the efficacy of iniquity that some flagitious crime is many times a stayne to a whole stocke some that are coâ—â—â—cted of egregious and capitall offences are a taynting to the whole progeny as rebels traytors and such like The sonne of Syrach sayth that if children be proud with haughtinesse and foolishnes they defile the nobility of theyr kindred Eccl. 22.9 It makes me call to minde that prety aunsweare of Iphicrates that valiant captaine who béeing imbraided by his base birth béeing but a Shoomakers sonne by Hermodius a noble man borne yet of bad behauiour gaue him this glike my bloud taketh beginning in mée and thine her farewell at thée noting thereby that a poore stocke is no reproch to him which is with good manners adorned when gentry may bee disparaged by some obscene action in the generation It is not the Name but the quallities not dignity or discent but the disposition and good demeanor that makes any renowned and famous S. Ierome sayth the chiefest nobility before God is to excell in all vertue Chrisost sayth he is honourable which disdayneth to doo seruice to sinne Seneca sayth he that will estéeme a man truely must behold him naked laying aside possessions authority and other fables of fortune and sée what hee hath beside of himselfe One aduising Bias to conuay away all his goods and treasure béefore the ennemies sacked the Towne Sic ago saith hée nam omnia mea mecum porto estéeming hys inwarde gyftes to be his goods and all the rest to be but ludibria fortunae which are most fortunate to fooles fortuna fauet fatuis Necessary obiections It may be obiected that there was neuer Chrisolite so pure but that it would stayne or fruite so faire but that would infect or Iron so bright but that it would rust or man so rare but may do amisse For in many thinges we sinne all Insomuch as none can be accompted so absolutely good but may leaue behind him as well an euill Name which procéedeth of his infirmity as a good Name which followeth his conformity as for example Though Abraham was the Father of the faithfull yet he was a Forger of lies Though Noah was the Preacher of righteousnes yet he was impeached with dronkennesse Though Dauid was famoâ—â— for his piety and exploites yet he was defamed for his adultery and homicide It may also be alleadged on the part of the reprobate that there is no soyle so barren but may yéeld some corne no trie so bare but may affoord some fruite nor any man so bad but may leaue some matter woorth the memoriall Though Pharaoh was a wicked rebellour yet he prouided for the Priestes in the time of famine Though Saul was a notable Idolatour yet hee put away the Sorcerers and Southsayers out of his land Though Iudas deceiued hys maister by treason yet hee might winne many soules with his preaching These obiections are friuolous for it is our vsuall manner of phrase to reuolue a mans fault in reuealing of his fame If he be a godly man he is set foorth with his defectes thus hée was a graue man for gouernement but very hasty or thus he was a learned man in the pulpit but somewhat insolent or thus he was very wise but too too wanton Dauid is praysed with hys impedimentes in the 1. King 15.5 It is written of him that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned from nothing that he commaunded him all the dayes of his life hetherto he is commended but it followes Saue only in the matter of Vriah the Hittite héere appeares his imperfection If he bee a lewd-man hee is commonly phrased out thus hee would once a yeare feast the poore but all the yeare after oppresse them or thus he erected a braue bâ—â—â—ding to the eye but the stones in the wall may cry for violence or thus he was a proper man to sight but we may sée his ouersight Experience offereth plentiâ—ull examples of such persons So that now we are to consider the difference betwéene the reformed and dissolute man The godly sometime shall not differ from the wicked in faâ—â—â—â—g but in rising for we sée that Dauid committed murther as well as Cain and Paul idolatry as wâ—ll as Saul The godly shall sometime adde sâ—â—â—e to sinne with the wicked as Dauid did in homicide after adultery and insecâ—â—ity after hâ—th till Nathan reprooued hym And as Peter did in forswearing hys Master after many denyals yet we must not ballance a bad man with the better for one sinne of weakenesse with repentance the other of malice with perseuerance The wicked haue their liues as full of spots as the Leopard so the best haue their blemishes but what then who will compare Noah with notorious dronkards or Dauid with common adulterers or Peter with common periurers or some poore sinner with euery prophane offendour or him that takes but one trip in his life with those which allwayes tread awry Though the rose be cancker-eaten it is not to bee cast away though lawne haue a little stayne it is not to bee déemed starcke naught no more must the best man although he hath a fault be straight accompted infamous for as the brightnesse of the Sunne doth blemish the light of the Moone so the fame of his good actions doth obscure the folly of his escapes The Apostle calleth Lot iust Lot though he committed incest and Noah the eight Preacher of righteousnesse though he sinned in ebriety because most of their actions were good and commendable A good obseruation Respice finem it is wisedome to be sparing of speech and not to be too censoriall of any man eyther in primordio or medio but to prayse the ende remembring this pithy period of Pliny one day deemeth another but the last geueth iudgment of all that is past To obtrect him rashly whom we may haue cause to commend or to exalt another vaynely where wee may haue cause to recant infipientis non sapientis est I take it to be a point of folly Many a good man may haue a bad beginning and yet haue an excellent end so had Paul at the first he was a gréeuous persecuter afterward became a glorious Apostle so was Manasses at first he was a monstrous Idolater afterward béecame a miraculous conuert Many a godly man may haue a good entrance at the first but a great fall afterwarde and yet prooue laudable at the last so had Dauid at the first who more godly afterward who more gracelesse in that matter of Vriah so had Peter at the first who more ready to follow Christ afterward hee forsâ—â—re him yet in the ende theyr penitency excéeded their impiety Many an euill man may haue a good beginning and yet câ—me to a shamefull ende so had Amaziah for in the beginning of his raigne he carryed an externall shew of sanctity afterward he became an Idolater and adored the Idols of the Idumeans so had Rehoboam for during thrée yeares
hee did well afterward hee fell to all wickednesse so had Iudas for at the first he was chosen for an Apostle in the end he was conuicted of treason So that it is distance of time that doth distinguish the déedes of men and the end of theyr dayes that geueth iust pâ—â—â—e of reports Plato calleth him happy that may attayne in his last age so wisedome and good life Comparatiue considerations Is a good Name so excellent that it is better then any riches more pretious then costly oyntmentes more estimâ—ble then length of dayes more durable then the best frendes then let vs eâ—â—er into this comparatiue consideration What is he that will leaue any paynes vndertaken that may make to his enriching Suauis est odor lucri the scholler will imploy his arte the souldior his armes the marchant will crosse the seas the Lawyer will tosse his books the tradesmâ—n be â—â—â—peth his trauell and most men their time to get earthly treasure What is he that would not séeke all the best oyntmentes 〈◊〉 they neuer so pretious all the best salues bee they neuer so soâ—eraigne both of them be they neuer so déere to 〈◊〉 gâ—d if hée were in daunger What is he that were at the point of death that 〈◊〉 not geue all his mucke vse all the meanes suâ—â—â—r any misery to prolong his life we read of Asa and Ahazariah how in their 〈…〉 sought onely to Phisitions 〈…〉 the other to witches and forsooke God because 〈…〉 â—â—th to dye What is he that hath â—â—ther hâ—manity or 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 not doo much for an vnfayned freâ—â— a man 〈…〉 yet he wil not let to giue thâ—â— to do his 〈…〉 pretious yet he 〈…〉 it for hiâ— frendes sake as appéeres in Damon and Pithias Then if riches oyntmentes life and frendes are so pretious who would not practise all the wayes apply all the best meanes and aduenture all he hath to purchase that which is farre better then any of them A good Name How to get a good Name It is an easie matter to get a Name to bee spoken of Traytors rebels and most malefactors are not without a Name as Absalom and Iudas for treason Corah Dathan and Abiram for rebellion Achitophel Simon Magus and many other for theyr pestiferous Actions We haue had lamentable experience of the disloyall practises of too many within this lande whose Names are not yet forgotten though the Crowes haue deuoured theyr carkasses But as their déedes were detestable so their memoriall doth not turne to theyr prayse but reproach There be many that thincke it a credite to kill a man a matter of commendation to carrouse well a braue grace to blaspheme a great glory to boast of theyr beastlinesse but as they take all their pride in impiety so they shall be spoken of but how not to theyr glory but disgrace not to theyr credite but shame as the Lord threatned the people in Hoseas time that for their iniquity hee would chaunge their glory into shame Hosea 4.7 But to get a good Name as it is hard so it is honourable as it is rare so it is renowned as it is most pretious so it is most worthy of prayse Thinges of great price are not got without much payne the scholler must turne many leaues ere he become learned the souldier must suffer many conflictes ere he returne conqueror and hée that will haue a good Name must vse all industrious meanes to attayne it vt tales nos esse putamus vt iure laudemur There is no man sayth the Heathen man in whome there is not this desire rather to be praysed then ill spoken of Then let vs practise such thinges as deserue prayse for as Tully sayth vera gloria radices agit atque etiam propagatur The worst wretch that is dooth wish to bee well thought on though he neglect the meanes to manifest it Then if wée will obtayne glory and a good Name let vs follow that nâ—table saying of Socrates who teacheth this to be a direct and 〈◊〉 course Si quis ageret vt qualis haberi vellet talis esset â—â—â—ry one should labour to be indéede that which he loues to be accompted and that is commendable He that will haue a good Name must stretch his talent on the tayneters and make his giftes glister like gold in the eyes of other for the greatest prayse consisteth not in possessing but dispâ—nsing them If thou hast béene trayned vp in good litterature let thy profite appéere to others for as Plato sayth we are not onely borne for our selues but partly our country partly our frends clayme an interest in our natiuity and we haue examples of many who haue consumed the whole course of their liues in the distribution of their learning Diomedes wrote six thousand bookes concerning Grammer as Plutarch reportes Origen wrote seauen thousand bookes of many matters S. Augustine wrote so many bookes that no man is able eyther to read them or come by them as Tritenhemius beléeueth many heathen men haue bene so affected that way that some thought all theyr time lost that was not spent in learning as Scipio did others would rather starue then leaue their study as Chrysippus did If thou hast wealth in aboundant measure let thy saciety supply an others misery Lend mony and corne to thy distressed neighbours as Nehemiah did when the people were oppressed giue halfe thy goods to the poore as Zacheus did entertayne straungers as Lot did Liue vprightly as Iob did Geue to the mainetenance of schooles of learning be a furtherance to the forward Ministers of the worde erect Hospitals and Almeshouses for the reliefe of the impotent Resist not auctority persist in the trueth It were too long to dilate all the meanes that may pertayne to the purchase of a good Name considering it is got by euery laudable act by perfection in any good profession whether he be learned or lay man martiall or mechanicall artist or artificer hauing this distinction 1. that the more exceâ—â—â—nt the practise is the more famous is the report multo maiora sunt opera animi quà m corporis saith Cicero the giftes of the minde are farre more excellent then the actions of the body caedant arma togae although the valorous souldier is highly to be aduaunced yet the Poet sayth he must geue place to learning and good reason for without experience and learning the best Souldier shall haue bad successe For this cause Alexander that valiant warriour would neuer goe into the field without Calisthenes a learned Philosopher 2. That as there be many exquisite practitioners in this age so he that doth more excell is most to be exalted aboue others Euery dunsiuall must not haue equiualent commendation with a Doctor though both haue learning Euery coward must not haue equall prayse with a Captaine though both can fight nor euery bungler must not haue the like report as a good woorkeman though both can worke but he that is most rare in perfection
be corrupted sometime for feare of offending others as Pilate was who condempned Christ for feâ—re to dâ—â—please Cesar sometime with loue he bare to his fréendes like Herod who to please the loue of a damsell condemned Iohn Baptist to death sometime with hatred like the chiefe Priestes who of malice condemned Paul to be smitten as stoned without 〈◊〉 sometime with gold and presentâ—s like the children of the Prophet Samuel sometime with letters as the Elders and Nobles of Izreel wâ—re by the meanes of Iezabel If he be a lewd Minister What will they say The Church hath béene rather troubled then taught by him he was called by the Name of the Rephaims but he might well be counted in the nomber of the Zamzummins he was a dumb dog that could not barke a blinde watchman that could not sée a wandring goodâ— that could not direct he played the Fox vnder the shadow of a Pharisee he was no pastor but a powler no Paul but a Saul no pillar of the Church for his vertue but a piller for his aduauntage Happy is he if he died well for wretched are they that haue a worse If he be a wicked wealthy man They will set him foorth after this sort The Country is well rid of a catterpiller for hée was a great incroacher of commons a gréeuous inhancer of Rentes apâ—tteâ—â—e of oppression to all men his buildinges were more sumptuous then his beneuolence for he cherrished the poore with his meate as the catt doeth the mise he was in ability like the rich man that inlarged his houses in liberality like Nabal in refreshing Dauids souldiours in charity like Diues in relieuing Lazarus in his diet like Diogines for his grosse féeding he euer had aboundance yet liued like a beggar but now he is become a banckerout for the world striueth for his mucke the wormes for his flesh wheresoeuer his soule be If he be any other of what calling or condition so 〈◊〉 hée shal be sure to haue like same according to his sâ—â—tes such properties such report euery man at his death shal be spoken of after his desartes Some will speake of experience many of spight most of report all as they be affected or informed Besides we are to consider the callings and countenaunce of men for as the higher obiect is furthest in sight so the more high the more haynous the more mighty the more miserable is the fall and as the whiter lawne hath the déeper mole so the more holy man the more horrible is his offence I will discend into a few examples of the ignâ—â—â—ny of an euill Name that their terrible 〈◊〉 might deâ—erre oâ—hers frâ—â—â— the like For cruelty what a Name hath Pharaoh and Herod left behinde them if but in this one in willing all the male Hebrewes to be slaine by the Midwiues at their birthes the other in commaunding al the male children to be slaine in Bethelem from two yeares old and vnder For treachery what a Name hath Absalom and Iudas deserued one for working treason against his owne father the other for betraying his owne maister For vnnaturall dealing what a Name hath Cain and Sanecheribs children left in record one in killing his owne brother the other in murdering their owne father He that saith The memoriall of the iust is blessed dooth adde this The Name of the wicked shall rot Prou. 10.6 as we haue experience by these which are expressed for as rotten fruite doth cast a stinking sauour when it is applied to the nosthrils so a lewd man doth make his Name very lothsome when his opprobrious actions are called to memory We commonly say that he which hath lost his Name is halfe hanged and certes to haue no Name or an ill Name is to be accompted a great crosse the Lord imposeth this as a punishment vpon the wicked His Name shal be put out from vnder heauen Deut. 9.14 and 28.20 as hee did by Amalek and shal be no more remembred Iob. 24.20 Some carry a Name throughout the word an other throughout a Realme some within a Countie many within a towne most within a stréete but to haue no Name not so much as in a stréete as it is the least report so it is the greater reproche therefore Iob speaking of the wicked sayth His remembraunce shall perish from the earth and he shall haue no Name in the street Iob. 18.17 An ill Name is so odious that Moses made a law for the slaunderer that he should pay one hundred sickels for bringing vp an ill Name of a mayde Deut. 22.19 An ill Name whose consistence is in contemptible actions doth cause reproach and shame which bee so burdenous to flesh and bloud that Dauid in diuers places of his Psalmes doth not onely desire to haue rebuke and shame taken from him but also be prayeth for no worser plague to light vppon his ennemies Fill their faces with shame Psal 83. Socrates could say it was better to die honestly then to liue shamefully it is such an abhorrency in nature and no meruaile for it is an argument of Gods indignation after the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet had reuealed all the Iudgements he would afflict Ierusalem with hee doth aggrauate the punishment by this Epiphonema So thou shalt bee as a reproach and shame Ezek. 5.15 An ill Name doth not onely disparage and impeach the Agent but such as be allied to him not onely the party but his progenitors and such as belong or be any way deriued from his linage The reprochfull déedes of the child doth somewhat impaire the Name of his parents the Wiseman saith an euill nurtured son is the dishonour of the father Eccl. 22.3 Therefore it is written in Leuiticus that if a priestes daughter fall to play the whore she poluteth her father Leuit. 21.9 The ill report of Eli his sonnes was some disgrace to himselfe The infamous actes of the father must néedes be some blemish to the child that fruite can hardly flourish on the trée which is rotten at the roote that pestiferous act of Cain was a discountenance to all that came of his loynes It is no paradoxe the more is the pitty to sée the fault of the father cast as an obloquy in the téeth of the child and the parentes to be often twitted and vpbrayded for the escapes of their children There is many a blasted braunch that comes of an auncient house that supposeth his ill Name may be famozed by the renowned factes of his forefathers and to couer his impiety by his petigrée but such are vainely seduced What auayles sayth S. Chrisostome noble linage to him which is with villanous manners reproched Salust hath a sensible saying to that effect The more honorable the life of the Auncestors is after estéemed the more reprochfull is the vice of the linage that succéede them It hath bene an old saying that it is a good stocke where there is neither whore or thiefe spring out of it and yet such is
and Ananias and Sapphira were punished with present death because they made an horrible lye Act. 5. A godly man doth balke backbiters slaunderers and such like The iust man saith Salomon cannot away with a lye much lesse with him that vseth it he sayes in an other place that a busie body is hated Prou. 14.17 the Philosophers could not abide them therefore Pithagoras willeth vs not to receiue a swallow into our houses meaning bablers clatterers and such like companions The Cretians were neuer accompted on because they were common lyers Moses made a law to punish the slaunderer with losse of mony for the misdemeanor of his mouth Deuter. 22. Now to the second point For Hearers THe Hearers must regard how they listen too and beléeue reportes for wée commonly say the receiuer is as ill as the thiefe if there were not so many to geue eare to lyes and beléeue them there would not bée so many to deuise tales and tell them Therefore the Psalmist doth not onely condemne him which raiseth but him which receyueth a false report against his neighbour Psal 15.3 For this cause S. Barnard doubted whether it were a greater sin to inuent or listen to a slander therfore such as receiue reportes and ill spéeches by heare say must remember many thinges First that if Saba would not beléeue a true report of Salomon till shee had tried out the trueth much lesse ought any to beléeue a false report of their neighbours too rashly Secondly that there be some that take all their pleasure to depraue others and do nothing but inuent lies lewd spéeches Thou geuest thy mouth to euill and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thy mothers sonne Psal 50.19.20 Hee that will not let to slaunder his mothers sonne so néere bound by nature what wil he do to his neighbour These for the most part are the offscummes of a Country The abiectes saith Dauid assembled themselues against mee they tare me and ceased not Psal 35.15 His meaning is that the very reffuse people did most rayle vppon him and true it is when Alewormes are quaffing on their tipling bench then mens credites goe to wracke with theyr cuppes and as Sampson when hys eyes were out did not care on whose head the house might fall or as the Drone will hinder the Bée of her winges when he hath lost his owne so do they séeke to blemish their betters when themselues are of no accompt or estimation Thirdly there bée some that repine at their neighbours good Names and therefore vse all meanes to detract it as appéeres by Tobiah and Sanballat against Nehemiah and the Rulers and Gouernors against Daniel the examples at large are a little before When such as these can no way woorke their will they wish the death of the godly that so their Name might pearish Mine enemies speake euill of me saith Dauid saying when shal he die his Name perish Psal 41.5 Saul would haue slayne him because the people ascribed the greater Name to him in that Dauid had slaine tenne thousand and Saul but a thousand 2. Sam. 18.8 the people of Iudah would haue destroyed Ieremy that his Name might be no more in memory Ierem. 11.19 Fourthly you must reproue such lewd detractors and no way bewray any credulity not so much as by a fauourable countenance for as the Northwind driueth away rayne so doeth an angry countenaunce the slaundering tongue Prouerb 25.23 and if no approbation may be geuen by any outward apparance much lesse must you adhibite any credite to such detractors for that is an argument of impiety hereof saith the Wiseman The wicked geue heede to false lips and a lier harkeneth to the naughty tongue Prou. 17.4 Fiftly It is the point of a wiseman to consider all circumstances seriously that touch the Name of his neighbour and not to be too credulous for such commonly as bée light of beléefe are so in theyr liues Therefore sayth Salomon the foolish will beleeue euery thing pro. 14.15 It is the part of a Christian to doe as he would be done to then if you would bée loth to haue an other heare euill of your selfe and sooth him the like doe for an other If the Apostle willeth that one should not speake euill of an other he will not allow one to heare euill of an other but that the rule of charity should be obserued in both Sixtly it is the part of a wicked man when he heareth his neighbour ill reported of to dispearce it to others whisperingly when he should charitably informe him Dauid complayned of this Al they that hate me whisper together against me Psal 41.7 Of such kinde of whisperers we haue too many at this day for by this meanes a man shall haue a rumor and crime raised of him and yet neuer come to know either accusor or author of it Veritas non quaerit angulos it is the rather to be suspected to be a vile enuious inuention The Apostle Paul condemneth whisperers and inuenters of euill as appéereth in the Rom. 1.29 Seauenthly you must beware how you beléeue a Tale or ill report though there appéere great presumptions allthough there can bée no smoke without a fire yet there may bée most smoke when there is least fire Omne simile non est idem Violent presumptions may induce much as appéereth by Salomon in handling of two harlots 1. king 3.27 but as his wisedome was extraordinary so I take it to be an acte rather of admiration then imitation God forbid that euery ordinary presumption should be of credite to conuince The two Iudges deuised a suspicious matter against Susanna yet their gréeuous punishment in the end doth discouer their egregious impiety in the acte and her innocency from offence Putifars wife could pull away Iosephs garments and tell a very suspitious tale against him as the wicked care not in their malice what they imagine but if you read the story it will appéere her tales were false and she in al the fault Eightly you must not altogether credite spéeches though there appéere some proofe for false witnesse of malice may be suborned for mony and men in their malice care not what weapon they vse so they may massacre Our Sauiour Christ without subornation of witnesses could neuer haue bene condemned by his aduersaries The Libertines and the rest of that Synagogue could find no coulor of cause to stone Steuen but by suborned witnesses The Elders and Nobles could neuer haue condemned Naboth but for two wicked suborned witnesses 1. king 21.13 Therefore you must haue a respect to the reputation of the persons and beléeue not euery bare and beggarly testimony Ninthly you must not peremptorily alwayes beléeue euery matter though sentence bée passed there be many reasons for it May not right by might bée ouermastered as many poore men are oppressed when they are in suite with their superiors or buckle any way with their betters