The Amendment of Life, Book 2 · Chapter 21
Of backbiting, ſlaundering and euill ſpeaking. Chap. 21.
ONe vice more will wee here entreate of, which as it is no leſſe common, albeit ſmally accompted of, ſo is it moſt pernitious Namely when we ſpeake euill of our neighbours, to the preiudice of their credit, reputation and honor,Exod. 20.16 Deut. 5.20. and this is called backbiting, ſlaundering, or euill ſpeaking. And by God is forbidden in the ninth Cōmandement of his law. Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witnes against thy neighbour. True it is that he doth expreſſely name falſe witneſſe. But thoſe words do extend very far. Firſt they which in the preſence of the Magiſtrate or elſe wher either by oath, or but by ſpeech only do affirme any falſehoode to the preiudice of their neighbours, are heere condemned, and they bee properly tearmed ſlaunderers. Yea they may be called Deuiliſh. For the word Deuill ſignifieth a ſlaunderer or falſe accuſer. All ſlaunderers therefore are the children or Diſciples of the Deuill, who was iuſtly ſo called, becauſe hee was the firſt Author and inuenter of that iniquitie,Gen. 3 as the hiſtorie of the holy Scriptures doth manyfeſtly declare: For when the Serpent perceiued that Eue remained conſtant in the obedience of God: alſo that ſhe feared that he woulde execute his threatning, which imported that thee ſhoulde die, if ſhee eate of the forbidden fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and euill, hee wickedly ſlaundered God, as if vponupon enuie, fearing leaſt ſhee and her husband Adam by eating of that fruite, ſhoulde become like to himſelfe, and know both good and euill, he had made that prohibition. This was an impudent and deteſtable ſlaunder.
2 Hauing by this meanes drawen Adam and Eue to diſobedience,Gen. 35. among other vices he alſo poured this deuiliſh poyſon vponupon all their poſteritie, as experience by moſt notable examples doth teach. So did Putiphars wiſe ſlander and falſely accuſe Ioſeph that he would hauehave diſhonored her. So did Chore,Numb. 16. Dathan and Abiram falſely ſlaunder Moſes and Aaron,2 Sam. 16.3. ſaying that they ſought to exalt themſelues ouer the congregation of the Lord. So did Ziba Miphiboſeths ſeruant, ſlander his maſter in the eares of Dauid,Heſter. 3.8. as if he had pretended that the houſe of Iſrael ſhold hauehave reſtored him to the kingdome, and that therupon he remained at Ieruſalem.1. Sam. 24.14 So did Haman falſely accuſe the Iewes that were in captiuitie vnderunder king Aſſuerus, that they denied to fulfill the kings decrees.2. Sam. 15. So did Saules Courtiers ſlaunder Dauid,Iohn. 7.20. as if hee ment to take away his kingdome. So did Abſalom ſlander his owne father Dauid, telling the people that there was not any to heare their ſuites,Mat. 11.19. to iudge of their affaires, or to do them right. With many impudent ſlanders did the Iewes aſſault Ieſus Chriſt,Luk. 23.2. obiecting vntounto him that he had the Deuil, that he was a drunkerd, a glutton, a friend to Publicans, a ſeducer of the people,Act. 24.5. and accuſed him falſely that hee denied tribute to Caeſar, and ſuborned the people. So did Tertullus the Orator tearme S. Paul a ſeditious and peſtilent fellow.
3 Againe, if the ſpeeches g…en forth, ſhould in themſelues bee true, yet if they be miſreported or wreſted to any other ſence then they were done or ſpoken, this is alſo ſlaunder and falſe witneſſe: As S. Marke rehearſeth,Mat…. …4.58. that finally there came in two falſe witneſſes againſt Ieſus Chriſt, And affirmed that they heard him ſay, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three daies I will build an other made without hands. Here was a double ſlaunder: Firſt in that Chriſt ſpake it not in that ſort,Ioh. 2 19. but onelyonly ſaid Deſtroy this temple & in three daies I wil raiſe it vp againe. Secondly becauſe that which he ſpake of his body, as S. Iohn expreſſely addeth, That he ſpoke of the temple of his body, they referred to the materiall Temple bu… with hands at Ieruſalem.
4 It is alſo a deuiliſh & malitious ſlaunder, when men report that which is true: but thereof to gather or perſwade ſome wicked and reproueable action.Pſal. 5….2, As when Doeg ſhewed Saule that Dauid had beene in the houſe of the high prieſt Achimelech in Nob: that Achimelech had asked counſell of the Lord for Dauid:1. Sam. 21. Pſal. 52.5. that he had giuen him bread: and that he had deliuered vntounto him the ſworde of Goliah: Dauid obiecteth vntounto him, That his tongue was like a ſharpe razor: that he had imagined miſchiefe, ſpoken lies, and vſed pernitions and deceitfull wordes. Yet it ſeemeth that all that Doeg told Saul, was true. But heerein we are to note his intent, which was thereby to gather and to perſwade Saul that there was conſpiracie betweene Dauid and Achimelech: and in that conſiſted his ſlaunder and falſe accuſation.Dan. 6, The chiefeſt officers in Darius Court accuſed Daniel that he called vponupon his God, and ſo contrarie to the Kings edict prayed to another then him. The three Hebrew Princes were likewiſe accuſed that they would not worſhip the Image that Nabuchadnezzer had erected.Dan. 3 Both accuſations were true: But to what intent were they made? Euen to perſwade Darius and Nabuchadnezzer, that Daniell and his companions had deſerued to die. Herein reſted the falſehoode of the accuſation, and ſlaunder proceeding from ambitious, cruell and enuious hartes.
5 Now as naturally we are enclined to ſlaunder our neighbours, yea many times onelyonly vponupon ſuſpition: ſo the principall of the children of Ammon ſlaundered Dauid in the eares of their Lord Hanun,2. Sam. 10, 3. as if he had ſent Ambaſſadours vnderunder pretence of honor and comfort ouer his fathers death, to ſpie out the land, & to take his Citie and deſtroie it. So dyd the princes of the Philiſtians ſlaunder the ſame Dauid, as if he meant to redeem his peace with Saul, by betraying theyr king Achis. But eſpecially in this point we are to note the deuils ſlandring of Iob. Doth Iob fear God for naught ſayth hee, Haſt thou not made a hedge about him and about his houſe, Iob 1and about all that hee hath? Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his handes, and his ſubstance is increaſed in the land: But stretch out thy hand and touch all that he hath, and ſee if hee will not blaſpheme thee to thy face. As if hee accuſed Iob to bee an hypocrite, or a hireling that ſerued and feared God onelyonly for profite, which ceaſing, hee woulde blaſpheme him. Thus may wee vnderſtand how readily man is inclined to this vice, wherein hee truly followeth the nature of the deuill. For as man hath indeede many vices common to beaſts,Iohn 3, ſo in lying and ſlaundering he participateth with the deuill, the Father of lyes.
6 By the premiſes wee be earneſtly admoniſhed carefully to beware of falling into this iniquitie and deuilliſh ſinne, yet for the amendement of our liues, that wee may the more abhorre and deteſt, it let vsus briefely conſider the euils, and pernitious inconueniences thereof proceeding.Prou. 25.18 Pſalme 120.… A man that beareth falſe witnes againſt his neighbour (ſayth Salomon) is like a hammer, a ſwoord, and a ſharpe arrow. And Dauid ſayth, The ſlanderous tongue, which he calleth deceitfull, is like the ſharpe arrow of a mightie man, & as the coles of Iuniper. As if he ſhould ſaie, their ſlanders were kindled with hotte fire, and dipped in mortall poiſon.Prou. 6. Salomon lykewiſe vſeth a notable proteſtation to this purpoſe, ſaying: Theſe ſixe things doth the Lorde hate, yea his ſoule abhorreth ſeuen. The haughtie eies, a lying tonge, and the handes that ſhedde innocent bloud, a heart that imagineth wicked enterpriſes, feet that be ſwift in running to miſchiefe, a falſe witnes that ſpeaketh lyes, and him that raiſeth vp contention among brethren. Ioyning all theſe vices together, he ſufficiently ſheweth, that as a taſte tongue, or falſe witneſſe proceedeth of a proude heart that imagigineth wicked enterpriſes,Gen. 3 ſo doth it many times ingender blondſhed and ſtrife among brethren. Many lykewiſe of the examples aforementioned, doo euidently ſet before vsus, as in a table, the pernitious effectes and curſed fruites of this vice and corruption. The impudent ſlaunder of the deuill hath plunged our firſt fathers and all their poſteritie in paine, death, and euerlaſting damnation: The ſame of Putiphars wife caſt Ioſeph in priſon:Gen. … 2. Sam. 10 Eſter. The ſame of the ſons of Ammon, procured the totall deſtruction of themſelues, theyr prince, and people: The ſame of Haman had bene the death of all the Iewes that were in captiuitie vnderunder Aſſuerus,1. Sam. 24. 1. Sam. 22 had not God miraculouſly preuented it: The ſame of Sauls courtiers bred a long and dangerous perſecution againſt Dauid: The ſame of Doeg, the horrible murther by Saul committed on the perſons of Abimelech and the foure ſcore and fiue prieſts, with the vtter deſtruction of the towne of Nob,Exod 23.27. and all the inhabitants thereof. In this conſideration doth the Lord ſaie, Thou ſhalt auoide all falſe woordes, and ſhalt not ſlaie the innocent and righteous. Thereby declaring, that the falſe witneſſe with his tongue, ſlaieth as many as the executioner with the ſword.
7 Neither was it without reaſon that God in olde time ordained that the falſe witneſſe ſhould incurre the like paine, as the offence wherewith he wrongfully charged his neighbour might deſerue. And therefore Salomon ſayth,Deut. 19.16 Prou. …9.5. Pſal. 109. The falſe witneſse ſhall not eſcape puniſhment, and hee that ſpeaketh lies ſhall periſh. To be ſhort, how bytterly doth Dauid curſe thoſe that burdened him with falſe accuſations and ſlaunders? Theſe curſes of Dauid were propheſies of the holy Ghoſt, foreſhewing the grieuous and many woes that God will poure forth vponupon ſlanderers. As alſo we hauehave before noted,Prou. 6.16 that God abhorreth the falſe tongue, and the witneſſe that ſpeaketh lies. Wherefore ſuch men as hauehave euen anie, though but a little conſcience, will abhorre and diſdaine to bee falſe witneſſes and ſlaunderers, and conſequently, the children of the deuill, who is the father of lyes.
8 Yet is it not inough that wee amend and refraine from this deuilliſh vice, for wee muſt alſo beware of all backbiting and euill ſpeaking, which conſiſteth in the reporte and rehearſall of the faultes and infyrmities of our neighbours, albeit wee ſpeake nothing but the truth. Yet is there nothing more common amonge men, ſo ſore are wee inclined to report the badde, rather than the good wee knowe by our neighbours. And when this inclination is accompanied wyth hatred, ambition, or enuie, the ſame is lyke oyle caſt into the fyre to inflame and kindle it. Wee take ſome contentment in ſpeaking euill of him whome wee hate, as vſing it for ſome reuenge that wee take of him. The ambitious man imagineth his increaſe of honour and reputation to bee the greater by ſo much as hee ſeemeth to take from thoſe whome hee blameth: And it is euen as hee that coueting to make his owne garment to ſeeme the whiter, caſte thinke vppon his neighbours to make it blacke: To the lyke purpoſe doeth Enuie ſpeake euill of her neighbour, meaning that the reproofe whereby thee abaſeth and treadeth him downe, ſhall bee to her as a footſtoole to climbe aboue him. This inclination to backbiting doeth Moſes note, ſaying:Leuit. 19.16 Thou ſhalt not walke about with tales among thy people For by this wo…de Walke, hee taxeth ſuch as gadde vp and downe to enquire curiouſly of theyr neighbours faultes and infyrmities, as it were by reporting them to backbite him. And the Apoſtle Saint Paule more liuelie repreſenting the ſame vntounto vsus, ſayeth,Rom. 3.13.14 that all men naturally are poiſoned wyth theſe vices: I heir throate is an open ſepulchre, they hauehave vſed their tongues to deceite, the poiſon of Aſpe… is vnderunder their lippes, their mouthes are full of curſing and bitterneſse.
9 The ordinary communication of ſuch as are any thing familiar, doth ſufficiently teſtify that our vſuall conference is moſt cōmonlie repleniſhed with diſcourſes of the faultes & infyrmities of our neighbors. Our tongues that ſhould be courteous and inclined to charytie and compaſsion, are for the moſt part ſerpent lyke, & full of poyſon. Yet in as much as euerie man in his owne ſight, doth ſufficiently perceiue and knowe, that ſuch rehearſalls and diſcourſes vppon others mennes eſcapes and imperfections, are but ſlaunders and backbitinges: diuerſe and ſundrie men doo ſeeke to couer them wyth the cloake of zeale, louelove, and compaſsion. And this hypocriſie doeth Saint Bernarde verie aptlye repreſent vntounto vsus. Some there are, ſayeth hee,Bern. on the Cant, Ser. … whoſe ſtomackes beeing glutted wyth the faultes and infirmities of theyr brethren, and neighbours, when they meane to vnburden the ſame, doo ſhroude theyr mallice and hatred vnderunder the cloake of fayned reſpect and ſhew. After a ſore ſigh, wyth greate grauitie, delyberation, and a heauie countenance, they wyll ſpire forth theyr backbiting and ſlaunderous ſpeeches. And ſuch backbitinges and ſlaunderous ſpeeches, ſayth hee, are ſo much the more dangerous, becauſe the hearers are thereby occaſioned to imagine and conceiue, that the ſame proceedeth neyther of enuie nor euill wyll, but of meere ſorrow and compaſsion. I am ſorrie, ſayth the backbiter, and the rather becauſe I louelove him, that I cannot get him to amende. Another wyll ſaye, I hauehave long knowen this or that, yet woulde not I raiſe the ſpeech, but ſith it is now knowen abroade, I may not in anie wiſe conceale the truth, for the matter is ſo and ſo. Thus doeth Saint Barnarde moſt liuelie painte out the hypocriſie of many euill ſpeakers, But Moſes teacheth vsus howe wee ſhoulde reprooue it, Reprooue thy neighbour (ſayeth hee) but raiſe no reporte of him: Leuit ….….To reproue and admoniſh our neighbour, is truly a worke of charitie, but it is backbiting to raiſe anie reporte of him, by publiſhing and blowing abroade his infyrmities. The admonition and aduertiſement of our neighbours faultes and imperfections muſt be deliuered either to themſelues, according to the rule of Ieſus Chriſt, If thy brother treſpaſse againſt thee, Math. 18.…go and tell him betweene him and thee, or vntounto thoſe that hauehave right and authoritie to correct and reproue.Gen. … Whereof wee hauehave an example in Ioſeph, who ſhewed his father of the euill reporte and dooings of his brethren. But to reporte them to others, is backbiting and ſlandering, becauſe it tendeth onelyonly to defamation. This diſeaſe of backbiting is ſo much the more pernitious, as that wee cannot auoyde it, alſo that the wound thereof is daungerous. A man may better beware of ſuch as ſteale his goods, than of the backbiter that taketh away his good name. As the good name is to bee much more eſteemed than ſiluer, ſo the wounde of defamation is almoſt incurable. For as when a wound is cured, there yet remayneth a ſcar: ſo againſt a ſlander, howſoeuer a man purge & iuſtify himſelf, yet will ther ſtil remain an euill opinion, at the leaſt in ſome. And this dyd Diogenes ſignifie,Plutarch in his Apotheg. when beeing demaunded what beaſt bit ſoreſt, hee aunſwered, Among tame beaſts the flatterer, among wilde, the backbiter. In aſmuch therfore as according to the exhortation of Ieſus Chriſt, we are to amend our liues, let vsus beware. Whenſoeuer wee talke of the faultes and infyrmities of our neighbours, let vsus thinke with our ſelues: To what ende is this ſpeech? And in our conſciences finding that it tendeth onelyonly to defame him, and to take away his good name, let vsus paſſe condemnation in the ſight of God and ſ…y, that we are backbiters.Pſalm. 10….…. 1. Cor. 6.10 1. Cor. 4.… VVithall, let vsus then alſo remember the ſaying of Dauid, Him that in ſecrete ſlaundereth his neighbour will I cut off. Alſo the ſentence pronounced by Saint Paule, who ſayth, Backbiters and ſlaunderers ſhall not inherite the kingdome of heauen. Lykewiſe the admonition of the ſame Apoſtle, who wylieth vsus to holde them as excommunicate perſons, & to forbeare eating, drinking, and all familiar conuerſation wyth them. Let vsus remember, that backbiters by Saint Paule and others are marked wyth a fearing yron, as men, who by the iuſt vengeaunce of God are giuen ouer into a reprobate ſenſe. To bee ſhort, let vsus remember what Saint Iames ſayth,Rom. 1.30 Iames 1.20. Gen. ….…2. If anie man among you ſeemeth religious, and refraineth not his tongue, this mans religion is in vaine. Wherefore as Cham, the father of the Cananites, hauing ſeen the ſhame of his father Noah, & in liew of couering it, hauing ſhewed it to his brethren, was accurſed, both he and his poſterity, by the mouth of his owne father: ſo they (who knowing the frailtie, faultes, and infyrmities, and conſequently, the ſhame, and reproach of theyr brethren,1. Pet. 4.8 where they ought in charitie to couer the ſame) doo neuertheleſſe by backbiting and euill ſpeaking, ſaie them open, doo wel deſerue to be accurſed with Chain, and called Canaanites. S. Peter hauing exhorted vsus to be ſober & vigilant in prayer, addeth, But aboue all thinges hauehave feruent louelove, for louelove couereth the multitude of ſinnes. Whereby hee declareth, that it is a matter of ſuch importance, to couer the infyrmities of our neighbours by louelove, that hee ſeemeth to preferre it before ſobrietie, and praier vntounto GOD, which hee had before mentioned. Secondly, that it is not enough to ſhew this louelove, by couering two or three infirmities, but we muſt couer euen the multitude of them. Thirdly, that for the diſcharge of this duetie, wee muſt hauehave not ſome ſmall louelove, but a vehement louelove, yea, ſuch a louelove as may be able to ſurmount enuy, hatred, ambition, and all ſuch other vices as naturally doo prouoke vsus to this curſed backbiting.
11 VVe ſuppoſe, that ſo long as our backbiting and ſlanders do breed vsus no braules or quarrelling, they bee not hurtfull, and ſo wee deſpiſe all Gods threatnings. But wee doo much deceiue our ſelues, if wee imagine that God, as we, maketh no account of backbiting, and ſo ſuppoſe that his deferring of vengeance is a quite taking awaie of his threatnings. Our backbitings are inrouled in the booke of his prouidence, readie to bee laide open before vsus in the daie of iudgement, as Dauid expreſly teacheth, ſaying: Thou giueſt thy mouth to euill, and with thy tongue thou forgeſt deceit. Pſame 15.19Thou ſittest and ſpeakeſt against thy brother, and ſlanderest thy mothers ſonne. Theſe things hast thou done and I held my tongue, and ſo thou thoughteſt that in deede I was like thee, but I will reproue thee and ſet them in order before thee. O conſider this, yee that forget God, leaſt I teare you in peeces, and there bee none that can deliuer you. Surely it is ſtraunge, that all ſuch threatnings ſhould not make vsus euen to cut out our longs with our owne teeth, rather than to apply them to backbiting and ſlandering.
12 It is lykewiſe a harde caſe, that in this reſpect wee ſhould not feare God more than man. It happeneth many times that the backbiter with great proteſtation and atteſtation ſayth, I tell you but I would be loth to ſaie ſo much to another, let it I praie you reſt betweene vsus, ſpeake not of it, let no man knowe that I tolde you: Oh foole, doſt thou more feare the blame at a mans hands whom thou haſt ſpoken euill of, than the eternall fire that thou kindeleſt: and the curſe of God, which by backbiting thou pulleſt vpō thy head? Dareſt thou not detract or ſpeake euill of thy neighbor before his face, albeit hee hath but ſome ſmall meanes to be reuenged: & yet wilt thou boldly ſpeake euill of him in the preſence of almightie God, who threatneth, and is able to ſwallowe thee vp? If the man whom thou ſpeakeſt euill of, chance to come in place, thou doeſt bluſh, and falleſt into other talke. But when thou backbiteſt him, remember that God heareth thee, and bluſhing at thy folly, turne to ſome other talke, and ſpeake of ſuch things as may be acceptable in the ſight of God.
13 Againe, canſt thou like a fool, put more truſt in anothers tonge than in thine owne? Thou couldeſt not bridle thine owne tongue, and doeſt thou requeſt another to bridle his? Why doeſt thou put thy ſelfe in the merciemercy and diſcretion of another? If hee to whome thou haſt opened thy mouth, hath no more hold of his tongue than thou haſt of thine, haſt thou not put into his hande a ſtaffe wherewith, by reuealing thy ſecret, to bring thee into brabling & ſtrife? Why doeſt thou reueale that to another which thou wouldeſt ſhoulde be kept ſecret? If thou ſayeſt, I truſt him. So hath hee an other, whome hee truſteth, and his friend another, &c. to whome they will reueale it. It is as if when ſundrie faggots lie each by other, thou ſhouldeſt kindle the one, and ſo by degrees burne them all. In ſome countries vponupon anie murther or other hainous treſpaſſe, they ring the towne bell, which when other townes or villages doo heare, they likewiſe doo ring theyrs, and ſo from one to an other, whereby all the Countrie is ſoone aduertiſed that there is ſome offender to bee taken or ſtaide: Euen ſo thou, when the clock of thy tongue hath ſtroken, looke that hee that heard it, will lykewiſe ſtrike his, and his neighbor that heareth it, his, and ſo ſhal the infyrmitie of thy neighbour ſoone come to the eares of many. And therefore if thou beeſt loth it ſhoulde bee knowen, why haſt thou rung the bell of thy tongue in a countrie, where thou knoweſt that euerie man is readie likewiſe to ring his?
14 Let vsus proceede: Not onelyonly hee that ſpeaketh euill of his neighbour is a backbiter, but alſo hee that hearkneth to the ſlander. And in deed, he that is deſirous to heare of the faults & frailtie of another, ſheweth himſelf to be deuoid both of zeale to Gods glorie, and of louelove to his neighbour. For ſeeing God is diſhonored in the tranſgreſsions & ſinnes of men, it is our parts, hearing of the ſame, to mourne and bewaile the diſhonour of God, and in charitie we ought to take compaſsion of our neighbor, who by his offence bringeth Gods wrath vponupon his head. If in liew of ſorrowing for the ſins & tranſgreſsions, euen of thoſe whom before we knew not, we delight to heare of them, doo we not ſtrip our ſelues out of all louelove of God and charitie to men? In this ſenſe doth Dauid ſaie, that he that receiueth a falſe reporte againſt his neighbour,Pſalm. 15.3. ſhall hauehave no place in the houſe of God. And in deed, both he that hearkneth to the backbiter, and the backbiter, do ſerue the deuill alike, the one with his tongue, the other with his eare.Bernard in a certain ſermō Detraction (ſaith S. Bernard) is a ſharp ſword, which at one blow woundeth three: It ſlaieth the ſoule of the backbiter, and the ſoule of him that giueth eare vntounto him, & it woundeth & impaireth the good name of him that is backbitten or ſlandered.
15 And what doth more noriſh and maintaine backbiting than the vſuall vice of hearkning thereto, euen with greedines? For as if there were no receiuer of theftes, there would not bee ſo many theeues: ſo if none would hearken to backbiting,Prou. 25.23 there would not be ſo many backbiters. As the north winde (ſaith Salomon) driueth awaie raine ſo doeth an angrie countenance the ſlandering tongue. As the ſhaft, ſaith Hierome, ſhot againſt a ſtone, reboundeth,Hierom to Ruſticus. & ſometime hurteth him that ſhot it, ſo when a backbiter ſeeth his countenance that heareth, or in deed that hearkneth not vntounto him, ſad or frouning, hee holdeth his peace, he waxeth pale, his countenance is troubled, and his tongue ſtoppeth ſodainly. In this conſideration he ſaith in another place. Beware of backbiting,Hier. in his Epiſt. to Nepor. alſo of liſtning thereto. Let thine eares be as farre from them as thy tongue. For when the backbiter perceiueth that thou giueſt no eare to him, hee cannot well go forward. Thou ſhalt not, ſaith the Lord,Exod. 23.1 receiue or take vp anie falſe report. This worde Receiue, or take vp, euidently declareth, that backbiting and ſlandering will ſoone fade awaie and decaie, if it bee not receiued or taken vp, and ſo vnderpropped, and vpheld by the conſent that is giuen thereto.Hierome to Celantius.
16 Sith therfore that the inclination to backbite, likewiſe to hear backbiting, is ſuch, that euen they, who otherwiſe are far from many other vices, as Hierom ſaith, do eaſily fal into theſe ſnares of the deuill: that according as Chriſt exhorteth, we may amend our liues, let vsus thinke vponupon the premiſes, to the end we may abhor al backbiting: let vsus keepe our tongs & eares pure, ſo as the vſe of theſe vices now ſo common, may vtterly be aboliſhed. To be ſhort, let vsus apply our tongs to ſpeak, & open our eares to heare ſuch things as may redoūd to the glory of God, & the ſaluation of our neighbors.
17 Moreouer, if wee heare that anie ſpeake euill of vsus, let vsus ſo order our liues, that as Plato in olde time ſayde, men maye not beleeue ſuch ſlanderous reports of vsus. As Philip king of Macedon ſayde,Plutarch in his Apotheg. that the reproch and iniuries of the Athenian orators cauſed him ſo to order his wordes and deedes, that themſelues ſhould be proued lyers. Neyther let vsus forget what hee both ſayde and dyd, when it was tolde him that Nicanor ſpake hardlye of him. I muſt bethinke me,Plutarch in his Apotheg. ſaid he, whether I neuer gaue him occaſion ſo to ſay. Aftewarde hearing that Nicanor was decayde and growen into contempt, hee ſent him a preſent: And then beeing ſhewed that Nicanor ſpake well of him, You ſee, ſayeth hee, that it is in vsus to cauſe men to ſpeake well or ill of vsus. If the euill therefore that is ſpoken of vsus be true, or that wee hauehave giuen anie occaſion thereof, let the ſame bee a cauſe to make vsus to amende our liues. If it bee falſe, let it bee a warning to beware thereof, becauſe wee are men, and may fall. Let vsus in this caſe remember the ſaying of Socrates, They ſpeake no euill of vsus, when that which they ſaie is not in vsus. And in deede, it is as if a man reporting ſome harme of a bad man, ſhould call him by my name: for whatſoeuer he ſhould ſaie, ſhould concerne not mee, but him that he calleth by my name.
Aug. againſt Petilian. 1. Pet. 2.2318 Eſpecially, let vsus remember, that as Saint Auguſtine ſayth, our patience is tryed by detraction. And let vsus imitate our Sauior Ieſus Chriſt, who when hee was reuiled, reuiled not againe, but prayed for thoſe that reuiled him. As in truth, it is woorſe for the backbiters than for vsus, and conſequently, wee are to take compaſsion of them, and to praie to GOD for them. For as one ſtripe of the tongue woundeth three, the backbiter, him that giueth eare to the back-biting, & the back-biten, ſo the two firſt do thereby wound their cōſciences to the death, by deſeruing the ſentence of eternal fire: but the third is no whit damnified but in his good name, and that peraduēture but for a ſhort ſpace: It beſeemeth not a chriſtian to returne iniurie for iniurie. Neither is it good to render euill for euill, if he that wrongeth thee, ſaith Seneca, bee weaker then thy ſelfe, forgiue him, if ſtronger, forgiue they ſelfe. It is a vice to reuenge and a vertue to forgiue, and therefore when Pittacus had caught one that had wronged him, hee let him go, and ſaid: Pardon is better than reuenge. To the end therfore to take away all replication, to the example of Ieſus Chriſt let vsus alſo ioyne the exāple of Dauid, that we may follow the ſame. Hee proteſteth that when they which had charged him with reproaches and falſe accuſations,Pſalme 37.13. were ſicke, hee put on ſackcloth, and vexed his ſoule with faſting, and his prayer returned into his boſome,Pſal. 35.13. ſo that hee redoubled and reiterated the ſame with a ſorrowfull and troubled hart. Yea, heerein let vsus imitate the moderation and temperance of Euagrius, whoſe mortification was ſuch,Zozom. in his Eccleſiaſtical hiſtorie. lib. 6. cap. 38 Prou. 22.1 that no praiſes coulde lifte him vp, neither anie iniuries moue him to diſpleaſure.
19 Not that we ſhould vtterly neglect our ſame & good name: For, A good name (ſayth Salomon) is to bee choſen before great riches: and louing fauor is aboue ſiluer and gold. Beſides, as by our ſinnes God is diſhonoured, and our neighbours take offence: ſo contrarywiſe, by our holy conuerſation and good name God is glorifyed & our neighbours edyfied. And this doth Saint Auguſtine teach, ſaying: Hee that leadeth an innocent lyfe by ſhunning ſinne and iniquitie, benefiteth himſelfe: but he who beſides is not negligent in mayntayning his good name doth benefite others, and is mercifull vntounto them. If God therfore giuegive vsus conuenient meanes without breach of the bond of peace & louelove, and without giuing cauſe of offence, to defend our innocencie and good name, wee ought to keepe and preſerue it in procuring honest things, not onelyonly before the Lord, 2. Cor. 8.28 2. Cor. 6.8but alſo before men. Otherwiſe, contenting our ſelues with the teſtimonie of a good conſcience, let vsus with the Apoſtle, wade thorough honour and diſhonour, thorough euill report and good report. As being aſſured, that God will in the end make manifeſt our innocencie, and bleſſe our patience with peace and contentation in him.Pſalme. 37.6. Thus the dutie of euerie Chriſtian that longeth to amend his lyfe doth conſiſt in this: Firſt, that he abſtaine from all ſlaunder, backbiting, and euill ſpeech: ſecondly, that we giuegive no eare to backbiters and ſlanderers: and laſtly, that he be not mooued by their backbitinges, ſlanders, and harde wordes, in worde or deede to render euill for euill. But rather let him praie vntounto God for thoſe that ſeeme in minde to be troubled and ſicke, in that they ſpeake euill of him. Amen.
The end of the ſecond Booke.