A treatise of Christian religion

Secondly, that out of our love to our neighbour, ¹we draw all our duties to all men, reaching them even to the wicked (so far forth as we hinder not Gods glory, nor some great duty to other), but especially to the household of faith: for sometime it may so fall out, that that which men require, (and that otherwise of right) may not be given: as Rahab, though subject to the King of Jericho, might not reveal the Spies, but should have failed in her duty, if she had betrayed them at the Kings commandment; and therefore in this case she did well, in preferring the obedience she owed to God, before the duty she owed to man. In like case also, Jonathan revealing his fathers counsel unto ²David, & preferring the greater duty before the lesser, did well. So we (owing a greater duty to our ³country, then to our natural kindred) must rather refuse to relieve them if they be Traitors, then suffer any hurt to come to our country.

Secondly, that out of our loue to our neighbour, ¹we draw all our duties to all mē, reaching thē euen to the wicked (so farre forth as we hinder not Gods glory, nor some great duty to other), but especially to the houshold of faith: for somtime it may so fall out, that that which men require, (and that otherwise of right) may not bee giuen: as Rahab, though subiect to the King of Iericho, might not reueale the Spies, but should haue failed in her duty, if shee had betrayed them at the Kings commandement; and therefore in this case she did well, in preferring the obedience shee owed to God, before the dutie shee owed to man. In like case also, Ionathan reuealing his fathers counsel vnto ²Dauid, & preferring the greater dutie before the lesser, did well. So wee (owing a greater duty to our ³countrey, then to our naturall kindred) must rather refuse to relieue them if they bee Traitors, then suffer any hurt to come to our countrey.