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…

6 There are furious male contents among us: a contemptible generation of thorns; that (because their hands are pinioned) prick only with their tongs. They are ever whining, and upon the ⟨p. 134⟩least cause filling the world with importunate complaints. These are savage & popular humours, that cannot suffer eminency to pass unreproached. But they must vellicate goodness, and gird greatness; that neither the living can walk, nor the dead sleep, in quiet. Affecters of innovation, that are ever finding fault with the present times: any thing pleaseth them but what is. Even the best blessings of God scape not their censures: neither do they esteem by judgement, or pronounce by reason: they find fault with things, they know not wherefore, but because they do not like them. Beware these thorns: they are like the wheels of some cunningly wrought fire-works; that fly out on all sides; and offering to singe others, burn themselves. Laudant veteres, &c. as if no times were so miserable as ours. As if the civill wars of France, or the bloody Inquisition of Spain, or the Turkish cruelty in Natolia, where he breeds his soldiers; or at home, the time of the Barons war; or yet later, the persecution of a Boner; were none of them so cruel, as these days, when every man sits and sings under his own fig-tree. Sure if they had once tasted the bitterness of war, they would better esteem of their peace. These are pestilent thorns: nothing but fear keeps them from conspiracy. Nay, so they might set the whole land on fire, they would not grudge their own ashes.

6 There are furious male contents among vs: a contemptible generation of thorns; that (because their hands are pinion'd) pricke onely with their tongs. They are euer whining, and vpon the ⟨p. 134⟩least cause filling the world with importunate complaints. These are sauage & popular humors, that cannot suffer eminency to passe vnreproched. But they must vellicate goodnes, and gird greatnesse; that neither the liuing can walke, nor the dead sleepe, in quiet. Affecters of innouation, that are euer finding fault with the present times: any thing pleaseth them but what is. Euen the best blessings of God scape not their cēsures: neither do they esteem by iudgement, or pronounce by reason: they find fault with things, they know not wherefore, but because they do not like them. Beware these thornes: they are like the wheeles of some cunningly wrought fire-workes; that flie out on all sides; and offering to singe others, burne themselues. Laudant veteres, &c. as if no times were so miserable as ours. As if the ciuill wars of France, or the bloudy Inquisitiō of Spain, or the Turkish crueltie in Natolia, where hee breeds his souldiers; or at home, the time of the Barons war; or yet later, the persecution of a Boner; were none of them so cruell, as these dayes, when euery man sits and sings vnder his owne figge-tree. Sure if they had once tasted the bitternesse of war, they would better esteem of their peace. These are pestilent thornes: nothing but feare keeps them from conspiracie. Nay, so they might set the whole land on fire, they would not grudge their owne ashes.