2 The spundge wil be full of water and not sâ—â—ne If thou hast satis insult not least thou be plagued with non putaram for we are here in this world among men as in a wildernesse among beastes not so ready to turne any away as to be torne He that hath Cressus wealth had néede haue Argus eyes 3 The leaking vessell will hold no lyquor nor the riotous man any liuing for whole mines will not mainetaine a prodigall mind It is better to spare with a care of increasing then to spende without cause in consuming The Prodigall sonne by hys great ryot came to ruine 4 That lampe is best that kéepeth light longest He that will come to preferment must keepe hys patrimony for wée sée the course of the world that riches bring many to renowne when pouerty maketh any of no accompt Naboth would in no wise depart from his inheritance 5 Seneca saith if thou wilt liue after 〈…〉 be poore if after thy 〈…〉 True it is the 〈◊〉 of Alexander are not fit for Codrus it is good to be frugall in our fare for he that loueth banqueting shall soonest die a beggar Christ was content with broyled fish then order your diet by him that died for you 6 The shéepe yéeldeth her fléece to defend vs from cold not to inflate vs with pride Let euery one cut his coat according to hys cloth for the end of brauery is beggary Adams loynes were but clad with leather then let your new fashions take patterne of your first father 7 Our forefathers vsed no other drincke but water from the creation vntill the inundation of the world Vse wine more for weakenesse then wantonnesse for it is not made to confound the wits but to comfort the memory not to inflame the liuer but to refresh the hart Timothy by taking of a little wine preserued his health 8 One demaunded of Diogenes when it was best to marry for a young man quoth he it is too soone for an old man ouerlate His aunsweare is good for to marry it is too soone without maintenance and to tarry it is a sinne without chastity Hée that will please his eye for loue must not impaire his estate for liuing Iaacob had gathered liuinge vnder Laban before hee married hys daughters 9 Demea in Terence sayth I haue married a wife what misery haue I séene therein Haue respect to your choyce least your marriage bréed your misery It is a gréefe to a good man to be troubled with a scold like Socrates when hée would bée quiet or with a deuill like Iob when he is in distresse or with a whore like Sampson when he bewrayes his secretes 10 Eschew the company of Curtisans for their bodies are made of Adamant to draw their eyes of Easiliske to blinde their wordes of Syrens to inchaunt as Salomons wisedome was first tried by whores so his ouerthrow was at last wroght by whores 11 He that hath béene singed in the flame will take héede of the fire he that will be sure must hate suertyship an honest denial may satisfie an hurtfull demaund yet thou art bound to benefite thy brother so thy duety be vsed with discretion Syrach saith an honest man is suerty for his neighbour 12 Lend to thy better for a benefite but to the poore for a blessing she one borrowes to encrease hys wealth the other to supply his want In all thy actions be circumspect for simple dealing is soonest vndone without foresight Trust not woordes for Laban deceiued Iaacob with faire wordes but take a pledge for Tamar would not trust Iudah for a trifle without a pledge or els take some specialty for Gabael had the handwriting of Raphael when he receiued mony 13 Shake not thy head when thou shouldst stretch foorth thy hand to the poore like churles who commonly giue anod when they meane to giue nothing the poore are the Altars to lay the sacrifice of our goods Cornelius almes came into remembrance before God 14 The spanyell neuer fawneth but he wage his taile Many can pleasantly personate with faire spéech O my good freend c. and shake one by the fifte But as the liquorice lease lâ—â—eth most dry when it is most moist so these doo meane most deceipte when they séeme most merry Cain was very kind in spéech when he ment to kill Abel 15 He that toucheth pitch shal be defiled Conuerse with the godly so it may be for thy good for the wicked being sociable with them spéede the better for their sakes Laban prospered the better for Iaacob and Putiphar for Ioseph when Dauid directed the bandes Saul had good successe in his battailes 16 The highest Towers are most subiect to tempestes a cottage with contentment is better then a pallace wyth controlement wisedome consisteth not in wealth but in contempt of the world nor wealth in aboundance but in content of the minde Diogenes did better estéeme of his tub then Alexander of all his treasure 17 Timely prickes the trée that will prooue a gâ—â—d thorne Take thy ease according to thy estate if thou béest poore put thy paines to Gods prouidence for his blessing maketh riche Iacob carried nothing ouer Iordan but his staffe but he retourned rich Ioseph was an abiect of his brethren but he became a gouernour in Egypt 18 Let thy neighbour be thy war of man and not the law for he that will contend for euery trifle shall make the Lawyer rich with his siluer and himselfe poore by his suites Abraham had rather resigne his right then be at variance with Lot 19 Vse some exercise more to prolong thy health then to procure thy hinderance avoid play for it is a priuy thiefe to thy thrift Thereof procéedes for the most part losse of time with treasure cause of care with cursing breach of credite amongst men and blemish of conscience before God Salomon saith Hee that loueth pastime shal be poore 20 Let the Cooke be thy Phisition and the garden thy Apothecary for he that will to phisicke for euery infirmity shal be sure to haue his body neuer without maladies and hys purse euer without mony Yet we must not neglect the meanes for the maintenance of health If Asa had depended most vpon God he should not haue béene reprooued for séeking to Phisitions 21 Store is no sore plenty ought to bee dainety make no wast of that which an other doth want for there is nothing may séeme at any time so impure but at sometime may bee thought precious Alexander thought the puddle most pleasant in hys thirst and the Prodigall sonne thought the swines huskes mâ—st dainety in his hunger 22 The bird will nurrish her broode till they can flye so mâ—st parents their children till they be able to shifte A good Science is farre better then an Inheritance he that hath no wealth to leaue them may do little if he teach them not some trade to liue on Phitarch reportes that Solon made a law in Athens that the childe should not be bound to succour his father of whome he had receyued no manner of doctrine to liue by 23 The little hare hath his shadow and the simplest man his soule Let not the better contemne the baser Call not the husbandman clowne for tillage is of most antiquity or the sheapherd dâ—lt for shéepekéeping was most vsuall wyth our auncesters Noah was a husbandman and yet a Patriarke Dauid a sheapeheard and yet a Prince 24 Auoyde idlenesse as the nurse of all euill Antonine the Emperor 〈…〉 theyr 〈…〉 that there was nothing 〈…〉 then such to 〈…〉 deuour the weale publike which with their labor nothing increased it The Romanes durst neuer goe abroad without a badge of their occupation 25 It is good to beare alowsayle in a high winde in prosperity be not proud It is best to cast a strong ancre in a great storme in pouerty be not impatient it is better to liue here in misery then to die without mercy Whatsoeuer you ayme at haue an eye to the end then you shal be sure though you liue wyth gréefe you shall die with glory and be saued by grace FINIS
By the old Law none 〈…〉 to a stranger but to sâ—â—e â—f his own stocke to no other 〈◊〉 but to presâ—rue their Names Deut. 25. For this cause dâ— Boar a 〈◊〉 of great wealth take Ruth a poore woman to his wiâ—e becaâ—â—â— hée was her next kinsman And for this cause was Onan cut off because he would not â—oo the office of a kinsman to Tamar after his brothers death Gen. 38. By the same Law none might 〈◊〉 his Inheritance but to some of hys kindred because it might stir vp the Name of the dead Ruth 4.5 It was this that made Naomi and Ruth come out of Bethelem because they might not sell their parcell of land to a straunger and for this cause was Naboth vnwilling to part from his Vineyard though it was requested by a king because it was his Inheritance 1. King 21. So common a principle of experience hath it beene in all ages and amongst all estates that rather then they would haue their Names extinct they omitted nothing that might be a meane to maintaine them The Romaines as Boetius maketh mention had a Table of brasse in which the Names of famous and noble men were vsed to be written for a perpetuall fame or memory and if any of them afterward were conuicted off fellony or any egregious offence hée was presently strooke out of the Table and that was called the death of prescription Some for want of issue builde glorious habitations and call their Landes by their Names The Psalmist obserued that in his time psal 49.11 Absolom erected a pillar and called it by his owne Name because he had no sonne to kéepe it in remembrance 2. Sam. 18.18 Some build or buy whole Citties and Townes and call them by their Names The Israelites did so 1. Chro. 6.65 or by their childrens Names as Caine did who built a Citty and called it by his sonnes Name because his vile act was an vtter coinquination of his owne Name Gen. 4.17 What excéeding ioy was there at the birth of Obed the text saith because the Name of the dead should bee continued in Israell Ruth 4.14 héereof many are deâ—â—rous of children because by their ofspring their Names are after a sort reduced from death Many Monarches Kinges Princes and persons of renowne haue sumptuous Sepulchers and costly Tombes vppon their graues pro memoria mortuorum not so much for the royalty of their estates as for a remembraunce of their Names Iaacob set vp a pillar vppon his wiues graue and it is called the pillar of Rahels graue to this day There be others that haue â—â—iâ—â—phes and Epigrams engâ—â—uen vpon their Graue-stones for no other cause but that theyr Names might be remembred when they are read Then séeing there is none but is desirous of a Name how blessed is hée aboue other that deserues a good Name for Salomon saith the memoriall of the iust shal be blessed A good Name is to be accounted a great blessing for God promiseth to the godly that he will exalt them in Prayse in Name and in Glory Deut. 26.19 Amongst many other blessings bestowed on Abraham the Lord saide hee would make his Name great Gen. 12.2 A good Name post funera viuit it doth not onely reuiue the dead but reioyce the liuing by remembring it addeth a commâ—ndation to the deceased and a consolation to his successors S. Augustine saith if a man lead a good and honest lâ—â—e it is profitable to himselfe but a good Name or report is profitable to others For there is nothing more excellent of an earthly blessing then a good Name A good Name is better then Riches WHat more estimable amongst 〈…〉 Riches I haue read of some as Anaxagoras 〈◊〉 hauing sent him from king Alexander thirty thousand tallents of goâ—d he refused it returning 〈◊〉 sweare that it wâ—s for kinges to vse monâ—y and not for Philosophers and Constantinus a mighty monarche had riches so much in contempt that hee thought 〈◊〉 rich â—hâ—ough by gouerning such as had thâ—â— though be possessed none This iron age of ours affoordes not many so affected but it is true that Tully saith maxime admiraâ—â—ur cum qui pecâ—mia non monetur for mony is such a â—â—â—tall as most 〈◊〉 desâ—re 〈◊〉 sure and no man can wâ—â—t without misery absque pecunia miseâ—è viuitur saith Terence Tantum quantum habes sis a mâ—ns credite is according to his wealth doth not experience teach this that the gentleman carrieth many a give that hath nothing but his birth to brag on the scholler taketh many a skoffe that hath nothing but his bookes to boast on the souldier is little set by that hath nothing but his buckler to shield him Quid non pecunia potest siluer aunsweareth to all saith the Preacher Eccles 10.19 and true it is for by it all other wants whatsoeuer are supplied Is not the foole thought wise if hee hath wealth and the wise foolish if he want it who will reiect an Asse if he come laden with gold when few will accept a man if hee hath nothing but his wit Doo not riches oftentimes preferre men to honour for that cause Labans sonnes enuied Iacob because hée had got honor by their fathers goods Gen. 31.1 Doo we not sée that such as haue béene much renowned when they had riches haue lost theyr dignity when they decayed who was more reputed of in prosperity then Iob but when his goods were gone hee could say Iob. 19.9 that he was spoyled of his honour Therefore Riches are of great price and praise they were one of the giftes God gaue Salomon yet he possessing as great plenty of siluer as stones could say A good Name is to be chosen aboue great Riches Prou. 22.1 A Philosopher yéeldeth a pretie reason Riches may bee recouered when they are lost but a good Name can neuer for as Plautus saith the infamy of a man is immortall shée liueth when you thincke her lost A good Name is better then pretious ointments WHat more soueraigne for many vses in Phisicke then ointments dayly experience approoues it In the time of the old law ointmentes were so costly in compounding so artificiall in composing so precious in accompt that they were called holy ointments Exod. 30.23 because they â—â—serue for certaine vses of the Tabernacle It is said that Mary annointed the féete of Christ with a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly the sauour whereof filled the whole house Quéene Saba brought pretious odours and oyntmentes for a present to king Salomon for ointments are part of a kings treasure therefore Salomon had men of purpose appointed to that office 2. King 20.13 and so had Hezekiah Loue is an excellent thing yet the loue of brethren is likened to the pretious ointment that ranne downe Aarons beard as appéereth in the Psalmes The Church is greatly to be exalted yet the Church resembleth her good Name to ointments as appéereth in the Canticles Ointments in respect of their necessitie in vse
prooued painted sepulchers to theyr shame One falling into a Tyrantes hand tooke vpon him the Name of a Philosopher more for vaineglory then vertue the tyrant tolde hym if he were a Philosopher hée would patiently suffer iniuries and ill spéeches and therefore would try him and in déede did vrge hym to the vttermost and so farre as the Philosopher was vexed and said he was not well dealt withall because he was a Philosopher the Tyrant gaue him this aunsweare I had taken thee for a Philosopher if thou hadst held thy peace Noting hereby what a â—â—ine thinge it is to appeare to be otherwise then we prooue to be I hate such men saith Pacuuius which in their actes be fâ—â—les 〈…〉 wordes Philosophers Secondly that no man 〈…〉 â—ally insult of his owne actions as the Scribes 〈…〉 did Laus proprio sordescit in ore saith the 〈…〉 Let an other man praise thee and not thy owne mouth saith Salomon Pro. 27.2 For be the act neuer so excellent a mans owne praise doth but impaire it Laudet fucatas qui vult extrudere merces men vse to praise their reffuse ware when they put it away If it be good the thing néedes no praise the perfect Chorall néedes no colouring Thirdly that he which is so famous and renowned must not forget himselfe but obserue one wise pointe of Plato that hée bée not proud when he is praysed and an other point of Tully that he set not too light by that which men déeme of him for that is a point of folly The Philosopher which was led but by the light of nature could say thus if thou béest faire thanke nature if thou béest noble of bloud thancke thy parentes if thou béest riche thancke fortune if vertuous praise God and certes if we haue an eye to him that geueth all good giftes we shall haue no cause to glory if wée thincke vpon God How daungerous it is to kepe a good Name SVch thinges as bée pretious cannot bée kept without great perill Abraham feared Sara because she was faire Genes 12.11 For true it is that Theophrastus saith that which many desire one can hardly kepe safe beauty is a great blissing but a good Name is farre better for one flourisheth when the other fadeth therefore there is the more circumspection requirâ—â— the Poet saith non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri the Philosopher saith to get wealth is the gifte of fortune but to kepe it is a point of wisedome then what is it to kéepe a good Name which is farre better then wealth Common experience doth teach vs this that a good Name is like a merchants wealth gotten in many yeares but lost in a moment The fairest blossome is soonest blasted with the winde the forwardest spring soonest bitten with the frost and the best Name is soonest blemished by the malignaÌ„t He that is famous and in better fauour aboue others shal be sure to haue many meanes wrought to deface him 〈◊〉 the Starre Hesperus doth follow the Sunne and the flies the hony so dooth enâ—â— and ill tongues such as be in honor and reputation I néede not goe farre for examples because we sée it dayly with our eyes yet because it shall appeare to be no new practise I will repeat some examples out of the Scriptures Tobiah and Sanballat much enuying the credite of Nehemiah that godly man they hired one of purpose to prouoâ—◠〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 for no other cause but that they might haue an ill reporte 〈◊〉 him to reproach him Nehe. 6.13 Daniel was the 〈…〉 fauour with king Darius and was in great estimation 〈◊〉 mâ—ny which the Rulers and Gouernours perceyuing it so 〈◊〉 spited them that although they could finde no iust occaâ—â—â—n 〈◊〉 him Dan. 8.4 they sought all possible meanes to disgraâ—◠〈◊〉 yea and to destroy him So many wayes as malice may worke so many 〈◊〉 may be vsed to reproach and impeach a good Name Haue we not had experience of some vicious 〈◊〉 that haue yéelded their vessels to villany to one and haue 〈◊〉 their â—â—â—thinâ—sse vpon an other Now by the reason of the dâ—sâ—râ—tâ—â—â— aâ—thâ—rity geuen to Magistrates for putatiue fathers the 〈…〉 hath béene brought in question and disgrace and yet without cause of desart and when he hath receyued either criminall or corporall punishment and hath procéeded in his purgation in Coâ—rtes for criminall causes the wretched wemen afterward haue 〈◊〉 the contrary without coaction that either they were perswaded or hired to nominate and accuse the innocent thereby to excuse and cléere the Actor from ignominy or that they did it of pollicy to name such a one as was well able by his liuing to satisfie the law or at least might beare them out with lesse rebuke then the offendour It is no maruaile Salomon said I haue found one man of a thousand but a woman amongst them all I haue not found Eccles 7.30 For what will not a wicked woman in her malice imagine How impudently did Putiphars wife forge lyes of Ioseph because he would not lye with her Gen. 39.12 How boldly did the harlot lay the death of her childe to an other when shée had ouerlayne it her selfe 1. King 3.19 A whoare makes no conscience of a lye an oathe or any thing so incredible to 〈…〉 horrible to heare the reason is because as the Prophet Ieremy saith Iere. 3.3 shee hath a forehead that will not be ashamed It is as daungerous to trauaile through a wilde forrest without fire as to kéepe a good Name without foresight Let a man but frequent his friendes house vppon neighbourhood or necessary occasions or be but conuersant with a woman vpon some honest intent you shall haue some or other that measuring others by their owne motions and censuring others of suspicion by their owne disposition wil be ready to rayse an ill reporte to hinder hys good Name which being once bruted will not be beaten downe in hast because most are ready and reioyce to heare leasinges I confesse as there be too few men like Ioseph to resist the flattering assaultes of the flesh when they are allured so there bée not many wemen that can truely say as Bilia did whome S. Hierom maketh mention on Duellius her husband had a stinking breath who being â—â—â—rayded for it by one that fell out with him he rebuked his wife because shée did not tell him of it that hée might haue found some remedy for it She said she would haue told him but that shee thought euery mans breath smelled so yet God defend how few good soeuer there bee any should bee rashly reproached where there is no pretence of ill Therefore I would wish euery one to avoyde the very occasion of euill if it be possible Venienâ—â— occurrite morbo to preuent the worst S. Augustine would neuer dwell with his sister in one house for he would say it was inough to sée a woman worse to speake with her and woorst of all to touch
her Cato the elder banished Gaius Manlius out of the Senate house because hee kissed but his owne wife in his daughters presence King Hiero condemned the Poet Epicharmus because he vsed vncleanely wordes in a great somme of money Lycurgus made a law that the wemen of Lacedemonia should couer their faces when they went abroad because they might neither looke nor be looked vpon Augustus Caâ—sar commaunded no wemen should come to sée the wrastlers because they did vse to wrastle naked all these I rehearse to note how necessary it is to auoide the occasion of euill for feare of inconuenience now if the occasion bée so daungerous the very action of euill must néedes be detestable and hurtfull to the Name for although some may commit some odious crime and may haue it concealed for his credite or not spoken of for hys calling or not regarded for hys countenaunce or bolstered out by fréendship for the common prouerbe is true A mans matter is ended as he is frended and Some may better steale a horse then an other looke on Modestinus could say in 〈◊〉 tyme of Transgressors that some were gréeuously punished others scarce touched For this cause Anaxagoras likened the lawes of 〈◊〉 to Cobwebs which do tie little flies fast but breake with the great Yet as one kernell of Colloquintida will make the best brâ—â—h very bitter and one deade flye will putrifie a boxe of ointment 〈…〉 euill action will disgrace many good I will vse one exaâ—â—â—â—â—nstéed of many so long as Vzziah sought the Lord hee prâ—â—â—â—ted and was so valiant that it is saide his Name spredd farre aâ—road but that one acte of his in vsurping the Priestes Office 〈◊〉 defame all his former and so much diminished his Name that he which before liued as a king in his pallace at Hierusalem did dwell as a Lepar in an house apart 2 Chro. 26. Although a good Name may bée recouered agayne in time for Tempus edax rerum Yet it wil be long ere it bée worne out of mens mouthes and memories Yea and when the best is done as it is hard to cure a wound so well but that a skarre will appeare in the skinne so you shall as hardly recouer the other but it wil be a blot to the Name A generall application COnsidering the excellency of a good Name surpasseth all other terrestriall blessinges there is specially to bee obserued two thinges 1. In the Speakers 2. In the Hearers THe Speakers must take héede how they vse their tongues Nature hath lent vs two eares and but one tongue that wée might not vtter all we heare this tongue is reared and hedged in with a double fence to the end we might speake without offence The tongue is ianua vitae necis it is no small vertue to bridle the tongue saith Cato Salomon saith Hee that hath a naughty tongue shall fall into euill Prou. 17.5 S. Iames saith that mans religion is in vaine which refraineth not his tongue S. Peter saith If any man long after life and to see good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill Esop béeing bid to buy the best and worst meat in the market brought home nothing but tongues noting thereby that the tonge was good and euill as it is vsed The Psalmist kept silence euen from speaking good things much more ought we from euill If wée must giue accompt for euery idle word much more for lewd and lying spéeches Therefore you must take héede how you blemish the Name of your brother either by carrying of Tales Thou shalt not go about with tales Leuit. 19.16 or by raysing flaunders He that inuenteth slaunder is a foole Prou. 10.18 Tales and slaunderous spéeches sayth Dauid are as the sharpe arrowes of a mighty man Psal 120. For as a strong man shooteth far and doth much harme with a sharpe arrow so a slanderer defameth farre and doth much mischiefe with his viperous tongue Tales and slaunders are by the Psalmograph likened to the coales of Iuniper psal 120. Pliny writing of the nature thereof saith that those coales doo yéeld the greatest heat so a lewd tongue doth procure the gretest hurt S. Iames likeneth the tongue to fire we all know how great a thing a little fire will kindle and so it is with the slanderer one sparke of ill spéech may cause a flame of defame amongst many for as Cicero saith nothing fléeth more swiftly then an ill word nothing goeth sooner foorth nothing is sooner taken nor broder spread it was this the made Dauid complaine Thou makest vs a reproach amongst our neighbours c. concluding thus for the voice of the slaunderers Psal 44. Tales and slanders well impeach the best Name for the most part are apte to beléeue that is ill sayâ—h Ouid and therefore sayth Salomon The wordes of a Talebearer are as flatteringes and they go down into the bowels of the belly Prou. 18.8 doe wee not sée many times amongest vs that if an ill spéech or tale bee vttered and bruted though but by one base person of no reputation how ready a multitude will beléeue it these are they that cause such idle expence of money and debate amongest fréendes for who can abide to bée euill spoken of therefore saith the wiseman Without a tale bearer strife ceaseth Prou. 26.20 Qualis vir talis oratio A good man is discerned from a wicked by his talke for the godly man of loue will couer some offence but the wicked of malice will exclaime without cause Hereof saith the Scripture A righteous man hateth lying woordes but the wicked cause slaunder and shame Pro. 13.5 A caueat for Talebearers Backbyters and Slaunderers THese men or rather monsters amongst men should consider two thinges First in their neighbour Secondly in themselues In their neighbour they are to weigh the woorth of a good Name which they shall the better performe if they reason wyth themselues by way of comparison thus If it be a gréefe to a man to haue a wound in his body what is it to haue a mayne in hys Name for arte may cure the one but nothing will recouer the other If it be a gréefe for a man to loose all his goods which he hath béene long in gathering together what is it to loose his Name which he hath laboured for all his life For one may be restored in time the other is stayned for euer In themselues they must weigh the reward of their wickednesse they are abhorred both of God and Man God detesteth such kind of men as appéereth by many pregnant places in his woord Him that priuily slaundereth his neighbour will I destroy Psal 101.5 the backbyter shall not be established vpon earth Psalm 140.11 he that speaketh lyes shall perish Prou. 19.9 The Lord punished Ely and his posterity because hys sonnes ran into a slaunder and he stayd them not 1. Sam. 3.13 he punished the two Iudges for slaundering Susanna the leprosse was layd vpon Gehazi because he made a lye
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