The Contents The first Booke Of mans follies and that his wisedome consisteth in the Amendement of the same That the word translated Amend you signifieth to be better aduised And why Chapter 1. Follio 1. Of the first folly to thinke that there is no God Chap. 2. Follio 4. Of the second folly to thinke better of man then of God Chap. 3. Follio 24. Of the third To thinke to liue euer Chap. 4. Follio 33. Of the fourth Not to know wherefore we doe liue Chap. 5. Follio 39. Of the fifth By the outward appearance to iudge of mans felicitie or miserie Chap. 6. Follio 50. Of the sixt To put more coÌ„sidence in our enemies then in our friends Chap. 7. Follio 59. Of the seuenth To thinke our selues wise Chap. 8. Follio 65. The second Booke Wherein man ought to Amend That man knowing what Idolatrie superstition is ought wholy to abstaine from all participation in the same Chap. 1. Fol. 70. That it is not enough that we seperate our selues from Idolatrie but that we must moreouer ioyne with the Church of Christ Chap. 2. Fol. 77. That we ought diligently to frequent Sermons Chap. 3. Fol. 80. That in dutie we are to participate in the holy Sacraments Chap. 4. Fol. 91. That we ought to assist at common Prayer Chap. 5. Fol. 97. Of the dutie concerning domesticall and priuate praiers of euery faithfull man Chap. 6. Fol. 101 Of our dutie in reading the holy Scriptures Chap. 7. Fol. 105. That we must put in practise the word of God Chap 8. Fol. 117. Of charitie in generall Chap. 9. Fol. 120. Of Almes and releefe of the poore Chap. 10. Fol. 125. Of Couetousnesse Chap. 11. Fol. 152. Of Pride and Ambition Chap. 12. Fol. 168. Of Sumptuousnesse and excesse in apparell Chap. 13. Fol. 183 Of Ryot and superfluitie in banquets and feastes Chap. 14. Fol. 192. Of Voluptuousnesse in generall Chap. 15. Fol. 199. Of Drunkennesse Chap. 16. Fol. 205. Of Adulterie and other whoredomes Chap. 17. Fol. 215. Of Daunces Chap. 18. Fol. 228. Of games at hazard as Cardes and Dice Chap. 19. Fol. 249. Of Enuie Chap. 20. Fol. 255. Of Backbiting and slaundering Chap. 21. Fol. 262. The third Booke Who ought to Amend Of the duties common both to the man and the wife Chap. 1. Fol. Fol. 274. Of the particuler dutie of the wife to her husband Chap. 2. Fol. 285. Of the particuler dutie of the husband to his wife Chap. 3. Fol. 293. Of the duties of fathers and mothers to their Children Chap. 4. Fol. 297. Of the duties of Children to their fathers and mothers Chap. 5. Fol. 316. Of the dutie of Magistrates to their subiects Chap. 6. Fol. 327. Of the dutie of subiects to the Magistrates Chap. 7. 374. Of the duties of the ministers of the word to their Church Chap. 8. Fol. 385. Of the duties of the Church to her pastors Chap. 9. Fol. 416. The fourth Booke Of the causes of Amendement The first cause why wee shoulde Amend taken of the Authoritie of Iesus Christ to commaund vs. Chap. 1. Fol. 422. The second cause is drawne from the name Holy attributed to Iesus Christ And doth briefly intreate vpoÌ„ election reprobation Gods prouidence Chap. 2. Fol. 426 The third cause deriued from the predestination and prouidence of God intreated of in the former Chapter Chap. 3. Fol. 448 The fourth cause grounded vpon the name Emanuel attributed to Iesus Christ Chap. 4. Fol. 464. The fifth cause drawne from these titles Holy Wonderful a counsailer The strong and mightie God The prince of peace The father of eternitie Attributed to Iesus Christ Chap. 5. Fol. 473. The sixt cause deriued of these two names Iesus Christ. Chap 6. Fol. 485. The seuenth cause gathered of the signification of this word Amend Chap. 7. Fol. 497. The eight cause taken of the reason added by Iesus Christ where hee saith For the kingdome of heauen or of God is at hand Chap. 8. Fol. 499. The ninth cause taken hereof That the kingdome of God which wee looke for in heauen doth admonish vs that in this life we are straungers pilgrimes and trauelers Chap. 9. Fol. 506. The tenth cause deriued from the kingdome of heauen which is in vs. Chap. 10. Fol. 516 The eleuenth cause taken of the holy ministerie called the kingdome of God Chap. 11. Fol. 520. The twelfth cause taken hereof That by the kingdome of heauen is signified the blessed felicitie of the children of God in heauen The kingdome of God in vs and the holy ministerie Chap. 12. Fol. 533. The thirtenth and last cause of Amendement deriued of this saying of Iesus Christ The kingdome of heauen is at hand Chap. 13. Fol. 540. Faults escaped Page 40. line 2. for same Read sunne Pa. 79. l. 11. at the end R. in heauen Pa. 124. l. 28. pronouncing R. procuring P. 162. l. 2. so plentie as R. as plentie of P. 164 l. 37. hateh R. loueth P. 180. l. 41. so to resist R. so to employ our forces to resist P. 224 l. 2â— 22. as also R. otherwise P. 257. l. 31. grounded vpon R. pining at Ibidem l. 34. setting sure footing is brought R. pining away is worne ib. l. 37. soule R. haâ—t P. 259. at the end of the page read at the good of others and reioyceth at their P. 267. l. 27. shew R. shame P. 295 l. 21. prone R. reproue P. 323. l. 22. grieued R. reuealed ib. l. 32. after mother Re. to his Disciple Iohn P. 341. l. 22. after should R. not l. 40. after did R. not Pa. 387. l. 14. put out owne Pa. 403. l. 39. after deliuered R. to the death P. 409. l. 16. path R. youth P. 412. l. 41. passion R. parson P. 417. l. 14 carnall R. eternall P. 428. l. 36. after ghost R. to say P. 450. l. 1. that R. thereof but P. 465. l. 39. after clense R. our selues P. 467. l. 20. we R. ye P. 482. l. 25. after resolue R. to walke P. 496. l. 37. after that R. neuer P. 498. l. 9. amend R. bee damned P. 499. l. 29. best Re. least P. 505. l. 41. after if R. we belieue these things that l. 1. God R. we P. 513. l. 40. hand R. hart P. 515. l. 4. wine R. wiues P. 519. l. 6. after this R. ioy l. 16. after retaine R. in vs P. 526. l. 36. after the R. darke and for darke R. Deuill P. 527. l. 8. signe R. Cyon li. 28. dead into R. mortified in P. 534. l. 20. hands R. harte OF AMENDEMENT OF LIFE The first Booke Of the foolishnesse of Man and that his wisedome consisteth in amendement of the same That the word translated Amend signifieth to be better aduised and why Chap. 1. IT is a matter worth the noting that the whole summe of the first sermon of Iesus Christ as also of Saint Iohn the Baptist is by S. Mathew comprised in these wordes Amend your liues Math. 3.2 Math 4.17
speaking vnto vs but because God speaketh by them and therefore whosoeuer despiseth or resisteth them when they preach the worde of God hee doth despise and reiect God in them 6 The premises doo sufficiently shew in what reuerence wee are to holde the ministerie of the worde what a blessing it is to enioye it how earnestly and diligently wee shoulde frequent sermons especially in consideration of the benefites which wee reape by them as illumination reconcilement to God and participation of saluation and lyfe euerlasting For this cause doth the Deuill our auncient enemie labour to diuert men heerefrom and to bring them out of taste saying vnto some If God woulde speake vnto vs either by himselfe or by his holie Angelles wee woulde verie willingly beleeue and obeye him alledging to others That they can reade Gods word in their houses that they haue verie good bookes and that they can heare no better instructions in the sermons of men than in the preachinges of Iesus Christ written by the Euangelists neither anie better doctrine than in the writings of the Prophets Apostles But hereto we aunswere that our selues are also in duetie to read the holy Scriptures as hereafter we will more at large declare In the meane time it is abhominable rashnes and presumption in man to seeke to alledge reasons against the expresse declaration of the will of God Albeit we should not vnderstand for what cause God would speake vnto vs by the ministery of men or that thereby he would bring vs to saluation yet might it become vs to humble our selues in his sight and without replying to obey his commandements ordinances as certainly beleeuing that to his elect hee appointeth nothing but in his wisdome goodnes to his owne glorie and to their felicitie and saluation And in deed first euer since the fall of Adam men haue bin so estranged from God by reason of sin and their own corruptioÌ„ that they cannot abide the presence of God especially when he speaketh to them And therefore this was in olde time a common saying Iud. 13.22 We shal die for we haue seene God Likewise the people of Israel hearing God speaking vnto theÌ„ in mount Sinay Exod. 20.19 sayd vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and wee will heare thee but let not the Lord speake least we die And God accepting this confession of their infirmitie together with their demaund saide vnto Moses They haue sayd well and therefore I will heereafter speake vnto them by the ministerie of men Deut. 18.17 raising them vp Prophets and putting my words in their mouthes This experience of the people of Israel that they were not able to heare God speaking vnto them theyr demand that hee would speake to them by men the approbation thereof and Gods promise to send them prophets do declare that it is an intollerable presumption if in stead of vsing the ministerie of men we wil needs haue God himselfe to speake vnto vs. 7 Neuertheles albeit God would not offer himselfe in such maiestie as to terrifie men when he speaketh vnto theÌ„ yet may we note sundrie notable reasons that moue him to vse the ministerie of men First it is a good proofe of our humilitie obedience in that he is content we should be taught and brought to saluation by the ministrie of men that be like vnto our selues sometime our inferiors for so will God haue the glory of our faith and saluation to himself but if himself shuld speak vnto vs or send his Angels some might say It is no maruell though men obey for who will not beleeue God when himselfe speaketh vnto vs Who dare disobey him But sith they bee men and many times of lowe degree yea euen such as want the perswasiue wordes of mannes wisedome 1. Cor. 2.4 â— as Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe then as hee also addeth Faith must bee from God and not from man And therefore is it not requisite that the holye Ghost shoulde perswade vs that when vve heare men speaking vnto vs wee heare God speaking by them and so doo receiue their worde not as the woordes of men but as the worde of God In this sense doth he also say that the pastors doo beare the treasure of the heauenly doctrine as it were in earthen vessels to the end to trie our humilitie and faith 2. Cor. 4.7 whether without respect of the base and meane estate of the men wee can finde in our hearts to esteeme of and accept the heauenly treasure which they present vnto vs. Secondly is it not a great honour that God doth to man when from among men hee chooseth some to bee his embassadors as it were his owne mouth to preach and proclaime his will together with the mysteries of our saluation and to beare witnesse of his great mercie goodnesse and loue towardes vs and of that eternall glorie which he hath prepared for vs in heauen 8 Thirdly the establishment of preaching is an excellent conuenient meane to maintaine loue vnion and truth among men If there were no preaching but onely priuate reading of Gods word we shuld presently find a horrible confusion in the doctrine when euery one shall expound the holy Scripture after his owne sense vnderstanding As also by experience we doo but too plainly see that they which contemne preaching doo finally fall into diuerse opinions and errours Heereto had S. Paul especiall regard when he writ to the Ephesians There is one bodie and one spirite Ephes 4. â—4 euen as yee are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and thorough al in al. But vnto euerie one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gifte of Christ Wherefore hee sayth when he ascended vp on high hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men Hee gaue vnto some to bee Apostles others to bee Prophets others to be Euangelists and others to be pastours and doctors for the gathering together of the saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnitie of faith knowledge of the son of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine but let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Iesus Christ by whom all the bodie being coupled and knit together by euerie ioynt receiueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue through the grace that is ministred according to the measure of euerie member 9 By this discourse the Apostle Saint Paule doeth manifestlye declare that this gathering together of the Saintes this building vp of the bodie of Christ our full growing vp in him that is
for them For such as through worldly conuersation doo dayly receiue wound vppon wound and one infection vpon another are in the greater neede of celestiall and heauenlie phisicke Chriso 3. sermon of Lazarus And heereunto hee addeth also That it is a greate deale worse to thinke or imagine the holye Scriptures to bee fruitlesse or vnprofytable for them than to bee vtterly ignoraunt in them And in another place prosecuting the same argument he sayth Therefore I desire you not onely to come hether often to heare the holye scriptures read vnto you but also that in your owne houses you take in hand the holy Bible and with feruent desire to profit you receiue what so euer you finde therein And soone after Loose not I beseeche you by your neglygence such a commoditie but euen in your houses attend the reading of the holy scriptures Chrisostome vpon the Epistle to the Colos Hom. 9 The same Chrisostome vppon these woordes of the Apostle Let the worde of God dwell plentifully in you sayth thus You that liue in the worlde you that haue wiues and children marke how the Apostle commandeth you especiallye to reade the holye Scriptures and that not slightly or for a fashion but plentifully and with great diligence Then hee addeth Buy the Bible which is the medicine of the soul at the least the new Testament the writings of the Apostles the Acts the Gospels that therein you may diligently reap daily instruction for the ignorance in the scriptures is the cause of all euill 9 Others there are that care not for reading the Scriptures because therin they find no tast or comfort and this is an euill signe For as hee that for a while hath beene kept eating and therefore refuseth good meat for want of appetite must thinke that his stomacke is not wel so he that findeth no tast in the reading of Gods word may well feel that his soul is sick Yet should he follow the counsel that the Phisition giueth to his patient to whom he saith Eate by eating your stomacke will come to you But this theyr want of tast proceedeth heereof that they be not acquainted with the phrase of the holy Ghost and so doo resemble those who hearing a sermon but not beeing perfect in the language doo therein reape neither instruction nor comfort to saluation It were good for those men many times to heare God speaking vnto them by reading the holy scriptures so shall they by little and little learne the speech of the holy Ghost euen as men vse to learne other languages through the exercise of hearing reading speaking Some spices there are which without brusing doo yeld no smell but the more they bee chafed the sweeter they are euen so is it with the holy scriptures such as reade but little can finde no taste but the more they bee perused and read the more doo they yeelde foorth the treasures and pleasant fruites hidden in them And in deede sayth Chrisostome the cause why many doo vnderstand nothing procedeth not so much of ignorāce as that they wil not dayly haue the writings of the Apostles or reade them That which we know Chrisostome in his preface on the Epistle to the Romanes sayth hee afterwardes if wee knowe anie thing commeth not so much of the excellencie of our vnderstanding as of this that beeing as it were tyed to the writings of the Apostle we neuer leaue reading them If you therefore will in heart applie your selues to diligent and earnest reading you shall vnderstand that which you desire For the saying of Iesus Christ Seeke and you shall finde is true 10 It is likewise a vaine and friuolous excuse to alledge that the holy Scripture is darke and profound and that we vnderstande it not Plato sayth Ierome writ for few Hiero on the 86 Psal To. 8. Chriso in his 3. sermon of Lazarus and few doo vnderstande him but the Apostles writ not for few but for all And therefore Chrisostome saith Truely the grace of the holy Ghost hath so disposed and moderated the holy Scriptures that both publicanes fisher-men tent-makers shepheards and Apostles fooles and men vnlearned may by those bookes bee saued Least also some foole might haue recourse to anie excuse in the difficultie therof he hath vouchsafed that the thinges there spoken shoulde bee easie and that handy-craftes men and seruantes widdowes and the most ignorant among men shoulde reape some benefit and profit by the reading thereof For they whome God from the beginning hath accounted worthy the grace of the holy Ghost haue not set down all these things for anie vaineglorie like the Heathen but for the saluation of their hearers The Prophets and Apostles haue written their bookes easie plaine as publike Doctors for the world so as euerie one may learne their contents by reading and meditating onely Againe how wilt thou vnderstand the contents of the Scriptures when thou wilt scarse so much as looke vppon them Take the bookes in hande reade the whole historie remember such thinges as are playne and referre darker places to another time But if by continuall reading thou canst not finde the meaning get thee to some wiser man or to some Doctour and impart to him those thinges that are written declaring thy feruent desire then if God seeth such a readynesse and diligence albeit no man woulde teach thee yet woulde he himselfe vndoubtedly declare them vnto thee Remember the Queene of the Aethiopians Eunuch who albeit hee was a Barbarian Act. 8.28 a man troubled with many cares one that vnderstoode not what hee read yet woulde not passe his iourney without reading howe much lesse beeing at home in his owne house Also if hee read so diligently when hee vnderstoode not what dyd hee after hee was instructed And in deede God seeing his zeale and diligence sent Philip to teache him Neither wyll God at this time despise our desire to profyte in his woorde but wyll make vs to feele the fruite of this promise They shall all bée taught of God And therefore sayth Saint Augustine Iohn 6.45 Augustine of Christian doctrine the holye Ghost hath so moderated the holy Scriptures that hee hath prouided to remedie the darke places by others more easie and playne For hardly is there anie obscuritie but is layde open and expounded by some other place in the same Scripture Augustine of blasphemie against the holy Ghost And heerein doeth the wisedome and goodnesse of God appeare For as hee sayeth in another place as by easie places wee are fedde so by the more harde and difficult are wee exercysed by these wee put awaie sorrowe by the others famine 11 Others there are that take no profit by reading Gods word because they reade it as it were some prophane booke and neuer thinke that it is God that speaketh to them neither giue anie attention to the reading thereof and so feele no feruent desire to profite to saluation or to reforme theyr
but the dronken man casting vp the superfluitie of his wine for the ease of his bodie produceth a witnes which cryeth out for vengeance agaynst both body and soul for such excesse prophanation of Gods good creatures as wyll swallowe him vp in the terrible sea of Gods heauie wrath and indignation The dronkard sayth Saint Augustine pouring in his wine Aug. in his booke of repentance 1. Cor. 6.10 1. Cor. 5.11 is swallowed vp of wine and made an abhomination in the sight of God a contempt to the Angels a scorne to men depriued of vertue and a confusion with the deuills Neither is it in vaine that the Apostle Saint Paul denounceth to dronkards that they shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen And to shew how farre wee are to detest and abhorre this vice hee prohibiteth all conuersation wyth those who professing the Gospell doo giue themselues to dronkennesse 10 Is it not meete that dronkardes in the daie of iudgement should yeeld account of Gods goods which they haue abused by dronkennesse whereby they haue made themselues vnprofitable to the seruice of God through the abuse and prophanation of his so good creatures whereby they should haue bene induced rather to praise God and for destroying their bodies with wine which should haue bene to them as phisicke by the sober vse thereof to preserue them as Saint Paul exhorteth Timothie 1. Tim. 5 2â— August in a certain sermoÌ„ to drinke a lyttle in respect of his weake stomacke and vsuall infirmities But what shall we saie to him that forceth another to drinke himselfe dronke Saint Augustine answereth that in the day of iudgement he shall be guiltie both of his owne sinne and of his sinne whome he hath made dronken Little do we thinke vpon these iudgments of God yet can we confesse with our lips that ther is nothing more certaine than death nor more vncertaine than the houre thereof Againe what is to be sayd of such as die in their dronkennesse as we reade of Ela king of Israel Ammon the son of Dauid 2. Kin. 16.9 2. Sam. 13. Dan. 5 Luke 21.34 Balthasar king of Babylon and others Doth not wine cast them as it were quicke into the pit of hell Not without reason doeth Iesus Christ admonish vs to beware saying Take heed to your selues least at anie time your hearts be oppressed with surfeting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least that da e come on you at vnawares Be not dronke saith S. Paul with wine wherein is excesse Eph. 5.18 but be ye filled with the spirit As if he shuld saie that as it is dangerous to be filled with wine so in as much as we cannot be without filling he wisheth vs that it be not with wine but with the holy Ghost to the end we may bee made perfect in all spirituall and heauenly graces Rom. 13.13 11 The same Apostle admonisheth vs not to walke in gluttony dronkennes but so as we may be clothed with Iesus Christ thereby shewing that we must not presume of any vnion or coniunction with Christ but with condition that we forsake these corruptions of the flesh 1. Thes 5.7 They that are dronke saith he are dronke by night Thereby teaching that nothing so euill beseemeth the children of God whom he tearmeth the children of the day children of light as darknes which if men euen vnbeleeuers were not past all shame should not be seene in them but by night neither then but vpon condition to acknowledge the truth of the wordes of Iesus Christ Iohn 3.20 Senec. Ep. 84. to Lucill He that doth euill hateth the light And in deed how many things saith Seneca do men in their dronkennes which when they are sober they wil be ashamed of 12 This sole aduertisement might suffice to resolue vs to shun dronkennesse and to practise the counsell of Pythagoras who being demanded how a man might auoide it Pluta against the Stoâ—kes in his Apoth answered By considering what wee haue sayde and done when wee were dronke But because for the most parte our memorie then faileth vs the Lacedemonians in their publike bankets vsed to bring in two or three of their Helots a kind or seruants not much differing from slaues dronken to the end that by the insolencie and filthines of theyr dronkennes theyr youth might learne what a villanous and abhominable vice it is 13 Anacharsis maruelled at the Grecians who at the beginning of theyr feasts drunke in small cuppes but when theyr thirst was ouer in greate ones thereby declaring that it is an vnnaturall course as thirst decreaseth to increase in drinke Yet this corruption reprooued by a Heathen man is in vse among Christians yea and so that some at the first sitting downe will refraine from drinke to the end the better as they tearme it to beare the great blowes that is to drinke the great cuppes that shall come in the end Men woulde neuer bee so greedie and inclinable to this corruption Eras Apo. li. 3 if they woulde bee content to drinke as Socrates sayde such drinke as woulde not stirre vp a desire to drinke with out thirst Yet meane wee not to allowe of the counsell of Lycurgus who to keepe men from dronkennesse commanded to cut downe the vines Lycurgus sayth Plutarch was not so well aduised Pluta of hearing of Poets when seeing some fall to dronkennes and so to sinne he commanded to cut downe the vines It had beene better sayth hee to haue digged wells neere to the vines so by a sober God to haue bridled and corrected that frantike God as Plato tearmeth him hereby noting that we must beware of the strength and licorishnes of wine and a laie and asswage it with water 14 To conclude let vs remember the saying of Salomon Prouer. 23.29 To whome is woe to whome is sorrowe to whome is strife to whome is murmuring to whome are woundes without cause and to whome is the rednes of the eies Euen to them that tarrie long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine Looke not vpon the wine when it is redde or when it sheweth his colour in the cuppe or goeth downe pleasantly In the ende thereof it will bite like a serpent and hurt lyke a cockatrice Thine eies shall looke vpon strange women and thine heart shall speake lewde thinges Let vs heereunto adde his Oration that defended the strength of wine Oh yee men how strong is wine 1. Esd 3.18 it deceiueth all men that drinke it it maketh the minde of the king and of the fatherlesse all one of the bond man of the free man of the poore man and of the rich man It turneth euerie thought into ioy and gladnes so that one remembreth no manner of sorrowe or debt It maketh euerie heart rich so that one remembreth neither king nor gouernor and causeth to speak all things by talents When men are dronke they haue
others Thus doth hee summon euen the greatest to iudgement Col. 4.1 and in this sence doth Saint Paule speake to the masters of bondmen saying Yee masters doe vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also haue a master in heauen 32 Howbeit there is nothing that more induceth Magistrates to doe iniurie or wrong then the acceptation of persons which is acted two waies First most vsually in fauouring the ritch against the poor the kinsmā against the stranger the acquaintance against the vnknowne person the mightie against the weake as are widdowes and Orphants to be short al such as we dare not offend because it is in them to helpe or to hurt vs against such as haue no meanes to reuenge or to reward Secondly in taking such compassion of the widowes and fatherlesse the poore others in tribulation that contrary to right and equitie we wrongfully fauour them in iudgement Leuit. 19.15 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement saith the Lord neither shall ye fauour the person of the poore nor honor the mightie but ye shall iudge your neighbors iustly In this consideration did they in old time paint iustice blinde to the end to shew that iudges ought not to respect the apparance of any persons 33 Let magistrates therfore to the end to be the more constant and resolute in this dutie thinke vpon the admonition of Iosaphat King of Iuda to those of his time There is no iniquitie in God sayth he ◠Chro. 19 7. neither acceptation of any person Thereby declaring that the accepting of persons engendreth iniquitie Also as both are farre from God the Soueraigne iudge so al magistrates that in their office doe beare the imadge of God ought to abhorre as wel the one as the other and not to respect the apparance of persons least they should commit iniquitie For they must thinke that representing God in their office and calling they can not trespasse in this point without polluting the iudiciall seat of God And this doth Moses note saying Ye shall haue no respect of persons in iudgement But shall heare the small as well as the great Ye shal not feare the face of man for the iudgement is from God Let them therefore remember that they are as Gods lieutenants sitting vpon his seate to iudge vprightly To the end that closing their eies against al respect of persons their eares may be open to heare vnderstand the equitie of the cause that so they may iudge vprightly If needs they must fauour any friend or kinsman let them doe it with their owne goods not with the hurt preiudice of others To this purpose doe we read of Artaxerxes a heathen king he when one of his fauorites required him in an vniust cause to the end to finger a good sum of mony caused his treasorer to deliuer vnto him the like sum as he supposed that he should get by his sute and said vnto him by giuing thee this money I am neuer the poorer But by granting thy demand Plut. in his Apotheg I shal be the worse iusticer And as a iudge must not wrong one for anothers sake So must hee not vniustly fauour one because an other hath displeased him Hereof did Aristides in his example leaue vs a notable lesson For he sitting as iudge between two persons when the one charged his aduersarie with great wronges doone to Aristides hee saide vnto him Friend tell me onely what hee hath doone to thee For I sit heere to doe right to thee not to my selfe 34 Aboue all things let not magistrates couet rewards neither accept them when they are offered For nothing doeth more infect the heart and incline it to iniustice consydering that accordding to the prouerbe He that taketh anie thing selleth himselfe Deut. 16.19 and is bound to recompence the reward that hee hath receiued Thou shalt not saith the Lord take anie reward The reward putteth out the eie of the wise and peruerteth the wordes of the righteous Exod. 23..8 If this happen to the wise and the righteous who can boast of receiuing rewardes without corruption yea experience doth so ordinarily teach vs this that rewardes are now tearmed Corruptions And this doth the holy Ghost confyrme in that hee vsually adioyneth rewardes with corrupting and peruerting of iustice Psal 26.10 Dauid speaking of such men sayth In their hands is wickednes their right hand is full of bribes The wicked sayth Salomon taketh the reward out of his bosome that he may peruert the path of iudgement I knew Prou. 17.23 saith the Prophet Amos your manifolde transgressions and your mightie sinnes Amos. 5 12. ye afflict the iust ye take rewardes and ye peruert the cause of the poore And so strong is this poison that euen for a piece of bread wil man commit iniquitie sayth Salomon But what iniquitie Prou. 28.21 Deut. 27.25 He will condemne the innocent as Moses noteth saying Cursed bee hee that taketh rewardes to condemne the innocent to death And in this sense dyd the Egyptians who were greate obseruers of iustice paint Iudges without handes And in deede Salomon sayth The King maintaineth the land by iudgement Prou 29.4 but hee that is addicted to rewards will destroie it 35 This corruption hath euermore raigned in many euen of those that should haue been mirrors of integrity as we read of the children of Samuel 1. Sam. 8.3 who turning after dishonest game tooke rewards peruerted iustice Thy Princes saith Esay are rebellious and companions of theeues Esay 1 2◠euery one loueth giftes and followeth after rewards Mich. 13.10 They iudge not the fatherlesse neither doth the widowes cause come before them The like complaint doeth Micheas set downe saying Syon is built with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquitie The princes do iudge for gifts and the priestes doe teach for hyre the Prophets do prophesie for siluer Let not any man therfore dispence with himselfe to take rewards as thinking that he may be more constant or vertuous then others For as in a ballance that scale that beareth most we glit wayeth downe the other so he that giueth the greatest reward wayeth downe him that receiueth it euen into hell by corrupting him carrieth away his cause wrongfully gotten to his owne damnation Samuell in this matter bare himselfe vprightly 1 Sam. 12.3 refranying from all bribes and doing any iniury euen the least to others as himselfe protesteth saying Behold here I am beare record of me before the Lord before his annoynted Whose Oxe haue I taken Or to whom haue I done wrong whom haue I hurt of whose hand haue J receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you Then they said Thou hast done vs no wrong nor hast hurt vs neither hast thou taken ought at any mans hand 36 Let all magistrates here take an example and let this be a mirror before