Gom. 9. Of Reproof and Flatterj. Chap.. 509 CHAP. y. Of reproof or fraternal correption, the venue oppofite to flattery. Of flattery, .which s t. In things uncertain. a. In things certain, and thofe either good or evil. Of boafl- ing and vaunting a mansfelf, and its extream. HE other extream oppofite to flandering and detraction, is flattery , of of admoerfoa which,beforc we fpeak, we (hall premife fomewbat of the affirmative duties or fraternal oppofite to it, which is Fraternacorreptio,fraternal admonition, or brotherly re- J1"esr3et proof, oppofed to flattery : and fecondly, the giving a true report, oppofed to detraction : Becaufe we are joyned together by the lawof love or charity;and for that as S. lames faith ,Inmany things we offend all : therefore God took order in his law,that as we fhould not Hander or fpeak evil of our brother,fowe fhould admonilh and reprove him when he falls. Thou {halt not hate thy brother in thy heart. Levi. tç, ry. Thou /halt in any wife rebuke thy neighbour, andnotfufferfin to ref/ upon him. This is as t Thefì:5, tq, much to fay, that as the Heathen manlaid, we fhould cum opus eft contriftari a- Gal. 6.1. micum, when there is occalion, even tomake fad the heart of our friend by re- Tit. Ti1.13. proof. Ifany be difordered by a bare admonition, if theoffence be (mall, and hlattli fg 5p without aggravating circumftances, then to reprove him in the fpirit ofmeeknef,but Aas 23, 16. if it beotherwife, to reprove him Jbarplyand roundly ; if it be an open fault, then o- penly and before all ; if ferret, thenprivately in the ear, with this cavear,except it re- dound to the damage and detriment of another, for then it mull be declared to the party whom it concerns. So we fee as S. Augustine faith, that there is a double truth. a. Dulcis, qua fouet, a fweet truth, which cherifhes when we do well. a. Amara, qua curar, a truth which is bitter, yet cures us when we have done amifs. And therefore theApoflle writes to the Corinths,Though Imade youfurry, yet I z Col.; 9, 8,9, repent it not, though theexample of the perfon punifht, made you forty for a fea- fon : Rather I do now rejoyce,not for the aft of punifhment inflicted upon the offender,as for your amendment by that aft. Thus we fee reproof is a way to bring men to repentance;and therefore we are to perform this duty , that there- by we may bring men to repentance,and fo having performed it,we (hall never repent us of it:Andthis is the reafon of that fpeech,Non amoquengnam nifi offende- ro,l love not any till I have made him fad:which is to be thus undcrflood,that by making him fad, we bring him to repentance, and fo we teftifle our loveto him. Thereare fome fuch as the Philofopher faith, who having done evil, if a man come to deal with them, he muít either profiere veritatem, or prodereamicitiam, be- tray the truth, or lofe their friendfhip, they cannot abide this contriftation. But though they be fnch, yet we muff not fear openly to rebuke them; for as Solomon faith, Open rebuke is batter thenferret lave; and vulneroe diligentis, the woundsof a friend, are better then ofowla blandientie, the kiffesofa flatterer: as in Phyfick we know, Amarumfaltobre, a bitter thing wholfome, is better then perniciofum dulce, an unwholfome thing, though fweet. This duty mull not be neglected, though we !hall he Pure to meet with fuch as the Prophet Amos mentions, who willhate bins that reproves them: For this was feen by the Heathen, as appears by that fpeech; Veriteo odium parie ; truth brings forth hatred. There are tres optimamores tritonfiliartempefmarum, threevery good Mothers which have three molt wicked Daughters;the firft of which mothers is Truth,que parie odium, which bringsforth Hatred, fo there is mater optima, & filiape1ima, an exceeding good mother, and a molt naughty daughter.Neverthelefs we muff re- folve to fpeak truth toour friend, thoughwe make him fad; as Demarateo, inHe- Prov, 29. g,6. rodotsu,who fpeaking to Xerxes the King,began thus : Shall I fpeaktruth, or what Amos 5. to. will pleafeyou ? If Ifpeaktrutb, youwill not like it, andyet Non poteris uti me &a- Herodot 1.7. mico & adulatore, Icannot be both afriend and aflatterer,therefore Iwillfpeaktrutb, for though it be not toyour liking,yet it may befor yourgood. The vice oppofite to this duty offraternal reproof,is flattery,whichHierom calls Natale malsam, our nativeevil, for natali claimer malophilatatia, we are all tranf- ported
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