Four sermons preachedFoure sermons preached

If the Apostles rule were kept, they which do not work should not eat: but now they which do not work, eat most: and the husbandmen which work, eat not, but are like Bees, which prepare food for other and pinch themselves. Let us consider this, for they had not one law and we ⟨image 26⟩another: but the same curse which was denounced upon Adam, was denounced upon all his children, that every man should get his living in the sweat of his brows. Although I know there be divers works, and divers gifts, and divers callings to work in: yet always provided, they which do not work should not eat, for in the sweat of thy brows, that is, in labour and travel, thou king, and thou Judge, and thou prelate, and thou landlord, and thou gentleman, shalt get thy living as Adam thy father did, or else thou doest avoid the curse, and a greater curse shall follow, that is, they which will not sweat in earth, shall sweat in hell.

If the Apostles rule were kept, they which doe not worke should not eate: but nowe they which doe not worke, eate most: and the husbandmen which worke, eate not, but are like Bees, which prepare foode for other and pinch themselues. Let vs consider this, for they had not one law and wee ⟨image 26⟩another: but the same cursse which was denounced vppon Adam, was denounced vpon all his children, that euerie man should get his liuing in the sweate of his browes. Although I know there be diuers workes, and diuers gifts, and diuers callings to work in: yet alwaies prouided, they which do not worke should not eat, for in the sweat of thy browes, that is, in labour and trauell, thou king, and thou Iudge, and thouprelate, and thoulandlorde, and thou gentleman, shalt get thy liuing as Adāthy father did, or else thou doest auoide the cursse, and a greater curse shall followe, that is, they which wil not sweat in earth, shal sweat in hell.

Adam had food aswell as thou, and so had Noah, and more then thou, unless thou hadst all, for they had all, and yet they might not be idle, because their hands were not given them for nothing: some work with their pen, some with their tongues, some with their fingers: as nature hath made nothing idle, so God would have no man idle, but that he which is a Magistrate, should do the work of a Magistrate: he which is a judge, should do the work of a judge: he which is a captain, should do the work of a captain, he which is a minister, should do the work of a minister: as when Noah was called an husbandman, he did the work of an husbandman. This contempt of the country, doeth threaten danger to the land as much as anything else in our days, unless their burden be eased, and their estimation qualified in some part to their pains. Thinking that you have not heard of his the aim before, seeing the words of my Text did lie for it, thus much I have spoken to put you in mind how easily you live in respect of them: and to certify our minds towards our poor brethren, which indeed seem too base in our eyes, & are scorned for their labours, as much as we should be for our idleness.