Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Of Censure and Correction.
MAny thinke to priuiledge themselues from the name of Sinners, by reading largely and reprehending plentifully the sinnes of other men, counting it a compendious way to credite by building gorgeously on another mans discredit and ruine.
2 Flesh and blood will ease it selfe; superiours looke to inferiours, and inferiours to superiours, but eueryevery man must looke to himselfe.
3 As an house being on fire, if it may bee quenched, it is best toSimile. vse water onelyonly; but if it bee like to endanger and set on fire the houses rounde about, it is best to pull downe the house quickely: so if offence being raised, it may bee quenched with water, vse water, and let the house stand still; but if fire burst out on eueryevery side, then pull it downe. When the Viper will still bee aqui non corrigit seipsum, alij corrigent s… per ipsum. Simile. Melius est vt pereat vnus quàm vnitas. Viper, and retaine his poyson, though the charmer charme neuer so wisely, the Apothecary takes him, and makes a Triacle of him, to expell poyson out of others: so if a brother will not be admonished, if he will not leaue his poyson, make triacle of him; that he that would not take heede of others, should bee made a preseruatiue for other to beware by him: if euill will not be taken from one in Israel, then take away the euill out of whole Israel, If we must needes see somewhat dead, it is better to see a dead arme than a dead corpes. When men will harden themselues, God in his iudgement makes them as an adamant: and when they grow so hard, it is good to cast them out.
4 We are giuen to display eueryevery sinne, yea the least in others, and to conceale and buryWe can see clearly intellectu directo but with bleare eyes i…ellectu refle…o. many graces, yea the best in others.
5 Such as be fallen must be restored with the spirit of wisedome and lenitie: Such as be falling must be vpholden by al good meanes speedily, least they fal so dangerously as that then cannot be recouered.
6 In an euill report or vniust censures of men, it is not good straightway to be angry, but to fly to Gods prouidence, and to desire to profit by them.
7 Because we do not to men that good which we should doe, God often suffereth them to report and speake euill of vsus.
8 Though we may be discouraged to deale in exhorting or dehorting, admonishing or reprouing, or any ecclesiasticall and Christian dutie; yet being called of God, we must aske wisedome of him, who will send wisedome to blesse his owne ordinance.
9 It is a dangerous thing to hauehave a proud spirit with a vaine minde.
10 The drunken peace of hypocrites, must not be suppled with oyle, but pierced with a speare.
11 If we be reproued for sinne of man, let vsus feare the reproofe of God. It is our greatAdmonition how profitable. corruption, that wee are sooner brought to leaue a sinne when man doth rebuke vsus once, than when God doth threaten vsus often.
12 It is a good thing sometime to hauehave enemies. For we often are more afraid to sinne, least our enemies should reproue vsus, than wee make conscience of sinne, least God should condemne vsus.
13 Although the wicked speake euill of vsus, let vsus be content: indeede a good name is better than a precious ointment, but remember that the Lord had made vsus all priests, and therefore let vsus offer vp our good name to his glory, and if the wicked will bring coales of iuniper, let vsus sacrifice vp our good names, and with Paul let vsus say, I esteeme it the leastEuil reports. thing in the world to be iudged of you: it is the Lord that iudgeth, and there is a blessing propounded for them that are so euil spokē of. But there are foure hundred Prophets that speak against you, are they all deceiued? Many eyes see more than one. True, if it be spoken of the like: for one Eagles eye seeth more than a thousand owles eyes: and as Salomon Simile.saith, One man that feareth God, is better than a thousand sinners. And Paul saith, what hauehave I to doe with them that are without? God shall iudge them. VponUpon which words a learned man biddeth vsus obserue, how the Apostle accounts euil men as nothing: wherefore seeing the wicked are so vile and so vaine, one is better then many of them, therfore their censures and calumniations not to be regarded.