The crucifying of the world

Yea if it be reputation with Godly men that you dote upon, its possible that the tongues even of godly men may become your scourge. Sometimes their ears lie open to the slanders that worser men have raised, and they think it no great sin to report the reproaches which they have heard from others: And sometime through Temptations and the remnant of their corruptions, they are ready to be the principal authors themselves. If you differ from them in any opinion in which they expect reputation themselves, or if you contradict them, or stand in the way of ⟨p. 142⟩their sinful designs and ends, o• any way diminish their honour with men, you may possibly find that you had but a slippery standing in their esteem. Even godly men in passion may offer you as base indignities as others, and may tread down your desired reputation the more successfully, by how much their credit is stronger then other mens, to carry on their reports. For if one that is esteemed godly do accuse you, the most will think they are obliged to believe it, & to say, [Such or such a godly person spoke it] doth seem to many enough to warrant the spreading of the falsest reports to your disgrace.

Or if it be your honour in the eyes of Ministers, and learned men, that you inordinately regard, perhaps you may find from some of them that their learning doth but make them the more skilful in abusing you, and the keener instruments to prick you to the heart, and to cut in pieces that reputation which you overvalued: You shall be reproached more learnedly by them then by others▪ and slandered a great deal more cunningly, and so with more success. They may perhaps differ from you in some points of judgement; and so may think that they do God service by proclaiming you to be erroneous or heretical; and their own errors may persuade them that it is their duty to defame you, and accuse you of the guilt which is indeed their own: Like a man that hath a stinking breath, and thinks it is not his own but his companions, and therefore runs out of his company, and tells him he cannot abide his breath.