A Golden Chain

Here take heed of all manner of blaspheming, which is, when men use such speeches of God, as do either detract any thing from his Majesty, or ascribe any thing to him, not beseeming him: a sin of all other to be detested. Reasons. I. A blasphemer is viler then the rest of the creatures: for they praise God in their kind, and show forth his power, goodness, and wisdom: but he dishonoureth God in his wretched speech. II. He is as the mad dog that flieth in his masters face, who keepeth him and giveth him bread. III. Custom in blasphemies showeth a man to be the child of the devil, and no child of God as yet. A father lying on his death bed, called the three children to him which he kept, and told them that one only of them was his own son, and that the rest were only brought up by him: therefore unto him he gave all his goods: but which of these was his natural son he would not in any wise declare. When he was dead, every one of the three children pleaded that he was the son, and therefore that the goods were his. The matter being brought before a Judge could not be ended: but the Judge was constrained to take this course: he caused the dead corps of the father to be set up against a tree, and commanded the three sons to take bows and arrows, and to shoot against their father, and to see who could come nearest the heart. The first and second did shoot at their father and did hi••e him, the third was angry with both the other through natural affection of a child to a father, and refused to shoot. This done, the Judge gave sentence that the two first were no sons, but the third only, and that he should have the goods. The like trial may be used to know who be Gods children. ⟨p. 720⟩Such persons with whom blaspheming is rife, are very devils incarnate, and the children of the devil, who rend God in pieces, and shoot him through with their darts, as it is said of the Egyptian when he blasphemed, that he smote or pierced through Gods Name. ¹Magistrates and rulers severally punish such as shall abuse their names, and they do it justly: how much more then should blasphemers of Gods name escape without great punishment.

Here take heede of all maner of blaspheming, which is, when men vse such speeches of God, as doe either detract any thing from his Maiestie, or ascribe any thing to him, not beseeming him: a sinne of all other to be detested. Reasons. I. A blasphemer is viler then the rest of the creatures: for they praise God in their kind, and shew forth his power, goodnesse, and wisdome: but he dishonoureth God in his wretched speech. II. He is as the madde dogge that flieth in his masters face, who keepeth him and giueth him bread. III. Custome in blashemies sheweth a man to be the child of the deuill, and no child of God as yet. A father lying on his death bedde, called the three children to him which he kept, and told them that one only of them was his owne sonne, and that the rest were onely brought vp by him: therefore vnto him he gaue all his goods: but which of these was his naturall sonne he would not in any wise declare. When he was deade, euery one of the three children pleaded that he was the sonne, and therefore that the goods were his. The matter beeing brought before a Iudge could not be ended: but the Iudge was constrained to take this course: he caused the dead corpes of the father to be set vp against a tree, and commaunded the three sonnes to take bowes and arrowes, and to shoote against their father, and to see who could come neerest the heart. The first and second did shoote at their father and did hie him, the third was angrie with both the other through naturall affection of a child to a father, and refused to shoote. This done, the Iudge gaue sentence that the two first were no sonnes, but the third onely, and that he should haue the goods. The like triall may be vsed to know who be Gods children.