Of other kinds of sinnes, which a good Christian ought to eschew. CHAP. XI.
BEsides the seauen sinnes, which are called capi∣tall, there are others, which depend of them, which a Christian ought to eschew with all dili∣gence no lesse then the former. Amongst these one of the chiefest is, to sweare vainely by God: for this sinne is directly against God, and therefore in his owne nature it is more greeuous then any other sinne, which is com∣mitted against thy neighbour, albeit it be enormous and very farre out ofsquare. And this is done not onely when the name of God is sworne by, but when we sweare by the Crosse, Masse, Sacraments, Saints, or by our owne life, for euery one of these are haynous sinnes also & idolatrous, for by protesting by them we place them in Gods stead, vvhich vnlawfull oaths are much reprehended in the holy Scriptures, because of the iniury, which is offered to the Diuine maiestie. Greatly to blame are they, and much haue they to aunswer for, who sweare of custome for euery light matter, hauing no respect how or wherefore they sweare, neyther doe repent themselues of this custome, neyther endeuour to roote out this corrupt and depraued vse. Neyther are they to be excused, if they say, that they doe not sweare of set purpose or it was not their mind and intent to sweate vainly: for the case being put, that they are willing to entertaine this naughty and corrupt custom, they are also willing to entertaine that, which followeth of it, that is this, and such lyke euills, and therfore they are not free from great and enormous wickednes.
Wherefore a Christian ought to endeuour himselfe as much Page 417 as lies in him to banish and root out this euill custome, least this incircumspection proue his bane. That this may be done the more easily, we must diligently obserue and marke that coun∣saile of Christ,* and of his most louing Disciple Iames, saying; Before all things, my brethren, sweare not, neyther by heauen; nor by earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay, least yee fall into condemnation: He meaneth, that the custome of swearing should not draw them to false swearing, and therefore should be iudged, and condemned to euerla∣sting death:
Neyther ought any man to sweare by the lyfe of his sonnes,* or of any other in his family. And hee must also diligently take heede, that as no man sweare after this manner in his family, so let him cast out of his house all such oathes, by admonishing & chasticing all, that are vnder his iurisdiction. And if there be a∣ny man, to whom this custome is so turned into a nature, that he can hardly expell it, let him accustome himselfe, that for eue∣ry such offence he giue some thing to the poore, or exact some other thing of himselfe, that by it hee may not onely be put in minde of his repentance, but also, that it may be an admonition vnto him, not to incurre the same fault againe.
¶ Of murmuring, detraction, and rash iudgement.
ANother sinne, which euery one ought to flie and auoyde, is murmuring: which vice doth no lesse raigne in the world at thys day, then that before. For there is neither house, nor as∣sembly of religious persons, nor holy place, which is altogether free from murmuring. And although this vice is acquainted & familiar with all estates of men, (for the world through her wa∣uering and mutability, ministreth matter of teares to the good, and an occasion of murmuring to the weake) yet some are more inclined to this vice of their own nature,* then others. For euen as mens tastes are diuers, for all things tast not alike to all men; sweet tastes displease this man, and sower tastes please another, and some please theyr tastes in sweet things: so the wils of some men are so corrupt, and repleate with hurtfull and melancholy humors, that they haue not any pleasure in any thing that is ioy∣ned with vertue, they cannot away to heare theyr neighbour Page 418 praysed, and nothing doth please them but euill speaking, and scorning others; so that in all their conuersation they seeme dul, and benummed; but if they light in a vaine of euill speaking, and spightfull reproching, in this they seeme as though they were waked out of sleepe, and they quicken vp theyr spirits to descant on this theame.
* That an hatred of this abhominable and hurtfull sinne may be bred in thine hart, marke how this vice bringeth with it three kinde of euils. The first is, it brings forth detraction and back∣byting [ 1] , for from murmuring to detraction, the way is short, and the accesse easie from that to this. The Phylosophers say, that in elements the transmutation is easie, which agree and symbo∣lize in any quality:* So we often see, when men begin to mur∣mure, that they most easily descend from more cōmon defects to particuler, and from publique defects, to defects more se∣crete and priuate, frō small to great: and by infamy they wrong the fame of theyr neyghbour. For after the tongue hath begun to waxe hote through speaking, it is a hard matter so much to restraine the lust and desire of the hart, as the flame encreaseth the winde raising and puffing it; as it is hard to hinder and hold in an vnbroken and an vnbrideled Colt foming and chafing in the midst of his race. Then the murmurer respecteth not any body, neyther feareth to proceed, vntill he hath entred into the secretest places of the house. Wherefore, Ecclesiasticus earnest∣ly prayed, that God would set a watch before this gate; Who sayth he,* shall sette a watch before my mouth, and a seale of wisdom vpon my lips, that I fall not suddainly by them, & that my tongue de∣stroy mee not? Hee that spake this, knewe very well the great weight, moment, and difficulty of this thing: for he looked for remedy of thys from GOD alone, who is the true Phisitian of this disease,* as Salomon testifieth, saying: The preparations of the hart are in man, but the aunswer of the tongue is of the Lord. Of so great moment is this busines.
[ 2] The second euill is; because it is very hurtfull; for at the least three very great dammages & hurts are found in murmu∣ring: One is of them, who are the speakers; another of them, who are the hearers and consenters; the third of them, of whom the words are spoken. For albeit walls haue not eares, yet word Page 419 words haue wings, and men are desirous of fauour and friend∣ship, and by broching such trifles, they hunt for the fauour and familiarity of others, vnder pretence as though they had a great care of his honour, whose fame is hurt and wronged. Hence it ariseth, that when such wordes are carryed to the eares of him that is defamed, he is offended, and to his owne griefe he rageth against him, of whom he is defamed. Hence come perpetuall enmities, hence continuall hatred, hence warres and slaughters proceed.* Wherefore worthily sayd the Wise-man; Abhorre the slaunderer and double tongued: for such haue destroyed many that were at peace. And all this mischiefe, as thou seest, oftentimes is deriued from one word ill spoken,* as the Wise-man sayth; Of one little sparke is made a great fire, and of one deceitfull man, is blood increased.
In regard of thys mischiefe, the holy Scripture compareth the words of detractors and murmurers to sharpe rasers, which shaue the hayres, he not feeling that is shaued; after that also to Bow & arrowes, which are sent from farre, and wound the ab∣sent: sometimes slaunderers and reprochers are called serpents, which bite priuily, and leaue poyson in the wound: by vvhich similitudes, the holy Ghost would intimate vnto vs, the malig∣nitie and harmes of this vice, which is so great, that the Wise∣man sayth;* The stroke of the rod, maketh markes in the flesh, but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones.
The third euill that murmuring bringeth with it, is, that it [ 3] maketh the murmurer execrable & infamous among men: for naturally men shunne him that is foule-mouthed and euill ton∣gued, no otherwise then they doe a venemous serpent. There∣fore the wise-man sayth;* A man full of words, is dangerous in his Cittie. Although there were no other cause to hate thys vice, neyther that it were very hurtfull on the one part, nor fruitlesse on the other, yet who is he that would be infamous, and execra∣ble both to God and men? especially for a vice so common and vsuall, into danger of which a man doth runne, so often as hee conferreth with another.
Therefore perswade thy selfe, that the lyfe of thy neighbour, as much as it pertaines to thee, is as a forbidden tree, whose fruit it is not lawfull for thee to touch, nor tast. Beware therfore, that Page [unnumbered] thou doe not speake well of thy selfe, and ill of another: for this is the property of slaunderers and backbiters, and that of brag∣arts and vaine-glorious Thrasoes. In thy mouth let all men be honest and honourable, and let all the worlde beleeue by thy words, that there is not an euill man in it. By this meanes thou shalt eschew many sinnes, and infinite scruples and bytings of conscience, and thou shalt be acceptable to God, and loued of men: and as all are honoured by thee, so in like manner thou shalt be honoured of all. Bridle thy tongue, and be thou careful to keepe in those words that thy stomacke belcheth vp:* especi∣ally when thou seest that by them there is danger of bloodshed. And constantly beleeue thys, that it is the greatest wisedome, & the most soueraigne empyre, to be able to bridle and restraine thy tongue.
Neyther thinke that thou art freed from this vice, when thou murmurest artificially, first praysing the man, whom thou hast purposed to dispraise:* For there are some murmurers and re∣piners, that imitate Chirurgians; who beeing about to open a vaine, doe first annoynt it with oyle, & presently make incision, and extract blood.* Of these the Prophet speaketh: His wordes were more gentle then oyle, yet they were swords. And euen as it is landable to abstaine from all kind of murmuring and repining, so it is much more praise-worthy, to moderate and temper our selfes from rayling and reproching them, who haue offended vs: for by how much more the desire of rayling is violenter, by so much more it is an euidenter signe of a generous minde, to be able to containe himselfe in thys, and to restraine this affection; therefore,* where the danger is greater, there wee ought to be more cautelous and wary. Neyther ought we onely to abstaine from reproching and murmuring, but our eares ought not to be open to detractors and slaunderers, that we may follow the counsaile of Ecclesiasticus, saying; Hedge in thine eares vvith thornes, and doe not beare a wicked tongue. By which words it is manifest, of what great moment it is, not to heare cursed and slaunderous speakers. For he saith not, shutte, or stoppe thyne eares with Cotton, Woll, or with soft Furre or Downe; but he would haue them hedged about with thornes, that not onely such reprochfull speeches may not enter into thine hart, by hea∣ring Page 421 them and delighting in them, but that thou show a sower and displeased count on 〈◊〉 to the slaunderer, and that thou with griefe hearest them• which thing also Salomon teacheth more plainly,* when he saith: As the North-winde driueth away the raine, so doth an angry countenaunce the slaundering tongue. For as S. Ierome sayth: An arrow shot from a bow, sticketh not in the harde Rocke, but with violence reboundeth backe againe, and hurteth him that shot it. But if thys Buzzer and Detractor be thy subiect,* or thine inferious without offence thou mayest commaund him to holde his peace; for thou art bound to doe so: but if thou caust not commaund him silence, at least dis∣creetly with some other discourse breake of the course of his speech, or show him that countenaunce, whereby he may be a∣shamed to proceed any further. Therefore being modestly ad∣monished, he will eyther hold his peace, or alte r his speech. O∣therwise, if thou entertainest his talke with a merry and cheere∣full countenaunce, thou ministrest, occasion vnto him, to persist in his purpose,* and so thou doost no lesse off•nd in hearing, thē he in speaking. For euen as he dooth ill, that fireth an house, so also he doth ill, that when he may quench the fire, will not, but comming to the flame, warmeth himselfe by it.
Amongst all the kindes of murmuring and detraction that is the worst,* when as any one detracteth from the estimation of a iust and a righteous man▪ for he by this maner of reproching, gyueth occasion to the weake and faint-harted to becom more slow in goodnes, neyther to goe forward with so great zeale as they were wont. Which albeit he offend not the stronger, yet it cannot be denied, but that he much wrongeth the weake and vnperfect. Least that this kinde of scandall seeme small in thine eyes,* remember the words of the Lord: Whosoeuer shall offende one of these little ones which beleeue in me, it were better for him that a Mil-stone were hanged about his necke, and that hee were drow∣ned in the depth of the sea.
Wherefore, my brother, thinke it a kinde of sacriledge to sharpe and whet thy tongue against them, who serue the Lord God: for albeit it be true that the detractor speaketh of them, yet for the title onely, which they haue and the office that they beare, they are worthy of honour especially seeing that GOD Page 422 h•th •ayde o• them:* Hee •ha• toucheth you, toucheth the apple of 〈◊〉 eye. Whatsoeuer we haue hetherto spoken of murmurers, detractors,* and backbyters, it is to be vnderstood also of iesten, flowters, and deriders, and much more of them then of the o∣ther: for this vice hath all the euills and mischiefes in it, which before we haue numbred vp, and besides those, it hath another blemish annexed to it, that is, pryde, arrogancie, and contempt of thy neighbour: therefore we must eschew and auoyde thys vice more warily then the other, as the Lord hath commaunded in his Law,* when he sayd: There shall not bee a tale-carrier, or a backebyting whisperer among my people. Therefore, it is not need∣full further to enlarge the vildnes and filthines of thys sinne, but let these things suffice which hetherto we haue spoken.
¶ Of rash iudgement, and the precepts of the Church.
TO the two precedent sinnes a third is ioyned being very neere vnto them, which is to iudge rashly: for detracters and slaunderers not o••ly speake euill of matters past and euident, but also of those that are iudged of them, and which breed any suspition in them. For that they may not want matter of detrac∣tion, they minister matter vnto themselues, interpreting by their peruerse iudgement and peeuish suspition the matter to the worst sence, which they ought to haue interpreted to a good meaning. Which kinde of iudgement is against the commaun∣dement of the Lord: Iudge not, that yee be not iudged: and con∣demne not,* that yee be not condemned.
With these sinnes, which are against God, those are numbred which are cōmitted against these foure precepts of the Church,* which are commended vnto vs vnder commaundement, as: On the Sabaoth dayes, and on certaine other dayes, it is thought good by the Church, to heare Diuine seruice and sermons: to receaue the holy Sacrament of the blessed body and blood of our Sauiour Christ: to fast on dayes appoynted: and faithfully to pay Tithes.
For as much as man is bound both by the law of God and man, to heare Diuine seruice and sermons, he ought not onely to be present in body, but also in spirit, and to gather vp his spi∣rits, that he may heare with vnderstanding, and carry away that, Page 423 that may fr•ctifie in him, and nourish him vnto eternall life: keeping silence, and hauing his hart lifted vp to God, conside∣ring of the high misteries reuealed in his word, with great fer∣uency and deuotion praying together with the congregation, and attentiuely hearing that which is deliuered vnto him. They who haue families,* children, men-seruants, and maydes, they ought to be carefull that they come to Church, and that they spend the Sabaoth daies holily. In which thing many Houshol∣ders are faulty, and worthy of great reprehension; who shall render an account to God for this negligence. These are the sinnes, which men are wont to fall into more vsually and com∣monly, and all these we ought to eschew with great diligence. By this meanes we shall remaine in innocency, and we shall keepe our garments white and cleane, which Salomon com∣maundeth: At all times,* sayth he, let thy garments be white, and let not oyle be lacking vpon thine head: Which is the vnction of Diuine grace, which yeeldeth light and courage in euery mat∣ter: and teacheth vs all good, for this is the fruite of this hea∣uenly oyle.
¶ Of other kinde of sinnes, which because they seeme small, therfore the world maketh no account to commit them.
ALbeit these sinnes aforesayd are more principall, from which we ought to flie with speciall care and diligence, yet the raynes it not to be giuen to other sinnes, which seeme lesse vnto vs, and which we make no scruple to commit; yea, I beseech thee by the bowels of Gods mercy, that thou beest not of their number, who when they heare that one sinne is not so great as another, forth-with runne into it without any scruple or regard. Remember that saying of the Wise-man:* Hee that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little into greater. Remember that Prouerb; For the want of a naile, the Iron shooe falleth off, and for the want of a shooe the Horse falleth, and he perisheth that fitteth on him. The houses, that ruine threatneth through age, •irst giue a token of their decay by the fall of some stone, or •mall peece of timber, and the ruine daily increasing, at length •hey come topsey turuey downe.* Very well sayth Saint Augu∣••ne: Contemne not sinnes, because they be little; but feare Page 424 them, because they be many. For many times many little beasts kill. Are not the co••es of sand very small and little, but if plen∣ty of them be put into a ship, they drowne it? How small are the drops of raine, and yet they fill ra•ers, and cast downe hou∣ses? Therefore the ruine of multitude, although not of magni∣tude is to be feared.* This sayth Augustine. This is not onely true, but also that, which Saint Gregory sayth: Sometimes we sinne worser in small things, then in greater. For the greater because sooner they are knowne and acknowledged, are spee∣dilier amended: but the lesser, whilst they are supposed and held as no faults, are so much the worser, by how much we more securely rest in them.
* To be briefe, although these sinnes seeme small, yet they bring great hurt to the soule: for they take away deuotion, they trouble the peace of conscience, they quench the heate of Charity, they weaken the hart, they take away the strength of the mind, they corrupt the vigour of the spirituall life, and lastly in their degree they resist the holy Ghost, and hinder his worke in vs. Therfore we ought to eschew them with great endeuour: for there is not an enemy so weake, but being contemned may hurt.* But if thou wouldest know in what things these sinnes are committed, I say, in a little anger or gluttony, or vaine glory; in words, in idle thoughts, in laughing, in trifling and toying beyond measure, in passing the time without fruite or profit, in sleeping beyond compasse, in small lies, in flattering about light matters, and in such like things.
All these we ought to auoyde, because they breake the peace and league betweene God and vs, and dispoyle vs of those bles∣sings and vertues, that God bestoweth vpon vs.
