9. Command. vpón the Commandements. tais of all amitie betwixt man & man,to loue to hcare what peeuifh tongues £hall fecke to fpcake. For front crcepcsit in mine care that will never creèpe out againe while(} the breath is in inee.Let no proofe be brought for it,&neuerfo much againft it,yet flickes the fcarre of fufpicion 11ill,& fomething I thinke to the blotte of my brother, though I can bee content not to credite all.This open eare fo greedy to heare, and not wifely x. waying,who telleth it, of whome ',to what manner, to what ende ,with fuch like cir- cum(fances, what lofíe bath it laid ful many a tune vpoñ both men jet women ? What hatred, what etìuic,what ieloufie,tthat fufpicion,what difgi:iete thoughtes,and grin= ding grecfehath it fetled foúndly in many an one ? How f }ealeth it the loue of Man . from his wife,of father from his childe,and afriende from his long and liked acquain- tance ? How alienateth it the heart ofa true feruant from his matter , if hee will ycelde to what his fraile flefh will affuredly pricke him ? And howe many a mailer hathf ia- ken off through (peach of hate light pick-thanks; fuch trueth and loue,fuch feruice & ffrcngth,as never after could unlike manner, be gained againe with golde ?But what fhoulde we fay? Yhereásnomifchiefeto the tongue t and therefore nó queflion but a d aunger great to attend unto it without good difcretion. Then to proceede -to the third. Iftelling,and hearing the deprauings of the wicked bee forbidden,muO it not alto needs bee eua to beleeue them ?Certainly much more; For it is a degree further to beleeue the report that is made veto vs, than to heare it. And if a man ought to bee flowe to fpeakewhen hee is not certaine much snore fltoulde he bee flowe to beleeuewhat may be falfe before he knowes i .See therefore how the Lorde fpeaketh to fuch among the Ifraelttes as were to punith the offenders. I f thou heare ,( faith hee) concerníñg any of the Cities which the Lord thy God hathgiuen petit, r ß,1 ai thee to dwdin, wiztZedmen are goneout from ainotrgyou, and hque drawn away the inhabi- tants of their (it ie, fajing;let vs got. and Prue other Gods,mhich you haue not knowne, then thou Aiultfeeke, andmaleefearch, and imquire diligently ifa bee trtrt,andfofoorth. What I pray you might meane this repetition of wordes , to feeke; to feareh, to inquire;ártd that diligently; but toadmonithvswhat á fault it is to condemnebefore weknowe, and to belceue what euer we heare by andby r Like wife againe; ifan Idolater were accufediand had but one witneffeagainfl him,bee might not be put to death vpodthe . teflirnonie of that one, but at themouth oftwo o '.three weineffes'hall he that is worthy of peut. t 7.6! death,die, ( faith the lawe ) all to teach vs that we may not bec light of beleefe, when we are whi- fpered in the care againft a man , and by and by kill him in our hearses by cea(ing to thinke well of him any more vpon one reporters (peach. Fort° ròbbe him of that credite in my heart, that he had before mc,vnleffe hedeferue it, is a branch of murther,as hathbcene prooued.Againe,as Salemon faith of anfwering a matter before Pib.18.ì ;; a man heare ir,tl at it is folly anda 'bailie to him that Both it: fo fay we and thinkewe of belecuing a mattet before we khów it,för it is as true; Is it not regeflred of Puripbar Gen ;,g. Iofephr mailer to his bltn,ífh as long its euer the world indureth that hee was to cre- dulous ? Was it not a blotto in Dauid, and fo by Gods fpeciall.wifedome left unto vs to confider ofit ,that he wotilde beleeue fo quickly a falfe flattering Ziba againft his 2,sá.26.1; truffle and moll true hearted feruant.Mephtbofheth ? Eut what fhoulde I heape vp examples ? May not.eucn entry mans confetence tell him, that thefault is not little, the di fcrcditewlíereofGod bath left vntovsbut in one example ?.I conclude there- fore this matter of light bekeuing. Inch ales asvngodldy and £alfcly arc thadeonto vs with the fpeach ofwife and experienced Syrac -in his booke. 'Name no man; ( faith syrac,;i t.9. .h ce).le fo' ethou haft inrgaixed the matter, vnderftand fir fl , and then refo"me righteoúfl), gsue no fentence before thou haft heard thecttufe, neither interrupt men in the middeft ofthetr tales. .G.odginevs the vfeofit: For, great is the hurt of light beleefe both towardes bodie and alto tonic. Qiscul. Tet. the reremaineth one thingmorein the booh ,e Anfir. It is true, and that is this, In private offences 'tò fpealce aniething (al- thoughir,beetrue) to the butte ofour brothers good name , if by privateadmoni- tions he may bec wonne,is abraunch.and,a,breach of this Commaundement.TheA= poflle Teter proouethit , when he faith thus. Bat tame all thirties haue fervent loue among ,ar
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