The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

Now it follows concerning others, and that is either public or private. Public first, when the magistrate or judge passeth a false sentence in any cause that comes to be hard before them. This is a most heavy sin and is as much as in them is to make God a liar, for he stands in the place and is his substitute and vicegerent here one earth; now then for him to bear men in hand that that judgement which he gives is the judgement of God that sets him there, when yet he knows it is false and corrupt, this is even to draw God to be the author of a lye, so much as he can. And this is not only a ⟨p. 87⟩wrong against Gods own Majesty, and the place wherein God hath set him, but it is an injury to the person thus condemned, in that he brings a blot unto his name and makes him ill accounted of, and that wrongfully, and deprives him also commonly, of some commodity and benefit that by right did pertain unto him. So for lawyers to speak in an ill cause for their fee, though the cause be never so bad, yet let the fee be good, and you shall have one or other likely will polish his tongue and whet his wit and sharpen his face, to cover a foul matter with a many fair words, and make that good in uttering, which in doing was altogether wicked; this is commonly counted wit, and he a wise man that knows how to gloze thus and set a good face and good colours upon a cause but it is in truth a lying and a public slander, and that branded with a curse, for in Is. 5. The Lord said cursed be he that speaks good of evil, and evil of good. And so long as a man will set himself to stand for an evil thing, his conscience will excuse him of two foul breaches of Gods law, that he hath hindered justice, and furthered unrighteousness to the utmost of his power.

Now it follows concerning others, and that is either publique or priuate. Publike first, when the magistrate or iudge passeth a false sentence in any cause that comes to be hard before them. This is a most heauie sinne and is as much as in them is to make God a lyar, for he stands in the place and is his substitute and vicegerent here one earth; nowe then for him to beare men in hand that that iudgement which he giues is the iudgement of God that sets him there, when yet hee knowes it is false and corrupt, this is euen to draw God to be the author of a lye, so much as he can. And this is not only a ⟨p. 87⟩wrong against Gods owne Maiestie, and the place wherein God hath set him, but it is an iniurie to the person thus condemned, in that he brings a blotte vnto his name and makes him ill accounted of, and that wrongfully, and depriues him also commonly, of some commoditie and benefit that by right did pertaine vnto him. So for lawyers to speake in an ill cause for their fee, though the cause be neuer so bad, yet let the fee be good, and you shall haue one or other likely will pollish his tongue and whet his wit and sharpen his face, to couer a foule matter with a many faire words, and make that good in vttering, which in doing was altogether wicked; this is commonly counted wit, and he a wise man that knowes howe to gloze thus and set a good face and good colours vpon a cause but it is in truth a lying and a publike slaunder, and that branded with a curse, for in Is. 5. The Lord said cursed be he that speakes good of euill, and euill of good. And so long as a man will set himselfe to stand for an euill thing, his conscience will excuse him of two foule breaches of Gods law, that he hath hindered iustice, and furthered vnrighteousnesse to the vtmost of his power.