Banaster very carefully conueied him into a Cops adioyning to his mansions house and there preserued him but within a while there is proclamation made that whosoeuer can reueale where the Dnke is if he bee a bondman he shall be infranchised and made free if a free-man he shall haue a generall pardon and bee rewarded with a thousand pounds hereupon Banaster either for feare of danger which might ensue if he did conceale him or hope of gaine which he thought to receiue if he did reueale him bewrayed where his master was whereupon he was apprehended examined and executed he that writeth this story doth much condemne Banaster as one that betrayed his master and therefore the iudgements of God did follow him and his as long as he liued for shortly after his sonne and haire waxed madde and died in a bores stye 2. his eldest daughter of an excellent beauty was sodainly strucken with a fowle leapery 3. his second sonne became lame and very deformed in his limmes 4. his younger sonne was drowned in a shallow puddle 5. he himself in his old age was arraigned and found guilty of a murther and had been hanged had he not been saued by his Clergy 6. where he looked for a thousand pounds King Richard gaue him not one farthing but as much disliking his doing said he that would be false to so good a master would neuer be true vnto any but let this suffice to haue spoken of the honour due vnto the father of the house whither he bee Pater or Paterfamilias a father by nature or a father by office for the good ordring and training vp of those which are committed to his charge Besides fathers of the house which the Philosophers call Oeconomicall there are fathers of the country or coÌ„mon wealth called political land these are first our betters in place as Kings and all that are in authority concerning Kings the Scripture calleth them d Esa 49. 23. nourishing fathers we must therefore honour them and willingly bend our necks to be subiect to them The Scripture inforceth this honour by diuers reasons First from Gods ordinance e RoÌ„ 13. 1. the powers that are are ordained of God inde illis potestas vnde spiritus f Pro. 8. 15 by me Kings raigne saith Wisdome and Princes decree iustice g Gen. 1. 2 In the beginning the earth was without forme void and darkenes was vpon the deepe Ante mare terras quod tegit omnia coelum Vnus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe Quem dixere Chaos rudis indigestaque moles Now lest the body of the common wealth should bee like the confused Chaos when hight and depth light and darknesse were mingled together God ordained a power a right of rule and gouernement which superiours haue ouer inferiours a King ouer subiects there is some shew of this superiority and subiection in things without life for in musicke which consists in voyce and sounds the counter-tenor seemes to command ouer the base and oyle doth swimme aboue other liquours in things without reason for in the earth the Lyon is President among the beasts the Eagle among the birds in the salt and fresh waters the Whale rules in the sea the Pike in the pooles and man to whom God hath giuen life sense and reason rules ouer all Hee hath put all things in subiection vnder a Ps 8. 6. his feet but the King aboue other men as the head aboue the members the Cedar among the trees the Sunne among the Starres and God himselfe among the Angels this is Gods ordinance which to crosse is to warre against God and therefore on the one side b Pro. 28. 2 because of transgression the lande hath many Princes But Non bene cum socijs regna venusque manent and that which is the same with it Nec regna socium ferre nec tedae sciunt Loue and Lordshippe can abide no fellowshippe many master Pilots when euery one desires to hold the rudder hinder one another and therefore the common wealth where many will rule except it be subordinatâ—ly one vnder another is like Plinies Amphisbaena a serpent which had an head at each end of her body and while both striue which should be the master head the body is toyled miserably and in the end rent and torne both sometime on the other side no King is a iudgement for then the c Esa 3. 6. Prophet sheweth there followeth confusion when euery one refuseth to be a Gouernour and one cause of great disorder which was among the people of God is noted to bee this d Iud. 17. 6 in those daies there was no King in Israell and it is noted as a iust wonder that e Pro. 30. 27. the grashoppers haue no King yet they goe forth by bands for the body of the common wealth which wants a chiefe Rulâ—r is like the body of Poliphemus without an eie and in such a state men are as fishes f Hab. 1. 14 which deuoure one another to blame therefore are the seditious Anabaptists who liking best an Anarchy like vntamed horses lift vp their heeles against gouernement but whatsoeuer they teach yet in their rebellion popular aequality was so burdensome vnto them that contrary to their owne doctrine they had Iohn Mathew to their captaine Iohn Alyed to their head and amongst their diuels Beel-zebub the chiefe of diuels I speake not here against free States which are ruled in common not by one Prince but by the best men or by the whole people yet euen amongst these one had the preeminence as the Consull at Rome for his moneth the prouost at Athens each of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their weeke each 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his day but this I say to the commendation of a Monarchy that whereas no Aristocraticall or popular estate hath lasted longer then sixe hundred yeares and few so long many Monarchies haue continued twice as long in the same estate neither doth any gouernement draw so neere to nature as this herein because God hath ordained the King to haue the supremacy therefore the subiects must honour him and secondly honour him because he appointeteh iudges and Magistrates vnder him g 1 Pet. 2. 14. for the punnishment of euill doers and prayse of them that doe well for the punnishment of euill doers and therefore as they carry a ballance in one hand so doe they beare a sword in the other with the one they iustly weigh litigious and controuersed causes with the other they punnish malefactors and maintayne the innocent they are phisitions of the common wealth and minister Potions to rid out distemperate humors for the wicked are as it were the oppression of nature the surcharge and surfit of the stomacke which cannot be eased except such inhabitants be spued out of it if any bad member be bred in the body of the common wealth they cut him off as surgeons cut off certaine
limmes in the body which are infectious ne pars sincera trahatur if bad members come from other places as Seminaries and Iesuites doe from Rome they be like the bird Ibis which destroyeth the serpents which come out of Libia into Aegypt very hurtfull to their Country Aaron and his sonnes doe consecrate their hands to God in the holy slaughter of sinne but when Aarons vrim and Thummim will doe no good then comes Moses with his rodde and staffe when the tongue cannot perswade the rodde doth compell and when the sword of the spirit meetes with such yron harts that it enters not but is rebated then doth the arme of the Magistrates bruise them with a rodde of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell As the Magistrate is the Comet of the guilty so is he the refuge of the innocent his seate is a shelter to such as are oppressed and a sanctuary to all that are distressed his breast is an Ocean whereinto the cares of priuate men doe empty themselues which when he hath receiued he presently seeketh to ease them by repressing the violence of such as doe vexe them and as though there were a writ directed to him from God much like a fieri facias he goes about to right those that are wronged Neither doth a good King alwaies this by Deputies alone but as though he had receiued an Impresse from God much like the Rowle of a Eze. 2. 9. Ezechiell with this motto of Moses b Num. 11 12. carry them in thy bosome he himselfe is a guarde vnto his subiects against catterpillers and cormorants and bastards fawcons It is written to the commendation of Marcus Aurelius that diuiding the houres of the day for the businesse of his Empire hee allotted one houre to heare the complaints of the grieued the suits of poore men and widdowes wanting iustice and that two daies in the weeke hee would walke abroad to see if any person would speake with him or make complaint vnto him On the other side it is written to the discommendation of other persons that they admitted not those c Est 4. 2. which by their apparell did testifie their mourning Thus you see the good milke which Kings as nurces send forth in the streames of iustice pitty and compassion Saint Paul setting out the blessings which we reape by meanes of good Kings mentioneth especially these three d 1 Tim. 2. 2 Peace Godlines and honesty each of these is a great blessing peace whither wee respect deliuerance from enemies abroad for therefore was Arabia called faelix because the people liuing in continuall peace had their townes vnwalled or whither we respect quiet from discorde at home it is well with Bees when they make a noyse in their hiues but it is well with men when they be at quiet in the cōmon wealth happy is this land of ours which hath receiued this benefit by good Princes happy be the remembrance of King Henry the 7. who ioyned the Roses the Houses of Yorke and Lancaster together and so freed it from ciuill dissention and before that time happy bee the remembrance of King Henry the 2. in subduing Wales vnto England though this was done Armorum strepit◠but since that time still twice happy be the remembrance of our gracious King Iames who with quietnes hath pulled downe the wall of partition betwixt England and Scotland and hauing come ouer on this side Iorden hath planted the Tribes of his Israell and people on both sides the Riuers thus the Riuers goe againe vnto the Sea and the doue is returned with an Olyue branch in her mouth to the Arke from whence she came forth and we hope that all three peoples shall long and long yea for euer dwell in the Tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places for their peace sing Te Deum in the highest note when many other Nations cry Miserere in a mournefull voyce since the same continent containes them all the same Kingdome and gouernement rules them all the same Religion instructs them all since these three most sure bonds naturall ciuill and religious knits them all togither which hath been twisted by our mighty Monarch and therefore surely like to hold out for euer e E◠4. 12. a three fold corde is not easily broken The second benefit mentioned by the Apostle is Godlines A good Prince like Canutus before the conquest makes lawes by counsell of his sages binding his subiects one rule of Christian Religion well and aduisedly to hold not giuing countenance either to Iewish Turkish Greekish or Popish Religion though all these stand for competition of truth but onely to the Reformed driuing his subiects as a good sheepheard his sheepe altogither to greene pastures not dispencing with any since none are exempted by God denying a tolleration either to the cause of Papists lest it should infect the persons or to the persons lest it should credit the cause The third benefit is Honesty A good Prince hath a care that there be iust and honest dealing betwixt man and man that he which hath much setting honesty aside doth not tyrannize ouer him that hath little that the fat cow doth not deuoure the leane and the full eare eate vp the poorer corne that one doth not by fraude take away anothers land or by violence hold that which is none of his or conuert other mens goods to his vse in a word that men doe not liue like beasts but honestly and vprightly one with another these three I say are great blessings which we enioy vnder good Princes and the want of any one of them is a great blemish in a common wealth peace without godlines is but security godlines without honesty is but hypocrisie honestie without godlines is but paganisme and a glistering sinne neither godlines nor honesty without peace can well bee maintained Godlines is the summe of the first Table honesty the Summe of the second peace an happy manner of enioying them both Lastly honour the King for God himselfe honoureth him in stiling him by his name for as Patriarch and Prince haue interchangeable names for the Hitites called Abraham the Patriarch a Prince thou art a Prince of God among vs and f Gen. 23. 6 to make euen Peter calleth Dauid the Prince Patriarke g Act. 2. 29 I may boldly speake vnto you of the Patriarke Dauid so God and the King haue interchangeably borrowed names a Ps 20. 9. God is a King in heauen the King is a God on earth herein honouring the King in giuing him his owne name as Iacob honoured Iosephs b Ps 82. 6. sonnes when he said c Gen. 48. 16. Let my name be named vpon them now as the people honour him whom the King doth honour in token whereof they cryed before Ioseph d Gē 41. 43 Abrech that is tender father in token whereof Haman brought Mordocai on horsebacke after he had arayed him
out of thy Country and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house and Ioshua n Iosh 24 2 reckoneth this among the great blessings of God that God brought him from thence and o Gen. 11. 31. Terah his father an old man weake and broken hauing no commandement from God to goe with his son which might haue seemed tollerable excuses if he had abode behind yet when he knowes the place accursed for idolatry from which his sonmust depart he beares him company the contagion of spirituall diseases being as the lepers sore dangerous to them that dwell neere it and therefore the holy Ghost p Ier. 51 6. wisheth vs to goe out of Babylon and looking behinde vs see whether wee haue left it vpon our backes Bee not seperated from the company of good men thou maiest participate of their goodnesse as an impe grafted into a stocke participates of the influence and vertue of the roote so that it withers not but waxeth green and greater if there bee Moses and Elias good company good doctrine good example good report make choice of those places and say with Peter q Mat. 17. 4 It is good to bee heere but bee not like the Swine who had rather bee tumbling in the mire then laid in the cleanest places come not neere stinking carrion except thou haue the winde of it But let vs take a little further view of this peoples idolatry and then come to our selues The Egyptians were such as Saint Paul speaketh of r Rō 1 23. They 1 turned the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and 2. of birds and 3. foure-footed beasts and 4. of creeping things 1 Of a corruptible man they deified their King Axis 2 Of birds they worshipped the Hawke and Ebi◠for that he destroyed the serpents which came out of Libia into Egypt very hurtfull to their Country 3 Of foure-footed beasts they worshipped an Oxe a Dogge a Cat and a Swine for the inuention of tillage which he shewed them by rooting vp the ground with his groine 4 Of creeping things they worshipped the Crocodyll and some Ichneumon now called a mouse of Indie who killeth the Crocodyll for when the Crocodyll gapeth he creepeth into his body and eating his bowels slaieth him they had so many gods that a man had need to haue made a Catalogue of them as Vano did of the Romish gods for feare as he said they should stray away It may be this land had not the like variety of images but that here were canonized many new gods both he Saints and she Saints none can deny men thought God could not attend to so many things at once and therefore seuerall offices were committed to seuerall Saints and they dealt out the vertues belonged to God Saint Cornelis was an excellent Saint to keepe men from the falling sicknesse Saint Apolline as excellent to helpe men of the toothach these were not so good for men but other were as good for beasts as Saint Antony for Swine If men did heare that some blocke-idoll did sweate did speake did weepe did smile did shift it selfe from place to place would not their bare feet carry them thither with an offering what repaire was there to our Lady of Walsingam our Lady of Wilsdon the same Lady but distinguished by the place as Baal was a common name to many Idols but distinguished ſ Num. 22. 41. 25. 3. by the high places and hilles wherein it was worshipped but did God bring vs out of this land when it was infected with superstition surely he shewed this fauour to many of our predecessors who counted themselues happy if while those Mariana tempora continued they might goe to Geneua to Strasbourg and other religious places whereas many many which kept their station did sticke ad ignem inclusiue the father with the sonne the husband with the wife the mother with the new borne no not borne infant for in the I le of Garnesye the belly of Perotine Massey bursting asunder by vehemency of the flame the child with which shee was great fell into the fire and eft soone being taken out by one W. House was againe by the censure of the Prouost and Bailiffe cast into the fire so that this child baptized in his owne bloud both at once began and ended a Martyr but God hath shewed a farre greater fauour to vs then to those which auoided the land for many of them might say as Paul of himselfe Night and day t 2 Cor. 11 25. 26. 27. haue I been in the deepe sea in iorneying often in perils of waters in perils of robbers in perils of mine owne nation in perils among the Gentiles in perils in the citty in perils in the wildernesse in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren in wearinesse and painfulnesse in watching often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednesse But we without this trauaile without this trouble without this danger are freed from superstition God hath not brought vs out of an idolatrous land but hath taken idolatry out of the land and we continuing still in our natiue Country he hath cleansed it hauing swept idolatry and superstition from it he cast that Dagon of Rome downe to the ground when in the daies of King Henry the eight the Pope lost his supremacy when that King would sit no longer as in the distinguishing at Paris to pay the minstrels wages when England which before that time was counted the Popes Asse did now cast his rider he cut off his head and his hands when in the daies of King Edward the sixt men might not prostrate themselues before Saints seuerall shrines nor prouoke God with high places nor sacrifice vnto Baalim and burne incense to images but must take away their fornications out of their sight and their adulteries from betweene their breasts onely the stumpe of Dagon is left a few recusants which our mighty King Iames by the helpe of God will sooner cast out then it shall recouer it first wounds those disordered members the Papists are now but as parts of an adder cut asunder which may retaine some life for a time but neuer by the grace of God shall in this land grow into a body againe Now if the Prophet Ieremy blameth the Iewes for that they said not u Ier. 2. 6. Where is the Lord that brought vs vp out of the land of Egypt much more will he condemne our silence if we doe not open our lips and shew forth the praises of God who hath taken the superstition of Egypt out of our land If this was a blessing of God vpon Israell to bee brought out of Egypt because there the Egyptians entitle ◠creatures to the honour of the creator and gaue God for companions not men alone but fowles of the ayre and beasts of the field they then are much to be blamed who being bred and borne and
teeth in all their Cities and scarsenesse of bread in all their habitations yet when God called for a famine on the land and destroyed the prouision of bread Iacob had rather remaine hungry and thirsty and haue his soule faint in him f Gen. 42. 38. then part with Beniamin his sonne to fetâ—â— prouision supposing it would bee to the danger of his life Moses sheweth that when his mother Iochebed was not able to keepe him any longer then three moneths from the tyranny of Pharaoh shee committing him to the prouidence of God g Ex. 2. 3. dawbed an Arke made of reed with slime and pitch and put it into the water not mentioning any thing that Amram his father did in the husines because he was so ouercome with griefe that he could not doe any thing for as luctus loquitur leâ—es ingentse stupent sorrowes in their mediocrities speake but in their extâ—emities are silent so in their mediocrities they worke but in extremities sit downe and let all alone When Agamemnon must offer vp but his daughter Ithigeniâ— only though happily not his only daughter such as was the h Iudg. 11 34. sacrifice of Iphtah the paintâ—r sets him out with his face couered because he could not sufficiently expresse his sorrowfull countenance neyther though the teares stole downe his cheekes could the sighes which brake from the center of his heart be discouered by the map of his looke Therefore when his colours would not serue to expresse that he meant hee shadowed him with a Veyle But so ready were the Iewes to this sinne of Idolatry i 1. Kin. 11. 5. that in honor of Moloch alias Milcon the Idol of the Almmonites they not only cast out one sonne with Abraham expose one sonne â—o danger with Iacob sacrifice one daughter with Agamemnon but k 2. Kin. 23. 10. burned and sacrificed many of their children both sonnes and daughters though they had l Leu. 18. 21. a straight Commandement to the contrary yea and that m Leu. 20. â— 5. vnder a grieuous payne no lesse then death which God would inflict though man should wincke at it and to the end nature might not moue them to compassion when they should heare the pittifull cry of their children they had instruments of Musicke and sounding of Bells to drowne their wofull noyse and lamentation It is a shame for any one to take away that which of right belongeth to another a shame for the father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring vp a Childe with crooked nayles and for a husband to match with a wife that is as light on finger as Asahel on foot n 2 Sam. 2. 18. as light as a wilde Roe yet Rahel not regarding her owne shame the shame that might arise to her father Laban and to her husband Iacob nor the displeasure that she might incur of them both is so adicted to superstition that o Gen. 31. 19. she steales away her fathers Idols To come vnto ourselues a man may say of vs as Saint Paul of the Athenians p Act 17. 23. I perceiue that in all things you are too superstitious What great cost in former times haue great men bestowed in building of Abbeys and Cels of superstition and that in the fat of the land What free liberties did they grant them with how large priuiledge and possessions did they endowe them and though men did not really with the Iewes offer their sonnes and daughters vnto diuels yet did they in very deede delicate them to the seruice of images though with Rahel they did not steale away false gods yet did their Priests steale away the hearts of the people and entring vpon the right of the almighty rob the true God of his honour What pilgrimages did men make farre and nigh to Saintes seuerall shrines when the Bull of Pope Clement 6. giuen out An. 1350. for his yeare of Iubiley bellowed thus No paine of hell shall touch any which for deuotion sake take their Peregrination to the holy City what a number of calues flocked to Rome fiue thousand Peregrines did euery day goe in and out at the gates of the City Neither did this superstition rest onely in the common sort of people but King Henry 2. went on Pilgrimage to Thomas Beckets Tombe Edward the first escaping a danger it was the fall of a mighty stone from a Vawte directly ouer the place where hee sat playing at Chesse with one of his souldiers which place hauing no occasion giuen hee but euen then had voyded in stead of honoring the liuing Lord for his great deliuerance goes on Pilgrimage to our Lady at Walsingham that this hot deuotion in man might not wax colde there was many times a vow made the more to kindle it a vow did set a â—â—tor and ouerseer ouer the will to keepe it from going backe and indeed was an entring into band to performe it such was the vow of Queene Blanch who when Lewes the French King her sonne was sicke as it was thought vnto death vowed in the person of her sonne that if the Lord would visit him with health he should visit his Sepulcher there solemnely giue thankes in the land which hee had sanctified with his bloud But let this suffice to haue spoken of the prone inclination of man to this sinne of Idolatry for loue whereof he spareeth no cost he spareth no trauayle but goes his Pilgrimage to Caunterbury to Yorke to Beuerly to Karligton to Wilsdon yea beyond sea to Compostella to Ierusalem to Rome euen thither should his bare feet carry him with an offring This forwardnes in our predecessors to honor Idols in the time of darknes and blinde ignorance shall condemne our backwardnes for the true seruice of God in these sun-shining dayes of the Gospell they had zeale without knowledge without learning and therefore were blind we haue knowledge without zeale without discretion and therefore are pur-blind they had cause to wring their hands and take vp an howling that they did know so little we haue cause to rent our hearts and q 2. Sam. 13 91. with Tamar clasping our hands vpon our heads to goe to crying to cry as a woman trauailing or as one laboring of her first child because we haue known so much to so little purpose This knowledge is but contristans because wee run with our eyes open to sinne Wee may be ashamed to put on that loose and tattered garment in the day which they with lesse shame did weare in the night Our defects are so much the greater by how much wee haue better meanes to supply our wants r Mat. 11. 20. therefore were the Iewes worse then the Gentiles because these onely transgressed the law of Nature but they the law of Nature of Moses of grace therefore were they worse because they might haue been better This possibility gaue height to their sinne in a word let vs not who haue the bright light of
all their lands and tenemeâ—ts forfaited to the King but lawes of men are like cobwebs little flies hang fast great flies breake forth But let men winke at this sinne of blasphemy of periury and suffer it to goe scot-free yet God will not put it vp so the the periurer sinneth against God and who shall pleade for him It is reported in the Acts and Monuments of the Church and Mr. Foxe takes the story out of Eusebius that when Narcissus a good Bishop of Ierusalem intended to accuse three notable malefactors of their misdemeanors they dealing as that lewd husband who hauing disordered himselfe abroad lost his mony at dice and wasted his goods and now thinking his wife would be in his toppe comes home and begins to chide first thought to preuent his accusations by accusing him first and laying a grieuous crime to his charge and to get credit to their accusation each of them bound it with their seuerall oathes one wishing to be consumed with fire if it were not true an other to die of some grieuous disease the third to loose both his eies Narcissus seeing three to one was oddes gaue place but what became of these periured fellowes the first was consumed by casulaty of a sparke of fire he his family and all that he had the second was taken with a strange sicknesse from top to the toe which brought him to a miserable end the third seeing Gods iudgements vpon his brethren in euill confessed the fault for which he continually shed such abundance of teares that he wept out his eyes In latter time within the memory of man the eleuenth of February Anno 1575 A certaine woman her name was Anne Aueries forswearing her selfe at a shop in woodstreet of London praying God shee might sinke where shee stood if shee had not paid for the wares shee tooke fell downe presently speachles and with horrible stincke died Thirdly this serueth for our instruction to teach vs to sift our words to let them be prius ratione quam prolatione prius ad limam quam ad linguam for the tongue is placed neare vnder the braine and vnderstanding parte as at the feet of her schoolmaster that it might not run before the wit and the heart is counsailor to the tongue that it might haue a good guide aboue and beneath sport thy selfe with oathes thou makest sport with l Iud. 17. 30 Sampson who will pull the house about thy eares set thy selfe against heauen and curse God thou dealest with fire which will burne all that touch it m Heb. 1. 7 he maketh his Angels a flame n 12. 29. and himselfe is a consuming fire hold vp a staffe the dogge is afraid here God holds vp his rod here a Lyon roareth in the forrest and who will not bee afraid here is a snare set and he will not take it vp vntill he takes the blasphemer in it Againe this serueth for confutation of such as make no reckoning of an oath as Lysaâ—der who being charged with the breach of the league whereunto he was sworne in Miletus answered tush we may goe beyond men and beguile them with oathes as with aples and trifles we traine and deceiue little children againe such as though they thinke they must keepe touch with others yet they thinke they may breake their oath with Infidels as Thyestes in the Poet Ego vero fidem neque dedâ— infidelâ— cuâ—quam neque do as though Gods Maiesty did depend on mens deserts and they might abuse his name to wrong those which do not giue God his right 3. such as hood themselues with Hypocrisie who haue a double heart whose hearts and tongues are not made of the same flesh who vse congruity in thought but in word commit solecisme whose mouthes belye their hearts as their fingers belye their mouthes who harken to Gregory the 13. who sending certaine tokens to such as were to be reconciled to him did set downe in them this goodly poesie fili da mihi cor sufficit such a one was he which said iuraui lingua mentem iniurataÌ„ gero I meane as truely as a man vpon his death-bed though I speake as falsely as one that maketh Almanacks 4. Such as patronize this sinne with some cunning shift as that Captaine who hauing made a truce for certaine daies brake out in the night saying that truce was made for daies and not for nights And that Romane Souldier who being taken prisoner by the Carthaginians dismissed by Hannihall vpon oath giuen to returne againe to the Campe craftely lest his sword behind him and being gone a little way returned backe to the campe to fetch his sword and now thinking he had performed his oath neuer meant to come there againe but the Romanes sent him backe againe as a periured person for that they thought an oath was so to be performed as he to whom the oath was made did vnderstand the promise Lastly this maketh against the Pope who dispenseth with an oath yea with the oath of allegeance which Subiects make vnto their Prince the law of God bridles the hands from working treason n touch not mine annointed of our selues wee forbeare to Ps 105. 15 touch that which is annointed but if a Caueat be put in wee are the more wary in these words are both these touch not mine annointed It bridles the mouth that we speake not ill of the King p Ex. 22. 28 thou shalt not speake euill of the Ruler of thy people It binds the heart not to imagine euill against him q Ec. 10. 20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought for the foule of the heauen shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall declare the matter If the eye of Inquisition could extend so farre the Common law would punish treason in the very heart the Ciuill law punisheth with death euen the very thought of bringing the Prince into any feare or danger if it can any way be sifted out when r Hest 2. 21 the two Ennuches Bigthan and Teresh were attainted there was no more put in the inditement then this they meant to lay hands on King Ahassuerus their meaning being found by inquisition they were both hanged on a tree In the French Academy I read of a Gentleman of Normandy who confessed to a Franciscan Fryer that he once was minded to haue killed King Francis the first but afterward was angry with himselfe that such a treacherous thought should enter the doore of his heart the Gray Fryer gaue him absolution but yet went and discouered the matter to the King who sent the Gentleman to the Parlament of Paris there to bee tryed where hee was by common consent condemned to die and afterward put to execution A man would thinke here were binders enough to tye Subiects to true obedience when the law of God bindeth the law of man bindeth when feare of punishment bindeth but besides these their owne oath bindeth which makes
the corde more then threefold that is not easily broken yet the Pope saith breake these bonds a sunder and cast away these cords from you compasse or imagine the death of your King leuy warre against him adhere to his enemies giue them aide or comfort within or without the Realme I will discharge you of your oath and fealty I will licence you to withdraw your oath of allegiance to take armes against him yea to lay violent hands vpon him occidite or excidite kill him or ill him deponite a thronâ— or exponite periculo depose him from his throne or expose him to danger thus an oath or any other thing to the contrary notwithstanding subiects shall haue law to lift vp their heeles against their head vnder whose feete they should lay downe their liues But I may say vnto the Pope in this case as Moses to the Rebels Å¿ NuÌ„ 16. 7. Korah Dathan and Abiram Yee take toâ— much vpon you yee sonnes of Leuy and as they in the Gospell but more iustly t Maâ—t 2. 2â— By what authority doest thou these things and who gaue thee this authority thou hast no commission to dispense with an oath no power to discharge a man of it thou blasphemest in saying thou wilt free him that breakes it u Mar. â— â—1 Who can forgiue sins but God onely though thou perdon God will punish though thou doest promise faire God will pay home and condemne him as guilty that taketh his name in vaine The fourth Commandement Exodus 20. 8. 9. 10. 11. Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Sixe daies thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seauenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man-seruant and thy maid-seruant thy â—attell and the stranger that is within thy gates For in six daies the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth day Whererefore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it IT is written of the Lacedemonians that by coÌ„mon exercise they could behaue theÌ„selues souldier like in the campe but knew not how to vse the time of peace so many haue stil to husband their busines to trade in their crafts and occupations on the working daies but are to seeke how to vse the Sabbath a time of rest therefore God in this coÌ„mandement would teach vs a lesson with which coÌ„mon vse is not acquainted Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy The words containe 1. A charge 2. Seuerall reasons to induce vs to put the charge in execution In the charge wee are to consider 1. The matter giuen in charge 2. The persons to whom the charge is giuen The matter giuen in charge is to hallow the Sabboth which consisteth 1. In resting from our owne workes 2. In labouring in the seruice of God The persons to whoÌ„ the charge is giuen are either Superiors and they more priuate as Parents Masters More publicke as Magistrates Or Inferiours whither they be home bred as children thy sonne or thy daughter seruants thy man-seruant thy maid-seruant or forenners the stranger that is within thy gates The reasons to induce vs to execute this charge are 1. Gods bounteous liberality in giuing six daies for dispatch of our owne busines 2. Iustice which should be in man in giuing euery one his due it is Gods day 3. Gods owne patterne he resteth the seuenth day 4. The benefits that ensue vpon obseruing it that is the blessing of God he blessed c. In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke there be opera fortunae â—ulpâ— naturae workes of our calling workes of sinne and workes of nature from the first we must abstain the seuenth day from the second euery day from the third not by coÌ„pulsion on any day a Deu. 5. 14 God would haue all our Cattell rest by name the Oxe and the Asse I say in this as Saint Paul in an other case doth God take care for Oxen had God respect properly to the cattel or doth he not speake it rather for vs to teach vs to rest on the seuenth day on which the cattel cannot be imployed in any labour without the seruice of man b 2. Sam. 7. 2. Dauids care was not to dwell in a house of Cedar trees whiles the Arke of God remained within the curtaines c Luc. 7. and Iairus is as much commended for building a Synagogue as others in their couetous humours are blamed for demolishing Churches leauing nothing but rude heapes of stone but though this be a worke of so great commendation yet in the law is a Caueat put in that such a good worke be not performed on the d Ex. 31. 13 Sabbath day or any thing then taken in hand that belongs to the Tabernacle e Mat. 26. 13. The good worke of Mary Magdalenâ— in powring a box of oyntment on the head of Christ shall be spoken of for a memoriall of her vnto the worlds end so on the other side the with-holding of her oyntment on the Sabbath day is set downe to her commendation that though she and the other f Mar. 16. 1 Mary Iames his mother had prepared sweete oyntments to annoint the dead body of Christ yet they came not to the Sepulcher till the Sabbath was past but rested that day according to the g Luc 23. 56. Commandement Here-upon Canâ—tus a King of this land not full 32. yeares before the conquest ordeyned that fayres Courts and worldly workes on that day should be forborne and in the 4. yeare of King Henry the 2. the common Councell of London decreed that nothing should be bought or sould within the liberties of that Citie and that no artificer or handy crafts-man should bring his wares or workes to any person to be worne or occupied on that day for by this meanes they thought the day to be profaned Two sorts of people are here to be blamed the first are they which ouer keepe it as the Iewes which are too nice and too strickt in obseruing this day and therefore if a man were sicke or diseased they thought that vpon this day meanes might not be h Ioh. 7. 23. â— vsed for his recouery for Christ chargeth them with this that they were angry with him for that hee had made a man whole on the Sabbath day yea the i Pharisees in reputation Act. 23. 8. greater then the Sadducees and sounder in beleefe the k Act. 26. 5 most exact sort and comming nearest to the law began to picke a quarrell with l Act. 22. â—1 Christ for that his Disciples being hungry did m Mat. 12. plucke the eares of corne on the Sabbath day they find no fault for plucking the eares for this the law permitted n Den. 23. 25. but to plucke them on the Sabbath day this they
the Tribes e Ps 115. 16 the earth God hath giuen to the children of men f Ps 105. 1 but this pleasant and plentifull part of the earth did he giue vnto Israel as a particular inclosure out of the commons of the whole world and therefore it is compared g Esa 20. 6 to an I le because Israel was separated from other countries as an I le from other lands as a Gen. 43. 34. Beniamin had his mease by himselfe so according b Num. 23. 9. to Balaams prophecy the people did dwell by themselues were not reckoned among the nations Ierusalem was walled about and c Ioh 4. 9. the Iewes did not meddle with the Samaritans but after according to the d Zac. 2. 4. prophecy of Zachary e Eph. 2. 14 the partition wall was broken downe and the Church of Christ dispersed farre and nigh f Gal. 6. 16 is called the Israel of God which shall enter into his rest and g Mat. 8. 11 sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heauen whereof this land of Canaan was a type and figure whether hee bring vs that made vs for his Sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be giuen all honour and glory for euer The sixt Commandement Exod. 20. 13. Thou shalt not kill IT is true which the father of lyes saith in the booke of Iob a Iob 2. 4. Skin for skin and all that euer a man hath will he gâ—â—en for his lâ—fe Mens mindes are shut in their chests as dead bodies are buried in coffins they are interred in the Gâ—lgatha of this world as moles are intombed in their hils yet set a man neuer so much by his wealth he will giue his goods for the ransome of his life more then so men preferre their liberty before their riches for say fetters bee of gold yet is the seruitude no lesse miserable though it be more glorious but to saue their liues the b Ios 9. 23. Gâ—bâ—onites are content to loose their liberty and neuer to bee freed from being bondmen Since therefore life is so precious God in this commandement takes order for the life of man first forbidding all cruelty which might take it away then inioyning vs to vse the best meanes we may to preserue it The negligent Pastor the seditious Hereticke which slay the souâ—es of men and so destroy the life spirituall the detracting 〈◊〉 whose tongue as sharpe as the quilles of a Porcupin wounde the good name of his neighbour and so destroy the life ciuill with bare mentioning I passâ— ouer supposing that other commandements leade me a nearer way into these fieldes only the malicious murderer who laies waite for bloud and so destroies the life naturall shall be the subiect of my speach for the hand of this text doth leade me to him and therefore God assisting me I will spend this daies exercise in this walke There are some sinnes as more hainous then other which are said to cry vnto God for vengeance as the sinne of the Sodomites c GeÌ„â—8 20. mentioned in the Epistle to the d RoÌ„ 1. 24. Roâ—â—aines the sinne of oppressors e Ia. 5. 4 which keepe backe the hire of the labourers the sinne of murther for f Gâ— 4. 10. the voice of bloud doth cry vnto God the wounds opening and bleeding in the presence of the murderer doe after a sort cry and say Lord how long how long wilt thou cease to be auenged euen g Iob 24. 12 the soule of the slaine doth cry out and therefore when the seruants were slaine which were messengers sent to inuite the guests vnto the wedding God is not said to see it as he doth this and other sinnes but a Mat. 22. 7 when the King heard it hee was wroth b GeÌ„ 4. 11. The earth opens her mouth to receiue the bloud of the slaine c Esa 26. 2â— but the earth shall disâ—lose her bloâ—d and shall no more hide her slaine the bloud which shee hath drunke shee shall againe cast out that it may cry against those which spared not to dislodge the soules of innocents form their harmeles bodies A man cannot water the earth with his brothers bloud but he wrongeth God for d Gen. 9 6 in the image of God did â—â—e make man he therefore that batheth his sword in the pretious life of man razeth Câ—sâ—rs picture and breakes in peeces the Kings broade Seale The e Gâ— 3. 17 earth was cursed for sinne but f Gen. 4. 12 the first murderer did loose of that blessing which remained vnto it g Gen. 4 15 God would not haue Kain slainâ— not that he fauoured the murder but to shew how he detested the shedding of bloud when he would not haue a hand stretched out against him who had committed such outrage against the person of his owne brother The Lord did forbid the eating of bloud a Leu. 17. 13. euen the bloud of the least bird the eating of flesh b Gen. 9 4. which died of it selfe or which was strangled because the bloud was in it c Leu. 23. 28. Hee would not haue the damme and young killed both in one day and though d Deu. 14. 21. strangers had a larger Patent for eating of flesh then the people of God yet the flesh of an Oxe that had gored any man or woman to death might not be eaten noe not of strangers All these prohibitions tended to this end to teach that we must not lay waite for blould that we must not deuoure mens soules like Lyons and teare them in peeces that we must not bee like wolues in the euening eating vp our brethren as if we would eate bread nor swallow them vp quicke like a graue euen whole as those that goe down into the pitte Againe the e Num. 19. 11. the Lord did command that hee which had touched the dead body of any man as being vncleane should purifie himselfe the like should he doe f Num 31. 19. which had killed any person euen him or her whom to saue aliue had beene sinne g Gen 9 7 he commandeth the preseruation of seede a Deu. 20. 10. and commandeth euen in warre to be mindfull of pitty all these Iniunctions tended to this end to teach vs the more to detest the shedding of bloud and to shew that violence which is hurtfull in all things is horrible in life God in all ages seuerely punished this finne to shew hee would haue no man breake the prison and let the soule out but he that did inclose it before the law was giuen vnto Moses God enacted this statute b Gen. 9 6 who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed The c Ex. 21. 12 Law was life for life a law neuer repealed for it standeth in effect in the last booke of the Bible
d Ap. 13. 10 if any kill with a sword hee must bee killed by a sword If a man did smite his seruant that he died vnder his hand though among the Romanes such a master went free because he bought his seruant with his money yet because the life is more worth then money God will not free him e Ex. 21. 20 puniendo punietur hee shall be surely punished If men did striue and hurt a woman with childe though there were no intent to kill either the mother or the child f Ex. 21. 22. yet if death followed life should be paid for life A man would thinke it had been no great matter if he had killed a theefe that should come and vndermine his house or breake it vppe but yet if this were done in the day time by the iudiciall law of Moses g Ex. 22. 2. hee that did it must dye for it a Deu. 21. 1 If one were found slaine in the field and he not knowne that committed the murther the next City should beare the blame should offer sacrifice protest before God that they were cleere of that fact desire God to be mercifull to them and not lay innocent bloud vnto their charge If a man did not lay waite for bloud but had b Ex. 21. 14. killed any vnawares he might take Sanctuary and flie to the Altar but if he had killed any wilfully the holynes of the place should not defend him and therefore Salomon biddeth Benaiah to smite Iâ—ab because he smote two men more righteous and better then he and slew them with the sword though c 1 Kin. 2. 28 Ioab had caught hold on the hornes of the Altar God would take vengeance on d Gen. 9. 5. beasts generally for the life of man particularly e Ex. 21. 28 the goaring Oxe that killed any should be stoned to death to shew that beastly minded man should not goe vnpunished who sheds his brothers bloud like water who oppresseth him round about for his soule and causeth his head to goe downe to the graue with bloud The lawes of other Nations as well as Gods lawe to the Iewes doe meete with this sinne and cutting them off from other men rewards them to their face to bring them to destruction which lift vp their hands against other to destroy them To let passe forraigne Countries in our land if a man did run into a premunire he should be put out of the Kings protection his lands goods and cattles forfaited to the King but yet there was a law made Eliz 1o. against such as should slea euen such a man as was attainted in premunire King Richard the first making orders for sea-faring men ordained that if one slew an other on the shippe-boarde he should be bound to the dead body and throwne into the sea if on the land he should be bound to him and buried with him quicke The land is clensed of the bloud that is shed in it by the bloud of him that shed it and therefore the statute law takes away all murderers like drosse walking more stubbornly and taking greater vengeance on those which shall imbrue their hands in the bloud of them to whom by nature or duty they are most bound by nature as if a woman since her husband and shee are one flesh shall kill her husband shee shall be accounted a paricide by the Ciuill law and by the Statute of the land a traitor and be punished accordingly by duty as if a seruant kill his master it is petie treason if one kill any Iudge sitting in his place it is high treason and such a man shall drinke more depely of the cuppe of vengeance but let one sâ—ay a man bee he neuer so meane feloniously his least punishment is suspension his death-bed is the gallowes say he doth escape and be not taken then the Towne where the murder is committed shal be amerced say the matter be compounded yet God himselfe will take the matter into his owne hand his vengeance by iustice shall waite his destruction that doth commit it he will euen set his face against the person and will cut him off from among his people for sometime he stirreth vp f Gen 6. 9. some other man to shed the bloud of him thar sheddeth bloud and therefore g GeÌ„ 4. 14 Cain is afraid that euery man that findeth him will slay him That valiant Hercules did cast Diâ—medes King of Thrace who fedde his horse with mens flesh to horses to bee deuoured Perillus was inforced to make tryall how his brasen Bull would roare and when the Tyrant Phalaris had burned many in it his owne Citizens falling vpon him put him into the same Bull and made him end his life with like kinde of death It is remarkable how the Duke of Burgundy dealt with a murderer A cruell minded man had taken a noble man prisoner his wife whose heart did cleaue vnto her husband was an earnest suiter for his life that no hand might be vpon him to put him to death the cut-throate answered if he might goe vp to her bed imbrace her bosome take his fill of loue and his pleasure in dalliance he would set her husband at liberty shee thought it were as death to her to breake her faith plighted in marriage yet so great was her loue that shee did deliberate and first craued leaue to confer with her husband who though this thing were grieuous vnto him because of his wife yet gaue her leaue that he might haue his deliuerance the deed done and this varlet hauing lyen with her fleshly and vsed her at his pleasure he notwithstanding the next day chopt off her husbands head and sent it vnto her whereupon shee complained to the Duke who sent for him compelled him to marry her that so she might challenge a right in his possessions and then causing him to drinke of the same cup cut off his head It is true that the Psalmist saith a Ps 5 5. 23 the bloud-thirsty man shall not liue out halfe his daies one dies fettered in prison another scalded in the brothel house many in warre when the land of the enemies doth eate them licke them vp as an Oxe lieketh vp grasse of the field when their enemies chase them as Bees vse to doe so that they cannot stand in the day of battaile but their carcasses fall to the earth and cannot escape thus the roaring of the Lyon the voyce of the Lyonesse and the teeth of the Lyons whelpes are broken This made Rebecâ—ah speaking of Esau and Iacob to say b Gen. 27. 45. Why should I be depriued of you both in one day not thinking that Iacob being of a gentle disposition would rise vp against his brother Esau and so they kill one another but her meaning was that if Iacob did not auoid the countrey Esau considering that Iacob had the birthright and the blessing would kill him then some iudgement of God would
it be in an halter and therefore the Lord compareth those whom he corrects not vnto bastards If yee be without Heb. 12. 8. correction then are yee bastards and not sonnes besides all this the Iewish law doth not allow such children the same priuiledges which it doth those which are lawfully begotten for first they were not called to places of publicke gouernement either in Church or common wealth and secondly they were excluded from inheritance and therefore when Iphthas brethren were come to age they thrust out Iphtah the onely base borne in the Scripture which wee reade of came to good and hee is set downe lest bastards should despaire and none but he lest parents should presume and said vnto him thou shalt not inherit in Iud 11. 2. our fathers house for thou art the sonne of a strange woman A wise traueler when he cometh to his Inne though many plesant dishes be presented to his sight yet he forbeareth them in consideration of the price we are here trauelers towards Ierusalem which is aboue this world is but a baiting place to goe to another here the harlot saith as in the Prouerbes I haue Peace offrings meate at home to make good chere I haue decked Pro. 7. 14 my bed with ornaments c. Come let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning let vs take our pleasure in dalliance all this founds well but taste of her cates and delicates and how hard is the reckoning the body must pay for it for howsoeuer Dalilah speakes faire yet in the end shee bereaues Sampson of Iud. 16. 19. his strenghth of his sight and of himselfe and yet the shot is not paide but thy soule must goe to the reckoning for thou postest to hell on the backe of vnciuill pleasures if thou thinkest that now all is discharged thou reckonest without thy host and therefore must reckon twice thy goods must goe to the paiment This sinne maketh euen the couetous man prodigall as thy goods so thy good name must make vp the shot when thou thinkest all is discharged there comes an after reckoning and thy posterity must pay it thy bastardly generation the children wich are not yet fashioned in their mothers wombe I had rather want a little hony then thus be stung with the paiment I like not the Scorpion which goeth ouer the body very smothily but stingeth with the tayle nor yet the gnats which making musicke about the eares doe euermore sting or they part nor yet such pleasures as like tragedies haue as bitter ends as they haue sweete beginnings When that famous or rather infamous harlot Lais demanded of Demosthenes a round summe of money for one nights lodging hee gaue off his suite with these words Nolo tanti emere poenitentiam I will not buy repentance so deare If one single coarde was strong enough to drawe Demosthenes from fleshlie delights then what shall a threefold coarde doe vs nay a coarde which is fiue times doubled When the mother of Lemuel would disswade him from giuing his strength vnto women she puts him in minde that he is a man Por. 31. 2. 1. Cor. 6. 20. of worth Wee are men of worth bought with a price but if we yeeld to fleshly delights we shew our selues base pleasures they say are for the body and the body for the soule and therefore if this sinne reigne in vs we are become seruants to our seruants seruant And therefore the lawe of Nature before the lawe of God was written did punish this sinne with death Iudah when he heard his daughter Tamar had played the harlot and with playing the harlot was with childe gaue this sentence bring Gen. 38. 24. her forth and let her be burnt The Aegyptians cut off the womans nose and the mens members Augustus Casar permitted the father to kil his daughter taken in adultery Canutus a Danish King in this land did banish them Tenedius a King in another land did cut them in sunder with an axe Lex Iulia and the lawe of Romulus did put them to death and therefore the Pope is to blame who alloweth of Courtisans which pay tribute for licence to be commen whores Much to be misliked was that iudgement giuen against Theodora in the 7. persecution of the primitiue Church who because she refused to doe sacrifice to the Idols was therefore condemned to the stewes though by the pollicie of Dydimus a Christian who came and tooke on him her apparrell and sent her out in his shee kept her selfe chaste let the Church which is a Virgine married to Christ keepe one faith and let all that are married one to another keepe the same office in flesh which the Church keepeth in faith let young men with Ioseph striue manfully to subdue this sinne Cen. 39. 9. knowing that chastity is grace to the body beautie to the soule and peace to the desires A third sinne which the Apostle reckons among the workes of the flesh is vncleannes which is a generall word comprehending the two former sinnes and stretcheth yet further condemning the sinne of the Sodomites when man with man workes filthines and therefore to blame was Sixtus the 4. who built a costly Stewes in Rome appointing it to be both maseuline and feminine making a gaine of that most beastly sinne giuing the whole familie of the Cardinall of Saint Luce free leaue in Iune Iuly and August to vse that sinne for committing whereof God reigned vpon Sodome and Gomorah fire and brimstome from â—en 19. 24 heauen A bird of the same feather was Iohn Casus Archbishop of Beneuentane the Popes Legate to the Venetians who magnified this sinne not in word alone but commended the same in writing but as Phoâ—ion did thinke he had spoken somewhat amisse because the common sort commended his Oration so thinke the worse of this sinne because such lewde persons giue it such allowance and so great commendation Buggery with beasts is another sinne comprehended vnder this vncleannes a sinne so hated of God that the innocent Leu. 20. 15. and harmeles beast should dye as well as the party that committed the fact Other sinnes of like sort which nature doth abhorte and chaste eares will not willingly heare the very thought whereof woundeth the heart with horrour I purposely passe ouer and come to the last branch which is wantonnes and this is either inward or outward inward in the heart for he that lusteth after a woman hath committed adultery with her Mat. 5. 28. already in his heart and God did punish the resolution a Gen. 12. 17 in Pharaoh and b Gen. 20. 3 Abimelech though neither of them had come nigh vnto Abrahams wife we haue a saying thought is free but the Apostle saith I had not knowne that lust had been sinne except the Rom. 7. 7. law had said thou shalt not lust I know this sinne shrowdes it selfe vnder the habit of vertue and as cleanlynes doth
all their Lands and Teâ—ements forfaited to the King Lastly Iudges they must heare and consider and then after giue sentence because they represent Gods owne person Be wise now therefore O yee Kinges be learned yee that are Iudges of the earth let your skill in discerning be answerable to your power in commanding put on iustice let it couer you let iudgment be your robe and crowne though the matâ—er be knowne yet let the party offending come to his answere that other may hearâ— anâ— feare t Dâ—â— â—â— 21. Ioshua examines Achan will haue him confesse that which he knoweth already if the matter be doubtfull commandement of God is u Deu. 13. 14. thou shalt seeke and make search and enquire diligently this was Iobs practise x Iob. 29. 16. when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently God the Iudge of all the world would teach particular Iudges of seuerall circuits to prefer consideration before conclusion when he saith a Gen. 18. 21. I will goe downe and see In the law if a man were suspected to haue the Leprosie he should be shâ—t b Leu. 13. 4. vp seuen dayes and the Priest shoâ—ld view him againe and againe before he gaue iudgement a lucky traueler sets not forth while it is yet darke but stayes till the day Starre appeares c Ecc. 18. 18. get thee righteousnes saith the sonne of Sirach before thou come to iudgement learne before thou speake giue not a certaine sentence in a doubtfull matter d Cor. 4. 5. iudge nothing before the time before the time either collatae potestatis or cognitae veritatis say one man doth accuse yet the matter may be doubtfull Pâ—tiphar cannot be excused who vpon the accusation of his wife cast Ioseph his true and faithfull seruant into prison nor yet Assuerus who decreed against the Iewes vpon the accusation of wicked Haman say many doe accuse yet thou shalt not e Ex. 23. 2. agree in a controuersie to decline after many and ouerthrow the truth Elihues anger was kindled against Iobs three friendes f Iob 3â— â— 11. 12. Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar because they could not finde an answere and yet condemned Iob Behold saith he I did waite vpon your wordes and harkened to your knowledge whiles you sought out reasons yea when I had considered you loe there wâ—s none of you that reproued Iob nor answered his wordes As Elihu is to be commended in this that he heard all parties as g Kin. 3. 16. Salomon did the two harlots and then blamed the accusers who would condemne a man yet could not answere him so Pilate is to be condemned who did not oppose himselfe against the accusers of Christ but to please the people condemned the innocent for though he sought meanes to deliuer Christ first by comparing him with Barrabas secondly by delaying the sentence thirdly by pronouncing him guiltles what h Maâ— 15. 12. 14. euil hath he done â— yet because the high Priests accused him the Elders did witnes many things against him the people cryed out for iudgement he forgot to put on righteousnes on the right hand or on the left in that against his owne conscience he loosed the wicked and condemned the innocent Sometime there is no euidence yet many times the party but suspected is guiltie in this case wise Salomon found out the truth by making shew of diuiding the liuing childe I read of a Iudge who hauing sundry persons conuented before him among whom it was well knowne that one must needs be guiltie of a murder that was committed and yet no sufficient proofe to conuince any one laid his hand on euery ones heart and at last found him guilty whose heart did butte and pant more then the rest for an accusing conscience did worke some distemper within him I know this is no sufficient argument to condemne any man except it be a meanes to wring from him his owne confession yet is it as strong to argue a man guilty as that in Tully to proue the two young men guiltlesse of a murder committed in their chamber because they were found quietly asleepe in the morning Now as a man may be guilty though there be no sufficient proofe to conuince him so he may be guiltlesse though euidence be brought against him false witnesses may rise vp and lay to his charge things that he knowes not and therefore let Iudges heare and consider and giue sentence let them try the spirits of accusers whither they be of God or no happily they may be of the same spirit that Iames and Iohn were who desired vengeance Luc. 9. 54. Mat. 26. 59. and with the high Priests may rather seeke to put a man to death then desire to haue the truth knowne let them be like the Grecians who when they were vâ—ged to giue ouer-hasty sentence answered Patres suos apud Antipodes solem non vidisse sed semper expectasse donec ipsis oriretur Life is pretious 1 Kin. 2. 18. c. all that a man hath will he giue for his life pull not men from it with violence as Ioab from the hornes of the Altar cut not off the limmes except it bee well knowne they lacke bloud and life as you would say and also hurt other parts of the body Againe this Commandement is broken by speach priuatly when men either shall report the truth to a bad end as those malicious flatterers which come and accuse the Iewes of ingratitude and rebellion or else report that which is false Dan. 3. â—â— either of themselues when they shall too much magnifie themselues and boast of those gifts they haue not or on the other side too much vilifie themselues and extenuate the gifts they haue or of others when they shall disgrace worth by malice or smoothe and grace vnworthinesse by flattery â—â—uour or affection the Prophet Esay dislikes both sorts as well Esa 5. 20. condemning those which speake euill of good as those which speake good of euill the first sort which speake euill of good are lyers and slaunderers of which some robbe the renowne of the dead other sacke the good name of the liuing the first sort are like Hyenae that woluish beast which vntombes the bodies of the dead that he may feed himselfe with putrified flesh like the dogs not the dogs which did liâ—ke the sores of Lazarus to heale them but the dogs which did eat Iezabel by Luc. 16. 21. 1 King 9. 35. the walls of Israell and like the Rauen who hauing found the dead carkasse doth rest vpon it such a one gaue occasion of the prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are the scourge of the dead while they delight to die their tongues in their bloud on the one side therefore paint not the Sepulchre of the deceased with false colours in giuing him that tribute which belongs not vnto him make him not white as snow that was as blacke
with which others are tickled to death therefore Canutus a King of this Land about thirty yeares before the conquest did breake that false glasse which presented him a face not his owne for when as one to sooth him vp tolde him hee was as God and all things were at his beck and commaund he caused his Chayre of estate to be brought to the Sea shore at Southampton and as the water flowed thus he said Tu me â— ditionis es c. Thou art vnder my dominion neuer any one who disobeyed me went scot-free I charge thee enter no further on my land presume not to wet the robes or any member of me thy Lord Master The Sea notwithstanding keeping it course without doing any reuerence wet the Kings feete whereupon he giuing backe said The Lord is God and him onely doe windes and Sea obey and after to know what hee was hee would giue no credence to other Thus if within thy selfe thou doest not behold thy selfe if thou who art most priuy and shouldst be least partiall to thine owne worth restest on others commendation and standest not on thine owne bottome if thou canst be silent when others flatter with their tongue and feed thee with the winde thou consentest with those which against this law by flattery beare false witnes Contrary to these are another sort whose tongues are euer walking in the track of vniust accusations Iob would not be silent in this case for if he had held his tongue it would haue bin thought he had bin euen such a one as they said therefore when Elyphaz charged him with cruelty iniustice and oppression that he had spoiled the cloathes of the naked that he had not giuen to the weary water to drinke that he had withdrawne bread from the hungry g Iob 22 6. 7. Iob cleares himselfe and saith he did not eate his morsels alone the fatherlesse did eate thereof that the loynes of those which wanted clothing blessed him because they were couered with the fleece of his sheepe so when h Iob 3â— 17. 20 Festus said of Paul Thou art besides thy selfe much learning doth make thee madde Paul is as ready to make his Salue as Festus is to giue the wound I am not mad i Act. 26. 25. O noble Festus saith he but I speake the words of truth and sobernesse Christ was a Lyon and a Lambe so is euery Christian patient as a Lambe to suffer in his innocency bolde as a Lyon to plead and defend it not a Lyon in his conuersation nor sheepish when slaundered he sets his foot by his that shall wrongfully accuse him when his accusers as busie as Flyes will light where there is no sore his tongue shall be a flap to fray them away and now is his speach powdred with salt Indeed Mary was accused three seuerall times k Luc. 7. 39. The Pharisie accused her of presumption that being a sinner she would touch Christ l Luc. 10. 40. Secondly Martha accused her of idlenesse that she suffered her to serue alone Thirdly m Ioh. 12. 5. Iudas accused her of prodigality that she wasted the oyntment shee was alwayes patient and put vp all she knew her selfe a stranger euen at home and let the dogges of the world barke at her she was a woman and would be seene and not heard her sex required the more silence besides her Sauiour did at all times answere for her according to that saying in another case n Exod. 14. 14 The Lord shall fight for you therefore holde you your peace Againe if any wrong other by scandalous imputation and open their mouthes boldly to sound out detraction and slaunder as some will sit and speake against their Brother and Psal 50. 20. slaunder their owne Mother Son we sin by silence if we doe not with courage beare out the accused whom we know then Innocent and therefore when Peter heard that the Apostles were accused of Drunkennesse as being full of new Wine his spirit was hote within him and while he was musing the fire kindled and at last he spake with his Tongue p Act. 2. 15. These are not Drunken as yee suppose since it is but the third houre of the day c. If a malicious man be giuen to traduce a mans name we cannot stop his mouth from speaking ill yet must we open our mouthes to reproue him else lending him a willing eare wee consent with him and haue beene partakers with the backbiter bearing the Diuell as much in our eares as the other in his tongue hâ—rting our neighbour as well by receiuing as the other by giuing out and dispersing spitefull narrations and therefore this giuing forth and receiuing in the Law are coupled together or rather meete in one word q Exod. 23. 1. Thou shalt not report or receiue a false tale You will blame a Thiefe for stealing and will not you blame him that receiueth stollen goods Were there no Receiuers there would be no Theeues You will blame a man that robbes one of his good name and will you not blame him that opens his eares to take in the theft There would not be so many to broach false rumours were it not that they see they please other mens taste yee will blame him that robbes God of his honour else the Curse will come vpon you which doth vpon the men of Meroz because they came not foorth r Iudg. 5. 23. to heâ—pe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mighty blame him likewise which wrongeth man by false report winke not at his folly smother not his fault doe not swallow it doe not digest it reproue such a man tell him his owne there is little difference Faueas ne scelus an illud faâ—ias if the Backbiter shall see by thy face that hee hath a roome in thy heart thou art an abetter of euill a Pander to his sinne a good Nurse of ill fame a Wolfe to thy Brother and in a word possessed with a dumbe Diuell Againe other breake this Commandement by silence either outwardly in their gesture when indeed they doe not scourge with their Tongue nor speake wordes like the prickings of a Sword when they doe not digge vp euill neither is there in their lippes like burning fire but though they shoote not out the venemous sting of their Tongue yet they nippe men by their gesture and spit out their venome by the malicious carriage of their bodies the Prophet complaineth of such a Psal 22. 13 They gaped vpon me with their mouthes as it were a ramping and roaring Lyon b Psal 35. 15. making mowes at me and ceased not such were they c Math. 27. 39 which wagged their heades as they passed by at the Passion of Christ and before that d Ioh. 13. 18. Iudas who lift vp his heele against Christ and after that the Iewes e Act. 7. 54. who gnashed at Stephen with their teeth if wee shall hisse