a great hand in sowing these tares But obserue when this enemie sowes these tares Verse 25. But whilst men slept the enemy came and sowed tares The time of mens securitie is the Deuils seedes time their sleeping time is his sowing time So that because men sleepe euen good men oftentimes fall asleepe and are not so watchfull as would become them hence comes it to passe that tares must needs be sowne and that offences must needs come Thus we see the grounds of the necessitie of scandalous euents in Gods Church CHAP. III. An Apologie for Religion and the professours thereof against the scandal of scandals GIue me leaue now for vse of all that hath beene said to doe that which all the children of wisdome are bound to doe Wisedome that is Religion is and ought to be iustified of her children Luke 7. 35. Giue me leaue to iustifie her by whom I hope to bee saued Open thy mouth for the dumbe open thy mouth and plead their cause Pro. 31. 8 9. much more then open thy mouth and plead the cause of condemned Religion Neuer doe scandalous euents come to passe but wisdome and her children doe suffer and Religion and religious ones are instantly condemned and cried downe But let this that hath beene spoken serue to teach vs not to be offended at offences not to bee scandalized at scandals It is true indeed that God should neuer bee offended but it should deeply offend vs. It should be a trouble to vs when our brother is offended 2. Cor. 11. 29. Who is offended and I burne not How much more then when God is offended and that by grosse scandals But my meaning is this that wee should not so take offence at the scandals of such as professe Religion and godlinesse whether they doe it sincerely or hypocritically as to bee offended either at the Religion or the persons of all others professing the Truth and power of godlines Two things here may stay vs in this case 1. First because our Sauiour hath d Vnde te admoneo ne granius perturberis his scandalis quae ideo ventura praedicta sunt vt quando venirent reminisceremur esse praedicta non eiâ— valde commoueremur Nam haec ipse Dominus ita praedixit vae mundo à scandalis c. August Epist 209. foretold vs that they should come wee are told of it before hand and therfore nothing in such euents falling out but what was before told why should any start oâ— stumble at them when they come to passe Why should not this preuent scandal in this case as well as in the case of the Crosse Thus Christ preuents the scandal of the Crosse and afflictions that should befall his Disciples Iohn 16. 1 2. These things haue I spoken vnto you that ye should not be offended They shal put you out of their Synagogues c. And thus also the Apostle 1. Thess 3. 3 4. That no man should bee moued by these afflictions for verily when wee were with you wee told you before that we should suffer tribulation So here our Sauiour hauing e Non te ista conturbent fili dilectissime haereses enim scandala futura praedicta sunt vt inter inimicos erudiamur ac sic fides dilectio nostra possit esse probatior Aug Epist 50. Atqui plures ait Trypho qui se Iesum profiteri dicunt Christiani nominantur audio simulachris mactata manducare *** Cui respondens eo quoque inquaÌ„ quod eiusmodi extent viri qui se profitentur Christianos Iesum crucifixum Dominum Christum laudant sed non illius doctrinas docent nos qui purae verae Jesu Christi disciplinae sectatores sumus in spe ab ipso annunciatâ fide constantiores reddimur Nam quae praedixit futura 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dixit enim c. Iust Mart. Dial. cum Tryphone Iudaeo told vs before that scandals should come why should wee bee offended thereat as if some strange thing that had neuer beene thought of had falne out No man should be moued with scandals so as to stumble at the euent of them because Christ when hee was with vs told vs before that they should come and therefore told vs before because we should not be stumbled and offended Yea these things being foretold that they should fall out amongst those of the Church and of the true Religion we should â—â—ereupon bee so farre from being stumbled that we should rather be so much the more stablished and confirmed in the truth of our Religion and Profession because wee â—â—e those things so truely fulfilled which the High Priest of our profession hath foretold 2. Secondly because we see that â—ere is a Necessitie of them Since â—ere must bee offences and since â—ere must bee scandals therefore â—ould wee not for scandals bee so stumbled as to conclude that Religion to be false and that professioâ— to bee naught where some Professors thereof giue scandal For tâ— speak properly and truly there caâ— bee no scandal giuen but by thosâ— that are Professors of true Religioâ— and godlinesse A Turke a Mahometan a Iew a Papist cannot iâ— proper and strict phrase of speeâ— giue a scandal for there is scandâ— giuen where occasion of stumblinâ— at the Truth and Power of godlinesse is giuen So that scandal iâ— onely properly giuen by the Professors of Truth whose sinnes aâ— such as make the truth of God anâ— the sauing profession thereof to bâ— stumbled at And therefore theâ— onely are scandals to bee found where Religion and Godlinesse arâ— profest And therefore when such scandal is giuen wee must not take offence at Religion because we seâ— there is a necessitie of scandaloâ— euents in the Church of God and amongst such as doe professe true Religion Indeed when scandals do fal out this is the conclusion the Deuill would haue men infer vpon them and it is the thing hee aymes at in bringing men into scandals to haue men thereupon iudge such Religion naught and all of the same outward profession to bee alike f Ecce quales sunt qui Christum colunt falsum plane illud est quod aiunt se bona discere se sanctae legis praecepta retinere Si enim bone discerent boni essent talis profecto secta est quales sectatores hoc sunt absque dubio quod docentur Mimesis Paganorum apud Salu. de Prou. lib. 4. Doe yee not see what they are Are not of the very choicest and chiefest of them scandalous As they are so are they All As they are so is their Religion they professe Surely this Religion and the profession of it are not of God But this is the Deuils Logicke and reasoning taught in the Schoole of Hell Here bee two things inferred First Therefore their Religion is naught and not to be trusted Secondly Thus they are all That men may not thus stumble at scandals consider the weaknesse of such inferences 1.
abhorreant nunciatamque veritatem ob immania illorum facinora incredâ—bilem nequitiam repudient vt inquam frequentibus illorum sceleribus animaduersis eos quoque qui è sanctâ Dei Ecclesiâ sunt tales esse sibi persuadeant atque ita à verissima Dei doctrina aures auertant aut cerâ—e paucorum improbitate conspectâ in vniuersos eadem maledicta conijciant Atque ea demum causa est cur plerique Gentilium vbicunque istius sectae homines deprehenderint nullam nobiscum velint neque dati acceptique neque consilij neque audiendi diuini verbi societatem coniungere ac neaures quidem praebere sustineant vsque adeo nesarijs illorum flagitijs consternati ac deterriti sunt Ephiphan lib. 1. Haeres 27. Ad detrectationem diuini nominis Ecclesiae à Satana praemissi sunt vti quae sunt illorum audientes homines putantes omnes nos tales esse quertant aures suas à prâ—coâ—iâ— veritatis Iraen lib. 1. cap. 24. Now what was the ayme of Satans malice in bringing those Carpocrasians and Gnostickes tearming themselues Christians vnto such more then heathenish Impurities Surely none other but this that vpon the sight of their loathsome courses the heathen might abhorre the Church of God and might be so scandalized thereby that they might vtterly reiect the truth of God preached vnto them By their scandalous filthinesse they tooke occasion to rayle on Christian Religion and so to iudge all Christians of the same stampe that they would not onely none of their Religion but no manner of dealing with them no not in ciuill commerce So strongly by their scandalous lifes did Satan hedge and fence vp their way from comming into the Church and vnto Christ With these thornes did the Deuill hedge vp their way from entring into the Church 3. From the corruption falsenesse hypocrisie and deceitfulnesse of mens hearts There bee in the Church of God and in the number of such as professe the Name of God two sorts of persons 1. Such as professe his Name hypocritically such as make Religion but a maske and a cloake to hide and couer their rotten insides and take vpon them the profession of Religion for base and by-ends onely to aduance their credit and their profit as the Shechemites would bee circumcised for sheepe oxen and substance Some put on a c Quanam sunt istae pelles onium nisi nominiâ— Cbristiani extrinsecus superficies Tertull. de praescript aduers Haeret. Quae sunt vestimenta ouilia species videlicet simulatae religionis elceÌ„mosyna simulata oratio simulata ieiunium simulatum c. Chrys oper imperf in Math. hom 19. sheeps clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues Now where Religion is thus personated and men doe but act a part corruption restrained will breake out at last Yea and God in his Iustice will vncase and discouer such by giuing them vp to fowle and notorious grosse euils Iudas vnder hope of some temporall preferments both professed and preached Christ forsakes all and followes him and was as forward as the best of them But because all this was in hypocrisie therefore his corruption held in for a time vnder this violent restraint at the last breakes fowly out and because hee fowly takes Gods Name in vaine he is by diuine Iustice left to himselfe and falls into that fearefull scandal of betraying Christ Obserue that Matth. 7. 27. The house built vpon the sand fell and the fall of it was great When Hypocrites fall they fall not the ordinary fals of other men Great was the fall of it They fall into great and hainous scandals As Moses speakes of those Numb 16. 29. If these men die the common death of all men as euery man dies c. So these men fall not the common fals of all men not as euery man fals but when they fall their fall is great with great and notorious scandall Other men may fall on the ground but they fall into the kennell the puddle into the very mire The Sow that is washed to her wallowing in the myre 2. Peter 2. 22. She lies not downe in the dust nor in the dirt but in the myre and not onely lies downe or fals downe into the myre but wallowes in the myre and so becomes all ouer fowle and filthy It is so with Hypocrites they so fall as if a man fel into and wallowed in the myre so fowle and scandalous are their fals Now then inasmuch as it cannot be auoyded and it is impossible but that there will and shall be Hypocrites in the Church of God and Satan will be standing amongst the children of God Iob 1. and in as much as it cannot be but that rotten hypocrisie will breake out and in regard of Gods Iustice must sometimes bee discouered in this life therefore there must needs be scandals and therefore it is impossible but that offences should come 2. Such as professe sincerely and in Truth Now euen in these there are yet great remaynders of corruption the very best beare a bodie of sin and death about them And because they are not so watchfull as they should to looke so narrowly to their owne hearts as they ought therefore comes it to passe also that offences must needs come The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things Ier. 17. therefore should Christians bee watchfull ouer it aboue all things But because they trust their false and loose hearts to much and grow remisse in their watch thence comes it frequently to passe that offences must needs come When they keepe not their own Vineyard their mothers children are angrie with them Cant. 1. 6. that is their naturall corruptions Sic Iunius which they brought from their mothers wombe with them when they watch not and looke not to themselues doe rebell and ouer-power them and so oftentimes carrie them into offensiue courses Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart and yet Dauid fell into a fowle scandal It is not alwayes safe to iudge a man to bee an Hypocrite because hee giues scandal Gods dearest seruants are not alwaies freed and secured from falling into scandalous sins Well but what made Dauid fall All the while Dauid was in his exile and affliction all that while Dauid was free enough Afflictions kept him awake But afterwards when Dauid came to be King and liued in a full estate at his ease then began he to be more remisse and therfore after his afternoones nap when hee was walking vpon the roofe the Deuill sets a snare and his owne remisse heart soone catches at the baite and he is presently ensnared We find Math. 13. 27 28. tares in the field amongst the wheate Sir didst thou not sow good wheate in thy field Whence then hath it tares He said vnto them An enemie hath done this These tares are Scandals Verse 40 41. They shall gather out of his kingdome all scandals Wee see whence these scandals come Verse 28. An enemie hath done this Satan hath
thinke euer the worse of it A man would choose his Religion by such mens enmitie and it is the great honour of Religion that it hath such Aduersaries * Consulito commeâ—â—arâ—â—s vestros illâ—â— reperietis primum Neronem in hanc sectam tum maximae Romae orientem Caesariano gladio ferocisse Sed tali dedicatore damnationis nostrae gloriamur Qui enim scit illum intelligere potest non nisi aliquod bonum grande à Nerone damnatum Tentauerunt Domitianâ—s c. Tales nobis semper Insecutores Iniusti Impij Turpes quos ipsi damnare consuestis à quibus damnatos restituere soliti estis Tertull. Apol. cap. 5. It was that wherein the Primitiue Christians vsed to glorie that they had Nero their first Persecutor and condemner of their persons and Religion Inasmuch as they that knew him could not but know that it must needs bee some great good which Nero did condemne It was the honour of Christians and their Religion that Nero and such as he was vniust vngodly filthy persons whom the Heathen themselues condemned were the sorest and bitterest enemies they had No wise man would haue stumbled at Christian Religion because it had such an enemie as Nero was A wiseman would haue loued it the better The case is the same here It is the honour of Godlinesse and Religion that it hath Hypocrites Drunkards vitious followers of their lusts base and lewd fellowes godlesse Atheists for her scoffing Aduersaries It must needs bee some great good which they hate and scorne I know scarce a better argument to perswade men to loue and embrace it then that such men hate and deride it 2. The Pouertie the meane and homely outside of such for the most part as receiue professe Christ and his Gospel What should you doe looking this way sayes Satan Haue any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeued on him But this people c. Iohn 7. 48. What a fond thing is it to follow this Christ whom none but a company of the meaner sort of people follow The greater and richer sort of the world they like not nor look not this way but onely a few of the lower ranke and condition of men And how-euer many are stumbled at this yet indeed little reason is there that any should in such a case be scandalized So much the lesse reason because our Sauiour hath so fore-armed and fenced vs against this Scandal Math. 11. 5 6. The poore receiue the Gospel Why then might some say wee will not receiue this Christ and this Gospell which for the most part onely the poorer sort receiue Therefore see what our Sauiour addes to preuent such scandal And blessed is hee that is not offended in me that is in mee a Christ receiued and professed by the poorer sort How could men like well of Godlines in gay apparell and with a gold ring but the vile rayment makes it vile in their eyes who consider not that God hath chosen the vile things of this world to confound the things that are mighty that God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in faith heyres of the kingdom which he hath promised Iam. 2. 5. When * Iulianâ—â— dixit si Philosophâ—rum ego SenatuÌ„ aduoâ—â—uerâ— tu continuo sâ—dularios opifices omneque in nos vulgus acceÌ„das Augustinus dixit Contumeliosus es in infirma mundi quae elegiâ— deus vt confunderet fortia Aug. contr Iulian Pâ—lâ—g li. 1 Iulian the Pelagian gibed Augustine that he had not the wise sages nor the learned Senate of Philosophers but onely a company of meane tradesmen handicraftes men of the vulgar sort that tooke part with him he sweetly answers Thou reproachest the weake things of the world which God hath chosen to confound the things that are mighty That one thing may suffice to keepe men from stumbling at homely outsides Specially if men had but an eye of faith in their heads Carnal eyes that are dazeled with the glittering outsides of worldly glories are offended at such seeming basenesse but faith blindes it selfe against such fleshly Scandals and will not see them when it sees them but lookes thorough them and sees glory thorough them Ioh. 1. 14. And the word was made flesh and wee beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father though his glory were obscured with the vaile of the flesh yet this vaile hides not glory from the eye of faith faith did looke thorough this vaile and easily discerned him the glorious and only begotten sonne of the father euen in the abasement of his Incarnation The wisemen that came from the East when they saw Herod at Ierusalem happily in all his royall Robes yet fall not downe not worship him They come to Bethlehem and finde Christ in a poore fashioÌ„ happily in little better then rags yet they fall downe worship him Why fall they downe before a meane poore Christ and not before a Magnificent glorious Herod Why rather are they not scandalized at Christs basenesse and pouerty This is the excellency of faith In Christs Infancy it saw Antiquity in his basenesse beauty in his meannesse maiestie and more glory in Christs rags then in Herods Robes So surely if men did liue and walke by faith and not by sight neuer would Christ nor his Truth be stumbled at for the homely and poore outside of those that professe him The purblind eye of flesh cannot pierce through these vayles and cloudes And what wonder is it to see a blinde man stumble 3. But yet the sorest and greatest stumbling blocke of all is the scandalous sinnes and falles of such as professe religion certaine it is that these of all others are the most perillous stumbling blockes by which Satan causes multitudes of men to stumble at religion and workes them to the dislike of the wayes of saluation Afflictions and Persecutions for the Gospells sake are dangerous stumbling blockes and by reason of them many are so offended at religion as that they turne their backes vpon it Math. 13. 21. When tribulation or persecution arises because of the word by and by he is scandalized So that Persecutions cause Scandal But yet the Scandals that come by the euill lifes of professours are in some sense farre more dangerous and hurtfull then those Scandals that come from Persecutions Though the scandal of persecution stumble beate off many yet haue very many beene gayned to a loue and liking of Religion by the Patience Courage Constancy of the Saints of God in Persecution But neuer were nor wil be any gayned thereunto by the scandalous falles of professours Persecutions keepe men off by feare but Scandalous sinnes by Hardening mens hearts There is far more hope and possibility of gayning a man that is kept off by feare then of such as are kept off by a setled resolued Hardnes of Heart In scandals of the Crosse men may haue some secret likings of the Truth may
besides Gene. 10. 6. And the sonnes of Cham Cush and Mizraim and Phut and Canaan Why therfore cursed bee Canaan rather then Cush Mizraim or Phut Like enough that Canaan as the Iewes probably coniecture first espied Noah in that case and he being an vngracious youngster one without all Religion and possibly an hater of all goodnesse one that had like enough beene often sagely admonished and sharply reprooued by Noah And little content did the holynesse austeritie and religious carriage of Noah giue either to Canaan or to Cham. Now therefore Canaan when hee sees him in his drunkennes and in that shamefull pickle in his nakednesse he tels it to his father and his father after to Sem and Iaphet and that with Ioy and gladnesse with mocking and derision for otherwise for Canaan to haue seene it occasionally and to haue told it his father or for his father to haue seene it occasionally and haue told it his brethren had beene no matter of offence but questionlesse they both told it with much ioy and reioycing Like enough Canaan when he first espied it came running to his father with much ioy in his face Oh father I can tell you excellent Newes the brauest Newes that can be Newes that will doe you good at the very heart doe but goe along with mee and I will shew you such a sight as you neuer saw Look where that old Dotard lies drunke and in what a base and shamefull fashion This is he that alwayes telling me of my swearing censuring mee for my want of religion this is hee that was so holy so full of his religion and godlines see there how like a beast he lies And surely if Canaan did tell Cham of it Chams fact was exceeding vnnaturally villanous The text sayes Gen. 9. 22. And C ham the father of Canaan saw the nakednes of his father not occasionally and at vnawares so might Shem or Iaphet haue done But if Canaan did first tell Cham of it as very probably hee did then C ham like an vngratious varlet as he was could not be content to heare of it but to reioyce and glad his heart the more he must goe see the sight hee must goe feed his eyes with it and that he might be sure of it and obseruing all the seuerall circumstances hee might haue the more to make vp his mouth And then after this in scorne and derision and with insulting insolency goes reports it to Shem and Iaphet So that what betweene an vngratious sonne and a gracelesse grand-child there was sure no small Iubilation and exultation in Noahs scandal and drunkennes But now as merry and iocund as Cham and Chanaan were let vs see a little what cause they had for it and consider if there were not that in it that was enough to marre their merriment and to haue turned their mirth into mourning Alas all considered full little cause had they to be thus vpon their merrie pinnes It could not be but the scandal of Noahs drunkennes must come but woe to Cham Canaan because of that scandal God had a purpose to bring a woe and a curse vpon Cham and Canaan and vpon the Canaanites his posterity that they should be rooted out and cut off by the sword of Israel But how now should way bee made to bring this curse vpon the heads of them Noah shal fal into a scandal thereby shall they be occasioned by reason of their naughty spirits to doe as they did and then no sooner shal Noah awake from his wine but hee shall awake with a solemne curse in his mouth which should be as the oracle of God Cursed bee Canaan a seruant of seruants shall he bee vnto his brethren And now I pray what cause haue b Sed O miser Ham quam bâ—aâ—uâ— es qui nunc demum inuenisti quod quaereâ—â—â— venenum sciliâ—et in salâ—berrima rosa Luther in Gen. 9. Cham and Canaan so to reioyce at their fathers fall Woe be to them because of this offence because in this offence of his there is a trap and a snare set to catch them and a way preparing to bring a sorrowfull curse vpon theÌ„ both And haue they then thinke we any great cause of merrimeÌ„t wil any man that is in his wits reioyce at that euent whose errand purposely is to bring Gods curse vpon him So little cause had Cham and Canaan to reioyce at Noahs fall And euery whit as little cause hath the world to reioyce when scandals come for then woe comes God is setting his ginnes and snares traps to catch some hee sends forth his messengers of wrath to doe seuere Iustice vpon persons that haue beene vnprofitable vnder the Gospell Suppose God should send the sword amongst men would men reioyce and bee glad at it See Ezek. 21. 9 10. A sword A sword is sharpened and also fourbished It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter it is fourbisht that it may glitter should we then make mirth I trow not And why not make mirth in such a case Because the sword brought woe and mischiefe with it because it came to be dismall and fatal because it was a messenger of wrath and vengeance And why then make men mirth at scandals when they come May we not truely say of this laughter Thou art mad and of this mirth what doth it Eccl. 2. 2. Come not scandals with a woe as well as the sword And is hee not as mad that reioyceth at the comming of scandals as hee is that reioyces at the comming of a sword Say a scandal a scandal it is fowle and heynous it is come with woe to make a sore spirituall slaughter should wee then make mirth and reioyce at it God forbid Woe vnto the world because of scandals and shall we laugh and sport with Gods woes This makes scandals doubly woefull That same is good counsel which Salomon giues Prou. 24. 17 18. Reioyce not when thine enemy falles and let not thine heart bee glad when he stumbles If a man haue an enemy that hates him if any crosse or calamity befalls him a man may not reioyce at it nor bee glad of it not onely when he falles and God vtterly ruines him but if he doe but stumble and God lay but some smaller crosse vpon him Now marke the reason least the Lord see it and it displease him and he turne away his wrath from him and so turne it vpon thee So that the summe of the reason is least God should bee angry and his wrath should be against thee Marke then If I may not reioyce at a mans outward stumbling and fall then how much lesse may I reioyce in a mans spirituall stumbling and falling how much more will that displease and anger God If I may not reioyce at his outward fall least God should be angrie then much lesse when in another mans spirituall stumbling and fall God is angrie with mee and out of his anger against mee disposes his
them to themselues that by such scandalous fals they may be humbled for not walking so sincerely and so fruitfully as they should haue done and as their profession required at their hands Therefore the more sincere and fruitfull wee are the more are we out of danger of scandals See Phil. 1. 10 11. That yee may bee sincere and without offence till the day of Christ Being filled with the fruites of righteousnesse So then the way to be without offence is to be sincere and to be filled with the fruites of righteousnesse So long as we adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things wee shall keepe our selfes from giuing offence Now sincerity fidelitie and fruitfulnes doe adorne the Doctrine of God Tit. 2. 9 10. 4. Thinke alwayes vpon those two texts First that Neh. 4. 9. It is not good that yee doe ought yee not to walke in the feare of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies Are wee by Satan tempted to any sinfull course that specially may prooue scandalous thinke wee thus with our selues It is not good that wee are about to doe the thing is naught and sinfull If we doe thus how will enemies of godlinesse and Religion tryumph how will they reproach and scorne Religion and therefore to preuent their reproach and to preuent the opening of their mouthes how ought wee to walke in the feare of God I will rather die then giue them iust occasion to reproach If they will needes bee reproaching let them doe it at their q Abundet hospitalit as vestra abundent bona opera vestra Quod iubet Christus faciant Christiani tantum suo malo blasphement pagani Aug. Hom. 10. in append serm owne perill they shall haue no cause from mee to open their mouthes in reproachfull wise And this is the very argument the Apostle vses to perswade women to a godly discreete chast and obedient carriage That the word of God bee not blasphemed Tit. 2. 4 5. Secondly consider that text Neh. 6. 11. Should such a man as I flee And who is there that being as I am would goe into the Temple to saue his life I will not goe in It were an happie thing in these cases if men would know themselues what they are and would stand vpon it with Satan Should such a man as I doe thus Nehemiah we see would not goe into the temple to saue his life when he considered what hee was Such a man as I Being as I am It is no pride in these cases to stand vpon what we are but much safety were in it Should such a man as I Why what a man is hee that professes religion He is one that hath the Name of God called vpon him If my people on whom my name is called 2. Chron. 7. 14. Hee is one that is called with an high calling Phil. 3. 14. Hee is one that is called to Holinesse 1. Thes 4. 7. Hee is one that is pretious and honorable Isa 43. 4. Hee is one of the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 18. 22 Hee is one of the Sonnes of God 1. Ioh. 3. 1. And now shall such a man as he run into fowle and base actions Who being as hee is vvould not rather loose his life then dishonour such a profession then disgrace such and so many dignities Why did Ieremy so vvillingly subiect to Gods vvord For thy name is called vpon mee O Lord God of hostes Ier. 15. 16. And should such a man as he not giue all obedience to God Why was Ezra ashamed to require of the King a band of Souldiers and horsemen to helpe against the enemy Because it vvould not stand with that profession hee had made before the King Because we had spoken vnto the King saying The hand of our God is for good vpon all them that seeke him but his power his wrath against all them that forsake him 1. Ezra 8. 22. Hee had made this profession before the King and should such a man as hee that had made such a profession doe a thing so contrary thereunto What a fowle shame had that beene No wonder hauing made such a profession that he was ashamed to doe it If men would but seriously consider what kind of persons they are and what kind of profession they make oh how vvould they for shame not meddle with base actions What was the reason that Mordecay vvould not bow to Haman They spake to him daily and hee hearkened not vnto them And what was his reason Reason good enough He told them that he was a Iew. It would not stand with the religion hee profest to bow to Haman as they bowed to him He was a Iew one of the people of God that professed the vvorship of the true God alone and should such an one as he bow downe to Haman not onely a mortall man but an accursed Amalekite Who vvould being as he vvas if it had beene to haue saued his life haue vvronged not so much his nation as his religion and profession as to haue bovved to him What made Abraham that hee vvould not take any thing that was the King of Sodoms from a threed euen vnto a shooe latchet but because the King of Sodom should not say I haue made Abraham rich Gen. 54. 23. Like enough Abraham had vpon all occasions and in all places professed that God whose name he professed had made him so rich therefore vvould hee doe nothing that might be any preiudice to that his profession hee had a care so to carry himselfe that the enemies of God should not haue any thing to say that might disgrace his profession Thus if a man vvould consider the highnesse of his calling the honour of his profession and vvould in all tentations vnto fovvle and shamefull actions but thinke should such a man as I doe this or who being as I am would doe this how might hee be preserued from many a foule scandal Mordecay told them he was a Iew doe thou in all tentations to foule actions tell Sathan thou art a Christian and should such a man as thou doe so 5. Looke vpon other mens fals r Propone nihil esse quod tibi accidere non possit Vita foueam in quam vides alium coram te incidisse Aliorum perditio tua fit cautio Bern. de Inter. Dom. cap. 45. and tremble and take warning by them Say not in the pride and carnall boasting of thy spirit rather then I would haue done as he hath done I would haue died a thousand deaths To condemne such as fall scandalously is not a thing to be condemned who shall dare to iustifie such But a comparatiue condemning of other mens euils so to condemne them as to commend and bragge of our selues what in such cases wee would haue done and haue beene so to condemne others as thereby to raise our owne prayses what good ones wee are and would haue beene to them so to make others