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
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
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
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
borne and a time to dye as though death did border vpon life as though our cradle did stand in our graue Hee sayd something to the purpose which sayd that life was smoake or the shadow of smoake or the dreame of the shadow of smoake but I say of him as one sayd of another in another case non dixit vt est dixit vt potnit hee made life as short as hee coulâ— noâ— so short as hee should hee shot nearer the marke who being demanâ—ed what life was made an answere answereles for he presently turned his backe and went his way and indeede we fetch but here a turne and God saith g Ps 90. 3. returne againe our mortall life is but a liuing death the â—aâ—th receiues vs like a kinde mother into her entralls when we haue a while troden her vnder foote and all our time in respect of eternitie is shorter then the time betweene the drinking of the â—emlocke and death of him that drinkes it mine a Ps 39. 5. age is euen as nothing in comparison of thee saith the Prophet and euery man liuing is altogether vanitie First therefore affect not a kinde of eternitie here vpon earth old men as they are children for simplicitie so would they be for yeares Lysicrates in his old age dyed his white haires blacke that he might sâ—eâ—e young still The b Num. 32. 5. children of Ruben and Gad hauing much cattle requested Moses leading the people toward the land of promise that they might be left in the land of Gilead and not goe ouer Iorden so carnall men hauing many beastly affections and worldly men whose portion is in this life say as Peter when Christ was transfigured c Mat. 17. 4 it is good to be here and therefore with thâ— Gadits d Num. 23. goe to building and make their prison as strong as they can but when they haue done what may be done yet within a few daies like the spider and her webbe wherein shee thought to haue lodged as in her freehold they shall bee swept away their daies shall soone suffer eclipse the night will come when their candle shall be put out and they shall goe to their long home though many times against their will e GeÌ„ 19. 26. as Lots wife went out of Sodome as f Luc. 16. 3. the vniust Steward went out of his office though with the Crabbe they goe backward from death and are pulled from life with more violence g 1 Kâ— 2. 28 then Ioab from the hornes of the Altar Secondly haue this life in contempt euen for this that it lasteth not a Mat. 20. 6 Here wee may not stand still here wee can not rest b Re. 14. 13 that is reserued to another life c 1 Pet. 2. 11 here we are pilgrims and strangers and therefore not in our Countrey to rest our selues but in our iourney to walke our selues if wee feele any pleasure it is soone dashed with some mishappe and like a calme continues not long without a storme nay our sweet is tempered with sowre and we finde a mixture of both but say that our life were a Paradise our ioyes exquisite and our pleasures without composition yet how can wee sing our songes in a strange land how can this but coole our delight and make vs lesse esteeme it to consider our life is short our delight vanish and though we spend our time in pleasure yet sodainly we goe downe to the graue Thirdly we haue here no abiding place therefore seeke the place where we shall haue d Heb 9. 15 a perpetuity rather then this from whence wee must shortly goe of necessity respect that where we shall haue an euerlasting habitation rather then this where like freshmen we haue but as it were a yeere of probation In purchasing you regard not so much three liues as the fee simple not so much a lease determinable by yeeres as land which goe to you and your heires for euer then set not so much by this life which shall vanish away like a scrolle as by that where you shall receiue the charter of an euerlasting being not so much by this day in which the sunne setteth as by that day which knoweth no euentide nor hath any sunne going downe where thou shalt haue no more Sunne to shine e Esa 60. 19 20. by day nor Moone by night where the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light and thy God thy glory Thy daies The day to come f 1 Pet. 3. 10 is the day of the Lord but the dayes present h are our dayes A man reckones of that g Ps 90. 12 which is his owne though it be but of small value and hee of great ability Naball a man of great possessions and exceeding mighty yet reckones of his bread and other small commodities a 1 Sam. 25. 2. 11. Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and giue vnto men whom I know not whence they bee but if it bee dainty then wee set the more by it as the poore man did by that b 2 Sa. 12. 3. one little sheepe which he had bought in Nathans parable but if further we can neuer recouer it if once it be gone from vs then how great is our griefe to leaue it or loose it Now time is ours c Luc. 19. 42. this day and nihil nostrum nisi tempus nothing so properly ours as is time it is also rare and dainty for whereas of other things a man may haue d Iob i. 2. 3 many at one time he can haue but one time at once and if this be once past behind e Ec. â— 5. 6. 7. there is no holdfast to pull it backe againe The Sunne and the wind and the riuers all these three returne to their places In the three parables f Luc. 15. 6 9. 31. the man doth finde his lost sheepe the woman her lost groate the father his lost sonne but losse of time comes neuer againe but is like a bird let flie at large out of the hand or a word which babled out cannot be recalled If wee haue but a short time to enioy any thing we take all the benefit we can reape in that time as if a lease bee shortly out of date we rip vp the grounds eate vp the grasse cut downe the copses and take all the liberty the lease will afford Certaine hawkes in colder countries are most eager and earnest to take their prey when the day light there is of least continuance euen g Re. 12. 1â— the diuell him selfe is most busie because he hath but a short time Now time is ours and it is but a short time we haue he that is young may thinke he is old enough to die he that is strucken in yeeres sees his set period before him and may thinke himselfe too old to liue longer the palme tree is full of blomes the mappe of age is
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
their land so long by the yarde that they leaue not for themselues a foote who can as easily carry many Oakes and Woods on their backes a as 1 Saâ— 1â— â— Goliâ—h carried in his hand a speare as bigge as a weauers beame to blame are women who tire not themselues as holy women in times past b who trusted in God and were subâ—ect 1 Peâ— 3. 5 Esa 3 1â— to their husbands but like the c daughters of Zâ—on must haue too much variety and cloth their flesh like the Raine-bowe with garments of diuers colours Not but that men of degree and calling may weare sumptuous habits according to the custome of the Country and honour of their place as in Kings houses d they weare soft rayment without reproofe but when Mat. 11. â— Luc. 16. 19 men beyond their degree and place must like the e rich man be cloathed in purple for ostentation and fine linnen for delectation when they must haue their faced and defaced garments when they must apparell their apparell with ruffes on ruffes laces on laces cuts on cuts when they must haue pearles to adorne the body though the soule be robbed of her Iewels when they must haue rich ornaments not so much for vse and profit as for a bragge and to serue other mens eyes this this is lyable to reproofe and they which put on this light attire cannot lightly put on honest and chaste conuersation Now for the fashion attire is as strange in fashion as the Gyants were monstrous in nature and Adam was not so much ashamed of his nakednesse as now men may be of their cloathing Honesty first inuented the seemely garment to couer our vnseemely parts Necessity the profitable garment to defend vs from the iniury of the weather but riches and riot did find out the precious which vanity did fashion to her tricke howsoeuer this land hath giuen other nations the foile yet they haue giuen vs the fashion the pride of all Countreys sits in our skirts the follies of all Nations are fallen vpon vs if there be a new toy or a new fashion men but especially women be sicke of the fashions and neuer well till they haue it though some of them with their fashions grow cleane out of fashion But ad quid perditio hac whereto serueth this waste there is no building to that which is made without hands no ioy to a quiet conscience no cloathing to the righteousnes of Christ put on therefore the Lord Iesus Christ and let Rom. 13. 14 not vnchaste behauiour shew it selfe in the gawdines of attire what are silkes but the excrements of wormes what is gold but the dregges of the earth what are precious stones but the rubble of the sea compound thy garment of all these and make it of the best fashion yet art thou not clothed like g the lillyes of the field Nature hath cladde beasts with an hayre Mat. 6. 29. skin and fowles with feathers but man because he is indued with reason it brings forth naked leauing his couering to good discretion let apparell therefore be such as shall not so much satisfie a curious eye as beare witnes of a sober and chaste minde Now for Diet a full belly makes a foule heart gluttony and drunkenes lead the dance chambering and wantones follow forthwith fulnesse of bread bredde vneleannes in the Sodomites Rom. 13. 13 Ez. 16. 49. when the mouth is a tunnell the throat a winepipe the belly a barrell filled to the full whoredome workes out the rankest weeds grow out of the fattest soyle and therefore as the b Apostle Saint Paul speaking of purity speaketh first of 2 Cor. 6. 6 Ier. 5. 7. 8. fasting so the Prophet i Ieremy speaking of impurity and vncleannes speaketh first of feeding to the full The body is a seathing pot concupiscence is a fire plentifull and costly diet doth kindle the fire Venus in vinis Venus warmes herselfe at the signe of the Iuie bush and sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus not but that Paul and his acquaintance may meete at the market of k Appins and at the three tauernes for as we may eate Act. 28. 15. 1 Cor. 10. â—5 whatsoeuer l is sold in the shambles though Pythagoras would eate of no liuing creature as Essei people of Palestine would neuer eate Pigeons and as the disciples might eate and drinke whatsoeuer was â—et before them ordinary and common victuals Luc. 10. 7. so God hath giuen m wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make him a cheerefull countenance onely wee Ps 104. 19 must take heed wee bee not irregulares gulares and making the corps a cloake-bagge and the gut a gulfe abuse Gods good gifts and take thereby occasion to sinne The eight Commandement Exod. 20. 15. Thou shalt not steale AMong other reasons why God would haue his Leu. 11. 1â— people Israel abstaine from fowles liuing vpon prey this was one to teach them they should not prey one vpon another they should not take away one anothers goods and feede themselues by offending him who feedeth all This is also the marke at which this Commandement doth leuell which forbiddeth vs to haue vncâ—s vngues to be light fingered to increase that which is not our owne by putting our hands to our neighbours goods and secondly inioyneth vs to content our selues with our owne estate to get our owne liuing with our sweat and as much as we may to procure the good and the welfare one of another Two sorts of men liue vpon prey the first more publike and these are they which prey vpon Church or common wealth vpon the Church these are either grubbing Patrons of benefices and their sacrilegious brokers who robbe the Clarke whom they intend to present or else greedy Parishoners who spoiling the Lord in Tithes and offerings rubbe the Clarke presented the first of these resembles the horse-leach a Pro. 30 15 which cryes giue giue resembles Iudas who saith b Mat. 26. 15. what will yee giue resembles the diuell who saith c Mat. 4. 9 all these will I giue if and before matters be concluded Magus must offer money the purse must pay for it or else the wings of the benefice must be clipped Tithes must be compounded for or else abated the palmer worme must haue his part the grashopper his part the canker worme his part the caterpiller her part and all that remaine shall be but Reliquiae Danaum atque immitis Achyllis and the quotum shall consist in a great number of small Tithes the Clarke shall haue a Camels skin stuft with straw a great Canon that giues a monstrous cracke and shootes but paper with Ixion he must imbrace a cloud for Inno and with Narcissus make much of a shadow in stead of a water Nimph he shall haue the shell when Ichnewmon hath suckt out the egge of the Crocodill or the shelles of the Oyster when the
the righteous The two wicked men that witnessed against Naboth in the presence of i Kin 21. 13 the people saying Naboth did blaspheme God and the King they were the men that cast him for vpon their false accusation hee was stoned to death God to restraine this sinne would haue those to execute the punishment which did bring the accusation for many mens tongues are a two â—dged sword and some will wound him with their words whom they dare not touch with their fingers and therefore if any did accuse any man of such or such a crime the law did bid them take heed what they did for if their tongues did cast any man their hands should execute the punishment If they cahrged any man with Idolatry because the Idolater must be put to death k Deu. 17. 7 their hands shall be first vpon him to kill him and then the hands of all the people l Ioh 8. 7. If they accused any of adultery they like the accusers in â— the Gospell should throw the first stone 2. The punishment which the law of God inflicted on this sinne is sufficient to restraine it for hee which did falsely accuse another of any crime should indure the punishment m Deu. 19. 19. which the other should haue incurred if hee had been found guilty as if hee accused any of adultery if the party accused could bee proued cleere the accuser because adultery was death by the law should dye himselfe which iudgement wee see executed vpon the two Elders in the Story of Susanna God will not suffer this sinne to goe vnpunished and therefore though Haman who oppressed the innocent n Est 3. 8. â— Iewes with false accusations and lies that they might bee rooted out and destroied was not for those vniust and slanderous speaches put to death yet was hee oppressed himselfe and falsely accused of a fact which deserueth the Gibbet for his intent was not to force the Queene when hee fell downe at her beds feet or couch whereon shee sate but to make supplication for his life when he saw the mischiefe was towards him howbeit the King taking and making the matter worse then hee meant it will hee saith the King o Est 7. 8. force the Queene also before mee in the house marry hange him so they couered Hamans face and hanged him on the tree that he had praepared for Mordecai 3 Whereas a man may deale against his neighbour two manner of wayes either by way of denuntiation and telling him of his fault and in this case one man is sufficient p Mat. 18. 15. 16. if thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him or else by way of accusation and in this case there must be two at the least neither should one q Deu 17. 6 witnes be sufficient to condemne a man or rise against r Deu. 19. 15. him for any trespasse or for any sinne or for any fâ—ult he offended in but two or three should concurre together thaâ— euery one might be circumspect what testimony he gaue least any one should be found a false witnes if as at the passion of Christ the witnesses agreed not together let not therefore theÌ„ which are produced as witnesses in any kinde of trialls by periury sinne against God in dispising his presence sinne against man by taking away his life his goods or good name sinne against the Iury by leading them into by pathes out of the Kings high way nor sinne against the Iudge in deluding him with falsehood and lyes but without hope of gaine or feare of punishment without fauour on the right hand or malice on the left hand let euery one speake the truth from his heart sell not the truth like Iudas deride not the truth like the theefe on the left hand testifie not against it as the Iewes at the passion of Christ neither conceale it as did the keepers of the Sepulcher being corrupted with money but speake the truth and nothing but the truth refraining thy tongue from euill and thy lippes that they speake noe guile That Lawyer who pleades a bad cause and knowes it to be a had cause is the second person who runnes into the publicke breach of this Commandement neither is there any great odâ—es betwixt doing of a wrong and maintaining it and therefore the Scripture condemneth as well s him that shall put his hand with the Ex. 23. 1. wicked as him that shall giue a false report The Lawyer should be a true glasse and by him should iudge and Iury see the truth of the cause as it is but if with his smooth tongue and good vtterance he makes falsehood haue â—ore shew of truth then truth it selfe hee is a Christall glasse which howsoeuer il fauoured â— man be will shew a faire face I speake in the honour of good pleading where by meere Narrations men vnfolde the equitie of the cause when truth stripping her selfe naked comes to the barre this is a thing most honorable but false glasses and glosses varnishing and garnishing false bodyes and counterfeit colours are staynes and blemishes I speake not against plausible speach let men martiall their wordes the sooner to ouerthrow a badde cause and to win the truth but let not a rotten cottage be well hanged let a faire body haue a well fashioned garment smooth thy selfe at Tullies glasse speake not onely scripta but sculpta make not a good cause harâ—h to the hearers by slubbering it vp in rude careles wordes but neuer set a good coate on a mishapen body neuer garnish a ragged house with faire paintings if the cause be bad let not thy speach be full of florishes like the first letter of a Patent to better it seeke not to leade Iudge or Iurors out of the way with a golden chayne which comes from thy tongue to their eares let thy eloquence Rhethoricke and Art of perswading serue onely for Clyents of truth Againe the Iurors publickely breake this law when they being corrupted shall giue vp a false Verdict when they doe not enquire diligently of the fact and truely relate to the Iudges what they finde that they may doe Iustice and Iudgement Iudices n. apud noâ— iuris solum non facti sunt iudices Iudges with vs doe not so much enquire of the faâ— whether such a thing were done as set downe the law what the fact deserueth if it were done to refraine this sinne euen the law of our land doth punish it with great seueritie for if but one Iurour in any inquest shall take money of one party or the other to giue his verdict there lyes a Writ against him called Dâ—cies tantum and he shall pay ten times as much as he receiued but if a false verdict giuen by twelue men be found the 12. men be attaint their iudgement shall be this their Medowes shall be ared vp their houses broken downe their Woods turned vp and
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
euen the most mighty 〈…〉 two â—isciples naming Iesus 〈…〉 n Luc. 24. 19. of Nazareth a Prophet mighty in 〈…〉 we speake of Kings we make their names glorious when the o 1. Cro. 29 26. Scripture mentioneth the death of King Dauid it maketh fower wheeles whereon the height of his honour did run Dauid had reigned ouer all Israell super totum Israelem super therefore he was a superiour 2. he reigned therefore hee was a principall superiour 3. not a superiour or King of an infamous Kingdome as Ogge the King of Basan but ouer Israell a Countrey which if God p Ios 12. 24 had fashioned the world like a Ring as he did like a Globe might haue been the Gemme of it 4. not Regulus ouer part of the Kingdome as the one and thirtie Kings before Dauids time q 1. Kin. 12. 17. 20. and Rehoboam and Ieroboam who succeeded his sonne Salomon and parted the Kingdome or as the three sonnes of Brute among whom their father parted this Iland or as one of the seauen Kings which were in England in the reigne of the Saxons but an absolute Monarch super totum ouer all Israell so when we speake of our gratious King Iames either in our priuate instruments or in his Letters Patents we make him glorious in his Titles Iames by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King defender of the faith c. so in styling a noble man we doe not derogate from his honour in barring or abasing his titles and shall we not then make his name glorious who is King of Kings God of Gods and Lord of Lords as to fay with Abraham r Gen. 24. 3. the Lord God of the heauen and God of the earth the King of Israell Iudge among the heathen Lord of hostes with addition of euery other stile whatsoeuer by which the Scripture doth set out his glory so likewise must we glorifie God in speaking of his nature and properties as of his mercy to say there is mercy with God that he might be feared there is iustice in God for he rewardeth euery man according to his workes power and vengeance belong vnto God for he is a consuming fire by which he takes away all the vngodly of the earth like drosse as hee did the Sodomites there is prouidence and great louing kindnes in God by which the Lyons being sauage beasts became men in humanity towards Å¿ Dan. 6. 22 13. Daniell when men which are kind by nature became sauage beasts in cruelty against him by which the flame was martyred with spending her heat when the three t Dan. 3. 25 children as so many Salamanders were in the fire Againe we must set out the glory of God in declaring his wonderfull workes euen before the sonnes of men for if the builders of Babell did thinke to make themselues famous by making the Tower shall Gen. 11. 4. not God get him a name by the workes of his hands now all the workes of God are wrapped vp in three large volumes the heauens the earth and the sea the heauens declare the glory Psa 19. 1. of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke what a thing is this that the Sun should reioyce as a Gyant to run Psa 19. 5. Iosh 10. 13. his course and againe that it should stand still as in the dayes of Ioshua goe backe as in the dayes of Ezechias and being Esay 38. 8. Luc. 23. 45 euer bright should lose it light as at the passion of Christ The earth is full of the goodnes of the Lord what a thing is this Psa 33. 5. that it being founded vpon the seas and prepared vpon the Psa 24. 2. Iob. 38. 5. floudes and being poysed in the iust proportion by line and measure should abide stedfast when the high mountaines which doe as it were imbosse the earth may seeme able to shake it ouersway it and tumble it into the sea They that goe downe to the sea in shippes see the wonders Psa 107. 23 of God in the deepe is not the Whale a wonder in nature that Psa 104. 26. takes his pastime in it is not the ship it selfe an artificiall wonder that Merchandize should goe froÌ„ countery to countery in such a woodden conueyance if we doe not speake of these and all his other workes for his name is stamped vpon them all to his glory we doe in speach though we sweare not take his name in vaine as God must win glory by our words so by our deedes when being transformed into the image of Mat. 17. 4. Christ we shine before other like lights as the face of Christ when he was trasfigured on the Mount did shine like the Sun therefore mindes and soules are likened vnto Lampes because we should shine each vnto other superiours to in feriours in being talking lawes and walking Statutes inferiours to superiours in being like the tree in Genesis faire to looke vpon Gen. 3. 6. 1. Peâ— 3. 1. euery one oweth good example as a due tribute that God may haue the glory due to his name and thus much of this fence or hedge both ad extra and ad intra as farre forth as it keepe out beasts and keepe the good Christian within the boundes of Gods glory The binder of this hedge is the rodde of Gods Iudgements the Lord will not hold him guiltles that taketh his name in vaine The sinne of the blasphemy hath been so odious that euen ciuill authority hath set sharpe censures vpon it Henry the first and Maximilian the Emperour set fines vpon their heads which should open their mouthes to sweare vainely the greatest fines vpon the greatest persons as being not onely guilty of the sinne it selfe but of the bad example they gaue vnto other Ludouicke commonly called Saint Lewis caused the lips of blasphemers to be seared with an hot yron Philip the French King did punish this sinne of blasphemy with death yea though it were committed in a Tauerne where many wise men many times forget themselues But if any did binde two sinnes together by binding a lye with an oath few nations had any pitty on him The Aegyptians did strike of his head because thereby faith and truth among men might be decayed in this case the Scithian did suffer death and he that made proofe of periury should haue his goods The like did Philip an Earle of Flanders decree for the precinct of his dominion King Edmond before the Conquest as Gregory the 9. in another place gathered a Councell at London where he made this law that periurers should be separated from the company of God and our law as I haue read is that if a false verdict giuen by twelue men bee found the twelue men be attainted and their iudgement shal be the same that is appointed for petty treason their medowes shal be ared vp their houses broken downe their woods turned vp and