A Caveat for Sureties, Sermon 1
A CAVEAT FOR SVERTIES.
Two Sermons of Suertiship, made in Bristoll, by VV. Burton.
LONDON Printed by Richard Field, for Tobie Cooke dwelling in Paules Churchyard, at the signe of the Tygers-head. 1593.
ACAVEAT FOR SVERTIES.
Prou. 6.
1. My sonne, if thou be Suerty for thy neighbour, and hast stricken hands vvith the straunger. 2. Thou art snared vvith the vvordes of thy mouth: thou art euen taken vvith the vvordes of thy own mouth. 3. Do this novv, my sonne, and deliuer thy selfe: seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbour, go and humble thy selfe and sollicite thy friends. 4. GiueGive no sleepe to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eye liddes. 5. Deliuer thy selfe as a Doe, frō the hād of the hunter, & as a bird from the hande of the fowler.
THis text is a schoole, wherin Suerties are taught to flie such discommodities and annoyaunces as commonly come to Suerties by vndiscretenesse and rashnesse. And it may be called the Suerties text, because it prouideth for the securitie of Suerties, as Suerties prouide for the securitie of others, wherein almightie God giueth counsell vntounto Suerties as vntounto his children, which if they follow: then are they sure to stand when other are like to fall. Therfore as S. Paul saith to Timothy in an other case. Take heede to thy selfe & to learning, and continue therein, for in so 1. Tim. 4. 16.doing thou shalt saue thy selfe & them that heare thee. So, I say, to Suerties, take heed to your selues and to your heauenly Fathers counsell, and continue therein, for in so doing you shall saue, both your selues and others. The candle that is carried in a lāterne, shall light many cādels, & yet loose no part of his owne light, be the winde neuer so boisterous, but that candle that is opē to the weather, a litle puffe of winde, or one drop of raine shal put it out, that it can neither giuegive light to others nor to it selfe. So, he to whom the word of God is a lanterne, & a light, shall helpe himselfe and others, when he Psal. 119.that ventureth without it, shall put out his owne light, and the light of others also.
Here therefore the Lord doth teach mē to auoide such discommodities, and annoyances, as many through rashnesse, and for want of discretion do fall into, for the Lordes people must be a wise people. And God would not hauehave thee to helpe thy neighbour without any care to saue thy selfe: for although he hath said. LoueLove thy neighbour as thy selfe, Deut. 4. 6.yet he neuer said louelove thy neighbour better thē thy selfe, or louelove thy selfe lesse then thy neighbour, but louelove him as thy selfe, that is, helpe him and saue thy selfe too, or else thou shouldest louelove him and hate thy selfe, which in the same wordes is condemned. For this end and purpose it hath pleased the Lord that dwelleth in the heauens, to stoupe downe so low, as to take order for our businesse here vpō earth, that we following his orders, it might go well with vsus, and our children for euer.
And this counsell concerning Suerties: though it be an oeconomicall thing, yet it is not a base thing as some hauehave thought the spirite of God to occupie himselfe in base matters. But by this we may perceiue, how carefull the spirite of God is for vsus, in all things, he is become our ouerseer, and would keepe vsus euen in the smallest things, that we are to take in hād. He hath giuen vsus this warning, as if he were an ouerseer of our money, and our losses: but yet he doth not so much prouide for the benefite of the body as of the soule. God hath set down a perfect rule for all things, which is able to make the man of God perfect: yea, he hath vouchsafed to stoupe so low, as to come home into eueryevery mans familie, and to hauehave a care of our domesticall affaires, that though we care not how we go to worke, yet our heauenly Father hath a care, that we should walke according to his word, which he hath set vp, to be a lanterne to our feete, and a light vntounto our pathes.
This being true, as it is most true, we Three cō clusions.may be bold to lay downe these three conclusions following. First, that the word of God containeth a perfect rule for the ordering of all our affaires: And whatsoeuer is requisite either to be beleeued 1. Whatsoeuer is necessarie to saluation.in matters of doctrine, or to be practised in matters of manners, either towards God or man, is from that fountaine to be drawen, and in that schoole most exactly, and perfectly taught.
It teacheth the King to raigne, the Iudge to giuegive iudgemēt, the Magistrate to beare rule, & the subiect to obey. The Minister from hence may learne how to preach, and the people may learne how to heare. Here the Captaine may learne how to pitch his battaile, and the common Math. 3.souldier is taught his dutie. If thou be a husband, here thou mayst learne how to rule thy wife, and the wife may see in this glasse how to obey, and to please her husbād. The word of God hath layd downe most absolute instructions for fathers and children, for masters and seruaunts, for superiours, and inferiours, and for all estates. In prosperitie and aduersitie, in sicknesse and in health, in warre & in peace, in youth & in old age, in the field & at home, at bed and at bord, in all places and at all times, thou mayst here learne how to behaue thy selfe. Here is order taken for our eating and drinking, for feasting and fasting, for sportes and pastimes, how to recreat the body and how to solace the minde, for the apparell we put on, and for the very haire of our head, for the gestures Esay. 3. 1. Cor. 11. Prou. 6.of our body, and the whole behauiour of our life. It hath taken order for buying and selling, for borrowing and lēding, for giuing & taking, for finding and loosing, there is a rule layd downe in the word of God how to become Suertie, and how to escape the daunger of Suertiship, here may the man of God be instructed, in a word whatsoeuer belongeth to pollicie, to ciuilitie, or to Christianitie, for this life or for the life to come, it is most exquisitly, most plentifully, and most plainly layd downe in the booke of God. If thou delightest to read Histories or Chronicles, read Gods booke. If thou wouldest see the creation of the world, and how the same is preserued, and the nature of the creatures, read Gods booke. If thou louest to tell, and to heare of famous Kings & Captaines, of wonderfull battailes and victories, of excellent Iudges, and Magistrates, of renowned Preachers, and Prophets, of cō stant professours and martyrs, peruse the booke of God. If thou wouldest see cō mon-wealthes? florishing, and going to ruine with the causes of both, be acquainted with the booke of God. If thou wouldest see the Church of God in her infancie, and in her riper age, in her rags and in her robes, clensed and polluted, increasing and decreasing, with her enemies, and her friends, be not straunge to the word of God. Would any see the noble actes of God, the wonderfull deliuerances of Gods people, and the horrible confusion of wicked men? let him hearken to the word of God. If thou wouldest know thy maker thy redeemer, thy sāctifier: if thou wouldest know the vanitie, the miserie, and the wickednesse of the world, with the subtilties & sleightes of Sathan: if thou wouldest know the happinesse, the ioyes, and felicities of heauen and finde the way thither: if thou wouldst know the paines & tormēts of hell, and how to escape them, enquire of Moses and the Prophets and they will tell thee. What shall I say? for one thing ouer-taketh another in such sort, that confusion wil ouerwhelme vsus, before we can tell what riches are contained in the storehouse of Gods booke, for who can sound the depth of a bottomlesse sea? but in a word: if a man desire to know himselfe throughly within and without in all his affaires betweene God and man, let him behold himselfe in the glasse of Gods booke, and when we hauehave so done, we will say as the woman of Samaria said, whē she had reasoned with the Lord Iesus. Be hold one that hath told me all that euer I did, and more, Ioh. 4.euē al that euer I should do. Therfore let no man maruell, what we meane (being the Ministers of God) to speake of such and such matters, or to medle in the businesse and dealings of mē, for the word of God doth take order for all our affaires, neither wonder who told tales of thee, as the king of Aram did, for the word doth rifle the hiddē corners of the heart. But how are our aduersaries the Papistes deceiued, which hold that the word of God doth not containe all things necessarie to the saluation of the elect? but ô Lord, what spirite of Atheisme and blasphemie doth possesse those men, which durst compare Plimes Philosophie with the bookes of Moses, Aristotles Ethickes and Politiques, with the Prouerbes of Salomō? Marcus Aurelius with Marke the Euangelist? Marlins Prophesies, with the Prophesies of Esay, and the rest? the eloquence of Cicero, or Demostenes with the eloquēce of the holy ghost in the mouths of the Prophets and Apostles, and in all the Scriptures? or any doctours or fathers before the Doctours and Fathers of the Bible? For what is lead to gold? what is water to wine? what is ignorance to learning? what is darknesse to light? what is the chaffe to the wheate? what is falsehood to truth? what is earth to heauen? & what comparison can there be betweene God and man? and so much for that point.
Secōdly, we may learne here that except God doth teach vsus, & direct vsus, as it were by line & by leuell, by precept vpō precept, by litle and by litle (as the Prophet speaketh) we know not how to order rightly our common businesse, and dayly affaires of this life, but we shalbe snared, and entangled with our owne 2. By nature we know not what to do.words, or ouertakē one way or other, to our own hinderance, so foolish & ignorant is man by nature. And againe whē we are snared, and brought into danger, we know not how to helpe our selues, except the Lord do teach vsus, but if he should let vsus alone, to shift for our selues, we would neuer leaue vntill we had wrapped our selues in ten times more danger thē we were in before. Adam hauing transgressed, will thinke to hide Gen. 3.himselfe frō God in the trees of the garden, & to couer his nakednesse with fig leaues. His faulte he will excuse by the fault of another, and rather (then fayle) he will not sticke to lay it vpō God him selfe, so foolish was Adam, and so are all his posteritie. Cain will incurre the vengeance Gen. 4.of God by killing of his brother, & when he hath done, he thinkes to saue himselfe by outfacing of the matter: but it will not be, and so do all Cains brood, Saul will disobey Gods cōmaundement, 1. Sam. 15.like an hypocrite, and then (like a foole) he will say he ment no harme, he did it of a good intent, and such fooles are we all by nature. We are become like foolish marriners which will runne vponupon the rockes to auoide the sandes. We are become like Sisera, who flying for his life, Iudg. 4. 20. 21.will runne into Iaells tent for succour, where the nayle and the hammer is prepared for his head, and whē he thinketh to take vp his rest, and sleepe most soūdly then is he nearest his destruction. We are like children and sicke folkes, which do desire nothing so much, as those things which may hurt them. We are become like the Philistines, which were most merry when the house was ready Iudg. 16. 25.to fall vponupon their heades. We are secure like the men of Laish which mistrusted nothing, vntill the children of Dan did Iudg. 18. 27.smite them with the edge of the sword, and burnt their Citie with fire. Now, if we be so foolish for this life, how foolish are we for the life to come? we see that except our heauenly father doth direct vsus by his counsell, as he led Israell by the cloud, and warne vsus by his messengers; as he warned the wisemē by his Angell, we know not how to order our commō businesse, & the affaires of this life: much lesse do we know by nature how to serue the Lord our God, and how to worship him aright. If by all our cunning which we hauehave by nature we cānot auoide the Note.snares of men, how shall we thinke by our naturall wit and cunning to auoide the snares of the deuill? if we know not how to get out of bodily dāger without Gods direction, how shall we thinke to get out of spiritual dāger without Gods direction? for there is no craftinesse like spiritual craftinesse, as there was no beast so subtill as the serpent. Againe, if we cā Gen. 3.not of our selues get out of trouble whē we are in trouble, how do we thinke of our selues to winde out of the temptations of Sathan except God do teach vsus. For all the wayes of sinne, are like the wayes of a harlot, vvhichwhich are moueable (saith Salomō) & thou canst not know thē, Prou. 5.that is, there is such varietie and store of them to bewitch men, that we can neuer know which is which, so in the crooked wayes of the deuill there be so many windings and turnings, that whē a man is once in, he cānot finde the way out againe, vntil the Lord do bring him out againe. And yet eueryevery one thinketh that he may aduenture vponupon any temptation, and he shall easily get out againe when he list by his mother wit, &c. and no maruell, for it is the easiest thing in the word for a man to deceiue his owne soule, and so much for the 2. point.
Thirdly, we may learne here, that almightie God doth not leaue his childrē 3. God doth not leaue his children to thēselues.to thēselues, but (cōsidering how simple they are by nature) he doth take paines to teach them, how and which way to helpe themselues in eueryevery action, and for this cause hath he set down rules, and instructions for all their affaires in his word. Our heauenly Father (I say) doth not adopt any in Christ Iesus to be his sonnes and daughters, and then leaue thē to thēselues to be guided (or rather beguiled) by the counsell of their owne hearts, nor by custome, nor by worldly reason, nor by the examples of their forefathers in any thing, whether it concerneth this life, or the life to come, for then there were no difference betweene the elect, and the reprobate, whom God hath deliuered vp vntounto a reprobate minde, to do those things that are not conuenient, because they regarded not Rom. 1. 28.to know God. But the Lord wil instruct his children in the way, which he hath Psal. 32. 8.appointed for them, and wil guide them with his eye. Yea, with his counsell he will guide them, and afterward receiue them to glory, and therefore will he Psal. 73. 24guide them with his counsell, that he may receiue them into glory: because (ordinarily) no man is glorified in heauen, that is not first sanctified by the word of God vpō earth. Therefore doth Ioh. 17. 17.the Prophet Dauid call the word of God a lanterne to his feete, and a light vntounto his Psal. 119.pathes, as if the Lord should go before his children with a candle and a lanterne to guide their feete into the wayes of peace, to teach vsus, that if we were as wise, and as holy as Dauid was: yet without the discretion of Gods word, we do but grope in the darke like the men of Sodome, Gen. 9.and go we cannot tell whither, like the mē of Samaria. In another place, he calleth the statutes of the Lord his Psal. 119.coūsellers, as if he knew not what to do without thē. And surely so it was, for in another place (when he was ruled by his owne heart & affectiō) he saith, that he plaied both the foole & the beast, vntill he went to schoole in the house of God, where he learned that holy wisedome, which he had not before: so that this point is manifest and plaine, that God doth not leaue his childrē to themselues in any thing, but (as a most mercifull father) doth teach and instruct them by his word and spirite. And therefore who soeuer shall either refuse to be ordered by the same, or shal prefer his own wisedome, or any mans workes before it, or cōpare them with it, may iustly suspect himselfe to be none of Gods children vntill he repent: for the children of God knowing their owne ignorāce & weaknesse eueryevery manner of way, are glad to be counselled by their heauenly father.
But what? hath the lord takē order for Suertiship, and all other of our worldly businesse? and hath he not likewise takē order for his owne businesse? will he not leaue vsus to our selues in the lesser things, & wil he leaue vsus to our selues in greater matters? will he not let vsus serue one another otherwise then himselfe hath appointed, and will he be content that we shall serue his maiestie, otherwise then he hath appointed himselfe? Would he giuegive a paterne and direction to his people for making of the Tabernacle, and building of the Tēple, to that end that they might do eueryevery thing or any thing thereunto belonging as they listed? no surely, and therfore he himselfe set down an order for the very vessells, for the ashe-pannes, the beesomes, the fleshhookes, yea and eueryevery pinne about the worke, beyōd which paterne they might not go: much lesse hath he left his worship vnderunder the Gospell vntounto our discretion, and he that is so carefull as that he would not leaue men to themselues, and to their own deuises in matters of Suertiship, & affaires of the world, surely he would neuer be so carelesse as to leaue men to themselues, in the ordering and gouerning of his Church. To conclude, he that hath in his word set downe orders for oeconomical matters, no doubt, but he hath also in his word set downe orders for Ecclesiasticall matters, for seeing as he will not allow men to hauehave more care for the ordering of other mēs houses then their owne, farre be it from vsus, that we should thinke so of the Lord, that he would hauehave greater care for the ordering of our houses, then for the gouernement of his owne house which is his Church, but as we finde certaine rules and perpetuall directions for the one▪ so shall we finde in the same booke, most certaine rules, and perpetuall instructiōs for the other: if we do not put some thing before our eyes, and say, we cānot see. And so much for this 3. point. Now we will come to the matter of Suertiship it selfe.
My sonne, if thou be Suertie for thy neighbour, &c.
Concerning Suertiship we will consider vponupon this text of VI points.
1. What Suertiship is. 2. How many sorts of Suerties there be. 3. Whether it be lawfull for Christiās to become Suerties one for another. 4. How men in Salomons time became Suerties. 5. How men are hindred by Suertiship. 6. We will see what counsell God giueth vntounto Suerties for their safetie.
As touching the first point. To become What it is to be a Suertie.a Suertie, is nothing else but by word or writing or by pledge to make another sure (so farre as man can) of that which before he was not sure of: or to put a man out of doubt so farre as law and equitie will require) for the receiuing, or enioying, or recouering of some thing, whereof he stood in doubt before, & therefore it is called securitie. I reckon pledges amongest Suerties, because a pledge is a kinde of Suertie, for if the principall do faile, the Suertie must answere the debt, but when Suerties cānot be gotten, then men lay somewhat to pledge, that is better or as good as the debt commeth vntounto. And if the partie faileth, the pledge must answere the debt, sometime a pledge is layd, because the thing is so small that one would be loth to hauehave his friend come in bandes, or giuegive his word for the same, and yet that which is but a smal matter amōgest rich men, may be a great matter amōgest poore men. And sometimes pledges are vsed in things vnlawful & dishonest, & that is when mē do promise a thing vpō such conditions as they are ashamed to make knowē vntounto any, as Iudah promised his daughter in law Thamar a kid of the goates vpō cōditiō that he might lye with her, but he knew her not, well (saith Thamar) if thou vvilt giuegive me a pledge till Gen. 38. 17. 18.thou send it, that is, if thou wilt put me in good securitie, and that must be by some pledge at this time, so he gaue her his signet, his cloake, and his stasse for a pledge, that if the kid came not, they must answere the matter. And this was such a matter, that when she was gone, Iudah was ashamed to send after her for his pledge, he had rather loose it, then to recouer it with so much infamie, as he was sure would ensue. The end of Suertiship and pledges, &c. is that all men might hauehave their owne, without which no trade, nor traffique, nor Suertie, nor peace could be preserued amongest mē, 2. How many sorts of Suerties there be.and so much for the first point.
Now as touching the second point, in a word. There be diuerse kindes of Suerties, for some are Suerties for mens persons, that they shalbe forth cōming by a day, either to answere such matters as shalbe obiected against them before some Iudge, or to receiue such punishment as is already awarded for his misdemeanour. In such cases commonly the prison is the best Suerty. Some are Suerties for mens debtes and bargaines, that they shalbe payd, and performed accordingly as they be made and promised. Some are Suerties for mens behauiour, that it shalbe good, honest, and peaceable towardes all men in generall, or towardes some one especiall partie, and towardes his goods and familie: and this is cōmōly required, of notorious offēders, in cases of slandering, and quarrelling against a mans person, or deprauing of a mās good name, lest a mans good name should be more impeached, and his credite more hindred then it was before. Men in such cases, become Suerties for their friendes, in hope of their amendement. And Suertiship in such cases, do more binde a mans toung, then the prison can, because most men (if there be but common ciuilitie in them) will forbeare many times, for their friendes sake lest they should be endamaged to whō they are so much beholding, then for all the extremitie that can be vsed.
There is no man so wicked, but he shall finde some body ready to promise for him, as one theefe for another, or one bankerupt for another, or one beastly person for the honestie of another, or one rakehel for another: now this it but a mockery, as if one should say: Aske my fellow if I be theefe, or if I be dishonest, or if I be not a mā of my word, &c. And therfore hauehave Christian lawes well prouided that eueryevery mans word or bond is not to be admitted, neither shall all persons and causes passe and repasse vnderunder Suerties, for though some might flie to the hornes of the alter, & hauehave the benefite of a priuiledged place: yet Ioab the man of bloud shalbe smitten before the 1. King. 2. 30.alter, neither shall the sanctuarie saue his life when he flieth vntounto it, much lesse shall any Suerties giuegive their word for him. We are all bound, to do what we can to winne men to God, and to perswade all men vntounto holy obedience, but to answer vntounto God whatsoeuer his law can charge vsus withall, is a thing which belongeth onelyonly and properly to the Lord Iesus Christ that great Suertie of mankind, and so much for the 2. point.
Now, for the lawfulnesse of Suertiship, The lawfulnesse of Suertiship.we are to know, that it is a dutie both Christian and necessarie, and therfore it cannot be vnlawfull.
That it is a dutie of Christianitie, may appeare two wayes, first, by the rule of charitie, secōdly by the exāples of godly men, which hauehave practised the same. The rule of charitie we know: and that is to do for others as we would be done Mat.vntounto our selues. If therefore Christians would be glad of a Suertie when they are in necessitie, then Christians must also (when neede requireth) do so much for others.
To become Suertie for mēs persons, is no doubt a worke of charity, for what if mē be arrested of mallice, & euill will as many be? or what if such extreme actiōs be layd by vnreasonable men vponupon thy neighbour, as shall make a man afrayde to speake for him, as many do? or what if such practises be vsed of purpose to discredite thy neighbour in a strange place where he is not knowen? shall it not be then lawful to relieue thy neighbour by thy word vntil his cause may be knowē? verely, if thou wilt not rescue him, and shrowde him vnderunder the shadow of thy wings, but let the prison consume his body and wicked men make a pray of his goods, thou thy selfe mayst one day come into the like predicament, and then thou wilt cōfesse that Suertiship in such a case is a worke of charitie.
But further, what if thy Christian brother be arrested vponupon suspition of euill? when notwithstanding he is innocent? if he go to prison his good name is called into question, if he lye in prison his goods go to wracke, his health is in hazard, his life is in danger, both he and his are like to smart for it. Now if any man thinke it vnlawfull to giuegive his neighbour leaue to refresh himselfe, and to saue his life, his goodes, and his good name, vnderunder the shadow of his credite & protection of his promise, let him imagine himselfe to be the man that is so handled, and then he will confesse that Suertiship for mēs persons is a worke of charitie, and therefore lawfull. But yet further, what if thy Christian brother be falsely accused, and wrongfully imprisoned (as Ioseph was) and it is yet vnknowen? is it not lawfull, nay, are we not Gen.bound in such a case to redeeme the libertie of our brother, with our word or bonds, if it may be? or what if a man had bene Suertie, for Iosephs appearance if his libertie might hauehave bene obtained, shall we say that such a man had sinned? God forbid, if any thinke so, let him know that Iosephs case may one day Ioseph.proue his case, and then he will confesse that Suertiship for mens persons, is a worke of charitie and therefore lawfull.
But what if my brother be in debt, & must either go to prison or finde Suerties, for the payment of the debt by a day? Surely if he be a Christian, he is thy brother, & how canst thou see thy Christian brother by languishing in prison, where he doth onelyonly spend, but not get? when if he were abroad to worke in his calling he might both helpe himselfe, and pay his debtes. Imagine that rich Iob were the man, when all was gone frō Iob.him, and he left as naked in the world, as he was when he came into the world, what if his creditors should then take him by the throate, and say, pay that thou owest, or else put me in sufficient Suerties, lest thou go to prison (as the manner of many is, when they see their debters fall in decay:) shall we say that he should hauehave sinned against the law of charitie (which is the rule of Christianitie) that should hauehave giuen his word with Iob for the payment of his debt by such a time and in such a reasonable maner as might be agreed vponupon? If this be not sufficient to perswade thee, remember that no man is so high, but may be brought low, as there is no full sea, but hath his ebbing, and Iobs case may proue thy case, and then thou wilt hold that Suertiship is a dutie both necessarie and Christian, and therfore very lawfull. But put case that my brother hath offended some body by word or deede, and must either finde Suerties for his good behauiour, or else go to prison: Surely, if he be sorie for his offence, and if he shall craue the helpe of thy word for his enlargement, brotherly kindnesse wil perswade thee to succour him, & the law of louelove will forbid thee to denie him. And if this be not sufficiēt to moue thee, then remember that he which thinkes that he stādeth may fall, and when his case shall proue thy case, thou wilt then plead for thy selfe, and say that except thou mayst be at libertie, there can be no triall of thy amendement, and except thou mayst be bailed by Suerties, thou canst not be enlarged, and then thou wilt thinke that Suertiship is a dutie both Christian and necessarie in eueryevery common wealth, and therefore lawfull, and thus we see that Suertiship is proued lawfull by the rule of charitie.
As this point is sufficiently proued by the rule of charitie: so it is no lesse confirmed by sundry examples of holy men which feared God. When Iacob was loth to part from his sonne Beniamin: Gen. 42. 37.first Reuben entreateth him, and offreth himselfe to become Suertie for his safe rerurne, and for his greater securitie, he leaueth his owne sonnes as a pledge instead of Beniamin, if his offer would hauehave bene accepted. Afterward cōmeth Iudah to entreat Iacob, I vvill be Suertie Gen 43. 9.for him (saith he): of mine hand shalt thou require him, if I bring him not to thee, and set him before thee, then let me beare the blame for euer. Againe, Paule, perswading Philemon to receiue his old seruant Onesimus, doth offer himselfe to become Suertie for him, If he hath hurt thee (saith Phile. ver. 18.the Apostle) or oweth thee ought, that put on mine accountes. What is that but thus much, if he be not able to pay thee, I will pay thee for him.
Last of all, our Sauiour Christ doth not onelyonly approue it, but he seemeth also Luke. 10. 35.to commaund the same, in the parable of the Samaritane and the man that fell amongest theeues. For the Samaritane (seeing the man wounded by theeues) came vntounto him, powred wine and oyle into his wounds, he set him on his beast, he brought him to his Inne, and made prouisiō for him, he gaue his hoste some money in hand, and bad him see that he lacked nothing that was needefull for him, and (saith he) looke what thou prouidest for him, take my word for it, I will see thee recompenced for it. This man did the part indeed of a neighbour (saith the Lawyer that came to tempt the Lord Iesus) then sayd the Lord Iesus, go, and do thou likewise.
By these reasons and examples the lawfulnesse of Suertiship is sufficiently established. By which we may easily perceiue what sinne they cōmit against God, and how much those mē do offend against the rule of charitie, which do hold it as a thing vnlawfull. Such are those men which vtterly refuse it being required thereunto, because (forsooth) they hauehave made a vow to the contrary; or they hauehave forsworne it, or they hauehave bounde themselues to such a friend of theirs, and he againe is bound againe to him, that neither of them both shal euer become Suerties for any mā while they liue, so that if their owne father or mother require this dutie at their handes, they hauehave but a cold sute of it, for their child hath boūd himselfe to the contrary. But let vsus see: is it lawfull for a Christian to binde himselfe by vow, or by oth, or by bond from a dutie so necessarie, so charitable, and so Christian? many good men hauehave bound themselues from sinne, as Iob tooke bonde of his eyes that Iob.they should not wantonly behold a mayde: and Dauid vowed to serue the Lord his God. And Dauid and Daniell both did as it were binde themselues to pray so many times a day to God, but we shall neuer read of any man fearing God, which did euer binde themselues from seruing of God. Men count it a shame, and so it is, to be bounde to the good behauiour, but what a shame is it for a Christian to binde himselfe from performing the duties of a Christian? But because many are decayed by Suertiship Obiect.(they say) therfore hauehave they boūd thēselues frō being Suerties for any mā. By the same reasō, why do they not also Answer.binde themselues from eating and dringing, because many men by eating and drinking do surfet themselues? Or why do they not binde themselues neuer to come neare any water, because some mē hauehave desperately drowned themselues, &c. but what slauerie, do these men endure, which hauehave bound themselues frō relieuing of others, and themselues like the Iewes which vowed neither to eate nor drinke, vntill they had killed Paule. For how can they with cōmon honestie Act.denie their brother so Christian a dutie, so on the other side, with what faces can they craue any reliefe of any mā in their neede, seeing as they hauehave bounde them selues from helping of eueryevery man what need soeuer he hath?
But as the deuill had Scripture for that he said, so hauehave these mē too, for, A man destitute of vnderstanding toucheth the hand, and becommeth Suertie for his Prou. 17. 18.neighbour, saith Salomon. Therfore Suertiship is vnlawfull (said they) for eueryevery Obiect.one that becommeth Suertie for his neighbour is a foolish man, and voide of vnderstanding. But the reason halteth Answer.right downe, and if we shall make such a conclusion in other matters, we shall shew our selues to be destitute of vnderstanding indeed, for a man voide of vnderstanding, pulleth off his clothes, and goeth into the water, to swimme before he be taught, and perhaps is drowned: is eueryevery one therefore a foole that goeth into the water to swimme? The deuill confessed Christ to be the sonne of God: is eueryevery one therefore a deuill that confesseth Christ to be the sonne of God? A riotous person borroweth money of his neighbour, and is in debt: is eueryevery one therefore a riotous person that borroweth and oweth? Or, a mad man walketh vp and downe with a sword: is eueryevery one therefore which walketh with a sword become a mad man? Or, a scholler of Cambridge goeth in blacke: therfore is eueryevery one that goeth in blacke a scholler of Cambridge? and many moe Fallacia accidētis.such absurde cōclusions might be made like vntounto that: but how feeble they are who doth not see? But indeede Salomons meaning is nothing lesse then to condemne Suertiship, but rather to shew that it must be done with aduise, and good deliberation, & not rashly we care not for whom, nor for what. And if any man thinke that there belōgeth no more to the matter then to touch the hand & to become Suertie, that man is a man destitute of vnderstanding, but yet eueryevery one is not destitute of vnderstanding that becommeth Suertie, for wise men are wel aduised in that they do. So again on the other side, some man that hath no louelove to God, nor his neighbour refuseth to become Suertie for any mā, shall we now conclude that he which refuseth to become Suertie for eueryevery one, hath no louelove to God nor his neighbour? this cōclusion is but of a bad cōstitutiō, and looketh with a wry mouth.
But yet they do obiect, and say, that Obiect.by the rule of charitie, one man ought to beleeue another vpō his word, and charitie is not suspitious, and the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. 5. 7.saith, that louelove thinketh no euil, but iudgeth the best, and hopeth the best, therfore if one promise payment, or if one promise appearance by a day, or if one promise amendement of his fault, we ought to beleeue him without any further bōds, or Suerties: And if we do not, it is a signe that we suspect his credite, or his honestie, or that he will not do as he said, but will breake promise & so deceiue vsus, and if we thinke so of him, then we iudge vncharitably of him, for charitie is not suspitious. Now for an answer, this I say: First, as charitie is not suspitious Answer.without cause, so charitie is not blockish, and foolish, whē there is cause, but doth and may learne to iudge of one thing by another. Our Sauiour Christ would not commit himselfe vntounto the Iewes, because he knew what was in mā: Ioh. 2. 24.shall we therefore say that our Sauiour Christ brake the rule of charitie? so whē we know what is in men, we shall not breake the rule of charitie, though we do not commit our selues to the curtesie of all men, without the vse of some honest meanes for our safetie. Now that which he knew, was by his diuine knowledge without any signe or token, for he was God, and knew the hearts of all men, and therefore it is said, he needed not that any man should testifie of Vers. 25.man, for he knew what was in man: but he hath taught vsus to iudge the tree by the frutes, that is, to know what is in mā, by his wordes and his deedes. Secondly: I answere, that charitie is not suspitious, 2. Answer.but yet charitie worketh by ordinarie meanes, and iudgeth according to the working of meanes, & when one seeth a smoke, he suspecteth presently that there is fire, but what saith the Lord? Can the Ierem. 13. 23.blacke more chāge his skinne? and the Leopard his spots? thē may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do euill, as if he should say it is impossible. Therefore if we see a man that hath accustomed to do euill, or that is a common lyer, a cōmon cosoner and deceiuer, a common barriter, a common beast, &c. Charitie is not suspitious, but by the Lordes owne rule, we may doubt of his goodnesse, and we may suspect his credite and his bonesty, &c. because he is accustomed to do euill. And because the Prophet saith that all men are lyers, therefore there is cause of suspitiō in all, yea and in our selues too. Thirdly, I answere, that this rule of the Apostle may be returned vponupon themselues, thus: Charitie is not suspitious, & louelove thinketh no euill, but iudgeth and hopeth the best. Therefore if their brother 3. Answer.shall require their word, or bonde in time of need, and shall promise them that it shall no way be a hinderance vntounto them, they ought not to deny them for feare that they shall be driuen to answere the debt: for if they thinke of their Christian, that he will either runne away, or suffer the matter to fal vponupon the head of his friend, then he iudgeth euill, and therefore vncharitably of his neighbour, & doth not (according to the rule of louelove) iudge the best, & hope the best. Last of all to this it may be answered, that there ought to be (indeede) such 4. Answer.faithfulnesse, such constancie, and such vpright▪ and simple hearted dealing amongest men, that eueryevery mans word should be as sure as his bonde, and the bonds of Suerties with him. But it is not so, and therefore were bondes, and Suerties appointed. There ought to be such trustinesse in seruants, and children, and in all commers and goers to mēs houses, that nothing should neede to stād vnderunder locke and key, but there is not, therfore lockes and keyes were ordained. There ought to be such peace & vnitie amōgst men, that there should neede no bearing of weapons, but there is not, therefore weapons are ordained, and for this cause were walled Cities, strong holdes, and all prouision of warre appointed. If there were no coueting of other mens goods, and hatred of other mens persons, what need we hauehave doores and barres to our houses? if there were that peace and louelove, which ought to be, what needed so many lawes, and so many lawyers amongst men. If Adam had kept his first innocencie, and puritie, shame had not entred with his transgression, and if shame had not come with sinne, he might still hauehave bene naked and neuer hauehave blushed at his nakednesse: but he did not keepe his Gen. 3.first innocēcie therfore shame came vpō him and so apparell was ordained to couer his shame withall. So that all these meanes which are now appointed for mans honestie, for mans safetie, and securitie, what are they else but badges, & tokēs of mans shame and dishonestie, of Suertiship is a badge of treche rie & deceit.mans crueltie & trecherie? so we see how, sinne and deceit brought in Suertiship and Suertiship is a badge of sinne and deceit, when man kept not touch with God, God would neuer hauehave had any thing to do with him againe, neither would he trust him with any of his creatures except his own sonne Iesus Christ had become Suertie for man. And therfore, whē mē became trecherous against God, no maruell though they be so vnfaithful & full of trechery one against an other: therfore there is no cause why we should be proude of our suerties, but rather take occasion thereby to bewaile that horrible corruption of Adam, and all Adams posteritie, the very name of a Suertie should humble vsus, howsoeuer the Lord doth in mercy encline mens It should hūble vsus.hearts vntounto men. In a word, as the theefe hath no cause to be proude of his prison and fetters, so hath no man cause to be proude of suertiship, but yet that is lawfull to be vsed, which must also serue to humble vsus, and so much for the lawfulnesse of Suertiship.