Bribery conelemned .a Briew ,ìf rune, 213 CH t# P. I Ir That bribing isforbidden andcondemned u agi°ear.inne,botb by Godandmen. Vtthemore general! this vice is,the more dan- §.SeZ .r. ger there is of being ìnfe&&ed with it, and con Brib r} con. fcquently the greater care and cicumfpr&ion denmcd,botb muff be vfed,to keepeour (clues from the cony- by ¡be lawof mon pollution -ofbribing, whether we refpec`I oa,rc light giuing or receiuing . And to this purpofe that wee may be more flrongly armed againa this (inne , which whilefl it al- lureth and delighteth, pierceth thevery heart and (ou1e; I will let forth the greatnetle and odioufnetfe thereof, toge- ther with themitcrable fruites which it bringeth forth, both in refpeft ofparticularperfons,andwhole common-wealths and countries . That it is a (inne to bribe,appcarcth hereby, in that the Scriptures forbid and coudemne it. Exod.23.8, Exods; Thou halt take nogift ; for thegift blindeth thewife &c.The which is repeated, andby repetition confirtned,Deut.r6.t9. Deur.ró.39w vrefi not thout helaw,nor re#et, anyperfon ;neither take re- ward&c. Yea not oncly is it condemned as a (inne by the Scriptures , which is theexalt rule of iu@ice; but allo by the lightof nature,though much decaicdand corrupted . For c- uenHeathen men haue abhorred bribing, as a corrupting fore,which eateth out the heart of all vertuous carage,and asa fretting canker which dcuoureth whole focieties and common-wcalths.Ephialtes,although a poore man, refufed lelian, lib, rr. great gifts when they were effred , becaure , as he faid,hee de var.hif}. fhouldtherby be mowedto deale vniuflly, ifhis benefat7ori im- portunedhim;orbe condemnedas vngratefulfor not requiting their benefits . Alcumenes!aid,that he couldnot receiuegifts, Plutarch,. andkeepepeace with the lames. Phocion receiuinganhundred ,,tpntbeg. talents as a gift from Alexander,deniandedofthe me(fenger Lacon* wherefore it was fent tohim. , rathesthen to anyother of the Athenians;and vpon this antwer returned, Becaufehe knew lidrn tobean hoae(L and mail man ; he replied againe : Why Ee 3 shro
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=