England In England we haue euer had thrée States Lords Spirituall Temporall and the Commons And these Commons are diuided againe into Gentlemen Yeomen and Husbandmen But in other Countreyes there is no Yeomanrie but only in England In France all are Gentlemen or Pesants In Denmarke all are Noblemen or Rustici as they tearme them And in High Lowe Germanie there are the Nobilitie and the Boores. So that Gentlemen which are Inclosers ouerthrowing the Yeomanrie and decaying the Communalty doe blotte out the ancient glory of England for no doubt by the strength and hands of these two haue béen heretofore euer obtained our admirable conquests and most famous victories throughout all Christendome So that now these Inclosers doe goe about to make England as barbarous and as weake in this respect as other nations Nay let them take héed that they prooue not themselues Egyptians for not the countrey but the conditions maners are wont to giue names As we may learne out of the Prophet Esay whereas he calles the Noblemen of Iewrie Princes of Sodome and the people the people of Gomorah though neither they nor their ancestors were borne there So I feare we haue some Landlords of Aegypt in England for Mitsraijm the name of Aegypt in our language is as much to say as an Afflicter or one that makes another sorrowfull and are not these Inclosers Egyptians then which pinch and vexe their brethren Let them take heede the name agrées vnto them let them feare the punishment God is the same God still He that heard the grones and sighes of his people in Aegypt and came downe to deliuer them will no doubt doe the same in England I haue heard of an olde prophesie that Horne and thorne shall make England forlorne Inclosers verifie this by their shéepe and hedges at this day They kill poore mens hearts by taking from them their auncient commons to make shéepe pasture of and by imposing vpon them great rents and by decaying tillage so that now they are forlorne hauing no ioy to liue in the world And according to these shadowes Saint Iohn describeth to vs the truth of Christs Church But if that we walke in light saith he as he is in light we haue fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all our sinnes Here is euen to force vs to the communicating of our vile earth one to another the communicating of Jesus Christs most pretious blood as though they which would not maintaine this christian communion and fellowship among themselues should not be partakers of that They are not children of God but children of the diuell that walke not in this light they are not of Gods familie and Church but of Sathans Synagogue that haue not this fellowship among themselues And Saint Paul commaunds Timothie and in him all ministers to teach rich men the same lesson Charge them that be rich in this world that they be not high minded c. but to be very ready to giue and to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making common their talents among their brethren but Inclosers doe not so To conclude this point Esay in his prophesie may séeme to teach and touch vs also very narrowly that haue liued vnder the gratious raigne of Quéene Elizabeth and doe now liue vnder the happie and religious gouernment of King Iames for he also prophesied in the daies of godly Ezechias to whom both these may be compared And God there complaines that when as he had planted a most plesant vine in Iewrie and had hedged it from the hands of the enemie and had picked out of it stones that is many vnprofitable members and traytors and when he had planted a wine-presse in it that is a famous Schoole of the Prophets which should yéeld vnto them the most pleasant wine and also had built in the middest of it a stately tower of defence euen a most godly and mightie Prince and Magistrate yet for all these benefits when as he looked for swéete grapes at their hands they brought forth sower grapes And hath he not bestowed all these former benefits and blessings vpon vs in England He is very vnthankfull or starke blind that will not acknowledge this and yet for all these benefits these Inclosers with those vnkinde Jewes yéelde sower grapes And what these sower grapes are the Prophet Esay after most manifestly sheweth vs. Woe vnto them saith he that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there be no place that you may be placed by your selues in the middest of the earth Is not this the marke that inclosers doe aime at to be placed alone by themselues on the earth But to such stragling shéepe from the holy fellowship of the Lords flocke the Prophet here cryeth woe And are not these plainely the grapes that Inclosers doe yéelde to ioyne field to field and these they account gainefull and pleasant grapes Oh men desperately sicke whose mouthes are thus out of taste And doe they thinke that God will take these grapes at their hands What talke they of the goodnesse of their land that it is worth this or that let them praise God that they enioy it If he had not hedged it about not long since the cruell Spaniard had deuoured vs all Oh remembring this let them offer swéete and most pleasant grapes vnto the Lord that is deale as mercifully with their poore Tenants as is possible All the mercy which they can shew is nothing to that mercie which God hath shewed to them already nay to that he must shew to them hereafter or else they shal be damned And let them take héede for with what measure they doe now meate shall be measured to them againe as it was done to that rich man who as he would not giue a crum or droppe here on earth so he could not haue one crumme or droppe of comfort then graunted him in hell though he could cry father Abraham neuer so loud his vncharitable and vnmercifull faith could doe him no good no more shall theirs profit them Let all men marke this well It is written for our learning And let them marke well what measure of mercie they now giue and let them be sure that they giue measure enough for without all doubt at that day they shall receiue the same againe And I pronounce vnto them that doe what they can they shall stand neede of it all Let them not flatter themselues in doing some small trifles and in giuing the paring of their nailes and those things which they may well spare for as Saint Peter tels vs at that day the iust man shall scarcely be saued and then what case shall vnmercifull men be in The fifth reason is that this Inclosure is against Christian charitie SAint Paul saith Charitie seeketh not her owne things but euery man also the things of other men But these Inclosers respect onely
young men Such arrowes in the hands of Gyants and many rich Farmers hauing tall and strong men to their sonnes wée might haue 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 against this sinne and all his children ought to condemne it Againe Dauid speaking of the reprobate and wicked giueth them this cognisance Haue they 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 haue not called vpon 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 haue not called vpon 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 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 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 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 onely 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 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 haue 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 comfortable wine of this vine But héere now followes the mischiefe héere followes Sathan Jesus Christs enemie But why saith Dauid hast thou pluct vp her hedge that euery 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 haue 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 and not to feare the Diuell This beloued vine and this strong vine haue 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 euery christian soule and doe they not know that he will be praised with many mouthes And that Christ when he sawe the multitude went vp to the hill to preach and that hee knoweth how manie haue 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 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 greatly multiply his seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand which is vpon 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 vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon 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 vnto vs Christs Church of seede of buddes growing amongst grasse and of willowes and doe not all these insinuate vnto vs 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 people like to the dust of the earth Giue 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 vnto I reade in a booke of the Suruey of France made by Bodinus in the daies of King Henry the second
their owne commodities and therefore it is against charitie It was the voyce of Cain and not of Sheth nor of Gods Church am I my brothers keeper And euen at this day they are of Cains petegrée and not of Gods familie that haue no care of the wealth and welfare of their brethren This Inclosure is also against the loue which Jesus Christ commaunded and shewed towards vs Yee know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ saith Saint Paul that he being rich for your sakes became poore that you through his pouertie might be made rich And I giue you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my counsell and mine aduise herein This is also that law of our Sauiour Christ which he so straitely commaunds all his To loue one another as he hath loued them and that with a repetition This is Saint Pauls aduise for our brethrens sakes euen to become poore to doe them good But Inclosers doe not thus they séeke their owne wealth and riches therefore they contradict both our Sauiours law and Saint Pauls aduise The most comfortable words of our blessed Sauiour euen the first and most ioyfull message that he sent to his Apostles after his resurrection were these Goe to my brethren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father to my God and to your God Oh ioyfull newes Shall we not beleeue this And if we doe shall we not account indéede all Christians now our brethren euen our most néere and déere brethren which brotherhoode our Sa-Sauiour Jesus so dearely bought euen by his most precious death and shall we not deale with them as with our brethren But Dauid in the person of our Sauiour Christ complaines that he is become a stranger to his brethren and an aliant to his mothers children And is not Jesus Christ in his members amongst vs in this state euen now and may he not séeme to make the same complaint Whosoeuer lets a farme or sels any thing to his brother doth he not deale with him as with a stranger doth he not make him pay for it to the vttermost Nay sometimes more then it is worth A Turke might haue it as cheape at our hands as a Christian And may not Jesus Christ then iustly say that he is become a stranger to his brethren surely as great a stranger in his members to Christians as he was in his owne person to the Jewes For as they gaue him vineger and gall to drinke so many now giue to their brethren and especially Inclosers giue this drinke to their poore tenants And here we may note that excellent propertie of true charitie that she is alwaies hard to her selfe that she may be bountifull to others So was the widow of Sareptah that she might féede Elias and so was that widow in the Gospell which our Sauiour so highly commends That she might giue some thing into the Treasurie of God she gaue all her liuing and punished her selfe So was that Samaritan and that stranger amongst the Jewes whose example all that will be accounted neighbours our Sauiour commaunds to follow to that wounded man He set him on his owne beast he went a foote himselfe and tooke paines that he might ride So were all the Church of Macedonia as Saint Paul sheweth in their extreame pouertie rich in liberalitie to the poore They pinched themselues that they might be liberall to them Doe Inclosers follow these examples doe they pinch themselues that they may doe their brethren good Shall not all these examples of Jewes widowes strangers and Macedonians mooue them They doe quite contrarie and they thinke that they may doe it lawfully that is they may seeke their owne commoditie howsoeuer that their brethren fare surely this is not charitie All Gods creatures may seeme to teach vs this lesson as Virgils verses auouch The sheepe beareth not his fleece nor the oxe his yoake for himselfe nor the Bées hord vp their honey but all for our vse Nay those exceilent creatures the Sunne the Moone and stars how continually doe they runne their courses for our commoditie And shall not we take paines and pinch our selues to doe our brethren good And will not Inclosers learne this lesson being taught it by so many schoole-masters I am verely perswaded that God hath sent of late vnseasonable weather especially in the hay-haruest to teach Inclosers what an acre of their inclosed pasture ground which they doe make so great a reckoning of is worth For the hay-haruest which yeeldes meate for their sheepe hath beene lately vnseasonable and wet but the corne haruests which yéeldes meate for his sheepe the poore the Lord hath blessed Or else no doubt if the corne haruest had bin as wet as the hay haruest was there would haue béen a great dearth of corne to the vndooing of the poore But our most louing God to declare the loue that he beares to his owne shéepe the small care in comparison that he hath of their shéepe hath as it were plagued the hay-haruest of their sheep and blessed the corne-haruest of his own sheepe for nothing chanceth in vaine And therefore whereas Inclosers doe vrge the goodnesse of the ground and the benefit of Inclosure and that an acre of their inclosed medow and pasture is worth thus much they must consider y t vnles God send seasonable weather it may prooue almost worth nothing they must learne to let God haue a chief part of their rents reserued to him Vnlesse he keepe for vs the appointed weekes of the haruest as Ieremic teacheth what is all our land and labour taken about it worth No doubt our ancestors had consideration hereof in letting their lands which were so easily rented that the tenant might haue the rent what weather soeuer God sent and this was Christian charitie But this charitie is now vanished out of the world The Incloser will haue his great rent hée will not abate one penie what weather soeuer come One writes that the poore husâ—andman is more cruelly dealt withall than the asâ—e whom his master if that the weather or the way proue not conuenient and good will ease of his burden But Husbandmen come faire come foule weather are nothing pitied they must beare still their accustomed burdens be they neuer so great This practise of Christian charitie was vsed in the Primitiue church And the multitude of them which beleeued saith S. Luke were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said or accompted that that which he possessed was his own but they had all things common Common like Christians not like Anabaptists common in vse not in propertie For Ananias possession was his owne to haue either kept or sold it as Peter told him So was also all other mens possessions and goods but no man accompted it as his owne Lodouicus Viues a very learned man thus describes Christian charitie To loue saith hée is the