Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
What little reaſon men hauehave to triumph at, and what great reaſon to bee cautelous in the euent of ſcandals.
ALl this well weighed, and duely conſidered will giuegive vsus to vnderſtand two things: the litle reaſon of ioy, and the great reaſon of feare and caution in caſe of ſuch ſcandalous euents.
1. It lets vsus ſee what little reaſon men of the world hauehave to triumph, inſult, and xforeign. Iuſt. Mart. Epiſt. ad Zen. & Seren.reioyce as they vſe to doe, in the falles and ſcandals of ſuch as profeſſe religion. When my foote ſlippeth they magnifie themſelues againſt me. Pſal. 38. 16. If ſuch an one doe but tread awry, or his foote but ſlip, their enemies let not their ſlips ſlip, but take occaſion from ſmall ſlips to make great tryumphs, And if they be ſo ready to magnifie themſelues againſt them, when they but ſlip, how much more when they fall, and fall into the puddle, into the mire? How doe they magnifie themſelues againſt them then? The reproach and diſgrace of their ſinnefull falls yeeldes aduerſaries ſuch content that they proiect and lay on purpoſe for it. Neh. 6. 13. Therefore was hee hired that I ſhould be afraid, and do ſo & ſin, and that they might hauehave matter for an euill report, that they might reproch me. And therfore proiecting for their falles, and laying plots before hand for them if it may, be no wonder that they ſo reioyce and triumph if at any time they fall into ſuch ſinnes, whereby they may hauehave matter for an euil report that they may reproach them. So true is that which yPapiſtae calumniandi ſtudio totam noſtrā conuerſationem obſeruant. Si quid ergo humanipatimur, ſicut profecto infirmi ſumus, & patimur noſtra incommoda, ibi demum tanquam famelici porci immergunt ſe in ſtercora noſtra, & ex ijs delicias faciunt, dum infirmitatem noſtram exemplo maledicti Ham aperiunt & traducunt, verè enim eſuriunt & ſitiunt ſcandala noſtra, Luth. in Gen. 9.Luther ſpeakes that they hunger and thirſt, after the ſcandals of the Godly, and if at any time, through humane frailety they doe fall into an euill, like hungry hogs they nuzzle in their excrements, and feaſt vponupon them as vponupon dainties, There being nothing that ſo glads their hearts, that ſo opens their mouthes with ſo much inſolency and triumph. And as Luther compares them in this regard to hogs, ſo zHos ergo de noſtris doloribus ſuauitatem ſuae malae linguae captantes; facile eſt vt illis canibus cōparemus, ſt forte in malo intelligendi ſunt, qui lingebant vulnera pauperis illius qui ante ianuam diuitis iacebat &c. Aug. Epiſt 137.Auguſtine to dogs, namely to the rich gluttons dogs that lay licking, and ſucking Lazarus his ſores and woundes. It pleaſed not thoſe dogs ſo much to be licking Lazarus ſores as it pleaſes ſome men to hauehave their tongues in the ſcandalous wounds and ſores of ſuch, as profeſſe godlines. As it is the ſorrow, and griefe of good hearts, and that which makes them droope and mourne to ſee Chriſt, his Goſpell, and truth reproached, and diſgraced by ſcandals; ſo contrarily, it is meate & drinke to wicked ones, and the very ioy of their hearts, when ſuch euents fall out. aProinde chariſſimi in iſto ſcandalo quö de Bonifacio preſbytero non nulli perturbantur, non vobis dico vt non dolcatis. Qui enim iſta non dolent, non eſt in eis charitas Chriſti, qui autem de talibus gaudent, abundat in eis malignitas diaboli. Aug. Epiſt. 137.As ſuch as are filled with the louelove of Chriſt, do grieue and mourne, ſo they that are filled with the malignity of the Diuell, doe reioyce in the euent of ſcandals. Any thing that makes to the diſgrace of Gods Church, his cauſe, and religion, that ſets and puts them into extaſies of reioycing. 2. Sam. 1. 20. Tell it not in Gath, publiſh it not in the ſtreets of Aſhkelon, leſt the daughters of the Philiſtims reioyce, leaſt the daughters of the vncircumciſed triumph. Why? what was it, that ſhould make them triumph and reioyce? That verſe 19. How are thy mighty fallen? Saul and Ionathan were fallen, not by ſcandal, but by the ſword, but that fall ſuch as it was, made to the diſgrace of Iſrael, to the reproach of the God of Iſrael, and hence their Ioy, and Triumph. Marke by the way, who they are that reioyce in ſuch caſes, vncircumciſed Philiſtims, the ſonnes and daughters of vncircumciſed Philiſtims. And well becomes it ſuch, and none but ſuch to reioyce. And ſuch doe and will reioyce. Now truely all before conſidered, we ſee what little cauſe they hauehave to be ſo ouer-ioyed, there is a great deale of Ioy, and merriment more then there is cauſe. All conſidered, wee may truely ſay vntounto them, as Iam. 4. 9 Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your ioy into heauineſſe. Woe vntounto the world becauſe ofſcandals. When ſcandals come into the world, a woe comes vntounto the world, meſſengers of vengeance to doe executions of Iuſtice are ſent by God. And will the world be ſo blind and witleſſe, to reioyce and triumph in that which comes to bee their bane and ruine, their ſorrow and their ſmart? Hath the ſilly beaſt any cauſe to leape and friske when hee ſees the trap ſet vp and bayted that will enſnare and murder him?
It is probably thought that when Noah fell ſo foule and ſhamefully in his drunkennes that Canaan Chams ſonne firſt *Hebreus etiam id tradebat, & ratione confirmabat, primum Chanaan verenda aui ſui vidiſſe, ſuo que ſolum patri narraſſe tanquā de ſene ridentem. Theodoret. Quaeſt. in Genſ. 57.ſaw his grandfather in that caſe, and ſo went and told his father Cham of it: for elſe why ſhould Noah curſe Cham in his ſonne Canaan rather then in any other of his ſonnes. Hee had other ſonnes beſides, Gene. 10. 6. And the ſonnes of Cham, Cuſh and Mizraim, and Phut and Canaan. Why therefore curſed bee Canaan rather then Cuſh, Mizraim, or Phut? Like enough that Canaan as the Iewes probably coniecture firſt eſpied Noah in that caſe, and he being an vngracious youngſter, one without all Religion, and poſſibly an hater of all goodneſſe, one that had like enough beene often ſagely admoniſhed, and ſharply reprooued by Noah. And little content did the holyneſſe, auſteritie and religious carriage of Noah giuegive either to Canaan or to Cham. Now therefore Canaan when hee ſees him in his drunkennes, and in that ſhamefull pickle in his nakedneſſe, he tels it to his father, and his father after to Shem and Iaphet, and that with Ioy and gladneſſe, with mocking and deriſion: for otherwiſe for Canaan to hauehave ſeene it occaſionally and to hauehave told it his father, or for his father to hauehave ſeene it occaſionally and hauehave told it his brethren, had beene no matter of offence, but queſt: onleſſe they both told it with much ioy, and reioycing. Like enough Canaan when he firſt eſpied it, came running to his father; with much ioy in his face, Oh father I can tell you excellent Newes, the braueſt Newes that can be, Newes that will doe you good at the very heart, doe but goe along with me; and I will ſhew you ſuch a ſight as you neuer ſaw. Look where that old Dotard lies drunke, and in what a baſe and ſhamefull faſhion? This is he that alwayes telling me of my ſwearing, cenſuring mee for my want of religion, this is hee that was ſo holy, ſo full of his religion, and godlines, ſee there how like a beaſt he lies. And ſurely if Canaan did tell Cham of it, Chams fact was exceeding vnnaturally villanous. the text ſayes. Gen. 9. 22. And Cham the father of Canaan ſaw the nakednes of his father, not occaſionally and at vnawares, ſo might Shem, or Iaphet hauehave done. But if Canaan did firſt tell Cham of it, as very probably hee did, then Cham like an vngratious varlet as he was, could not be content to heare of it, but to reioyce, and glad his heart the more, he muſt goe ſee the ſight, hee muſt goe feed his eyes with it, and that he might be ſure of it, and obſeruing all the ſeuerall circumſtances hee might hauehave the more to make vp his mouth. And then after this in ſcorne, and deriſion and with inſulting inſolency goes & reports it to Shem and Iaphet. So that what betweene an vngracious ſonne, and a graceleſſe grand-childe there was ſure no ſmall Iubilation, and exultation in Noahs ſcandal, and drunkennes. But now as merry and iocund as Cham and Canaan were, let vsus ſee a little what cauſe they had for it, and conſider if their were not that in it, that was enough to marre their merriment, and to hauehave turned their mirth into mourning. Alas all conſidered, full little cauſe had they to be thus vponupon their merrie pinnes. It could not be but the ſcandal of Noahs drunkennes muſt come, but woe to Cham and Canaan becauſe of that ſcandal. God had a purpoſe to bring a woe, and a curſe vponupon Cham and Canaan and vponupon the Canaanites his poſterity, that they ſhould be rooted out, and cut off by the ſword of Iſrael. But how now ſhould way bee made to bring this curſe vponupon the heads of them? Noah ſhal fall into a ſcandal, thereby ſhall they be occaſioned by reaſon of their naughty ſpirits to doe as they did, and then no ſooner ſhal Noah awake from his wine but hee ſhall awake with a ſolemne curſe in his mouth, which ſhould be as the oracle of God, Curſed bee Canaan, a ſeruant of ſeruants ſhall hee bee vntounto his brethren. And now I pray what cauſe hauehave bSed O miſer, Ham quam beat…s e… qui nunc d…mi… inueniſti quod quaerebas venenum ſcilicet inſaluberrima roſa, Luther in Gen. 9.Cham, and Canaan ſo to reioyce at their fathers fall? Woe be to them becauſe of this offence, becauſe in this offence of his there is a trap, and a ſnare ſet to catch them, and a way preparing to bring a ſorrowfull curſe vponupon thē both. And hauehave they then thinke wee any great cauſe of merrimēt? wil any man that is in his wits reioyce at that euent, whoſe errand purpoſely is to bring Gods curſe vponupon him. So little cauſe had Cham and Canaan to reioyce at Noahs fall. And eueryevery whit, as little cauſe hath the world to reioyce when ſcandals come, for then woe comes, God is ſetting his ginnes, and ſnares, & traps to catch ſome, hee ſends forth his meſſengers of wrath, to doe ſeuere Iuſtice vponupon perſons that hauehave beene vnprofitable vnderunder the Goſpell.
Suppoſe God ſhould ſend the ſword amongſt men, would men reioyce and bee glad at it? See Ezec. 21. 9. 10. A ſword, A ſword is ſharpened, and alſo fourbiſhed, It is ſharpened to make a ſore ſlaughter, it is fourbiſht that it may glitter, ſhould we then make mirth? I trow not. And why not make mirth in ſuch a caſe? Becauſe the ſword brought woe and miſchiefe with it, becauſe it came to be diſmall, and fatal, becauſe it was a meſſenger of wrath and vengeance. And why then make men mirth at ſcandals when they come? May we not truely ſay of this laughter, Thou art mad, and of this mirth, what doth it? Eccl. 2. 2. Come not ſcandals with a woe as well as the ſword? And it hee not as mad that reioyceth at the comming of ſcandals, as hee is that reioyces at the comming of a ſword? Say, a ſcandal a ſcandal, it is fowle and heynous, it is come with woe, to make a ſore ſpirituall ſlaughter, ſhould wee then make mirth, and reioyce at it? God forbid. Woe vntounto the world becauſe of ſcandals, and ſhall we laugh, and ſport with Gods woes? This makes ſcandals doubly woefull.
That ſame is good counſel which Salomon giues Prou. 24. 17, 18. Reioyce not when thine enemy falles, and let not thine heart bee glad when he ſtumbles. If a man hauehave an enemie that hates him, if any croſſe or calamity befalls him a man may not reioyce at it, nor bee glad of it not onelyonly when he falles, and God vtterly ruines him, but if he doe but ſtumble, and God lay but ſome ſmaller croſſe vponupon him. Now marke the reaſon, leaſt the Lord ſee it, and it diſpleaſe him, and he turne away his wrath from him, and ſo turne it vponupon thee. So that the ſumme of the reaſon is, leaſt God ſhould bee angry, and his wrath ſhould be againſt thee. Marke then; If I may not reioyce at a mans outward ſtumbling and fall, then how much leſſe may I reioyce in a mans ſpirituall ſtumbling and falling, how much more will that diſpleaſe and anger God? If I may not reioyce at his outward fall leaſt God ſhould be angrie, then much leſſe when in another mans ſpirituall ſtumbling and fall God is angrie with mee, and out of his anger againſt mee diſpoſes his fall. Little cauſe hauehave I to reioyce at anothers ſtumbling and falling, when God in wrath diſpoſes of another mans ſtumbling to make mee ſtumble, and of another mans fall to make me fall. What cauſe hauehave I to reioyce at his ſtumbling & falling, who therefore ſtumbles and fals that I may ſtumble and fall at him. And thus is the very caſe here. Such as doe giuegive ſcandals doe ſtumble that others may ſtumble at them, doe fall that others may fall at them, Ierem. 64. 12. The mightie man hath ſtumbled againſt the mightie: and they are both fallen together. It is ſpoken of the Egyptians ruined in war. It may bee that one Captaine that hated his fellow might ſee him fall by the ſword of the enemie. Now though he were his enemie that he ſee fall, had he any cauſe to reioyce? Not any at all. Why ſo? Becauſe Gods prouidence diſpoſed that the fall of the firſt ſhould make way for the fall and ruine of the next. Hee that fell firſt ſhoud lie in his fellowes way as a ſtumbling blocke at which hee ſhould ſtumble and fall alſo. Thus we ſaw before that the fals of ſuch as profeſſe Religion, are but as ſtumbling blockes in other mens wayes to precipitate them into ruine. And iudge then what cauſe they hauehave to reioyce thereat. If a man ſhould ſee a ſtumbling ſtone, or a ſtumbling blocke laid on purpoſe at a pits brinke to topple him headlong ouer into the pit, would that man reioyce that that blocke were laid there? I thinke not. This is the caſe here. Scandals are ſtumbling blockes laide at hell pits mouth to precipitate, and head-long worldly wicked men downe into hell. So that to reioyce at ſcandals is to reioyce at the matter, and inſtrument of their owne ſorrow to reioyce at that which will ſurely ſend them to Hell. Hee that reioyces in ſuch a caſe, Much good may his ioy doe him, I enuie no man ſuch ioy.
There fell out a ſcandal in the Church of Corinth, 1. Corinth▪ 5. Now whereas vponupon the euent of it they ſhould hauehave beene mourning and heauie, they were in another veine, Verſe 2. 6. They were glorying, and reioycing. They did not reioyce in, or at the ſcandal, that ſuch a man that made ſuch a profeſſion was fallen, but they reioyced in their owne gifts, in the gifts of their Preachers. What Church had ſuch Preachers, what people had ſuch gifts? And reioyce they might in theſe things, but now it was vnſeaſonable, they ſhould now rather hauehave beene mourning, becauſe of this ſcandal. Therefore the Apoſtle ſharply takes them vp, Verſe 2, 6. And ye are puffed vp, and hauehave not rather mourned, your glorying, or reioycing is not good. If then the Apoſtle reprooues them thus for reioycing when there was a ſcandal, though they reioiced not at the ſcandal, how much more vehemently, and ſharply would he hauehave reprooued them if they had reioyced at, and for the ſcandal? How much more in this caſe would he hauehave ſaid, your reioycing is not good. Woe to the world becauſe of ſcandals, and yet many make theſe matters of woe laughing matters, but woe vntounto them that in ſuch a cauſe laugh, for they ſhall weepe, and after-time, and after-wit will teach them, that neuer had they greater cauſe of weeping, then euen then when they were vponupon their merry pinnes, becauſe that at which they made themſelues ſo merry, came with a woe vntounto them.
2. Secondly, this lets vsus ſee what great cauſe of feare, warines, and caution there is in caſe of ſcandalous euents. Since they bee ſuch dangerous euents, let men hauehave a ſpeciall care they be not enſnared, and entrapped by them. When ſcandals fall out, wee ſee there is a trap, and a ſnare ſet, there is a ſtumbling block laid, therefore it ſhould bee a mans wiſdome, and watchfulnes that he be not caught in the trap, that he be not enſnared in the gin, that he ſtumble and fall not at the block. We ſee that God hath put that wiſdome, warineſſe, and ſhineſſe into ſome creatures, that if a trap, or a ſnare bee ſet for them, they are very ſhie, & iealous of comming neere it, or medling with the baite, and out of a feare of being taken, they will decline and ſhunne the ſnare, though tempted and allured thereto by ſuch baites as otherwiſe they hauehave a full good minde vntounto. Such, much more ſhould bee the ſhineſſe, and wary iealouſie of men in the caſe of ſcandalous euents. Doe wee ſee at any time ſuch as profeſſe religion to fall into any fowle enils, then thinke thus with thy ſelfe. I had thought that when ſuch euents had come to paſſe, the danger of them had beene onelyonly a perſonall danger to the partie Delinquent, that it had beene onelyonly for the diſcouerſe, and for the diſgrace of him, I neuer dreamt of any further matter, and therefore I thought I might hauehave made a may-game of them, and hauehave reioyced and triumphed in their fals. But now I ſee there is a further matter in them then I was aware of, I ſee that they come to paſſe by Diuine Prouidence, to bring a woe vponupon other mens heads. I ſee they come, that ſome may bee occaſioned to ſtumble at Religion, at the Law, at the Word, and from the ancient pathes, that hereupon they ſhould reſoluedly reiect & renounce ſauing Religion, and the ſauing powerful profeſſion thereof to their owne aſſured ruine for euer. I ſee now that they bee diſpoſed by a Diuine Prouidence, that ſome men being occaſioned to blaſpheme Gods Name, & Truth, may feele the weight of Gods reuenging hand. I now ſee there is a Diuine finger in them, and that they come to occaſion ſome men to harden their hearts ſo, as they may fall into miſcheife; and be put out of poſſibilitie, and the reach of merciemercy. Theſe bee great dangers and heauie woes, for I ſee now they be but ſtumbling blockes, at which ſome men ſhall breake their neckes into Hell. I confeſſe, I did neuer conceiue them to bee halfe ſo dangerous euents, I neuer apprehended them ſuch dangerous traps and ſnares, as now vponupon the opening of this point I ſee they are. Belieue it, I ſee it is good wiſdome in ſuch euents to looke about mee, and to take heed how I come within the reach of theſe ſnares.
Since Diuine Prouidence ſets them to make way for Diuine vengeance, though ſuch a man profeſſing religion, hauehave committed a foule ſcandal, cIuxta ſemitas ſcandalum poſuerunt mihi; nō in ſemitis ſed iuxta ſemitas. Semitae tuae praecepta Dei ſunt. Illi ſcandala iuxta ſemitas poſuerunt: tu noli recedere à ſemitis & non irrues in ſcandala: permiſit Deus ponere ſcandala iuxta ſemitas vt tu non recedas à ſemitis. Iuxta ſemitas ſcandala poſuerunt mihi & quid reſtat? Quid remedium inter tanta mala, in iſtis tentationibus, in iſtis periculis? Dixi Domino Deus meus es tu. Aug. Pſal. 139. Ergo cum audis vae mundo à ſcandalis, noli terreri, dilige legem Dei, non tibi erit ſcandalum—teneamus indeclinabilem confeſſionem, diligamus legem Dei, vt euadamus quod dictum est, vae mundo à ſcandalis. Aug.yet I will by Gods grace take heede for all that of ſtumbling at Godlines, or thinking ere the worſe of the profeſſion of Religion; Nay, I will be ſo farre from flying off, that I will cleaue the cloſer and the faſter to God, and the wayes of Truth. I will hold my profeſſion ſo much the faſter; and louelove that Word ſo much the more, that ſo I may auoide this heauie woe. Doe in this caſe when ſcandals fall out, and ſo ſnares bee ſet as Dauid did when wicked men hid a Snare for him, and laid Nets to catch him, Pſal. 140. 5. The proud hauehave hid a ſnare for mee, and cordes, they hauehave ſpread a net by the way ſide, they hauehave ſet grinnes for me. And what doth Dauid now doe in this caſe? See Verſe 6. Iſaid vntounto the Lord, Thou art my God. So when ſcandals fall out, Snares and Nets, and Grinnes are laid: What ſhall we doe then? Shall we diſtate and diſlike Godlineſſe and Religion? No, by no meanes, that is the way to bee enſnared and caught; But then ſpecially ſay vntounto the Lord, Thou art my God, I will cleaue cloſe to thee and to thy Truth, theſe euents ſhall not cauſe mee to diſlike of Godlineſſe, and Religion, Say of wiſdome, notwithſtanding ſuch euents, that ſhe is & ſhall be thy ſiſter.
Though dIlla (ſcilicet Iobi vxor) ſcandalum erat ſed illi non erat. Aug. in Pſal. 141.theſe perſons be ſcandals, yet ſhall they be none to me, eNon egrediar à Chriſto, non incidam in muſcipulam. Ibid.I will not for all this goe from Chriſt, Godlineſſe, and Religion for then am I caught in the trap. I will take heed for all this of blaſpheming God and his Truth, I will for all this take heed of iuſtifying my ſelfe in any euil wayes, and how I harden my ſelfe in my ſinnes, for if I doe thus, then am I in the trap, then I ſtumble at the ſtumbling blocke, then hath the woe of the ſcandal light vponupon and taken hold of me, God giuegive mee grace, and warineſſe to looke to one.
Becauſe ſcandalous euents are dangerous euents, this ſhould bee therefore our wiſdome, warineſſe, and caution when they happen. Surely, the more dangerous they are, the more cautelous ſhould we be, and in their euents be ſo far from being ſtaggered, as to ſticke cloſer to religion, and to perſeuere the more reſolutely. fScandala non defutura praedixit quibus fidem noſtram exerceri & porbari oporteret. Aitenim quoniam abundauit iniquitas, refrigeſcit charitas multorum, ſed continuo ſubijcit, Quiautem perſeuerauit vſus que in finem ſaluus erit. Auguſt. Epiſt. 136.Becauſe Iniquitie ſhall abound, the louelove of many ſhall waxe cold, Math. 24. 12. It ſo commonly fals out that when iniquities, ſcandalous iniquities of ſuch as profeſſe the truth fall out, that many that (it may be) had ſome good affection to, and liking of goodnes are ſtarted, and ſtumbled at religion, and their louelove growes cold. But how ſhould it bee with vsus in ſuch caſes? But he that endures to the end ſhalbe ſaued, Verſe 13. As much as to ſay, that euen great and foule ſcandalous inquities abounding, mens louelove, and liking to religion ſhould not be abated, but they ſhould for all that cleaue cloſe to it, and hold out and endure to the end, and not bee ſtarted, and ſtumbled by ſcandals.
Are ſcandalous euents then wofull euents? And when ſcandals come, doth woe come? Then bee ſo wiſe, though thou couldeſt not preuent the ſcandal, yet to preuent the woe, that the woe it brings with it, may none of it light vponupon thine head. In eueryevery ſcandal there is a guilt, and a woe, a ſinne, and a curſe. The guilt and the ſinne is the perſons that offends, but the woe, and the curſe fals vponupon others. Now when ſcandals doe come, ſo looke to thy ſelfe, that thou mayeſt hauehave as little ſhare in the curſe and the woe, as thou haſt in the guilt and the ſinne. Adders, Snakes, Serpents how ſhie are men in medling with them, and all becauſe they are venemous, and hauehave a ſting? EueryEvery ſcandal caries a ſting with it, a woe with it, and when they come they come to ſting ſome men mortally to the very death.
Scandals to many proue as thoſe fierie Serpents to the Iſraelites, Numb. 21. 6. And the Lord ſent fierie Serpents amongſt the people, and they bit the people, and much people of Iſrael died. Therefore concernes it men to carrie themſelues as warily when they meet with ſcandals, as if they met with Serpents, and bee as much afraid of a Scandals wo, as of a Serpents ſting. Amongſt the extraordinarie ſignes the ſhould follow them that belieue, this is one, that they ſhall take vp Serpents, and they ſhall not hurt them, Marke 16. 18. Now, ſuch ſhould our wiſdome, and warines be, that when theſe fierie Serpents come, we might ſo take them vp as they might ſo not hurt vsus, that we might ſee the Serpent, but not feele the ſting.
Scandals are like Ezekiels roll. Ezek. 2. 10. There was written therin lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Ezekiel hee was commanded to eat the roule. Had it beene a matter left to his owne choice, like enough hee would ſcarce hauehave medled with it. See how it fared with him when he had eaten it, Ezek. 3. 14. I went in bitterneſſe; in the heat of my ſpirit. All Scandals when they come are roules of woe, it is great wiſedome for a man to take heed how he eates ſuch roules, leaſt a man get away with bitterneſſe in the end. A wiſe man ſees a plague, and bides himſelfe, but fooles goe on and are puniſhed, Prou. 22. When the plague comes how warie are men, how cautelous, and carefull to looke to themſelues? And what makes them ſo, but onelyonly becauſe it is a wofull, and a fatal diſeaſe. By the ſame reaſon ſhould men bee no leſſe cautelous, and wiſely warie in the euent of Scandals, becauſe when they come a woe comes with them, and therefore ſhould people be as fearefull of the wo that comes with a Scandal, as they would bee of the infection that is in the plague.