Of4goodname. 7; when thou thinkeltor deuifefteuillagainft thy neighbour,though kbee neuerfofecretlyy yet betidesall the former,thcLord bath another meaneswhereby he will bringtheeto diC credit fork. And this is a very vehement fufpitionraifedvpin the heart ofhim,of whom thou deuifeft this euill :.foras itoftentimescomes topafl, that good motions whichmire fecrctlyinthy miede for the good of another, doecaufetheotherion to thinke well of thee,though he did neuer heare ofthé:fo doubtleffèdothit often come topalleineuilsno-. tions.Thou deuifèft eudIagainft another,hein tomeftratrgemanner hashaheart-burning in ieloufie ouer thee : thou thinkelt hardly of another man, and heal(o is hardly perfwa- ded ofthee. Thus the Lord dothcaufe thee to bee difcredited in the heartsofothers, as thou imaginelt tomeeuill againftothers inthine heart. Truck ischat the partiemay fin ne anddoevery ill ifhe fufpe&withoutitut caufe,inasmuchashe cloth thusfufpe&through -an immoderate loue of himfelfe yettheworkeofthe Lord is here to beconfidered, who fceingthecáufe to be foiuft,doth (time vp futh fufpitionsinhis winde. Then to returneto our purpofe,ifwe will auoidean euillname,we mutt aúoideall euill Etailtfi n ir,st funnifes anddenifes againft others. And this the Scripture cloth' alfa forbid vs : for rho Wifeman from the mouthofGod doth forbidvs to thinke toil( oftheKinginour bed- chamber's, becaufe birdsand other dumbecreature's ¡hall difclofethe thing, ratherdarn is !hall bekept clofe.Thisthen mutt makevs afraid todoeuill,or to imagine illin our beds, or to declare our deepecounfailes each tothem that lie in our baronies. And thisasitis a good ineanesto prouide foragood name,fo it is a fpeciall rule of allgodlineflé; not when webeafraideofopenfinnesalone,butoffecreteui ls:notofaftsalone,buteuenofthefe cret cogitationsand thoughtsofour hearts. Thus we1aueheard the firlt ftepthat leadeth toa good name. The fecund remainethto be declared : and that is a godly ieloufie ouer a mans owne rhe%cordßep doings,that theymaynot breedefufpition of euill-For it doch often come to paffe,that to agoodiiarse. albeit a man doe notthat which is limply euill,he mayiuftly befufpe&edand luffcrfame blemifhin hisgood name. And for this caufe loth the Apoftle charge vs toprocure ho- neftthings in the fight ofGodandinan. For this caufe liecommandeth vs,that iftherebe anything ofgood reporc,that we muff follow;and that wemutt einbrace.Itisnot enough therefore that men did fay,Idid thirkenocuiR,Ldidmeaneno:harme: forifthroughwant of careor difcretion thouliait ventured upon the occafron,thou hait giuen great matter of euill fpeeehesto thy great difcredit. if thenwewillauoide this euill name,as our prouerbe ,4uoide orca- is,weemutt auoideall clangsthat bringit. Forwhenmen willcare little togine:oecafron, fono ofasi i, then the Lord caufethan mil nanietoerailed vpon them, that thole whichindeede are defperate mayfuffcr inffdilèredit,aod theythat are otherwife may beereclaimed from the fame. And furelyfuch is thecrookednes °furlong nature,chat iftheLord fhouldnot take thiscourfe, euen his children would fall intomany finites. Therefore it ismolt requifire thatmenbe mindfulltoauoide occalions,andfo.much the rather, becaufe it is commonly fayd,eitherGodor the diuell ftandeth at their elbohvto worke vpon them. Letvs fee this in fomeexample of our commonlife. Thou arc accuftomed to walke abroade atinconue- Esample nienttimes,at that tinne fame thingis ftollen,andthou art burdened and chargedwithit. Againe, thou vfett to dealetoo familiarlyand lightly with a maide, the is gotten with childe, and the fault-is layd on the Hereof thou haft giuen fufpition, becaufethou haft been a nightgoer, andfilchan one as hash dealt wantonlywith the maide, albeitthou be free fromthe veryaft. Nowifthou be thechildeofGod,and ifthou beguided byhis holy fpirit, thenwill lice teach thee totake profit by tinsfalfe report, andto faywith thyfella, Lordthouknoweflthat Iamfree fromthis very a/l:yet atwas myfnne tog eeanyfuchooeafon whereby menmightfufpeebme r thisfnneQLord larroguiltieof,andIknow thoufor thisfn hall d P»"Y". lady afflilledme. Teedealefatherd fee thy mercie in this, that whereas indeede Ihaue commit- tedmanyAmes, thou haft paled osier them and taken this whereof I amnot fa muchguiltierfó that now (moll merciful father) I doe ratherfuffer forrighteoufneffe,thenformy tranfyrefion andfannee yea Bearefather doebehold tl y tendermerciein this towards me,that by this euill re- port thou peg abouttoflay mefrom thatfnne, andtopreuent me that Imay neaterfallintothe farne.Wbereforefeeins it bathbeen thygood pleafure toBeale thuswith yne. beholdLard¡doe re- f? gene
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