Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Sermon 3
THE III. SERMON.
PRO. 6.12.
Walketh with a froward mouth, &c.
WE hauehave heard of the names of Belial:Of Belials actions. and how they do set foorth his nature. Now it remaineth that we consider of his actions: whereby he is also described aswell as by his names. And first of those which set foorth his outward behauiour; where, the first member to be ripped vp, is his mouth: which for the qualitie is very euill: for it is froward: and for the quantitie is exceeding great: for it is full of frowardnes, as that which is accustomed to speak froward things. He walketh with a froward mouth: or as Tremelius translateth it, ore peruerso, with a wry mouth, or a mouth drawne out of fashion.
The mouth is put here Metonymicè, for that which proceedeth out of the mouth:1Of his speeches. & that is, froward speeches, and crooked constructions, &c. Walking is put Metaphorically, for a custome and continuance in the said frowardnesse. And albeit I deny not, but that sometime the man of Belial may stumble vponupon a good word, or yeeld a good reason, or vtter a wise sentence, or speake to one friendly, or salute courteously, or discourse learnedly, or determine iudicially, &c. all which Belial can do, when he is not prouoked to anger, or when he is soothed, or is in his good moode (as they say:) yet for all this, he is noted for one that walketh with a froward mouth, because commonly, and for the most part, his words are peeuish and peruerse: and ordinarily like Nabal he is, who was so wicked,1. Sam. 25. that a man could not tell how to speake vntounto him. And therfore,A man is that which he is for the most part. because of his vsual maner of frowardnes, he is said to walk, not with a wise mouth, nor with a courteous mouth, &c. but with a froward mouth: for denominatio fit â maiori partè, the denomination of any thing (say Logitians) is taken from the greatest part: as the Blackmore is called blacke, though his teeth be white, because all his bodie is blacke.
That a froward mouth is a note of a wicked man, shall easily appeare, if we consider two things.
First, the right vse of his tongue, or the end for which it was giuen. Secondly, the true difference betweene the wicked and the godly in the vse and abuse of the tongue. Of the first he may be instructed in diuerse places of the Scripture: but especially three. One is in the old Testament, the other two are in the new: that in the old Testament is the 45. Psalme, where in the beginning of the Psalme, the Psalmist calleth his toung, the pen of a readie writer. Psal. 45.1.But what is it that he will write? that is, what will he declare or set foorth? He sheweth in the first verse in generall tearmes: first, that it shall be of a good matter: to shew, that the tongue was made to set foorth none but good matters:The toung was giuen to set forth none but good matters. but what matters doth he meane? He saith, that he will intreat or discourse of the King, meaning Salomon: his Maiestie, his beautie, his riches, his power, his wisedome, his vertues, his ornaments, his honorable mariage with the Queen of Egypt: and vnderunder all these he meaneth to shadow out the vnspeakeable Maiestie of Christ, and the excellent dignities and prerogatiues of Christ his church. For otherwise he might seeme onelyonly to set his mind to commend men, and to flatter Princes,Iob. which is a thing condemned by Iob, when he saith: Shall not my maker confound me, if I giuegive titles vntounto men? But frō this place of the Psalme we may learne, that our toungs are giuen vsus, chiefly to set foorth the glorie of God,And chiefly the glorie of God. The toung compared to a penne for three causes. and those things that may tend to the extolling of Christ and his kingdome, and to the alluring of others vntounto the louelove of Christ. But why doth he compare the tongue vntounto a pen? Surely, for three causes. First, because as the pen sheweth what the mind thought, so the tongue should expresse the zeale of the heart. Secondly, as the penne doth his message without blushing, so the tongue must speake nothing that a man may be ashamed of, but should boldly iustifie the same. And thirdly, to shew that there must be that consent between the tongue & the heart,And to the pen of a swift writer for three causes. that is betweene the pen and the mind of the writer. As the toung is compared to a pen; so also, to the pen of a swift writer: and that for three causes. First, to shew, that as swift writing is a signe of one that is well practised in writing: so the toung should not be slow, but swift, and well practised in the praises of God. Secondly, to shew, that it must dispatch much in a short time, and not a little in a long time, as the hand of a swift writer doth.1. Thirdly to shew, that the tongue must euer be renewed and corrected as the pen of a swift writer that writeth much,2. must be stil renewed and corrected.3. And so much for this place of the Psalme. The vse of the toung may further be learned out of two other places in the new Testament: whereof the first is of S. Paul, and the other is of S. Iames:Ephes. 4.29. &c. that of Paul is in the 4. of his Epistle to the Ephesians. 29.30.31. verses: Let no corrupt communication (saith he) proceed out of your mouths, but that which is good to the vse of edifying, that it may minister grace vntounto the hearers: and grieue not the holy Spirit of God, by which ye are sealed vntounto the day of redemption. Let all bitternesse and anger, and wrath, crying, and euill speaking be put away from you, with all maliciousnesse: be ye courteous one to another. To shew,The toung is giuen to build vp others in goodnesse. that our toungs are giuen vsus as well for the building vp of others in goodnesse, as the helping of our selues: and therefore must be accustomed to words of grace, and not vntounto corrupt speeches. For as the benefite of the one is great both to our selues and to others, so is the hurt also as great of the other, both to others, and also to our selues. To others corrupt speeches are very hurtfull: for if only good speeches,The hurt that commeth by corrupt speeches. and words of grace serue for the vse of edifying others in grace and goodnesse, as they do (witnesse the Apostle in the forenamed place:) then corrupt speeches can serue to no other vse but to destroy and pull downe men from goodnesse, and to infect them with euill:1. Cor. 15 Be not deceiued (saith the Apostle in another place: 1. Cor. 15.) euill words corrupt good manners: to shew, that some thinke otherwise, but they are deceiued. There be two sorts of people that are deceiued with a wrong opinion as touching euill words. First, he that speaketh them: next, they that heare them: and neither of both suspecting any hurt to grow thereby:The vaine perswasion of prophane persons. but vntounto both the Apostle saith, be not deceiued. The wicked and prophane person will not sticke to say, that though he doth accustome his mouth to swearing, and filthie talking, and all maner of vile ribaldrie, yet he hath as honest a heart as the best of them all, and meaneth no hurt. Of the same mind also are they that find eares to heare, and memorie to beare away all such filthie communications, (yea they can remember such things better then words of grace) but they are deceiued (saith the Apostle) for euill words do corrupt good manners. And as they do corrupt good manners,The corruption of good manners is the generation of euil mā ners in others. so do they ingender euill and wicked manners: for corruptio vnius est generatio alterius: the corruption of one thing is the generation of another: as in nature we see the corruption of the egge, is the breeding either of a bird, or else of rottennesse and stink: and the turning of the wine is the making of that which was sweete wine, to become sharpe vineger: and the corrpuption of the graine in the earth, is the generation either of a new blade of corne, or else of a weed: euen so the corruption of good manners is the generation of euill conditions: the corruption of chastitie is the begetting of incontinencie: the death of humilitie is the life of pride: the corruption of faith is the generation of infidelity: the corruption of sobrietie is the procreation of drunkennesse: and the decay of pietie is the setting vp of prophanenesse. And is all this no hurt? Is there no hurt in euill words, which be as infectious and daungerous to good manners, as any plague, sore is to the bodie?Euill words are hurtfull al…o to our selues, and signes of much euill in the hart. As they be hurtfull to others, so are they no lesse euill to ourselues, and signes also of much euill in our hearts. For as a rotten sore argueth a rotten disease, and an vnsound bodie: so a corrupt and froward mouth, argueth a corrupt and froward heart: and as a stinking breath doth bewray an vnsound stomach, so a filthie mouth doth argue a filthie mind, which is within like a swines stie, or rather a diuels stie: and therefore in verse 27. of the 4. to the Ephesians, when the holy Apostle doth disswade Christians from sinfull anger, and from dwelling in wrath,A wrathfull heart is the diuels lodg he saith: giuegive not place to the diuell, as if the diuell did lodge in a wrathfull heart. Which cannot be but to the grieuing of the spirit of God, who is thereby (as much as lieth in vsus) dispossessed of his hold & inheritance. For wold it not grieue any man to be either annoyed in his owne house, or put out of his inheritance which he hath dearely purchased and paied for? And will it not much more grieue and offend Gods spirit to be dispossessed of his owne inheritance, which God hath purchased with his owne bloud: Act. 20.28. and to hauehave the diuell set vp in his place like an vsurper?Act. 20.28. And therefore in the 30. verse of the former fourth to the Ephesians, he addeth: And grieue not the holy spirit of God: vsing that as a reason why we should not suffer corrupt communications to proceed out of our mouthes. For, though there be in all men naturall corruption and infirmitie, which is bred and borne with them, yet by the grace of God, it is so suppressed and corrected in the regenerate,Naturall corruption doth not domineere in the regenerate. What it is for corrupt communication to proceede out of the mouth. that it hath no full sway, nor domineering power in them. And therefore he saith not, let no corruption be at all in your minds: but he saith, Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouths. For it is said in Gen. 6.5. that the imaginations of mans heart are euill continually. But if lewd speeches hauehave libertie to proceede out of our mouthes: that is, at pleasure to go and come, like a maister of a familie, that is a signe that Sathan hath wonne the hold, and keepeth possession of the heart. And on the contrarie, when good words are frequent and vsual in the mouth, it is a signe that Gods spirit doth beare rule: though now and then by reason of our naturall corruption that still remaineth in vsus, some crooked thoughts wil breake in to our minds, and some froward speeches will breake foorth at our mouthes by force, or by stealth, while we be not so watchfull as we should be.Iam. 3.3.4. The Apostle S. Iames also agreeth with the former as touching the vse of the toung, in his third chapter, verses 3. and 4. where by two similitudes, he sheweth that the tongue hath a double vse, both in regard of our selues, as also in regard of others. And namely, first our maker, and then our neighbour. For with our tongues we must blesse God: that is, praise God, and with our tongues we must also blesse our neighbour: that is, pray for him, wish him well, and speak well of him, &c. How this little member must be gouerned, he sheweth by two similitudes.Two similitudes. First, of a bit in a horse mouth, which the rider vseth for his owne safetie: which also must be moderated: for if it bee let loose too much,1Of a bit in a horse mouth. the horse will stumble, or go which way he lift, or cast his rider: if it be pulled in too much, the horse will either stand still or else go backe, or rise vp to the daunger of the rider. So the tongue if it be too silent, too fearefull, and too much restrained, the owner shall make no way in his heauenly iourney, he shall not be able to keep companie with others: it will make his affections rise vp with desperate cogitations to his own hurt: neither shall God hauehave his due praise of that member which he ought to hauehave: neither shall man reape that benefite thereof, which we owe vntounto him: as it falleth out when men are so tongtyed, that they will not preach nor reproue sinne, when they are called thereunto, and when others will not affoord their neighbour their testimonie or witnesse in time of neede to do him good. And againe, if it be let go too loose, and suffered to be too bold, then it will fling out, and runne riot (as the saying is) to the shame of the speaker and griefe of the hearers. Secondly, he likeneth it to the rudder of a shippe,2Of a rudder in a shippe. which is to rule the ship, and to direct her course: whose benefite (if it be well stirred) redoundeth to many, to the Pilote himselfe who doth guide it, to the owners, to the mariners, and to the whole ship, with all that is in it: and so on the other side is the daunger as great and manifold, if it be not well ordered and stirred. So the tongue is so to be vsed, as that thereby the bodie may be well ordered, the affections may be bridled, others may be preserued, and all may be edified, by counselling some, by instructing some, by admonishing others, by comforting others, and by praying for all, and interpreting all things in the best part. Which graces whosoeuer hath attained vntounto, hath attained to an excellent thing: Iam. 3.2. Yea, a man of wisedome (saith Salomon) spareth his speech, Pro. 17.27.and he that vnderstandeth is of an excellent spirit: Prou. 17.27.
So that by the testimonie of Dauid, Paule, and Iames, it appeareth, that the end why the toung was giuen vntounto man, was to praise God who gaue it,The application of the former doctrine. and to edifie others, to direct the course of our liues to our owne safetie, and the peace of others. But farre from this vse of the tongue, is Belial, and Ish-auen, the man of vanitie: for he walketh with a froward mouth, a mouth out of fashion and order, not contrarie to nature, but contrarie to grace.A description of Belials toung. All his words be from the matter, all his vnderstandings be commonly wilfull mistakings: all his conceits be malitious constructions: all his reproofes be quarrellings: all his allegations be cauils: and all his reasons be vnreasonable. I will because I will, (saith he:) all his censures be bitter condemnations: all his admonitions be false accusations: all his communications be mingled with othes, scoffes, and taunts, all his discoursings are bitter deprauings, or vaine ianglings: all his mirth is foolish and ridiculous, and nothing to the praise of God. The most wholesome doctrine he turneth into a iest, taking all with the left hand, and hearing all with the left eare: that is, with the worst affections that he hath:Psal. 73.8. This is a froward mouth: They are licentious (saith the Psalmist) and speake wickedly, they talke presumptuously. And of such was the Prophet Ezechiel warned.Eze. 33.31. They shall sit and heare thee as my people vse to do, but with their mouths they will make iests of thee. These are they that S. Paul saith are deliuered vp of God in his iudgement vntounto a reprobate mind,Rom. 1.29. being full of all vnrighteousnesse: and that appeareth in no one thing more, then in taking all things in euill part.
A peruerse mouth, a note of one that feareth not God.This peruersenesse of the mouth is a true note of a wicked man, and one that feareth not God. The heart is secret, and therefore it is the impudencie of many to outface the matter, although he walke neuer so openly with a froward mouth, when God hath giuen such euident notes of his prophane heart, that a man cannot choose (except hee will be wilfully blind) but know him. Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh (saith our Sauiour Christ:Mat. 12.) to shew, that by that which commeth foorth of the mouth the heart may be discerned. The righteous will speake of wisedome (saith the Psalmist) and his tongue will talke of iudgement, Psal. 37.30.for the law of God is in his heart: to shew that if wisedome be in the heart it will appeare in the tongue, and so will folly too. To conclude this point: If any seeme to be religious, (saith Iames) and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiueth his owne heart, this m…ns religion in vaine. He that cannot speake well cannot do well.And no maruell: for he that cannot speak well, can hardly do well: and he is farre stept into wickednesse, that can neither speake well nor do well.
This doctrine reproueth two sorts of persons. First, such as thinke they need not care what they say, so that they speake the truth, and speake neither fellony nor treason.Two sorts reproued by the former doctrine. In which number may be ranged all froward and peruerse hearers of the word, who vse to picke quarrels against the Preacher, for teaching things that they like not, or that they vnderstand not. Also all husbands and wiues which liue in continuall frowardnesse and bitternesse one with another. As also all idle gossips and Ale knights, who do nothing but wet their lips with drinke, and dry them againe with carying of newes, lyes and tales, and discoursing of eueryevery bodies matters which belong not vntounto them. These are such as Dauid prayeth against in the 12. Psal. the 4. verse,Psal. 12.3.4. where he saith, The Lord cut off all flattering lippes, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: which hauehave sayd; with our tongue we will preuaile, our lips are our owne, who is Lord ouer vsus?
Now, these are such as will be carefull inough for speaking of treason, or fellony, or any thing that may beare any action at law (although sometime through the iudgement of God they are ouerreached and taken in their owne craftinesse before they were aware.) But with their flattering and deceitfull lips they do much mischiefe: and howsoeuer they may shift in the world, yet for so much as they walke with a froward mouth, the Lord hath branded them in his word for wicked men of Belial.
Secondly,2. Sort. this doctrine reproueth such as will peruersly discourse of mens matters, and dispute contentiously of Gods matters, pro and contra: and when they hauehave defended their popery,Peruerse disputers. their vsury, and their vanity as much as they can, then forsooth it was but for disputation sake. These are counterfeit mad-braines, such as Salomon noteth in the Prouerbes:Pro. 26.18.19. As he that faineth himselfe madde, casteth firebrands, arrowes, and mortal things: so dealeth the deceitfull man with his friend, and saith, am I not in sport? Sober disputations tending to edification, are cō mendable.I condemne not sober set disputations, which are for edification, but contentious frowardnesse of lawlesse libertines, for the maintaining of their malice, and defacing of the truth, which is the practise of a man of Belial, and a wickd vaine man who walketh with a froward mouth: And so much for the qualitie of Belials speeches: now for the quantitie of his frowardnesse: it is to be noted where he saith, he [walketh.]
This word (walketh) is a Metaphor,Walketh. or borrowed speech, taken from those that go in a way, doubling their steppes, vntill they come at their iourneys end: it noteth a continuance of going in them that do go: and being translated vntounto other actions, it noteth a continuance of that thing vntounto which it is applied,Cōtinuāce in frowardnes is a difference betweene the godly and-the wicked. as here it noteth vntounto vsus the cōtinuance of Belials frowardnes, and that the vaine lawlesse person, doth not now and then stumble vponupon a froward word, but maketh frowardnes his continuall practise. And this is the difference betweene the wicked and the godly, for euen a good and a godly man may sometime speake frowardly, hastily and vnaduisedly, as Moses did once, Psal 106.33. So did Iob, and Ieremy too, when both of them cursed the day of their birth. And Saint Iames saith,Ia. 3.2. He that sinneth not with his tongue is a perfect man. But as Dauid, and Moses, and Iob, and Ieremy did all striue against such imperfections, & vnruly affections, so do the godly: & hauing once ouercome thē by the renuing grace of Gods holy Spirit,Psal. 51. Psal. 39. they bridle thē vp more straitly thē before. I thought (saith Dauid) I will take heed to my wayes, that I offend not with my toung, I will keep my mouth bridled while the wicked are in my sight. Gods childrē are far from the nature of wicked Belial, which vse to say: What? which of you sweare not sometime? which of you be not froward somtime? be not moued somtime? be not impatient somtime? Yea, indeed it is true, but yet the godly may answer them againe, We walk not with a froward mouth as Belial doth:The wicked delight in speaking of the frailties of the godly, to iustifie themselues. The comfort of the godly after their fals. who vseth to alledge and recken vp the faults & frailties of the godly only to iustifie themselues in their libertine courses, and lawlesse behauiour. This shall be a great comfort to the godly, to remember how they hauehave striuen against their headstrong affections: and being foiled, and cast downe somtime, hauehave risen againe by Gods renewing grace, and walked afterward more circumspectly: when the wicked shall find nothing but horrour and horrible desperation, because they hauehave made a continual practise, & art (as it were) of swimming, giuing themselues ouer wholy like slaues vntounto sinne, as vntounto a cruell tyrant, whose crueltie neuer appeareth vntill the day of reckning cometh, to pay men their wages. The fruit of this tree is faire in shew, but in tast most bitter,Rom. 6. for what else is it, but feare & shame, and death eternall? Rom. 6.
And indeede the custome of any sinne is very dangerous: the continuall driuing at the wedges,The custome of sinne is dangerous. Similitudes at length driue them home to the head, and so the great oke is spoiled and broken in peeces: by continuall dropping of raine the hard flint is worne hollow: by continuall blowing, the fire is made to flame out: by continuall going, great iournies are gone, and a great way is to be gone backe againe: by continuall leaking, the shippe is sunke at the length: by continuall wooing, the suter speedeth at length: by continuall walking in the Sunne, the face is Sun-burnt at the length: by continuall digging, Castles are vndermined, great pits are made, and high mountaines are cast vp. Yea, what should I say more? nothing, but vse and custome doth make men perfect and expert in any thing they go about.Custome and vse maketh vncomely fashions seeme comely. Custome and vse hath made euen those fashions (which at the first seemed very vgly and abhominable) to become in account very good and commendable. And if a man doth accustome himselfe to any thing which is hard, and against the mind at the first, at last (by long vse and custome) he shall find a certaine easinesse, yea a felicity, and dexterity in it, how much more shall we find the like in any sinne which we do accustome our selues vntounto, the pleasures and allurements whereof be so fitting vntounto our natures and dispositions? yea doubtlesse, he that hath accustomed himselfe vntounto any sinne, whether it be of swearing, or whoredome, or drunkennesse, or hastinesse:How hard a thing it is to leaue that which one hath bene accustomed vntounto. or whatsoeuer else, he shall in time find it as easie a matter to be perswaded to cut his throate, or to cut off his right hand, or to pull out his eyes, or to be nailed vntounto a post, or to hauehave his bowels pulled out of his belly, as to be perswaded to leaue that sinne, whereunto he hath accustomed himselfe: as soone shall he cease to desire drinke when he is in extremity of thirst, as to cease from that sinne, and sinfull path wherein he hath vsed to walke: Can a blacke Moore change his skin, Ier. 13.or a Leapord his spots (saith Ieremy?) No more can this people do well, which hauehave accustomed themselues all dayes of their life to do euill. The former is a thing impossible in nature,In nature impossible. and so is the latter too, and therefore let no man accustome himselfe to do euill, nor to walke in any lewd path, but returne betimes, or else at last the way will seeme so long, and the iourney so tedious that must be gone backe againe, that he will rather sit downe,Custome taketh away the feeling of sinne. How an euill custom may be broken off. The folly of those that thinke custome will excuse them and grace thē. Another difference betweene the wicked and the godly. Zeale in the godly seemeth to be frowardnesse. The smoth words of the wicked are dangerous. or go on still desperatly, then go backe againe: yea custome is another nature, and taketh away the very sence and feeling of sinne. But if any man hath walked in any dangerous custome, and would be rid of such a haunting spirite and dangerous customer, let him resolue with himself to endure much striuing, and fighting, and much paine, and many blowes and buffetings of Sathan, and therefore must be very earnest with God by continuall prayer, for the creating of a new heart, and renewing of a right spirite within him.
But most wretched are those fooles, and monstrous is the folly of them, who instead of fearing the custome of sinne, and praying vntounto God for grace against it, do take it as a sufficient plea, and defence for themselues (being admonished to leaue their sin) to say, Sir it is my custome, you must beare with me: yea accompt it a grace vntounto them to do as the custome hath beene of their forefathers, though it be neuer so wicked.
Againe, further we are to note, that euen in outward shew, there is great difference between the wicked and the godly, least we condemne the iust and the innocent causelesse. The godly seem sometime to speak frowardly, when it is indeede earnestly, and zealously for Gods glorie. The wicked for the most part are crosse, & when they speak most faire, and vtter words most smooth (which formally they can do at their pleasure, per artem adulandi, by the art of flattering) then are they most dangerous, like Ioab who in saluting and embracing slue his brother Abner, and like Iudas the traitour, who with a kind kisse (in shew) betraied his Maister Christ. The godly are most moued for the glorie of God: the wicked are most moued for their owne glorie:The minister of Christ shall be counted froward and malicious, if he reproue sin. like Naman who was in a chafe, because the Prophet came not out vntounto him. And as touching the Minister of the word, who many times hath iust occasion to thunder out the iudgements of God against obstinate sinners: he seemeth vntounto men of peruerse and froward conditions (who list not to see others otherwise then they are themselues, nor to muse but as they vse:) to such I say the Minister of Gods word, seemeth to speake of malice, and bitternesse, and by way of reuenge for some old grudge (as they say) and to deale frowardly with his people, when in zeale and earnestnesse he crieth aloud to awake men out of their dead sleepe, and cutteth and launceth them, to cut out their festered corruption: but surely they are deceiued.Reprehension wholesom, thogh not toothsome. 2. Tim. 4.3 True louelove appeareth in plaine dealing. Reprehension indeed hath a sting (as the saying is) which is not very toothsome, but it is very wholesome, and it is not doctrine, but wholesome doctrine (saith Paule to Timothy) which men cannot endure. The father seemeth to be out of patience with his child when he seuerely rebuketh and correcteth him, but then is he most tender ouer him, and carefull for his good. So the fathers of our soules seeme to be our enemies when they sharply rebuke vsus for our sinnes, but then they louelove vsus most, and are most desirous (or at least should be) that we might be saued: Am I Paule become your enemie, because I tell you the truth? (saith the Apostle to the Galathians:) to shew, that if we tell men the truth without flattery, we shall be counted their enemies. The more I louelove (saith the same Apostle to the same people) the lesse am I loued:The more the minister loueth truly, the lesse he shall be loued. to shew that true spirituall louelove will procure vsus hatred. And what other account will the world make of vsus if we deale plainly with them for their soules health, but as of babling fooles and mad men? Ieremy was counted a contentious person, Ezechi…ls Sermons we reckned of but as of a fidlers song?Ier. 20. Eze. 33. Act. 17.18. Act. 26.25. What will this babler say? sayd some of Paul, when he came to preach the resurrection of Christ: And too much learning maketh thee madde (saith Festus.) And were not the Apostles words esteemed as words of drunken men, when they were filled with the holy Ghost?Act. 2.13. And Christ hath told vsus that men shall speake all maner of euill saying falsly against vsus for his names sake: euen as they did of the Prophets before. So that in outward shew, all zealous Christians in generall, and eueryevery true and faithfull Minister of Christ in particular, whose mouthes are still open to find fault, and reproue sinne, shall seeme to the blind world, of all men most froward, but we know, and so many as are taught of God do know, that none but the man of Belial, and Ish-auen (that is lawlesse, and vaine persons) are those which walke with a froward mouth. As for the regenerate, though they be (as hath bene sayd) through weakenesse sometime ouertaken with a froward speech,Psal. 1.1. yet blessed are they (saith Dauid) because they walke not in the counsell of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners. The grace of God is abounding (sayth Paule) through our sinne, Ro. 6.1. Act. 9.but not if we continue still in our sinne: and therefore (to conclude) as Paule (going to persecute the Church) was obedient to the heauenly vision, and returned a true conuert: so let so many as hauehave walked in froward waies, now take warning by this heauenly vision, and so shall he returne home truly conuerted.
Now let vsus praise God.