138 Genera11 directions ler a moft peftilent and palpable, and othergroffe kinds of this very foule finne : (for fo it is indeed, howfoever to a carnall eye lookingupon it , painted with the colours of comtnon- neffe, andfelfe-love, thorow the falfe glaffe of thefe corrupt times, it appeares not fo ougly. The very Cafuifts and Schoolemen, noneof the precifeft Divines,I am Pure, doe de- fervedly vilifie it with a brandof hainoufnefle , farre above theft; as they may well , both for a greater breach of love precioutheffeof objet, uncomprehenfibleneffeof loffe,die ficultie of reflitution , concurrence of many finnes , confe- quenceofmuch ill, &c.) I fay , I will bee heere fluent of the groffer forts of flander, becaufe of them, Gods children are for themoft part more eafily fenfible , and ordinarilywatch- ful!: but let mac a little advife and aA ake thee to further in- Ipecclion of the prefect point , left fometimes even in telling the truth, thou be intangled in the briarsofthisbate finne,and juftly incurre the fault of a falfeaccufer, which thou maift manywayes : ( For detradion, to fpeake Logically,doth not formally confift in the diminution of the truth,but in thede- nigration of a mansgood name. ) y . By dif-covering fecret infirmities, which love, that coveretha multitude of finnes, would have concealed; It is a bate ambition , and moft un- worthy the noble magnanimity of a Chriftian heart, to hunt after, and purchafe an opinion of precedency in graces , and zeale, by the difgrace of another, perhaps every way, fave onely in thecenfurers owne over-weening conceit, bet- - ter and more worthy then himfelfe. When thou heareft a man worthilymagnified, for eminency of parts and fpiritu- all worth, be it farre from thee, or any that ever tooke finne truely toheart, to come in with a Bot ; onely becaufe out of a pang, orratherpredominancy of privy pride, thou woul- deft gladly bee noted for a None-filch , and paffe for the matchleffe Profeffour. Let it everbe the property and veine of vaine glorious Pharifes, to mile their reputations, and fometimeg themfelves , but with execrable villany , upon the imaginary mines of good mens innocencies ; and to hoId every infolent detradion from other mens fuffici- encies,
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