The pattern of catechistical doctrine at large, or, A learned and pious exposition of the Ten Commandments with an introduction, containing the use and benefit of catechizing, the generall grounds of religion, and the truth of Christian religion in particular, proved against atheists, pagans, Jews, and Turks / by the Right Reverend Father in God Lancelot Andrews ... ; perfected according to the authors own copy and thereby purged from many thousands of errours, defects, and corruptions, which were in a rude imperfect draught formerly published, as appears in the preface to the reader.

CHAP. II.

The necessity of a good name. The sinne forbidden in general. Wherein. 1. The root of it. 2. The Suppuration or rankling of it inwardly, by false surmises and su∣spicions. 3. The fitting of the soyl, by readinesse to hear false reports. 4. The watering of the soyl, by busying our selves in other mens affairs.

NOw for an entrance into that which follows; it will be needful to shew the necessity and use of a good name and credit among men. Though in respect of Gods judgement of us (by which we must stand or 〈◊〉〈◊〉) it matters not much what men think of us; yet there is an injunction laid upon every man, to Let his light shine before men, that they may see his good works, and glorifie his Father which is in Heaven. It is a duty of every man to do what good he can to others: now there is little or no good to be done by that man that hath an evil report; so that there is duplex necessi∣tas, a double necessity laid upon every one; he must have bonam conscientiam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 se, a good conscience for himself, and bonam famam propter 〈◊〉〈◊〉, a good name for o∣thers, as s. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 faith.

And therefore howsoever in respect of God, and our duty to him, setting scandalum 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and scandalum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aside, we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stand resolved, as the A∣postle was, to go through good report and bad report in doing our duty, there∣by to do good to others; yet if with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, what∣soever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, a man can joyn 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whatsoever things are of good report, this is the best course and the best way to be taken, to do good both to our selves and others; and little use will be made of a mans gifts without it.

It is true, a man must regard the testimony of God, and his approbation before the testimony of his own conscience, and the testimony of his conscience, before the witnesse of men; he must say with the Philosopher, Malo viri boni famam, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 conscientiam perdere, I had rather lose the name and report of a good man among men, then hazard the losse of my conscience; but yet where all these can 〈◊〉〈◊〉 together, a man should desire them all, because by this means his gifts wil be useful, for the en∣larging the Kingdom of Christ, and edifying of his Church; and therefore the care of the Apostles was, though they were counted deceivers, yet they were true, and would give no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of offence; and the reason is given, that their ministery might not be bla∣med, and so by that means they should be the lesse able to do good.

Besides, in regard of a mans owne self: A good name should ever bee

carefully regarded, because whilest a man hath it, hee will bee the more wary and circumspect over his wayes, that so hee may keepe it: Whereas when it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉, he puts on that frontem meretricium, spoken of by the Pro∣phet, a 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, and like the deaf Adder stops his ear against all ad∣monition.

In all these respects and considerations therefore, it is a sin for a man to neglect his good name. The Heathen man so esteemed of it, that he said, Excepto pro∣bro, reliqua omnia maledicta nihil existimo, Except slander and reproach (which re∣flected upon his good name) he would endure all other railings; for the wound made by a slander will hardly bee so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but that some scar will remain. For in this case, he that is slandered is disabled from doing that good which otherwise he might; good men will be suspitious of him, and evill men will never speak well of him, and therefore every man should be very careful of his good name.

We proceed now to the offence it self, or the sin here forbidden, (False witnessing.) And this our Saviour tells us, proceeds from the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, For Out of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 proceed evil thoughts, &c. and among other things, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, False witnesse, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Foolish speaking. So that the root of this sinne is in the heart, where there is (as we shewed in the former Commandements) a natu∣ral inclination, Grassari ad famam, to rob a man of his good name, thinking thereby to be better thought of our selves, and by casting dirt upon other mens faces; to make our own seem the fairer.

But in the next place, when men come to that which Esay speaks of, to dig deep, to hide their counsel; or with those in Ieremy, To consult and devise devices against their neighbour, how they may smite him with the tongue, and slan∣der him so that none may credit him, this goes further; for this is Suppuratio, the rankling of it inwardly. To this we refer those evil surmisings mentioned by the Apostle. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Light suspitions, which are upon little or no ground. These wee handled before in the sixth Commandement as occasions of unjust anger, and by consequence of murther: But here wee speak of them, as they are hurtful or prejudiciall to another mans fame, or credit.

And from this saint Iames saith, that men proceed further, viz. From groundlesse suspitions and surmises, to take upon them the office of the Law∣giver, viz. To judge and condemne: And not onely to give wrong judgement upon their brother, but to judge before the time, as saint Paul saith, and so they judge too hastily. And not onely to judge of some outward actions, from which no necessary conclusion can bee drawn, but also of secret and inward thoughts, and of matters doubtful, which might be well interpreted and taken in a good sense; as we see the Jewes did with Christ, and Iohn Baptist: Of whom the one, for not eating, but abstaining, was said to have a melancholy Devil; and the other, who came eating and drinking, was accounted a wine∣bibber, a friend of Publicans and Sinners. And thus, whereas some outward things may be done to good or bad ends, they judge hastily De rebus seriis, of the most weighty matters, not regarding, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or consequentia, what went before, or follows after; with other circumstances which may often vary the nature of outward actions.

Now this test is repentinus, this sudden witnesse, nunquam vere judicat, never gives a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 verdict; as we see in those Barbarians, who no sooner saw the Vi∣per cleave to Pauls hand, but they concluded, that he was a murtherer. Thus men give sudden judgement: whereas they ought as the Apostle speaks, With meeknesse to instruct them; waiting, if God at any time will give them repentance. And whereas they should keep to the Apostles rule, That some mens sinnes are open beforehand, going before to judgement, and some follow after: men give judgement presently without distinction. No sooner is a Viper seen upon the hand, but they passe the verdict.

And whereas GOD takes order, that Vbi malum contingit, ibi moriatur, that private faults should bee privately buried: Contrary to this, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dis∣cover the secret sinnes of others, whereby they become slanderers, though

they speak the truth. The Wiseman condemns him that revealeth secrets; and it was the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aggravation of Chams sin, to tell his brethren of his Fathers nakednesse, Whereas Joseph being a just man, and finding that Mary was with childe, supposing it might be by one with whom she was pre-contracted, would not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, make her a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 example, but was minded to put her away privily.

Neither do 〈◊〉〈◊〉 onely discover the private faults of their brethren, but amplifie them, and make them greater then they are, as he that brought news to David, That Absolom had slain all the Kings sons, there was not one of them 〈◊〉〈◊〉, when onely Ammon was slain. Thus the common rumour goes, when but one is killed, that all are killed. And beyond all these, when they have once spoken of a fault, they never leave it, but go over it again, and so as Solomon observes, By repeating a matter they separate ve∣ry friends; when the wound seems to be whole, and repentance made, yet they will refricare cicatricem, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 over the wound again, and make it bleed afresh. These are some degrees of an affection or appetite that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 after envy, especially that of judg∣ing the worst in doubtful matters for if one will reason, as Shemei did against Da∣vid, that because Joab and Abner were bloody men, and adhered to David, therefore David was a man of blood; and so will proceed ex dubiis, upon doubtful and uncer∣tain grounds, it will open a window to all other degrees of the sin here forbidden.

3. In the third place we proceed (as in the former Commandement) to subactum solum, the fitting and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the soyl for the seeds of this sin; and this is, when there is, pruritus aurium, the itching of the ears; or as the Wiseman speaks, a wil∣ling hearer, or one that gives ear to a naughty tongue: For, as we say, if there were no receivers, there would be no theeves: so if there were no itching ears that itched after the nakednesse of others, there would be no Chams to tell them of it. And the Psalmist among the notes of a good man, gives not only, that he will not slander nor backbite another, but also that he will not take up, or receive a false report against his neighbour. For if a man do but Vultum contrahere, draw his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 together, and shake off the slanderer, it is certain he will not return again. Discet non libenter dice∣re, cum didicit non libenter alios audire, he will learn not to be forward to speak, when he perceives others unwilling to hear, as S. Augustine saith.

In some men, there is first a delight to hear of mens imperfections, and secondly, a credulity or readinesse to believe, as we see in Potiphar. No sooner was the word out of his Wives mouth, but presently Joseph was clapt up in prison; she was be∣lieved without examination: Whereas the righteous are like to Gedaliah in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as S. Augustine saith, who when Jonathan told him that Ismael would slay him, he would not believe him, because he would not suspect any such thing by him. They are not 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and will not easily admit a tale-bearer, nor indulgere, give regard to him by believing what he saith, or concluding it to be true, or by any gesture shew respect to him, without due proof and examination of the matter.

4 In the fourth place followes, Irrigatio soli, the watering of the soyl being thus prepared, and this is, when men do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, busie themselves in anothers Dio∣cesse. This curious searching after faults in others, is the note of an Hypocrite, as our Saviour shews. Thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Cur aspicis? why spiest thou a mote in thy bro∣thers eye? not cur vides? why seest thou? it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to espie, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to look or see other mens 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to enquire after them what they say or do, which makes men breakers of this Commandement. This arises partly from idlenesse, as the Apostle shews (of which we spoke formerly) for when men begin to be idle, they become tatlers, and busie-bodies, going about from house to house. This is an affection not becoming a discreet man.

A perfect resemblance of this vice we have in Ahimaaz, who was so earnest to carry the news to David, that many would not have sued so earnestly for the best Office in all Iury, as he did to carry tydings. It is noted as the vice the Athenians were infected with, they minded nothing in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but to listen after 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Surely by this means, when men look onely outwardly what others do, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shew either a neglect of themselves, or they fall in jucundum spectaculum, into a pleasing dotage upon themselves: for as S. Jerome saith, Qui sua non 〈◊〉〈◊〉, aliena car∣punt, they that are carelesse of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, are alwayes observing other mens car∣riage, they are still noting other mens practises. They are ready to ask que∣stions concerning others, as Saint Peter did concerning Saint 〈◊〉〈◊〉, What shall this

man do? to whom Christ answers, What is that to thee? follow thou me. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had a desire to know, what John should do; but Christ reproves this pragmatical humour in him, and bids him look to himself, and keep within his own Diocesse. Thus every one must, as the Apostle exhorts, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, do his own businesse, he must search into his own actions, and then he shall have little leisure to look after other mens. And for the remedy of this, let him remember that of the Heathen, Qui con∣fidit virtuti 〈◊〉〈◊〉, non invidet 〈◊〉〈◊〉, he that is confident of his own vertue, will never envy another mans. And thus we see, how this sin riseth first in the heart, and rankles there, and what it is, which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the soyl for it, and waters it to make it fertile: we come now to the outward act.

Notes

• The necessity of a good name.
• Matth. 5. 16.
• 2 Cor. 6. 8.
• Phil. 4. 8.
• 2 Cor. 6. 8.
• Jer. 3. 3.
• Psal. 58. 4.
• Matth 15. 19.
• Mark 7. 22.
• 2 The suppura∣tion.
• Esay 29. 15.
• Jer. 18. 18.
• 1 〈◊〉〈◊〉 6. 4.
• Jam. 4. 11, 12.
• 1 Cor. 4. 5.
• Matth. 11. 19.
• Luke 7. 34.
• Prov. 12. 19.
• Acts 28. 4.
• 2 Tim. 2. 25.
• 1 Tim. 5. 24.
• Prov. 11. 13
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sam. 13. 30.
• Prov. 17. 9.
• 2 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 16. 7.
• 3. The fitting of the soyl.
• Prov. 17. 4.
• Psal. 14. 3.
• Gen. 39. 20.
• Jer. 40. 16.
• 4. The water∣ing of the soyl.
• 1 Pet. 4. 15.
• 1 Tim. 5. 13.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sam. 18. 19.
• John 21. 22.
• 1 Thes. 4. 11.