Again he comforteth them that are in office:1 Even as an iron tool cankered with rust is hardly made clean and sharpened, so is the world like a rusty iron, and hatchet full of gaps, loose in the handle or helve, which no man can work well with. This is a very handsome similitude. And as it is a very laborious thing, and troublesome to cut or hew with such a rusty and hackled hatchet: so is it a woeful and miserable state to be a governor in a realm or an house. For it is an unprofitable & marred tool, ⟨image 167⟩and yet must we be doing, in, and about the same. So when men are evil and full of naughty affections, there is need of great wisdom to rule & moderate them. Thus he saith: If it be rustyed & blunt, then is there need of a wise workman, that is: It must be a cunning workman that can well whet out an old rusty Axe. So it is needful he be a wise man that can handsomely use such evil tools, that is the world, and such perverse and untoward men. Men by nature are despiteful. But God hath authorized such men, that at least they might therefore be obeyed.2 For he saith: I will that thou be obedient unto this man, for if thou disobeyest him, thou contemnest me. But yet they obey not by this neither. Therefore public governance or house keeping is but such a rusty tool as is spoken of. Use therefore the same hatchet thou hast, sins thou canst handle none other, as saith the Proverb. He that hath no lime, must build his wall with dung or loam. If thou be an householder, or an officer, think thou hast this rusty iron, that is, such as thou canst not rule, nor will be ruled, occupy it, and cut with it as ye ⟨p. 163⟩canst that thou mayest at least keep some part and show of a common weal. For men shall never be able to do so well in a common weal, but much evil shall remain there still. Therefore he must be a good workman that can so sharpen an old rusty iron, that yet he can use it handsomely. These are the things that must comfort us in such cases.
AGayne he comforteth them that are in office:1 Euen as an yron toole cankred with rust is hardly made cleane and sharpened, so is the worlde lyke a rustye yron, and hatchet full of gappes, loose in the handle or helue, which no man can worke well wyth. This is a very handsome similitude. And as it is a very labourious thing, and troublesome to cut or hewe with such a rusty and hacled hatchet: so is it a wofull and miserable state to be a gouerner in a realme or an house. For it is an vnprofitable & marred toole, ⟨image 167⟩and yet must we be doing, in, and about the same. So when men are euyll and full of naughty affections, there is neede of great wisdome to rule & moderate thē. Thus he sayth: If it be rustyed & blunt, then is there néede of a wyse workmā, that is: It must be a cunning workmā that can well whet out an olde rustye Axe. So it is néedefull he be a wyse man that can handsomly vse such euill tooles, that is the worlde, and such peruerse and vntoward men. Men by nature are disspitefull. But God hath authorized such men, that at least they myght therfore be obeyed.2 For he sayth: I will that thou be obedient vnto this man, for if thou disobeyest him, thou contemnest me. But yet they obey not by this neyther. Therfore publyke gouernāce or howse keping is but such a rustie toole as is spoken of. Vse therfore the same hatchet thou hast, sins thou cāst handle none other, as saith the Prouerbe. He that hath no lyme, must builde his wall with doonge or lome. If thou be an householder, or an officer, thinke thou hast this rusty iron, that is, such as thou cāst not rule, nor wil be ruled, occupie it, and cut with it as ye ⟨p. 163⟩canst that thou maist at least kéepe some parte and shew of a common weale. For men shall neuer be able to doe so well in a common weale, but much euel shall remaine there still. Therefore he must be a good woorkeman that can so sharpen an olde rustye iron, that yet he can vse it handsomely. These are the thinges that must comforte vs in such cases.
- 1An hard thing to govern a corrupt common weal.An hard thyng to gouerne a corrupt cō mon weale.
- 2Great wisdom is needful, to correct evil manners.Great wisdome is needefull, to correct euill manners.
