98 : !1 profitable Expofitton 5. PETITION. Hop a man bench to C./ESAR, in hope of more iuftite. Yet was CJar alfo an Infidel! , "° thereby notably teaching vs , that.iftwoeuill Confi (loriesitmight bee lawful' hu, tochoofe the heifer euill, then more lawfull is it to Yfe the helpe o agood onç, I. meant of Magi flrates that feare Gov and maintaine true .Religion, and proceed according to Chriftian Lawes. But yet heerein take mee with you, and runne not away, as a man that had got what a troublefome nature kilted. Youmu It therefore know alío how you may vie the Magiltrate and the benefit oflaw , for fo much as all vie is not lawfull. Find then it is a good mans duety to try all meanes before this, cneo as wee doe before weeproclayme open warres againit any, I meane the helpe of brethren andneighbours at home to arbitrate betwixt Dext. s7...vs and fuch like, and ifit will not beereformed, but that we mail nudes vie the publike Magifirate, then let vs beware that wee diftrufl not Go iz, and put our hopein them , for hee is worthely ofthe Loin accurfed,t hat trufleth in men: and maketh Hells his arme. Letvs retayne loue with that perfon vnfained whom wee deale againil, and account him not prefendy, as moil men doe , an enemie, andfuch a one as wee may not falute , nor Bate, or drinke, or come in company withal!. For thefe heads the Loin abhorreth, and wee were better lode the mat- ter wee fuefor euer, than make fhipwracke ofloue and letiitie, ofcurtefie and humanitie, and fuchother vertues.asadorne a Chriflian. We mull not alto be . contentious and quarrellous for euery occafton, running to this courte. For it is neither tollerable in our feluesy not conuenient for our gouernors, that with euery matter they fhould bee hindred from weightie matters. Nay eueninfuch our caufes as hauefome moment in them, wee mutt yet coole our heat, to pro- fecutethem often with true and due confideration of mans fraylty, as even of our owne frayltie, who may as well offend the law as others, by trefpafling Come way our neighbours, and yet would bee loth that extremity fhould bee (hewed. Saint AufFen fayth, Accxfandi ardorem hoc mode frangi : That the heate and haft to accufe is brokenand flayed, by this good confideration with our fettles of lobe g, mansweakeneife. And you fee that our Sauiour Chrilt cooled thofehaftieac- cufers,when he badhim that was without fault,throw the firft [lone at her. Con- fider alfo muff euery good man fomewhat, the delay that is often in law, Torre. times by mil occafion of thematter, becaufe it is intricate,and fo wrapped in Cub- tildes of man, as nothing well may difcouer, as time and leafureof proceeding, which indeed many times openeth what no wifedom foeuer could fee, fometimes by couetoufnelfe & vnfaithfulnes of Lawyers,. Iudges,or Officers : &feitig that thefe delayes are moil chargeable both to the one partie and others, therefore Rarechari they mull moderate vs many times, and caufe vs to fpare our poore neighbour, 'row a dales. though happily it be to our loffe,lea[t we thus vtterlyvndoe him & all his, he be- ingobfl mate &crooked,thathe will not giueouerwhilefthe bath tofpend, For this feeling hart ofanother mans harme,chis loue & lenity,this tender compaf lion & care for them that haue not grace to care for themfelues, is preciousbefore the Lord. And he often rewardeth lot a in this refpeft fu[lained,with better meafure than law would haue giuen either colts or damages. Finally,forget not alto euen many times to reafô with your felfe thus, I fee the fatherles & widow many times oppreffed for want of helpe,& weaknes go to the wall for want ofcoiítenance,yea I fee fin borne out* vertue borne downe many times, to,the great difkonourof God, & offence ofhisChurch,& Iam not touched therat ,orat heal Ifpend not a peny,neither a dales trauell to helpe therin,but now that my felfe am touched,& mytranfitoryfub lance endangered ,Iam ready togotolaw, and to fpend much furely thismay I do,butthat other (hold I notleauevndone. Yet how am 1 more forward for riches than for vertue,for euery caufe Of mine owne ,than for any of . my neighbours? Thus I lTay,to reafon with your felfe is mol profitable, and wilt greatly diced a.good mind in this matter we fpeake of, namely, how bee may vfe law. Now then I truft you fee a bridle put in our mouches from haftingto law, iss
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