The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

But now men are come to that self-love, and want of other mens wrongs as it were a thing done in a far country, and in an other age, as though it nothing pertained to them, they have nothing to do with it. But those that be of the better sort, will only have a little idle pity, and mercy of the mouth in a few words; alas I am sorry, and it is pity that honest men should be thus wronged, but never put to an hand to help, nor stir a finger to do any good to their relief, neither be at pains nor charges to ease them, and deliver the oppressed, but most men bear this mind, that they would take more pains and be at more cost to pull one of their own beasts out of the ditch, then to pull a poor wronged Christian out of the paws of the persecutor. But Jonathan was not of this mind, he ventured his own life to save Davids, and delivered him out of the hands of Saul his father, though it seemed David only stood betwixt him and the crown. And Obadiah when he being the kings steward had as one would think need to look that he loose not the kings favour, and Ahab his master raised an hot and sharp persecution, and would have slain all the Prophets, and he should have scaped but ill in likelihood, if his master had perceived that he had been a favourite of them; and above that the famine was so great in the land that no bread & water almost could be gotten for money, so that it was not only dangerous but exceeding chargeable to keep an hundred men now, whom the king sought with all diligence to put to death, yet notwithstanding all these impediments, he stood faithfully for God and his Prophets, and kept an hundred of them with bread and water sufficiently, in the heat of persecution, and the midst of a great famine.

But now men are come to that selfeloue, and want of other mens wrongs as it were a thing done in a farre countrey, and in an other age, as though it nothing pertained to them, they haue nothing to doe with it. But those that be of the better sort, will onely haue a little idle pittie, and mercie of the mouth in a few words; alasse I am sorie, and it is pittie that honest men should be thus wronged, but neuer put to an hand to helpe, nor stirre a finger to doe any good to their reliefe, neither be at paines nor charges to ease them, and deliuer the opprest, but most men beare this mind, that they would take more paines and be at more cost to pull one of their owne beastes out of the ditch, then to pull a poore wronged Christian out of the pawes of the persecutor. But Ionathan was not of this minde, he ventured his owne life to saue Dauids, and deliuered him out of the hands of Saule his father, though it seemed Dauid only stood betwixt him and the crowne. And Obadiah when he being the kings steward had as one would thinke need to looke that hee loose not the kings fauour, and Ahab his master raised an hot and sharpe persecution, and would haue slaine all the Prophets, and he should haue scaped but ill in liklihood, if his master had perceiued that he had beene a fauorite of them; and aboue that the famine was so great in the land that no bread & water almost could be gotten for money, so that it was not only dangerous but exceeding chargeable to keepe an hundreth men now, whom the king sought with all diligence to put to death, yet notwithstanding all these impediments, he stood faithfully for God and his Prophets, and kept an hundreth of them with bread and water sufficiently, in the heat of persecution, and the midst of a great famine.