Ioseph's partie-colored coat containing, a comment on part of the 11. chapter of the 1. epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians : together with severall sermons, namely, [brace] 1. Growth in grace, 2. How farre examples may be followed, 3. An ill match well broken off, 4. Good from bad friends, 5. A glasse for gluttons, 6. How farre grace may be entayled, 7. A christning sermon, 8. Faction confuted / by T.F.

And I partly beleeve it.

That is, I beleeve some of you are guilty of

this fault, though others be innocent.

Generall censures condemning whole Churches are altogether uncharitable. Angle out the offenders by themselves, but take heed of killing all with a Drag-net: And grant many, yea most to be faulty, yet some may be guiltlesse. Wickednesse was not so generall a Rule in Sodome, but that righteous Lot was an exception from it. See Obadiah (as a Iewell in the head of a Toad) Steward of Ahabs wic∣ked houshold. Yea, seeing Impiety intrudes it selfe amongst the thickest of Gods Saints, (even drowning Cham in Noahs Arke) just it is that God should have some names even where the trone of Satan is erected.

Let us therfore follow the wary proceedings of Iehu, 2 King. 10.23 who being about to kil Baals Priests, caused a strict search before to be made, Search and look that there be here with you, none of the servants of the Lord, but the servants of Baal only. So when wee are about with censu∣ring, to murder the credits of many together, let us take heed that there be not some Ortho∣doxe amongst those whom we condemn al to be Hereticks; some that desire to bee peace∣able in this our Israel, amongst those whom wee condemne for all factious Schismaticks.

But these words [I partly beleeve it] may thus also be expounded, as wel of the faults, as of the persons, as if he had said, I beleeve these accusations only in part, and hope they are not so bad, as they are reported.

When Fames are brought unto us from good hands, let us not be so incredulous, as to beleeve no part of them; nor so uncharitable as to beleeve all; but with Saint Paul partly beleeve it. The good man carrieth a Court of Chancery in his owne bosome, to mitigate the rigour of common reports, with equall and favourable interpretations.

Because Fame often creates something of nothing, alwayes makes a great deale of a lit∣tle. 'Tis true of Fame what is said of the De∣vill: It has beene a Lyar from the beginning. Yea, and sometimes a Murderer. Absalom slew one of Davids sonnes, and Fame killed all the rest, 2 Sam. 13.30.

Because men in reporting things often min∣gle their own interests and ingagements with their Relations, and making them bettter, or worse, as they themselves stand affected: Wa∣ter resembleth both the taste and colour of that earth, through which it runneth, so re∣ports rellish of their Relators, and have a blush and a smack of their partiall dispositions, and therfore such Relations are not to be beleeved in their full latitude, extent, and dimension.

Those that will beleeve nothing of what they heare reported, though warranted by ne∣ver so good witnesses. Though they be per∣swaded, they will not be perswaded, and will not credit any accusations though never so just. Yea, sometimes are so farre from trusting the

tongues of others, that they wil not trust their owne eyes: I beare them witnesse these men have charity, but not according to know∣ledge.

But where too much charity hath slaine her thousands, too little hath slaine her ten thou∣sands. More men there be who take all reports upon the credit of the Relators, and never weigh them in the scales of their owne judge∣ments, to see if they bee too light or no: Yea, some are so excessive in this kind, their beliefe out-stretcheth the report; what is told them to be done out of ignorance, they beleeve to be out of knowledge, what is told them to be done out of infirmity, they beleeve to bee done out of presumption; they need not say with the man in the Gospel, Lord I beleeve, helpe my unbeleefe; But Lord pardon my too much beliefe, pardon my over-credulity; in that I beleeve all, and more than all reported. To conclude, let not our beliefes be altogether of clay to receive any impression, nor altogether of Iron, to receive none at all. But as the toes in the Image of Nebuchadnezzars Dreame were partly iron, and partly clay: So let our be∣liefes be composed of charity, mixt with our credulity, that when a crime is reported, wee may with Saint Paul partly beleeve it.

Notes

• Doct.
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• Rea 1.
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• It confutes
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