A godly and learned exposition vppon the Prouerbes of Solomon: written in French by Maister Michael Cope, minister of the woorde of God, at Geneua: and translated into English, by M.O.

13 Hee that goeth about as a slaunderer, discouereth a se∣cret: but he that is of a faithful heart, conceileth a matter.

There is no man but desireth to haue a priuie friend which is no talker and babler, to the ende that if hee haue any thing in his hart which doeth trouble and grieue him, that hee may safely open the same vnto his friend, & that he may be somwhat eased & relieued: hee hopeth also that that which he hath declared, shalbe kept se∣cret, or at least wise that the thing shal not be expounded otherwise then it was spoken: and that hee wil not labour to hurt him nor to bring him into hatred with his neighbour, in folowing the com∣mandement, Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neigh∣bour: Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy people. There are some which thinke and beleeue, that it is not euil done to reueale secretes, to condemne their neighbours and to proclaime their imperfections: but Solomon doth condemne them, calling thē slaunderers, when hee saieth, hee that goeth about as a slaunderer,

doeth reueale a secret. And it is for good cause that such people are condemned. For first of al they are hypocrites. Secondly, they are transgressors of the lawe. Thirdly, they set themselues before the lawe in condemning it. Speake not euil one of another, bre∣thren. Hee that speaketh euil of his brother, or hee that con∣demneth his brother, speaketh euil of the lawe, and condemneth the lawe: and if thou condemnest the lawe, thou art not an obser∣uer of the lawe, but a iudge. Infidelitie and vnfaithfulnesse hath ta∣ken roote in their hartes, wherby they are led to betray their neigh∣bours, in discouering that which they ought to keepe secret. Solo∣mon sheweth this vnfaithfulnesse, when hee setteth, the faythful heart, against the slaunderer, saying, Hee that it is of a faythfull heart, conceileth a matter. Hee that inuenteth no treason against his neighbour, wil keepe his mouth that it shal not hinder his neighbour, for to publishe his imperfections, or speake leasing of him: otherwise he should not be of a faithful hart, from the aboun∣dance whereof the mouth speaketh. Solomon is not contented to say faythful simply, but addeth, of heart: not that there is any faith∣ful which are vnfaithful of heart, but it is for a more greater expres∣sion, and for to shewe vs that what fayre countenance or goodly face that we beare to our neighbours, except it proceede with good and true affection of heart, that there is none but al deceipt in vs, treason and vnfaithfulnesse, as we know it, and that our conscience doth so iudge and condemne vs, though wee labour to counterfaite and dissemble it with ourselues, & that we striue to make ourselues beleeue that we proceede faithfully, when by counterfayting wee mock our neighbors. Further let vs note, that the 2. part of this sen∣tence agreeth with the same that is conteined in the 10. chap. & 12. verse. But loue couereth al misdeeds. For if wee be not led by loue, we cannot bee faithful vnto our neighbours, for to dissemble their imperfections: there is no strength in vs that is woorth any thing except it bee exercised by loue. Nowe if by loue wee must exercise faithfulnesse the which is set against slaunder, it foloweth that the slaunderer is ledde with hatred to discouer the secret, and consequently that hee is a murtherer. Whosoeuer hateth his brother, is a manslear. Whereof it followeth that Solomon

doeth closely condemne him vnto eternal death which reuealeth se∣crets. He that loueth not his brother, abydeth in death: againe, You know that no manslayer hath eternal life abyding in him. Contra∣rily, wee know that we are translated from death to life in that that we loue the brethren. Yet neuerthelesse let vs not feare to be accu∣sed of slaunder, though wee accuse them which lead a slaunderous life, though wee rebuke them, reprooue and threaten them, either priuately or publikely, and though we labour to get them punished and chastened, to the ende that slaunders may bee taken away from the people of GOD, and the offenders brought againe vnto GOD by true repentance so much as wee can. Otherwise wee shoulde bee vnfaythful vnto God and to his Churche, wee shoulde bee like them which suffer the sheepe to be deuoured in sparing the woolues. Let vs knowe therefore that this sentence of Solomon ought not to hinder vs from folowing the doctrine of our Lorde, and of Saint Paule.

Notes

• Exo. 20. 16. Leu. 19. 16.
• Mat. 7. 5.
• Iam. 4. 11.
• 1. Cor. 13. 1.
• 1. Iohn. 3. 15.
• 1. Iohn. 3. 14. &. 15.
• Mat. 18. 17. 1. Tim. 5. 20. 2. Tim. 4. 2.