the Assirians against the Jewes First that coÌ„mandement in the first verse of this second chapter seemeth very euidently to proue where the Prophet saith Blow vp the trumpet in Syon Syon is taken vsually for Christs church as we reade Esa 2. v. 3. Ps 87. 2. And the trumpet signifies the preaching of the Gospel as appeareth by those seneÌ„ Angels which did blow their trumpets from Jesus Christs ascension to his comming to iudgement No doubt as Syon is not heere to be ment literally so neither the trumpets But that which Ioel here saith Blow vp the trumpet in Syon for the day of the Lord is at hand is all one with that which our Sauiour saith in the Gospell The Gospell shall be preached and then shall the ende come Nay Saint Peter in the Acts applieth some part of Ioels prophesie to Christs first comming as the sending downe of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles some part thereof to the day of iudgement when as the Sunne shall be darkned and the Moone turned to blood And shall we say that this prophesie concernes not vs Nay we in our fasts apply the turning to the Lord with fasting wéeping vnto our daies which is as as it were the medicine And shall we not apply the sinne and sore which Ioel there toucheth and that garden of Eden also to our daies Nay Saint Paul telleth vs plainely that all things chanced to the Iewes typically and are written for our learning on whom the ends of the world are come And will any man say then that this prophesie of Ioel concernes vs not Shall we not learne something thereby And also the same reason may be alleaged concerning the 13. Chap. of Esay which hereafter I also alleage And here let all the Lords watchmen giue these Inclosers and gardiners warning before while it is called to day least they repent to late with Diues in hell So their blood shall be vpon their owne heads for surely Gods word is truth And as the land shall be most assuredly a garden before the face of the Lord at that day so there shall be some gardiners The Gospell also condemnes this Inclosure Our Sauiour prophesieth that in the ende of the world the charitie of many shall waxe colde which argueth a precedent heate And may not these Inclosers fulfill this prophesie who haue some charitie in them but not the charitie of their ancestors But he that continues to the ende in the faith of the Gospell working through feruent and Christian charitie such charitie as Christ himselfe shewed towards vs and also commanded he shall be saued saith our Sauiour and none else Therefore let Inclosers take héede which haue not this charitie Saint Paul also prophesieth thus of the latter times that in the last daies shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is dogged times for as Gellius notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred to the most keene and fierce nature of dogges And he willeth Timothie to know this as a thing most certaine And doth not this touch Inclosers who catch and snatch all they can from their brethren for their owne lucre sake But although this had béene enough to haue declared them vnto vs yet that which followes paints them vnto vs liuely for many shall be saith Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is louers of themselues and louers of money By what two marks could he haue expressed Inclosers more manifestly these two loues raignes in them but the loue of their brethren is quite banished out of their harts Nay these Inclosers are as it followes also in the Apostle disobedient to their parents in not obeying after their deaths their charitable customes which they commaunded and in their liues obserued So did not the Rechabites The Apostle Saint Peter of the day of iudgement writeth thus The end of all things is at hand be yee therefore sober and pray not on the day time only but euen with our blessed Sauiour in the night but aboue all things haue feruent loue among you for Christian charitie as an effect of faith shall couer a multitude of sinnes For the faithful and mercifull mens sinnes are couered and not mentioned as appeareth in the Gospel But to goe on with our Apostle Let euery man as he hath receiued the gift so minister the same as good Stewards of the manyfold graces of God Why should Saint Peter here make mention of Stewards but that as sh 〈…〉 séeme he did foresée in the spirit that some at the ende of the world should forget themselues to be stewards and deale here with the earth and earthly things as though they were chiefe Lords of them whereas Saint Peter telleth them heere pâ—aâ—ely that they are but péere Stewards And Dauid himselfe though a king acknowledged the same That the earth is the Lords and all that therein is Nay Cyrus that great Persian Monark confesseth that the Lord God of heauen hath giuen him all the kingdomes of the earth as to a frée-holder or Steward Let all Landlords learne this lesson and remember it wel against the the day of Judgement and deale like stewards and not like Lords with Gods people God no doubt shall make enquirie at that day how they haue dealt with them But to conclude that of this sinne of depopulation of townes shall be especiall inquirie made at the day of iudgement The Prophet Esay speaking of that day writes thus Behold the day of the Lord commeth cruell with wrath and fierce anger to lay the earth waste And he shall destroy her sinners out of her What should the Prophet meane by those Chatteah her sinners but these Inclosers who are too much in loue with the earth Nay saith God I will cause the arrogancie of the proud to cease Gaauath Ngaritsim the pride of these terrible men that no man durst speake against or speake vnto And I will make a man saith God more precious than fine gold euen a man aboue the wedge of the gold of Ophir There shall be some at that day of iudgement as appeareth by this place that shall make no account of men which shal depopulate townes God telleth all such that he will make a man euen one man whereas they haue thought it a light matter to depopulate townes and to roote out many men more pretious than a wedge of gold And what is all their wooll-money to a wedge of gold One man is more worth than a wedge of gold much more then than all their wooll-money God himselfe hath spoken it Wherefore if Inclosers and depopulators of townes meane to be saued at the day of iudgement let them willingly cast open their closes againe and reedifie the farmes they haue decayed It makes no matter for the charge of hedging which they shall loose that they haue beene at And let them banish their shéepe out of their
besides Burgundie there were numbred in France 27. thousand villages with steeples And in another suruey of France made in the raigne of Charles the ninth it was found that the number of the inhabitants there were aboue 15. millions of men Did the French thus glory in their multitudes of people and shall not we much more in England séeke to maintaine ours And here I cannot but take away some stumbling blockes for these Inclosers perchaunce will flatter themselues and say that it is but a small village that they haue dispeopled or a small farme or cottage that they haue decaied or pulled downe and what doe you make so much to doe thereof But let all such know that little Zoar saued Lot and Nazareth that obscure citie whereof Nathaniell said can any good come out of Nazareth it nursed our Sauiour Jesus and gaue him a name which from his crosse to this day is honorable And Saint Paul teacheth vs plainely that God hath chosen the weake things of this world to confound the mightie things and vile things and things which are despised hath God chosen And dare any contemne or make light account of that nay destroy that which God hath chosen and maketh great account of Out of that little village or poore cottage which he hath decaied whosoeuer hée is might haue come one as good as himselfe what may I say then of great husband townes where many rich farmers and cottages are decaied Would any of vs willingly haue the little finger of his hand cut off no more no doubt will Jesus Christ suffer one poore cottage which is as it were his little finger to bée cut off vnpunished without repentance There was a statute made of late for the maintainance of tillage and reedifying farmes decaied It is to bée feared that God hath obserued how diligent some were to sée the poore whipped by a statute made at the same time and how slacke in the execution of that other act of reedifying plowing Another stumbling blocke is that some will say they must néedes maintaine their states And this cloake couers all their pride and couetousnes But let all such know that reason thus Must they impare the Lords inheritance to maintaine their estates euen they whom the Lord himselfe hath aduanced they had better to be as poore as Lazarus in state and condition nay they had better neuer haue béene borne then to exault themselues to impare his inheritance Oh let these men of all others take héede of this ingratitude Let the example of King Saul terrifie them who being made of a poore acorne a mightie oake and of a seeker of his fathers asses the first King of Israel yet afterwards for his vnthankefulnes and disobedience he and all his posteritie was quite reiected of God for euer from the kingdome Let Jesus Christs example teach and moue them who to doe vs good did not respect his estate being equall with God as Saint Paul teacheth vs but humbled himselfe and became as a seruant He washed his apostles feete and became obedient to the death of the Crosse And what is the greatest of our estates in comparison of his Surely euen like a little mould-hill to a mountaine And shall we thinke much to impaire our estates to doe our brethren good nay shall we hurt them to maintaine it nay shall we dishonour God Oh not Christs disciples but Mammons worldlings There were as many noble men and gentlemen in England heretofore as are now and of as great estate and how did they maintaine themselues They did not in the Popes darke kingdome depopulate townes and shall we in the light of the Gospell Can we maintaine our estates by no way else but by imparing the Lords inheritance let that be farre from vs. If Inclosers would be content with the auncient apparrell and houses and dyet of their ancestors as they are not ashamed of their lands they néede neuer raise rents nor improue their lands They which stand so much on this point that they must maintaine their estates know not what humilitie is All Christs disciples must be humble And humilitie is to descend a degree or two from our estate and not to seeke to maintaine it Surely that is a spice of pride The daunger and grieuousnes of this sinne makes me in all humilitie to write thus It is to be feared that God may now complaine as he did in the daies of Ieremie Can a virgin forget her ornament or a bride her attire yet my people haue forgotten me daies without number who haue adorned and maintained them Why do you as it were now at last begin to make your waies good againe to purchase my loue yea euen heerein thou declarest that thy waies are euill For in thy wings are found the blood of soules of poore innocents Thou hast not found them with mattockes in their hands such as are mentioned in Greâ—us where theeues are said with matâ—odâ—â—s to digge thorow walles and to 〈◊〉 into houses by night but about all 〈…〉 saith the Prophet no doubt wi 〈…〉 ter instruments euen to puâ—◠〈◊〉 houses and townes And yet th 〈…〉 because I am guiltlesse surely 〈…〉 shall turne from me Behold I wi 〈…〉 with thee into iudgement because theâ— saiest thou hast not sinned Inclâ—sâ—â—s are as guiltie of these sinnes as were those Jewes For after their inclosure they will goe about to make good their waies and they will giue some poore widowes cowegates in their closes as it were to purchase Gods fauour whereas as those Jewes had they haue the blood of poore innocent soules in their wings and worships Nay and they haue also in their hands not mattockes but greater instruments then those euen to pull downe farmes and townes And yet neuerthelesse they saie as the Jewes did that they are not guiltie Therefore saith God I will enter into iudgement with them And this may séeme to be another cause of the pâ—ague amongst vs at this day We sinne in wordly cares and in excesse in our diet whereof our blessed Sauiour biddes vs take héede we excéede in our stately buildings which the Prophet Esay and Ieremie plainely reprooue we sinne in vanitie of apparell which the Prophet Zephanie condemnes and we account these no sins wée say that we are guiltles and therefore doth God enter with vs into iudgement whereas it is the first lesson that the Apostle Saint Peter giues vs which liue in the end of the world that we should be sober and kéepe no doubt that holie meane in all our worldly cares in our diet in our apparell in our buildings and in the furniture of our houses and to conclude in all things But that which followes in the Prophet shall proue them guiltie and condemue them Why labourest thou so much saith the Prophet to change thy waies and to make them seeme good thou shalt be confounded of Aegypt as thou art also confounded
hanged for their labours or else wander vp and downe and begge and then also are cast into prison as vagrant persons seeing no man will set them a worke when as they doe most willingly offer their seruices For now there is nothing to be done about husbandrie wherein they haue beene brought vp all their liues when as there is nothing sowen For now one Sheepeheard and one Neat-heard is sufficient to looke to that ground with cattell to the tillage whereof that it might beare corne many mens hands and labours were required And by this meanes it commeth to passe that in many places Corne waxeth very deare We may note here first how that Sir Thomas More being a Papist yet touched this sinne euen in Abbots and that in the darkenes of Poperie and shall not we condemne it in the light of the Gospell Secondly he affirmes that it makes beggers and that it makes théeues and causeth a dearth of corne in our land nay it pulleth downe Townes If in his daies it wrought these mischiefes when as it began but to set in foote into this Common-wealth what hath it done since which hath growne to the very heart thereof nay what will it doe in the ende if it procéede as it hath begun if some stay and remedie be not had It will no doubt begger and quite decay the Common-wealth of England How many farmes now stand emptie since Inclosers began or onely with some seruants in them which dare giue nothing not knowing their maisters pleasure so hospitalitie is quite thereby decayed How many poore men lacke worke as threshers and poore women as spinners and doe complaine for lacke of their accustomed workes and how many poore mens children are inforced to begge or else liue idely which heretofore where tillage was maintained were taken into seruice to driue the plough or to keepe cattell thereby in time grew to be good members in the Common-wealth which Inclosers néed not The seauenth reason This Inclosure with depopulation is a sin whereof God shall make speciall inquirie at the day of iudgement IT is written in the booke of Genesis that the earth was full of crueltie and that that was the principall cause of the drowning thereof and it is to be feared that this shall be the cause of the burning thereof as appeareth in the 25. of Math. verse 42. 43. The Prophet Dauid thus manifestly prophesieth of Christs comming to iudgement The Lord shall arise and haue mercie vpon Syon for the áppointed time is come for all thy seruants haue great pleasure in her stones and it pitieth them to see her in the dust And all nations shall feare thy name O Lord and all the kingdomes of the earth thy glorie for the Lord doth builde Syon and he will be seene in his glorie He hath had respect vnto the prayer of Hangareger as it is in the Hebrew that is of the poore afflicted and he hath not despised their supplication This shall be written Ledhor acharon for the last generation of the world And the people created shall praise the Lord. Here we may marke first that this Psalm prophesies of our daies and that this lesson concernes vs. The time is now come for God to arise to iudgement and to haue mercie vpon Syon And then is it not written for vs that liue in the ende of the world Oh that we would marke it The lesson is this that all Gods seruants rather delight in the stones of Syon that is in the Lords shéepe and faithfull seruants more than in their flockes of sheepe or in their braue walles and high Towres and it pitieth them to see these stones troden vnder foote and lye in the dust and to be made no account off And that in the Sun-shine of the Gospell when all nations shall feare the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth his glory by the preaching of his word But God doth build Syon and will be seene in his glorie There be some as should seeme that haue pulled downe Syon and Gods Church and these his stones But God himselfe will build it vp againe saith the Prophet and will be seene in his glory Let all depopulators of townes themselues build vp the Lords Syon and farmes againe least if that they suffer God to build them when as he comes in his glorie that his building be too costly for them and cost them not some hundreth pounds of money which now perchance they are loth to disburse but the damnation of their soules For God hath a regard vnto the prayer Hangaregar that is of the poore afflicted that is trampled vnder foote and made no account of but is as a broome as that word signifieth and hath not despised their supplications The iust men should florish in Gods house like to Palme trees and we haue made them like broome euen béesomes to swéepe and make cleane our houses And doe we thinke that God will not reuenge this Who sées not such broomes almost in euery place that is many good farmes pulled downe and lye in the dust to swéepe and beutifie and build a new braue and stately house Let all such as make the Lords Palmes their broome béesomes to swepe their houses with all take héede at the day of iudgement God shall search out diligently for all such and without spéedy repentance and planting his palmes againe shall cast them into hell This is written for the last generation as Arias Montanus translates it and doth it not concerne vs And a people Nicrah created shall praise the Lord. This word Nicrah also that is a people created doth most manifestly portray out vnto vs our daies The Church of God was not seene was as no body was in the wildernes and now God hath as it were created it againe and brought it into light and this people shall praise the Lord. Nay to confound Popery all Gods people are created againe to good works there is no naturall faculties remaining in them to doe good as the Papists teach The people created shall praise the Lord. God ceased his creation of natural things the seauenth day as we reade in Genesis And therefore the Prophet Dauid no doubt meanes another spirituall creation and the regeneration of our Soules And to this place for all Scripture hath a most pleasant and sweete harmonie in it selfe if any one doe marke it doth Saint Paul allude when as he saith we are created in Iesus Christ to good works And Esay also prophesieth in the ende of the world of such couetous worldlings The earth also saith he playeth the hypocrite because of the inhabitants thereof for they haue transgressed the lawes they haue changed the ordinances and customes and they haue broken the euerlasting couenant here is plainely set downe why the earth doth not now of late yéelde her accustomed increase Because the inhabitantes thereof haue changed the ordinances of their Ancestors and