Cap. I 2. This is tlu~ voice of Tender o~ True Con: , ... .-- fcience, like tnat of the Apoftle 1 Coi'. 8.1 :): 2· Not 9-tf2. vVe muft bee as tender of their R~puta.:. ' 11araging, tion, that we expofe not them, or rather Re9r difcrediring · ligion in them to reproch. What an excel. ~~q:1. lent Inftance have we in Joftph l who is called a juit man for his labour. Hehad looked upon Mary formerly as a godly and gracious woman, and £he being now with childe; he knew not what ~o think on it; but having a purpofe to lea:ve her (being formerly con– tracted to her) that he· might not bring re• proach upon himfelf, he purpofed to leave her privately, that the world might not take notice of any fi1ch thing, that fo he might ~~tt.1.t9. not bring reproach upon her. Jo[eph her hwband (faith theTe~t) be:i•g aju:ft man, and not willir~g tfJ ma~ her ti pubJi~ example, Wtlf minded tm put her awayprivately. This was his Care, his Honefiie, his Tendernefs, and hi$ l'dghteoufnefs. Bltt where fh~ll wee finde the like Tendernefs or Righteoufi1efs now ~dayes to j:tlve the Cr.edit , and conceal the f:ilings ofour brethren ? w~ aregla~ if we have any thing to Paradeigmatize them for., and fay, R.eport,andwe 1Pill report it,Jer.20.10. As ifwewereof the minde ofhim ofwhom Jerom fpake, w~om he d.lls paffionately ~uffitnc,s. Scriptorem. illiteratum, qtti Pr~cacitatem, & m.aledicentiut:n in omnu. fig'lU1Jl e(fimet bon.e Con(cientitt, that is, to think thereis no other token of a good Confcience th~n to fpeak ill ofother men, and tradu~e theirperions, ..' ... . . '.. .. ' - . . ' . " ' ~~q
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