A CHRISTIAN Memorandum OR Advertisement wherein is handled the Doctrine of Reproofe WHAT IT IS HOW WE MVST REproue How necessary it is With Exhortations and Arguments moving vs to the right performance of that duty and Reproofe for neglecting Reproofe By RICHARD TRVMAN Mr of Arts and Minister of Gods word at Dallington neere Northampton EPH. 5. 11. Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reproue them OXFORD Printed by John Lichfield Printer to the Vniversitie and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Tygres Head by Henry Seale 1629. TO THE RIGHT HONOVrable William Lord Spencer Knight of the Bath Baron of Wormeleighton all outward happinesse with peace of conscience in this life everlasting saluation in the World to come RIght Honourable It is a true Ingenui pudotis est fateri per quoâ— profeceâ—â—â—us haec quasimere as authoris Plin ancient saying It is the property of an honest and ingenuous minde to acknowledge by whom we haue receiued profite this is as it were a reward to the author Now seeing bookes and writings are the greatest riches we haue being the issue and ofspring of our best studies and dearest endeauours I could not but present to you the first fruits of that tree whose plantation was caused by your owne hand and the rather that I may giue some poore pledge and obuious testimony of my thankfull commemoration acknowledgement of such fauours as haue bin on my part receiued from that noble personage who is now gathered to his Fathers as also for that fauour and countenance which still I receiue from your selfe I will not speake much of him whose owne workes haue giuen testimony enough to the world added as to your Honour so to your comfort yet to free my selfe from the aspertion of Dixeris maledicta cuncta cum ingratum hominem dâ—â—cris vnthankfulnesse which is a sinne of sinnes and all the evills a man can speake of I must needs say something of him for the constancy and fidelity of whose loue I receiue still daily comfort least iustly the world might say of mee according to that inscription which Scipio Africanus caused to bee set vpon his Tombe when hee had done many fauours for Rome afterwards was banisht by them Ingrata Patria ne offa quidem mea habes Val. Max. Vnthankfull countrey that hast not so much as my bones Yea the world can testifie how profitable he hath beene to Church Common wealth who from a louing and noble ambition tooke alwaies pleasure and delight to be beneficiall to such as stood in need of him and that not after the manner of our ignoble benefactors in these daies who professe charity in meane time the obiect dies and this is to set a dish of meat vpon a dead mans graue or else they doe good when they themselues are departed which howsoeuer it may comfort the liuing yet addes no ioy to him that gaue it being dead good workes being done after death wee carry the Lanthorne behinde vs it may guide and comfort the followers but we see not what wee doe our selues but good workes done in our life time is to carry the Lanthorne before vs whereby we administer helpe to others and to our owne comfort behold it our selues It shall suffice to speake but in generall for should I proceed to the commendation of his particular vertues I presume I should be answered as he that spent a long Oration in praise of Hercules Quis vituperauit Who dispraiseth Hercules Yet I could not but breake his boxe of spikenard wherein his good name was enbalmed that the perfume and sweeâ—nesse thereof might somewhat impart itselfe to the world concluding my speech of him as Philip of Hipparchus hee died seasonably Sibi mature â—â— mihi 〈◊〉 for himselfe but to mee too soone Let mee therefore returne vnto you most Noble Lord bearing the character impresse of all his worthy partes as though they came by succession and inheritance beseeching you to accept these my poore labours though they be nothing equiualent to that maine debt I owe vnto you Your acceptance I craue especially because I know in this world and Babel of distraction and confusion of diuided mindes no man can please all but some will presume to taxe the whole world but this shall be my comfort that I haue euer found the best learned and ingenuous the most modest and gentle censurers of others for which cause I was moued and emboldened to shelter my selfe vnder your religious and iuditious protection which may be to mee like the buckler of Aiax to sheild me from the detraction of many And as Antimachus being forsaken of all his auditors proceeded in reading his booke because Plato was left esteeming him to ouer value them all so if many shall disdaine and reiect my labours yet if it please you to approue like them it shall administer comfort and encouragement to me as for such as want both learning and charity to iudge aright or to iudge in loue I passe not if they vse the freedome of their owne natiue iudgements I will resolue as in the Tragedie as I haue little hope to obtaine their fauour so care I little for their frowne envy may disdaine draw bloode it cannot Thus being as confident of your fauour as I am certaine of the vnconstancy of the most I leaue you and all yours to the blessed and prosperous protection of the Allmighty and remaine Your Lordshipps euer to command in the Lord Richard Truman To the Reader CHristian Reader It was the saying of Solomon the wisest Prince that ever raigned Withhold not good from them to Prov. 3. 23. whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it and them I take to bee the owners of any good that stand in need of the same few or none there be to whom direction may not bee profitable in their demeanure but to some more then to others therefore as the Almanacks of Prognosticators are written especially for the climate wherein they dwell so my publishing this discourse is chiefly for my owne countries sake for amongst the manifold causes of the augmentation and increase of sin though it he not so seriously advised and thought vpon yet doubtlesse the want of discountenancing and rebuking sinne is one reason why it flourisheth so much in the most and in regard there is one kinde of people who offend by connivency and silence when they see sin committed I haue endeavoured to put some life zeal into them by stirring them vp to this duty also beholding on the other side a strange extreame namely a generation of people too industrious and ingenuous in reprouing others who are rough and tetricall spirits that whosoeuer is not in every point as precise as themselues they account them as dogs and swine men of vncleane and prophane dispositions vnworthy any account or
and that to the Act. 3. 6. greatest surely wee could not but bring forth some reformation from our good endeauours And for our better encouragement not to dissemble with any but to deale faithfully with all let vs consider the words of Solomon Hee that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him Prov. 24. 24. 25 shall the people curse nations shall abhorre him But to them that rebuke him shall be delight and a good blessing shall come vpon them CHAP. 5. Arguments to perswade vs to reproue the sinnes of others First Argument the guilt of Sinne. IF we reproue not sin in others 1 Argument to moue vs to reproue sinne in others we make our selues guilty of the same sinne for the neglecting any duty which is commanded displeaseth God as well as the committing of sinnes prohibited Curse yee Meroz saith the Angell of the Indg. 5. 23. Lord curse yee bitterly the inhabitants thereof not because they fought against the children of the Lord but because they did not assist the Lord against the mighty and we are as well liable to the curse of God for not helping the lord against sin as they that really transgresse the law vice vertue are contraries which haue no medium therefore in subiecto capaci the absence of the one must of necessity argue the presence of the other so theÌ„ he that hath authority to reproue sin is guilty of it if he strike it not vpoÌ„ the face with a seasonable rebuke and if a man neither lye nor sweare himselfe yet if he suffer it in others â—â—e sinne is Qui ferendi potestatem â—abet solus in culpa est si culpa non feritur Bâ—r. Amici vitia qâ—i serâ— facit sua his owne as in the Common wealth and our lawes the accessary is as well guiltie and lyable to punishment as the principall So in Gods Consistory the not corrector as well as the law-breaker is both guilty of the sinne and subiect to the same reward For if a soule sinne and heare Leuit. 5. 1. the voice of swearing and is a witnesse whether hee hath seene or knowne of it if he did not vtter it then he shall beare his iniquity and therefore the Lord admonisheth the watchman to blow the trumpet and Ezeck 33. 7. 8. warne the people from the Lord otherwise if hee warned not the wicked man from his way the wicked man should dye in his iniquitie but God would require his bloud at his handes Now euery one in this case must be a watchman ouer his brother to prohibit and rebuke sinne in him otherwise his brothers bloud shall be required at his handes And thus it was in ancient times amongst the Heathens themselues for the Lacedemonians vsed to punish him that did not reproue the fault of another with the same punishment that was due to the offender himselfe and thus wee see the sinne of another man by our silence may become our owne and therefore the word mum in English I take to be deriued from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 macula a fault or blemish so that in this kind to be mute or mum as wee say or to hold a mans tongue is a sinne and transgression in the sight of God and certainely shall not goe vnpunished Therefore if any man haue an eye to see sinne let him discouer it if he haue an hand let him plucke it vp otherwise other mens sinnes shall bee enrolled amongst ours and so with Ely wee shall not only breake the necke of the body but that of the 1. Sam. 4. 18. soule also and make the curse of another mans sinnes light heauy vpon our selues Second argument is charity towards the sinner Secondly the duty of loue and 2 Argument to moue vsto reproue sin charity wee owe one to another bindes vs to this good office In the old law we are commanded not to see Deut. 22. 1. our neighbours oxe nor his sheepe to goe astray and to hide our selues but in any case to bring them againe vnto our brother much more then are wee to reduce a straying soule into the waies of God and good reason for wee are all of vs fellow members of that body whereof Iesus Christ is the head now we know members of a body are helpefull to one another if the foot haue a thorne in it the head stoopes the handes helpe to pluck it out againe We are brethren as St Paule saith Brethren if any one bee ouertaken in Gal. 6. 1. a fault c. fraternall and brotherly affection must be a spurre to pricke vs on to shew our loue in this action which indeed is a sure tryall manifestation of the best loue and on Probatio dilectionis est exhibitio operis Greg. Insâ—liâ—â—â—iciâ—ia qâ—â— illum quam 〈◊〉 â—â—â—endo â—radit Diabolo the contrary it 's a cursed friendship and association which by a wicked taciturnitie and conniuence at finne giues vp the soule of the sinner into the handes of the Diuell Therefore in this kinde it is good wee should deale as one louing friend to another who beholding him dangerously and deepely affected with some disease or sicknesse hee will carefully prouide the Chirurgion or Physition for his cure and restauration to his former health thus let vs striue to haue as much spirituall loue as most men haue naturall affection that when wee see our brother euill affected with sinne which is the sicknesse of the soule wee may by wise and seasonable rebukes make vp and heale the sores and spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 batteries of sinne and Satan in the hearts of our brethren The good Samaritan that found the maimed man in miserie that was fallen amongst theeues had compassion Luk. 10. 33. 34. on him and bound vp his wounds shall not wee then much more haue compassion vpon a Brother when wee see him lye vnder the hands of his spirituall enimies and bind vp the wounds of his soule by holy Godly rebukes Hauing reason from the law of equitie and consâ—ience more to commiserate the diseases of the soule then of the body Therefore as Solomon saith withhold not Prov. 23. 13. 14 correction from the child for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt deliuer his soule from hell Thus if wee withhold not a seasonable rebuke when wee see our brother sinne we may happily deliuer his soule from death Satan therefore reproofe is called the correctioÌ„ of life because it tendeth and leadeth to life The eare that heareth the Prov. 15. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reproofe of life abideth among the wise let vs try therefore if by this meanes wee can conuert a man that is erring from the truth and we shall saue a soule from death and shall Auâ—is audieâ—â— increpationem vitarum Iâ—m 5. 19. 20. Mat. 18. 15. hide a multitude of sinnes I might fairely launch forth and with a prosperous gale set vp saile and away into an Ocean of reasons or arguments to moue vs to this duty as the honour of God or the ensnaring the sinner and the standers by who by our silence may halfe perswade themselues a sinne to be no sinne or else so small as not worthy a reprehension or that wee are such as they are and loue the sinne if wee reproue it not also by our reproofe See M. Boltonâ— directionâ— for walking with God pag. 122. sine wee may keepe out the infection contagion of sinne whereby our soules may bee poysoned but for breuities sake I will leaue them to the iudgement and amplification of the reader and him and them to the blessing of that holy spirit who giueth grace to the reprouer and reproued both how to speake and how to take a word of reproofe in due season FINIS
not his life so that a man may say to them as St Paul said to the Galathians Am I therefore become your enimie Gal. 4. 16. because I tell you the truth when we shall come to cast out Legions of fowle spirits out of their hearts they will reply what haue we to doe with thee Iesus thâ—â— sonne of the most high Mat. 5. 7. God yea let the reprouer bee Magistrate or Minister they will obiect malice as Ahab or pride ambition as Corah and his company yee take too much vpon you Or as Num. 16. 3. Exod. 2. 14. Act. 7. 27. one of the Hebrewes to Moses who made thee a Iudge Some goe farther with Ahab to imprison And some with Herod could find in their hearts to cut off Iohn Baptists head Mar. 6. 27. and take away their liues Yea most men we shall finde like Marcus Antonius wife who would haue worne Tullies tongue in her hat because he reproued the faults of her husband These are like the Horse and Mule Psal 32 9. without vnderstanding let a man feed them all his life time and no resistance is made but when their keeper comes to let them blood to drench them or meddle with their sores hauing no reason to apprehend their owne good they striue to mischiefe him that only aimes at their health and some horses there are againe which being trauelling if they be spurred they fling about them rather then mend their pâ—ce Thus wee shall finde many behaue themselues when they are reproued tell them of their faults and striue to restore them from the distemper of their soules and they wil inhumanely resist and brutishly oppose those good motions and exhortations which tend to the good of their soules For as Solomon saith He that hateth reproofe is brutish And correction is grieuous to him that forsaketh Prov. 12. 1. Prov. 15. 10. thy way These men deale with them that correct their faults and shew them their imperfections as the Ape with the looking-glasse who beholding therein his ilfauoured face and feature striues by all meanes to breake the glasse wherein he seeth himselfe A faithfull and wise reprouer is like a looking glasse wherein a man may see his spirituall faults and blemishes a disobedient and stubborne heart is like vnto the â—â—pe who striues not to mend his faults but labours to breake the glasse that is to mischiefe him that laieth his faults opeÌ„ before his face and this peruersnesse of mind sendeth many soules to hell For he that hateth reproofe shall dye How many Prov. 29. 1. then shall shake hands with death and destruction who being great in place estate are like vnto Mount Sinai which may not bee touched Psal 125. 1. but he that telleth them plainely of their faults is counted presumptuous he that calleth a waterish swelling the dropsie or an angry humour the Gout is thought now a daies vnmannerly as though men were born to feed the humours of great ones in reprouing men of inferiour ranck we shall finde reprehension like the flaying of a beast the skinne goes from the body with much ease and little labour but when wee handle great men wee shall finde reproofe sticke at the head and from thence the skinne of sinne as of a beast will hardly be drawne And this is the reason why great men are Venison in heauen a rare dish seldome seen The second Reproofe Here I may also cheâ—â—e another generation of people who if they looke to their owne carriages they respect not how others demeane themselues But are ready to say with Cain Am I my brothers keeper Gen. 4 9. And what haue I to doe with him Let him looke to himselfe if he will Whereas S. Paul wisheth vs to consider or obserue one another And Heb. 10. 24. Phil 2. 4. Id est ea quae pertinent ad vtilitatem aâ—â—râ— Aâ—â—elm in loc to looke not every man to his owne things but every man also on the things of others so farre forth as they concerne the good and benefit of our brother And so it falleth out often times that wee are more beholding to our foes and enimies then to our friends kindred who pretend much loue to our persons but are too sparing to our sinnes with them they will haue nothing to doe or if they haue it shall be rather to make and maintaine a vice to be a vertue like the Fox in Aesops Fables who said the Crow was a faire bird and had a pleasant note Yea this want of reproofe may bee condemned much in Magistrates and Ministers themselues especially if they should exercise this good office vpon such as haue relation to them or they that are any way a gaine and profit to them they can peradventure handle zealously the faults of inferiours or it may be the inferiour faults of great ones but if they should light vpon that sinne which chiefly liues and raignes in them then they growe remisse and flacke handed and rather sooth vp the same with faire words and sugered speeches These are like the fierce Mastiue that will barke and bay till his chaine cracke at a stranger and if he chance to come within his reach he will fly in the face of him but if it be his master that hee sees come then his barking is turned into fawning because he knoweth his master vseth to giue him crusts and bones to feed on Thus many will offend for a hit of bread Pâ—ov 28. â—1 and for feare of a checke or inconvenience from him that is reproued And wee shall also finde that couetousnesse is a great cause of this defect as well as feare because sometimes it falleth out that men are made rich by the sinnes of others and this makes them like the Fox hunting after his prey which wakes with his eyes shut they see not and yet see they are wilfully blinde having closed their eyes least they Act. 28 27. Gen. 38. 14. should see with Thamar they muffle their eyes and will not see and all because the sinnes of others bring advantage to them I would this fault were not too commoÌ„ amongst the Courts of this Nation and Magistrates of the Land who like vnmercifull Chirurgians keepe the wound raw which they might seasonably heale and all for their own gaine and advantage Yea I could wish that every man in his place would deale faithfully and plainely with the faults of others noâ— searing the person or face of any man I would men would condemne the sinnes of others as plainely as the Franciscan Frier did Pope Sixtus the fourth who came to be Pope froÌ„ the same order Who seeing the Frier shewed him a great treasure of mony and said vnto him Frier I cannot say as Peter did Silver gold haue I none No more can you say saith the Frier as Peter said to the man that was sicke of the palsie Arise and walke If wee durst thus behaue our selues