Another corrupt Effect of Hatred is a sinister and crooked suspicion, whereby with an envious and critical Eye we search into the actions and purposes of another; and according as is the sharpness of our own wits, or the course of our own behaviour and practices, we attribute unto them such ends as were haply never framed but in the forge of our own brains: Evil men ⟨p. 158⟩being herein like Vultures, which can receive none but a foul Sent. It is attributed amongst one of the noble Attributes of Love, that it Thinketh none Evil: and certainly, there is not a fouler quality against Brotherly Love, than that which (for the satisfying of it self in (but the Imaginary Evil of him whom it disliketh) will venture to find out in every action some close impiety, and pierce into the reserved and hidden passages of the heart: like him in the Philosopher, who thought where ever he went, that he saw his own Picture walk before him. And there fore we see how Agrippina when she would not discover any show of Fear or Hatred towards her Son Ner•, who had at the first plotted her death on the Sea; and that failing, sent the second time Anicaetus the Centurion to make sure work, did in both these practices decline all show of suspicion, and not acknowledge either the Engine or the Murder to be directed by him. Solum Insidiar•m remedium aspiciens, si non intelligerentur. 1Supposing the only remedies of these plots to be, if she seemed not to understand them. For ill meanings do not love to be found out. As the same Historian telleth us of Tiberius, Acrius accepit recludi quae premeret: Hee hated that man who would venture to dive into his thoughts. And certainly there is not any crooked Suspicion which is not rooted in Hatred. For as to think the worst of our own Actions, is a sign of Hatred to our sins (for I think no man loves his sins who dares search them:) so ⟨p. 159⟩contrariwise to have an humour of casting the worst glosses upon the Actions of another Man, where there is not palpable dissimulation, argues as great a want of Love. We search for Evil in our selves to expel it; but we search for evil in another to find it. There is scarce a more hateful quality in the eyes of God or Man, than that of the Herodians, to lye in wait to catch an innocent man, and then to accuse him.
Another corrupt Effect of Hatred is a sinister and crooked suspition, whereby with an envious and criticall Eye we search into the actions and purposes of another; and according as is the sharpnesse of our owne wits, or the course of our owne behaviour and practices, we attribute unto them such ends as were haply never framed but in the forge of our owne braines: Evill men ⟨p. 158⟩being herein like Vultures, which can receive none but a foule Sent. It is attributed amongst one of the noble Attributes of Love, that it Thinketh none Evill: and certainly, there is not a fouler quality against Brotherly Love, than that which (for the satisfying of it selfe in (but the Imaginary Evill of him whom it disliketh) will venture to finde out in every action some close impiety, and pierce into the reserved and hidden passages of the heart: like him in the Philosopher, who thought where ever hee went, that hee saw his owne Picture walke before him. And there fore we see how Agrippina when she would not discover any shew of Feare or Hatred towards her Sonne Ner•, who had at the first plotted her death on the Sea; and that fayling, sent the second time Anicaetus the Centurion to make sure worke, did in both these practices decline all shew of suspition, and not acknowledge either the Engine or the Murther to be directed by him. Solum Insidiar•m remedium aspiciens, si non intelligerentur. 1Supposing the onely remedies of these plots to bee, if shee seemed not to understand them. For ill meanings doe not love to be found out. As the same Historian telleth us of Tiberius, Acrius accepit recludi quae premeret: Hee hated that man who would venture to dive into his thoughts. And certainly there is not any crooked Suspition which is not rooted in Hatred. For as to thinke the worst of our owne Actions, is a signe of Hatred to our sinnes (for I thinke no man loves his sinnes who dares search them:) so ⟨p. 159⟩contr•riwise to have an humour of casting the worst glosses upon the Actions of another Man, where there is not palpable dissimulation, argues as great a want of Love. Wee seach for Evill in our selves to expell it; but wee search for evill in another to finde it. There is scarse a more hatefull quality in the eyes of God or Man, than that of the Herodians, to lye in wait to catch an innocent man, and then to accuse him.
- 1Tacit. A•al. lib •4.
