Commentary on Judges, Sermon 3
THE THIRD SERMON VPONUPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
VERS. 5. And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought againſt him, and ſlew the Canaanites and the Perezites.
VERS. 6. And Adonibezek fled, and they purſued after him, and and caught him, cut off the thumbes of his hands and of his feet.
VERS. 7. And Adonibezek ſaid, Seuenty Kings hauing the thumbes of their hands, and of their feete cut off, gathered [bread] vnderunder my table: as I hauehave done, ſo God hath rewarded me. So they brought him to Ieruſalem, and there he died.
TO make entrance into theſe verſes which I hauehave read, yee hauehave The ſenſe.heard how God gaue victorie: now it is ſhewed more particularly, how the victorie before mentioned, was gotten, the place being ſet downe where the battel was fought, that is, in Bezek: and the King of the people is mentioned, who was Adonibezek, who fled in the battell, as being too weake, but was taken, and handled, as is ſet downe in the text, to wit, hee had the thumbes of his hands and feete cut off. Whether the men of Iuda knew that he had ſo dealt with other, or no, or whether the Lord directed them ſo to doe, without knowing any ſuch thing, it is not expreſſed, but he himſelfe confeſſed that hee had done ſo to others, and that God had requited him with the like. That which was ſaid of the Canaanites puniſhment, that it was inflicted vponupon them when their ſin was growne ripe, may as truly be ſaid of their King, as by his owne confeſſion may be gathered: but hauing ſpoken of that point alreadie, I omit to ſay any more of it.
But ſeeing this Adonibezek, being taken as he fled, had his thumbs cut off, Verſ. 5. Doct.as he had cut off others before; out of theſe verſes let vsus firſt note this, that God meaſures out to men, euen as they meaſure and mete to others: according to the words of our Sauiour, With what meaſure ye mete, ſhall bee meaſured Matth. 7. 1.out to you againe. So that, as we hauehave done to other, ſo ſhall we be dealt with. The Lord confirmes this truth, where he ſaith, He that ſheddeth mans blood, by Geneſ. 9. 6.man ſhall his blood be ſhed. Which was rightly verified in Haman, and that in many points: For firſt, as he accuſed Gods people vniuſtly, ſo he was charged, and that by the King himſelfe, where yet he was not guilty: and he was Note.condemned without ſolemne iudgement, ſeeing he had done ſo to others; and when he was handled moſt reprochfully and adiudged to moſt ſhamefull puniſhment, yet there was none that pitied him: (a wonderfull thing to be ſpoken of one, that had been in ſo great fauor with the King) and why this? euen becauſe he had been pitileſſe towards other, that it might be verified which was then true, and afterward written, Iudgement ſhall bee mercileſſe Iames 2. 13.to him that ſheweth no mercy. Why was he hanged, and that vponupon the gallows, that he had ſet vp for godly Mordecay? I ſay ſtil, euen that the ſcripture might be fulfilled eueryevery way, that as he had done, ſo it might be done to him again: Eſter. 7. 10.for in that hee purpoſed to doe it, it was done alreadie in Gods account.
Now that wee may bring this neerer to our ſelues; many among vsus complaine, how they be wronged in their dealings with men; they are euill ſpoken of, ſlandred, railed vponupon, (they ſay) and many other waies abuſed. And they thinke they receiue very hard meaſure at mens hands hereby; they maruell at it, and complaine, that none are vſed as they be: but what blindnes Note.is it, that couereth there eies? For doe not all that liue with them, know, at leaſt, their owne conſciences can tell them, that they hauehave dealt euen ſo with other, and thereby hauehave giuen cauſe to be ſo dealt withall, againe? But oh blind ſelfe-louelove, that cannot ſee that, which all other doe ſee I meane, which thinkes that tolerable in ones ſelfe, which yet hee accuſeth and condemneth in another, and ſeeth not the iuſt iudgement of God vponupon himſelfe by other mens wronging him, which hee himſelfe by his iuſt deſ…ts, hath brought vponupon his owne head.
Hereof it is, that if we thus tell them, (which is the very truth) that their ſinne hath found them out, they hauehave no eares to heare vsus: and if we waroe the like offenders, before their puniſhment commeth, that God wil after the ſame manner be auenged of them, yet they will not beleeue vsus, till hee viſit them in ſome ſuch heauie manner indeed, and then (with Ioſephs brethren) they begin to ſay: We remember our ſinne this day, that euen as other hauehave done Geneſ. 42. 21.to vsus, ſo wee hauehave done to other before: and as this cruell King Adonibezek ſayd here, Seuentie Kings thumbs, hauehave I cut off, &c: as I hauehave done; ſo God hath Note.rewarded me. And this men ſhall come to either in Gods fauour, to their amendment, or in his diſpleaſure to their hardning, and confuſion. And therfore it were wiſedome to confeſſe it in time, while wee may bee taught and told of it: for all mens conſciences will crie out to them that it is true, that they hauehave by word or deed iniuried other, before they hauehave receiued ſuch meaſure themſelues: but if they had not in that kind, and particular manner offended, yet they are ſure, they hauehave done it, ſome other way; ſo that they hauehave iuſt cauſe, if they wel waigh it, and looke to Gods hand therein to beare all ſuch indignities (as they count them) as are offered them, both with meekeneſſe and contentedly. And were it not that God dealt thus with men, they would neuer acknowledge nor diſlike the ſinne which they are guiltie of: but ſuffer it to lie ſecret in them, and worke them a miſchiefe. Whereas yet it being ferreted out by ſuch iudgements of God, they cannot but confeſſe it, eſpecially when they bee in any great feare, and danger of death. And for vsus who are now warned, if wee hauehave had our part in this ſin, that with the common ſort wee hauehave ſmitten others with our tongue, or wronged, or intended euill any way againſt them, learne wee with great regard, to put a ſpeedy end thereto by repentance; leſt God awake and preuent vsus by ſome ſuch like iudgement againe, as we hauehave cauſed to other, and to this end put wee theſe two leſſons in practiſe, neither in heart, word or deed, offer we any hard or vnequall meaſure to any man: and if any offer it Rom. 12. 21▪to vsus, if it be poſſible, that it may be without our great hurt, let vsus quietly and meekely paſſe by it, and make no great matter of it, for the time ſhall come wherein we ſhall wiſh wee had done ſo, and not hauehave laid that ſo neere our heart, which might more eaſily hauehave been paſſed by of vsus.
But in ſaying, God hath rewarded him, it is to be noted, that he an heathen Verſ. 7. Doct.Idolater, could ſee ſo farre, as to aſcribe to God his affliction. Whereby we may ſee, that very bad men doe acknowledge God to be the ſtriker and puniſher of them. But where ſhould he learne it? for though it did him no good, to acknowledge it, yet it is that, which many who hauehave been baptized, doe not come to, but curſe and ban, rage and fret in their afflictions, crying out of their ill fortune, as they call it, ſo farre are they from reſting in the iuſtice of God, and to ſay, hee hath done righteouſly. Alſo as they aſcribe to chance and fortune their calamities, ſo doe they runne for helpe to Witches and Sorcerers, when they be oppreſſed with them, which is greatly to the conuicting of them. For why ſhould not they much more ſee the hand of God when they are viſited: if Heathens hauehave ſeene ſo farre, as to aſcribe to God their troubles, and to confeſſe their ſinne, as this Adonibezek did here. This not onelyonly checketh ſuch as I hauehave mentioned, but laieth hard to their Pſalm. 95. 20.charge alſo, that make ſome ſhew of goodneſſe, who yet doe harden their hearts vnderunder their afflictions, and will not know Gods waies, though they ſee well enough that they ſuffer for their euill deeds, neither will relent, nor feare his iudgements, though they cannot deny, that they are due to them for their deierts. More particularly, ſuch as this Heathen King was, ſhall riſe in iudgement againſt ſuch profeſſors, as will not ſee their crueltie, vnmercifulneſſe, their vncleanneſſe, which they nouriſh in themſelues; their oppreſſions alſo and iniuries they doe to their neighbours, though they bee moſt clearely laid before them.
When yet Pharaoh and other ſuch, hauehave (eſpecially when Gods hand was heauie vponupon them) acknowledged that the Lord had done it. For euen the Exod. 9. 27.wickedeſt mans owne conſcience ſometimes accuſeth him, that hee doth euil: and ought not theſe much more, we hauehave farre greater light; to tremble when they hauehave ſo groſſely offended, & ſay, Againſt thee, againſt thee (O Lord) we hauehave done this euill? And eſpecially; when they know what danger they be in thereby, and what heauie plagues hang ouer their heads for the ſame. Although ſuch muſt goe further then ſo, euen to tell it to themſelues, that God will not be at one with them, vnleſſe they acknowledge their faults alſo, and ſubmit themſelues to him, as his word teacheth, howſoeuer it ſhall pleaſe him to correct them; and withall, to reſolue, in all conditions of their liues whatſoeuer, to indeuour, and be readie to obey him.
Alſo this ſhould teach vsus, when we receiue indignities at mens hands, yet Doct. 2. 2. Sam. 16. 10.to looke to God, who ſet them a work againſt vsus, as Dauid ſaid of Shemei, and not as the dog doth, to catch the ſtone, and leaue the ſmiter. And though they hauehave wronged vsus willingly, yet if wee conſidered, that the Lord did it, we ſhould the leſſe be mooued or offended with the inſtrument: whereas we on the other ſide, beate our braines, and ſtraine our ſelues, al that we can, to purſue them, and ſeeke to be reuenged on them, whom yet the Lord will ſufficiently puniſh for the wrong they hauehave done. For example, wee are ſo out of quiet for a word ſpoken againſt vsus, as if it were treaſon. when in the meane while, we doe not once thinke, how we hauehave prouoked the Lord, to ſtirre vp ſuch ill perſons againſt vsus. Adonibezek (we ſee here) would not aſſcribe it to the Iſraelites, but ſaith, it was God that did thus vntounto him.
Furthermore here, by this that we heare his crueltie, thus laid out by his Doct. 3.owne mouth, that he had played the tyrant againſt many, and thoſe no meaner perſons then Kings, to cut off the thumbs of their hands and feete, and not to ſome few of them, but euen ſeuentie perſons; wee ſee what a raging furie this vice of crueltie is, and to what depth of euil it carrieth men, that do not wiſely conſider the fouleneſſe and ſhamefulneſſe of it. For whereas one man ſhould be ſociable with another, yea with ſtrangers, if occaſion be offered, (ſeeing eueryevery one is our neighbour,) this crueltie cutteth of all fellowſhip, Luk. 10. 37.nay all libertie of inioying ſuch benefits of peace, goods, or the like. So that the cruel man is farre worſe then the thiefe, who (yet) is odious, and driuen frō habitation with men in their free dwelling houſes, into a loathſome priſon among brutiſh companions. For he, vnleſſe he be cruell alſo, is content to take a ſhare in his goods, whom he robbeth; but the cruell man is not content with a ſhare, but if his might be ſutable to his mind, he will hauehave all, at one time or other, that is his whom he purſueth, yea he wil thruſt him out of houſe and home, yea, and out of the world alſo, before he can be ſatiſfied. Caine, a little after the corrupt eſtate of things entred into the world, was a Geneſ. 4. 8.patterne of cruel ones, who when he had no cauſe giuen him by Abel his innocent brother, of hard handling him; yet becauſe he was accepted of God, and himſelf not, did not hate him only without a cauſe, but which was moſt vnnatural and monſtrous in him, roſevp againſt him, and ſlue him. Pharaoh, Exod. 5. 9.when he had almoſt tyred the poore people of God, who were ſtrangers in his land, with burdens and toile aſmuch as they could beare; yet was not ſatisfied therewith, but made their burthen farre greater, til their life was more vnwelcome then death itſelfe, that his crueltie might be manifeſt to all. Haman ſo exceeded herein, that it was too little to take the goods of Gods people Eſter. 7. 4.from them, and to hold them bondmen, vnleſſe hee might hauehave their liues alſo. And what ſhould I ſpeake of Iezabel, who being a woman, exceeded men who were cruell alſo? And of Rehoboams cruell handling his ſubiects, as his ſtorie declareth, and of Ioſephs brethren, who conſented to ſell him into a far countrey, whence he might neuer returne to trouble them, as they hoped, but further, the moſt of them agreed to take away his life alſo, and yet if they had killed him, euen they themſelues had loſt their liues alſo in the famine that God ſent afterwards, they being preſerued by Ioſeph among all other men.
Theſe might make crueltie odious to vsus. But many that heare this of it, deſire to know what manner of thing it is, that rageth after this ſort, and like the flaming fire, deuoureth and deſtroyeth, where it commeth. Their demand is godly, and I will briefly ſatisfie it. That they may therefore ceaſe maruelling, that this fury, crueltie I meane, bringeth ſuch ſtrange effects forth, they may know, that it is a vile and vitious habit or cuſtome, whereby men are carried to do things both harſh and hard, and that beyond all courſe and compaſſe of reaſon. Now where men are thus ſet vponupon their will, to deale with other, and are led to it without reaſon, much more without religion, there how can they chuſe, but to bee rigorouſly handled, and cruellie delt with, who fall into their hands? Which maketh the cruell man to bee hated of all: For ſuch are barbarous and vnciuell, as if they had ſucked the Dragons in the deſert, and their hearts ſo bound with the ſinewes of iron, that they ſpoile them whom they purſue, as raging raine and tempeſt rendeth the trees, and deſtroyeth the fruites, and they are no more mooued with the life of a man, then if a dogge had fallen before them. And therefore no maruell, that Dauid hauing his choice of plagues preſented to him, made a preſent exception to his owne nature and kind, fearing and knowing the crueltie of men; ſaying: let me not fall into the hands of man. This the Heathen Seneca ſaw, when he ſaid; Thou art deceiued, if thou giueſt credit to the lookes of thoſe that meet thee. They hauehave the faces of men, the minds of wild beaſts. If he ſpake this of man in generall, what would he hauehave ſaid particularly of the cruell man? with whom this ſpeech is as common; [burne, kill, cut, Poiſon young, old, men, women, brethren, kindred,] as to eate their meate. Whoſoeuer doe but croſſe them with a miſtaken word, or wrie countenance, it is but a word and a blow with them, and though they murther vponupon light occaſions, and hauehave no gaine by their death, they hauehave inough in that they take pleaſure in it. But whither might a man goe in this argument? I will giuegive an inſtance in lower matters of this kind.
Hereof it is, that if one neighbour bee treſpaſſed by another, in his corne or other commodities, by cattell, or any other way, though it bee without any fault of him that hath done the treſpaſſe, the other is readie in rage and furie to ſeeke reuenge, by laming and hurting the cattell; which hee would doe to the owner, (like Lamech) if he durſt, or will with ſpite and railing and exacting at his hands ſixe times the valew of the damage and detriment that he ſuſtained, though if he annoy the other in a worſe manner, he yet maketh nothing of it, but will ſhift it of. This is a cruell part, in things of ſo little valew vntounto a neighbour: What would hee doe (thinke wee) or he that is like minded to him, in matters of waight, and to a ſtranger? and ſo much the more, I may call ſuch dealing crueltie, ſeeing it is offered by ſuch an one as treſpaſſeth another time in a farre worſe manner himſelfe. The like may be ſaid of cruell Landlords, Maſters, Guardians, Stepmothers, &c. which meaſure not them whom they offend againſt, by themſelues. For though there be diuers degrees in the many kinds of this foule vice of crueltie, yet we muſt know, that the leaſt and loweſt is vnſeemely in a man and odious.
Indeed it is more noiſome and furious, if it bee accompanied with enuy, therefore Salomon ſaith, Who can ſtand before enuy? for the enuious Prou. 27. 4.are obſtinate, and cannot bee reconciled. Therefore whatſoeuer meaſure be offered by ſuch, it is certaine, that it ſhall be hard inough, ſeeing Prou. 12. 10.their very mercies are crueltie. What remaineth then for ſuch perſons to doe, to the end they may (if it be poſſible) caſt of this crueltie, as a moſt filthie and loathſome garment, but this? that they giuegive themſelues no reſt, til it become as odious and loathſome to them, as it is to other, which is not hard for him to obtaine, that will be perſwaded to looke into the odiouſneſſe of it: that when he hath found it, he may fall downe at the Lords feete for merciemercy to couer the fouleneſſe of it, and forgiue it; and that being beleeued, imbrace gentleneſſe and merciemercy, and kindneſſe toward others, in ſtead of rigor. Like Act. 16. 30.the Iaylor in the Actes: who, though he had vſedg reat crueltie againſt Paul and Silas, yet when hee repented, did waſh their wounds moſt louingly, which before ſcourging of them, he had made in their bodies, and ſet meate before them in his houſe moſt chearefully, whom he had before thruſt hungry into the inward priſon moſt cruelly. Alſo let it teach vsus, both to pray that wee bee not giuen ouer into the hands of vnreaſonable and vnconſcionable men, who are as abſurd as cruell in their malice. As the Apoſtle willeth the people to pray, 2. Theſ. 3. and to giuegive thanks that wee hauehave 2. Theſ 3. 2.been either kept from being a pray to ſuch deuourers, or mercifully ſnatcht out of their iawes, as a coſtly garment out of the fire.
But to paſſe from this, let vsus weigh that he had vſed this crueltie vponupon ſeuentie Doct. 4.Kings: ſo that he was not ſatiſfied, by ten or twentie times continuing his cruelty toward ſo many, no nor three times twentie and more; and would hauehave done the ſame many hundred times more, if hee had not been cut off, and ſo hindred, as God in much merciemercy prouideth that ſuch doings ſhall hauehave an end. And by it we may learne, that when men hauehave entred into a bad courſe, it is neuer time for them to leaue and come out of it, eſpecially, if they hauehave benefit thereby, and take liking and delight therein; and moſt of all, if with profit and delight it be growne into a cuſtome with them. Simon Magus had a long time bewitched Samaria with his ſorceries, euen Acts 8. 9. &c.almoſt the whole citie: and neuer went about to deſiſt from that practiſe, till he was, againſt his will, broken off by the preaching of Phillip. Demeirius Actes 19. 24.the Siluer-Smith had done the like in another kind, in the citie of the Epheſians, deceiuing the people along time for his owne gaine, in making ſiluer ſhrines or temples for the Idol Diana.
And this is ſo true, that if a man do but fall into any particular ſinne, once or twice, he is readier to commit it twenty times, then once to be think himſelfe Note.about breaking it off. As if it be by making of a lie, and falſe ſwearing, deceiuing, breaking the Sabbath, picking and ſtealing, or the like bad tempering and needleſſe medling any other way. In Peter this may bee ſeene, who neuer went ſo farre, as to intend and purpoſe any euill, but being demanded a queſtion only on the ſudden, which hee looked not for, whither he were Chriſts diſciple, denied the truth, but through feare, againſt his Mark. 14. 17.conſcience, and hauing once ſo done, being asked the ſame the ſecond time, did ſo againe; and the third time being prouoked ſo, denied it with an oath and a curſing of himſelfe, if he knew the man. Iehoſophat could not be warned to forbeare fellowſhip with Ahab and his ſonne Iehoram, hauing once ſuffered himſelfe to take pleaſure therein, though he had a ſharpe warning of it, and ſmarted alſo for the ſame. And Sampſon for the louelove of a Philiſtine woman, ſuffering her vnlawfully to moue queſtion to him about that which tended to the looſing of his life, and the graces of God in him, which were moſt precious; becauſe he cut her not off, neither ſtaied her at the firſt, but anſwered her, which he ſhould not hauehave done, though he ment not to tell her the ſecret that ſhe asked, yet he anſwered and trifled with her ſo long in needleſſe and dangerous talke, that at laſt, through importunitie ſhe got that which ſhe ſought, and which hee neuer ment ſhee ſhould obtaine, till hee found, when it was to late) what it is to yeeld and giuegive place to euill, though but once or twice.
For as the breaking out of waters by cutting the banck that holdeth A ſimile.them in, is the ouerflowing of much ground, and ſpoileth it: ſo the making of a breach in the conſcience, and the yeelding and giuing place to euill but Note.a little, layeth open a man to much bondage and anoyance thereby, ſo that he goeth on, as on that runneth a pace from the top of an high and ſteepe downe hill, who is not able to ſtay till he come to the bottome. This truth which is verified in ſo many things, Salomon hath moſt liuely exemplified in Prou. 23. 27.one: ſaying, An harlot is a deepe graue, and a narrow pit: which he that falleth into, can hardly get out of to eſcape? And therefore to come to make vſe of this which hath been ſaid, wee are to know, that the counſell and rule that the Phyſition giueth for the preſeruing of health, namely, that wee ſhould reſiſt the beginnings of danger; and ſo we ſhall be free from the euill that would follow, the ſame is meete for all ſuch to bee followed, as deſire to inioy their ſpirituall health, and that their ſoules may feare well, and that is, that they take great heed, when they be firſt inticed by the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne, that they reſiſt ſtrongly before delight be kindled, and dally not with that which they are tempted with; leſt they bee alſo hardned: which if they doe, they ſhall, by purging out that corruption, finde the fruit of that holy counſell and promiſe in the Goſpell, Watch and pray, ſo ſhall yee not fall into Matth. 26. 41.temptation. Oh, if ſome could hauehave done it, when with Ioſeph they hauehave been Gen. 39. 12. Note.inticed, and could hauehave ſhaken of the leaudneſſe of their euil hearts; at what eaſe, and in what freedome might they hauehave walked, who hauehave, by giuing place to their luſts, and not kurbing them vp in due time; brought themſelues into a loathſome ſtate of life, and to a continuall bondage? And this confutes them, who being reprooued for ſinne, excuſe themſelues like children, that it was the firſt time: or, that they went not ſo farre, but they could eaſily deſiſt. As they that dally with, women or maydens by vnchaſe ſpeech, Pſalm. 51. 5.behauiour, or euill thoughts, of whom many fall by degrees to commit folly, nay filthineſſe, becauſe they reſiſted not dalliance, and nipt not that curſed fruit in the bloſſome.
Now that which remaineth in this verſe is a queſtion to good purpoſe: and that is, why the Iſraelites did not kill this tyrant Adonibezek out of hand, but reſerue him to this bondage, and to die ſo? The anſwere is, God giuing them commandement, not to ſpare the Canaanites, and hee hauing been more cruell then ſome other; God (to bee ſure) inclined their hearts to doe ſo, both that he might hauehave the meaſure that hee had offered other, and alſo that it might be knowne, that hee died not in warre, which had been ſome glory to him; it being vnmeet, that ſo cruell a perſon ſhould hauehave ſo honeſt a death. Another queſtion may bee this concerning himſelfe why this tyrant, when he had ſo ſhamefully defaced and diſmembred ſo many Kings, yet why he would hauehave them to feed vnderunder his table. There is no doubt, but that he did it, to remember and ſhew the glory of his victories, and while they were made to feede ſo baſely vnderunder his feet, as dogges to gather that which fel from his board, it was to ſatisfie his proud and vaine-glorious humor therewith, as well pleaſing to him, as if his eares had been filled with muſicke. By the firſt, namely, that fact of the Iſraelites; we may learne that it is meet that monſtrous doings & vilanies, with the perſons who wrought them, ſhould be made odious according to the deſert of them. As murtherers of Princes, the Lords annointed, to bee put to the extreameſt torments before their fearefull death. As we hauehave been certified of the exquiſit tortures that were lately executed in France vponupon a popiſh and baſe fellow, which imbrued his hands in the blood of his Soueraigne. So wilfull and common murtherers to be hanged vp in chaines to the view of all, for the vnnaturall killing of their neighbour or companion. And ſo it is meete, that other malefactors ſhould be dealt withall according to their wicked waies, and according to the commandement of God, that euil may be taken away from the land, as it was ſaid of Ioab. Our lawes hauehave well prouided for many 1. King. 2. 31.ſuch: and if it pleaſed our Gouernours to thinke well of it, that Atheiſts, Blaſphemers and Adulterers might hauehave their ſhare among the reſt according to their deſerts, the caſe would bee much better with vsus by many degrees at this day. And this be ſaid by occaſion of the firſt queſtion.
From the ſecond, and the anſwer of Adonibezek glorying in his crueltie and ſubduing ſo many Kings vnderunder him for his pleaſure, (as the Philiſtines when they liſted, called in Sampſon out of the priſon, his eies being put out, to make them paſſe time;) it giues occaſion to vsus to conſider the exceſſiue pride, luſt and other badneſſe of people, (this preſent age not being behind any of the former therein) that when God hath brought them out of their ſwadling cloutes, after they came naked into the world, wherein they were like to hauehave miſcarried a thouſand times before they were able to runne about, being ſo ſhiftleſſe and vnable to helpe themſelues, (that I ſay no more in this place of their miſery beſides) yet they are no ſooner out of the ſhell (as we vſe to ſay) nor come to man; eſtate, but they ſhew themſelues to the world as plaiers on the ſtage, no leſſe diſguiſed in their ſtomacks, behauiour, and qualities, then many of them be in their apparell. And eſpecially if they be great and borne to any thing, it is admirable to ſee, what profaneneſſe, licentiouſneſſe, riot, gaming, and ſuch like intemperance is eueryevery where to be ſeene in them: who for their owne pleaſure, care not how they dominere ouer their inferiours who are vnderunder them, and ripen them a pace who are about them, in all kinde of euill. For what elſe, (for the moſt part,) is to bee learned in ſuch ſeruice? and how they ſeeke to match their equals in any Italienate faſhions and diſguiſed carriage of themſelues, and to deſire to riſe vp to the higher places of their betters, chiefly to this end, that they may hauehave more libertie to doe euill: that as this tyrant tooke pleaſure in his kind, in the ſins which he liked, (which yet was no admirable thing in him who was an Heathen Idolater) euen ſo doe men in this age, (who liuing vnderunder the Goſpel, ſhould bluſh to heare it) not ſeeke what pleaſeth God, who hath ſet them vp, but their owne pleaſure. And it is ſo vſuall and common among many of the greater ſort, that it is taken vp among the meaner alſo; in ſo much, that many of them degenerate from their profeſſion thereby, and become little better then brutiſh: but a greater number of them (to bee ſure) doe little honour it in their liues, which I ſay rather to comfort and incourage them, who hauehave no fellowſhip with them in their vnfruitefull works of darkeneſſe, then in hope to doe good to many of the other offenders.