men are excited and incouraged to sow mault brew and to seeke to supply the Common-wealth vvithin it selfe vvithout borrowing abroad And vvhilst I consider this I can but sometime vvonder perhaps in my ignorance at our restraints about the out-lading of Corne and Beere euen vvhen there is no dearâ—h but plenty if men vvere forced to bring out their store Assuredly if in the time of scarcity vvhen God seemes to call vs to fasting and humiliation as at this present fasting vvere enjoyned and strictly obserued and the Alehouses daily and duly visited for auoyding of idlenes drunkennesse and excessiue ryot there needed no other prouision against famine But this is the plague these Statutes being penall are beg'd aforehand or left to the pursuite of beggars and base Promoters who compound the forfeiture and coosen the Lawe or committed to the ouersight of such as are Ingrossers themselues vvho desire to haue all things deere that they may vent their owne commodities at the best rate and so grow rich though the Common-wealth waxe poore 3. Thirdly from this Excise of forraine Beere and other commodities the State makes more gaine towards the maintenance of the vvarres and other publique vvorkes then all the rest that deale in them For in Beere especially they double the price and haue clearely as much for the Excise as the Merchant paid to the Bruer Now in this they do the parts of prouident fathers vvho seeing their prodigall children waste their portions they vnderhand lend money vvhich their children know not of and so preserue their Lands from sale and their pawnes from forfeiture returning them againe vvhen the haue more vvit to keepe them and vse them And in my conceit this vvere a good Toile to take out frugall Foxes and a sure trap for our negligent drunkards and prodigall heires vvho being only niggardly in publique vvorks where they should freely giue vvill grutch to disburse six pence towardes the maintenance of the Minister and reliefe of the poore or twelue pence towardes a Subsedy for defence of the State or for the Kings and kingdomes honour vvhen they will at that very time willingly spend ten times so much in ryot and excesse neuer feeling or complaining of the matter though they continued this course euery day and cannot by perswasions of reason or the force and authoritie of the lawes of God or man be diuerted and drawne from it such a basenesse there is in man such a dull and beastly sottishnesse in nature to contrary Religion and reason especially being seconded in any euill by company and confirmed therein by custome past reclaiming Now if the vnited Provinces had peace vvith Spaine as other Countries haue or vvere in subjection to Spaine as not onely the Spanyards but some of their owne infected members and some others perhaps of Ours inconsiderately as I suppose seeme to desire then neither should they be secure of their owne lives estates and liberties nor their neighbors safe by them For assuredly howsoever men flatter themselves as the Catholike King would be King of all Catholike subjects so most of theÌ„ seeme to desire him for their head But should they be so vnhappy as to haue their desires what were they but slaves since vvhere the Spaniard comes he sets himselfe downe like an absolute and tyrannicall Lord silencing all Lawes but his owne vvhich are as those of the Medes and Persians yea as those of Draco written in blood Never did the Lurdanes more Lord it in England then they vvhere they conquer or be let in vpon any tearmes tell me Naples Milan Antwerpe if this be not true And though Religion be made the stalking-horse to infatuate and bewitch the mindes of men and make them betray themselues and their Countries to slaverie yet the Larke beeing dared and the Woodcocke in the Net that maske is cast away and there is as much trust to their promises as to the Moores their Kinsmen and late Countrimen So that because of this feare as long as the contrariety of Religion lasteth the innocent party cannot be safe vvithout armour nor secure then Shew mee in any part of Christendome vvhere any person professing the reformed Religion hath beene spared vvere hee friend neighbour or kinsman if That side had strength enough to reach his throat and notwithstanding our advantages let slip in mercy and none of them pursued bloudily how haue they in all places by all meanes waded in bloud vp to the chinne for the accomplishment of their designes And this will continue as long as Antichrist raignes for the Wolfe is bloudy and the Lambe simple his Fleece warme and his Bloud and Flesh sweet But if the peaceable Gospel had free passage and free operation then indeed there were not only hope but security that wee should liue in peace one by another and that the strength and riches of one King should not be terrible to another vvhilst God would teach every one to be contented with their own to attend with conscience the charge they haue in hand the peaceable governement of the States committed to them and as brothers to joyne their powers against the common enemie of the Christian Religion not so much seeking his subversion as conversion nor ambitiously thirsting after the enlargement of their owne Kingdomes as piously desiring the enlargement of Christes Kingdome For as a covetous rich man if he seriously thought to vvhat end his goods vvere giuen him and what a strict account he must make for them would not so greedily hunt after his owne hurt and others losse so assuredly if ambitious Princes did vvell consider their charge and conscionably study vpon the workes and duties of their Callings knowing that as the people are giuen to be their seruants so they interchangeably are giuen to serue the people Antigonus Rex Maced dixit Regnum esse splendidam servitutem that all may serue God they vvould not with so much hate and hazard of God and man of soule and body of their Kingdomes heere on earth and the Kingdome of heauen expose their subjects liues to certaine ruine for the accomplishment of their inordinate and importunate desires especially Christian against Christian brother against brothes neither would they vsurpe such a tyrannicall and heathenish authority ouer their flockes as with the Great Turke to make their owne wils limits and lawes to the wils of all other men Hoc est deglubere pecus non tondere But as the Pope that spirituall Tyrant that Antichrist hath gotten Church-Courtiers to vphold his Regaltie with impudent foreheades and artificiall falsehoods so these haue gotten Court Clergie-men to become their Champions who being full of winde themselues haue blowne these bladders with flatterie and forgerie euen to forget their owne vanitie to which they are subject and to which they shal be subjected in the end whilst they imagine all other men to be made for their pleasures and their wils to be a more just law to their subjects then
in the middest of miserie O blessed curse that leades thee the right and only way to happinesse for except thou labourest heere thou canst not liue heere and this doth teach thee that except thou labourest spiritually and workest the workes of grace thou shalt not liue eternally the life of glorie In vvorking thou maist obteyne but thou doest not yet merit thy daily bread thou beggest it thou hast it by gift by Gods blessing And this will teach thee that if all thy sweat be not able to purchase a crum of bread all thy holinesse cannot merit Heauen worke yet thou must first to shew thy penitencie and how well thou wouldest behaue thy selfe if now thou wert in possession of Paradise as thou hast beene secondly to shew thy obedience to that commandement of his which thou hast broken when it vvas in thy power to keepe it thirdly to shew thy faith in the assurance of that promise which he that made neuer fayles to performe fourthly to shew thy thankefulnesse to that God who notwithstanding thy sinne hath not done execution vpon thee but left thee meanes to liue heere and to assure a better life hereafter then that vvhich thou hast lost If thou diest not temporally thou canst not liue eternally O therfore happie transgression which procurest this blessed curse O happie sinne that art incountred with so much grace O joyfull and pleasant miserie that hast mette vvith such abundant and ouerflowing mercie Consider Paradise was not thine by nature but grace at the first God made thee without he brought thee thither he put thee into possession vpon condition of thy good behauiour thou didst forfeit thy right by ill desert which at first was giuen thee freely without desert thou canst much lesse lay claime to it now by merit or hope to get it againe that way since grace brought thee in at the first and the same grace only can and will bring thee in againe if thou wilt worke for in the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate both thy temporall and spirituall bread Now if thou hast forgotten how to worke O thou great gouernor of all creatures thou man that wert made their schoolemaster to teach them their lessons doe not thinke scorne to refresh thy memorie by their examples but now humble thy selfe to be taught of them as doating fathers of their obedient children behold the holy Ghost sends thee to learne of a most contemptible creature a worme a pismire Goe to the Pismire O Sluggard consider her waies and be wise Goe for thou hast a body and legs Consider for thou hast a soule and reason Goe and consider vse both joyne both in this businesse stirre vp the faculties of the foule and body that thou maist attaine by industrie that which this silly worme retaines by nature and learne to be wise for thy selfe seasonably wise wise to sobrietie procuring thy selfe timely sufficiencie both for this life and a better The wordes are exhortatorie wherein wee behold 1. the Admonitor 2. the Admonished 3. the Admonition 1. The Admonitor is Salomon 1. a King 2. a Preacher 3. the Preacher 1. A king and therefore deseruing reuerence and attention for the dignitie of his person for counsell partakes authoritie with the person that giues it and is respected or sleighted accordingly Eccl. 13.24 When the rich man speakes saith Siracides euery one holdeth his tongue and looke what he saith they praise it vnto the clouds but if a poore man speake they say what fellow is this Eccl. 9 16. and Salomon saith The wisdome of the poore is despised and his words are not heard Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis whether he speake or no they will doe as he doth And therefore it is enough for such persons with Gideon to say Looke on mee and doe as you see mee doe Iudg. 7.17 But besides the dignitie and authoritie annexed to his person and the force and sway of his example he hath likwise power to compell and command and therefore speakes in the imparatiue moode Vade Go to the Pismire O sluggard who dares but goe when Salomon the king commands him And yet if you had rather vnderstand this as an advise and counsell then as a law or command because vvisdome perswades but layes not violent hands vpon man to compell him to benefit himselfe against his will then heare the Preacher perswading since you will not heare the King commanding and goe to the Pismire O Sluggard consider her wayes and be wise 2 A Preacher therefore deserving reverence attention that being a King he would descend to take paines to instruct his people by way of exhortation as a Preacher Ioan. 21.19 was admirable they should doe ill not to hearken and obey such a Pastor This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feed and rule indeed not as the Pope doth but as Christ did Art thou not ashamed O Antichrist whilst Salomon painfully and carefully acts the Princes part and the Pastors part ruling and teaching his people aright that thou whose profession it is to teach and to preach doest scorne to be Christs Vicar as he was a Prophet and wilt vsurpe authoritie to be his Vicar as he was a king only Art thou not ashamed to say that Salomon is damned notwithstanding his diligent discharge of his duty and thou art saued nay hast the power of Salvation in thine owne hand whilest thou neglectest thine And are ye not ashamed O all yee Wolues in sheepes cloathing to neglect the flocke ouer which the Holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to become Courtiers and leaue the care of the Church to others Pro. 27.23 whilst you heare Salomon say Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and take heed to the herds And whilst you see him leaue the Court and apply himselfe like a Preacher to instruct his people in all necessarie knowledge Eccles 12.9.10 The more wise the Preacher was the more he taught the people knowledge and caused them to heare and searched forth and prepared many parables The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes and an vpright writing euen the wordes of truth But the lesse you teach the people the more wise you thinke your selues and the more you know the lesse ye labour to profit other men especially the people You studie indeed to finde out pleasant wordes and parables as Apothecaries picke sallads euery Spring These you vent once euery yeere out of the hearing of your owne Cures the Court only must pertake your parables which are farre more precious if rare things be so then euer was Salomons But Salomon heere applyes his wisedome to countrie capacities he speakes and sings in their key 1. Reg. 4 34. therefore he deserues serious attention and he had it 3. The Preacher by way of excellencie for so he beginnes his booke called Ecclesiastes or the Preacher The words of the Preacher the sonne of David the King and after in the
38 15 then there is a curse that followes thee He that sinneth before his Maker let him fall into the hands of the Physitian Or dost thou desire learning and knowledge Goe then also to the Pismire consider her wayes and be wise Aurora Musis amica vvhosoeuer doth great things beginnes betimes The first part of the day the morning is best for studie and so is the first part of thy life thy youth the impression is then easily made and vvhat is then gotten may easily be retained if good can hardly be lost if euill Either thou must rise early or run apace being late vp if thou intendest to make any proficiencie in the Arts Beleeue not me who bewaile mine owne losses in this kinde too late and am driuen therefore to many hard shifts to hide my ignorance from the derision of boyes vvho am often forced to trauell for that vvhich children know and vvho is hee that can goe step by step all day vvith a childe and not be vvearie but beleeue them vvhich tooke time at the best aduantage and therfore obtayned the excellencie of knowledge Heare Salomon therefore and his second Siracides Pro. 17 16. Wherfore is there a price in the hands of the foole to get wisdome and he hath no heart Get Learning with a great summe of money for by her ye possesse much gold Eccl. 51 18 But how can shee be compassed very easily in youth very hardly in age Wisdome saith Salomon shineth and neuer fadeth away and is easily seene of them that loue her and found of such as seeke her She preventeth them that desire her Sap. 6 12. that shee may shew her selfe vnto them who so awaketh to her betimes shall haue no great trauell for he shall finde her sitting at her doores To thinke vpon her then is perfect vnderstanding and who so watcheth for her shal be soone without care But perhaps thou art foolish and therfore art afraid to seeke because thou fearest thou shalt not finde yet be not discouraged but therfore seeke because thou art foolish thou hast the more need of her instruction And seeke diligently for if thou seekest her shee vvill seeke and finde thee let that incourage thy diligence thy studie Shee knowes thy vvayes and vvhere thou goest alone sadly thinking of her and seeking to finde thee with the expence of much Oyle shee would finde thee sooner but then thou vvouldst judge her scarce worth finding Sap. 6 16. Heare Salomon vvhat he saith to this She goeth about seeking such as are meet for her and sheweth herselfe cheerfully vnto them in the wayes and meeteth them in euery thought for the most true desire of discipline is her beginning and the eare of discipline is loue and loue is the keeping of her lawes and the keeping of her lawes is the assurance of immortalitie and immortalitie maketh vs neere vnto God Heare likewise vvhat Siracides saith to this point Eccl. 4 11. Wisdome exalteth her children and receiueth them that seeke and will goe before them in the way of righteousnes he that loueth her loueth life and they that seek life in the morning shall haue ioy First shee will walke with him by crooked wayes and bring him vnto feare and dread and torment him with her discipline vntill shee haue tried his soule and haue prooued his iudgement Then will shee returne the straight way vnto him and comfort him and shew him her secrets and heape vpon him the treasures of knowledge and vnderstanding Sap. 1 4. and righteousnes But if he goe wrong shee will forsake him and giue him ouer into the hands of his destruction Pro. 7 6. Thus vvee see as the idle youth wandering vp and downe the street seeking satisfaction for his lust meetes the Harlot seeking him as busily vvho imbraceth and kisseth him and inviteth him vvith flattering blandishments till shee draw him to her lure as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole to the flockes for correction till a dart strike thorow his liuer Pro. 6.17 as a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that he is in danger but thinking stoine waters to be sweet and bread eaten in corners to be pleasant because both are easily gotten without ordinarie labour whilst the diuell is the broker and the bawd So on the contrarie part vvisdome and knowledge goeth vp and downe the street seeking to meete vvith all that seeke after her yea shee cries and proclaimes aloud that shee is ready to instruct all that vvill attend and heare her Nor need wee be discouraged because vvee are simple for shee is wise and if vvee know not where to finde her yet we are assured shee knoweth vvhere to finde vs. And obserue that Salomon saith Pro. 8. Shee seekes vs in the streets and in euery place that is a man that will diligently giue himselfe to obseruations and to lay vp lessons for his owne instruction and information may finde some remarkable point of wisedome in euery thing he sees in euery act he doth or sees done whilst the foolish and idle-braind idiots who giue themselues ouer to the vaine fashions and childish or womanish curiosities of the time doe passe by the most serious passages with a slight neglect or contempt of their worthinesse Therfore it is that Salomon saith to such Goe to the Pismire O Sluggard consider her waies and be wise Consider how much wit is conteyned in that litle body vvhose members cannot be distinguished by the most curious sharpe and inquisitiue eye And let this teach thee that thy reasonable Part is spirituall and vvould be as vvise as now it is though it had as litle a bodie to inhabit as the Pismires nay though it had no body at all It is not the strength the beautie greatnesse or gracefulnesse of the body that addes to the minde The excellencie of the soule is seene in high and vertuous actions which oftener proceed from stigmatickâ— weake and dry bodies vvho follow their aymes vvith diligence and industrie then in the most excellent formes vvho relying and presuming too much on their naturall abilities neglect the meanes to better themselues by artificiall exercise Goe therefore O Sluggard goe to the Pismire consider her wayes and be wise 2. Secondly consider her vvayes morally for sloth is a vice diligence a vertue and see vvhat thou canst learne from her in these respects for the inriching of thy minde the bettering of thy manners the honouring of thy profession Sloth is a sinne nay it is the roote of all sinne the mother-sinne For sinne hath no existence in nature but is a priuation of grace a depravation of action so that in the alteration and change from right to vvrong there must needes bee a residence in sloth Surely had Adam beene diligently imployed in his vocation the entrance and acquaintance of Sathan had not beene so easie and open as idlenesse and securitie made it The contrarie to this then is That