The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

1. It must not be a conjecture, or imagination, or jealousy, or rumour, or hear-say that's ground sufficient for Reproof: for all these may be false, and the Rule of Charity is, quisquc praesumitur esse bonus nisi constat de malo — but verily the guise of the world is far otherwise; we deal with our Brethren as the persecuting Pagans did with the Primitive Christians put them into Lions skin, and into Bear skins and then bait them, and tear them to pieces. Alas! the poor Christians were harmless, meek Lambs, but they disguised them, and so abused them. Thus 'tis now, Christians are apt and ready to put their poor Brethren into I know not what kind of monstrous, ugly shapes, of their own imagining, and devising, or else of other mens traducing and reporting, and without more ado, they fall soul upon them; This is not to imitate our Saviour, Isa, 11.2, 3, 4. — Not from rumours — but with righteousness and equity, as God said in destroying of Sodom, so should we say in reproving our Brethren, Gen. 18.21. I will go down and see.

1. It must not be a conjecture, or imagination, or jealousie, or rumour, or hear-say that's ground sufficient for Reproof: for all these may be false, and the Rule of Charity is, quisquc praesumitur esse bonus nisi constat de malo — but verily the guise of the world is far otherwise; wee deal with our Brethren as the persecuting Pagans did with the Primitive Christians put them into Lions skin, and into Bear skins and then bait them, and tear them to peeces. Alas! the poor Christians were harmless, meek Lambs, but they disguised them, and so abused them. Thus 'tis now, Christians are apt and ready to put their poor Brethren into I know not what kinde of monstrous, ugly shapes, of their own imagining, and devising, or else of other mens traducing and reporting, and without more ado, they fall soul upon them; This is not to imitate our Saviour, Isa, 11.2, 3, 4. — Not from rumours — but with righteousness and equity, as God said in destroying of Sodome, so should we say in reproving our Brethren, Gen. 18.21. I will go down and see.