth vs of the sight and presence of the Lord. 1. Pet 2. 11. All fleshly lustes sayth Peter first fight against the soule of our selues and that before they harme the body of others for hee that beareth fire in his bosome first burnes himselfe before hee endaunger his neighbours Admit thou knowest the truth canst teach others frequent sermons professe well speake fauourably and Godly yet if thou concealest a spightfull heart vnder this maske of religion thou art but as a potsheard ouerlaide with siluer Prou. 26. 23. drosse a guilded scpulchre and all thy professioÌ„ is but a lye not able to affourd any comfort of conscience to thyne owne soule and therefore froÌ„ such hipocrites S. Iames pulleth of the vizard and sheweth them their owne estate If you haue bitter enuying and strife in your Iam. 3. 14. harts reioyce not neither bee lyers against the truth How can that minde which is stuffed with superfluitie of malice heare with profit that word which is sincere milke to bee receiued with meekenesse as of new borne babes Againe what prayers can issue from a bitter fountaine What desire or delyght can the malicious heart haue to present it selfe before the Maiestie of him that esteemeth of hatred as manslaughter How darest thou offer those sighes and groanes to the Lord that breake froÌ„ a forge of reuenge With what confidence canst thou lift vp those hands to God for mercie that are readie to be lifted vp against thy brother in cruelty seeing the Lord will haue pure hands lifted vp without wrath or doubting Timoth. 2. 8. Math. 5. Blessed are the pure in hart for they shall see God saith our sauiour their soule is a glasse of Gods cheerefull face but hee that hateth his 1. Iohn 2. 11. brother is in darknesse A turbulent spirit and a spightfull heart is like a troubled water wher there appeares no reflection of any comfortable countenance but dregges terrour darknesse the shadow of death and crueltie being the Image of the diuell himselfe For ther is no such harbour for him to lurke and fortifie himselfe in as that heart which is swept with anger Luke 11. 21. 25. and garnished with wrath vpon whose rage the sunne hath often set therefore sayth S. Paul to the Ephes Let not the sunne goe downe vpon Ephse 4. â—6 your wrath giue no place to the dwell Who if he get in league with the corrupted will he imployeth not onely the heart but the tongue not onely the tongue but the eyes also in witchcraft Basil and vilanie being his worke commonly vpon a profound malice and an inueterate desire of reuenge Seeing then the very thoughts of reuenge are iudged and condemned of the Lord seing they are the roote of all mischiefes the tormenters of the body the disfigurers of the face the depriuers of rest in the middest of riches honour the slaughterers of the soule the empeachment of religion preiudiciall to the hearing and hinderers of prayers the eclipse of the eye of our soule that it cannot see God nor be seene in peace of him and the very harbengers of the diuell let vs that haue thought wickedly as who can say his heart is cleane Prou. 20. 9. lay our hands vpon our hearts and yeeld our selues to the vertue of this prohibition Auenge not your selues As vpon the heart so the holie ghost commaundeth vs to lay our hands vpon the mouth to stay the tongue and surcease all practise of 2. The tongâ— stayed from reuenge reuenge by any outward meanes that if wee cannot rule our affections for loue of him that seeketh to bridle them yet wee may tame our our tongue and represse our actions for feare of the magistrate that is the minister of God to take Rom. 13. vengeaunce of all cursed speakers and wicked dooers Two sorts of people are concluded and shut vp within this restraint One sort are like Lions either roaring in high thundring words or ramping in cruel maner vpon their pray The other like Foxes close and subtill but greedie notwithstanding One trusteth to his force the other to his fraude one taketh his
it is like that if the wine fayled not that is their liuings melted not and beggerie came not vppon them like an armed man they woulde Prou. 6. 11. not blush to braue Authoritie in open place and disturbe the whole course of iustice As for our selues that speake of peace wee are sure to bee assayled with warre when wee play vpon Dauids Harpe to ease their griefe they cast their speares to wound vs and charm wee neuer so sweetlie yet this Serpent of reuenge and malice either is deafe and will not heare or fierce and readie to sting vs but it is our portion wee must beare it you redresse it And thus haue we discouered not only the humour but the vapors and smoke of Reuenge kindled in the heart and venting out at the mouth that you the Lords beloued may see the deformitie reforme the fault according to this prohibition of saint Pauls Auenge not your selues which hee expoundeth to the Ephes after this sort Let all buternesse crying Ephes 4. 31. euill speaking be put away with all maliciousnesse Next after the tongue we arrest by this Prohibition 3. Reuenging haÌ„ds arrested the wilfull hands and violent proceedings of those that wil be their owne caruers therfore without deliberation with themselues without expectation of Gods vengeaunce against right reason and al good order reuenge their iniuries receiued in deede or imagined in conceipt The Apostle heere speaketh in tearmes of loue to all but how shall wee speake or what stile shall we vse to the rufflers hacksters of our age Shall wee call them beloued That were out of fashion with such affectate male-contents that take a pride to be partakers of the curse of Ismael that had his hand vp against euery Genes 16. 12. man and euery mans hand against him Shall wee call them christians so teach them their dutie That name fitteth not the tragicall humor and stage-like behauiour of our dayes wherein euery Nouice like a fury learnes to cry Reuenge to offer the stabbe to threaten the pistoll and in their aduantage not to spare no not a brother but to strike him as * Primus diabo li discipulus Bas Genes 4. Caine the first disciple of the diuell did Abel not a reconciled friend but to wound him traiterously as Ioab did 2. Sam. 3. 27. Abner Alas how is that pretious accompt forgotten which the Lord maketh and demandeth of man and beast for shedding of mans bloud Gen. 9. 5. with an vnpriuiledged sword and a priuate anger What small reconing is made to deface the Image of God or teare the flesh of our selues as though men were become wolues dragons to their owne kinde Is that valour fortitude so to feare another mans life that thou canst not liue in quiet till thou hast seene his death Is it manhood to be monstrous and cruell like the ould Gyants or sauage like beasts of the pray If you prouoke beasts they lay about them presently Lactant. lib. 6 Instit Cap. 18. with horne and hoofe saith a father and so doe fooles receiuing hurt being led with a reasonlesse furie to reuenge they cannot respite theyr rage nor mitigate theyr passions A foole rageth and is carelesse and in the hast of his anger hee committeth follie sayth that wise king but Prou. 14. 16. shall the heate of his bloud excuse his assaults of violence murder before the Lord Shall his anger being a short madnesse acquire him Or shall the wounds that are giuen without Prou. 23. 29. cause by such as tarry long at the wine till they are enraged with heate and dispossessed of wit pleade a pardon for him that killeth his companion in drinke Aske but the Philosopher and he will tell vs that drunken offenses deserue double punishment for such madnesse is voluntarie Arist eth 3. and such ignorance is wilfull therefore our common speach sufficiently concludeth this poynt which awardeth him that killeth a man when he is drunke to bee hanged when hee is sober But of all other that same violence and murther which is effected by presumption and premeditated circumstances is prohibited by the Lord and to bee resisted by the sworde of his vengeance O that this sinne might not bee found in the house of Iacob But what age is this Or what people doe wee liue amongst Bluntly to kill and simplie to murther is but for plaine fellowes our gallants that studie to bee madde with reason haue an art of killing rules traditions and precepts to teach them murther by the booke in which they growe more expert then captaine Ioab which 2. Sam. 3. 27. 2. Sam. 20. 10. could take the first ribbe in his stabbes where he was sure to speede Such cunning there was in Ierusalem not long before the ruine and desolation thereof for common stabbers with Ioseph bell Iud. lib. 2. cap. 12. their cloaked poyniards and short daggers in the middest of assemblies dispatched those agaynst whome they made any quarrell with â—icarii great arte and secrecie And it can bee no good presagement in anie Countrie when bloudthirstie men growe expert and boast like tyrants men of power and strength to doe mischiefe and take away life when alas it is more August in Psal 52. grace and prowesse to giue life or preserue it for euerie vermine and base viper can wounde and kill and is this a propertie for strong men to glorie in But wee heare dayly the replie of some in their impatient mood What shal we suffer all be made fooles accounted cowards and be so disarmed and bound to the peace that euery one shal ouer-crow vs and oppresse vs He that putteth vp an old iniurie prepares a new for himself These are to vnderstaÌ„d that the same God which forbiddeth priuate reueÌ„ge hath ordained a publike redresse for all iniuries either by them that carry the weapons of his wrath or by himself if iudgemeÌ„t slumber with them And therfore as we haue a restraint to keepe vs from reuenging 3. Direction our selues so we haue a direction whither to go speed of a remedie in all our grieuances Giue place vnto wrath He that wil right his owne cause be his own stickler champion takes the place of Gods wrath intrudes himself but the beloued of the Lord must giue place if thou canst not forbeare iniuries yet forbeare expect a day of hearing of the righteous Iudge or his lawful delegats Neither wheÌ„ priuate men see notorious sinnes vnpunished is it lawfull for them vpon an ouershot zeale to take vp the sworde and play the Reformers Such a one wilt thou alledge is a forsworne wretch Gods enimie and therefore I may doe the Lord good seruice to kill him Who art thou that so iudgest and presumest to haue powre of life and death without a commission Keepe thou thy bounds wait vpon the Lord tarrie his leasure Priuate meÌ„ haue no further plea but
of the people they committed For when sinne groweth stoute and loftie and punishmentes weake when the rodde of Scorpions is turned into feathers when priuate men reprooue not the vngodly ministers rebuke not Iudges and rulers hauing them offered punish not at the last all become guiltie all actors and consenters in sinne and all be punished with a grand execution of some famine pestilence sworde or such like calamitie I would to God in our peaceable estate there were no want of this holie indignation and religious fortitude in the pursuit of those manifolde sinnes which are the spottes of our peace and shadowes in the sunne-shine of the Gospel But set before your eyes religious audience our whole estate and coÌ„sider as I doubt not but you do ofteÌ„ the sores of our body politike and the breaches of our land from the top of the head to the soale of the foote and you shall behold many wounds and many soueraigne plaisters and yet very slow healing because there wanteth courage in the heart of the Phisitions to apply the one to the other Looke downe to the legges of our Common-wealth and remember that lately they were ready to rot with idlenes misery Those idle vagarants I meane who swarming like Caterpillers not long since and treading downe Prou. 13. 23. the fielde of the poore wherein is much fruit if it bee well ordered walking without checke or shame in theft drunkennesse and whoredome in prophanenesse of life and all vngodlinesse swearing and cursing lying and murthering begetting a monstrous ofspring the parents without wedlocke the children without baptisme are they not mightilye repressed by an easie medicine wiselie prouided by the superiour powers and yet but coldly applyed by the inferiour officers Who amongest vs remembring the grosse inconueniences of those idle backes and slowe bellyes so tolerated to wnader and increase but will detest that course of lyfe And yet there must bee a respectiue looke of loue to Gods câ—eatures and a commiseration of them for though they be lazie legges and yet are they our limmes and members and therefore to be supplied with worke and reliefe with direction and correction by those parts that carry the eyes and wisdome to gouerne and teach As hatred of their sinne is readie to whippe them so loue and compassion must be readie to helpe feede them They must eate so nature teacheth vs not the bread of idlenesse but their owne bread purchased by their labour so the Scripture informeth 2. Thes 3. 12. vs. A wife and auncient Counseller sometime of this Realme wittily rebuked the maners and orders of a straunge Countrie not much differing Sir Th. More Vtop from his owne but in the title for that they first made theeues and taught them to steale and after hanged them vp They made theeues saith he in that they suffered such a multitude of seruingmen to bee trained vp in idlenesse and pride which after being thrust out of seruice must needes be driuen to theeuerie for begging they scorned and to labour they had not learned in any honest vocation I will not say but men made seruice able are verie necessarie and stand before great men in good place But idlenesse permitted to a multitude must needs be the nurserie of beggers and where manie lustie open beggers remaine there sayth Plato be many priuie theeues and pickers As all other Plato de rep dial 8. Zepper countryes are noted for some peculiar vice which the people thereof are most addicted vnto so English men though they be ingeniosi yet are they desidiosi though ingenious Ascham yet idle it is our fault and therefore asketh great industrie of the gouernours before it can be throughly expulsed Neither is it to be forgotten that a renowmed King of this nation Edward the third of that name procured strangers from beyond the seas with great rewards Camden in Kent and priuiledges to come into this countrie and teach our people that trade of clothing which to the great benefite of this lande and employment of the poorer sort is yet in practise whence al our womeÌ„ are presupposed spinsters as the men of meane degree are intended laborers And sure a kingly practise is it to prouide worke for the lustie and strong as reliefe and hospitalitie for the sicke and the lame From the head there descende sinewes to the hands and inferiour members and from the highest in place must issue such good directions as may gouerne the whole bodie keepe it in frame The legges must not be cut off or Heb 12. 12 turned cleane out of the way but rather streight steppes are to be made to our feete and the halting legges to be healed and the feeble knees to be lifted vp If we ascend from the legges to the handes shall we not see a multitude of them defiled with bloodshed beside the manifold iniquities wherewith they are exercised Compt the woundes the murthers and the bloud that is shedde in euerye part of our lande note how it is couered vnder the wings of men that haue countenaunce how it is pleaded for with this allegation that life is to be fauoured euen in fauour of him that had no mercy in his rage and we may with good cause be afrayde least the Lord arraigne the whole land for bloud vnreuenged crying in his eares The life and bloud of the murtherer is owing to the Lord who putteth the sworde into the Gene. 9. 6. Magistrates hand to make payment and satisfaction for bloud wrongfully shedde there is no way to purge the land from bloud but to strike the offender that the righteous may reioyce Psal 58. 10. and wash his foote in the bloud of the wicked and make it a Caueat to keepe him from the like Looke vp towarde the heades and greater men of our Common-wealth If the want of discipline suffred the Grashoppers to catch a head which skip vpon the ground what will not the Caterpillers dare that sit aloft in the highest trees amongst much fruit clothed in gay colours despising the Magistrate and scorning the Minister There is indeed a common disease very dangerous in many of them that carrie something high sayles and thinke themselues to be mightie which is called Noli me tangere Touch me if thou dare As in physicke so in diuinitie it is thought to be incurable because the more it is handled dealt withall the more it swelleth and rageth with anger and fretfulnesse This disease raigneth amongst the vsurers and extortioners of our time that hate the good Micha 3. 23 and loue the euill and plucke off the skinnes from the people and the flesh from their bones that ioyne house to house and field to field till there Isai 5. 8. be no place but for themselues that depopulate whole townes and swallow vp the poore that Amos. 8. 4. the needie of the land may faile and yet breake through the statutes and lawes as through cobwebbes