Petition of Two Sisters, Reason 2
A ſecond reaſon againſt this Incloſure is, that it diſpeopleth townes.
THe people are called Gods inheritance, Aske of me & will giuegive thee Pſal. 2. 8.the heathen for thine inheritance & the ends of the earth for thy poſſeſsion. And again, Behold (ſaith Dauid) childrē are Pſal. 127. 3. 4.the inheritance of the Lord, & a reward the fruite of the wombe. He putteth behold before this his doctrine as though it were a ſtrange thing and yet moſt true. Secondly he addeth that children are a reward: Incloſers manie times lacke this reward, they louelove the earth ſo wel that God wil not bleſſe them with many ſonnes: Nay Dauid addeth, Like as the arrowes in the hand of the Gyant, ſo are the children of young men. Such arrowes in the hands of Gyants, and many rich Farmers hauing tall and ſtrong men to their ſonnes, wée might hauehave ſéene: But now, where this late incloſure hath ſet in foote, either there are no families left, or elſe they are ſo pinched by great rents, and pined with want and penurie, that they are rather like priſoners, then arrows in the hand of a Gyant.
Thus incloſure where it commeth diſpeoples townes, and impares the Lords inheritance. Therefore all his ſtewards and miniſters ought to inueigh 1. Cor. 4. 1.againſt this ſinne, and all his children ought to condemne it. Againe Dauid ſpeaking of the reprobate and wicked giueth them this cogniſance. HaueHave they Pſal. 14. 4.no vnderſtanding, or will they not know, or vnderſtand (as it is in the Hebrew) all they that worke wickednes, who eate vp my people, as if they would eate bread? they hauehave not called vponupon God. Here firſt we may note, the obſtinacie of theſe ſinners, and depopulators; They will not know, they will not be perſwaded, they will maintaine and defend their incloſures, and depopulations, ſay, what one can againſt them, yea and that out of Gods booke, they will writhe all things to maintaine their couetouſnes. Secondly the grieuouſneſſe of this ſinne with God, and the ſmall account that men make of it. They make no account, nor no more conſcience to depopulate townes, and to conſume men, then to eate bread. They thinke that they may do it lawfully. But God tels all ſuch héere by the Prophet Dauid, that though they beare a ſhew of religion, vet they hauehave not called vponupon God, that is, they are plainely Atheiſts. For by a figure called Synecdoche, the part is put for the whole, ano inuoration of the name of God, is put for all his religion. As Gen. 12. 8. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Acts 9. 21.
Nay, Dauid in another pſalm toucheth narrowly theſe Incloſers and depopulators Pſal. 80. 8.of townes, ſpeaking thus to God. Thou haſt brought a vine out of Aegypt (ſaiih he) thou haſt caſt out the heathen, and planted it. No doubt Dauid heare ſpake typically of the vine Chriſts Church, which God hath in our daies brought out of the Popes ſpirituall Aegypt, as Saint Iohn termes Reu. 11. 28.it: and that he hath caſt out thoſe ſpirituall heathen that trampled with their feete, the holy citie, 42. moneths. For what did they elſe in poperie, but trample in Gods Church with their féete? Their bodies were preſent in the Church, but not their vnderſtanding, and therefore their hearts were away. For where vnderſtanding is not, there the heart cannot properly be ſaid to be. And therfore their vnderſtanding was away, becauſe Gods worde was read to them in a ſtrange tongue; and alſo they praied in a ſtrange tongue. Except 1. Cor. 14. 11.I know the power of the voice of him that ſpeaketh, I ſhall bee to him a Barbarian, ſaith Saint Paul. And may not theſe be properly called heathen, whom Saint Paul calleth Barbarians? and may not theſe be ſaid, to trample in the holie citie, when their bodies onelyonly were preſent and their hearte were away? God hath brought a vine out of Aegypt, and hath expelled the heathen out of his holy citie, and planted this vine in their place. He ſwept before the Gen. 1. 2.face of this vine, with the winde of his ſpirit, and the béeſome oſ his worde, clenſing all the duſt and ſand of mans deuiſes, giuing to it puritie of doctrine, It filled the land. This vine ſpred her branches thorow the whole lande and that ſpeedily. The Papiſts maruell: they neuer dreamed, that this vine would hauehave ſpred her branches ſo far, and wide. Nay the hilles were couered with the ſhadow of it. Manie noble men, verie religiouſly and zealouſlie profeſſed this religion, and dranke the Mat. 2. 22.comfortable wine of this vine.
But héere now followes the miſchiefe, héere followes Sathan Jeſus Chriſts enemie. But why (ſaith Dauid) Pſal. 80. 12.haſt thou pluct vp her hedge, that eueryevery one that goeth by the way, hath a ſnatch (as we ſay) at this vine? The wild Boare of the wood hath deſtroied it, and the wilde beaſts of the field, hauehave eaten it vp. And the vineyard, which thy right hand hath planted, and the young vine which thou madeſt ſo ſtrong for thine owne ſelfe, It is burnt with fire and cut downe. What doth all this meane? but that this vine, by couetous and cruell landlords is lopped and diminiſhed, and burnt with the fire of couetouſnes. Euen that vine, which God himſelfe planted ſo miraculouſly, and had made ſo ſtrong in faith, to goe out of poperie, 1. Pet. 5. 9.and not to feare the Diuell. This beloued vine, and this ſtrong vine, hauehave our wilde Boares deuoured, and our fierie couetouſneſſe hath burnt vp; for doe wée thinke that Dauid ſpeakes of any materiall fire or vine? Will God take this at their handes? Doe they thinke, that he makes not high account, of eueryevery chriſtian ſoule? and doe they not know, that he will be praiſed with Act. 20. 28. 2. Cor. 9. 12 Mat. 5. 1.many mouthes? And that Chriſt, when he ſawe the multitude went vp to the hill to preach? and that hee knoweth, how manie hauehave béene in townes, in time of poperie? and ſhall wée now in the light of the Goſpell, impare his ſhéepe? dare wée doe it? ſurely hée will reuenge it. And let all ſuch depopulators know, that they are but trauellers by the way. They ſhall not long continue héere with their hedges.
Ioab a bloudie warrier and ſouldier 2. Sam. 20. 20.could ſay, God forbid, that I ſhould deuoure or deſtroy the inheritance of the Lord: and ſhall profeſſors of the Goſpell, be guiltie of this ſinne, and depopulate townes?
It was one of Gods bleſſings which he promiſed to Abraham, that he would Gen. 22. 17.greatly multiply his ſeede, as the ſtarres of heauen, and as the ſand which is vponupon the ſea ſhore. And doe we thinke, that they ſhall be bleſſed, which goe about to depriue him of this bleſſing? And Eſay likewiſe thus propheſieth of Chriſts Church, I will power my ſpirit vponupon thy ſeede, and my bleſſing vponupon Eſa. 44. 3 4.thy buddes, and they ſhall grow as amongſt the graſſe, and as the willowes by the riuers of waters.. By how many types here, doth the Prophet expreſſe vntounto vsus Chriſts Church? of ſeede, of buddes growing amongſt graſſe, and of willowes? and doe not all theſe, inſinuate vntounto vsus a multitude? They are not Chriſts friends but his enemies, that doe not nouriſh and cheriſh this his ſeede, in the beſome of their hearts, that doe not comfort theſe his buddes, with the curteſie of their ſpéeches, and which doe not water, theſe his willowes, with the continuall ſtreame of their liberalities. This was the cauſe why Salomon deſired wiſdome of God. Thou haſt made me King ouer a great 2. Chr. 1. 7.people, like to the duſt of the earth. GiueGive me now wiſedome, and knowledge, &c. Salomon was but a type of Jeſus Chriſt: If that his ſubiectes were like to the duſt of the earth; what ſhall Jeſus Chriſts ſubiects be likened vntounto?
I reade in a booke of the Suruey of Mundus imper. Rex. gall.France, made by Bodinus, in the daies of King Henry the ſecond, beſides Burgundie there were numbred in France 27. thouſand villages with ſteeples. And in another ſuruey of France, made in the raigne of Charles the ninth, it was found that the number of the inhabitants there, were aboue 15. millions of men. Did the French thus glory in their multitudes of people; and ſhall not we much more in England, ſéeke to maintaine ours?
And here I cannot but take away ſome ſtumbling blockes: for theſe Incloſers perchaunce will flatter themſelues and ſay, that it is but a ſmall village that they hauehave diſpeopled, or a ſmall farme or cottage that they hauehave decaied or pulled downe; and what doe you make ſo much to doe thereof? But let all ſuch know, that little Zoar ſaued Gen. 19. 20 Luk. 4. 16. Ioh. 1. 46.Lot: and Nazareth that obſcure citie whereof Nathaniell ſaid, can any good come out of Nazareth, it nurſed our Sauiour Jeſus, and gaue him a name which from his croſſe to this day is honorable. And Saint Paul teacheth vsus plainely, that God hath choſen the 1. Cor. 1. 27 28.weake things of this world, to confound the mightie things; and vile things, and things which are deſpiſed, hath God choſen. And dare any contemne or make light account of that, nay deſtroy that which God hath choſen and maketh great account of? Out of that little village or poore cottage which he hath decaied (whoſoeuer hée is) might hauehave come one as good as himſelfe. what may I ſay then of great huſband townes where many rich farmers, and cottages are decaied? Would any of vsus willingly hauehave the little finger of his hand cut off? no more no doubt, will Jeſus Chriſt ſuffer one poore cottage, (which is as it were his little finger) to bée cut off, vnpuniſhed without repentance. There was a ſtatute made of late, for the maintainance of tillage, and reedifying farmes decaied: It is to bée feared that God hath obſerued how diligent ſome were to ſée the poore whipped, by a ſtatute made at the ſame time: and how ſlacke in the execution of that other act of reedifying & plowing.
Another ſtumbling blocke is, that ſome will ſay they muſt néedes maintaine their ſtates. And this cloake couers all their pride, and couetouſnes. But let all ſuch know that reaſon thus; Muſt they impare the Lords inheritance to maintaine their eſtates, euen they whom the Lord himſelfe hath aduanced? they had better to be as poore as Lazarus in ſtate and condition: nay, Luk. 16. 20.they had better neuer hauehave béene borne, then to exault themſelues to impare his inheritance. Oh let theſe men of all others take héede of this ingratitude. Let the example of King Saul terrifie them, who being made of a poore acorne, a mightie oake, and of a ſeeker of his fathers aſſes, the firſt King of Iſrael, yet afterwards for his vnthankefulnes 1. Sam. 9. 26.and diſobedience, he and all his poſteritie was quite reiected of God 2. Sam. 16. 18.for euer from the kingdome.
Let Jeſus Chriſts example teach and moue them, who to doe vsus good did not reſpect his eſtate, being equall with God (as Saint Paul teacheth vsus,) but Phil. 2. 6. 7.humbled himſelfe, and became as a ſeruant. He waſhed his apoſtles feete, and became obedient to the death of the Croſſe. And what is the greateſt of our eſtates in compariſon of his? Surely euen like a little mould-hill to a mountaine. And ſhall we thinke much, to impaire our eſtates to doe our brethren good? nay ſhall we hurt them to maintaine it? nay ſhall we diſhonour God? Oh not Chriſts diſciples, but Mammons worldlings! There were as many noble men and gentlemen in England heretofore, as are now, and of as great eſtate: and how did they maintaine themſelues? They did not in the Popes darke kingdome depopulate townes, and ſhall we in the light of the Goſpell? Can we maintaine our eſtates by no way elſe, but by imparing the Lords inheritance? let that be farre from vsus. If Incloſers would be content with the auncient apparrell, and houſes and dyet of their anceſtors, as they are not aſhamed of their lands; they néede neuer raiſe rents, nor improue their lands.
They which ſtand ſo much on this point, that they muſt maintaine their eſtates, know not what humilitie is. All Chriſts diſciples muſt be humble. Math. 11. 29.And humilitie is to deſcend a degree or two from our eſtate, and not to ſeeke to maintaine it: Surely that is a ſpice of pride. The daunger and grieuouſnes of this ſinne makes me in all humilitie to write thus. It is to be feared that God may now complaine as he did in the daies of Ieremie: Can a virgin forget Ier. 2. 32.her ornament, or a bride her attire? yet my people hauehave forgotten me, daies without number, who hauehave adorned and maintained them. Why do you as it were now at laſt, begin to make your waies good againe, to purchaſe my louelove? yea euen heerein, thou declareſt, that thy waies are euill. For in thy wings are found the blood of ſoules, of poore innocents. Thou haſt not found them with mattockes in their hands, ſuch as are mentioned in Gre…us, where theeues are ſaid with mat…od…s Exod. 22. 2.to digge thorow walles, and to … into houſes by night, but about all… (ſaith the Prophet) no doubt wi… ter inſtruments, euen to pu… … As it is in the Hebrew.houſes and townes. And yet th… becauſe I am guiltleſſe, ſurely … ſhall turne from me. Behold I wi… with thee into iudgement, becauſe the… ſaieſt, thou haſt not ſinned. Incl…ſ…s are as guiltie of theſe ſinnes, as were thoſe Jewes. For after their incloſure, they will goe about to make good their waies, and they will giuegive ſome poore widowes, cowegates in their cloſes, as it were to purchaſe Gods fauour, whereas (as thoſe Jewes had) they hauehave the blood of poore innocent ſoules in their wings and worſhips. Nay, and they hauehave alſo in their hands not mattockes, but greater inſtruments then thoſe, euen to pull downe farmes and townes. And yet neuertheleſſe they ſaie (as the Jewes did) that they are not guiltie. Therefore (ſaith God) I will enter into iudgement with them. And this may ſéeme to be another cauſe, of the p…ague amongſt vsus at this day. We ſinne in wordly cares, and in Luk. 21. 34.exceſſe in our diet, whereof our bleſſed Sauiour biddes vsus take héede: we excéede in our ſtately buildings, which the Eſa. 2. 15. Ier. 22. 14. Zeph. 1. 8.Prophet Eſay and Ieremie plainely reprooue: we ſinne in vanitie of apparell, which the Prophet Zephanie condemnes; and we account theſe no ſins: wée ſay that we are guiltles and therefore doth God enter with vsus into iudgement: whereas it is the firſt leſſon that the Apoſtle Saint Peter giues vsus which liue in the end of the world, that we ſhould be ſober, and kéepe (no doubt) 1. Pet. 4. 7.that holie meane in all our worldly cares; in our diet, in our apparell, in our buildings, and in the furniture of our houſes, and to conclude, in all things.
But that which followes in the Prophet, ſhall proue them guiltie and condemue them. Why laboureſt thou ſo much (ſaith the Prophet) to change thy Verſe 36.waies, and to make them ſeeme good? thou ſhalt be confounded of Aegypt, as thou art alſo confounded of Aſhur; that is, as the dead Paganes condemne thee, ſo ſhall the blind Egyptians and Papiſts condemne thee alſo. And héere firſt; did the Paganes deale ſo hardly with their tenants? Pharaoh the Egyptian, may teach all Incloſers and Landlords, chriſtian charitie, and the communicating of their lands and commodities to their tenants. Behold (ſaith Ioſeph) I hauehave bought you this day, and your land for Pharaoh, and foure parts Gen. 47. 23.ſhall be yours, for the ſeede of your field, and for your meate, and for them of your houſehold, & for your children to eate. Here firſt we may note, that this Egyptiā king, would hauehave tillage maintained: Then, that although he had purchaſed their land, yet he dealt courteouſly with his tenants, and had a care, both of the ſeede of their land, and of their families: and ſhall not Chriſtians much more hauehave this care of their brethren, whoſe land comes by inheritance? He gaue them ſeede, and yet he required but a fift part for his rent: Oh eaſie rent! this ſhall condemne one day our couetous rents, and cruell exactions at our brethrens hands. This mercifull Pharaoh was bleſſed of God: but Exod. 5. 17.his couetous ſucceſſor, that laid heauie burdens on Gods people, and ſaid as Incloſers ſay now, The people are too Exod. 14. 27.much idle, they muſt hauehave more worke impoſed vponupon them, was drowned in the Sea: let them chuſe now, whether of theſe they will followe. Such a good landlord alſo was Iob, not in Iewrie, but in the land of Hus. If my land riſe againſt Iob. 31. 39.mee (ſaith hee) and the furrowes thereof weepe and waile: and if that I hauehave eaten of the heart thereof without money, or hauehave made the ſoules of the maſters thereof pant: Then let thiſtles growe in ſtead of wheate, and cockle in ſtead of barly: Héere wée may firſt note that Iob neuer eate the ſtrength or heart of his land, but hée paied for the plowing of it, contrarie to many Landlords amongſt us, who will let their lands at great rents, and will make their tenants plow with them (gratis) and for nothing. Secondly, that he cals his tenants maſters of his land: but many amongſt us make their tenants by their exceſſiue payments, as good as bondſlaues. They did not ſo much as once pant or blow in the tilling of it, they plowed it ioyfully, and at their eaſe. But many tenants now adaies, doe not onelyonly pant at their plowes, but ſigh, caring how they may pay their rents.
Iob alſo did neuer eate his morſell alone; Job 31. 17.if he had but one diſh, the poore had euer ſome part thereof: and ſhall Incloſers thinke much to yeeld unto them ſome part of their graſſe? ſhall they ſhut them out of their fields, whom hee admitted daily to his table? And if perchance they thinke that this was uery much, and that eueryevery one is not bound to doe ſo: let them marke well that Saint Iohn in his epiſtle doth charge eueryevery Chriſtian to doe more than this: If that thou haſt the worlds good, and ſee thy brother want (ſaith hée) and 1. Ioh. 3. 17.ſhutteſt vp thy verie entrals, or bowels from him, how dwelleth the louelove of God in thee? If thy brother beg of thée, wilt thou denie him? Nay, by this place thou art plainely commaunded, if thou ſeeſt him want, though hée holde his peace, and craue nothing of thée, to help him; and that not in opening thy purſe to giuegive him money, but in opening thy verie bowels vntounto him; and in doing to Mat. 7. 12.him, as thou wouldeſt hauehave done to thine owne ſelfe. Then if ſo be that his …owe lacke graſſe, wilt thou not let her common in thy paſtures? If he lacke an houſe, wilt thou not prouide one for him? Nay Saint Iohn teacheth thée plainley héere, to doe more for him then all theſe; euen to receiue him, not into thy fields, or houſe, but (if it were poſſible) into thine owne bowels: and this was that common ſalutation among the Jewes (like unto our good morrow) your ſoule liueth in me, as appeareth by the ſalutation of Anna to Elie, and the ſalutation of Gedeon to 1. Sam. 1. 15.the Angell, which is as much as to ſay I wiſh to you euen as to my owne ſoule; Judg. 6. 13.For ſo it is in the Hebrew tert. Oh that this ſalutation were pronounced dayly, not in mouth onelyonly, but in our dealings practiſed amongſt vsus Chriſtians, which no doubt ought to be; as both Saint Paul and Peter, doe commaund all Chriſtians. Fulfill my ioy (ſaith Saint Paul) that ye be like minded, or of one minde together: And Phil. 2. 2.Saint Peter, finally be yee all of one minde.1. Pet. 2. 8.
Such a mercifull man was Mordoche the Jew, of whom we reade thus, Heſt. 10. 3.And Mordoche the Iew was ſecond to Ahaſhuerus, and great amongſt the Iewes, and accepted (Ratſu) ſuch a one as his brethren would hauehave wiſhed, who procured the wealth of his people, and ſpake peaceably to all his ſeede, who though háe were lately aduanced, to dignitie and worſhip, yet vſed not theſe meanes, to maintaine his eſtate. Oh that Incloſers who profeſſe the name of the Goſpell, would imitate this Jew! As for the blinde Egyptians, that Apo. 11. 8.is the Papiſts, how they hauehave excelled Incloſers in the workes of charitie, eueryevery towne almoſt tells thée: which townes they hauehave left to their ſucceſſors, like the winges of a doue which Pſal. 68. 13.is couered with ſiluer: and Incloſers plucke away theſe golden fethers from them, and leaue them not ſo good as they found them. Thus Incloſers may plainely ſée, how that not only dead Aſſur, but blinde Egypt alſo doth confound them.
But theſe Incloſers alledge that ſaying of the goſpell, Is it not lawfull for me Matth. 20. 15.to doe with mine owne as I liſt? They muſt remember, that parable repreſents vntounto vsus that great Landlord of all Landlords, the king of heauen; he may ſay ſo only, and none elſe. They muſt alſo remember that ſaying of the Pſalme: And he gaue them the lands of the heathen, Pſal. 115. 44.and they tooke the labour of the people in poſſeſſion, that they might keepe his ſtatutes and obſerue his lawes. God hath giuen them the earth in deed: but vponupon this condition, that they ſhould kéepe his lawes, and his lawe is Joh. 13. 34.Chriſtian charitie.