Sycophancy is a Sin, Preface
A PREFACE Concerning Giving and Recieving of Informations.
AS it is the honour of virtue to ſteer a right courſe betwixt the Scylla and Charybdis of vitious extreams, ſo as many ſin in Informing, ſome may ſin too if they do not Inform.Eccl. 3.7. and 8.5. There's a time to keep ſilence and a time to ſpeak; and a wiſe mans heart diſcerneth both time and judgment. Exod. 32.7, 8. Matth. 18. 1 Cor. 5.1. and 1.11. and 11.18.God himſelf informs Moſes of Iſraels revolt: Chriſt in ſome caſes bids Tell the Church: Paul recieved Reports, and had his Spyes upon the Churches that brought him tidings not onelyonly of their Faith, but faults and failings. Moſes chargeth blood upon the Tale-bearer, and ſin too upon the concealer.Lev. 19.16. and 5.1. If a ſoul ſin and hear the voice of ſwearing, and is a witneſs whether he hath ſeen or known it, if be do not utter it, then he ſhall bear his iniquity. And what complaint any are bound to utter ſome are to recieve.Jude 16. Yet Jude complains of Complainers; and not onelyonly he that raiſeth, but that taketh up a reproach againſt his neighbour is excluded Gods holy hill;foreign Pſal. 15.3. the ſame word indifferently, ſignifying the raiſing and recieving of Reports as in the Text and the Margin, Lev. 23.1.
The Preacher ſeems to allow private Intelligencers,Eccl. 10.20. and 7.21. eſpecially to publick perſons, A bird of the Air ſhall carry them the voice, and that which hath wings ſhall tell the matter. And yet he ſaith, take no heed unto all the words that are spoken, leaſt thou hear thy ſervant curſe thee.
It ſeems then that as there is no Hebrew word for ſwearing, foreign in Niph.but onelyonly for being ſworn in the paſſive voice, We may not give tongue or ear to Informations but when conſcience of doing good, or of preventing or due puniſhment of evil doth juſtly urge; which that we may not unjuſtly pretend, I ſay.
That neither falſe, frivolous, nor malicious accuſations are pleaſing to God in the Informers, nor ſhould be to Men as Recievers.
Firſt, Who can think that God can, or men ſhould be in love with Lyes? But who is the FALSE Informer? Not he onelyonly that ſpeaks what he knoweth to be untrue as Zibah; but he alſo that reports to anothers prejudice, what perhaps he ſurmiſeth, but falſly, to be true, Therefore the Apoſtle couples railings with evil ſurmiſings. 1 Tim. 6.4.Thou falleſt away to the Chaldeans, ſaith Captain Irijah,Jer. 37.13, 14. It is falſe ſaith the Prophet Jeremiah.
And not he onelyonly that puts falſhood upon Truth, as trimming to the ſtuf, to make his ſtory ſeem the fairer and the innocent the fouler; But he alſo that fraudulently conceals that part of the truth that would clear the mind and Intent to be innocent, Reus eſt cujus mens eſt rea.whilſt he makes the moſt of that other part of it that ſpeaks guilt as to matter of fact. 1 Sam. 21. and 22.Doeg thus dealing with Ahimeleck, though what he informed Saul of was partly true, yet is juſtly called by David a falſe tongue.Pſal. 52.4.
To theſe we may refer the wreſting of words complained of by the Pſalmiſt,Pſal. 56.5. and diſtorting of doubtful ſayings to the moſt offenſive ſenſe, They are called falſe witneſses that gave in evidence againſt Chriſt, that he ſaid,Matth. 26.60, 61. I am able to deſtroy the Temple of God and to build it in three days: But his words were, Destroy this Temple, John 2.19, 21.and in three days I will raiſe it up, which he spake of the Temple of his body.
So the miſrepreſenting of ſimple and honeſtly intended actions;… Sam. 17.28. Traducere, quaſi tranſducere. as Eliab did by Davids coming down to the Camp, (and this is properly to Traduce, that is, to lead or wyre-draw a word or action beyond the ſpeaker or doers intent or meaning,) I know the naughtineſs of thy heart, ſaith Eliab: Why what is my fault? ſaith David, who had reaſon to complain both of Brother and Stranger falſe witneſſes did riſe up, Pſa. 35.11.they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
And as falſe, ſo FRIVOLOUS Accuſations are reproved by the Prophet in thoſe that make a man an Offender for a word, Iſa. 29.21.and lay a ſnare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aſide the juſt for a thing of naught: ſuch whoſe work is to kindle great fires by the continual blowing up of the ſmalleſt ſparks, as Tatlers and Buſybodyes speaking things that they ought not.1 Tim. 5.13.
But ſay the matter appear weighty and true, yet if Malice or other finiſter reſpect have apparently acted the Informer: Let the ſentence of an Heathen confirmed by Gods own execution on Daniels Accuſers how greatly ſoever pretending to publick ſervice,Dan. 6.20 the end. (this Daniel, O King, regardeth not thee &c.) Shew how little God likes it, or Men ſhould encourage it.
But is not Malice a good Informer though a bad Iudge? I anſwer, an error in the firſt concoction is hardly mended in the ſecond or third.A negatione ſecundi, al negationem tertii adjecti valet conſequentia. Malice is not good, therefore I cannot well ſee how it ſhould be a good Informer. The Devil, that Arch-Informer, we know, wants no malice, who is yet caſt out of the Court of Heaven. I grant the Information Metaphyſically conſidered may be good, that is, the thing may be true, though malice provoked the Informer to make it known, yet is he not herein approvable that he did it malitiouſly, though ſtill the Offender is nevertheleſs reproveable if truly accuſed though malitiouſly.
Yet where there appears ſuch a Moral miſcarriage in the Informer as malitiouſneſs, it ſhould render the matter of the Information the more to be ſuſpected, inſomuch as it is hard rightly to repreſent what is not rightly recieved; now 'tis a rule in Philoſophy that every thing is recieved according to the modification of that which recieves it. Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis.And therefore the eye that is blood-ſhot with malice, will be apt to deem every thing (though it be not ſo) of a bloody colour as the looking through a Red glaſs or medium to make every thing look red.
But how if the man have been injurious to me firſt?Prov. 24.28, 29. Yet be not witneſs againſt thy neighbour without cauſe, and decieve not with thy lips: Say not I will do to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.
But on the contrary, Be pitiful, be courteous, not rendring evil for evil, or railing for railing &c. Being reviled we bleſs, 1 Cor. 4.12.ſaith Paul.
But he ſtands in my light may ſome Zibah ſay; and unleſs I can traduce him I muſt ſtill truckle under him. Yet will a man ſpeak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? Job 13.7.Who ſhall dare then ſo to do, to ſerve his own turn?
But ſay thou deſign to promote ſome publick good, nay perhaps that which thou reckoneſt thy Religion by a ſlanderous detraction from anothers Reputation, whoſe credit ſtands in the way of that which thou calleſt the way of God. Yet ſtill if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, Rom. 3.7, 8.why yet am I alſo judged as a ſinner? And not rather as we be ſlanderouſly reported, and ſome affirm that we ſay, Let us do evil that good may come? whoſe damnation is juſt.
But though the falſe Informer do evil, may not I do well to recieve the Information, if it ſeem to me probable as Zibahs did to David?
No not very well to be too ſuſpitious of a Mephiboſheth, one of known integrity:1 Sam. 24. ch. 26. And David thought ſo too in his own eaſe, for having formerly given Saul full proof of his fidelity, he afterward accurſeth before the Lord them that ſhould yet perſiſt to incence Saul againſt him. But Oh how hard is it for men, yea for good men, when ſelf-intereſt ſeems to prompt to jealouſie or revenge, to caſt all their Accounts by that Golden-Rule of Chriſts,Mat. 7.12. on which hang all the Low and the Prophets?
What a ſtrange confidence had Alexander in Philip Acarnama… his Phyſitian,Plutar. in vita Alex. who cheerfully took a portion at his hand, when Parmenio had advertiſed him that he was largely hired by Darius to kill him? A ſhame that a Heathen can ſo far truſt a Heathen, and not a Chriſtian a fellow Chriſtian, though our Religion doth teach our charity,1 Cor. 13.5. not to ſeek her own, not to be eaſily provoked, not to think evil!
But men are mutable: he afterwards became Davids enemy that had ſometime been his guide, Pſalm 55.13, 14.his acquaintance, with whom he had taken ſweet Council, yea, they walked to the houſe of God in company. May I not then take an Information againſt any man if it ſeem probable, though it may prove falſe? How elſe ſhall I be able to ſecure my ſelf?
I anſwer, The ſcope of the Information would here be attended, whether it tend to do another hurt, or to prevent him from doing hurt. I may ſo far then recieve it as to ſenſe my ſelf, in caſe it ſhould prove true; but not ſo as to fall foul upon him that is inform'd againſt, untill I am aſcertain'd that it is true: I may ſafeguard my ſelf, leaſt a pretended friend ſhould prove mine enemy, but not deal with him as an enemie, till proved ſo.1 Cor. 11.18. foreign. There is a partly believing of what we hear, (as Paul ſpeaks, it the phraſe there be not a Meioſis) allowable in ſome caſes where we may not yet fully believe.Eccl. 2.14. The wiſe mans eyes ſhould be in his head, though his charity be ſtill in his heart. 'Twas commendable in Alexander not over haſtily to diſtruſt his faithful Phyſician, yet I think his truſting the phyſick after ſuch an item, without further experiment or enquiry, was not: eſpecially he being a publick perſon, who may beſt ſuspect, becauſe inspection is his work, and if not circumspect, he commonly looſes more than himſelf. I rather commend the prudence of that Prince, who handſomly over-hearing ſome of his Attendants ſpeak evil of him, bad them go further off, lest the King ſhould hear them: ſo letting them know that he heard them, and yet as if he heard them not.
He that will believe or liſten to nothing, gives encouragement and occaſion to thoſe to hurt him, that otherwiſe either durſt not or could not: and he that will ſuſpect and loves to liſten to every thing may probably give them provocation to miſchieve him, that otherwiſe would not; for how hard is it to love him without diſſimulation, that we know ſuſpects us without reaſon? Both he that ſo neglects an Information, if probable, as not juſtly to obviate an intended injury; and he that ſo recieves one, though probable, till proved, as to ſentence or do execution, tranſgreſſeth the Law Thou ſhalt love thy neighbor as thy ſelf. Prov. 25 2 Ch. 18.13.It is the honor of Kings to ſearch out a matter. But he that anſwereth a matter before he hear, (that is, rightly apprehend it) it is folly and ſhame unto him.
We have lamentable inſtances of miſcarriages in both kinds in Saul and Gedaliah. Saul he liſtens to the barking of a Dog, a Doeg I ſhould have ſaid, and upon the ſingle Information of an Edomite, commits an horrid maſſacre upon four ſcore and five innocent and holy perſons in one day.Jer. 13.15. Gedaliah on the contrary will not hearken to the certain though ſecret intelligence of Johanan, confirmed from ſeveral hands, That Iſhmael was ſet on work by Ba…lis to kill him, (as commonly the moſt innocent are leaſt ſuspicious of others,Ver. 16.) Thou speakeſt falſly of Iſhmael; ſaith Gedaliah to Johanan: but poor man, he ſoon found it too true to his coſt,Chap. 41. 2, 3. Plut in vitā Julii Caeſ. and theirs that were caſt away with him for want of his care.
'Tis ſaid that Julius Caeſar was murthered with a note in his hand, diſcovering the bloudy treaſon, he neglecting timely to read it, though importuned thereunto by him that gave it.
Further, ſuch Informations as are for prevention of an evîl intended to be done, may with good conſcience and reaſon, be ſecretly both recieved and improved: Thus the chief Captain being very privately advertized of the plot upon Paul by thoſe ſworn Conspirators, Act. 23.22,diſmiſſeth the intelligencer with a charge to tell no man that he had ſhewed him thoſe things.
But when the Information is an Accuſation for a crime committed; though it may be ſecretly recieved, if need be, yet before puniſhment can be fairly inflicted, the perſon accuſing, and the circumſtances of the offenſe ſhould be made known to the accuſed, that the ſplendor of juſtice be not ecclipſed, nor the offender barred of ſo juſt a means of vindicating himſelf, in caſe of falſe imputation. As it was a good proviſion in their Law. That no man ſhould be judged till firſt heard: John 7.….ſo it is an wholſom uſage in our adminiſtration, That the Witneſs look the Priſoner in the face. As they (bad as they were) had ſome colour of piety, ſo this, ſhadow of juſtice,1 Kings 10. who ſet the witneſſes before Naboth? And ſaith Pilate to Chriſt,Mat. 27.13. Heareſt thou not what theſe witneſs?
It is a thing moſt worthy our obſervation, what abundant caution the Lord gives concerning accuſatory informations.Deut. 17.4, 5, 7. If it be told thee, and thou haſt heard it, and enquired diligently, and behold it be true, and the thing certain, &c. Then thou ſhalt bring forth that man which hath committed that thing, &c. and the hands of the witneſſes ſhall be firſt upon him. If it be told thee, there is private information. And thou haſt heard it, which ſeems to referr to common fame: yet there muſt be an inquiring diligently; and behold, which ſeems to require all clearneſs of evidence; If it, that is, the Information, be true: And the thing certain, The matter of fact not preſumed, but fully proved. Then thou ſhalt bring forth not onelyonly the accuſed, but alſo the accuſer, whoſe hand is to be firſt in the execution. It is alſo ſaid expreſly, for prevention and puniſhment of injury by falſe witneſs,Deut. 19.17. That both the men between whom the controverſie is (Accuſed and Accuſer) ſhall ſtand before the Lord. And indeed were there no more than that general good rule (and good rule for Generals as well as others) of doing as we would be done unto, it were enough in this matter, for I know no man that would willingly be condemned and puniſhed upon that accuſation, that he either denies or doth not confeſs (or I think ought) without knowledg of his Accuſer that he may be the better able to make his defenſe.
And further as the notifying of the Accuſer doth juſtifie the Judg, and may ſingularly contribute to the clearing of the accuſed if innocent: So alſo to the juſt ſtartling of drouſy conſcience, and ſilencing of ſinfull ſelf-juſtifications in caſe of guilt. And therefore Paul cenſuring the Corinthians for that which had been declared to him of them, lets them plainly know,1 Cor. 1.11. that he had it from them of the houſe of Chloe.
If any think the making of Informers known to others, would diſcourage others from making Informations known: I anſwer, If they be for prevention of evil intended as aforeſaid, they may without ſin be concealed: if for puniſhment of evil committed, it either will not or ought not diſcourage honeſt informers or Informations. And why others ſhould be encouraged, I ſee not. If any think they ſhould, for ſome reaſon or neceſſity of State, let us take heed that be not truly reported of us, that was ſlanderouſly of the Apoſtles,Rom. 3.8. that we hold, That evil may be done that good may come of it. And in ſuch caſe, if a Stateſman admit what a good man may not, let him remember the grave reply of one that being both Duke and Cardinal was urged to do that in the capacity of a Duke which he judged abſolutely unlawful for a Cardinal.A like ſaying I have read of a Clown to the Biſhop of Colein. If the Cardinal (ſaith he) be damned, what will becom of the Duke?
I need not tell you how odious to all but to their Maſters and ſelves, Informers were in former times, even in my remembrance: but oh the treachery of the heart of man! What credit have ſome ſelf ſame practiſes, yea and principles too, abominated by good men in thoſe times, regained in ours, by putting on a new faſhion to ſerve a new faction? How are ſome men applauded now adays for borrowing thoſe very notes, for the chirping, of which every one was ready to pluck …ens feathers about twenty years agoe. And the matter is much alike in the caſe in hand: as if the promoting of Promoters, and the ſetting up of the work of Information, were a ſingular part of that work of Reformation ſo long ſpoken of.
Now as ſlanderous inſinuations and ſycophantical delations are always, ſo eſpecially to be abhorred in theſe caſes.
1. When the Accuſed are not or cannot be preſent to anſwer for themſelves: this is manifeſtly akin to that curſing of the deaf, Lev. 19.14.dealing with ſuch as are out of hearing. They belch out with their mouths, Pſal. 69.7.ſwords are in their lips, they ſay who doth hear?
2. When the Accuſed, through their abject condition, know not where to have right, though they know they have wrong. Pro. 30.10Accuſe not a ſervant to his Maſter leſt he curſe thee, and thou be found guilty, that is, leſt he tell God, when he can get no right of Man.
3. When the Magiſtrate is traduced, as David by Abſolom: for It is written, Acts 23.5.Thou ſhalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people. Num. 12.8.And ſaith God, Wherefore were ye not affraid to ſpeak againſt my ſervant Moſes?
4 When a Miniſter is ſlandered, as Ahimelech to Saul, Acts 24.5.or Paul by Tertullus, We have found this man a peſtilent fellow, and a mover of ſedition; the old calumny on Gods faithfull Miniſters, but new vamped, and ſo made uſe of to this day. So the Jews before Feſtus, Ch. 25. 7.laid many and and grievous complaints againſt Paul, which they could not prove. As God would have his Miniſters worthy of double honor, m. 15.he hath beſet their good name with a double hedg. Ver. 19.Againſt an Elder recieve not an Accuſation, but before two or three witneſſes: which he ſpeaks of the Elder that rules well and that labors in the Word and Doctrine. The dishonor of his perſon is a diſadvantage to his Doctrine; therefore the accuſation which was not to be determined againſt others, muſt not be ſo much as recieved againſt him without two or three witneſſes. And if theſe things be ſo, who ſhall anſwer for the obloquies and reproaches that are caſt as dirt in the face, not onelyonly of Magiſtrates and Miniſters, but even of Magiſtracy and Miniſtery it ſelf in this evil and adulterous generation, wherein are ſprung up ſo many curſed Chams, whoſe great delight is to ſee or ſhew the nakedneſs of Gods Noahs, Gen. 9, 23 29though their fathers in a Theological ſenſe.
Finally, on the other hand we may greatly ſin by ſilence and non-informing.
1 When our Informing of evil intended may prevent its being committed, for which end a David, a Magiſtrate, may maintain an Huſhai, an honeſt ſpy, in the Camp of an Abſalom, with charge to ſend him every thing he can hear. 2 Sam. 13.56.If thou forbear to deliver them that are ready to be ſlain, if thou ſayeſt, behold, Prov. 25.11 12. Eſt. 2, 21, &c.we knew it not, doth not he that pondereth the heart conſider? Thus Mordecai for informing againſt Bigthana and Tereſh two trayterous aſſaſſinates was as honorably rewarded as they were ſhamefully executed by the juſt command of King Ahaſhueroſh.Chap. 6.
2 When our informing is neceſſary for the reforming of the offenders, thus good Joſeph brought the evil report of his brethren to his Father, Gen. 37.2and thoſe of the houſhold of Chloe, the Schiſmes of the Church of Corinth to Pauls eares.
3 When it is neceſſary for the juſt puniſhment of crying offences,Matth. 18.31. Thus the ſervants complain to their Maſter of his cruelty, who refuſed to have patience with his fellow ſervant for two hundred pence, after his Maſter had forgiven him ten thouſand tallents. Concealment in ſome caſes makes other mens ſins ours, as mispriſion of treaſon is treaſon. And I have obſerved as too common a fault in private profeſſors, their aptneſs to find fault if thoſe evils that themſelves ſee or hear be not puniſhed, while they neglect to lend the Magiſtrate (as they ought) their eys and ears; for who can think he ſhould be able to ſee or hear all with his own?
4 When it is neceſſary for the glorifying of God, and warning of others, that all Iſrael may hear and fear and do no more ſo wickedly.Deu. 13.11