The crucifying of the world

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.

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 hereticall; and their own errours may perswade 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.

Its possible also that their Interests and yours may clash, and they may be tempted to tread your reputation in the dirt, as a necessary means for the maintaining of their own: Especially if in a faction, they find you of a party which they are engaged against, whatever you are your selves, you must bear the reproaches of your party; and it will be crime enough to be one of that side which they abhor. And its likely they will not want engines to execute their wrathful zeal. Perhaps they will have some nick-name of reproach for you, and join you with this or that Heresy, which they perceive to be odious with those they speak to: and so they will do more by reproachful names and titles, then they could do by plain argument, or any ingenuous course. At least its likely they will not be wanting in the bitterest censures behind your back: And the hearers will think, be it