Right Honourable , Right Reuerend , Worshipfull , and Beloued in the truely louing , and best beloued Christ Iesus ; my Meditations to bee expressed at this time for your edification , are grounded vpon that parcell of the word of God , which you shall finde written in the 11. Chap. of the Prophecy of the Prophet Zachary , the 7. Ver. the last part of the Verse .

And I tooke vnto mee two staues , the one I called Beauty , and the other I called Bands : and I fed the flocke .

THe Scripture , as man , consists of a Soule and a Body ; the Letter is the Body , the Sence is the Soule . There is a Law for both , to both ; Explication of the Letter , Application of the Sence : the Ecclesiasticall Law to direct the soule , the Sword of the Magistrate to gouerne the body : both agree to this time , to this place : both meet in my Text : the first is called Beauty , the other Bands . What I haue receiued , that I shal deliuer : what I deliuer shal become you to receiue ; God which is the Creator of the meanes , knowes best how to dispose the means . He which in the Gospell was restored to his sight , excepted not against the clay , neyther abhorred the spittle . Holy Iob despised not the counsel of his seruant : & it Naaman had not bin ruled by his Bond-woman , hee had died in his leprosie . Matter and Breuity , if wee beleeue Fulgentius , are two maine vertues in a Preacher : though I haue onely the first in my desires , you shal b● sure of the last , which is in my power . And I tooke vnto me two staues , &c.

Wherein I obserue an action , Feeding ; an Actor , I , I am that I am , God . The Obiect , circa quod , the Flock . The means of feeding , in quantitie two , in qualitie excellent , forcible ; Beauty , Bands . And I tooke vnto me two staues , &c.

That Feeding is taken for ordering and gouerning , Psal. 78. the last Verses , Hee chose Dauid also his seruant , and took him from the Sheep-fold , to feede his people in Iacob , and his inheritance in Israel : So bee fed them according to the simplicitie of his heart , and guided them by the discretion of his hands . According to that 2. Sam. 5. Thou shalt feed my people in Israel , and be a Captaine in Israel . To come neerer to you , 2. Sam. 7.7 . I commanded the Iudges to feede my people Israel .

And that you may not thinke this gouernment only belongs to the Temporall Magistrate , S. Paul , 1 Tim. 5.17 . tels you , The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour . And that yee may not thinke the word Rule is heere meant onely Preaching , in the same Chapter he tels Bishop Timothy what Witnesses hee shall allow of , in what manner hee shall rebuke , and aboue all , that hee be not partiall . And as our Sauiour giueth in the person of Peter warrant sufficient to all Elders to feed and to gouerne the flocke , so S. Peter expounding the intent of Christ , in the first of Peter , giueth as ample authoritie to all Bishops , as well as to the Pope , to feede and gouerne , in these words ; The Elders which are amongst you I beseech , who also am an Elder , ( not Dominus Dominantium ) that you feede the Flocke which dependeth upon you , gouerning it , not by constraint , but willingly , not for filthy lucre , but of a free and ready minde . Now if Bozius tell you Saint Peter spoke not to the Pope here considering his manners in the effects , I am content to beleeue him .

That the Actor or Feeder heere is God , is as S. Ierome tels you vpon this place , that Iudges may know they doe onely supplere vicem Dei , supply Gods place , not sit in their owne : When thou commest vnto the people of Israel ( saith God to Moses , Exod. 3.14 . ) . Thou shalt say vnto them , I am hath sent mee vnto you . All power is giuen from God , and Iudgement from aboue , Wild. 6.1 . And I charged your Iudges at that time , saying ; Iudge rightly between euery man and his neighbour , for the Iudgement is Gods . Deut. 16. Hence comes our reuerence : hence should come your zeale , your feare , God visits vs by you , but he will visit you by himselfe , Ier. 5.29 .

The Obiect or people fed , are named The flocke , that you may feed , not fleece them , and that wee which are vnder your gouernment , may behaue our selues , not as Wolues , rauening ; not as Dogs , enuying , barking at and tearing one another ; not as Foxes , subtill and crafty ; not as Swine , luxurious , vncleane ; not as Horses , proud , stubborne : but as Sheepe , tractable , gentle , innocent , that these Iudges which are set of GOD , may finde vs such in their Circuit , as we would be found at the generall Assize by the Iudge of Iudges Christ Iesus , when he will acknowledge vs by the name of Sheepe , euen the blessed of his Father , and seperate vs from the Heard , Math. 25.33 .

To conclude , both Iudge and people are hereby taught their duties one to another , and both to GOD ; of whom , being our great Shepheard , we may say truely , as the Poet fainedly of Pan : — Pan curat ou●s , ouiumque Magistros .

Our word shall be , Tanquam Deo , to obey you as the Ordinance of God : let your word be Coram Deo , to iudge vs as in the sight of God . And I tooke vnto mee two staues , the one I called Beauty , and the other I called Bands , and I fed the Flocke .

Many are of Laertius his minde , they would haue but one Law ; affirming , Vbi multi Medici , ibi multi morbi , where there are many Physitians , there are many diseases . But more are of Demonax minde , Leges prorsus esse inutiles , to haue no Law at all , affirming the good need them not , the bad will not be bettered by them . Sure as they which maintaine these opinions , are not of the good , who need no Lawes , so it is to be feared they would be farre worse if they were without Lawes : t is old but true , Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae : But wee Christians say with S. Peter , Lawes are needfull for good and bad ; for the punishment euill doers , and for the defence of and incouragement of them that doe well , 1 Pet. 2.15 . And wee approue that of Chrisostome , To make Musicke on a Harpe , it is not sufficient to play on one string , but all must be strucke in due measure and proportion . Man as I haue said , consists of a body and a soule , to both a Law is required : at the first , the Law of the Soule was written in heart , for without this Law Abel could not haue offered the acceptable Sacrifice , Heb. II. In the first ages the Law of Nature restrained those sinnes which after , the Law of Nations forbad . The first written Law giuen to the Elect people of God , being Ecclesiasticall binding the soule , was giuen into the hands of Moses a Leuite , but the corrupt manners of men caused them to be extended to the punishment of the body : wherein as God reserued the Iudgement and inquisition to Moses , the execution was done by the hands of the people , not by the Leuites ; Time perfected Sinne , Sinne seuerity : the people weary of the strict gouernment of Samuel a Leuite , will haue a King though of the Tribe of Reniamin , to iudge vs ( say they ) and to goe out before vs , 1 Sam. 8. But was this request against the ordinance of God ? No , the Law of Deuteronomie long before , gaue instruction for the choosing of King , and prescribed a Law to the King , so that the Israelits sinned not in their request , but in the time of their request , not attending Gods leasure . Was the Ecclesiasticall Law abrogated now ? No , the King must take the Law and reade it diligently from the hands of the Priest , in one and the same Chapter , Deut. 17.

Now that it is called Bands here , is in respect of that tye which the King hath vpon the People , bound to obserue his Lawes , not repugnant to Gods Law , for then they cease to be Lawes ; and of him to the people , as you may read of King Dauid , 2 Sam. 5. which hee cals there , The Couenant betweene him and the people . And in 1 Sam. 10. Samuel declareth to the people the duty of a Kingdome . So you see here was a King ouer the people aboue the Priest , but neyther Lawes abrogated , they being indeede the two hands of 2 King , which must defend and wash one another : though the wicked perswade them they are feet , the one cannot be lifted vp vnlesse the other be thrust downe , godly men will attend Samuel home , though Saul be chosen aboue him : but they are branded for wicked men that slighted the Ciuill Magistrate when they had a Temporall , 1 Sam. 10.27 . Such men forget that Salomons Throne had Lyons on eyther side to support it , that our Kings carry a Crosse in one hand , as well as a Sword in the other . As the Ministry acknowledges all obedience to the temporall power , not as Bellarmine and his broode affirme , Virationis non Legis , sed virationis & Legis , Both by the Law of God and humane reason : so likewise it is the duty of the Temporall Magistrate to rise vp to Nathan , as Dauid did , to vphold the priuiledges of the Church , as good Constantine did ; Not ( saith hee ) onely because I am sworne so to doe : but because I am sworne to that which the Law of God commandeth . There are some that though they desire not to haue the gouernment of the Church wholly extinguished , yet with Vzza they thinke it had neede of their help : others with the busie Bethshemites will be prying into the Arke , they will be inquiring , and looking into the defects of Church-gouernment , be it but to fill vp their discourse , hauing neither place nor purpose for the amending it : But the same God which struck Vzza dead for doing the first , 2. Sam. 6. will not let these escape more then he did the Bethshemites , of whom he destroyed fiftie thousand for presuming the last , 1. Sam. 6.

There are a third Sect , and those are puri quasi minime puri , the impuritans of our time , these neuer cease crying out to the Church , as the Diuell did vnto Christ , cast thy selfe downe , humble thy selfe before vs . The Church though rent and almost ruinde , is yet too glorious in their eies , it faring with these men as with those who standing vpon earth looke vp to lofty pinnacles , which still seeme to wauer and stand awry , when the defect is truly in their owne sight .

Lastly , there is a fourth number which with Ammon hauing defiled their sister , would gladly expose her to the contempt of others : These men ( with sacrilegious hands ) hauing rauished the Church of her Lands and ornaments , are the first that tell her when shee threatens them , A proud Beggar God hates . Surely , as Thamar said to Ammon , to say I to such in the behalfe of my dispised Mother : This last wickednesse is greater yet then the first , 2. Sam. 13.16 . Let these and euery one of these remember that it was the sinne of the Princes of Iuda , to take from the authority of the Priest , which the Lord compareth to the remouing of the Bounds , an act accursed in the Leuiticall Law : for which ( saith he ) I will poure my vengeance vpon them like water , Hos. 5.10 . As wee iustifie Pope Boniface the eight to be Antichrist : who wrote to the most Christian King Phillip le Beau , to come and acknowledge he held his Crowne of him ; threatning if he should refuse , to depose him and Crowne another : The answere of which King , I cannot omit , wishing it might be ingrauen in leaues of gold by a pen of diamond , Phillippus Dei gra●ia ●rancorum Rex , Bonifacio se gerenti pro summo pontifice salutem modicam , sine nullam , sciat tua maxima fatuitas , in temporalibus nos alicui non subesse : To Boniface bearing himselfe for Pope , little or no health , be it known to thy exceeding great foolishnesse , that Wee in Temporall affaires are subiect to none . As I say we iustifie the Pope to be Antichrist for vsurping both Swords , so we confesse Damascen Bishop of Rome was a good Bishop and Martyr , who suffered for the liberties of the Church . In this mans time the deuise of the Bishops of Rome might haue well beene a blanck paper opposed to a burning glasse , the word Candor illaesus , The Arms of the Church , being then teares and praiers , at nunc horrentia martis , now they are swords , targets and gunpowder . I feare I haue leaned too long vpon this staffe , but my conscience the more inforceth me , because I assure my selfe the want of that respect and power the Ordinary ought to retaine , is a maine cause of so many being in this place Recusant . Briefely then that you may know by Beauty , is heere meant the Ecclesiasticall gouernment , besides the verses following my Text , which confirme it , which shewing that both staues were broken , and foolish shepheards set ouer the people : it particularly giueth vs to vnderstand , that this staffe of Beauty was broken for the sins of the Priests , and the staffe of Bands for the sinnes of the Prince and his Subiects . The Prophet Dauid I say in the 19. Psal. telleth vs , that the statutes of the Lord are right , reioycing the heart ; the commandements of the Lord are bright , enlightning the eyes . And Saint Paul in the 2. of the Corinths 3. If the old Law , the Law of condemnation were beautifull , were glorious , much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory : Oh that we could as truly say the discipline of our Church were as fruitfull as Leah , as we can say she is beautifull as Rachel , nay beauty it selfe , not in the concreat , but in the abstract according to the words of my Text : And I tooke vnto me two staues , the one I called Beauty , and the other I called Bands , and I fed the flock .

But why are both Lawes Spirituall and Temporall called Staues ; because they ought to haue these foure properties of a staffe , to direct , to correct , to defend , to support . They must direct all , correct the wicked , defend from the oppressor , support the oppressed : And that the stone may be hewed out and fitted to the line , Iethro placeth Iustice vpon a cube or square , painting out a good Iudge with foure answerable qualities , Exod. 18.21 . Prouide ( saith he to Moses ) amongst all the people , able men : that is for direction , fearing God not men ; that is for correction , dealing truly ; that is for defence , hating couetousnesse ; that is for support . Of these as the spirit of God shall inable me , your respectiue patience incourage me , and the time permit . First , a Iudge must direct , therefore vnderstanding is required in a Iudge , ignorantia Iudicis populi calamitas , woe be vnto that people who haue Children for their Kings and Gouernors , Eccle. 10.16 . and Ecclus. 11. 7. vnderstand first , and then reforme righteously . Cassbodore giues vs the reason why learned and skilfull men in the Law should be chosen Iudges , quia non facile erroris vitio sordescit , quem doctrina purgauit , learning ( saith he ) is the best preseruer from vice and error ; and that you may not thinke only Iudges of Assise and Bishops ought to be learned , in the aforenamed Ex. 18. Let able men be chosen to be Iudges , ouer hundreds , ouer fifties , ouer tens , It is worthy your eare , your regard , who haue power to constitute Iudges ouer inferior Courts , the seed-beds of corruption & oppression , but he must direct , then he must expound the law directly : he must be Iudex ius dicens , as our Ilands Oracle wel obserued , not ius-faciēs , he must pronounce Law , not make Law , which he does when he either wrests it , or interprets it falsely : Againe , dirigit qui directè it , he directeth who goes directly , but he that lookes aside can hardly goe directly ; he that is blinde cannot goe directly ; he that is a respecter of persons he lookes aside , non consideres personam pauperis , Leuit. 19. Thou shalt not consider the person of the poore , nor behold the countenance of the rich , but judge thy neighbour iustly . And he that takes a bribe cannot see at all , Eccle. 20.18 . Rewards and gifts blind the eyes of the wise , and make them dumb , that they cannot reproue faults . Of the first , Laertius giues vs an excellent example of one Bion a yong man newly made a Iudge , whom a familiar of his meeting as he was going to the Bench , runs to him , crying out friend Bion I am glad I haue met you , you are mistaken Sir ( saies Bion ) I left your friend at my house , whither if you come when the Court is vp , you will finde him ready to intertaine you . Oh! had Achab remembred this , when being daz●led by the name of his friend Benhadab , 1. King . 20. Hee could not see to doe Iustice vpon the enemy of God , he had not died so miserably . Had wretched Pilate not beene lured out of the way of Iustice by the name of Cesars friend , he had washt his hands truely in innocency , Iohn 19.12 . I exhort you therefore in the name of the euer liuing God , who is no respecter of persons , as Moses did the Israelites against Idolatry , Deut. 13.6 . seeing this friendship is enmitie with God , Iames 4 4. That if thy Brother the Sonne of thy Mother , or thy wife that lieth in thy bosome , or thy friend which is as thy owne soule , shall intice thee secretly , saying , I pray winke at the sinne of my tenant , giue way to the putting off a Triall which is brought against me but till next Assise , or I pray entertaine my aduersary roughly , that he may be disheartened to seeke for Iustice : I beseech thee consent not vnto it ; for why , he that stall respect the person in iudgement , mine ●ie shall be vpon that man to cut him off from Israel , saith the Lord , Deut. 16. As for bribes let Tytus motto be thine , non habet euentus sordida praeda bonos , The end of filthy gaine is miserable . The Iudges in the old Law sate in the gates of the Citie to auoid suspition of bribery , and for easie and vnsuspected accesse . Now we know that the way to a Magistrates chamber may be open , his hands may be free , but as in a Salmon weire , the returne may be hard , there may be certaine sharp prickers at the dore , which will draw blood of him if he depart before he pay tythe . But if a Iudge will florish like an Oliue tree , he must haue the property of an Oliue tree , which as Solinus tels vs , growes not onely smooth it selfe , but suffers no bryer to grow neere it , quifacit per alium facit perse : now if a Iudge will receiue bribes , either directly or indirectly , if Troy will be wonne with gifts , heere be Greekes will soone be Masters of it : But wise Laocon will cry out , timeo Danaos & dona ferentes , they will know he was a Heathen that said , profit smelt wel whence soeuer it came , and with Christian Saint Peter will say , to the Bribe-giuer , thy money perish with thee , Repent thee of this wickednesse , that God may forgiue thee , for I see thou art in the gall of bitternesse , and in the bond of iniquitie , Acts 8.20 . Iustice is the Abner which thou must pursue ; like Asabel rather dye then step out of the way , and though these bodies of sinne we beare about vs , like the kine which ( carried the Arke to Bethshemesh ) lough after their calues , the friendships and commodities of this life : yet as those Kine , so you turne not either to the right hand or to the left , till you come to your eternall Elisium , as they to the field of Iosua the Bethshemite , 1. Sam. 6. And thus much for the first propertie of a staffe , of the Law , of the speaking Law , a Iudge to direct .

The second propertie is to Correct , nothing seemes more easie to man , nothing is more hard . There is a correction to amendment , there is a correction to distruction . First , for the maner , Saint Austin bids vs remember to expresse God not our selues in our correction , which Cassiodore expounds when he tels vs , to iudge iustly makes a Iudge hold the name of a Iudge , not to iudge sharpely , proudly , the sword is in the hand of the wise Magistrate to the punishment of offenders . Now there is a rod of Pride , but that is in the mouth of the Foole , Pro. 14. will you see them distinguisht by patterne ? will you heare a wicked man in authoritie speake ? heare Shimei , Stand forth ( saith he to deiected Dauid ) thou wicked man , thou murtherer , behold God hath taken thee in thy wickednesse , because thou art a murtherer , 2. Sam. 16. Now you shall heare a perfect Iudge speake , Iosua to Acan , as great a sinner as comes to our barres , whose sinne was the death of thirty sixe men at an instant , besides such a danger and reproch to his country , that good Iosua rent his clothes and fell vpon his face all day long before the Arke of the Lord for the finding out the offender , which person by the infallible lot being now discouerd , Marke how he flies vpon him , My sonne ( saith he ) I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto me what thou hast done , but when he confest it , then you will expect a Ciceronian volly discharged at him : no , Iosua is a Iudge of the Lord still , Why , oh why ( saith he to Acan ) hast thou thus troubled Israel , euen for this cause will all Israel trouble thee , the correction of the wise like gentle raine , euen Aprill showers soften the heart of a sinner , beget plenty : but cruell words like violent stormes wash away the fruitfulnesse of sorrow and make a dearth , as Isydore saies , he that insolently correcteth his Brother , lanches the sore but cures not the wound . A good Iudge like the Phisitian giues a bitter potion to the disease , but is not angry with the sick , Remember Saint Austins rule , Remember that thou a man art a Iudge of men , Quod hominis est miserere , pittie that part which is man , considering his fall , to which without the especiall goodnesse of God , thou also art subiect , oh neuer forget the curse which Dauid giues in the 109. Psal. Let there be none to extend mercy vnto him , nor to fauour his fatherlesse children , let the iniquitie of his Fathers be remembred , let their sinnes be before the Lord continually , that the memory of them may be cut off from the earth : Why ? because he remembred not to shew mercy , but persecuted him that was in misery , and sought to slay the broken in heart . I know beloued there is crudelis misericordia , a cruell pitty , but I speake to your tongues , not to your hands , to those sharp pointed daggers which often slay the soule of the sinner : But is there no place for a bitter reproofe ; yes , Saint Peter to Ananias & Symon Magus witnesses there is , where the law fals short to reach a sinner let thy true zeale peece it out with thy words , let thy tongue like the sword of Phinees , pearce through the Adulterer & the Adultresse . But herein are all persons alike ? No , the sacrifice that was offered for the sin of the Priest , was burned without the Host , Leu. 14.11 . A minister offending is worthy of treble punishment , as he that does well is worthy of double honour , but take heed in reprouing one , thou dost not bring a shanie vpon many . Holy Dauid doth not deny the iudgement of God vpon the person of Saul Gods annointed , to be iust , but with a most pious regard to the glory of God he breaketh-out into that passionate perswasion which I will vse vnto you , considering the enemies of God dwell about vs : When a Minister offendeth punish his person , but spare his fame , Oh tell it not in Gath , publish it not in the streetes of Askalon , least the daughters of the Philistians reioice , least the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph , 2. Sam. 1. It is the nakednesse of thy parent , let blessed Sem goe backward and couer it . The third note I will giue you in correction is , that as thy hand must be vpon the sinner , least the hand of God be vpon thee , Leuit. 5. so herein you must correct as God , not as man , you must not spare Agag and the fat of the land , and punish the poore tenants and the leane ; we must purge the head , saith a writer vpon the Kings , if we will keep the feete from swelling , doe you desire to draw the land from idolatry , indite the Landlords , bring them to Church , the Tenants will soone follow : a good husband searches the root to preuent the barrennesse of the tree ; but this is dangerous doctrine in our daies , sure had Barack feared this , Debora had wanted a part of her song . The Kings came and fought , euen the kings of Canaan by the waters of Megiddo , but they receiued small profit thereby . Vp Debora vp arise and lead the captiuity captiue , thou sonne of Abinoam , for a remnant haue dominion ouer the mighty . The Lord hath giuen me dominion ouer the strong , so shal all thine enemies perish , oh Lord , but they that loue thee shall be as the Sun when he riseth in his might , Iudges the 5. The battels of our Princes haue beene fought prosperously in this land , and shall we be afraid to fight the battels of the Lord , Qui metues viuit liber mihi nan erit vnquam , I will conclude this second property of a Iudge to correct , with that of Syrack . Eccle. 7.6 . Seeke not to be made a Iudge vnlesse thou canst breake through iniquitie , and not feare the person of the mighty , which will make thee sinne against thine owne vprightnesse .

The third propertie is to defend , to which by Iethroes aduice I ioyne Truth , and will now adde Watchfulnesse . To iudge truly is to defend against the oppressor : The Greekes made Aletheia Truth , a goddesse , caruing her out of a Rocke , answering to Ciceroes definition , Truth is that which time cannot violate . Aristotle tels vs that veritas , truth , is deriued a ver , veris , from the spring , because in the spring nature giues a pure and simple generation to creatures , wilt thou haue a fruitfull soule , a fruitfull haruest , a fruitfull praise ? judge truely . The Hebrew , as the skilfull in the originall note , often setteth downe Truth for Iustice it selfe , as in the first to the Chor. 3. speaking of Charity , It reioiceth not ( saith he ) in iniquity , but it reioiceth in the Truth , that is , in Iustice . In nothing can you come neerer to God , whose Embassadors , whose seruants you are then in this : who as Dauid tels vs in the 91. Psal. shall couer vs vnder his wings , and his truth shall be our shield and defence , but how shall a Iudge defend vs from the oppressor if he be not watchfull ouer the tongues of the Lawyers , ouer the persons of the witnesses , these being the instruments of the oppressor by which he peruerteth iudgement and wounds the poore and the Fatherlesse , there being none to help , Death and life are in the power of the Tongue , Prou. 18. this is the weapon that strikes , against which Iustice must haue her buckler to defend : as against a sword there is required a quick eye , so against the tongue is required a setled eare . Now the wicked with his tongue draweth his neighbour out of the way , and there he smites him , let not the Orator therefore draw thee out of the way : let him not deuiare go about the bush as the prouerb : the old word was ad rem but now it may be ad res , the Epigram agrees to our times , against these that vent so much impertinent stuffe as though they had sued out a writ of Tales de circumstantibus got leaue to vse words for want of matter , or at least for want of truth to their matter durst not appeare before Iebu , vnlesse with Iesabel they come painted . The Poet I say presents a poore Client hauing feeed his Counsellor to plead for the recouery of two hogs were taken from him , the Counsellor assures him it should be his first motion , and with all speed steps to the Barre , there he makes a long Oration so farre from the matter , that the innocent Client , thinking he had forgot him and beene busied in other mens affairs , cries out vnto him , Iam age de porcis ; I beseech you now Sir remember my hogs . It stands vpon the Iudges to reforme this abuse , and vpon the Iury to beware of them : the Fencer when he dazels most , hits soonest ; dost thou see him inueigh against the person of the accused or iustifie the accuser , let this plaister smell neuer so sweete it couers but a sore . But aboue all , the witnesses are those I would speake vnto , Doeg is the man I would combate with , but alas they which are suffered to speake against the seruants of God , are not compelled to be heere to heare the word of God , were they heere I would tell them it is written , Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour . I would tell them the word Neighbour was not meant as the decretals expound it , he that is of thy religion , but the Samaritan is also thy neighbour though neuer so wicked ; for thou art not to respect against whom , but what thou swearest : and aboue all , that as thy oath is in the sight of God , so it must be to the glory of God , according to that of Ieremy 4.2 . Thou shalt sweare in truth , in iudgment , in righteousnesse , and the Nations shall blesse God and glory in him , I would tell them were they heere that Osee the last king of Israel for breaking his Oath with Salmanazar king of Ashur an Idolater , died a captiue in extreame misery 2. King . 17. That Sedechias king of Iuda rebe●ling contrary to his Oath against Nabuchadnezzar , not only , brought destruction vpon Ierusalem , but hauing seene his owne Children slaine before his eies , had those eies also bored out , from which I would come neerer to them , and tell them that the Pope and the Counsell of Constance erred , no little when they determined , Faith ought not be kept with Heretikes : I could instance Rodulph king of Swevia , who being dispensed of his Oath by the Pope which he had made to Henry the fourth Emperor , vpon which he tooke Armes against the Emperor , lost his right hand in the same , which hand being brought vnto him , and looking thereon , Oh you wicked men ( saith he to the Bishops ) this hand with which I swore fealty to the Emperor will remaine an argument of my breach of Faith before God , and of your traiterous and irreligious impulsion thereto . I would tell them lastly that it is one of the things that the Lord doth hate : yea , that his soule doth abhor , Pro. 6. At least how carefull , considering these things , ought you to be what witnesses you receiue , seeing the Lord hath commanded you to make diligent inquisition after these , Deut. 19. Do not imagine it concernes you not , I would heere aske , seeing the Law alowes only the testimony of honest and lawfull men , how a Recusant can stand in the rancke . By the Law of God he is to be accompted as a Pagan that stands excommun●cate , 1. Cor. 5. and by the Law of England a Recusant cannot haue the benefit of the Law against a subiect , no not in recouering of his right : Is it the sentence or the sinne that depriues of this abilitie , sure you will say the sinne is the cause , the sentence doth but demonstrate the person . Now quisque , praesumitur in lege , euery man is supposed honest in the Law till he be proued dishonest , ex ore tuo te iudico , Recusancy is no blushing sinne in these daies in this place , their owne mouthes will accuse them , if euer Epicarmus his little Iewell , therefore were worthy a Iudge , which Cicero termes the bond of all humane wisdome , let it be your posie memento diffidere , be not light of beleefe , Iesabel wanted no witnesses against Naboth . But these are not so bad : ●ruly as the little birds said being demanded wherefore they were afraid of the Cucco seeing he was no hawke , so answere I , though he be no hawke , he is very like one : God knowes how farre from malice to the Nation , I speake , who I doe assure my selfe if it would please God to open their eies and see the truth would be a staine to vs in their deuotion in their abundant charity .

But to conclude , it is not sufficient to defend from the oppressor , but a good Iudge must support the oppressed , he must be a Father to the Fatherlesse , and a husband to their mother , Eccle. 4. So shalt thou be as the Sonne of the most high , thou must be speedy in dispaching their causes , thou must looke they be not dishartned by the greedinesse of thy fees , or thy officers fees , God is thy pay-master , & will be theirs ; dispatch them before they cry , for their cry will reach as farre as Heauen , and God will come downe , Exod. 3. Now there are 4. crying sinnes expressed in this Distcik : Clamitat in celum vox sanguinis & Sodomorum , Vox oppressorum , merces retenta laborum : And because the first two are notorious , of the third wee haue spoken : I cannot forget to touch the fourth , which is the withholding the reward of the labourer , seeing hee is amongst the most oppressed , and it is your duty to support him : I neede not tell you that the faithfull Minister is a true laborer , a painefull watchman , 1. Ez. 3. though it may be in some places , they are not husbandmen as Paul cals them the 1. Cor. 3. but Haruest-men known onely to their Parishioners when they come to gather their tithes , tanquam stratonicles in auream messem , reaping where they doe not sowe , I shall not neede to tell you who withhold their wages , your Courts haue their names in black rowles , as God has them in his black booke , but I say you are to support them that haue their wages withholden , you are with Ezra to make hast in restoring the Church to her rights , to bestow trauell , nay and cost too for the rebuilding the Temple of the Lord , but alas our number of Brick is required at our hands , but the allowance of straw is taken away ; nay , there is daily more Brick required , the poore Minister is forced to attend at the Assises and Sessions , to present Recusants at his owne cost abroad , who hath not wherewith to feede him at home , if this be not an oppression , I am sure it is to deuide the punishment inconsideratly as Dauid did the inheritance betweene Mephisbosheth and Ziba , a good man and a wicked , 2 Sam. 19. Sanabimur si separemur a caetu saith Seneca , and I am sure it is Religious , seeing God hath put vs apart from the people , not to lay burdens vpon vs to impouerish vs to the contempt of the people , but I speake to the wise , lesse then a word is heere sufficient .

Lastly , the wages of the poore souldier is to be lookt vnto , a true laborer , that hath sweat his blood for his Country . The sonne of Syrack in the 26. of Eccle. 29. saith there are two things which grieued his heart : A man of war that suffered pouerty , and a man of vnderstanding , that is not set by . They haue a rule in the Gospell to be content with their pay , but there is no law to see them miserable for want of pay , let vs not vse them as we doe our chimnies , creep to them in winter and stand aloofe from them in Summer . No let vs deale with them as wee doe with plants cherish and prune them in our spring , that wee freely may tast their fruit in the fall , I note them as cares worthy your intertainment , Let Esau speake neuer so friendly , he hopes yet a day of mourning will come let vs preuent it by our Charity , by Iustice , by Prayers . But he that is wicked to himselfe , to whom can he be good : therefore to this fourth property of support I adioined a fourth qualtitie in a Iudge to hate Couetousnesse , it is well obserued that the Mountaines where gold growes beare neither grasse nor graine , hearb nor tree , so where the loue of the World couetousnesse raignes , there is no hope no expectation of support , let gold be interposed betweene God and the conscience of the Iudge once , like the earth betweene the Sun and the Moone , we shall haue an Ecclipse : But wherefore should I speake so much of the vices of Iudges ? Surely Right Honourable to your exceeding great prais , Qui malos corrigit laudat bonos , he that inueighs against sin , extolles vertue . He that hath beene the least while a Iudge in this place , hauing left Iacobs stone in the highest Court of our kingdome , to witnesse the integrity of his conscience , that God I say hath appeared vnto him , I speake it with great ioy , the chiefest in place of Iustice whom I haue beene so happy to know , haue afforded matter of reuerence to me , matter of admiration ; reuerence towards their vertues , admiration in the goodnesse of God , who hath his Melchisedeck in Salem , his lot in Sodom . Be thankfull , oh be truely thankefull to God beloued brethren , that he hath not beheld our sins with the eye of seuerity , sinne being the cause that in all ages he hath set ouer rebellious people , cruell and wicked gouernors , Mich. 3. He hath not I say dealt with vs as he hath done with other Nations .