The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

So the Ziphims David had done them great good, and defended them against the Philistines, but now because they saw this was only the way to carry favour in the court, to bring some tales concerning David, therefore they come to Saul and tell him David is in such a place, this was no lie. But it was most slanderously and wickedly done to blab out the truth to such an ill end, and with so little discretion, when so ill a thing must needs ensue upon it as at the least the persecution, if not the destruction of an harmless man. So now a days some men there be, that if they know any private fault, or particular and secret sin by any man, then without any regard of time and place, they proclaim their neihgbours infirmities to the wide world, & care not before what company, among what persons, they blaze out ones weakness, and then if they be reproved, they exult and say, this is true I tell no lie, and I will not be ashamed of the truth▪ yet a wise man would be ashamed to speak the truth foolishly and unwisely when it should do harm, and no good, and he would consider that a man might often sin more in foolish and untimely pouring out these things that he knows to be true, with an ill intent, then if through infirmity they should speak an untruth with desire and purpose to God. As the Ziphims and Doeg were greater breakers of this commandment, and more foul and shameless liars then Rahab that told an untruth to save the spies, because her end was good though she failed in the manner of it, but their end was altogether naught and sinful.

So the Ziphims Dauid had done them great good, and defended them against the Philistines, but now because they saw this was only the way to carrie fauor in the court, to bring some tales concerning Dauid, therefore they come to Saul and tell him Dauid is in such a place, this was no lie. But it was most slaunderously and wickedly done to blab out the truth to such an ill end, and with so little discretion, when so ill a thing must needs insue vpon it as at the least the persecution, if not the destruction of an harmelesse man. So now a daies some men there be, that if they know any priuate fault, or particular and secret sinne by any man, then without any regard of time and place, they proclaime their neihgbours infirmities to the wide world, & care not before what company, among what persons, they blaze out ones weakenesse, and then if they be reprooued, they exult and say, this is true I tell no lie, and I will not be ashamed of the truth▪ yet a wise man would be ashamed to speak the truth foolishly and vnwisely when it should doe harme, and no good, and he would consider that a man might often sinne more in foolish and vntimely powring out these things that he knowes to be true, with an ill entent, then if through infirmity they should speake an vntruth with desire and purpose to God. As the Ziphims and Doeg were greater breakers of this commanndement, and more foule and shamelesse lyars then Rahab that told an vntruth to saue the spies, because her end was good though she fayled in the manner of it, but their ende was altogether naught and sinfull.