A divine herbal together with a forrest of thorns In five sermons. ... By…A divine herball together with a forrest of thornes In five sermons. ... By…

5. Sins are fitly compared to thorns and briars, for their wounding, pricking, and such harmful offences. Therefore they are called tribuli, a tribulando; from their vexing, oppression, and tribulation they give those that touch them. The wicked are such Caltrops to the Country, boring and bloodying her sides. Either pricking the flesh, or tearing of the fleece; as briars and bushes that rob the sheep of their cotes, which come to them for shelter. A great man wicked is like Abimelech, whom Jotham calls a Bramble in his Parable.¹ The Olive would not leave his fatness, nor the Fig-tree his sweetness, nor the Vine his goodness, to be promoted over the trees. But the aspiring Bramble usurps it: and (as if he were some great Cedar) he calls the Trees to trust under his shadow. But when poor men come to this Bramble for refuge, here they loose a lock and there a lock, till they are left naked, Yea, the clothes are not only rent from their backs; but like the sons of Sceva exorcising the evil spirits, they depart not away naked only,² but wounded. Their garments satisfy not these briars, scarce their blood and lives.

5. Sinnes are fitly compared to thornes and bryars, for their wounding, pricking, and such harmefull offenses. Therefore they are called tribuli, a tribulando; from their vexing, oppression, and tribulation they giue those that touch them. The wicked are such Calthrops to the Countrey, boring and bloudying her sides. Either pricking the flesh, or tearing of the fleece; as bryars and bushes that robbe the sheep of their cotes, which come to them for shelter. A great man wicked is like Abimelech, whom Iotham calls a Bramble in his Parable.¹ The Oliue would not leaue his fatnesse, nor the Figge-tree his sweetnesse, nor the Vine his goodnesse, to bee promoted ouer the trees. But the aspiring Bramble vsurpes it: and (as if he were some great Cedar) he calls the Trees to trust vnder his shadow. But when poore men come to this Bramble for refuge, here they loose a locke and there a locke, til they are left naked, Yea, the clothes are not onely rent from their backes; but like the sonnes of Sceua exorcising the euill spirits, they depart not away naked onely,²