Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…

But he who is wise and discreet will pass over many small faults as though he perceived them not,¹ both because (as one saith) Graetissimum est genus veniae nescire quid quisque peccavit: It is the most acceptable kind of pardon to seem ignorant of the fault; as also lest taking notice of every little slip, he make the offender shameless and impudent in defending that as well done, which he cannot excuse as not done. Whereas so long as he thinketh his fault unknown he will be so fearful of committing the like, that he will be careful in hiding that which he hath already committed. But if he perceive that the offender taketh occasion by his ignorance to offend often in the like kind, then is he to take notice of the fault by using mild admonition; if that will not prevail, then more sharp reprehension; but yet in private, for many witnesses of the fault maketh him less ashamed to commit the like; whereas fear of open disgrace will restrain him from it, so long as he is not already disgraced. But if the offender impudently and obstinately persist in his vice, or that the fault at the first be more notorious, then is he to proceed ⟨p. 52⟩to chastisement and correction as the Surgeon to the mortifying of a member, when the sore is past all other cure. In doing whereof he is to avoid all furious anger, and to use soberness and discretion, joining with his chastisement wholesome admonitions, convincing the conscience of the offender, by laying open the heinousness of his fault out of the word of God; or else by showing him how he hath offended against the law of nature or civill honesty. And hereby it will appear to the offender, that his punishment proceedeth from the hatred of his sin, and not of his person; and so it will cause him also more to hate his fault, then either his superior that correcteth him for it, or then the punishment it self which is deservedly inflicted.

But he who is wise and discreet will passe ouer many small faults as though he perceiued them not,¹ both because (as one saith) Graetissimum est genus veniae nescire quid quisque peccauit: It is the most acceptable kinde of pardon to seeme ignorant of the fault; as also lest taking notice of euerie little slippe, he make the offender shamelesse and impudent in defending that as well done, which hee cannot excuse as not done. Whereas so long as he thinketh his fault vnknowne hee will be so fearefull of committing the like, that he will bee carefull in hiding that which he hath alreadie committed. But if hee perceiue that the offender taketh occasion by his ignorance to offend often in the like kinde, then is hee to take notice of the fault by vsing milde admonition; if that will not preuaile, then more sharpe reprehension; but yet in priuate, for many witnesses of the fault maketh him lesse ashamed to commit the like; wheras feare of open disgrace will restraine him from it, so long as he is not alreadie disgraced. But if the offender impudently and obstinately persist in his vice, or that the fault at the first be more notorious, then is he to proceed