The Poor Mans Tears Opened, Book 3 – Dedication
A Memento for Magiſtrates.
THe Apoſtle Paul writing to Timotheus amongſt manie other things,1. Tim. 5. 17. aſſureth him, that thoſe Elders which rule well, are worthie of double honour. And the Authour of the 45. Pſame,Pſal. 45. 7. ſpeaking of the gouernement of Salomon ſaith. The Scepter of thy kingdoome is a right Scepter, for thou loueſt righteouſnes and hateſt iniquitie; in which words the Author aduoucheth, that he cannot rule rightlie, that loueth not to iudge iuſtlie, and that he vſurpeth aucthoritie that dealeth partiallie: for wee muſt remember, that hee meaſurerh Salomons worthineſſe to raign by his wel ſwaying of the ſcepter, the which Salomō could not hauehave handled ſo commendablie as he did, if he had not bene carried away with an earneſt deſire to deale indifferentlie amongſt men in cauſes of controuerſie, but moſt plainly appeareth his great deſire of godly gouernment in that heartie praier which hee vttered vntounto almightie God, (when he ſaid) giuegive vntounto thy ſeruant O Lord an vnderſtanding and a wiſe hart,3. king. 3. to iudge thy people, that I may diſcerne betwixt good and euill. In this praier it is plaine, that although hee was a King, yet he calleth himſelfe the seruaunt of God, for promotion commeth neither from the Eaſt, nor from the Weſt, nor yet from the ſouth, but from God, who plucketh down one, and ſetteth vppe another. And Salomon, hauing praied for wiſdome and vnderſtanding,Pſal. 75. 7. 8. hee ſheweth wherevnto he wold applie thoſe good gifts of God, euen vntounto the glorie of him that gaue them, to iudge thy people, that I may diſcerne betwixt good & euill (ſaith hee) for by him Kinges raigne,Prou. 8. 15. and by him Princes decree Iuſtice.Exod. 18. When Iethro the father in law of Moſes, came out of the land of Madian to ſee Moſes being at the mount of God, which was mount Sinai, and beheld how the people flocked vntounto Moſes their magiſtrate for iudgement & iuſtice, by due conſideration therof: Iethro found theſe three in conueniences: Firſt, that Moſes wearied himſelfe with ſitting in iudgement from the morning vntill night. Secondly, that he was too tedious vntounto the people which attended vppon him in all that time. And thirdly, that notwithſtanding his carefulneſſe in iudgement, and their earneſt expectation of iuſtice, hee was not able to diſpatche ſo manye matters as vvas brought before him: but with a light hearing, and a little regarding of manie mens cauſes. Wherefore, Iethro beeing a man verie deſirous that iuſtice might proceede, that no mans matter ſhould ſleightlie be ſlipt ouer, counſaileth Moſes to make more Magiſtrates in Iſrael, and to the end that this might be perfourmed the better, Iethro dooth point at the diſpoſition of thoſe men which ſhould bear rule, for (ſaith he) thou ſhalt chooſe out amongeſt all the people, men of courage, dealing trulie, fearing God, and hating couetouſnes, and them ſhalt thou make gouernours ouer the people.
By this you may perceiue, how Iethro in counſailing, and Moſes in practiſing, did both aime at iuſtice and true iudgement. For it is not a meane matter, or light labour, for men of yeeres to ſit from morning to night in iudgement: no, their yeares, antiquitie, & conſequentlie their bodies imbeſilitie cannot eaſilie endure it, beſides the care of common cauſes heard at home, and that which is the biggeſt burden of all, the continuall good of the Common-weale, which they meditate carefullie, when vvee ſleepe ſecurely is not to be forgotten, but herin are many Magiſtrats greatly to be blamed, in that they cauſe the people to attend vponupon thē from morning vntil night, with expenſes great and continuall, whileſt they find no end of poore mens matters, becauſe they wiſhe no ende of ſpending money.
Are their mindes ſet vponupon righteouſnes which deale thus? No, no: they are the ſame that the Prophete ſpake of,Pſal. 31. 12. when he ſaid, the vngodlie ſeeketh occaſion againſt the righteous, and knaſheth vponupon him with his teeth, for the crafty counſeller taketh occaſion to hinder his Cliants iuſt cauſe, that he might ſtill feede vppon the poore mans purſe: the Lawyer, who careth not to deale vnfaithfully is like the chriſtall glaſſe, which flatteringly ſheweth vntounto euerie man a faire face, how iuill fauoured ſo euer he be. So can he perſwade the ſimple ſwain, that his cauſe wil bear a ſtrong action, bee it neuer ſo weake. Oh remember what God ſaid vntounto Iſraell, you ſhall not do what ſeemeth good in your owne eies,Deut. 12. but what I command you: Then know, that you do not that which he hath commanded becauſe you deale not with merciemercy and truth, for if euer the time required,Pſal. 25. and occaſion was offered to mooue that queſtion to Magiſtrates, which Dauid did in his daies: namelie,Pſal. 82. 2. how long they will proceede to giuegive vniuſt iudgement, and to accept the perſon of the vngodlie. Nowe is the time and occaſion preſent, for I doe not doubt, but it is too true, that the Prophet hath ſpoken; who ſaith, that the vngodlie are more ſet by thē the righteous;Abac. 1. and this is the cauſe that wrong iudgement dooth proceed. How can iuſtice ſit, when there is no ſeat appointed for her, you may be ſure ſhe vvill not hauehave to do with the ſtoole of wickednes,Pſal. 94. where miſchiefe ſtandeth in ſtead of iuſtice. It was a woorthie commendation that Dauid vttered in the praiſe of Ieruſalem▪ Pſal. 122. 3.when hee ſaid; there is the ſeate for iudgment, the which appointing of that ſeat for iudgement, was an argument that they loued iuſtice: and firſt the place vvherein it vvas ſet, aſſureth vsus heereof, for it was ſet in the gate, vvher through men might hauehave paſſage to and from the iudgement ſeat. Secondly, the maner of framing that ſeat in the gate: namely, that the Iudges of force muſt ſit with their faces towards the riſing of the ſunne, in token that their iudgement ſhuld bee as pure from corruption, as the ſun vvas cleare in his chiefeſt brightneſſe. Oh happie houſe of Dauid, vvhoſe ſeat vvas ſet ſo conueniently, vvhoſe cauſes vvere heard ſo carefullie, and matters iudged ſo iuſtlie. The Iſraelites thought themſelues well apaid, vvhen they had the gouernement of Debora that vertuous VVoman,Iudg. 5. 8. for all vvas laied a bed, vntill ſhe came vppe a mother in Iſraell; and as ſhee was a good gouerneſſe in her time, ſo ſhee loued thoſe that were like vntounto her ſelfe: for ſaieth ſhee, my heart is ſet vponupon the gouernours of Iſraell. Dauid was a good King vvhile he liued,Pſal. 89. as it did appeare by the teſtimonie of God himſelfe, who ſaid of him, I hauehave found Dauid my ſeruant, with my holie oyle hauehave I annointed him. Secondly, by his appealing to God for iudgement in this caſe,Pſal. 26. 1. when he ſaith, be thou my iudge O Lord, for I hauehave walked innocently, &c.
And laſt of all, by that good counſell which hee gaue vponupon his deathbedde vntounto Salomon his Sonne, who was to ſucceed him in that kingdom,3. king. 2. 3. for (ſaith he) thou ſhalt proſper and come to great honor, if thou keepeſt the commandements which GOD commanded Moſes, when Phillip the King of Macedonia, did caſt of the earneſt ſute of a poore widowe, with this ſlender anſwere; go thy way, for I hauehave no leaſure to heare thee now. She replied thus, and why haſt thou leaſure to be a King: as if ſhee ſhould hauehave ſaid, God hath giuen thee time to raigne, and power to gouern, that thou mighteſt applie them both vntounto that end wherefore they are giuen thee:Prou. 20. for merciemercy and truth preſerueth a King, and with louing kindnes his ſeat is vpholden. When Salomon praied to God for an vnderſtanding hart that he might do iuſtice among gods people: it is ſaid, that his praier pleaſed God paſſing well, becauſe Salomon▪ asked wiſedoome rather then wealth,3. King. 3. and knowledge rather then honor: for thereby he gaue euidence that his heart was ſet vponupon righteouſnes: for out of the aboundaunce of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh. It is a moſt excellent praier which the Prophet maketh, when he ſaith; giuegive thy iudgement vntounto the King,Pſal. 72. 1. O Lorde, and thy righteouſnes vntounto the kings ſonne, &c. then ſhall hee iudge the people according vntounto right, and defend the poore, wherein the Prophet praied for himſelfe, while he gouerned the kingdome of Iſraell, and for his ſucceſſors in the ſame, hauing relation vntounto that promiſe ſpoken of in the 132. Pſalme:Verſe 9. the Lord hath made a faithfull oath vntounto Dauid, and hee will not ſhrincke from it, ſaying: of the fruit of thy bodie ſhall I ſet vponupon thy ſeat: if thy children keepe may teſtimonies which I ſhall learne them. And the Prophet proceedeth to ſay, then ſhall he iudge the people according vntounto right, and defend the pore, by the word (then) hee inſinuateth, that when God giueth grace to the Magiſtrate; then hee cannot chooſe but do right, and defend thoſe which doe ſuſtaine wrong. But when the Prophet ſaith, (and defend the pore) Some man would thinke that he had ſaide enough before, and therefore might hauehave cut of this ſpeach, but it is to be remembred, that as ſick men nedeth not the Phiſition, or the way fairing man his weapon at one time onelie, but as often as the patient is ſicke, ſo often hee muſt hauehave the Phiſitions counſaile, and as often as the traueiler is aſſaulted, ſo often hee vſeth his weapon. In like ſort the pore man oppreſſed often, doth as often neede the defence of the Magiſtrate: And therefore, hath the Magiſtrate the ſword is alwaies caried before him, & this ſword is alwaies caried before rather the behind the Magiſtrat, that he might rather remēber iuſtice, then caſt the care thereof behind his back, the laſt, but not the leaſt thing to bee marked of the Magiſtrate is; that iuſtice is ſet foorth with a paire of ballaunces in the one hand, whiche admoniſheth him to waie thoſe matters iuſtlie which are brought before him: And within the other hand a two edged ſword,Pſal. 94. 15 to the intent that iuſtice might returne to iudgement, (that is) that thinges iuſtlye iudged, might bee rightly rewarded on both ſides:3. king. 3. whereof King Salomon hath giuen a good preſident. Firſt, in finding out the true mother of the ſmothered childe, which is a point of iudgement. Secondlie, in reſtoring the liuing childe to his owne mother, whiche was a point of iuſtice. And theſe partes of a Chriſtian Magiſtrate duetie are ſo neceſſarilie lincked togeather, that ſo often as one of them is wanting, the lavv receiueth a maime at the hand of the Magiſtrate.Iohn 19. As when Pilate iudged Chriſt guiltleſſe,Act. 24 but yet put him to death: and when Paules cauſe was heard and approoued, yet hee was left in priſon: Therefore, it is good counſaile, and worthie to bee hearkened vntounto, which Dauid gaue vntounto all Kings and Magiſtrates, that they bee learned and wiſe: for if the Magiſtrate be not wiſe,Pſal 2. 10. (words) may carie the matter away. As when Daniel when he was accuſed of diſpiſing the decree of Nabucadnezer the King of Babilon,Bel and Dragon. Ieremie to bee an enemie to the common-wealth of Iſraell,Iere. 18. Elias to bee a troubler of the ſtate,3. king. 18. Paule to be a factious & ſeditious fellow,Acts 24. Naboath to hauehave blaſphemed God and king Ahab: 3. king. 21.and as at the importunate crye of the Iewes, Chriſt was put to death,Luke 23. and Barrabas the murtherer ſet at libertie. The ſpeciall wiſedome of God,Exod. 4. matched Moſes the Magiſtrat, with Aron the miniſter, thereby gyuing vsus to vnderſtand, that when the word & the ſword go together, there can be none other but good gouernment. As for example, ſo long as the good prieſt Iehoiba, 4. king. 12.& the godly king Ioas liued together, God was worſhiped, and his people guided according vntounto his word: for the man of God counſailed vertuouſly, and the King practiſed carefully: whereunto that ſaying of Solon doth verie well agree, who being asked when the common wealth did beſt floriſh: he anſwered, when the people obey the magiſtrat, and the magiſtrate obeyeth the law: for lawes are better vnmade then vnkept; no doubt there want not ſuch, as wilſay with thoſe head ſtrong people in Dauids daies:Pſal. 2. 3. let vsus break their bonds in ſunder, and caſt away their coardes from vsus, and our lawes hauehave bene a long time like to ſpiders webs, ſo that the great buzzing bees break through, & the little feeble flies hang faſt in them.
But admitte that you replye and ſaye, they are made ſtronger, then in the daies of our forefathers, yet are they like vntounto walled Citties in the time of warre, at the which time, bee your walkes neuer ſo ſtrong, they are beaten downe: if they want men and munition, ſo if your lawes wiſelie made, doe want Patrones to defend them, they will ſoone be little worth, therefore it was not the worſt vvarning that Iethro gaue to Moſes, Exod. 18.that he ſhould make ſuch magiſtrats as were men of courage: For as Criſippus ſayd ſomtimes, ſo it is true at all times, that if a magiſtrate ruleth amiſſe, hee ſhall procure the diſpleaſure of God, (if well) hee ſhall be hated of men, and herof it commeth, that Valerius Maximus writeth to Antigonus the Emperour, who vvhen he ſhould put on his imperiall crovvn and roabes, ſtepping vppon the cloath of eſtate, vttered theſe vvordes vvith a very loude voice.
Oh cloath of more honourable then happie eſtate, vvherewith, if a man vvere ſo thorouglie acquainted, that hee coulde number the cares that concerne thee, …hee woulde not ſtoope for thee, though hee might hauehave thee for the taking vp, for great and vvaightie is that charge vvhiche is layde vppon a Chriſtian magiſtrate in common-wealthes affaires, & of no leſſe continuance then care: wherfore, Haimo would hauehave eueryevery magiſtrate to remember theſe 3. things: 1. that himſelfe is but a man. 2. that he gouerneth men like to him ſelfe, and 3. that he ſhall not alwaies bee a magiſtrate, as the Prophet hath taught, when he ſpake thus in the perſon of GOD: I ſaid you are Gods, but you ſhal die like men, and fall like one of the Princes: and yet ſhall they not be ſo excuſed, but muſt alſo giuegive accomptes of their gouernment, as did that Steward: mentioned by S. Luke. It is good therefore, not onelyonly for thoſe men that hauehave the election of Magiſtrats, to make ſuch choiſe of officers as Iethro inioyneth Moſes: Pſal. 82. 6.and as God himſelfe commaunded Iſrael, when hee ſaid, you ſhall make him king, whome the Lord our God ſhall chuſe: but alſo verie meete for thoſe magiſtrates being ſo elected, to hauehave a care, that as they are in place aboue other men: ſo in good life they go before the people: for this was it, that the Iſraelites deſired God to graunt vntounto Ioſua beeing newly made their gouernour. Namely a faithful heart to go in and out before them: For ſaid they, euen as wee obeyed Moſes in all things, ſo will wee obey thee:Ioſua. 1. OnelyOnly the Lord thy God be with thee, as hee was with Moſes. And it was a neceſſarie praier: for howe fowle a fault were it, that the man which is appointed to puniſhe adulterie, ſhould be more worthie of correction for the ſame kind of ſin, then the partie puniſhied. Like vntounto the whore-hunting Iudges of Samaria: Ierm. 5.mentioned by the Prophet Ieremie, in his fift chapter: or that hee whiche is appointed to iudge according to lawe, ſhould doe anie thing contrarie to the law: As angrie Ananias, commanded that Paul ſhould be ſmitten contrary to law:Acts 25▪ 2. in this point doth the Lord ſchoole the king of Iuda, by his Prophet Ieremie, who ſaieth, heare the word of the Lord thou King of Iuda, that ſitteſt in thy kinglie ſeat of Dauid: Iere. 22. 24.thou, and thy ſeruaunts, and thy people that goe in and out at this gate: thus the Lorde commaundeth, keepe equitie and righteouſnes: deliuer the oppreſſed from the power of the violent, doe not greeue nor oppreſſe the ſtranger, the fatherleſſe, nor the widowe, and ſhed no innocent bloud in this place, and if you keepe theſe thinges faithfully: then ſhall there come in at the doore of this houſe, kings to ſit vponupon Dauids ſeate, &c. But if you will not be obedient vntounto theſe commandements. I ſweare by mine own ſelf, ſaith the Lord (this houſe ſhall be waſte) for example, the ſame prophet ſpeaking there of the wicked gouernement of Seluin the ſonne of good king Ioſias, that gouerned Iuda, (ſayth) did not thy father eate and drinke, and proſper well ſo long as hee dealt with righteouſneſſe, from whence came this, but becauſe hee had mee before his eies (ſaith the Lord.)
Nowe when Ieremy ſaith that Ioſias had God before his eies; hys meaning is all one with Dauids intent, when he ſaith, God ſtandeth in the parliament of princes, he is iudge among Gods, to giuegive all Magiſtrates a Memento, that God is preſent in all their aſſemblies and iudgeth them that iudge vnderunder him whereof they had neede to bee put in minde: for oftentimes Mycheas prooueth too true a prophet in ſaying, that the great man will ſpeake what his heart deſireth, and the hearers muſt allowe it well: of the whiche ſorte of men the verie beſt is, but as a thiſle whiche a man can hardly touche vnpricked, and the moſte iuſt like a bramble, wherevnto the ſillye ſheep ſeeking to be ſhrowded frō the ſharp ſhowers, is oftē forced to leaue hir fleece behinde: whoſe vnworthy comming to their places. Ioatham hath well deſcribed in the perſon of Abimilech, when he ſaide, the trees of the woode went to annoint a king ouer them: and ſaide vntounto the Oliue tree: Reigne thou ouer vsus: but the Oliue tree anſwered, ſhall I leaue my ſatneſſe,Iudges 9. which both Gods and men praiſe in me: and go to be promoted ouer the trees. Then they came to the fig-tree, and ſaide, come thou and reigne ouer vsus; the fig-tree aunſwered: ſhall I leaue my ſweetneſſe and good fruit, and go to be promoted ouer the trees, They ſaid vntounto the vine: Reigne thou ouer vsus, but the vine aunſwered, ſhoulde I leaue my wine wherewith I cheere God and men, to be promoted ouer the trees: then they ſaid vntounto the bramble, wilt thou raigne ouer vsus. Then ſaide the bramble, if it be true indeed that you will ſubmit your ſelues to my authoritie, and put your truſt vnderunder my ſhadow, or elſe fire proceed from the bramble and conſume you. By this parable we are taught generally that euerie man is to be content with that eſtate wherin God hath placed him, and that for the moſte part the verie beſt worthie, do refuſe profered promotion, and on their part well deſerued, whereas on the contrarie, the moſte vnfitly furniſhed with iuſtice and true iudgement, and the leaſt deſeruing in a commonwealth: are of al other moſt ambitious. Such an one was Abſalon, who ſtole awaie the heartes of Iſrael with this flattering ſpeech.2 king …. Oh that I were made Iudge in the land, that euerie man whiche hath any plea or matter in the lawe might come to me that I might do him iuſtice, but this is the iuſt reward, of ſuch as before conuenient time, and apt occaſion to be offered, do ambitiouſly ſeek the ſeat of iudgment, euen vntimely and vnnaturall death,2. king. 18. for Abſolon was hanged by the hayre of his head,Iudges 9. & a woman with a peece of a milſtone daſhed out Abymelechs brains, though Abſalon be abſent & Abimilech brained long ſince, yet it is to be ſuſpected that many mē get preferment, by their practiſes, cō ming in ſuch ſheep skins as are fayre wordes and flattering ſpeeches, but God graunt that they proue not like vntounto thoſe iudges whome Zophonie feared not to liken vntounto Lyons:Cap. 3. 2. 3. who finding their praie in the euening, chop vp all, not leauing ſo muche as the bones vntill the morning, Salomon ſaid wel,Prou. 20. …. that many would be accompted good doers, but where ſhal we finde a faithfull man: ſome men hauehave ſaid well with Abſolon, before they came to preferment, but they can nowe bee contented to ſee many men, to ſue ſeuen yeares for their right, and yet ſuffer them to ſuſtaine wrong becauſe neceſſitie hathe no law forſooth. Go to, go to, ſome body will anſwere for that one day. A man woulde thinke, that neceſſitie ſhould hauehave the moſte lawe, becauſe he hath leaſt money & feweſt frends. Magiſtrates might learne ſuch a leſſon of God himſelf, as it being rightly practiſed, they could not chuſe but do iuſtice, & this is it, when almigtie God intended to deſtroy Sodome and Gomora, before he would do ſo thogh their ſins were monſtrous great, he conſidered thus of the matter, the crie of Sodome and Gomorrha is great, and their ſinne is exceeding greeuous.Gen. 18. I will go downe nowe and ſee whether they hauehave done altogether according to that crie which is come vntounto me or not, that I may know. Lo let all magiſtrates learne by the example of God himſlfe, to go down and ſee (that is) to apply their eares to heare dilligentlie, and their mindes to meditate iuſtlie of each mans matter, if you aske me why, I anſwere as God himſelfe doth, that they may know vidz. that they may diſcerne betwixt truth and falſhood, right and wrong: this is that queſtion which Dauid demanded of Saules counſellors, that egged him on to hurt him that neuer harmed them: are your mindes ſet vponupon righteouſnes, O ye congregation, and do you iudge the thing that is right. O yee ſonnes of men, ſaith he, the ſame prophet in all his troubles deſiring God to ſtand on his ſide againſt his oppreſſors, thought it as conuenient to craue of God, the conſideration of his cauſe as to aske his aid againſt his aduerſaries,Psal. 11. 1. and therefore prayeth thus. Ponder my words, O Lord conſider my meditation, &c. So Magiſtrates hauehave not onelie authoritie to make and eſtabliſe good lawes: but alſo to determine betwixt men according to the ſame, vntounto whoſe ſenſor the ſubiect muſt ſubmit himſelfe as the Apoſtle prooueth to the Romaines, when hee ſaith:Rom. 13. let euerie ſoule ſubmit it ſelfe vntounto the authoritie of the higher powers, for all power is of God, wherefore, whoſoeuer reſiſteth that power, reſiſteth the ordinance of God, and purchaſeth vntounto himſelfe damnation. For Magiſtrates are not to bee feared of them that doe well, but of them that doe nill: wilt thou not feare, do wel then, ſo ſhalt thou hauehave praiſe, for he is the miniſter of God for thy wealth: but if thou doeſt euill, then feare, for hee beareth not the ſworde for naught, but is the miniſter of GOD to take vengeance vponupon them that doe euill, where it is to be remembred, that the ciuill magiſtrate, who beareth the ſword, is called the miniſter of God, as well as that ſpirituall magiſtrat that preacheth the woorde: and that no doubt, to the intent hee might take care as well to maintaine true religion, as to miniſter deſerued diſcipline for it ſtandeth with all diuine and humaine reaſon, that if all maiſters & fathers ought to hauehave a more thē ordinarie care to inſtruct and helpe forward their families in Chriſtian religion, ſo much as in them lyeth; much more ought the magiſtrate to meditate by all meanes poſſible to performe his dutie therein; who is a father ouer all families: I cannot ſet this forth in any playner ſpeach then Dauid hath done in this ſhort ſaying; kiſſe the ſonne, leaſt hee be angrie; and ſo you periſhe in the right way;Pſalm. 2. 12. by which ſpeache the prophet teacheth that God cannot be honored by any other means then by that which Chriſt his ſonne hath taught; who ſaith himſelfe in the fift of Iohn; hee that honoureth the ſonne,Iohn 5. 23. honoreth the father: hee that diſhonoureth the ſonne, diſhonoureth the father, ſo that hee meaneth in this place; that if you worſhippe not the ſonne as he hath commanded; then you diſhonor him; if you diſhonour him; then you anger him; if you anger him, he caſteth you off: if he caſteth you off, then you are from the right waye, and if you are from the right way, then you periſh. For the auoyding whereof, all godly Magiſtrates hauehave had a ſpeciall care to meditate in the lawe of the Lord: ſuch were Moſes, Ioſua, Dauid, Salomon, Aſa, Ioſophat, Iſachias, &c. Of whoſe good example, God grant all godly magiſtrates to make good vſe. Amen.
Pſalm. 98. 10. With righteouſneſſe ſhall hee iudge the world, and the people with equitie.
FINIS.
THE VVEDDING GARMENT.
Rom. 13. 14. Put yee on the Lorde Ieſus Chriſt.
By Henrie Smith.
LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe, & are to be ſold by William Wright. 1592.
To the Reader.
To controll thoſe falſe copyes of this ſermon, which were printed without my knowledge, (patched) as it ſeemeth out of ſome borrowed notes,Gen. 43. 11. and to ſtop the printing of it again without my corrections, as it was intēded, becauſe they had got it licē ced before, although vt …erly vnwilling for ſome reſpectes to hauehave it publiſhed, whiche made me withſtand their importunitie ſo long, yet ſeeing more inconuenience then I thought of, I ſuffered that which I could not hinder. And nowe hoping that it is Gods will to profite ſome by it, as Iacob parted from Beniamin, ſo that which muſt be, let be, and the Lord giuegive thee a blesſing with it.