Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

[ 1264] A Man to be clear of that fault he reproves in another.

IT was Plutarch's shame,* 1.1 when his Servant could thus upbraid him, Non est ita ut Plutarchus dicit, It is not as my Master saith, his opinion is, that it is a shame for a Philosopher to be angry, and he hath often reasoned of the mis∣chiefs that come thereby,* 1.2 and hath written a book of not being angry, et ipse mihi irascitur,* 1.3 yet he is angry with me. A great fault it was in Plutarch then, and it is no lesse in those that are guilty of the same sin they reprove in others now, and little good will come thereby; For the eye which is filled with dust, can never see clearly the spot, that is in anothers face; nor that hand which is be∣smear'd with mire, wash any other member clean; nor that Man which is cor∣rupted with Sin, do any good when he reproveth his own Sin in another. As when one Thief reproves another, one Drunkard condemns another, they may shame one another,* 1.4 but seldome mend one another, Mundus à vitiis esse debet, qui

aliena corrigere curat, He must needs be clean himself, that goes about to cleanse another.

Notes

• * 1.1

  G. Williams of the Church.
• * 1.2

  de cohibenda iracundia.
• * 1.3

  Turpe est doctori, &c.
• * 1.4

  Gregorii homit.