A Golden Chain

The men of our days, that they may have the right knowledge of the law, must lay aside many erroneous and foolish opinions, which they hold flat against the true meaning of the law of God: otherwise they can never be able to discern between sin and no sin. Their special and common opinions are these: I. That they can love God with all their hearts, and their neighbours as themselves; that they fear God above all, and trust in him alone; and that they ever did so. II. That to rehearse the Lords prayer, the belief, and ten Commandments, (without understanding of the words, and without affection) is the true and whole worship of God. III. That a man may seek to wizards and soothsayers without offence, because God hath provided a salve for every sore. IV. That to swear by good things and in the way of truth, is not a sin. V. That a man going about his ordinary affairs at home or abroad on the Sabbath day, may as well serve God as they which hear all in the sermons in the world. VI. That religion and the practise thereof, is nothing but an affected preciseness: that covetousness the root of evil, is nothing but worldliness: that pride is nothing but a care of honesty and cleanliness: that single fornication is nothing but the trick of youth: that swearing and blaspheming argue the courageous mind of a brave gentleman. VII. That a man may do with his own what he will, and make as much of it as he can. Hence arise all the frauds and bad practises in traffic between man and man.

The men of our daies, that they may haue the right knowledge of the law, must lay aside many erronious and foolish opinions, which they hold flat against the true meaning of the law of God: otherwise they can neuer be able to discerne betweene sinne and no sinne. Their speciall and common opinions are these: I. That they can loue God with all their hearts, and their neighbours as themselues; that they feare God aboue all, and trust in him alone; and that they euer did so. II. That to rehearse the Lords praier, the beleefe, and ten Commandements, (without vnderstanding of the wordes, and without affection) is the true and whole worship of God. III. That a man may seeke to wizzards and soothsaiers without offence, because God hath prouided a salue for euery sore. IV. That to sweare by good things and in the way of truth, is not a sinne. V. That a man going about his ordinarie affaires at home or abroad on the Sabbath day, may as well serue God as they which heare all in the sermons in the world. VI. That religion and the practise thereof, is nothing but an affected precisenes: that couetousnes the roote of euill, is nothing but worldlines: that pride is nothing but a care of honestie and cleanlines: that single fornication is nothing but the tricke of youth: that swearing and blaspheming argue the couragious minde of a braue gentleman. VII. That a man may doe with his owne what he will, and make as much of it as he can. Hence arise all the frauds and bad practises in trafficke betweene man and man.