The crucifying of the world

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 ⟨p. 143⟩never so false, that sure there is some truth in it, or else such a learned well-esteemed man, would never have reported it. So that if Satan can get but one tongue or pen of a learned man in credit to slander you, its ten to one but he will get many hundred ears and hearts to drink in the venom, and either to believe it, or entertain uncharitable suspicions of you; and as many tongues to divulge the report (though with pretended compassion and charity) to taint the minds of others with the same infection▪ It may be those very learned men whom you admire, and whose esteem you are sinfully ambitious of, may be given over to set them against you, with the most malicious shameless calumnies, and lay to your charge the things that never entered into your thoughts, and the things that you never did nor spoke; for a better man then you was so served, Psal. 35. 11, 12. They laid to my charge the things which I knew not, they rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul.] Thus did false witnesses rise up against him, even such for whom he had humbled his soul, and mourned in their affliction, and behaved himself to them as his brethren and friends: yet, saith he, Vers. 15, 16. [In my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together, yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not, they did tear me, and ceased not: with hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.]

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 joyn you with this or that Heresie, which they perceive to be odious with those they speak to: and so they will do more by reproachfull 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 bitteerst censures behind your back: And the hearers will think, be it