The Church argueth the case with the Iudges, bids them marke the old way which wicked men have trodden; adviseth them to an hum∣ble confession of their fault, and to leave proud Apo∣logies, for there the Law leaves them, and is cleare against them.
ZOphar spake well, though he applyed it ill, Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon Earth, that THE TRIƲM∣PHING OF THE WICKED IS SHORT e. So Elephas a little after f, Hast thou marked the old way, which wicked men have trodden? WHOSE FOƲNDATION WAS OVER∣FLOWNE WITH A FLOOD.
The Church applies all this right, even to the Judges, and would have them apply it so too, for they are able. Surely they can looke backe and enquire of the dayes of old, which will tell them, that their Fathers in whose steps they trod, consulted shame to their house: Because of Mens bloud and for the violence of the Land g, shame de∣voured the labours of their Fathers h. The stone cryed out of the Wall and the Beame out of the Timber answered it; woe to him that buildeth a House with bloud and establisheth it with iniquitie; And so it was and is, for these houses are consumed away by the heate of Gods displeasure, as if they had been made, as we reade some houses are in Gothland, of SNOW i.
The Lord grant they may consider this, and trust to their Repen∣tance, and free acknowledgement of their crimes; to that BLOOD above all which yet speaketh, rather then to their Apologies, which some thinke, and all say, are smooth and plausible. A SAGE of their owne is cleare against them. Thus the Lord Cooke speaks, where he speakes as we may understand him, Latine and English both, and full to this purpose, for I may not hit of his words, being long since I read them.
The Law is cleare for free Sub∣jects in point of Priviledge and property, if the Client through ignorance, and the Lawyer through wilfullnesse, doe not dar∣ken it. The Law showes a way very discernable to a cleared sight, betwixt Mine and Thine. If the Lawyer be at a fault here, surely there is dust cast into his eyes, and he deales treacherously, because he will doe so, not because he wants wit or knowledge, but because he is subtle and wicked: for he goes by the clearest Lights (not single but plurall) that any Science in the world hath, the light of Nature and of Reason and of conscience, all three;