They haue spoken wordes, swearing falsly in making a couenant: thus iudgement groweth as wormewood in the fur∣rowes of the field.
* 1.1AN amplification of the malapert boldnes described before, and the same also raigning commonly among the people. It is ta∣ken from the effects, the which are alwayes wont to followe a∣uarchi or want of gouernement (that is, where no feare of God, nor of the King, that is, a man doth restraine vs from euill) And this verse hath two partes, one, wherein these effects are recited:* 1.2 The other, wherein the punishment that should follow; is descri∣bed. As for the effectes of Anarchie,* 1.3 all the euils that followe the same, are not here recited: but only two, which are especiall and most grieuous ones,* 1.4 and the which doe drawe after them infinite others. Of the which one is, That all things then ouerflow with periuries among men, and first of all in priuate contractes and af∣faires. So then these vse swearing,* 1.5 when as they deale for any thing priuately within themselues, yea and adding great execrati∣on or cursing thereunto, as it were giuing themselues vnto the di∣uell, or praying God to execute his iudgements and plagues vpon them if they performe not their promises, and such like. For there are diuers kindes of swearing, as you may reade Mat. 26 vers. 72, 74. in the fact of Peter denying his master first by simple affirmati∣on, then by an oth, and thirdly by cursing and banning of himself. Yet doe they in those cases also forsweare themselues, neither doe they keepe their fayth, nor performe their promises.* 1.6 The other euill is, that they vse those periuries in publike couenants and bar∣gainings, when as they make them with other nations: so that they keepe not their faith and promise made by oth, neither pri∣uately, nor publikely: but are in all poynts and cases wicked, ha∣ted of God and men, periured persons, faithles, and couenant brea∣kers. That such vnfaithfull and trothles dealing raigneth both in Anarchie or where there is no gouernour, & also in that state where the people beare al the rule, as wel the histories do testifie, as especi∣ally Zenophon lib. de Repub. Atheniens. And experiēce it self taught the same among the Israelites, when as within themselues they kept not faith either publi••ely, or priuatly, nor yet kept it with other na∣tions, as with the Assyrians for example. Whereupon they procu∣red vnappeasable wars with them, against themselues, in the which in the end they vtterly perished.