The Seven Golden Candlesticks, Part 14
How we ought to carry our ſelues in offences taken.
I. QVaere, Whether it bee an offence iuſtly giuen by thee, or taken without iuſt reaſon of them; thou not offending, and they diſpleaſed, the fault is their owne, and thou art not chargeable therewith.
II. Quaere, Whether they be offended in reſpect of what themſelues know, or but lead by affection, diſliking from other mens diſlike? Intreat the former to let thee abound for ſuch things in thine owne ſenſe, and ſhew them that herein thou mayeſt brotherly diſagree: for the later, informe his iudgement, if he will yeeld to reaſon, if not, then,
III. Quaere, Whether thou art bound to nouriſh vp ſuch a one in his folly, and to reſpect his partiall affection, being more carryed away with an ouerweening of ſome mens perſons, then any thing at all with the right vnderſtanding of the cauſe? If they be men of iudgement, and will contend with thee, bee not troubled with what wit can inuent to ſay, but what is truly ſpoken from the Word, not by farre Concluſions, but by a neare conſequence, and plaine euidence of holy Writ. If thou canſt anſwere the ſubſtance of that which is obiected, let their vaine conceits or ſubtilties paſſe; neither thinke that thou art ouercome, or art bound to yeeld vntounto them, as one conuinced in iudgement, becauſe thou canſt not ſee eueryevery deceiueable reply, to giuegive thereto an vnanſwerable reaſon to take it away. If ignorance make a conuiction, and ſophiſtrie be the meanes, then ſhould men be eaſily carryed about with eueryevery winde of doctrine. There is no Heretique but hath his arguments, nor any Sect but hath conceited reaſons, and Satan by his ſophiſtrie helpeth both, the more to beguile others, and euen ſo to deceiue their owne ſelues.
IV. Quaere, What authoritie may doe in things externall for outward rule in the circumſtances of things; and then, Whether Authoritie commanding doth not take away the offence, which might otherwiſe bee giuen in a voluntarie act?
V. Quaere, Whether a man ſhould ſtand more vponupon auoiding diſlikes in priuate perſons, then offence to publike authoritie? Whether this be not an humouring of men, to encreaſe diſcontentedneſſe, rather then to endeauour to preſerue (wherein thou mayeſt) the publike peace and wellfare of a Chriſtian State; or, Whether it were not better to croſſe ſome mens affections without ſinne to God, then that otherwiſe thou ſhouldeſt ſtay the paſſage of the Goſpell, neglect moſt certayne duties, let people periſh, open a gap to the enemie, loſe thy libertie, & no whit better the Church? It were better, wherein thou lawfully mayeſt, after the Apoſtles practice, that thou diddeſt become all things to all men to winne but ſome.
Doeſt thou not behold the times? wee hauehave among vsus the Pſeudo-Catholikes, are they not craftie Foxes? diuiſion they ſeeke to hold on foote; they know, a Kingdome diuided againſt it ſelfe, cannot ſtand. By vnion they ſtrengthen themſelues, by diſ-vnion we grow weake. If we ſupport one another in louelove, their enemitie can doe vsus no harme. They are ſubtile, our innocency is not enough, but we had need to be as wiſe as Serpents; and let vsus labour to be of one mind, that we may ioyntly turne our forces againſt them.
Therefore let vsus all, as the Apoſtle exhorteth, ſtudie to be quiet, and to follow thoſe things which concerne our peace with God, within our ſelues, and one with another. And to attayne to this: let vsus keepe patience within vsus, and bee charitable abroad towards others. Let vsus attempt nothing raſhly, but firſt know things as they be rightly. We may be, yea wee muſt be zealous, yet in ſound iudgement without diſtempered paſſion; and not without compaſſion to the tranſgreſſor. In doing any thing (that our courſe may bee good and approued) let vsus make euer the Word our warrant; the circuit of our calling our bounds and limits; the Spirit of God our Director; our conſcience our Comforter, godly wiſe our Counſellors; the glorie of God our end; truth and honeſtie the matter for which we contend; the Enemies watchings caueats to vsus, to preuent miſcarriage, and to cauſe vsus to walk more warily, and all our life to be ſuch as may witneſſe our readineſſe for death, hauing euer a holy remembrance of our end, and wee ſhall neuer doe amiſſe: Euen ſo, Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Bernard, The Seven Golden Candlesticks (1621)