8 Command. vpon the Commandements. 91 mitie, even greater care to get , and nearerfeeking howe to faue , than can or may flande with the credit of the truth which weproteffe, or calling often which we haue in the common wealth, This is too trtie, rice examples dayhe, & mens owne hearts being well examined (hall confefpe it The Lorde then glue vs iudgement to lee,and hearten to abhorre fo foule an euill. Ior what a derogation from Gods promifes ,and damnabletniffruft is this , when we doo feare God , and ferue him , attend to his word , 'efe his Sacraments , forbid liin in others , and fc'rbcare it our felues,then fo ro looke at wife and children, and other expenfes,as that we feare to want, who lining before in a farre loafer fort,ncuer doubted yet any fuchdefeti ? WillGod bee worfe to men when they followe him; than he was when they forfooke him? Surely an eye mull bee had veto this thing,& very deere vnto vs mull be the credite of the Gofpel; that others by vs may bewon vntoit,or at !call none deterred from it. God 'ftreng- then vs,for Satan is iubtil,and we are foone deceiued.And truely better we had neuer giuen our names to Chrifl,than by anyfaithleffe greedineffe, or vnfeemlie hardncffe to ouerthrowe all againe,and hinder by offence others that are yet without.The earth is the Lordes,& the Lorde is ours,if we férue him , withal that tytherheauen or earth bath to doo vs good withal!. ucff. And what ofrheflealthafthe eye? Anfw. The ey e is fáyde to Reale,becaufeit maketh the heart to covet. Forby our eyes creepe in delires into ourhearts both in this behaife which nowe we meane,and in other alto as before bath been fayd.By the eyefirfl dad Achab finale Nabether vine - yarde,and then by his eye the delire of it crept into his heart. And the Prophet faith, Licing.a t. They comet holder, meaning no doubt, which they fawe to lye commodious forthem. Wherefore Gods childrenmull flop the Very firftheginninge, & looke to theireycs and cares , that they make no flame ,wbich God orcharitie cloth miflike: and let vs chaa, learne to think as an heathen fayd,Tmrpeeff,non folmm pedet fed eeT occtdos in alien& pof- feffoner immittere. It is a foule thing not onely toter our feete but euen our eyes walke into other mens poffeffrons,anie further then becommeth vs as we are Chri- flians. ,QueR. what health cemmitteth the tongfte? Anfw. Byfraude and fubtilitie, byfmoothing and flatterie , and fuchlike: For thus !tole falle Si6a Ins mailer Mephibafbetbes goods trom him: Thus Role manie a Sam traffic pleaders in publike places,and make no confcience of it. Thus is it fay& in ex- preffc wordes ; that Abfolor, fiole the hearts of all /frael,to wit, by his Ihameleffe flat: terie.Thus Beale menthe hearts óf fübie ls, euen in thefe dayes from their Princes & laweful gonernours, the hearses of the people from theirminifters, offeruanres from theirMaflers,of children fromtheir Parentes, 'Et hoc magnúm fmriem eft, fayth one; And rhirir agree?! theft. Akind of this iongue,flealth it is fora Gentleman or a grea- ter eflate to call out ai'ordeto his infenour ih way ofbegging what he conùeniene_ Ile may not fpare,and yet dare not denie,but bringeth & deliuerethwith faire wordes, what G 0 D knower, his heart grudgeth, and peraduenture his wife weepeth to fee him part withall.' And veto this head is referred all vngodlie counfell whacfoeuer, and all leaude vanitie,orbabifh feruilitie,to make men delight more in vs,and leQe fa the feare of God. Is it not lamentable to fee,that a Popifh ; or an Arheiflicall Spirite (hall doo more hurt at a Table, or l'uch like place with one peeuifli left, and girding skoffe in the heart of the hearers,than twenty good men can recouerwith much good counfell? A nd yet what fay we? Ó hee is a merle grecke,a pleafant companion, and in faith a good fellowe. He cannot flatter,his wordes mull be borne, and fo foorth. But marke, marke what effect this mirth hath in vs, and whereto it tendeth. And if it increafe our know(edge,increafe our zeale, and increafe goodgraces in vs, then like it,and fpare not,and cherish luchan one.But ifit poyfon the profite oftheworde vnto vs,decay our diligence and liking óf good exercifes, and decreafe all that I haue na- tned,then know him fora theef ,though his 'uncles be true,för bee flcaleth our Conies from the lining God,and bothbodie and foule from eternall life. It is pretilie fayd of a flatterer, that as the wood maintaines the fire,to the confuming ofit idle, fo riches loth
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