Cai 498 Chap.2. Of agoodNarne. aa.9, BeerJhëba, theWell of the Oath, and that he might peaceably enjoy it,gave Abime- lech feverLambs, to witnefs that the well was his : and that Cnmulús teftimonii, Cen31.47,48 that heapof witnefs, was a heap of (ones placed, as a witnefs of the Covenant between 7aceband Laban, that they would live at peace, as friends and allies, LevicS5 So under -the Law, all proceedings of¡unite, were to be cllablifht by truth, which mull be by the tefimony of witneffes; and therefore all publick alts of ju1liée were to be grounded upon the truth offorce witneffes. (Save only in thecaféof Jealoufie.) .4.10 ',I-Fa of 4. Insrefpec4 of every private man, this Commandement is the fence ofeve- primarepe'rfonr r mans name and credit, which is of much worth : For a good name fatneth a Prov. 15.30. mans bones, faith the Wife man : It doth him ranch good within, and fo it Both Ecclel. 7. r, without alto, for it caps a fweet favour, and therefore is compared to a tweet Ointment poured forth ; and. if it come to be prized, it paffeth gold and filver,For Prov. 2.2.1. agóod name is rather to be chafen then great riches, and loving favour rather then flyer andfold; as Salomon faith. And indeed it is the caufe of both, efpecially of the Ails 5.34,4o. latter; for a good name-or credit brings favour, and withal riches. Gamaliel being a man of note; and of credit, all gave ear to hini. Men will go to Play- ficians that are well elieemed, for their advice; and a cunning Lawyer tball be faitof' many Clyents, and a good Tutor ofmany Scholars : And molt cullo- tners will refort to fuch as have molt credit, and the beltreport. C H A P. II. Thenecety ofagood name. The fixforbidden in general. Wherein, a. The root of it. 2: The Sapp orationor rankling ofit inwardly, by pilefurmifes andfnfpicions. 3. The fittingofthe foyl, by readinerstohear falle reports. 4 The watering of the foyl, by bnfyirtgear [elves in other mens affairs. 71 nee fl ty of Otè foran entrance into that which follows; it will be needful to thew the ag,wof Nam, of necef sty and ufe of a good name and credit among men.Though in refpec`t of God, judgment of us (bywhich we mull fand or fall) it matters not much what men think of us ; yet there is an injunâion laid uponevery man,toLet hie Marsh. 5.16. light Jhine before men, that they mayfee hisgood works, andglorifie his Father which is in Heaven. It is a duty ofeveryman to do what good hecan to others:now there is little or ro good tobedone by that man that bath an evil report ; fo that there ás dtaplexsievefftas, adouble necefíity laid upon every one; he mull have banana confcientiam propter fe, a good eonfcience for himfelf, and bonam famam propter a- lias, a good name for others, as S. Auguftine faith. And therefore howfoever in refpedt of God, and our duty tohim,, fatting 2 Ciar.6.8, fcandalumvita, and fcandalumjn(litia afide, we mull fand refolved,as theApofle Phih4.8. was, to go through good report and bad report in doing our duty, thereby to do good to others ; yet if with Iandnng"n, and Ion oéuva, and Ion dseoia,whatfoever thingsare true, whatfoever things are honef, whatfoever things are juft,a man can join%ern Ivqsplsa, whatfoever things are ofgood report, this is the bell courfe and the bell way to be taken, to do good both to our felves and others o and lit- tle ufe will be made of a mans gifts without it. It is true, a man muff regard the tefimony ofGod, and his approbation be- fore the tefimony of his own confcience,and the tefimony of his confcience, before the witnefs of men ; hemutt fay with the Philofopher, Male viri boni fa- man; , gram confcientiamperdere, I had rather lofe the name and report of a good man among men, then hazard the lofs of my confcience; but yet where all thefe canmeet together, a man fhould delire them all, becaufe by this means his gifts Will be ufeful, for the enlarging the Kingdom of Ch if,' arid edifying of his 2 Cor, 6.2; Church ; and therefore the care of the Apofles was, though they were coasted deceivers, yettheywere true, and wouldgive nooccafionof offence ; and the reafou is given, that theirminiftery might toot be blamed, and fo by that means they Ihould be the lefs able to do-good. Bifides , in regard of a mans own fell : A good name fhould ever be care-
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