Lord when as God censured it for vniust shedding of blood (d) Hos 1.4 Yet a little while saith God and I will auenge the blood of Iezreel vpon the house of Iehu And so wee are too apt to ouerweene our selues and our owne workes and thinke that we are zealous for God when we are enuious against men or ambitious for our selues And for discerning of this corruption examination is necessary to bee vsed about those workes which wee esteeme to bee righteous and holy lest wee deceiue our selues by ouer-partiall iudgement 2. Because in the very workes which are truly good wee doe many times intermingle corruptions of our owne As sometimes there are ill ends in our good deedes as (a) 1 King 21.9 Iezebel proclaimed a fast to cloke her murder withall and (b) Mat. 6.2 5 16. the Pharises fasted and prayed and gaue almes for gaining of vaine praises And sometimes our good duties are performed in an euill manner as the (c) Exod. 1.17 19. Midwiues saued the childrens liues by telling of a lye and (d) Exod. 4.25 Zipporah circumcised her sonne in a pettish humour and (e) 1 Chron. 13.9 compared with cap. 15.12 13. Vzzah stayed the Arke from falling without sufficient warrant for such a worke But most times there are distractions and worldly or perhaps wicked thoughts in the midst of our best deuotions and alwayes there are defects and imperfections and failings when we are most feruent and best affected And for discerning of these our best workes deserue a strict account that we may learne to separate the precious from the vile and neither be too highly conceited of our weake performances nor too little affected with our corruptions and infirmities 3. Our good workes are to bee considered in our ExaminatioÌ„s that by those things which are able to abide the touchstone we may gaine courage against oppositions of men and comfort against the tentations of Satan and a settled resolution to proceede and goe on in a daily practice of good workes alwaies praising God for these mercies because it is hee that worketh in vs both the will and the deede And in these respects the consideration of our good workes is not without good vse And this may suffice for the adequate obiect or the matter of Examination in generall and in the largenesse of it II. Secondly for the principall Obiect or the speciall matter which is to come into Examination it is euery such sinne as is likely to breede vs some especiall danger For if a Citie be besieged wise Gouernours will take care of euery posterne doore and of euery part of the Walls to repaire what is decayed and to keepe all safe from the Enemie but if one Gate be more likely to bee entred than other or if any part of the Wall be weaker or more easily to be broken downe men will there set the watch the surest where the danger is the greatest And if a man be distempered with sundry diseases a wise Physician will take care of all to ease the Patient as much as may be of euery one of them but if some speciall disease be more dangerous to the sicke man than others are the Physician will bend his cure that way especially where the life of his Patient is most endangered And so it is or should be with vs in respect of our soules Wee haue heere a Fort to keepe which is euery day assaulted by our Enemies and we haue a diseased foule of our owne distempered with many spirituall maladies but some maladies are worse then other and some parts of this Fort are weaker or more in danger then others are I meane there are some sinnes by which the Diuell may more easily surprize and captiuate our soules And therefore as wee should keepe diligent watch against them all so wee should especially bend our forces against those that doe or may more especially breede vs harme and hinder our saluation And consequently Examination being an approued means for grubbing vp of sinne wee should apply this exercise against all sinnes in generall but more especially against those from which wee may in reason feare the greatest danger And these are either such sinnes as are easily contracted or such as are hardly recouered For into the one sort men fall often and out of other they doe seldomer recouer if they once fall into them and so the one sort will endanger vs by the frequencie of our falls and the other by the difficultie of our rising after wee bee downe But for better and more distinct vnderstanding of this point wee may in a more particular manner consider the seuerall sorts of sinne which in either of these two respects may breede some especiall danger And of this kinde I take these sinnes following to bee 1. Those that be great and reigning sins such as the Apostle saith doe exclude a man out of Gods Kingdome And in this kind he reckoneth (a) 1 Cor. 6.9 Galat. 5.19 20 21. fornication idolatrie adultery effeminatenesse sodomie theft couetousnes drunkennes reuilings extortion Of which sinnes and such like he saith that they that are guilty of them shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And he meaneth that while they are such or till by repentance and forsaking of them they haue obtained pardon they shall neuer come into Gods Kingdome Against these Dauid prayeth (a) Psal 19.13 Keepe backe thy seruant from presumptuous sins let them not haue dominion ouer me then shall I be vpright and I shall bee innocent from the great transgression And against these wee should watch and pray that we may auoyd them or if we haue falne into them wee should by examination learne to conceiue the danger that by repentance we may gaine pardon For whereas lesser sinnes such as Dauid calleth (b) Psal 19.12 errors and secret faults .i. sinnes which in regard of their finenesse and our frailety doe escape vs through ignorance vnwarines or common and humane infirmitie 1 Ioh. 1.8 whereas I say these sins are in the best of Gods children for euen they say If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs one of these other grosse sinnes being such as cannot be committed but with conscience and purpose of sinne in the offender doth bereaue men for the present of grace and all title and interest to the Kingdome of Heauen And therefore we should haue an especiall care to examine our soules concerning these grosser sinnes that we doe not suffer our selues to liue and lye in any of them 2. Sinnes of recidiâ—ation and relapse when we fall backe into the former sinne after our repentance and vowes of a better life For relapses into sicknesse are dangerous for the body and relapses into sinne are no lesse dangerous for the soule And therefore our Sauiour said to the man whom hee had cured of his lamenesse Ioh. 5.14 Sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee
(b) Matt. 25.26 Thou wicked and slothfull seruant c. and if wee haue beene diligent and in some measure haue encreased our Lords talents that then wee may cheere our soules out of the comfort of our wel-doing and praise our God that hath both giuen vs talents to trade with and grace to vse them to his glory For this practice will whett our diligence for time to come 2. Rule 2 That euery morning before wee begin our worke we coÌ„sider what we are going about what occasions of doing good either to our selues or others we may meete with and what tentations may assault vs in the businesses of that day that so wee may lay hold vpon all occasions of doing good and prepare our selues to stand out with courage against all oppositions and tentations that may hinder vs in our duties or draw vs into sinne For by this meanes occasions of doing well shall not ouerslip vs vn-espied nor will tentations surprize vs at vnawares 3. Rule 3 That if we haue profited in grace and haue taken occasions of doing good we consider at fit times by what meanes wee haue profited and haue beene enabled to doe well that so we may make more constant vse of such meanes by which we haue found so much sensible good already And if wee haue decayed or forslowed our opportunities or haue runne into any sinne then we should obserue what it was that did misleade vs and by what tentations wee were ouercome that our former errors may make vs more warie and more resolute against cases of danger for the time to come For by this meanes we shall euery day gaine some experience how to behaue our selues in the daily conflicts of our Christian warfare 4. Rule 4 That we recall home our thoughts as wee meete with any occasions of moment or light vpon any such businesse as concerning which we haue formerly conceiued a purpose of warie and religious behauiour that while we are in doing of the worke we may remember to make vse of our former resolution and now practise what before we did purpose For by this meanes wee shall be sure that our good purposes shall not bee idle and without fruite as in many men it falleth out who are like sluggish people that ouer-night appoint to rise early but when the morning commeth cannot abide to leaue their warme beds These Rules I haue thought on as beeing in mine opinion fit to backe our examination and to make it more powerfull for an holy life Others as I said before may in their daily obseruation adde moe and perhaps finde out some better then these And as in the ordering of our bodily health Physicians aduise their Patients to follow that whereof they finde good and to auoyd that which doth not agree with their temper so it is good counsell in the ordering of our soules to make daily vse of that which by experience wee finde either to strengthen grace or to weaken sinne in vs and contrariwise to flee from all such occasions and vsages as wee see or haue found to hurt or endanger vs. I onely adde thus much more That these later sort of acts whereof now I haue beene speaking though in themselues simply considered they bee but Adiuncts and Attendants on Examination without which it may subsist in its bare nature and therefore are not necessary ad esse as the Schooles doe speake yet in the vse of the word and in the intendment of the Scripture they are implyed included and presupposed to goe with it and attend it as being necessary ad bene esse to the well doing of this worke as may appeare by these reasons 1. Reason 2 It is the vse and custome of Scripture vnder words of knowledge belonging to the vnderstanding to comprehend affections and practice As when Saint Iohn faith Ioh. 2.4 Hee that saith I knowe God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him hee meaneth not by the word know a bare and simple knowing and apprehending which the learned call cognitio apprehensina but he meaneth an effectuall and working knowledge which breedeth or bringeth forth such affections in the heart and such actions in the life as that knowledge directeth men to which knowledge they call cognitio affectiua And so in this case Examination is properly a worke of the vnderstanding fingling things out of the confused heape that they may appeare what they are but by way of consequent it doth imply such affections and actions as this worke of the vnderstanding is intended for which is the bettering and a heading of our spirituall estates and of ordering euery thing for the best aduantage of our soules and saâ—â—ations 2. Reason 2 Secondly that thus much is implyed and intended by this word may hereby appeare that the Apostle speaking of the danger of vnworthy receiving of the Lords Supper and prescribing meanes to correct all abuse that way 1 Cor. 11.23 saith Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup. For if by the vvord examine he meant nothing but discussing and sifting without correcting and amending hee should allow men to go to the Communion with the conscience of sinne and without reformation of life And which is yet worse should approue of a man as a worthy guest at the Lords Table onely because he hath learned to know his estate though he no way meane to amend it whereas this knowledge of a mans selfe would increase his sinne and make him the lesse welcome vnto God according to that rule of our Sauiour Luk. 12.47 That seruant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall bee beaten with few stripes And therefore when the Apostle saith Let a man examine and so let him eate c. hee meaneth that after hee hath examined hee should amend whatsoeuer is amisse and persoâ—â—â—e whatsoeuer vpon examination he shall finds necessary or fit to bee done And hence it followeth that a purpose to amend our life and to doe what vpon our examining shall appeare necessary for our soules is a necessary duty as an antecedent act that should goe before Examination and that a practice of such things as by tryall shall appeare vsefull for this purpose is another necessary duty as a consequent act that should follow after it And so in conclusion it appeareth that there are three especiall acts required for the right performance of this worke 1 a constant resolution to amend and better the estate of the soule 〈◊〉 a diligent search thereby to gaine the right knowledge of it and 3 an effectuall performance of all such things as are auaileable for this purpose And out of all these laid together we may make a more full description to this purpose Examination is a Discussion of a mans
life for finding out the true estate of a mans soule toward God accompanied with a purpose and endeuour to doe whatsoeuer vpon tryall shall appeare requisite for saluation and the good of a mans soule CHAP. III. Of the Obiect of this worke or the matter about which it is to be exercised HItherto we haue spoken of the acts now we are to consider of the Obiect or matter about which they are to be bestowed and imployed And it may bee considered two wayes either generally and such as it is in the largest extent which wee may call the adequate obiect or specially and such as is in more principall manner to bee respected and looked to which may be called the Principall or speciall obiect I. And first for the adequate obiect including euery thing that ought to be examined or about which a Christian should examine himselfe it is whatsoeuer either thought word or deede which carrieth any respect either of righteousnes or sinfulnesse in it or all both our good and our euill deedes For Examination being as before was noted a kinde of iudiciary proceeding with our owne soules in which wee keepe Sessions at home that we may prepare for the great Iudgement it hath for its obiect the same matter that shall be discussed and sentenced at the day of the last Iudgement And that is as Solomon telleth vs euery worke whether good or euill For (a) Eccles. 11.14 GOD saith he shall bring euery worke into iudgement with euery secret thing whether it bee good or euill that is euery thing that is morally euill or morally good or which is either sinfull or righteous And therefore in imitation of Gods proceeding in his Iudgement we also should proceede in our iudging of our selues which is to consider of euery thing which is either good or euill sinfull or righteous a breach of Gods Law or a performance of it But for our more distinct vnderstanding and our better direction heerein it will not bee amisse to consider our good and our euill workes each apart by themselues And first for our euill deedes or our sinnes wee may note these rules following 1. We must consider and examine our schies as well concerning our omissions of duties as commissions of euils For in the last Iudgement our Lord the Iudge of quicke and dead he will not onely giue sentence against murders and oppressions and robberies and such like but (b) Matth. 25.41 42 43. against vnmercifulnesse also and the not feeding of the hungry the not lodging of the stranger the not clothing of the naked the not visiting of the sicke c. And so when wee are to iudge our selues wee must censure not onely our hurting of our neighbour but our not helping of him nor onely our back-biting of our neighbour but our not defending of his good name nor onely our persecuting of Gods Word but our not profiting by it nor onely our robbing of the poore but our not relieuing of them and so in all other the like cases our not doing of that which is good when dutie doth require it of vs is culpable before God and is part of that matter about which our Examination ought to be exercised 2. We must consider not onely the substance of our sinnes but the circumstances of them also such as are the persons the time the place the facion or manner of doing c. for all these may either aggrauate or mitigate the sinne So we see that the treason of Iudas is counted the more grieuous Psal 41.9 Ioh. 13.18 because he was one of Christs familiar friends which did cate of his bread and Maâ—asses his idolatrie was the more hainous because hee (a) 2 Chron. 33.7 set his idol in the House of God of which GOD had said to Dauid and to Solomon his Sonne In this House and in â—erusalem which I haue chosen before all the tribes of Israel will I put my name for euer And so the cruel dealing of the Iews was the more hainous because (b) Isa 58.3 4. in the day of their fast they did exact all their labours and did smite with the fist of wickednes And Solomons idolatry did anger offend God the more because (a) 1 King 11.9 10. his heart was turned from the Lord which had appeared vnto him twise and had commanded him concerning this thing that hee should not goe after other Gods And so our sinnes will be the more grieuous if we wrong them who haue helped vs or if in the Church of God and in the time of his seruice our hearts doe meditate reuenge or forecast vniust deuices or take pleasure to thinke on our fleshly lusts c. And therefore these circumstances are to come into the account together with the maine sinnes 3. Thirdly not onely the sinne but the occasion of it is to be considered for this may either increase or diminish the guiltinesse of it As the rich man that had many sheepe of his owne and yet tooke away the poore mans lambe 2 Sam. 12.1 c. to make his friend welcome with was the more grieuous offender by much because hauing no neede hee did rob the poore man And againâ— the consideration of the occasion or prouocation by which we were led into sinne may teach vs wiscome by shunning such occasions to escape from the sinnes 4. Fourthly wee are to reckon among our sins that must be accounted for not onely our commissions of euill deedes and omissions of good duties but euen our vnperfect and defectiue performances For of these the Church of God doth accuse themselues (b) Isa 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs and in respect of these it was that the High Priest was by the Law (c) Exod. 28.38 to carrie the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel should hallow in all their holy gifts For that doth imply that the seruices of Gods people had their imperfections and errors which because they were failings in duties were to bee borne by Iesus our High Priest as our other sins were And therefore wee must reckon with our selues not onely for omitting or neglecting the exercises of Religion but for our distractions our wandring thoughts and our cold and dull affections while we did performe them Thus our euill deedes or sinnes may be considered our good workes and holy duties may not be neglected neither and that for these reasons 1. Because we are many times deceiued with shewes thinking that to be good which is euill and that to bee some great good which is but a poore seruice in comparison Thus (a) Philip. 3.6 Paul thought hee shewed much zeale when bee persecuted the Church of Christ and (b) Iudg. 17.13 Micah thought hee had highly demerited Gods fauour when hee kept a Priest for idolatrous seruice and Iehu boasted of his killing of Ahabs children (c) 2 King 10.16 Come with me saith he and see my zeale for the
Author saith fell out accordingly And so vvhen Goliath was slaine 1 Sam. 17.51 the Philistines seeing that their Champion was dead fled before Israel And so in like manner in our conflicts with sinne it will be good counsell that sometimes omitting all other vices we bend our selues wholly against that sin which troubleth vs most because if once wee haue quelled our master-sinnes the Deuils great Leaders and Champions it will be the more easie to chase away the rest And for this cause in the performance of this worke of Examination a speciall care must bee had against these great Commanders that they scape not away in the throng CHAP. IIII. Of the maner to be obserued in this worke or how a Christian should proceede in examining of himselfe THe matter being declared the next thing to be considered is the maner for direction wherein two things are in the beginning to bee noted 1. That in all workes of this kinde Note 1 the maner is much-what to be regulated by the matter and the end For Examination in what kind soeuer it be being a searching or enquirie after something that we desire to know is alwaies to be so performed as may best serue for the bolting out of that truth which we search for And as the matter whereof the question is and the end for vvhich the enquirie is made and the discouerie which is desired in this worke doe differ and disagree so the manner of proceeding in making the search will be different and vnlike it selfe as the things whereto it is applyed doe require As for example if the Goldsmith be to try his metall hee vseth the touchstone and the fornace because these are the proper meanes which his arte doth teach for finding out that which hee desireth to know And if the Carpenter be to try his worke that he hath framed whether it be agreeable to arte fit for vse he vseth his squire and line and compasse because they beeing applyed to his worke will shew how well it is fitted for the purpose And so in like maner if a Physician be to try the state of his Patient hee looketh vpon the vrine feeleth the pulse and obserueth the symptomes And if a Iudge be to examine a suspected person he questioneth him about circumstances and examineth him vpon such interrogatories as may entangle any man that meaneth by glozing shifts to obscure the truth Thus in examinations men follow that course which is suteable to the matter and peculiar for that end whereto it is referred 2. That Examination Note 2 as heere it is intended being a discussion of a mans life for discerning his spirituall state is a kind of indiciarie proceeding as hath beene shewed (a) Cap. 2. alreadie And therefore looke what course Iudges doe hold in their Sessions or at their Assises the like course will be fit to be held in this worke Now in their Sessions this is the course They first enquire into the facts of men and that enquirie is made by the testimonie of witnesses and other proofes that may shew what their deedes haue been and secondly when they haue found out the truth of the fact then they goe to the rule of the Law and that beeing laid to the fact directeth the Iudge to giue sentence according vnto right And so in these Sessions kept in the conscience and held for the ordering of our soules we haue two things to enquire after the one what our actions and facts haue beene so farre forth as they concerne our spirituall life And for finding out thereof our best proofe is the testimonie of our owne conscience which is as good as a thousand witnesses if our selues corrupt it not And the other is how well these actions doe agree with Gods Law which is the Law that bindeth the conscience and concerneth the soule that thence wee may learne what to iudge of our life how farre forth it agreeeth with Gods Law or swarueth from it These two things being first noted in generall for more particular direction it must bee further considered that this comparing of our life with Gods Law may be done two wayes wee may either beginne with Gods Law and first see what it doth requite at our hands and thence proceede to our selues and question with our soules how and wherein wee haue obserued or transgressed those rules Or secondly we may beginne with our selues and enquire what our doings are and then goe to Gods Law that we may learne what to iudge of such workes If we begin with Gods Law then we must doe two things First wee must get a competent knowledge of Gods Law that wee may know in some measure what each precept doth require of vs and what the meaning is of all such Cōmandements as concerne our practice the summe whereof is contained in the Decalogue or ten Commandements For as an vnskilfull man is neuer the neerer for a line or rule if he haue not beene taught the Carpenters trade nor knoweth not the vse of these things no more can a Christian be any whit the better for hearing or hauing of Gods Law to direct him vnlesse he know the meaning of it and can tell what vices are forbidden and what vertues are commanded in euery Precept Whence it followeth that they which haue neuer bin trained vp in the grounds of Religion nor haue not the knowledge of their Catechisme cannot possibly goe about this so necessary a worke with any dexterity or profit to their soules Secondly when a man hath learned in some good sort the meaning of the Commandements then in the second place he is to go through these Commandements one by one and in each of them to consider what sinnes are there condemned and what duties are there enioyned and herevpon still to question with his owne heart And haue I committed this sinne or Haue I neglected that dutie or If I haue kept the precept for the matter yet haue I not broken it in the maner of performance or in the intention of my minde And thus wee may proceed when wee beginne with Gods Law But if we begin first with our selues then wee may hold this course first after some competent knowledge of the Law which is euer presupposed in this worke we must take a view of our life or of so much of it as then we are occasioned and purposed to examine and consider from time to time and from one moment to another how we haue beene busied in what sort we behaued our selues in it and what haue beene our deedes words and thoughts that deserue scanning and heereupon still to question with our selues vpon euery worke that admitteth such a question what therein hath beene done amisse or how we haue transgressed in the matter or in the maner or in the end or in any circumstance In which kinde that we may proceede the more orderly and vnderstand our selues and our estate the more distinctly we must not passe ouer things in the
and that if the vncleane spirit which hath beene cast out of a man Luk. 11.24 doe returne and finde the house swept and garnished that is made fit for the habitation of such a guest then he goeth and taketh with him seuen other spirits more wicked then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse then the first By this it appeareth that these kind of sinnes into which wee haue falne before if after our recouerio we relapse into them againe are most dangerous and preiudiciall to a mans soule And therefore when wee call our soules to account wee should more especially examine them concerning the former sins which we committed before time that wee may see how well or how ill wee haue continued the course of our repentance and amendment 3. Sinnes that â—â—â—e with our owne dispositions such I meane as wee are inclined vnto either through temper of nature or custome of life For these sinnes may breede speciall danger because we are ready to drop into them when no other Tempter driueth vs beside our owne corruption Of such Dauid seemeth to speake when he saith I kept my selfe from mine iniquitie Psal 18.23 And of such we also should beware And therefore in the daily care of our soules we should more especially question and examine them concerning those sinnes to which we are addicted or disposed either by nature or by custome 4. The sinnes of each mans particular calling or trade may especially endanger him because he hath by his very course of life so many and so vsuall occasions to be tempted by them Neuer a day nor scarce an houre of a day but some businesse will come in his way either in dealing with others or in deliberating by himselfe by which he may be occasioned either to omit some dutie or to doe some wrong or to follow some neerer way of thriuing than GOD doth allow him And amidst so many and frequent occasions it will bee hard to stand vpright without much care and watchfulnes And therefore as S. Paul prescribeth vnto seueral men the duties that belong to their seuerall states and conditions as to him that hath the gift of prophecie Rom. 12.6 that hee prophecie according to the proportion of faith and to him that hath an office that he waite vpon his office and so he that teacheth on teaching c so if we desire to looke into the state of our soules and to learne from our owne hearts how well or how ill we haue done our duties we should haue an especiall eye to such things as appertaine to our particular places and callings 5. The sinnes of the time place and companie in which we liue haue speciall danger in them For first they will draw vs by their very example to partake with them in so much as that men who at the beginning doe abhorre them yet by continuance of time are insensibly carried with them before themselues can tell how And secondly euill men doe desire companie in their sinne and doe vsually striue by all perswasions to winne ouer to their side those that are better affected And therefore Solomon saith (a) Prou. 1.10 c. My sonne if sinners entice thee consent thou not If they say Come with vs let vs lay waite for blood we shall finde all precious substance wee shall fill our houses with spoile cast in thy lot among vs let vs all haue one purse My sonne walke not thou in the way with them c. In which words Solomon first supposeth that sinners will entice and vse all plausible allurements to perswade others to their society and then hee aduiseth the righteous to take heede of them and their sugred baites And so if we liue amongst such men we must expect prouocation from them and therefore should vse all prouidence for freeing of our selues of them Thirdly wicked men if they cannot win others to take part with them yet they will molest them because their contrarie life is an open shame to these mens dealings And therefore the Wise man bringeth in the wicked thus deliberating or rather resoluing with themselues (b) Wisd 2.12 c. Let vs lye in waite for the righteous because he is not for our turne and he is cleane contrary to our doings be vpbraideth vs with our offeding the Law obiecteth to our infamie the transgressings of our education He was made to reproue our thoughts he is grienous to vs euen to behold for his life is not like other mens his waies are of another facion c. And this daily molt station from the wicked will make good men afraid to doe well for feare of giuing offence or incurring danger which made Dauid to say that (c) Psal 12â— 3â— the rod of the wicked should not rest vpon the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands vnto iniquitie implying that if the wicked were suffered still to scourge molest Gods people it might be a meanes to make them forsake their integrity either by seeking to pacifie the wicked or to protect themselues By these considerations it appeareth that in the company of euill men are many prouocations to sinne partly by their bare example partly by their euill counsell and most of all by derision and reproches or by oppression and iniuries In respect whereof we may say as S. * Hieron in lib. 2. Commentar in Amos Proaem ad Pammach Hierom out of Cyprian Nullus diu tutus periculo proximus No man can be long safe that is alwaies in danger And therefore such sinnes doe require speciall care and watchfulnesse These and such like sinnes as these because they breede the greatest danger are to bee sifted and censured with the greatest care And so wee see that wise men haue held the like course in matters of this life and haue found good successe by it When the King of Syria was to sight with Israel hee commanded his Captaines (a) 1 King 22.31 Fight neither with small nor great saue onely with the King of Israel And the euent sheweth that the course was good for when the King was slaine (b) Ver. 36. a Proclamation then went throughout the Host Euerie man to his Citie and euery man to his own Countrie And in like sort Agesilaus (c) In pugna ad Mantinéam bortatus est Lacedaemonios vt omissis reliquis in solum pugnarent Epaminondam solos inquiens prudentes esse fortes et illo necato facilem fore de reliquis victoriam id quod etiam euenit Plut. Apophth in Agesil pag. â—â—4 C. gaue aduice to the Lacedemonians in a certaine battell against the Thebans that they should omit all others and fight onely against Epaminondas who was the Leader of the Field and a man of as great wisdome as courage and he gaue this reason for it because he being killed it would be easie to conquer all the rest which as my