The white devilThe white deuil

I might here first lead you into the distinction of sins, secondly, or traverse the Indictment with Judas, whereby he accuseth Mary, justifying her action convincing his slander. thirdly, or discover to you the foulness of rash judgement, which often sets a rankling tooth into virtues side; often calls chastity her self an harlot, and with a guilty hand throws the first stone at Innocence.

I might heer first lead you into the distinction of sinnes, secondly, or trauerse the Inditement with Iudas, whereby he accuseth Mary, iustifying her action conuincing his slander. thirdly, or discouer to you the fowlnesse of rash iudgement, which often sets a rankling tooth into vertues side; often cals chastitie her selfe an harlot, and with a guiltie hand throwes the first stone at Innocence.

But that which I fasten on, is the power and force of example: ⟨p. 5⟩Judas with a false weight sets all the wheels of their tongues a going: the steward hath begun a health to the poor, and they begin to pledge him round. Authority shows it self in this, to beget a likeness of manners: Tutum èst peccare autoribus illis: It is safe sinning after such authors: if the Steward say the word, the fiat of consent goes round. Imperio maximus, exemplo major^*. He that is greatest in his government, is yet greater in his precedent. A great mans livery is countenance enough, to keep drunkenness from the stocks, whoredom from the post, murder and stealth from the gallows: such double sinners shall not escape with single judgements: such leprous and contagious spirits, shall answer to the justice of God, not only for their own sins, but for all theirs, whom the pattern of their precedency hath induced to the like, to the like, said I? nay, to worse: for if the master drink (ad plenitudinē) to fullness, the seruant will (ad ebrietatē) to madness: the imitation of good comes for the most part short of the pattern, but the imitation of ill exceeds the example: a great mans warrant is like a charm or spell, to keep quick and stirring spirits within the circle of combined mischief: a Superiors example is like strong or strange physic, that ever works the servile patients to a likeness of humours, of affections: thus when the mother is an