graunted and evident enough Let vs then labour to finde it out for all actions and soe this are warrantable or wicked as they haue an evident cause to justifie or condemne them CAVSES are either ordinary or extraordinary Those which we call ordinary are all second causes which are readie at hande lying open to the eye of vulgar observation and proceeding by a legall common course of Nature Extraordinarie causes are either wholy hid or farther remooved so that they are not seene at all or at least not by all The highest among'st ordinarie causes for wee speake of that spheare wherein the rule of man is wholy busied and taken vp is the sovereigne or supreame Power and all other powers subordinate to it This hath conveniency and vtility as the most proper end of it's operation and ayme For though it be convenient profitable to haue such subordinate power setled yet it is not of absolute necessity that wee haue them Extraordinary causes in this classe or forme haue Necessity for their proper and direct ende and begin onely to worke when there is defect of operation in the ordinary causes as Physick is administred to helpe decayed nature and expell malignant humor Thus when Saul the supreamest amongst ordinary causes in the common wealth of Israell is slack in his office God rayseth vp David to quicken his zeale and when Ely growes olde and negligent and through indulgence suffers his sonnes to abuse their office God rayseth vp Samuel to provoke him to more dilligence And thus at all tymes in defect of ordinary pastors God hath raysed vp prophets to teach his people and to publish his judgements openly and playnely It is as I haue before noted very-vncertayn whether such promises were ever propounded on no by the King because wee never see them repeated challenged or performed by Saule to David after the worke wrougt though with the perill of their owne liues If any man object therfore that the reward propounded by the King ver 25. was the principall cause that excited David to vndertake this quarrell I doubt not to say they are much deceiued For though intisements to vertue and indowments for vertue doe well and though men come seldome to the markett where nothing but bloud and blowes are to be bought and solde yet true fortitude is not mercenary nor coulde all those words make our worthy dip his finger in bloud by vndertaking a single combat except a greater necessity call him forth then prayse or profitt or pleasure or preferment It must not be an ordinary but extraordinary cause therefore that moue's this extraordinary person and what other thing coulde that be then the present daunger wherein he beheld the church and state involved together with the desperate ingagement of the King and Kingdomes honor Hee see 's all these in hazard to receiue either a totall overthrowe or at least a violent and vnrecoverable blowe by this Blasphemer For will it not stagger true beleeuers when they see the enemy braue God as it were to his face and goe away vnpunished The wicked then encourage themselues in infidelity and with open mouth deride and discreditt the former miracles of God soe much spoken of For if God doth not every day create new worlds or confound olde enemyes or produce new miracles man will not beleeue that ever he made the world or confounded the rebellious race of idolatrbus Gyants or ever did a miracle or perhaps scarce thinke there is a God to doe such thinges At least that he is not the true God except he marcheth away with the conquerour For prosperity and externall glory so bewicheth and dazeleth the eyes and judgements of mortall men as they cannot suspect guilded falshood nor embrace ragged truth And therefore Rabshakeh comming agaynst Ierusalem by the commaunde of Sanacherib King of Ashur elevated with his former victories crye's out with an open and jmpudent mouth and demaunds of the Israelites wherein they trust and put confidence that they doe not presently render themselues to the mercy of his Master where sayth he is the God of Hamah and of Arpad where is the God of Sepharuaim or how haue they deliuered Samaria out of my hands whoe is he among all the Gods of these lands that hath deliuered their Country out of my hand that the Lord should deliver Ierusalem out of my hands The text sayth the Blasphemer receiued no answere till God stopt his mouth with a miracle For all then and there were colde benumde and silent as persons decayed in spirit and fitted for that defection and forreigne Captiuity and subjection which not long after followed But our Champions heart burne's more hott in this place with zeale and indignation to see and heare the boasting and blaspheming enemy rayle agaynst the God of Israell of whose loue and power David had large experience and whose name by way of thankfulnes he had extraordinary cause to defend from dishonor whilst he had power make 's him begin the onsett as it were to this conquest by conquering his priuate feares his brothers frownes and the cavelling exceptions of all other envious beholders with this bolde and braue demaund what haue I now done Is there not a cause And thus much of the cause or matter here mentioned to shew that it was a cause of necessity which compeld ' his vndertaking for Is there not a cause hauing reference to nothing els then to the publique perill and common calamity of the church and state threatned by this idolatrous Champion Which is a cause more then sufficient to compell him that is a true member of the mysticall body of Christ to shew his Spirituall life by strugling for the generall liberty The conclusions therefore from hence deduced are these following CONCLVSION 1. First there must bee an apparant cause of necessitie to justify every extraordinary action or vndertaking performed by a priuate person APriuate Person is hee that hath noe direct or publique calling to the action he vndertake's In which sense a publique person in one kind may be a priuate person in an other respect Aron is a publique person to sacrifice but not to rule and Vzziah is a publique person to gouerne but not to sacrifice A magistrate is a publique person but not for all actions for if he take vpon him to administer the Sacraments he therein becomes a priuate person Nay when he doeth any acte of Iustice without a Law he then laye's by the prerogatiue and dignity of a publique person and acts the parte of a priuate man Because the lawe is the instrument sword of the publique magistrate without which to strike is to Tyrannize and without which to converse in any puplique busines is to become priuate Thus wee see Mayors other subordinate officers who are shadowes types of the supreame goeing abroad without their Swords Maces the ensignes of their offices become priuate for the present time till they assume those types
for Mordocaies sake he will bee revenged of the whole nation but pretend's publique good Ester 4. â—5 it is not saith he for the Kings proffit to suffer them Herod is pleased in seeing the daughter of Herodias daunce and therefore Iohn Baptist's head must pay for the musicke Neither could the innocency of the man saue his life but Herods byrth-day most become the day of his death The Church mournes when Tyrants are borne and the Godly fast and pray and weepe when the wicked feast and play revell Herod hath sworne and therefore religiously will keepe his vowe Iohn Baptist must dye O superstitious hypocrite noe necessity caused the to vowe nor is their any to make thee keepe it To doe good at all times necessitie comaunds vs to doe mischeife at any time noe necessitie compell's vs. In this thou art religious but to keepe Herodias they brother Phillips wife that never troubles thy conscience Hypocrite strayne out guats and swallow camells Soe Lewis the eleueneh of France would not sweare by the Crosse of Saim Loro of Angiers but any other oath he would take and hauing broken them kisse the leaden God which he wore in his cap and all was well his conscience was quiet Assuredly what pretence soever men make he that liue's in any open sinne without remorse and repentance hath noe religion in him Superstition may posesse him and guild him without true wisedome and devotion cannot secure him within Demetrius the Silver-smith pretends religion to stop the doctrine of Saint Paul Yet couetousnes his priuate proffit was the end of his vproare and for that cause he gather's together a factious troope of persons interressed in the same crafte and comodity Act. 19. 24. 28. with a greedy acclamation saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians Now all these might and did pretend causes to extenuate the haynousnes of their facts nay perhaps to justify them altogether for there is noe act but hath his cause and be it neuer soe fowle put 's on a fayre vyzour but none of these can cleare themselues to haue any other impulsiue cause then the corruption and praevarication of their ownevile natures They cannot say that either necessitie to prevent some imniment danger or to procure some certaine or probable good excited them to worke neither can they justifie themselues with such an expostulation as our Duellist here doeth saying what haue wee now done Is their not a cause They must therefore confesse their actions to be grounded vpon ambition pride vayne-glory malice envye or some other oblique and crooked cause and soe to be sinfull censurable together with all such as shall hereafter resemble them CONCLVSION 2. A Second Conclusion from hence deduced is that necessitie supplie's the place of an ordinary calling and warrants the vndertaking of any action for the avoyding of a certaine mischeife either to the state where wee liue or the true religion which wee professe WEe see in nature that when the eye waxeth blynd the hand grope's the foote beat 's for way and the eare by listening seeke's to guide the body right and to supplie the place of an eye Soe the eye where men are deafe and dumbe borne apprehend's by signes and sends back her owne conceptions by a visible kind of language One member supplie's the place of an other in service of the whole body neither doth the head where reason reside's find fault with the comunitie of partes and exchange of their portions The mouth in case of necessitie think 's noe scorne to become a draught and purging place to the stomack by vomit neither doth the stomack in case of necessitie refuse meate that is sent vp by glisters Nature makes vse of any parte in any office for preservation of the whole man from ruine In the reasonable faculties of the soule the jmagmation stand's in stead of memorie by begetting newe Ideas in braines that be inclyned to be ouer-hott and drye and the memorie supplie's the defect of judgment by following former presidents where the brayne inclyne's to ouermuch moysture and all parts bringing intelligenc to the reasonable soule the Governesse of all shee reject's none before examination nor censure 's any for doing the office which belong's to an other whilst the other is defectiue and this doth not neglect it 's proper function Soe that the soule hauing neede of all maks vse of all for the comon benefit In-soemuch as if the foote by tripping giue 's her warning of that which the eye should haue seene she doth not therefore neglect to looke out because the intelligence come's from a blynd guide but therefore she looke's out to see if the foote say true or noe soe let 's the eye see it 's owne fault in the dilligence of the foote The Apostle vseth this argument to perswade the Corinthians to vnity 1 Cor. 12. 21. 22. 23 24. shewe's that there is a fellow-vse or neede that one member hath of anotther and that likewise their ought to be a fellow care one for an other 1. Cor. 12. 25. and also a fellow feeling or compassion of common afflictions one with an other And since euery member partak's with the head and whole body 1 Cor. 12. 26. in paine or pleasure in houor or dishonor therefore it concern's euery member to looke to the preservation both of themselues in perticuler and of others in generall Because noe member can say they are absolute in themselues and haue noe needs of another The eye doth not see for it self alone but for the foote and whole body It concerne's the Eye therefore to watch that if the eare by accident should be negligent or lett slip a remarkeable observation which concernes necessarily the whole body that the eye might be in stead of an eare and giue notice to the soule by some visible motion And thus wee see the eye steadfastly fastned vpon the speaker or any other object keepes the imagination from wandring and makes the eare more attentiue to the voyce and apprehensiue of the meaning And soe whilst the eye takes a napp or in the darke when it cannot see it concernes the eare towatch for it selfe for the eye for the whole body for though it be true that the eye cannot heare nor the eare see yet there is some such affinity betwixt all these members in their seuerall operations as inables the one to supply the defects of an other Nature hath ordinarily made the tongue to speake to the eare but God extra ordinarily did speake by the tongue to the eye Act. 2. 3. and knits all in a perfect and happy society As wee see in the elements though nothing be more opposed then the fyre and water yet they are mixt in the ayre which is hott and moist the fyre is hott and dry and the ayre is hott and moist Now though the ayre and fyre be diuerse yea meere contraries as the one is dry and the other moist
The Irish wolves may be perhaps thus sauage but our very Mastiues are more civill sociable and humane as for our people especially our Princes they are of too noble and generous a straine to haue such an inhumane conceite come neere them Incest only breede's this barbarous blood and Idolatry only infuseth such spirits Goe exercise this cursed course according to your old custome amongest the Indians teach the Caniballs that Europe hath a people who call themselues Christians and the cheife Catholiques forsooth amongst these doe worship the Deuill more cunningly and devoutly then those that make profession of it and thinke scorne not to exceede any point or part of barbarisme which those reasonable beasts can practise against Nature though it be in eating vp their Parents or betraying their freinds to death with whose liues honours they are trusted O England behold in what a danger thou were at this instant and beware how thou wittingly sufferest thy selfe to fall into the like againe behold the heart of Spaine and Rome towards thee and forget it not behold what blood is bred there in the brests of such as goe over tainted and corrupted before when they dare venture to poyson the pure fountaine of sovereignity and to tempt our Prince as the Serpent did Adam to loose his Paradise Gen. 3. Mat. 4. for a Pomegranate or as Sathan did our savioâ—r to worship him for the Kingdomes of the world which he saw but in shadow being all but shadowes as the Pope can giue Kingdomes and as the King of Spaine is the Catholique and vniversall King in conceite Could these men thinke him so stupid although they thought vs so that he would flee from the armes of his owne whose faith and obedience hee had long knowne and flee into the armes of strangers from whose imbracings never any escaped with life and limbe and who were never true to any man but for their owne ends that they might deceiue the second time for their greater advantage and but once for all Did they thinke his Highnesse could be secure with them and not with his owne flesh and blood that he could choose but see it he returned vnder the protection of their standards how he came like a prisoner as Charles of Burgundy carryed lewes the 11. before leige or as Edward the 4. brought Henry the 6. into the feild to conquer for their possession and his owne captivity meerely to make these Kingdomes Spanish Provinces and his royall father and himselfe their vassalls And could they dreame that the subjects of England and Scotland were no better taught by the preaching of the Gospell for 60. yeares continuance then at the first dash to rush into rebellion as if they had beene fed like swine out of the legend taught disloyalty by the Loyalists like mad dogs to byte their Master O no the Lord be praysed they see and the successe shewes the difference betwixt our Princes people trayned vp in the truth of Christ and theirs â—usled vp in the faults follyes and falsehoods of their idolatrous and Antichristiâ—â— predecessors Goe forward therefore great Duke thus to speake and deale plainely and truly like a true and noble Englishman and God will blesse thee and establish thy house for ever thy Enemyes shall see it and gnash their teeth and whilst they seeke thy head for their advantage finde a heart in thy bosome vnder thy Princes buckler and with the peoples assistance able to guarde thine owne head and strike off the proudest of their heades that dares demaund or attempt thine Was truth yet ever cald treason before or was there ever any Nation so insolent as to demaund the head of any noble member of our Parliament because he faithfully vsed the lawfull liberty of his place and discharged the trust reposed in him by the Prince and State whome he was bound to serue as being borne theirs by nature and made theirs by election honor and bounty Do the Spanjards thinke so basely of the Brittish as wee must not cast vp their corrupted and poysoned sweete meats whereof wee haue surfetted and because they haue some of our Offall for their servants and pensioners therefore do they thinke wee all ought to bee soe Do they thinke wee ought like Idiots to forget our religion for their supersticion and the allegeance due to our owne naturall Prince to advance the ambitious progresse of their Catholique Kingdome were they once so flesht with one head as they now long for more and thinke all bound to satisfy their longing or are the braines of a wiseman the only sauce for a Spanish Ambassadors table I haue reade that the parts of mans body are nourished by the like parts And it may be the Catholique consumption of witt must bee recovered with this Catholicon The wolfe would with the shepheard make no peace Till hee hung vp his dog then warres should cease Phillip of Macedon dealt with Athens thus Phillip of Spaine intendes no worse to vs. But I hope wee are better taught then thus to reward our faithfull freindes with vngratefull disloyaltyes No no goe forward great Duke and prosper whilst thou doest nothing but what may justify thee what thou maist justify before all the world by the example of that worthy David and with his wordes saying what haue I now done is their not a cause Thus having vsshered his Highnesse into our discourse by this honorable servant of his the Duke of Buckingham wee will proceede in the second place to shew those graces and favoures which haue and doe flow from the Prince toward vs since his returning contrary to the wishes and endeavours of our Enemyes and our owne feares How art thou to be extolled O excellent Prince who being singly as it were sent out to encounter the greatest statesâ—men in the world that beleeue they haue fraude enough which they call witt to vndermine all the states of Christendome and being besides disadvantaged by sustaining the place opinion person and perhaps the affection of a Louer having also some corrupters of thy owne bosome freinds hast notwithstanding stood firme to God to thy selfe and to vs Is it not a great and dangerous temptation ô all yee that know what temptation is what it is to be siffed what it is to resist that young men meet in the world vpon their first ignorant entrance How many of these miscarry at home how few returne vnmaymed from forreigne parts I appeale for witnesse to the ill times ill men and ill manners But for a Prince that is young to be exposed to tryall vpon such hard and vnequall tearmes and to come off safe and to conquer is as I thinke a taske no lesse admirable then that of Hercules if that were as true as this is A young man with small experience against the aged and experienced A David against Goliah and an Army of Philistims One as it were alone or which is worse with a Company devided against many
termes Should such a man as I am flee who is being as I am that is a Captayne Commaunder that would goe into the temple to liue Yea though the enemy hath pensioners and intelligencers amongest the Princes of Iudah for this is no new Italian Spanish or Iesuitiall devise yet will Nehemiah be constant to the truth true to the state For villaynes only and cowardes will be frighted from their faith with the bellowing of Roman Bulls Surely as dayly warres make the souldiar expert and as the faithfull are bettered by affliction so it awaken's a wise diligent man to know that there are many spyes watching his words and many enemyes hunting to finde advantages against his actions And as thus it is in the microcosme of priuate estates so it is in the megacosme of publique wealths also There is nothing more secure's an estate then to haue an enemy and notâ—ing more corrupt's a state then security and peace which softneth and make's effeminate the heart of men with immoderate pleasure So that as a tree laden with fruit ready to drop into the mouth of him that shakâ—s it or as full eares of wheate jnviting the shearer to â—â—tt them downe the dore stands open like a light housewifes house to every ruffian without resistance to him that dare's attempt to enter like a conquerour nay wâ—orelike and with importunity it presents it selfe to subjection with all the opportunity and advantage that may wooe any lustfull enemy to attempt So God saith of Nineveh Nuham 3 12. 13. All thy strong cittyes shall be like figtrees with the first ripe figgs for if they be shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater Behold thy people within the are women the gates of thy land shall be opened to thy enemyes and the fire shall devoure thy barrs And such a state was Laish secure made drunke with peace and plenty having no busines that is by way of warre with any man but by way of trading and merchandise perhaps with many and therefore in daunger to be indamaged by every man It is farre otherwise with him that is incircled with enemyes for he prouides for warres least he should become a scorne to his enemyes Neh. 2. 17 Yee see saith Nehemiah the misery wee are in how Ierusalem lyeth waste and the gates thereof are burnt with syer come let vs build the walls of Ierusalem that wee be noe more a reproach It is well Ierusalem is in misery for by this meanes Nehemiah is induced to builde By this meanes the Israelites prouide to withstad an invasion by this meanes the church and state is preserved from being a reproach to the enemyes of God God therefore where he intends to preserue a state and Church permits forreigne offences to vnite the natiue members and stirrs vp enemyes to exercise them awaken them least the weaker trusting too much to the fained fidelity and freindship of the stronger should be vnawares soddaineiy surprised devoured And though the time of peace be a pleasant time to flesh and blood the time that wee pray for as being a type and shaddow of our eternall Sabboth yet such a time is not free from Idolatry and other inconveniences though Salomon himselfe were then the ruler Winter is not so pleasant as Summer but more wholsome it hath not so much fruits neither hath it so many weedes Wee see the fyre never flames higher then when the winde labours to blow it out And because God loves a cheer full giuer and a fervent and sincere doer hateing a dough-baked professor therefore sometimes he suffer's Sathan to rayse vp stormes of persecution temptation and opposition thereby to kindle the zeale and courage of his servants Insomuch as nothing can anger the man of God more 2 Kin. 13. 18.19 then to behold Ioash the King whom he entended to encourage in Gods cause so colde in the expression of hate to the enemyes of God whilst being willed by the Prophet to strike the ground he smites it but thrice and then staye's his hand Thou shouldst haue smiten fiue or sixe times saith the Prophet so thou shouldst haue smiten Aram till thou hadst consumed it where now thou shalt smite Aram but thrice Soâ— much doth lukewarmenes disadvantage it selfe when it will not zealously pursue an occasion and opportunity offered by God for the rooting vp of his enemyes the inlarging of his Church and procuring personall honour to those that are the Actors in so holy a worke CONCLVSION 4. A fourth Conclusion from hence deduced is that to punish such as are forward in case of necessity to doe service to the King State and Church is in justice To censure and reprehend such proceeds either out of ignorance or flattery or envy not to reward such is improvidence ALl this will necessarily follow vpon the precedent discourse for if that be true which hath him sayd before that the law of nature which is the law of God and men imposeth this duty vpon all men to offer themselues to the service of the King State and Church where necessity compells though noe other person or power calls vs out and if the act of David be therefore justifiable because he hath this cause for his buckler against the challeng of his inraged brother then were it great in justice to punish David for this since he doeth but his duty and were rather puuishable if he did it not Saul may aswell malice him after the victory because the people applaud his conquests with songs of triumph as punish him now for presenting himself to the combate and shewing his good will and ready minde to doe good But such pride and injustice posesseth the harts of men as they can find noe readier way to pay benefits then by injuryes so that whilest David is preparing to fight for his brother against the Gyant who quarrells with all Israell his vngratefull brother is quarrelling with him as if he intended to punish him for fighting And this is Davids lot after and allwayes for whilst he is taking care and framing his fingers to please the furious and posessed King the King is studying how to doe him a mischeife and with a devilish intent makes his fingers the instruments of his injustice casting a javelin at him with hope to nayle him to the wall O Iustice art thou blynd as foolish men haue fayned thee or is injustice like thee in being blynd and soe mistaken for thee for surely this is the Common misery of all the servants of God to haue their words their actions their intentions misconstrued and to be pursued with hate by those especially whome aboue all others they take care and study to pursue with all offices of loue and allegiance Secondly to reprehend such proceeds out of ignorance flattery or envy for was it not great ignorance and a grand folly in the brother of David to chide him for doing that which it concerned every good subject to doe that is
to looke into the state of the Army and to enquire the cause of that generall feare with intent to doe his best to prevent it This is most cleere Yet folly is such another Lapwing as it discover's its owne nest with crying and screeking at all that come's neere it Therefore Syracides saith when a man of vnderstanding beareth a wise word Ca. 21. 26 he will comend it and encrease it but if an ignorant man heare it he will disallowe it and cast it behind his back But perhap's not ignorance but flattery is the find-fault in this place for oftentimes such actions like some meate though never soe well cooked seasoned and served in relish not right in euery pallat Now the eare trieth words Iob. 34. 3. as the mouth meates and meate is rejected not ever for its owne faulte but sometimes through the vitiousnes of the taste sometimes for lack of stomack whilest wee are overcloyed and surfeited and some time wee are led even in this sensible things by example soe that froggs mushrumpes being in fashion are preferd before the best and wholesomest meats And thus it is both in wordes and actions where sometime men dislike for lack of judgment sometime out of confusion or fastidiousnes and sometime for company or fashion sake There are also a kind of creatures that take liberty to censure all things but themselues thinke it a diminution of their glory not to be the first that find faulte or the only singular persons perhaps that doe soe Nothing must passe currant but vnder their priviledge and commonly they will be contrary to all others and to reason and religion too they were else vnworthy to be leaders or to be the bretheren of the invisible order of the Rosacruants These are too often of eminent place may be sharpe quick curiously inquisitiue in obsolete obscure and needles trifles but never serious in fundamentall and necessary points There is a certaine subtility saith Siracides that is fyne Eccles 1◠22. 24. but is vnrighteous and there is that wresteth the open and manifest law yet their is that is wise and judgeth righteously To these word-watchers there adhaere a number of Sicophants who either to seeme wise will say as they say and sooth vp their errors or at least to preserve themselues in favor will not say otherwise whatsoever they think Thus it might be here though I affirme it not to be soe but suppose it probable whilest I consider the weaknes and proclivity of frayle man to take part with strong iniquity of the present time against single and simple Truth and vertue I say it might be that Eliab in this reproofe seconded some other great Commaunder who thinking it vnfit as the counsellors of Hezechias did afterwards 2 King 18. 26. that the present state of things and the cowardice of the greatest Isralites should be blowne about through the crowde for feare of discouraging all as wickednes like age is loth to looke in a glasse for feare of beholding it's owne wrinckles and deformityes or judging it vnfit that vnexperienced youth should be busy in debating or inquiring after matters of state or affaires of warre or that a shepheards lad should step beyond the reach of his Sheep-hooke and out of the sent or smellof his Tarr-boxe thought to quench this fiery sparke by a timely reproofe But this water make's it burne feyrcer and flame brighter for hypocricy may but sincerity cannot be thus diverted from a direct course since constancy and perseverance alone is that which discovoreth an artificiall fayned and forced apparance from a true naturall Seneca Epist 220. and proper existence Nemo potest diu personam ferre fictam cito in naturam suam recidunt quibus veritas non est As cloathes dyed with blockwood will loose their colour when such as be well woaded will continue without stayning But perhaps neither ignorance nor assentation but envye moved Eliab to reprove David in this being loth that his younger brother should be his elder in honour for he sees this action would every way tend to his prayse If he failed yet to offer himselfe was honorable if he fell yet to dye soe was better then to liue otherwise if he came of vpō safe and vpon equall tearmes it was admirable if he conquered as that could not be jmagined the honour that he should reape thereby besides the reward was inestimable whilest he should remaine vnparraleld These seeds of envye are sometimes sowen even betwixt brothers whilest they cannot endure to looke vpon the brightnes of each other Cayne envyes Abell because God loues him The sonnes of Iacob hate Ioseph because their father affects him and in token of affection giues him a party coulored coate Ge. 37. 34 Act◠7. 9. Iud. 8. 1. 2. 3. The Ephramits are angry with Gedeon because he had beaten their enemyes the Midianites without their assistance The reason of this I thinke is either because vice hates vertue in whatsoever subject he meets her or because the prayse of one man seemes to be a secret check and reproofe to an other For this cause cowardes cannot abide another man should be couragious nor prophame persons that others should be religious and such dislike the best action that is done and say it ought not to be done because they dare not doe it and therefore it is faulty and punishable because they did it not I feare that Eliab whilest he challengeth his brother of this cryme saying I knowe thy pride and malice of thy hart c. May be justly taxed of malice and envye himselfe as Aristippus tould Diogenes thou reprehendest me of pride for wearing my apparrell neate and hanasome but I see thy pride in thy slouenly attire and in that thy affected beastlines and may easely spye it through the holes of that rent and torne mantle of thyne Not to reward such is improvidence Legibus proposita saith Cicero sunt supplicia viris praemia virtutibus Actions are either such as ought to be punished or rewarded for to be pardoned is a kind of punishment and the lawes respect both Now if this action of Davids be not to be punished because he doth therein nothing but what proceeds from a superaboundant measure of loue and duty to God and to his King and Country then ought he to be rewarded For as the royall scepter belongs to Ahasuerus to stretch out in mercy toward Esther and the sword to strike Haman in justice soe also doth it belong to the King to watch and read and receiue information of Mordocay his good service to remember that though it were registred it was not rewarded As it were injustice for this to punish Mordocay soe is it improvidence not to rewarde him for whilest wee neglect such as benefit or endeavor to benefit the Church and Common-wealth wee shew our selues vnthankefull to God who rayseth vp the instrument and vnthankefull to man whoe was made the instrument