The cause and cure of ignorance, error, enmity, atheisme, prophanesse, &c., or, A most hopefull and speedy way to grace and salvation, by plucking up impediments by the roote reduced to explication, confirmation, application, tending to illumination, sanctification, devotion / by R. Younge ...

SECT. 33.

8. IT is their man••er to raise slanders of the godly, as those wicked men slandered Naboth, saying, he hath blasphemed God and the King, confirming

the same with an oath, 1 Kings 21. Thus the wicked slandered David, Psalm. 57.4. And the multitude Iohn Baptist, saying he had a Devill, Matth. 11.18.

It is Satans policy (because report both makes jealousies, where there are none, and increaseth those that are) to abuse our eares in hearing, our tongues in speaking, and our hearts in beleeving lyes, to disable us from discerning the truth.

Yea, this stratagem of raising slan∣ders upon good men, like a huge and mighty Polyphems, hath done such ser∣vice to the uncircumcised, that ex∣amples thereof in Scripture are like moats in the Sunne: and it were easie to parallel former ages with this of ours, for well may we take up those words of the Psalmist, The wicked bend their bow, and make ready their arrows upon the string, that they may secretly shoot at them which are upright in heart, Psalme 11.2.

Innocency is no shelter against evill tongues. Malice never regards how true any accusation is, but how spite∣full.

And great wits are not more ready, with the high Priests and Elders, Matth. 28.12, 13. to raise these slanders, then the common sort are apt to be∣leeve the same; as we see by our Savi∣ours example, ver. 15. And how many particular persons know, to their smart, that a slander once raised will scarce ever dye; for comming once in∣to the mouth of the vulgar, true or false, like wild-fire it can never bee quenched; for even death it selfe, which delivereth a man from all o∣ther enemies, is not able to deliver him from this of the tongue. Whereas Truth hath much adoe to be beleeved, a lye runs far before it can be stayed.

However, a man once wounded in his good name, is not cured without scarres of suspition. Yea, commonly, as a little ball rowled in the snow ga∣thers it selfe to a great lump: so the report that is but a little sparke at first, proves a great flame, by that it hath past through many mouths.

But did not mens owne wickednesse blinde them, were they not absolutely turned fooles, they would thus argue: Not he that is accused, but he that is

convicted is guilty, as Lactantius hath it. In the Chancery are many accusa∣tions they never meane to prove: Neither doth any Law condenme a man, till hee comes to his answer. Upright Cato was fifty times undeser∣vedly indited and accused by his fel∣low Citizens, yet was every time ac∣quitted and found innocent.

The Orator Tertullus, when hee would plead against Paul, sayes, Wee have found this man a pestilent fellow, Acts 24.5. But, if you marke it, this foo∣lish Tertul••us mistooke the antidote for the poyson, the remedy for the dis∣ease: Indeed, he hath some wit in his anger, and so have his followers in slandering such as excell in vertue: for whereas formerly the splendor of the others vertues hath obscured the meannesse of their credit, as the lesser light of a candle is obscured by the greater light of the Sun: so now by clouding and depraving him and all his fellows, himselfe shall be judged vertuous, ve••y cheap, accounted a man of honesty and honour, though a Pa∣ricide or a sacrilegious person.

And is it not good policy for a

swinish drunkard, or a beastly liver to fling durt in a holy mans face, when, first, any colour seemes the fairer, when as blacke is by? Secondly, when (being conscious of their owne defects) by this meanes they draw a∣way mens thoughts, and considerati∣on of the beholders, from climbing up into their faults, while they are fixed and busied upon a new object? One colour wee know, being laid upon another, doth away t••e former, and remains it selfe. A Cut-purse in a throng, when he hath committed the fact, will cry out, my Masters, take heed of your purses; and he that is pursued will cry, stop theefe, that by this meanes hee may escape unatta∣ched.

Notes

• 12.They raise slan∣ders of the godly.
• Evill re∣ports both make and increase iealousies, and disable us from discerning the truth.
• Slanderers Satans best servants
• Great wits not apter to raise slanders then othes to beleeve them.
• A slander once rai∣sed never dyes.
• At least it leaves a scar of sus∣pition be∣hinde.
• Wise men will ex∣amine be∣fore they beleeve.
• Their po∣licy in slandering us.
• The theef most for∣ward to cry stop theefe.