A Golden Chain

Thou shalt not diminish or hurt the good name and estimation of thy neighbour.

Here is forbidden: I. Envy, disdain of others, desire of a mans own glory. 1. Tim. 6.4. He is puffed up, and knoweth nothing, but doteth about questions, and strife of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings. 1. Pet. 2.1. Wherefore, laying aside all maliciousness, and envy and all guile, and evil speaking. Math. 21.15. But when the chief Priests and Scribes saw the marvels that he did, and the children crying in the Temple, and saying, Hosanna the son of David, they disdained. II. Evil suspicions. 1. Tim. 6.4. 1. Sam. 17.28. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men, and Eliab was angry with David, and said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the malice of thine heart. Act. 28.4. Now when the Barbarians saw the worm hang on his hand; they said among themselves. This man surely is a murderer, whom though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance hath not suffered to live. Here are condemned, hard censures and sinister judgements against our neighbour. Matth. 7. 1. Judge not; that ye be not judged. 2. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. These judgements which Christ forbiddeth, are private and reproachful or slanderous judgements: namely, when either a good or an indifferent action is interpreted to the worse part: or ⟨image 54⟩