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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A21059	Tvvo treatises the one of Good conscicnce [sic]; shewing the nature, meanes, markes, benefits, and necessitie thereof. The other The mischiefe and misery of scandalls, both taken and given. Both published. by Ier: Dyke, minister of Gods Word at Epping in Essex.	Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639.; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639. Mischiefe and miserie of scandals both taken, and given. aut; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639. Good conscience. aut	1635 (1635)	STC 7428; ESTC S100168	221,877	565

mortale hoc vulnus accepe c. Morn Myst Iniq. p 259. my right hand wounded with this right hand I sware to my Lord Henry the Emperor But the cōmand of the Pope hath brought me to this that laying aside the respect of mine Oath I should usurpe an honour not due to me But what is now come of it In that hand which hath violated mine Oath I am wounded to death And so with anguish of heart he ended his dayes An example so much the rather to bee marked that men may see how God blesses the Popes blessings his dispensation with Oaths specially whē they are given to arm men to rebellion against their lawfull Soveraignes 4. The equity of Gods justice appeares in that Pro. 26. 27. Who so diggeth a pit shall fall therein and he that rolls a stone it will returne upon him Such was Gods justice upon Haman he makes a gallowes for his owne necke Hitherto wee may referre the justice of God when God turnes mens beloved Sins into their punishments Whoredome was the Levites Concubines Sin Iudges 19. 2. and Whoredome was her death ver 26. The Lord Deut. 28. 27. threatens the botch of Aegypt and how frequently is the Sin of uncleannes smitten with the French botch the fruit of the Sin How frequent are the examples of Gods Iustice upō drunkards drunkennesse their Sin and drunkennesse their death And so that Proverbe is often verified Prov. 5. 22. His owne iniquity shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the cords of his Sins 5. The equity of Gods Iustice appeares in this when he makes the place of sin the place of punishment Wee have frequent examples of this in Scripture This was threatned Ahab 1 Kin. 21. 19. In the place where dogs licked the bloud of Naboth shall dogs licke thy bloud And this was made good 2 Kin. 9. 26. In Tophet the place where they had slain their Sons Daughters would God slay the Iews Ier. 7. 31 32. And as their houses were the places of their sins so should their houses be the places of their punishment Ier. 19. 13. And because the Sabbath was prophaned in the gates of Ierusalem therefore in the gates thereof would God kindle a fire Ierem. 17. 27. And remarkable is that Ezek. 6. 13. Their slaine men shall be amongst their Idols round about their Altars and under every thicke Oak the place where they did offer sweet savor to all their Idols Such was the Iustice of God in that late blow upon the Popish company In the very place where they used to dishonour God the hand of God was upon them they were slaine and their carcasses crushed in the place of their Mass-worship the first floore falling into their Massing place so they their Crucifixes Images all dashed together God doing with them as with the Egyptians Num. 33. 4. not only smiting them but also executing judgment upō their gods yea not onely so but executed them and their gods in the self-same place where God had been by them so much dishonoured 6. The equity of Gods justice is to be seen in the time of his punishments God oft makes that time wherin men have sinned the time of his judgemēts At the time of the Passover did the Iews crucifie Christ and at the time of the Passeover was Ierusalem taken Heavie is the calamity that is befaln the Churches beyond the seas the time wherein the first blow was given is not to be forgottē The first blow was upon the Sabbath upon that day was Prague lost What one thing have all those Churches fayled in more than in that point of the religious observation of that day that day they neglected to sanctifie by obedience upon that day God would be sanctified in his justice upon them in the time would have them reade one cause of their punishment Neither is the time wherein God did that late justjce upō those popish persons to be forgottē It is somwhat that after their Roman accoūt it was upō their fift of Novemb. God would let those of that Iesuited brood see how good it was to blow up Parliament houses and happily would have them learne more loyalty and religiō than to scoffe at our new holyday Of this kind was Gods justice upon one Leaver who rayling on the worthy Martyr servant of Christ Mr. Latimer saying that he saw that evill favoured knave Latimer when hee was burned and that hee had teeth like an Horse his Son the same houre at the same time as neer as could be gathered wickedly hanged himselfe And the same was Gods justice seazing upon Stephen Gardiner the same day that Ridley and Latimer were burned Since then there is such an equity in Gods administratiō of justice let it be our care and wisedome to observe the same Learne to comment upon Gods works of Iustice and to compare mens wayes and Gods works together God is to have the praise and glory of his justice upon others as well as of his mercie to ourselves now we shal then be best able to give God this glory when we so observe his administration that we may be able not only to say The Lord is just but the Lord is just in this and that particular when we can say as Revel 16. 5. not only Righteous art thou O Lord that judgest but righteous art thou O Lord that judgest thus Thus they sinned and thus are they punished It is good to observe all the circumstances of Gods justice that so not onely the justice but the wisedome and equity of Gods justice may be seen and this is to trace the Lord by the foot Psal 68. 24. Especially wee should be thus wise in personall evils that befall our selves that by our punishment and the circumstances thereof we might be led to the consideration of our sins and so might say as Adonibesek As I have don so hath God rewarded me Learne to give God the praise of his equity as of his justice So doth David Ps 7. 15 16 17. I will praise the Lord according to his righteousnesse Tremble and Sin not Take heed how and wherein we Sin lest by our Sins wee teach God how to punish us Take heed of abusing thy tōgue in swearing rayling scoffing lest God lay some terrible judgment upon thy tongue here or some peculiar tormēt upon thy tongue in hel hereafter Take heed what measure thou measurest to others lest thou teach God to measure the same to thy selfe Take heed that thou make not thine house a den of spuing drunkards lest God make thine house to spue thee forth Take heed how thou use thy wits thy strength take heed of sinning in thy Children or any thing else thou hast lest God make the matter of thy Sin the matter of thy punishment FINIS A Table of the severall Chapters of this Treatise CHAP. I. THe Introduction of the discourse following Fol. 1 CHAP. II. Conscience described 9 CHAP.

Prophet when God commanded was smitten with an heavie judgement It is no lesse dangerous to smite when God forbids smiting God hath an heavie hand for those that are so light fingred and he will give them blow for blow that will bee smiting his for a good conscience Touch not mine anoynted and do my Prophets no harm Ps 105. 15. He that touches them touches the apple of Gods eye Zach. 2. 8. So hee that smites them smites the apple of his eye The eie is a tender place and sensible of a little blow God will not take a blow on the eye nor beare a blow on his face at the hands of the proudest enemies of them all and though we must turne the other cheek rather than smite againe yet the Lord to whom vengeance belongs wil take no blows at their hands but if they will be smiting they shall be sure to heare of him to their cost You find Ex. 2. 11. an Aegyptian smiting an Israelite It becomes none better than Aegyptians to be smiting Israelites Moses spies an Aegyptian smiting of an Hebrew What gets the Aegyptian in the end See verse 12. God stirs up the spirit of Moses to smite him and to slay him Thus will God teach Aegyptians to be medling Pashur smites Ieremy Ier. 20. 2. What got he by it The heavie stroke of Gods hand upon himselfe and all his friends ver 3 4 5 6. Herod was a smiter too Act. 12. 1 2. He stretched forth his hands to vexe certain of the Church and he killed Iames the Brother of Iohn with the Sword And what became of him in the end See ver 23. The Angel of the Lord smote him he was eaten up of worms and he gave up the ghost It is said of Ionas his gourd that a worme smote it and it withered Ion. 4. That was much that a worme should so soone smite the gourd But when men will be smiting Gods people and his prophets for a good conscience and when Herod will be so busie as to smite Apostles God can send not onely an Angel one of his most glorious creatures but even a base worme even one of the weakest creatures to smite Herod and eate him both Ieroboam stretches forth his arme against the Prophet 1 Kin. 13. his arm withers he doth but threatē to smite God smites him How much more when Herod stretches forth his hād to vexe the Church and to smite Gods Ministers wil God not only wither them but smite him as Sampson smote the Philistims hip and thigh and make him a rotten and a stinking spectacle to all malicious smiters to the worlds end Thus is that true which the Prophet implies in that speech Isa 27. 6. Hath hee smitten him as hee smote his smiter Marke then Gods dealing hee uses to smite smiters Neither is this true only of smiters with the fist and with the sword but it is also true of those smiters Ier. 18. 18. Come and let us smite him with the tongue Even such smiters will God smite also as wee may see there ver 21 22 23. Thus God met with Nabal David sends for reliefe to him upon his festivall day and he in stead of an almes fals a railing on him and cals him in effect a Rogue and a Vagabond and a run-away Thus hee smote David with his tongue What follows See ver 38. And it came to passe about ten dayes after that the Lord smote Nabal And how smote he him That he died So Zach. 14. 12. Their tongue shall consume away in their mouth What might the reason be of that judgment Because haply many that cannot or dare not fight with their hands for fear of the law yet fight against Gods Ministers his servants with their tongues Wel God hath a plague to smite such sinners Though they smite but with the tongue yet God will smite them and give them their portion with the rest of the adversaries of the Church And if God will not spare such smiters how much lessewil he spare such as smite with the sword Terror to all smiters either with hand Vse 1 or tongue Smite on goe on in your malicious courses doe so but yet know that there is a smiter in heaven that will meet with you Had Zimri peace who slew his master So said Iezabel to Iehu and so may it bee said in this case Search the Scriptures search the Histories of the Church Had ever any smiters peace which lifted up either hand or tongue against any of the Lords people Did smiters ever scape scot-free Had they any cause to brag in the end Had they ever any cause to brag of the last blow Did Herod prosper that smote Iames with the sword did Ananias prosper that smote Paul did the Aegyptian prosper that smote the Hebrew Did Doeg prosper who was a tongue-smiter as well as an hand-smiter Psa 52. Oh consider this you that dare lift up your hands and tongues against a good conscience be afraid of Gods smiting hand tremble to meddle in this kind Learne to hold your hands and tongues unlesse yee long to feele Gods smiting hand Especially take heed of smiting Gods Ministers in any kind Deut. 33. 11. Levi hath a strange blessing Blesse Lord his substance accept the worke of his hand smite through the loynes of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again God saw that of al others Levi would be most subject to the blowes of fists and tongues and therefore he is fenced with a blessing for the nonce to make smiters feare to meddle with him or if they will needs meddle yet to let them see that it were better to wrong any other tribe than that God would smite thē smite them to the purpose that shal offer to smite him Here is that which may make Gods people comfortably patient under all the Vse 2 wrongs injuries of smiters in any kind Here is that may make them by patience to possesse their soules may make them hold their hands and their tongues from smiting Smite not thou God will smite smiters Indeed when we will be smiting wee prevent Gods smiting and so they have the easier blows by the meanes For what are our blowes to the Lords Do as Christs did 1 Pet. 2. 23. Who when hee was reviled reviled not againe but committed himself to him that judges righteously It is best leaving them to the Lords hand Pray for thy smiters that God would give them smiting hearts that their hearts may smite them for their smiting pray to God if he see it good they may be so smitten This is a revenge will stand with charity Yet if not leave them to God who best knows how to smite smiters It is great comfort against the sore afflictions Vse 3 of Gods Church at this present The enemies of the Gospel have smitten Gods Church with a sore blow Wel yet let us not bee out

will take a course that they shall not vnderstand the word they heare with their hearts and that they may not vnderstand the word they heare I will take a course for the hardening of their hearts for the thorough hardening of their hearts some professour of religion shall fall into scandal and thereby shall their hearts bee hardened seuen fold more then euer they shall iustifie themselues in their sinnes and so by an hard heart shall put themselues out of all possibilitie of Conuersion and so out of all possibilitie of saluation How often would I haue had you risen and yee would not rise therefore now shall you fall into hell for hee that hardens his heart shall fall into mischiefe Prou. 28. 14. That therefore yee may fall into a mischiefe and with a mischiefe yee shal be hardened and that you may fall into greater hardnes of heart some man shall fall into scandal his fall into scandal shall make way for a woe to fall vpon your heads His scandal shall harden you that hardnes shall make you fall into mischiefe And thus woe to the world because of offences because they come to stiffen and harden their spirits and as messengers of wrath to bind them sure hand and foote that they may be prepared to bee throwne out into vtter darkenesse Thus woe to the world because of offences because the world is occasioned by them to reiect the sauing profession of Religion to fall fowle on Gods holy Name to iustifie themselues in their sinnefall wayes and so by these things to make hell sure their owne So that the fall of a professour of religion is as the fall of an oake vpon vnderwood and smaller trees that be neere it woe to them when the oake fals because it mischieues brushes and breakes them in pieces by its fall It is iust in this case at it was in the ouerthrow of that Army Ier. 46. 12. The mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty they are both fallen together first one fel he being fallen another stumbles at him and so they both lay on the ground together Thus falls it out in scandals First one falles into some great sinne others come and stumble at him being fallen and so both fall and the first mans fall is the last mans ruine And therefore woe to the world because of scandals CHAP. VI. What little reason men haue to triumph at and what great reason to bee cautelous in the euent of scandals ALl this well weighed and duely considered will giue vs to vnderstand two things the litle reason of ioy and the great reason of feare and caution in case of such scandalous euents 1. It lets vs see what little reason men of the world haue to triumph insult and x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iust Mart. Epist ad Zen. Seren. reioyce as they vse to doe in the falles and scandals of such as professe religion When my foote slippeth they magnifie themselues against me Psal 38. 16. If such an one doe but tread awry or his foote but slip their enemies let not their slips slip but take occasion from small slips to make great tryumphs And if they be so ready to magnifie themselues against them when they but slip how much more when they fall and fall into the puddle into the mire How doe they magnifie themselues against them then The reproach and disgrace of their sinnefull falls yeeldes aduersaries such content that they proiect and lay on purpose for it Neh. 6. 13. Therefore was hee hired that I should be afraid and do so sin and that they might haue matter for an euill report that they might reproch me And therfore proiecting for their falles and laying plots before hand for them if it may be no wonder that they so reioyce and triumph if at any time they fall into such sinnes whereby they may haue matter for an euil report that they may reproach them So true is that which y Papistae calumniandi studio totam nostrā conuersationem obseruant Si quid ergo humanipatimur sicut profecto infirmi sumus patimur nostra incommoda ibi demum tanquam famelici porci immergunt se in stercora nostra ex ijs delicias faciunt dum infirmitatem nostram exemplo maledicti Ham aperiunt traducunt verè enim esuriunt sitiunt scandala nostra Luth. in Gen. 9. Luther speakes that they hunger and thirst after the scandals of the Godly and if at any time through humane frailety they doe fall into an euill like hungry hogs they nuzzle in their excrements and feast vpon them as vpon dainties There being nothing that so glads their hearts that so opens their mouthes with so much insolency and triumph And as Luther compares them in this regard to hogs so z Hos ergo de nostris doloribus suauitatem suae malae linguae captantes facile est vt illis canibus cōparemus st forte in malo intelligendi sunt qui lingebant vulnera pauperis illius qui ante ianuam diuitis iacebat c. Aug. Epist 137. Augustine to dogs namely to the rich gluttons dogs that lay licking and sucking Lazarus his sores and woundes It pleased not those dogs so much to be licking Lazarus sores as it pleases some men to haue their tongues in the scandalous wounds and sores of such as professe godlines As it is the sorrow and griefe of good hearts and that which makes them droope and mourne to see Christ his Gospell and truth reproached and disgraced by scandals so contrarily it is meate drinke to wicked ones and the very ioy of their hearts when such euents fall out a Proinde charissimi in isto scandalo quö de Bonifacio presbytero non nulli perturbantur non vobis dico vt non dolcatis Qui enim ista non dolent non est in eis charitas Christi qui autem de talibus gaudent abundat in eis malignitas diaboli Aug. Epist 137. As such as are filled with the loue of Christ do grieue and mourne so they that are filled with the malignity of the Diuell doe reioyce in the euent of scandals Any thing that makes to the disgrace of Gods Church his cause and religion that sets and puts them into extasies of reioycing 2. Sam. 1. 20. Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon lest the daughters of the Philistims reioyce least the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph Why what was it that should make them triumph and reioyce That verse 19. How are thy mighty fallen Saul and Ionathan were fallen not by scandal but by the sword but that fall such as it was made to the disgrace of Israel to the reproach of the God of Israel and hence their Ioy and Triumph Marke by the way who they are that reioyce in such cases vncircumcised Philistims the sonnes and daughters of vncircumcised Philistims And well becomes it such and none but such to reioyce

hee haue no more to doe with Episcopal or Ministerial function And this Discipline of theirs wants not foundation in Scripture It seemes to be the same thing that God himselfe constituted Ezek 44. 12 13. Because they ministred vnto them before their Idols they shall beare their iniquitie and they shall not come neere vnto mee to doe the office of a Priest vnto me nor to come neere to any of mine holy things in the most holy place but they shall beare their shame and their abominations which they haue committed Vpon their Repentance they were receiued againe to some other places Ver. 10. 11. but they must meddle no more after that scandal of Idolatrie with the Priest-hood And this Discipline did Iosiah put in practise 2. King 23. 9. Some priuiledges vpon their Repentance were granted vnto the Priests of the high places that had defiled themselues with Idolatrie but the office of Priesthood they were quite excluded from it And this was the ancient Discipline against the giuers of offence and indeed such zeale and such seueritie it did concerne and euer will concerne the Church of God to shew to scandalous delinquents Facilitie and an ouer easie readinesse to comply with such breedes a fresh scandal to the world and giues them iust cause to n Et quoniam and●o Charissimifratres impudentia vos quorundā premi verecundiam vestram vim pati oro vos quibus possum precibus vt euāgelij memores vos quoque sollicitè et cautè petentiū desideria ponderetis vtpote amici domini cùm illo post modum indicaturi inspiciatis actū opera merita singulorū ipsorum quoque delictorum genera qualitates cogitetis ne si quid abrupte indignè vel à vobis promissum vel à nobis factū fuerit apud Gentiles quoque ipsos ecclesia nosira erubescere incipiat Cypr. Epist 11. reproach the Church and opens the mouth of iniquitie to say you bee all such Whereas discommoning and discarding such from our familiar and priuate societie and when neede and power is from communion in holy things gaines the Church a great deale of honour and stops the mouth of iniquitie from calumniating Gods people to bee fauourers and countenancers of such persons Such will bee pressing in to gaine their credit and to recouer their respect but when such suddenly and easily get into credit it is no whit for the honour and credit of the Church God will bring woes vpon them in their outward state their peace their posteritie Elies sonnes runne into foule Scandals 1. Sam. 2. 22. It was scandalous for priuate persons much more for Priests to bee vncleane and adulterous It was scandalous to haue done so vnclean an act in any place but to doe it in a scared place with women comming thither vpon deuotion this was egregiously scandalous God therefore takes them to doe and does execution vpon them and cuts them both off in one day by the Sword of the Philistims God brought the wo of the Sword vpon them Nay when they ranne into Scandal because Eli did not restraine them see what God threatens vpon his Posteritie 1. Sam. 2. 36. that hee would plague them with such base beggerie and miserie that they should beg their bread If God thus punish him for not restraining how much more would he haue punished him for the committing of a Scandal If it goe thus hard with Eli that restraines not how hard will it goe with Hophni and Phinehas that commit the scandal Wee cannot haue a more pregnant and full example in this kinde then Dauid himselfe Hee after his scandal committed was truly penitent the guilt of his sinne pardoned a solemne absolution and discharge giuen him by the Prophet And yet for all this wee shall see how terribly this woe pursued him in temporall crosses in this kinde First God smites his childe with death then followes his daughter Thamars defilement by her brother Amnon then Amnons murder then the treason of Absalom in which the hand of God was exceeding smart God turnes him out of house and home Whose heart would not earne and bleede to see his dolefull departure from Ierusalem 2. Sam 15. 30. And Dauid went vp by the ascent of mount Oliuet and wept as he went vp and had his head couered and hee went barefoote and all the people that was with him couered euery man his head and they went vp weeping as they went vp Who could haue beheld so sad and so woefull a spectacle with drie eyes But this was not all his life is endangered his Concubines defiled in open view on the house top And what thinke wee was the ground of all this For the childs death we see 2. Sam. 12. 13 14. The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die howbeit because by this thy deede thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child also that is borne vnto thee shall surely die It is verie much that fasting and praying can doe it can cast out deuils This kind goes not out but by fasting and praying Mark 9. 29. And yet fasting and praying could not keepe off this woe that Dauids scandal brings vpon him in the childes death woe vnto Dauid by whom that offence came therefore shall his childe die And for all the rest of all those wofull sorrowes 2. Sam. 12. 9. 10. 11. 12. we see the cause of them all these woes were vpon Dauid for his scandal And if Gods woe in these temporall outward calamities will thus pursue and follow a repēting an humbled scandalous offender how much more will that hand of God pursue that man vpon whose scandal followes no Repentance and Humiliation If Dauid the man after Gods owne heart must not escape what then shall others looke for If a beloued Dauid shall haue his teeth on edge with his owne sowre grapes of his scandalous courses who then shall thinke to goe scotfree that is guilty of scandalous transgressions what a sure irresistible wo is that which Repentance it selfe cannot keepe off from a mans children his life person and goods And thus temporall woe is to him by whom offences come 2. God will pursue and pinch such as giue offence with spirituall woe God will fill such mens hearts specially if they belong to him with much spirituall woe and bitternesse of soule He will awaken conscience to smite pinch and gripe them at the heart He will so loade and burden their consciences that in the anguish and bitternes of their spirits they shal be forced to cry out woe is mee vile wretch that I was borne that euer I breathed thus to dishonour God It is true that there is an happinesse in this woe and it is singular mercy that men are not seared and hardened in their sinne but yet for all that there it a great deale of smart sorrow and a great deale of wofull bitternes in the worke

cutting of this foote caused the stumbler the fall One chop had saued and preuented all for if he had but denied himselfe and thus thought with himselfe If it bee Gods will that I shall bee low and meane in the world if he will haue mee come downe and be in an inferiour estate his will bee done I will humbly submit to his pleasure and I will not to vphold my credit in the world for a time hazard and wound the credit of the Gospell and religion I will tread my credit vnder foote rather then bring any discredit vpon the Gospell If thus by selfe-deniall a man could haue submitted to Gods wisdome and administration could haue mortified his selfe-loue so as to haue laid his credit and respect in the world at Gods foote how happily might a fowle scandal haue beene preuented Euery vnmortified lust is a scandal that will cause a man to offend so many lusts so many tares Therefore burne and fire those tares gather out and cast out those scandals that will breed scandals and cause offences Math. 13. 40. 41. 3. Labour for sincerity and fruitfulnes in the wayes of God I dare not say that all that fall into scandal are Hypocrites barren But yet sure it is that God many times punishes these two things with scandalous fals When men are not so sincere and so fruitfull as they should bee God leaues 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 Phi. 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 bee 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 thing wee shall keepe our selfes from giuing offence Now sincerity fidelity 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 Sathan 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 sinful 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 hospitalitas 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 chaste and obedient carriage That the word of God bee not blasphemed Tit. 2. 4 5. Secondly consider the 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 willingly subiect to Gods word 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 would not stand with that profession hee had made before the King Because wee 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 would they for shame not meddle with base actions What was the reason that Mordecay would 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 worship 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 would being as hee was if it had beene to haue saued his life haue wronged not so much his nation as his religion and profession as to haue bowed to him What made Abraham that hee would 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 would 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