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 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 ⟨p. 22⟩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 only one 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 three 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 hit him, the third was angry ⟨p. 23⟩with both the other 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. 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,1 that he smote or pierced through Gods Name.
Here take heede of all maner of blaspheming, which is, when men use such speeches of God, as doe either detract any thing from his Majestie, or ascribe any thing to him, not beseeming him: A sinne of all to be detested. Reasons. I. A blasphemer is viler then the rest of the creatures: for they praise God in their kinde, and shew foorth his power, goodnesse, and wisdome: but he dishonoureth God in his wretched speech. II. Hee is as the madde dogge that flyeth ⟨p. 22⟩in his masters face, who keepeth him and giueth him bread. III. Custome in blasphemies sheweth a man to be the child of the deuill, and no child of God as yet. A father lying on his death bed called the three children to him which hee kept, and tolde them that onely one of them was his owne sonne, and that the rest were onely brought up by him: therfore unto him hee gaue all his goods: but which of these three was his naturall sonne he would not in any wise declare. When hee was deade, euery one of the three children pleaded that hee was the sonne, and therefore that the goods were his. The matter being brought before a Iudge could not be ended: but the Iudge was constrained to take this course: hee caused the dead corpes of the father to be set up 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 seconde did shoote at their father and hitte him, the thirde was angrie ⟨p. 23⟩with both the other and refused to shoot. 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 used to know who be Gods children. Such persons with whome blaspheming is rife, are very deuils incarnate, and the children of the deuill, who rend God in pieces, and shoote him through with their dartes, as it is said of the Egyptian when hee blasphemed,1 that hee smote or pierced through Gods Name.
- 1Levit. 24.11. vaijkkobh.
