§. 5. Direct. 3. Be not Counsellors or Advocates against God, that is, against Justice, Truth or Innocency. A b•d cause would have no Patrons, if there were no bad or ignorant Lawyers. Its a dear bought fee, which is got by sinning; especially by such a wilful aggravated sin, as the deliberate1 pleading for iniquity, or opposing of the Truth. Judas his gain and Ahithophel's counsel will be too hot at last for conscience; and sooner drive them to hang themselves in the review, than afford them any true content: As St. James saith to them that he calleth to weep and howl, 2for their approaching misery, Your Riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten, your Gold and Silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. What ever you say or do against truth, and innocency, and justice, you do it against God himself. And is it not a sad case that among professed Christians, there is no cause so bad but can find an Advocate for a fee? I speak not against just counsel to a man that hath a bad cause (to tell him it is bad, and persuade him to disown it): Nor I speak not against you for pleading against excessive penalties or damages: For so far your cause is good, though the main cause of your Client was bad: But he that speaketh or counselleth another for the defence of sin, or the wronging of the innocent, or the defrauding another of his right, and will open his mouth to the injury of the just, for a little money, or for a friend, must try whether that money or friend will save him from the vengeance of the Universal Judge (unless faith and true repentance which will cause Confession and Restitution, do prevent it).
§. 5. Direct. 3. Be not Counsell•rs or Advocates against God, that is, against Iustice, Truth or Innocency. A b•d cause would have no Patrons, if there were no bad or ignorant Lawyers. Its a dear bought fee, which is got by sinning; especially by such a wilful aggravated sin, as the deliberate1 pleading for iniquity, or opposing of the Truth. Iudas his gain and Aohitophels counsel will be too hot at last for conscience; and sooner drive them to hang themselves in the review, than afford them any true content: As St. Iames saith to them that he calleth to weep and howl, 2for their approaching misery, Your Riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten, your Gold and Silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped treasure together for the last dayes. What ever you say or do against truth, and innocency, and justice, you do it against God himself. And is it not a sad case that among prof•ssed Christians, there is no cause so bad but can find an Advocate for a fee? I speak not against just counsel to a man that hath a bad cause (to tell him it is bad, and perswade him to disown it): Nor I speak not against you for pleading against excessive penalties or damages: For so far your cause is good, though the main cause of your Client was bad: But he that speaketh or counselleth another for the defence of sin, or the wronging of the innocent, or the defrauding another of his right, and will open his mouth to the injury of the just, for a little money, or for a friend, must try whether that money or friend will save him from the vengeance of the Universal Judge (unless faith and true repentance which will cause Confession and Restitution, do prevent it).
- 1Direct. 3.
- 2Bias f•r•ur in c••sis orand•s summus a•que vehemen••ssimu• […], bonam tamen in par•em •• candy v•• exert •• sol• tum. La•tius •. 53. •u•um est h•mines propter justitiam dilig•r•; non autem justitiam propter homines postp•nere: Gregor. Reg. Justitia non novit patrem, vel matrem: Veritatem novit: personam non novit: Deum imitatur—Cassian. Plutarch saith, that Callicratidas being offered a great sum of money, (of which he had great need to pay his Seamen) if he would do an unjust act, refused; To whom saith Cleander his Counsellor, Ego prosecto hoc accepissem, si fuissem Callicratidas: He answered, Ego accepissem si fuissem Cleander.Bias f•r•ur in c••sis orand•s summus a•que vehemen••ssimu• 〈…〉, bonam tamen in par•em •• c•ndi v•• exer• •• sol tum. Latius . 53. uum est hmines propter justitiam diligr; non autem justitiam propter homines postpnere: Gregor. Reg. Justitia non novit patrem, vel matrem: Veritatem novit: personam non novit: Deum imitatur—Cassian. Plutarch saith, that Callicratidas being offered a great summ of money, (of which he had great need to pay his Seamen) if he would do an unjust act, refused; To whom saith Cleander his Counsellor, Ego prosecto hoc accepissem, si fuissem Callicratidas: He answered, Ego accepissem si fuissem Cleander.
