comfortable walkingwith God. 139 trawame/IIIMI 1..1 LornsworampaN11 encies , an addition to their owne. 2 By drawing ourof other mens words, aciions, and behaviours, upon the fuf- picious rackeof a bufie wit, aimec, intimations, and inten- tions, which the Author never dreamed on ; and by fathering upon them, filch enforced finifter fenfe ,and wrefted crooked conftruaions , which an ingenuous impartial! Expofitour could never pcffibly extra& It is the eafieft thingof a thou- find, for a malicious minde, to Toile the glory of the bra- veil-and mofl beautifull a6tionq, with ill and wrong inter- pretations and furmifes of By-ends. (For thepride of a mans owne difdainefull nature, and the Devil! himfelfe, are ready Mid wives at filch tnontlerous conceptions and baftard- births.) There is borne truth in that hyperbolicall fpeech of him, who Paid ; Let any man prefent me with the moll excel- lent andblamelefeattic's, and Iwilloppole it with fifty vicious and bad intentions , all which fhall carry a face of likelihood. Vpon this very point, Tribunals of Iuflice,which hold more upon policy thanpiety, efpecially of private fpleene embitter their judiciary power againfl the party, too often ftrangely blinde thecommon peoples eyes, and doe a great deale of wrong. Awickedwit, andwide confcience, mounted on horfebacke amongit a number of Princes, walking like fervants upon the ground (the Epidemical) difeafe of thefe worft andmolt ulcerous times) upon this advantage, many times vvorke a world of revengeful! villany. But howfo- ever itbe ealie , and too ordinary, for blacke tongues to hlaft and ftaine by wrefting and wire-drawing the beauty of thebeft at:bons withmalicious mifconftrations ; yet it is villanous andbale. To let !awes of divine love alone;. e- ven the light of Reafon led wife men to this refolution,as ap- peares by their * rules of Law ; That in doubtful things, we muff ever pitchupon the more favourable confiriglion. Wee are to be fo farre from a greedy hunting after a fpitefull rnif interpretation of mens fpeeches, and violent wrefting of their actions and carriage to theworft fence ; that if matters be but probable, poized with equall circumftances, and with ecven waight of reafons interpretable both wayes, we are ever *Seroper in dubiis Benigniorapi-refe- renda runt, dedi- ver.Re.g. Innis, In re dubia benigni- orem interpreta- tionern.fequi, non, rgatit'1,7,11:: 154.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=