Nint~ Commandment. dure another's Praife and therefore feeketh all he can to b!aft it by Falfe Reports, and Lying Slandars, .~s if a!l that ~et~ derraS:_ed ~om another were added to his o_wn. Reputati on. When hts N etghboursFannebegtnSiogrow tall, and to fpreadabout brm he then fe~ks what he can to cut 't _down,_ becaute. be thinks it hinders his Profpea: and rbe World cannot rake fo farr aVtew of hun.a.s he defir~s; and therefore he is frill hewing at it, fomctimes witho~hque, an~ fo~eu?"es w!rh dtreft,Blows; fametimes f.hiking at his Pans, and fomenmes at hts Piety; and tfhe can but makc.rhef~ fall in the E!leem of the World, then he thinks oooe !lull~. fo much refpe<led and honoured as himfelf. A Man that is a Self-lover thinks all due unt~ himfe1f; all Praife and Commendation muft run in his Chanpel, ·or elfe it takes a wrohgCoutfe •. and be accounts juft fo much taken from him as is 'afcribed to another; and this pur; him upon this BJfe 1\rt of Det~aHio"1 that by.deprelfiog orh:rs be may adv~oce himfell' and raife the Struaure ot htsown Fame upon the Rutns of hrs Neighbour's•. And rhert:fore if thou wouldfi not flandet others, be fure d~ not too much admire thy !elf. For Self.applaufe, and Stlt·efleem, is like a Pike in a Pond, ttiai will · eat up and devour all about if, that hfelf may thrive and grow upon them. .· Sixth!y, Be not too e~fie an~ facile to. er~tertain ~ufpicious and e~il ~urm_ifes againft others. f or if thou beg ID to fufpet\: Evtl of another, the next Thmg 1s ro condude it and the ne:rt to report it. This Sufpicion is a firange Shadow that every AB: ion of another will ea a upon our Minds; efpecially if we 'bo be forehand a little difaflotled towards them. Thus very Dreams increafed Sufpicion again it JoJ(pb in his Brethren: And if once a Man be our ofEileem with us, let him then do wbar he will, be it ne· ver fo venuous and commendable, Sufpicion will fiHl be the Interpreter. And where Sufpicion is the ]merpreter of Mens AEHoiis, Sla~der and DetraEl:ion will be rhe Glofs and Comment upon ihem. fndeed Sufpicion is always too ha!ly in concluding; and many times our Jeatonfies and D1firufts upon very fmall.Occafions prompt us ro conclude· due wbar we bave thus furrriiz.ed 'is certainly cOme ro pafs ; and fo we take Shadows for Enemies, and report that confidently for Truth which yet we never faw a£\:ed but only in our own Fancies. , . , ' . ,. . ·· N~w norwith!laoding that this Sin of Slaod~r and DetraElioh is fo greai and heinous, yet may it not be juftly feared tbar many place their whole keligion in it · and think themfelves fo much ihc better by 'how much the worfe they think and re~ pprt of other Men> Do they not think it a piece of Zeal and Warmth for the Wor. fhip and Sorvice of God to cry d~wn. all as Superflitious. that do o~t Worfhip him io thdr Wa y? Do they not make 11, If not a Parr, yet a Srgo, ofHohncfs, to be ftill :find ing Fauhs, and crying put againft others, robe cenforious and clamorous? Sucb a Sorr of M. n are all Leud and Profone; and fuch a Sort are all Rebeiliouo and Hypocmes: And then to ju!lifie their Ceofures, inftance, poffibly in Tw~ or Tb,.,e, of whom perhaps they know no more than the bare Names: And what rends all this to hut murual Exafperation? Thofo that do not believe them ar., exaiperated againfi the Reporters, and thofe who do believe them are cxafpe.rated llgai nlt the Slan.dered: A~d a! it tends ro Exafperarion, fa like~ifc it encoura&~rh and hatdnerh many to therr Sms: For when th·ey hear fo much Evrl blazed abroad in the Wot!d, and lew ornone·efcape without having foiDe foul Blot rubb'd upoa him an<} infamous Crime repotted of him, whether truly or falfly, ther think that sin and Wickednefs is no fucb ftrange Thing, and fo embolden themfclves to commit that which rhey hear is fo common. t bef<ech you therefore, 0 Chriflians, for the Peac~ of the Church which elfe will continue fadly rent and divided; for the Sake of Chti!liaoiry, which elfe will bq difmdired ~nd reviled; f?t your Brethrens Sake, · ~ho el!e. will be difcouiaged or exalptr.ned; be very cauuous what Reports you euhcr iece1vc or make of orhers.' Thei r good Name is very precious; precious mGod, When their blamelefs Converfation dt:[er\'es it\ and precious to tbernfelves; howfoever, unlefs there be abfolute Necefliry, and you be con!lrained to do it for ttre Glory of' God, and . the ·Good of others, divulge not their lmperfeEl:ions, though they be real, and in no Care wharfoeverfe ign or devife falfe Rumours concertliog them. Take httdlefl if ye hire and t!evo:Jr one anotbrr, ye be nor 'onJumed one of another, anilone mithanorber. Tbefe are the Rules to keep you from being guilty of Slander againft others. Bur. now if any are. gui~ry of raifing an ill Repon againft you, obfer\'C there followmg Rules and Dlfechon,, how you ought to demean yo·ur felves· in this Cafo. ,- f e o Firfl, If
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