he sawe old men signified by the word Preist who smelling to an odoriferous nosegay adored the riseing sunne An expressemarke of ambition which feedes it selfe with vapor and smoake But he sawe à third company of such as adored all sortes of liueing creatures creeping on the ground A very cleere representation of the abomination of auarice à passion which is fedd with earth creepes on the earth and adores the mettalls drawne for mans disaster out of the entrayles of the Earth O how farr are the faythfull seruantes of God and iust dispensors of his misteries estranged from theis miseries and from boweing their knees before theis wretched Idolls Indeede they resemble pigeons and Bees who cannot endure to make their aboade in places infected with noysome smells subiect to noise and where the birds of pray haue recourse The bad odor of pleasures the noise of ambition and vannies and the vniust praye of couerous desires doe so affright them as what soeuer hath but the resemblaÌ„ce of any pleaseing vaine or profitable Intertst makes them flie leauing Iudea which word in the sacred language signifies Confession to retire them selues vnto the Mountaines saueing them selues from the Babilon or confusion of theis disorders within the retraite of à holy interiour solitude free from theis contagions desireing rather with Moyses as sayth S. Paul writeing to the Hebrews to be afflicted in the seruice of God then to dwell in regall honors and delights esteemeing contumelie for Christ fare greater riches then all the treasures of the Egipt of the world Such are the birds of Paradise who descend not heere below but by the thread of simple necessitie laboureing with their hands as S. Paul being no burthen to any nor coueting any thing that is anothers contenting them selues onely with foode and coatheing such as the vse of natute requireth not that of superfluitie and like to the perfect sphericall figure which toucheth noâ— the table perfectly seene but in one point Certes there are very fewe of theise people neuertheles some there are and though hard to be pointed at for they liue in obscuritie amongst the dead of the world as sleepeing in their Sepulchers and free amongst the dead vnknowen to men and knowen to Godhidden from all and from whom nothing is hidden yet there are more of them then is imagined and who bend not their knee to Baall before that image of gold and Siluer the workmanship of mens hands which is called proper interest Nor before that statue variously coloured in its composition and made of so many mettalls which was tourned into dust by à litle stone But let vs obseruâ— at a neerer distance and by retayle theis three Interests beholding them with à stronge water vsed in the parteing of mettalls which is to say with the spirit of discerneing to the end we may auoid the Snares which S. Anthony sawe to couer the face of the Earth and establishe our feete on the firme stone on the liueing Rock CHAP. XV. Of the dilectable Interest I Will insist very litle vpon the detestation of him who regards pleasure because in the subiect which I handle I cannot perswade my self that there is any one of those who are called to the directioÌ„ of soules so abominable as to caste such à scaÌ„dall in this way of heauen which they ought to teach vnlukiâ—y transforming the stone of edification into that of offence and that which ought to vnloose into à snare or gynne the most execrable which can be immagined And although the doctrine of Wise-men and of many miserable examples cause vs to know that there is nothing so holy that findes not its profaner nor any thing so good which an yll minded man may not depraue the sonne of God him self who come for the redemption of the would being the ruine of diuers and à rock which crusheth to peeces those on whom it falls and the Sacrament of his body which is the begining of life and life eternall doth it not render culpable of death and death eternall such as receaue it vnworthily If then so ill an vse may be made of so adorable à Sacrament which is the sunne of all others how much more easily may à lost soule abuse the same wherof they of whom I speake arâ— distributors Since in theÌ„ hath bene placed the word of reconciliation and vnto them the keyes of heauen haue bene comitted Truely how spirituall soeuer aÌ„ man be or conceaue himself to be it is necessary carefully to remember that he is inuironed with infirmitie that the spirit is prompt but the flesh feeble that he is flesh ioyned vnto à spirit which tends of it self to Sinne through an inclination which the sense receaues from its origine but retournes not from thence nor is raised vp by its owne proper forces Here it is where according to the Apostle we ought to walke prudently and as it were vpon the ashes which couer the embers The Sanctitie of Dauid the Wise-dome of Salomon the strength of Sampson proue in this dangerous incounter but misery but folly but Weaknes The flesh is à traiterous Dalila who seekes onely to poule the spirit and depriue it of its force its resolutioÌ„s and to deliuer it vp to its enimie sinne which will make it blinde and binde it with cordes that it cannot vntie it self It is à Iahel who presents milk vnto this Sisara to take from him the life of grace when she shall haue lulled him asleepe in the sleepe of sinne Alas the Angells them selues whom the Scripture points out by the name of the children of God will finde beautifull the daughters of men which peraduenture are vnder their conduct and from whose acquaintance arose Giants the horror of heauen and the monster of the Earth Adam in the state of Iustice and of grace haueing one onely woman to conduct for feare of distasteing hee was seduced and ledd by her vnto this rebellion and to eate the fatalle morsell of the forbidden fruite â— which was the true box of Pandora and the source of all our miseries Goe and trust then in this domestique enimy which is our flesh enimy so much the more stronge by how much the more infirme after so many horrible lapses wherwith both the profane and sacred histories are but too full LOT who was so holy and so iuste in à cittie the most abominable of the earth what did he committ in the desert Had the sense respect vnto blood and as à Prophett sayth did not blood touch blood Ammon blindad with his passion did he not violate all the duties of nature and was there not one of the children of Iacob and the lyke of Dauid who defiled the bed of their owne father Certes as all good is possible to à beleeuer so noe euill causeth horror to the Wicked After that once God and his iudgements are taken from before their eyes at all times and in euery place their wayes are corrupted What did not the Children of Aaron and those
wholy ignorant I speake not without ground with this litle touch and motion of Zeale because the experience of 25. yeares both publiquely and priuately imployed with sufficient attention vnto the service of soules made me knowe that some pull downe more by ignorance then by malice that which the science of others erects in good consciences with much labour I doe not say that these companies which absteine from heareing Confessions doe ill No truely because to speake properly this office is more Pastorall then Cenobiticall seing indeede the same tends to the conseruation of their Clausteriall discipline which they coÌ„ceiue would therby be dissipated and relaxed though other Congregations no lesse austeere reformed and who proforme this function with much fruite edification are not of the same opinion grounded vpon this sayenig of the Apostole That Charitie seekes rather the aduauncement of Gods glory then its proper interest But that which I finde of difficultie is that the vnexpertnes in an occupation which is the arte of artes since it is the guidance of soules wholly internall and in the face of God causeth them to put their sickle into an others haruest and by their directions to spoile who cannot without the seale of Confession be very internall the wholsome and holy Economie of Confessors I verily beleeue they haue no intent to doe ill for who could iudge otherwise then well of the good intentions of such as by the austeritie of their liues cast forth the good odour in Iesus-Christ lyke vnto that of the Myrrhe which distills from the wounded tree A comparison which the eternall wisedome takes to it self But I know well that the successe of things doth not alwayes answeare the intentions And that S. Paul did not alwayes act the good which he would and that he was soÌ„times the cause of euill which he willed not I speake boldly in this for as much as it is of certaine knowledge I thinke then it would be to the purpose to shew vnto theis our Maisters the DIRECTORS so seuere to their bodyes and so delicate in their spirits and who are content to eate the sinnes of the people without the paine or yrksomnes of heareing them that they should either wholly dedicate them selues to this practise as the other austeere and reformed orders very worthily doe should enter into the powers of our lord and visit the interiour Hierusalem with the serching lampes at the Tribunall of Penance or that without embroileing the labours of the skilfull with their aduise which they deliuer as Oracles yssueing from the horne of Dauid and saluation They should containe them selues in à deuoute silence which would be farr more perfect profitable then to intrude theÌ„selues into families consciences trayning into captiuity simple soules loaden with sinne ledd by diuers desires and continually learning without being able to arriue to the knowledge of Truth Charitie without emulation or contention hath prest me to make this censure Which is not yet so stronge as the case deserues for as much as there arise from these coÌ„tradictions sundry impediments to hinder the aduancement of many soules in the way of God And his dinine goodnes gruant that this seemeing Pietie which tends to particular profitt hurt not the particular profitt of true Pietie which alone can say with the Apostle T is you that I seeke not yours T is your soule and not your goods Our fishing is for the soules of men not for their substance CHAP. III. Spirituall Libertie moderated NEither would I yet by blameing this varietie auoid one gulfe to run into another All extreamitie is naught I would not willingly take away from à soule the libertie of searcheing euery where for able and pious men to conferr with them about the affayres of her saluation For though the Scripture placeth Knowledge and the Lawe in the Mouth of the Preist note this particular and putteth euery word to be determined in the Mouth of two or three yet neuertheles other where it sayes that saluation consists in diuerse counsells There are neuer too many when they are good and then are they such when they oppose not one another strugling like Esau and Iacob Lett the soule then remayne in full libertie for this respect because where the spirit of God dwells ther is the true libertie Libertie of the children of God Children of the Free not of the Bondslaue and who haue not the spirit of seruitude but that of adoption which makes them cry Abba Pater Onely let discretion the salt and seasoning of all vertues serue it for à Torch to auoied the incommodities which are found both in the vnitie and multiplicitie the same being subject to daungerous tyes and to an Empire on the one side and à Thraldome on the other which make the yoake insupportable wheÌ„ it is forced And this engulfeing à soule into the trouble of incertitude resembles these trauellers who lodge euery where rest no where and these Bees which make no honney when the spring ouer-abounds in flowers because the delight they take in flying vp and downe causeth them to forgett to retourne into their hiues and there to lay vp prouision for winter If some time it bee needefull for à soule to be thus diuided betwixt à DIRECTOR and à CONEESSOR at least let these two persons be both learned both deuoute both expert both charitable and wnanimously conspireing to the good of that soule which coÌ„mitts it self to their guideance to the end that as one yron cleeres another as one diamond polisheth another they way explicate their difficulties according to the occurrencies without further entangleing them or subiecting this spirit to the torture The which will happen if both of them be Good practitioners and well exercised in that profession which goueâ—nes the keys of Heauen bindeing and vnbindeing consciences But not soe in case one of the two be onely versed in the Theory of that Theologie which is called Morall CHAP. IV. The anguish of à soule diuided betweene à Director à Confessor of different opinions NOw as if two horses which drawe à coach be not well trayned or pull not alike there is daunger the one aduanceing the other going back the one turneing on one side the other on the contrary that they euerturne and breake it in peeces Soe likewise if à poore heart be rent as is were torne in sunder by two different guidances what can it hope for but to dye vnder so cruell à torment and to finde his punishment euen there where it ought to expect consolation and its direction vnto grace I haue sett forth that which is already spoken vpon the subiect of this pious soule wearied in this manner by the different opinions of those who did conduct it and like vnto à shipp that cannot finde the porte being tossed to froe at an instant by two contrary windes Haueing therfore compassion of its payne which onely proceedes froÌ„ the excesse of Meekenes feare and
scruples and vexations into the armes of the heauenly Prouidence haueing giuen her for à rule and leuell of perfection in her vocation the Philothea of my blessed father assuring her that if she obserued this rule she should liue before God in sanctitie and Iustice both now and in all eternitie And haueing caused her retourne vnto her Confessor whom I found to be an excellent man and very able to guide her I assured her that followeing his counselle and direction which I iudged very good and wholsome and walkeing simply and confidently vnder this conduct she could not but arriue at à secure harbor I told her bosides plainely and roundly that I did not approue of this double guide of à Confessor and Director at one time vnlesse the Director were as well versed as the Confessor in the practise of the Sacrament of Penance and made ordinary profession therof moreouer I required in this Director so much aduantage both in science and experience aboue the Confessor that he were able to be his maister So that the opinions both of the one and the other might not so combatt one another that the spirit of the partie directed should stand doubtfull and diuided in it selfe further though I would not take parte with inconstancie knowing that one of the Prophetes makes instablitie to be à punishment of the sinnes of Ierusalem yet neuertheles in the act of Penance and the interiour I sided with libertie and as I did not finde fault with the tyeing ones self to one Confessor or Director so that distraction were easily auoyded Soe neither did I commend that voluntary seruitude not being ignorant that either extremitie might be vitious And as in the one it were to relye too much vpon à creature malediction being pronounced in holy writte against him that trusts in man and putts his confidence in the flesh which is but haye and dust So in the other it were to flye from braunch to braunch and buzze over euer flower but neuer to make honey perswadeing my self that in the temper of à mediocritie gouerned by discretion one might stick to an vnitie without renounceing à pluralitie and some times to make vse of à pluralitie and not doe iniurie to an vnitie This I shewed her by the example of two holy Congregations of Woemen ' the one of Carmelites whose holy and Angelicall life casts forth à sacred odor in IESVS-CHRIST which embaulmes the whole church The other of S. Marie of The Visitation founded by my blessed father which as the litle Violett of March growes lowe and in the shade but fayles not to send forth à most odoriferous sweetenes and à sent of most holy example Now in theis two sortes of communities they enioye this freedome by their constitutions for all of them to take in generall diuerse times in the yeare extraordinary Confessors and in particular this grace is neuer denied to à sister when it is reasonable and aduantageous to her consolation or spirituall profitt As for the rest concerning conferences with learned deuoute and spirituall persons the same is not onely graunted them with à holy freedome but likewise counselled and persuaded in regard of the ample benefitts which it brings to the progress◠of the Soule in the way of saluation Though I am not ignorant that the pluralitie of counsells some times perplexeth spiritts cheefely those of the sex which hath infirmity for its share But who knows not that there is nothing so good which may not by excesse or abuse be depraued If then such à libertie be giuen vnto women both reformed and inclosed liueing vnder à farre more strict discipline then à secular person who hath its Soule in its owne hands why might not she then iustly mak vse with the blessing of God of so honest and profitable à licence consulting with diuerse Oracles and according to the Apostle makeing triall of many spiritts not to tye her self vnto any but the good It is therfore in my opinion à thing no lesse tormenting and daungerous so to oblige oneselfe vnto à Director or Confessor as not to endure the approach or relish of an other as to chaunge euery daye without relyeing vpon any one Wherfore this aduise of an auntient wiseman who would that me should loue so as if we should one day hate and that we should hate as if we should one daye loue seemes to me may well be practised in the subiect wherof I speake in suffering ones self to be spiritually guided by à Director or Confessor as if the next day he were to loose him which happenes euery daye in the frequent transmigration which the conuentalls make And so to leaue any one as if shorte time he were to giue him self vp againe to his direction By this meanes he shall preserue his spirit in a perfect libertie which consisteth in à totall disingagemēt of all that is not God what soeuer pretence he may conceaue not to regard any creature but in God and for God and in some relation which the thing created hath to the Creatour For to conclude no man can serue two Maisters It is necessary that we haueing but one heart it should dwell in God alone The bedd is to strait the couering to shorte two cannot remaine couered therin Ah! Let God liue and who is like vnto God And who would not breake all other chaines but that chaine of perfection which linkes vs vnto him O liberty of my heart thou art too generous euer to subiect thy self to any other then to God alone or to regard any will but his In obaying those whom he hath giuen vs for Superiours and placed ouer vs to whom he commaundeth the same obedience as to him selfe because he speakes vnto vs by them and who heareth thē heareth him and who despiseth them despiseth him All obedience is imperfect which hath any other aime for which cause the Apostle exhorteth seruants to yeeld obedience vnto their Masters not as to men but as to God And the Apostle teacheth vs to receaue à Prophett in the name of God and not in the name of the Prophett himself yf we desire God for our reward It was in that spirit of perfect libertie which I counselled that Soule in her election of à Director and Confessor without separateing those two qualities of the same person in case she should thinke it fitt for her spirituall aduantage to putt her guidance into other hands then those wherin I left her And to serue her for à torch and rule in this choise I markt her out the fourth chapter of the first parte of my B. fathers Philothea where that holy Prelate in few pages comprehends no lesse judiciously then succinctly whatsoeuer is necessary in this behalfe CHAP. X. Three qualities necessarie to à Director Science BVt towards the conclusion he desires three qualities in this Director which I explicated vnto her one after the other though insisting cheefely on one which in this place I purpose to deduce more at
their Institution being the last in the date of time were the first in the practise of mendicitie which vntill that time had not bene in the Ecclesiasticall Order This noueltie stirred vp certaine spirits transported with à bitter zeale without discretion and I might also say without science but they had too much of it not of that of Saints grounded in charitie which edifieth but of that which puffeth vp and which causeth such as possesse it to sinne and makes them to receaue condemnation by their owne iudgement These wrote venomous inuectiues full of coller boldnes against these holie Institutes against whom S. Thomas composed those diuine treatises which serue for sworde and buckleâ— I would say as offeÌ„siue and defensiue armes for all the Mendicants The authoritie learning and pietie of this great Saint who was indeede rather an Angell then à man rendred the names of the Authours of these Satyrs infamous Who had done like the Giants of the Poets burying themselues vnder the mountaines which they themselues had raised For he tourned their dolour and iniquitie vpon their owne heads with so much efficacie as he cut off without recouery the heads of this hydra for euer stopping the mouth of all detracters by his thirteeÌ„th opuscule and the two following out of which he afterwards drewe those excellent resolutions which he brings touching the Cenobiticall Mendicitie and the labour of hands in the 186. question secundâ— 2. Farr be it then from me to touch vpon this Cenobiticall Mendicitie and this exemption from the labour of hands so well defended and by so many reasons and authorities as if I should be so ill minded as in this point from which God preserue me to iustle or reprehend them I were not able and if I might truely I would not for all the world hurt or giue à shocke vnto fraternall charitie But reprehending the bad vse of a good whence arise these vniust complaints of some Cenobiticall Directors I thinke not to offend à condition altogether holy and which is not culpable of the faults of some particulars who make ill vse of the happynes which they enioy to be therin placed complaining to ill pourpose of suffering some incommodities inseparable to the Mendicant pouertie which by à modest silence would tourne vnto their merit before God and their glory before men CHAP. III. The obiection touching strong Mendicants refuted NOw in these excellent workes of S. Thomas by me cited I haue made an obseruation wherof I will speake here à worde in passing He often enough refuteth cheifly in the fifteenth Opuscule the obiection drawen from that lawe of the Code which is made against the sturdy beggers A knot which this great and incomparable spirit could cut à sunder with à backe blowe as the Gardian was by Alexander and yet neuerthelesse he seemes to be so moued pressed therewith as if it were no small difficulty vnto him to vntie it He makes à retraction in the Question of his summe which I haue cited in the fift article wherin he shewes himselfe to be as euery where else à better Philosopher and Diuine then à Ciuilian For this lawe speaking onely of these Quâ—ymans lazie sluggards who being strong vigourous and very healthy loue rather to gaine their liuing by begging then by working their lazines causing them to wipe away all shame and to preferr à fatt idlenes before an honest labour who sees not that the publique Iustice hath risseÌ„ to chastisâ— these blood suckers who by their deuices drawe to themselues the almes which should be better applied for the comfort of those that are truly poore and in à pressing necessitie What comparison then can one make vnles it be by à blacke and iniurious malice of these rascalls who are as the ratts and vermine of common wealths with the Sainctity of those whose voluntarily vowed and MendicaÌ„t pouertie the Church approueth in consideration of the great seruices which they render vnto Pastours in instructing and directing by way of ayde and assistance the soules of the faythfull What à mockery were it to call him sluggard who cooperats in the arte of artes which is the feeding of soules an arte as it is more difficult so the more laborious and perilous of all others Now as the pride of those who hate the true good still ascendeth so nether was it simply with the lay-brothers nor those of the Quire those defaming aduersaries of the Mendicants grappled but they fell more by furie then reason vpon the Preachers and Confessors of these holie Orders therin Coadjutours of the ordinary Pastours delegated for that end by the Sea Apostolicke Was not this to imitate the dogge who biteth the stone and not the caster addressing themselues to those that are sent and not vnto him who sends them whose eminency is too much exalted to become subiect vnto the reach of so base persons and who were in the obscurities amongst the dead of the worlde And that which is more considerable is that these excellent and most vsefull Institutes were then in their birth and as young shootes which had not as yet gathered mosse All such as were admitted therin hauing as the first Christians but one hart and onâ— soule and the selfe same pretention ioyned with à sufficiency to serue soules and helpe the Pastours in their charges when the burthen would haue bene dreadfull vpon the shoulders of Angells How then could they haue filled their lungs and cried alowde if they had not seene that which is since come to passe the fleets of brother seruants and of Chorists mingled amongst so few Preachers and Confessours as one may say that in these armies the baggage and the followers which the Latines call by the name of impediments infinitly surpasse the champions CHAP. IIII. Two passages of S. Austen and à notable example HOw strongly would they haue resounded these passages of S. Austen in his booke of the workes of Monks whervpon S. Thomas as well in his 15. Opuscule as in his Summa in the Quest cited article 5. makes so excellent interpretations the first wherof is in the 22. Where this Eagle of Doctors speakes thus Many of an abiect and seruile condition in the world imbrace this holie profession of seruing God hee speakes of Monachisme abandoning the rusticke and clownist life or shopps of tradsmen and the mecanicall labours where it is not euident whether they came with à good purpose to serue God or els to flie à poore painfull and laborious life and to be cloathed and feed without doing any thing and besides honoured of those by whoÌ„ they were before despised and trodden vnder foote Can such iustly excuse themselues from the labour of hands being conuinced therof by their first life which they gained by the sweate of their browes And in the 25. Chapter if they will not worke let them not eate For pietie ought not to be the cause that rich men humble themselues to the end the poore growe
by litle and litle they founded themselues Beholde the number and the reuennues of Cenobites of the troupes of releife of delegates of the priuileged of exempts Let vs now see the diuision of those younger brothers and of Pastours who will they nill they are their elders and let vs beholde in what sort these are supplaÌ„ted and how the greater serue the lesser These eminent people of two great parishes of à citie and of foure villages haue but one vicar and his clarke to serue him and who hath charge of soules but what meanes haue these two Preists the one Pastour the other his compagnion Who will beleeue me but rather who will not beleeue me after 24. yeares experience They haue not fiue pounds à peece to spend yearly in foode and cloathing They haue not à deneer of all the offerings that are made in the Church the chapter receauing all and the â—astour whose table is mine hauing kept him aboute me many yeares in quality of à Preist of honour and compagnion assisting me euery day at the Altar assured me that at the end of the yeare that which was giuen him for the administration of the fiue Sacraments which the Curates dispence did not amount to two crownes Hereby iudge what the liberalities may be in villages Now compare 75. Cenobites without any charge of soules with two poore Preist charged with the soules of two parishes in an Episcopall Citie and of foure neighbouring villages compare two thousand or fiue and twentie hundred pounds sterling yearly that they get by one meanes or other to wit by rents or by begging with twentie pounds à yeare and then iudge who are more Interessed or Dis-interessed the lesse mercenaries or hirelings Consider whether they who are in plenty in repose in sight of the eye without solicitude saieth the Apostle which accompanieth such as are charged with soules haue cause to complaine of their pouertie of frozen charitie of the ingratiutde of the world and whether these poore Pastours who as sheepe holde their peace whilest they are shorne or rather whilest they are fleade and eaten who exclaime not Who want à voyce to complaine who grumble not who suffer without groanes and without vttering à worde who plead not who giue the cassake after the cloake the doublet after the cassak stript euen to the shirte naked as Iacob vpon à dunghill ill cloathed worse fed exposed to colde to heate to hunger to labour in all times in euery place at all howres without cesse alwayes bent alwayes watching alwayes employed ready to goe vpon the least worde at the least sounde of the bell fastened subiect tied submitted to euery creature seruants of all for IESVS-CHRIST anguished miserable afflicted besides despised and as it were trampled vnder foote without being respected of any but contrarywise contemned disdained as the refuse and filth of the world By whom by their owne subiects by those vnto whom they administer the holie things whom they feede with sounde doctrine and good example By whom by those who owe vnto them double honnour and of whom they may saie I haue nourished Children and beholde they haue despised me CHAP. XIV A sigh vpon this misery O Poore-Pastours may it be permitted to sigh vpon your misery and to say vnto God in the tearmes of the lamentable Prophet Lord remember what is happened vnto them beholde and consider their reproach Their heritage their holy tithes is passed away to strangers to those who haue nether care nor charge of soules their howses their honours and their goods are in the hands of those who be not of the Hâ—erarchie they are made like Orfans without father and their Churches the mother of people are become widdowes they drinke their proper water for monney they buye at à price their owne wood they are pressed oppressed surcharged and they haue no repose nor relaxation in their wearines yet if it were permitted them to holde out their hand to their proper sheepe and to demaund of them bread But whilest it is permitted vnto others to demaund it without obligation of doing any thing vnles they please without solicitude aÌ„d without charge Pastours are coÌ„maunded to haue the charge and the care and forbidden to demauÌ„d almes This which is à glorie and à coÌ„moditie vnto other Preists who are not of the holie Clâ—rgie tournes to their reproach and is imputed vnto them as à shame for à reason vnknowen vnto vs and rather of flesh and bloode then of the spirit I speake Lord of the good and who serue thee in simplicity sincerity of hart walking before thee in all the perfection which possible they can It may be that their Fathers or their Auncestours haue Sinned and are no more and now these beare the punishment of their iniquities They who heretofore were their seruaunts and their aydes and who saied that they came to their succour haue taken dominion ouer them and no man thinks of redeeming them from so hard à haÌ„de The maisters of the workes of the king of Egipt were neuer more rude vnto Israel when they tooke from them the strawe and forbore not to demaund of them as many bricks These haue the same charges as their Predecessours and not their tithes nor reuennues People of an other world haue entered vpon their goods onely leauing them à small part they giue them but à miserable portion shewing themselues almost as rigourous as the maister of the Prodigiall in the Ghospell and for an increase of reproach vnto Pastours of sheepe as they are and soe called by thy mouth O Lord they are so bolde as make them of the condition of this Prodigall Beholde ô great God and consider how they are vilified by those who are their inferiours in dignitie who haue made vintage of their goods and who haue brought vnder tribute those who were hertofore the Princes of peoples and Prouinces The Ramms heads of flocks finde noâ— pasture for themselues but the droanes and the Caterpillers haue deuoured all The Preists and the Auntients are consumed in the Citie and haue demaunded meate to reuiue their soules and susteyne their life The most noble children of Sion the Pastours couered with the prime and the most pure gold of charitie since they are obliged by their state to giue their liues for their sheepe haue bene reputed lost vessells for sheards of broken potts for persons of earth and dirt These stones of the Sanctuary are dispersed through the heads of the streetes and the merket places and how comes it to passe but since the Fairies and the Syrens haue discouered their breasts and haue giuen sucke to their young ones Since that the daughter of the people daughter whom the people nourisheth remayneth in the desart of her retirement in the caue of her inclosure as cruell as an Ostridge which deuoures and digests all which turnes all into her substaÌ„ce and findes nothing too hard nor too hott To what eÌ„d Lord doe they put their mouth into the