conceal, or lightly pass them over; especially when they are their friends, and of the same rank and order with them, as St. Thomas was unto the Apostle St. John. But it is not so in the Scriptures, which proceeding from the Spirit of Truth, are no more partial than God himself, with whom there is no respect of persons (Rom. c. 2, v. 11): insomuch that the penners of them do lay open the greatest sins of the greatest men in their time, even of the Kings and of the Priests.

As of Heli, how he honoured his children above God, and caused the sacrifices of the Lord to be despised, and trodden under foot (1 Sam. c. 2, v. 28): and of Manasseh king of Judah, how he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom, and gave himself to witchcraft, and to charming, and to sorcery and used them that had familiar spirits, and soothsayers: and did very much evil in the sight of the Lord, to anger him (2 Chr. c. 3, v. 6): yea, the Prophets do not spare them that were nearest in blood to them, or nearest in any bond of affinity, or friendship. For Moses doth set out the murmuring of Aaron, his own natural brother, and of his sister

Miriam, and how God did punish them for it (Num. c. 12, v. 2): which he did not to defame them, or with a mind to be revenged of them: for the Lord gave this testimony of him, that he was a very meek man, above all the men that were upon the earth (ver. 3).

And the Apostles do write the truth boldly and sincerely of their fellow Apostles, though their faults were exceeding great, and not the like almost heard of. As how Judas did for thirty pieces of silver sell and betray his Lord and Master Christ into the hands of his most deadly enemies (Matt. c. 26, v. 15). And how Peter did not only deny him once, but the second time did forswear him (ver. 70), yea did curse and bann himself, if that ever he did but know him.

And to conclude this point, their uprightness in their writings appeareth so much the more, that they do not spare themselves, but publish their own faults to the praise of God, as his spirit in them did direct them. For Moses declareth at large how slow and backward he was to take upon him that calling, that God had appointed him unto, and what excuses and delays he made, insomuch that, the Lord

was very angry with him (Exod. c. 4, v. 14).

And David writeth of the adultery and murder, that he had secretly committed against Bathsheba, and her husband Uriah: and confesseth openly, that he had deserved death for both of them, when he thus prayeth (Psal. 51, v. 14), Deliver me from blood, O Lord. So likewise the Apostle Paul spareth not himself, because it was not he, but the Spirit of God that spake in him, in that he had persecuted the Church of God cruelly, and wasted it (Gal. c. 1, v. 13). This kind of simple dealing is one argument not of the least moment, among many other, to evince that the Scriptures are written by God's Spirit: and are therefore Canonical, for they are not partial: but the spirit of truth and simple dealing doth marvellously appear every where in them.

But it may further be demanded, though such things as these be written of the Saints, whether they should be read openly in the Church upon those holy days, that carry their name: as if, when we keep the memory of a man, all his evil deeds should be reckoned up, tending to his infamy and discredit. Concerning which, as the

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Providence of God therein is to be acknowledged, who hath thus disposed of it, so we are to reverence and highly esteem the godly wisdom of those holy fathers, who did first appoint those days thus to be kept. For they did it to the honour of God, and therefore would by the reading of these texts of Scripture have all men know, what the Saints were of themselves: and what infirmities, unbelief, and other sins they were subject unto; even the same that we are as Paul and Barnabas said of themselves (Acts c. 14, v. 14), We are men, subject to the like passions that you are and as St. James saith of the Prophet Elias (Jam. c. 5, v. 17), that he was a man subject to the like passions as we are. That so if they were any thing, we might know from whence it came, and so as Paul saith of himself (1 Cor. c. 15, v. 9), I am the least of the Apostles, which am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God: but by the grace of God, I am that I am and his grace which is in me, was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me. So we might say of them, being put in mind by the Scriptures that are read

even upon those days, wherein we keep the greatest memory of them, what they were of themselves, and what they were by the grace of God; and so not so much honour them, as praise God for them.

For the purpose of those ancient fathers of the Church, who appointed these days thus to be kept, was not to set out the Saints themselves, that we might glory in them, and in their merits; but in the merits of Christ, and in the mercy of God shewed to them for his sake: and so not only to teach us how rightly to esteem of them, but that in them, as in a glass, we might see what we are subject unto: and yet how gracious God is to poor sinners, and so might take comfort in the mercy of God shewed to them. As here what great uubelief was in St. Thomas, and yet Christ did help him of it, and saved him? to shew us, that we are as full of unbelief, as he, and much more: yet Christ will not refuse us, if we do not obstinately remain in it, but are willing to be holpen of it, and have a desire to believe, by the means that he shall bestow upon us. And this is the use that we are to make of the unbelief of St. Thomas, even then when we hear it read upon his day.