so Iehoshaphat set himselfe against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir which were come against Iudah and the Lord gaue him a meruailous victory against these enemies This blessed King feared God and both he and his subiects gaue themselues first to fasting and prayer and repentance and so the Lord blessed their Armies against their enemies It is lawfull for Kings to defend and maintaine their owne liberties and to recouer by warres that which hath beene vniustly taken away from them And as in warres there must bee a good cause and a good affection if we looke to speede so the authority and example of the chiefe Gouernours doth much encourage the people and put life into them And as Rulers are to defend their people from the force and violence of enemies abrode so they must not suffer them to bee oppressed at home by their owne Countrey-men And indeed this is most vnnaturall and intollerable that one subiect should oppresse another that Christians Countrey-men and brethren should vexe and torment one another by hard and cruell dealing in the time of the Gospell vnder Christian Gouernours Wee haue not this many yeares blessed be God beene much troubled with violence of forraigne foes but haue liued peaceable a long time And though our enemies haue sometimes made attempts and assaults against vs yet the Lord himselfe hath fought for vs to his great glory and to the shame of our Aduersaries Our greatest troubles exactions and oppressions are amongst our selues one with onother Now this is a speciall part of the Magistrates calling to relieue and defend the oppressed And he may more easily and sooner with lesse charge and danger defend his owne subiects against domesticall oppressours then set himselfe in combate against mighty many and cruell enemies abrode Priuate men may not reuenge their owne wrongs but they are in place to doe it for them It is their office to relieue the oppressed and to auenge their cause As a father ouer his children is both Lord and Iudge forbidding that one brother should auenge himselfe of another but if any cause of strife bee betweene them hee will haue it brought to himselfe or his Assignes to haue it iudged and corrected So God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues and takes that office into his owne hand Therefore saith the Apostle Dearly beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to wrath For it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. But yet in the next Chapter the same Apostle sheweth that God hath appointed Princes and Magistrates as reuengers of wrongs For hee saith that the Prince is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare For hee beareth not the sword for naught for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill It is almost impossible that a manshould be an equall and indifferent iudge in his owne cause lusts appetites do so blind vs. And when thou auengest thy selfe thou makest no peace but stirst vp more debate God therfore hath giuen lawes to all nations and hath in all countries placed Kings Gouernours and Rulers in his owne stead to rule the world through them and hath commanded all causes to bee brought before them and they are to determine and iudge of such causes according to the rules of equity and righteousnesse This is part of the counsell which Salomons mother gaue vnto him Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of the children of destruction Open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore The Prophet saith to the Gouernours of Israel Learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdow Therfore such as were distressed were wont in their distresse to flye to the refuge of the chiefe Magistrate for their protection and defence The Shunamite returning from the land of the Philistims called vpon the King for her house and for her land which had beene wrongfully taken away from her and the King said to an officer Restore thou all that are hers and all the fruits of her lands since the day she left her land euen till this time Hee caused that to be iustly restored which was wrongfully holden away from her And herein good Magistrates should follow the example of God and resemble his Nature whose Name and Image they carry The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall Hee executeth iustice for the oppressed which giueth bread to the hungry The Lord looseth the Prisoners the Lord giueth sight to the blinde The Lord raiseth vp the crooked the Lord loueth the righteous the Lord keepeth the strangers hee relieueth the fatherlesse and widdow but hee ouer-throweth the way of the wicked Therefore saith the Lord rob not the poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement for the Lord will defend their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoile them Againe hee saith Remoue not the ancient bounds and enter not into the fields of the fatherlesse for hee that redeemed them is mighty he will defend their cause against thee When the Children of Israell were sore afflicted by Phaâ—aoh and the Aegiptians the Lord in pitty said I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Aegypt and haue heard their cry because of their Taske-maisters for I know their sorrowes therefore I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians c. And afterwards when they were vexed by sundry enemies one after another though they sinned against him grieuously and sundry times yet when they cryed vnto him in their distresse and repented them of their sinnes hee heard their cry and sent them Iudges and Deliuerers to deliuer them and ease them of their oppressions Most excellent and worthy is that worthy speech of that good Queene Elizabeth our gracious Soueraigne of famous memory A speech I say recorded by reuerend Iewel in his answere to Pope Pius his seditious Bull Thus shee speaketh to the Councell and Iudges Haue care of my people you haue my place doe you that which I ought to doe They are my people euery one oppresseth them and spoyleth them without mercy they cannot reuenge their owne quarrels nor helpe themselues See to them see to them they are my charge I charge you as God chargeth mee I care not for my selfe my life is not deere to mee my care is for my people O blessed and gracious speech beseeming a gracious Prince a patterne of piety Wee may obserue in that speech the tender care pitty and loue of her Maiesty to her distressed Subiects and that in those times being in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne about fifty yeares ago there were sundry oppressions and wrongs in the Land How more grieuously are they increased and augmented since that time Citties Townes and Countries are full of exclamations of the
And finally we are moued to pittie kindnes and mercy towards other sinners seeing in many things we sinne all and such excellent and holy men Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles haue had their grieuous falles THE SIXT SERMON WE haue heard the reioycing and thanksgiuing of this woman for the Raigne of Salomon and specially because she sawe the loue of God both to Salomon and to Israel in placing such a King We haue heard the happines of Salomon the great and extraordinarie gifts of God bestowed vpon him and manifold signes of Gods fauour towards him and that God by his owne mouth and promise and by a speciall name giuen to Salomon professeth his loue towards him And therefore howsoeuer he fell most grieuously and therefore deserued no loue but rather hatred and to be cast off for euer yet no doubt but God did loue him still and in time brought him to repentance and saluation Now let vs from these words of this blessed woman seeing Gods loue in placing Salomon let vs I say learne and obserue from hence that a good King is a rare and a speciall gift of God and a token of his loue to the people For it is said here Because God loued Israel to establish it for euer therefore he made Salomon King ouer them When God meanes to blesse a land and to doe any good vnto it he giueth it good Princes when he meaneth to correct and punish a people he sendeth wicked men to Raigne ouer them So that it is God that giueth Kings sometimes in loue sometime in anger He threatneth to take away the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged and to appoynt children and babes to be Princes ouer them In his iustice he causeth the hypocrite to raigne Woe to thee ô land when thy King is a childe and thy Princes eate in the morning that is when they are without wisedome and counsell and are giuen to their lusts and pleasure But blessed art thou oh land when thy King is the sonne of nobles meaning when he is noble for verture and wisedome A good King is a great and worthy blessing of God Salomon saith He that findeth a good wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord. And Bethsheba saith Who shall finde a vertuous woman her price is farre aboue the pearles How much more truly may this be said of a vertuous King Euery good thing is from God As good husbands good wiues good parents good children good maisters good seruants how much more a good King being publicum bonum that is a publike good bonum quo comunius â—o melius a good the more common it is the better it is The want of such is an occasion of sinne and ruine to the people It is said in the booke of the Iudges that when the iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following other gods and in worshipping them And againe when Gideon was dead the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Balim and made Baall their God And this is set downe as a cause of Idolatrie and of all vilanie amongst that people In those daies there was no King in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his owne eies Miserable is the state of the people without a Prince like fishes deuouring one another like a body without a head like sheep without a Shepheard like souldiers without a Captaine like children without a mother a ship not safe without a gouernour nor a priuate house without a guide nor the common-wealth without gouernours This knew Moses who was carefull of his posteritie and to haue a gouernour for his place before he died and therefore said Let the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh appoynt a man ouer the congregation who may goe out and in before the people and leade them that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe which haue not a Shepheard Great are the commodities and comforts which we reape by good Kings Behold saith Esaiah A King shall raigne in iustice and the Princes shall rule in iudgement and that man shall be as a hiding place from the winde and as a refuge from the tempest As the riuers of waters in a drie place and as the shadowe of a great rocke in a wearie land And marke the happines of Salomons gouernment here commended His father Dauid prophecieth of him that true religion should be maintained in his kingdome that in his daies the righteous should flourish that he should be to such as comfortable as the deawe and shewers after the mowne grasse That in his time should be abundance of peace and plentie That he should iudge the poore with equitie and deliuer him when he cryeth and saue the children of the needie and subdue the oppressor redeeming their soules from deceite and violence and preseruing them from all wrong Behold then the happines the benefite and comfort of a good King He is a father a pastor a nurce to the Church and common-wealth He is as a wall and prop to stay vp the tender boughes of the vine He is like the shadow of a great tree refreshing his subiects He is as it were a common soule to the people whereby the body of the Church and common-wealth is stayed and vpholden And as the sunne is to the planets and the planets to the starres so is the King with his counsell iudges and magistrates to the common-wealth From thence it hath life comfort and light A good King is much more excellent and better then a good subiect His goodnes more large moreample profitable then the goodnes of others As much difference as there is betwixt a priuate familie and the common-wealth betwixt one house and a Citie betwixt a litle riuer and the sea so much difference there is betwixt a good subiect and the King He is like a spring or fountaine of water descending from the toppe of a high mountaine watring all the lower groundes cherishing and filling all the lower brookes The care the religion the wisedome the pittie the pietie the liberalitie iustice and temperance of a king profiteth all his subiects By his meanes religion peace iustice artes schooles families trades buildings Church and common-wealth flourisheth Therefore saith Salomon In the prosperitie of the righteous the Citie reioyceth and when the wicked perisheth there is ioy And by the blessing of the righteous the Citie is exalted Againe when the wicked rise vp men hide themselues but when they perish the righteous encrease when the righteous are in authoritie the people reioyce but when the wicked beareth rule the people sigh All good subiects reioyce at the raigne of good Princes because they enioy liues liberties their goods and the Gospell when the wicked rule there is a storme the iust are molested they flie as Dauid from Saul they hide themselues as the Prophets
the profite and commodity of his subiects These be the worthy sayings and sentences of Heathen men which may be iustly alledged and applied to the shame and condemnation of many Christian Rulers who in ruling seeke onely or at least chiefly their owne ease and priuate gaine and haue little or no regard to the common good This is not to doe iudgement and iustice this is not to doe equity and righteousnesse for these or any of these taken in a large sence do coÌ„prehend the whole duety of a Magistrate according to the rule of Gods word The Lord complaining of corrupt Rulers he saith that he looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnes but behold a crying And in another place he saith Let iudgement run downe as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty riuer Righteousnesse and Iustice doth containe all vertues in them Righteousnesse saith one doth more profite others then it selfe doth neglect her owne profites preferring the common good giuing to euery one that which is right and this righteousnesse is first to God secondly to our Countrey And another saith whosoeuer thou art that desirest righteousnesse first feare God and loue him that thou mayst bee loued of him thou shalt loue God if thou follow him in this that thou art willing to doe good to all and hurt to none The righteousnesse of a King is the peace of his people the safety of his Countrey the comfort of the poore the calmnesse of the sea the temperature of the aire the fruitfulnesse of the earth the heritage of children and to himselfe the hope of future blessednesse Another doth most excellently set out the duty of Princes and Rulers in these words The Iustice of a King is that hee doe not wrongfully oppresse any man by his power that hee iudge betweene man and man without acceptance of persons that hee bee a defence to the stranger fatherlesse and widdow that hee suppresse theft punish adultery exalt not the wicked mainetaine no quarrellers nor lacisciuious persons roote out the peruerse permit no murtherers nor periured persons to liue that he vphold the Church feed the poore establish iust men in publicke Offices retaine ancient wise and discreet Counsellers that in any wise hee apply not himselfe to the superstition of Deuiners Magitians and Pithonicall Spirits that hee deferre his displeasure and defend his Country from his enemies with Magnaminity and Iustice that hee repose his whole confidence in God that he bee not puft vp in prosperity and with patitience to beare aduersity that he mainetaine the Catholicke Faith and suffer not any wickednesse in his children that hee allot certaine howers to prayers to God and eate not but in due season for woe to thee ô Land where thy Gouernours rise earely to eate the performing of these things doe bring prosperity in this life and doth leade the King to a better Dominion euen to a Celestiall and eternall Kingdome such Iustice and Righteousnesse in good Rulers is the safety of the people and doth prolong and defend the State and is the strongest Guard and the â—â—st Physition for the fafe-gard and health of a Land Onely there is a Common-wealth saith Scipio onely there is a good state of a Comminalty where Iustice and Honesty hath free execution whether it bee by King by Nobles or by the whole People but when the King becomes vniust the Nobles become vniust and the people themselues become vniust then it is not a vicious Common-wealth but it is iust no Common-wealth at all and that as in instruments that go with strings or winde or as in voyces consorted there is one certaine proportion of discrepant notes vnder one harmony the least alteration whereof is harsh in the eare of the skilfull hearer and that this concord doth consist of a number of contrary sounds and yet all combined into one perfect Musicke or Melody so in a Citty that is gouerned by reason of all the highest meane and lowest estates as of soundes there is one true concord made out of discord and natures and that which is harmony in musicke is vnity in a Citty This is the firmest and surest bond of safety to the Common-wealth which can neuer stand without equity and iustice and iniustice is the decay and ouerthrow of Townes Citties and Kingdomes Now that Equity and Iustice may flourish in the Common-wealth three things are necessarily required First there must bee Lawes Secondly there must be Iudges and Officers thirdly there must be execution of Lawes Now Law is defined to bee a constant and perpetuall good thing without which no House no Citty no Country no state of men no naturall creature not the world it selfe can consist firme and stable Chrisippus cals it a knowledge of all Diuine and Humae matters commanding equity and expulsing wickednesse and wrong There bee three kind of Lawes one Naturall that is not onely appropriated to man but also it concerneth all other liuing things either in Earth Sea or Aire as we perceiue all liuing creatures naturally haue certaine familiarity of male and female for procreation of Issue and a procliuity to nourish the same the which proceedeth of a Naturall Law ingraffed in theÌ„ by Nature it selfe that is God The second is named the Law that all men vse which is called Ius Gentium the Law of Nations generally vsed through the world as to shew a man the way to communicate to men the commodity of the Elements as Water and Fire to this appertaineth the Law of Armes The third kind of Law is called the Ciuill Law that is the priuate Law of euery Country or Citty as of the Romanes Lacedemonians Athenians this consisteth in Decrees of Princes Statutes and Proclamations Such Lawes Ceres made first or as some thinke Radamanthus and afterward others in diuers Countries deuised and ordained Lawes as in Athens Draco and Solon in Egypt Mercury in Creet Minos in Lacedemony Lycurgus in Tire Tharandes in Argoes Phorones in Rome Romulus in Italy Pythagoras or as some thinke the Arcadies that were vnder Leuander as their Soueraigne Lord and chiefe Captaine Notwithstanding the true Authour of Lawes was God which first planted in vs the Law of Nature and in processe of time when that was corrupted by Adam and his Posterity hee gaue by Moses the Law written to reduce vs againe to our first state Lawes must bee knowne and they must bee agreeing to the Lawes of God and Nature The end of Lawes the publicke good and safety of all which consisteth in the worship of God in honesty and righteousnesse such Lawes are to forbid and to restraine false worship Idolatry and prophanesse disobedience murther adultery theft and all wickednesse such Lawes must be common to all there must be no priuiledge no immunity no impunity the greatest and the highest must be subiect to such lawes and bee willing to performe them as well as the meanest for such Lawes are more necessary then the
THE BLESSING OF A GOOD KING Deliuered in Eight Sermons vpon the storie of the Queene of the South her words to Salomon magnifying the gouernment of his familie and kingdome By THOMAS GIBSON Minister Eccles 10. 17. Blessed art thou ô Land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles AT LONDON Printed by Tho Creede for Arthur Iohnson Dwelling at the signe of the white Horse in Pauls Church-yard 1614. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable the Lord Harington Baron of Exton Thomas Gibson wisheth all true happines both in this life and in the life to come MY purpose Right Honourable in the dedication of these sermons was to haue ioyned your Honourable father with that worthy Citie whereof he was a principall member and had speciall command and authoritie which place he much respected and loued and where he was againe much respected and honoured The ioy and ornament of the Citie was his name and countenance the very report and newes of whose decease was the cause of many a watrie eye and of many a heauie heart But their speciall comfort and ioy is that the Lord hath in mercy prouided so gratious an heire so worthy a successor so vertuous a fauourer as of all that are honest religious so most of all such as haue beene the faithfull friends and intire louers of your Honourable father who himselfe was a louer of all learning religion and of all good men a true worshipper of God zealous in the truth a sincere professor friend of the Gospell a fauourer of faithfull Ministers a worthie member both of Church and common-wealth a faithful dutiful seruiceable and rare subiect like Moses in faithfulnes in meekenes and in zeale against Idolatrie like Iob a iust man fearing God and eschewing euill like Nathaniell a true Israelite without guile Finally a man full of grace pietie curtesie humilitie temperance and other both morall and christian vertues I am not able to commend him according to his deserts that requires a larger discourse and it would perhaps proue an increase of sorrow which is rather to be abated then renewed I will therefore bend my selfe to administer comfort for so great a losse a losse so generall to Church and common-wealth Friends and followers Tenants and seruants and for my owne part I cannot but beare a part in sorrow for the losse of so kind a Patron and Benefactor both to me and mine Yet this is the vse of the prayses of the dead not onely for imitation of their vertues but also for the coÌ„fort of friends aliue And is this a small comfort Right Honourable that you had such a father yea a comfort and blessing it is to be of the seed of the righteous It is a further comfort that you enioyed him so long till your selfe came to ripenesse of yeares that he died in a good age full of daies few of his Auncestors liued longer and howsoeuer he left this life in a strange countrey yet no doubt he died in the true faith of Iesus Christ which he sincerely professed all his life and in the honourable and faithfull seruice of his gratious Soueraigne the Lords annointed It is no wonder that old men die rather it is a wonder in these latter daies that any liue so long Moses in his time made account of mans ordinarie age to be threescore yeares and ten Now the world decayes and the daies of our life is shortned We heare daily of the death of Infants children young men yea Princes taken away in the prime and strength of their yeares what maruell then though the ancient â—ie when the apple is ripe it must needs fall when the candle is spent the light must needs goe out This vse we are to make of the death of young or old to remember alwaies our mortall state and the vncertaintie of our life to be alwaies readie and prepared not to regard but contemne the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eie and the pride of life pleasures honours riches and the vanities of this wicked world Many moe comforts we haue against excessiue and immoderate sorrowe for the death of our best and dearest friends as to consider what they leaue a miserable world and whither they goe to the hauen of happinesse The best sort of the Heathen vsed three remedies against such kind of sorrow First to consider that death is common to all and vnauoydable Secondly that it is the end of miserie and hauen of rest Thirdly that it is likely that the soules liue and are blessed We haue the same and more sure comforts We know that our Redeemer liues and that wee shall see him as hee is Wee know not onely the immortality of the soule but the glorious resurrection of the body and that those that dye in the Lord are blessed Nothing comes to passe without Gods pouidence who is wise and mightie We pray that his will may be done both of vs and in vs. It will nothing auaile vs to torment our selues we are borne to dye many thousands are gone before vs and we must follow Pardon my boldnes right Honourable in presuming to put you in minde of these thinges which both by your own priuate reading and publicke heauing of many worthy men you doe already know and vnderstand sufficiently Yet in my loue to your Honour giue me leaue to adde some further instruction It hath alwaies beene the endeuour of Sathan the common aduersarie of mans saluation by all means possible to draw all sorts degrees and ages of men from the true care and studie of religion and vertue to the effecting whereof hee hath from euery estate his pretended colours and faire pleasing shewes of perswasion alluremeÌ„t perswading the elder sort that it is a thing vnseemely vnbefitting their grauitie to become schollers in Christs schoole seeing their heads are filled with other matters namely of the Common-wealth and affaires of this world Hee can tell the middle sort which are in the prime of strength and witte that it is against all equitie and reason that such should bee depriued of the pleasures and delights of the flesh and the world And as for the younger sort hee will easilie make make them beleeue that it is not yet time to serue God that the points of religion are too high for them and able to dull and trouble their tender wits buzzing into their eares that wicked prouerbe A young Saint an olde Diuâ—ll Thus by his will he would haue none religious because he would haue none saued but rather that all should perish and come to vtter ruine and destruction It is a torment and vexation vnto him to see any well disposed in religion but if wee hearken to the counsell of God in his word wee shall soone finde Sathan herein a lyer a murtherer a seducer For the Lord chargeth all sorts and degrees of men to giue themselues and that betimes to religion and vertue commaunding his law to bee read and published to men women and
children The Kingly Prophet exhorts Kings of the earth and all people Princes and Iudges of the world young men and maydens also old men and children to prayse the name of the Lord. Saint Paul chargeth Timothie and Titus to teach old and young without exception Saint Iohn writeth his Epistle to fathers young men and children therefore the youngest are not exempted in regard of their young and tender yeeres Inasmuch as God is their Creator they are to remember him in the dayes of their youth Seeing in their first entrance into the world they haue beene baptised into the name of the blessed Trinitie and so haue taken vpon them the profession of true religion their proceeding and practise when they come to yeeres must be answerable to their beginning Further that age is slipperie weake dangerous and subiect to many temptations easilie seduced and ouercome by bad counsell and company They had neede therefore betimes to bee armed with the shielde of faith and sword of the spirit their witte and capacitie is then most fresh pregnant to conceiue remember keepe and hold good and gratious instructions Parents therefore are commaunded to bring vp their children in instruction and information of the LORD And it is the counsell of the wise man Teach a childe the trade of his way and when hee is olde he will not depart from it Againe yong men are subiect to death and must appeare before the great Iudge in that day as well as other Neede therefore haue they of due preparation Besides a religious disposition and behauiour in young age will bring them credit and honour all the dayes of their life and comfort ioy and peace of conscience in old age And what ioy what exceeding ioy will this be to Parents friends Tutors teachers and to all that loue and feare God A wise sonne saith Salomon maketh a glad father but a foolish sonne is a heauinesse to his mother It is therefore sayde of Iohn the Baptist that his father should haue ioy of him and many should reioyce at his birth because hee was filled with the holy Ghost in his mothers wombe Saint Iohn writing to that noble and worthie Lady reioyceth greatly that hee found her children walking in the trueth And examples we haue of grace and religion in the younger sorte Samuel from his childhood was consecrated and dedicated to the seruice of God Iosiah was but eight yeares old when he began to raigne in Ierusalem yet there was neuer any before nor after him more vertuous and religious Salomon though most tender and deare in the eyes of his father and mother yet in his young yeares was taught diuine and heauenly wisedome When our Sauiour Christ came riding to Ierusalem in a base manner though the Scribes and Pharises disdained him yet children cry Hosanna the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Timothie from his childhood had knowledge in the scriptures being instructed by his good Grandmother Lois and his mother Eunicâ— Iohn the Baptist grew and â—â—â—ed strong in the spirit and Iesus Christ being but 12. yeares old increased in wisedome in statute and fauour with God and men God will haue the first borne the first fruits and he that begins well is halfe his way Dimidium facti qui bene caepit habet The tree that buds not in the spring is dead and such as are deformed in youth neuer proue welfauoured in age As the arrow is first directed so it flyeth youth is compared to the day while it is day let vs walke in the light the night commeth when no man can worke The time of youth is the summer time with the Ant and Bee we must prouide in summer against winter The time of youth is compared to Haruest wherin men take the occasioÌ„ vse all meanes they can for the reaping and enioying of the fruits of the earth if they let that time slip all is lost He that sleepes in haruest is the sonne of confusion Dauid in his youth killeth the Lyon the Beare and great Goliah Sampson in his youth killed the Philistines let vs by our spirituall armour ouercome the wicked one euen in our young time Now besides all this giue me leaue Right Hon. to put you in remembrance of one worthie example of a noble young man Ioseph full of grace and vertue worthie to be imitated of Kings Princes and Potentates In this famous patterne I obserue these sixe vertues The first is his rare chastitie who being tempted to follie by his mistresse did flatly refuse her saying How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God He knew with Iob that this was is a wickednesse and iniquitie to be condemned yea that it is a fire which shall deuoure to destruction and shall roote out all his encrease The second vertue in young 〈◊〉 which is the ground of all the rest is his religion and the true feare of God in his heart All his actions and all his proceedings doe sauour of the feare of God It was this that kept him from that grosse iniquitie He ascribes the interpretatioÌ„ of dreams not to himselfe but to God He protesteth to his brethren that he feareth God And againe when he made himselfe knowne to his brethren he said Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that you sold me hither for God did send me before you for your preseruation And when his father asked him of his sonnes These are my sons sayd he which God hath giuen me This is the chiefe vertue in great persons the best Nobilitie A third vertue in Ioseph is his faithfulnes to his Prince He gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the corne which hee bought not for his owne priuate vse but for the profit of the King his maister And as he is carefull to preserue the royall dignitie of the King and seeketh the wealth of Pharoah so hee hath a pittifull heart to the poore distressed people and is carefull to relieue them This is an excellent vertue in great persons which serue in the Court not to seeke their owne priuate gaine but the credit and wealth of their Prince and yet to haue louing and merciful hearts to the poore distressed commons The fourth vertue in Ioseph is his seueritie and clemencie wisely mixed together Hee speaketh roughly to hiâ— brethren hee threatens them and chargeth them to be spyes and yet his heart is full of compassion and loue When they are truely humbled know themselues hee doth entertaine them kindly and receiue them with much ioy And this is a speciall vertue required of Princes and Magistrates They must with Dauid in the gouerning of their Court Church Common-wealth and house strike on these two strings Mercie and Iudgement They must bee seuere and rough against notorious offenders and yet
Sodom and Gomorah whose state no doubt is most grieuous and miserable as their â—innes was most hainous and abominable S. Peeter saith that they are alreadie condemned and therefore neuer likely to be saued What then shall be the fearefull state of those which shall be subiect to greater destruction damnation such are all carelesse and vnprofitable hearers which profit not nor yet are brought to repentance by the preaching of the Gospell these are in harder case then the Iewes theÌ„ the Infidells or the Sodomities because they haue greater meanes and a more cleare light then euer they had he that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes If I had not come and spoken to them saith Christ they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sin His meaning is that their sinne had beene the lesse if he had not come so that the comming of Christ his death and passion his glorious Gospell offering grace and saluation to all doth not ease lessen or excuse the sinne of any but doth rather aggrauate their sin so maketh their punishmeÌ„t the sorer which expresse not the vertue of his death the power of the Gospel in their liues conuersation And therfore the Apostle doth terrifie the Corinthians with the examples of the Iewes who had great graces priuiledges who were vnder the Cloud al passed through the sea were al baptised vnto Moses in the Cloud the sea did all eate the same spiritual meate did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they draÌ„ke of the spiritual rocke which followed them and the rocke was Christ The meaning is they had speciall signes of Gods protection fauour many rare deliuerances they had Moses they had the law the couenant they had sacraments sacrafices yet with many of theÌ„ God was not pleased for they were ouerthrowne in the wildernes And the Apostle setting downe diuers iudgements which fell vpon them for their sins in the end he saith All these things came vnto theÌ„ for ensamples are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world is come Wherefore let him that staÌ„deth take heed least he fall Let vs therefore applie all the former examples to our selues make goog vse of them we haue had the Gospel of Christ a long time preached amongst vs and that souÌ„dly pleÌ„tifully as you haue heard And yet many are in darkenes vnder the light being very ignorant not knowing the principles of holy religion not being able to giue a reason of the true faith Others though they haue knowledge yet they haue not truly repented but liue still in their old sinnes other and most of all though they professe repentance and that they haue forsaken their old course of life yet they bring not forth fruites of amendment they seeme to hate euill and yet doe no good at least they leaue many good things vndone they faile much to the discredit of the Gospell in practise and obedience they make small conscience of many duties of pietie equitie and charitie they make a shew of godlines but denie the power thereof So that we may complaine as the heathen man complained of the carelesnes of many hearers in the Philosophers schooles Some saith hee come to heare but not to learne as to a stage play for recreation sake to delight their eares they are carried away with the speech with voyce with fables a great part of such hearers thou shalt see in the Philosophers schoole they goe thither when they are Idle and haue nothing to doe they goe not to this purpose to receiue any law or rule of life that so they might amend their manners with the same mindes and with the same purposes many resort to heare sermons The Prophet complaines of such hearers or rather the Lord by the Prophet saying Thou sonne of man the children of thy people that talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of the houses and speake one to an other euery one to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord for they come vnto thee as the people vse to come and my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouthes they make iestes and their heart goeth after couetousnes and loe thou art vnto them as a Iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can sing well for they heare thy words but they doe them not And when this commeth to passe for loe it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath beene among them We haue had blessed be God a flourishing Church a long time the Gospell soundly preached in many places of our land many men in the Church of great learning and gifts many zealous and forward professors of the truth the fame of these things hath comforted other Churches hath caused many strangers to come amongst vs and to liue with vs Oh that I might truly say as this woman sayd to king Salomon in the two former verses before this text It was a true word sayth shee that I heard in my owne land of thy sayings and of thy wisedome howbeit I beleeued not this report til I came and had seene it with my eyes but loe the one halfe was not told mee for thou hast more wisedome and prosperitie then I hane heard by report oh that the strangers that are or haue bene amongst vs might truely say wee see and perceiue by experience more zeale more religion more sinceritie more pietie and goodnes theÌ„ we heard of before we came But may they not to our great shame may they not see much defection and declining from the zeale of former times much Atheisme Poperie and prophanenesse much hypocrisie and dissimulation great contempt of the word and ministers much cursing and blasphemie much oppression in Church and Common-wealth and finally may they not see most places full of idlenesse full of wantonnesse and most filthie vncleanenesse and therefore we may iustly complaine as other haue done long since in their times and cuntries let vs heare the complaints lay them to our own hearts the Gospell is preached amongst vs and a blessed life is offred to vs by Christ nothing is required of vs but obedience puritie and honestie of life but we doe obstinately contemne this diuine and holie request therfore the Niniuites and this woman shal condemne vs. I speake nothing of persecutors and oppressors of diuine wisedome but I speake of such as professe the Gospell amongst vs the common sort doe very badly spend the Saboth day which should be consecrated to diuine wisedome others had rather giue themselues to drinking and playing then to praying or hearing many Citizens Townesmen looke to their Shops and Trades or else they take iourneyes or if they bee at home they are prophanely occupied
in Ahab his time They flie as birdes for shelter But when the godly rule the righteous swarme as Bees in a sunnie day They multiplie and fill the Churches and shew their faces bouldly and openly The necessitie and commoditie of kings may be seene in the vniuersall order of nature The chiefe Philosophers Plato Aristotle and Apollonious did see and feele that as generally there is one chiefe Creator and maker of all things and as among the starres the sunne beareth the chiefe light as among Bees there is one chiefe king as the flockes and heards of beasts haue one guide and ruler finally as the cranes doe follow one leader So there ought to be in a common-wealth one king as head by whom all the members may consent And this reason of the common-wealth declared by the instinct of nature God hath more euidently opened in the holy scripture and maketh mention of kings and doth approue and allowe their authoritie with his owne mouth as we haue heard before and the words of this woman doth approue and testifie the same She blesseth God for this king who had set him in his owne throne She acknowledgeth God the author of this kind of gouernment so that the authoritie of kings is a sacred and diuine ordinance But it will be obiected How is God the author of this kind of gouernment when as Salomon was but the third King that Israel had they had no King at all before Saul who was a wicked King giuen to them not in loue but in wrath and that at the vnlawfull and turbulent desire of the people wherein they sinned both against God and Samuel For thus it is written That the Elders of Israel gathered them together and came to Samuel vnto Ramath and saide vnto him Behold thou art olde and thy sonnes walke not in thy waies make vs now a King to iudge vs like all nations But the thing displeased Samuel when they said giue vs a King to iudge vs and Samuel prayed vnto the Lord. And the Lord saide vnto Samuel Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee for they haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not raigne ouer them As they haue euer done since I brought them out of Egypt euen vnto this day and haue forsaken me and serued other gods euen so doe they to thee Now therefore hearken vnto their voyce howbeit yet testifie vnto them and shew them the manner of the king that shall raigne ouer them Behold heere are a people great and small affecting and desiring a king hauing had none before yet their desire is displeasing to God and Samuel the reason is why God misliked their petition because they did now cast off that forme of gouernment which God himselfe had ordained for them They aske that which would be hurtfull vnto them and that with an obstinate and bad minde But it will be obiected that they had a commandement and warrant from God who said thus vnto the forefathers when thou shalt come into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee and shalt possesse it and dwell therein If thou say I will set a king ouer me like as all the nations that are about me then thou shalt make him ouer thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse from among thy brethren shalt thou make a King ouer thee Thou shalt not set a stranger ouer thee which is not thy brother Behold here the allowance of God to chuse themselues a king so he be not a stranger And whereas it is said the Lord should chuse them a king they come in this place to him that be would make choyce of a king for them how doe they then offend in this their petition and desire Indeed their desire is not simplie euill of it selfe for if it were so it might not haue beene graunted but their desire is not to this end to haue the word of God performed but to satisfie their owne humors They should haue stayed Gods time and leisure but they distrust God and are most vnthankfull to Samuel despising him in his olde age neither doe they aske a king according to Gods appoyntment and institution But let vs haue a king say they as other nations haue be he good or bad But yet if God would as it fell out after giue them a king why is he angry with them for asking a king because they did aske it with a bad minde offering some iniurie to Samuel yet in his secret will and purpose his meaning was to giue them a king He disliked in this people their distrust and difficience who relied more vpon man then God their bouldnes in attempting so rashly and suddenly to erect a new forme of gouernment He misliked the contempt of his owne gouernment in that contemning him their king they sought a certaine king after the example of other nations and so they were wearie of Gods order And yet the gouernment of kings doth not shut out the gouernment of God but God doth raigne by kings as well as he reigned by iudges The king is the minister of God his seruant and deputie he sitteth in his place and throne and God is the author of his office and authoritie as we may see in this place And this forme of gouernment hath beene of many nations much desired This principalitie or kingdome was first begun as it is thought by the Egyptians who could liue no while without a king And we finde in the booke of Geneses which is most ancient that the Aegyptians had their kings one after an other And whereas in the administratioÌ„ of a common weale there hath beene long since three sortes or kindes of gouernments set downe the one Monarchie an other Aristocratie when the best gouerne the third Democrati or popular state when the common people haue a stroake in ruling the publike weale The first kinde of gouernment is thought as good as any if not the best of all For when counsell or gouernment is in the power of one In the gouernment of the common-wealth all things are more easily performed In the other two kinds of gouernmeÌ„ts one oftentimes saith one thing and others will not graunt it and they are not easily agreed Heere one hath a stroake the preheminence and prerogatiue of commaunding and graunting The whole world is ruled and gouerned by one and what can be better or more wisely gouerned The gouernment by Iudges was not very strong but almost voluntarie and therefore more contemptible but in the gouernment of a king there is more maiestie in their kingly pompe and glory which is a more admiration and a wonder to the people and is a meanes to keepe them in better order and subiection The name of a king hath beene alwaies famous great most glorious and sacred amongst all nations of the world But yeâ— sâ—e the madnesse and inconstancie of this people They egerly desired a king and when
appoynted Ouer-â—eers in the Church and it is Iesus Christ that giueth gifts to men to become Pastors and teachers in the Church Those glorious titles before spoken of they belong also to the Ministers of God They are pastors fathers nurces and in Gods stead Magistrates are to be honoured such as rule well in word and doctrine are worthie of double honour The same is the end of both their callings to suppresse and beate downe sinne But our power is spirituall therefore the greater euen the power of God to saluation power to conuert soules to beate downe Sathan and sinne and to bring into bondage euery thought that doth rayse it selfe against God By the Magistrates care policie and power wee liue in peace and are defended from forren domesticall foes By the ministerie of the word the sword of the spirit wee are armed against our spirituall enemies and enioy true peace of conscience And therefore the ministerie of the word is truely called the streugth and life of a land When Elishai saw Eliah taken vp into heauen he cryed My father my father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof It is sinne that weakens a land it is religion and pietie that maketh it strong By the preaching of the word sinne is weakned and all vertue and goodnes is increased confirmed The want of this word is the famishing of mens soules the plentie of this word is the life of their soules Magistrates are keepers and maintayners of both the tables of the commandements and so are all faithfull Ministers Magistrates are to execute outward punishments vpon offenders Ministers haue power to reproue to binde and exclude notorious offenders Our bodies goods liues are subiect to Princes but al power worshippe and maiestie are subiect so the word which wee preach And as they are rebels to Princes which resist their power so are they rebels to God which set themselues against the doctrine counsels and exhortations of his faithfull Ministers And finally as good Magistrates doe comfort and encourage good subiects by rewards honours and countenance so good Ministers are carefull by all means possible to comfort good Christians by the sweete promises and mercies of God and by the assurance of remission of sinnes and life eternall Seeing therefore there is such agreement both in the titles and callings of Magistrates and Ministers there should be also an agreement and vnion in affection betwixt them They are intirely to affect and loue one another The Ministers are to guide and direct the Rulers by the word and they againe are to defend them by the sword This the Lord teacheth when hee appoynted two brethren to gouerne his people Moses and Aaron the one to gouerne the other to teach It went well with Saul so long as he hearkened to Samuel the Prophet Dauid had Gad and Nathan neere vnto him as his faithfull Counsellers Hezekiah the King was directed by Esaiah the Prophet Therfore Magistrates are to countenance good Ministers and to encourage them Wee teach and perswade all men to obey the higher powers We pray for you publikelie and priuately and stirre vp others to doe the like Wee set foorth the excellencie of your callings We threaten damnation to rebels and traytors As for our calling although diuine and sacred yet odious and contemptible to the worlde because wee reproue the sinnes of all men we endure many hard speeches vnkindnesses and iniuries of wicked men the eyes of many their eares hearts and mouthes are open against vs. Wee are subiect to many temptations and infirmities Wee haue many discomforts and discouragements Who is to comfort and countenance and defend vs but the good Magistrates And you must not bee offended though we sometimes iustlie reproue your opon sinnes in open place It is our office to reproue sinne in all as it is your dutie to punish sinne in all As you must not be partiall and not haue respect of persons in iudgement so we must not be partiall in reproouing We doe it God knoweth in dutie loue and conscience and therefore you are to take it in good part All holy men though they were Kings and Princes haue beene content patiently to receiue iust reproofe And the sinnes of Magistrates and great persons doe most hurt of all other and therefore most of all to be reprooued If wee be carelesse and idle in our place If we be flatterers time seruers If we be corrupt false in our doctrine If we be wicked and dissolute in life Let vs bee censured according to our deserts But if our care be to do good to take what paynes we can in our places to winne foules to beate downe sinne and Poperie to liue honestly and keepe a good conscience in all things If neyther our doctrine nor life can bee iustly touched why should you be strange vnto vs why should you keepe backe from vs your fauour assistance and countenance It is the chiefe end of the office and calling of a good Magistrate to defend and countenance all good and honest men much more the faithfull and paynefull Ministers of God And seeing Magistrates and Ministers haue the same authour the same names and dignitie let them ioyne together for the beating downe of sinne and bee helpers and comforters one to another and let the highest of all remember specially those which make small account of our calling let them remember and lay vp in their hearts these worthie places of Scripture Remember that caueat which GOD giueth to his people Beware that thou forsake not the Leuite as long as thou liuest vpon the earth And againe Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme This was spoken euen to Kings and Princes to their rebuke and shame And neuer forget that bitter prayer of Moses who yet was the mildest man that euer liued vpon the earth Blesse ô Lord saith he his substance and accept the worke of his hands he speaketh of the tribe of Leuie the faithfull ministers of God Smite through the Ioynes of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they neuer rise vp againe And remember that saying of our Sauiour Christ speaking to his Apostles saying He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And those sayings of the Apostle Now we beseech you brethren that you knowe them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their worke sake Loue them for their calling for the gifts of God in them for their great paines for the gaine and profit which you doe or may reape by them And neuer forget that saying of the same Apostle alreadie alleaged That those which labour in word and doctrine are worthy of double honor And finally remember the sweete and gratious exhortation of the worthy king good king Iehosephat deliuered to his owne subiects by his owne mouth saying Heare you me
ô Iuda and you inhabitants of Iersalem put your trust in the Lord your God and you shall be assured beleeue his Prophets and you shall prosper Now let vs come to the dutie of a king and of all gouernours set downe in fewe words by this blessed Queene she putteth Salomon in minde oâ— the end why God did thus highly preferre and aduance him it was to execute iudgement and iustice to doe equitie and righteousnes This is the end and calling of aâ— gouernours and rulers appoynted by God himselfe and let vs in respect of the place and persons applie our speech to subordinate magistrates who are the kings deputies and rule in his name vnder him they must faithfully doe their duties and iustly discharge their places and the trust committed to them And by the king being the chiefe magistrate the scripture doâ—â— vnderstand all other gouernours officers assistance and helpers to him he cannot rule and gouerne alone by himselfe so great a kingdome and people he hath need of many eies many eares many heads and hands to helpe and assist him in gouernment Moses by the counsell of Iethrohâ—s father in lawe prouideth sundrie officers and iudges vnder him for hearing and iudging of causes King Iehosephat setteth iudges in the land throughout all the strong Cities in Iuda Citie by Citie and telleth them and teacheth them what they are to doe in their places S. Peter exhorting vs to submission to the king as to the superior so he maketh mention of gouernours vnder the king for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well We haue hard before the excellencie of kings and magistrates namely that God is the author of their place that they are in Gods stead and called by his name This no doubt is a great honour and dignitie to be aboue others to be chiefe in a kingdome in a citie towne or countrie to represent the person of a king yea to represent the person of God this may be an occasion to lift vp the hearts of many aboue their brethren because of the greatnes of their place and many in this their office doe onely respect the highnes the glory and worship of it and therefore are conceited in themselues But as it is Honâ—â— so it is Onus As the place of the magistrate is an honour so it is a burden a great and heauie burden and the consideration of this may serue to humble good magistrates both in the sight of God and men to remember in what low and base astate they haue beene heretofore though they be now aduanced They may say to God in the humilitie of their soules with Iacob I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed to thy seruant for with my staffe came I ouer this Iorden and now haue I gotten two bands And may not some say with Dauid that the Lord hath chosen and taken them from the Sheepefoldes to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel May not many truly say that though they be now of great wealth yet they haue beene as poore as others though they be now gouernours and rulers of others yet they haue beene subiect to those whom they gouerne Nay the greatnes of their place the honor and dignitie that they are in should not make them proud for if they looke well to the great and manifold duties required they shall haue no cause to be lifted vp but rather to be humbled and cast downe they are not called to the place of gouernment to be proud idle to take their pleasure and ease to liue in â—otousnes in luxurie and licensiousnes but faithfully and carefully to performe all the duties which God requireth of good gouernours in holie scripture to gouerne well is a matter of great difficultie care labour and danger many times in pleasing men they displease God and in pleasing God they displease men so that they can hardly so behaue themselues but that they shall displease the one or the other What wisedome humane and diuine is required in good gouernors or else they must see with other mens eies he must speake with other mens tongues and they must be wise by other mens heads gouernours without true wisedome are like a ship without an anker like birdes without winges A wise gouernour is like salt to season others he is as the eie and the heart of the people What courage and magnanimitie is required in good rulers for the suppressing of the rebellious and wicked and for doing of iustice without partialitie and what care diligence prouidence labour and toyle for the right gouernment of so many and so many sorts of men The heathen could say that the greatnes of gouernment is the greatnesâ— of care he is in dutie to warrant the sleepe of his subiects by his owne watchfulnes their peace by his labour their ease by his industrie their leisure by his busines the head watcheth and prouideth for the gouernment of the whole body how carefull and watchfull are nurces for the feeding and ordering of their children how watchful are good Shepheards for the leading and feeding of their sheepe and how carefull is a good householder and maister for the gouernment of the whole familie so that it is an old saying Therein but one seruant in an house meaning that the maister is seruant to all in respect of his care and prouidence ouer all In very deed saith one it seemeth to me that it is the art of all artes the discipline of all disciplines to gouerne man which of all creatures is most variable in manners and diuers in will An other saith that to gouerne is not onely a dignitie but an art yea the greatest of all other for if they rule ouer other things which are without man the skill and the cunning is better then all the things themselues how much more is the gouernment ouer men most excellent seeing that men doe excell all other things There are diuers kindes of artes one excelling an other there is the art and skill of husbandrie of carpentrie and building which are very necessaire and doe serue for the helpe and conseruation of this life there be other artes which are lesse then these As to be shepheards taylors smithes but amongst all these husbandrie is most necessarie which God himselfe ordained and commaunded so soone as he had made man for it is possible for a man to liue without most of the other arts but without husbandrie it is impossible to liue without it all the rest are to no purpose yet kings doe gouerne husbandmen and there is some likenes betweene husbandrie and gouernment the gouernor is a setter of plants some he proyneth some he cherisheth and causeth to growe some he cutteth downe and pulleth vp by the rootes good gouernours are like husbandmen by husbandrie the badnes of the earth the wildnes of the plants
in this distresse Both these examples of Iob and Nehemiah are as looking-glasses and mirrours for Magistrates to looke into wherein they may see what care and counsell what pitty and compassion they are to haue to ease and releiue the oppressions of their people And this will be greatly to their comfort credite and honour And indeed it may be a great discomfort and discredite to Princes to suffer their people to bee abused by oppressours and tyrants especially when it lyeth in their power to helpe and relieue them A reuerend Father and blessed Martyr in a certaine Sermon before a King of worthy memory sheweth wherin the honour of a King consisteth It is saith hee the Kings honour that his Subiects be led in true Religion that his Prelates and Cleargy bee set about their worke in Preaching and Studying and not to be interrupted from their charge Also it is the Kings honor that the Common-wealth bee aduanced and that the dearth of things bee prouided for and the commodities of the Realme bee so employed as it may bee to the setting of his Subiects on worke and keeping them from Idlenesse and herein consisteth the Kings honour and Office Furthermore if the Kings honour as some men say standeth in great multitude of people then these Grasiers Enclosers and rent-raisers are hinderers of the Kings honour For where there hath beene a great many of Housholders and Inhabitants there is now but the Shepeheard and his do so they hinder the Kings honour most of all And indded these bee the words of Salomon In the multitude of the people is the honour of a King and for want of the people commeth the destruction of a Prince Increase and aboundance of people is a great blessing of God and a credite and strength to the Prince They are not Oxen or Sheepe but men that must fight for Prince and Country if the enemies arise and assault the Land And there be many oppressions amongst vs besides these Oppressours in the Church and in the Common-wealth oppressions in euery Court in buying and selling and in other dealings amongst men to the hinderance and vndoing of many poore people But to let passe the many kinds of oppressions which the true Magistrate is to looke into and so farre as hee can to redresse and remoue I speake onely of that one kind of oppression that is biting and cruell vsury which Nehemiah reformed among his people I will speake of this because it is most common and generall yet most pernicious detestable though many do count it no sin at all Vsury had wont to be called the woe and sin of Citties and it seemeth that as pride and other sinnes had their beginnings in great Citties so had vsury but it hath passed from Citties to the Country to Townes and Villages Euery place all sorts of persons in the Land are infected with this pestilence leprosy high low rich and poore men women and children fathers mothers Maisters and Dames sons daughters men-seruants and maide-seruants husband-men trades-men and Labourers yea some that go from dore to dore to beg and craue of others haue learned this trade of vsury Free lending is hardly to be found charity is waxen cold this iniquity hath gotten the vpper hand so that this sinne is not onely now a woe to Citties but a woe to Townes to Villages and to priuate houses It is the ruine and decay of many poore people in most places of the Land nay it is the decay ouerthrow of many worthy and great houses and families in the Land It hath bitten them it hath eaten them it hath deuoured consumed them to nothing It is pittifull and lamentable that such a destroying and murdering sin should bee suffered or tollerated in a Christian Land Those that be true Christians indeed are to abstaine from all appearance of euill How much more from so grosse and apparant euill directly and expresly against the Law of God If thou lend money to my people saith God that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not bee as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with Vsury Againe If thy brother bee impouerished and fallen into decay with thee thou shalt releiue him thou shalt take no vsury of him nor aduantage but thou shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thee thou shalt not giue him thy money to vsury nor lend him victuals for increase Dauid shutteth out the vsurer out of Gods Kingdome as well as the slanderer and him that taketh reward against the innocent Another Prophet putteth Vsury amongst Idols Adultery and other filthy sinnes and threatneth the same punishment to one as to the other Christ saith Whatsoeuer you would men should do to you euen so doe yee to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Againe Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away A Heathen man being asked what Vsury was hee answered what is it to kill a man Another saith that it is robbery Another that it is the death of life The ancient learned fathers do vtterly condemne it One saith that Vsury swalloweth vp mens goods and Lands large Patrimony as it were a Sea yet the Sea is neuer filled The Seas for the most part are for profite and gaine but the Vsurer can no man vse but to his owne hinderance In the Sea there is profite of many things but with the Vsurer shipwracke of all things Againe hee that taketh vsury committeth extortion rauen and pillage If hee will say I haue nothing else to liue by so may the Theefe say the Bawde the Witch the Sorcerer Some compare the loane of mony vpon vse to the poyson of Aspes Whosoeuer is strucken and stung of the Aspe he falleth into a sweet pleasant sleep and so by sweetnesse of that sleepe dyeth for then the venemous poyson disperseth into euery member So he that beginneth with vsury thinketh for a time that hee hath a great benefite but vsury runneth through all his riches and conuerteth all he hath to debt Another father being asked what vsury is saith It is a poyson of patrimony And being asked what is vsury permitted by Law hee saith that it is a Theefe that before hand giueth warning what he mindeth to do Some say that a Vsurer is worse then all sinners hee is worse then a theefe for he robbeth in the night but the Vsurer robbeth day and night He is worse then hel for in hel onely the wicked shall bee punished but the Vsurer spoyleth and punisheth both the good and bad spareth neither holy nor vnholy He is worse then a Iew for one Iew will not take vsury of another but the Vsurer will take vsury of his Christian brother Hee is worse then death for death killeth but the body the Vsurer killeth bodies and soules He is worse then Iudas for he sold Christ