སྙི

fo funk, it would be much better for themselves as well as for the World, if they were out of Being. And as it is Natural to those Men who have any thing of Generousnefs and Ingenuity in their Tempers, above all things to Covet a Good-Name; So there is this great reafon why they fhould, namely, Because it is the chief Thing that makes Men ufeful in the World; and there are no fuch unprofitable or infignificant Creatures upon God's Earth, as thofe are who have lost their Reputation, or had never any to lofe. I mean by a Good-Name and Reputation, that of a Good-Man: Of a Man that hath imbibed good Principles, and is true to them: Of a Man Revering the Great God, and Fearing to break wilfully any of His Laws. That which either in the Sacred Writings, or in the Books of the Philofophers is called a Good-Name, is wholly Founded upon Good Morals. A Large Under Standing, fhrewdness of Wit and Parts, High Titles of Honour, &c. have, 'tis Confeffed, acquired to their Owners Great Names, but these alone never made any Man the Poffeffor of a G 0 0 D-Name.

Now fo far as any Man's Reputation, in reference to his Morals, is Eclipfed, fo much the lefs Capable doth he immediately become

of

of being Serviceable in his Generation. The lefs of a Good-Name any one hath, the fewer Opportunities and Advantages will he have, of being Beneficial to his Fellow-Creatures, either in their Temporal or Spiritual Concerns, but especially in their Spiritual. And as it is chiefly upon this account that a Good-Name ought to be fo Highly esteemed; So to Efteem it upon any other account, Jeparate from this, is nothing better than a Gratification of Animality or Fond Fancy. But this Confideration makes it highly reasonable to prize a Good-Name above Rubies, and above the Wealth of both the Indies, and to reckon our Sufferings herein in the number of the greatest Worldly Sufferings. So, it is manifeft, King David did, by divers Paffages in his Palms: As particularly in Pfal. 35. 11, 12. faith he, Falfe Witneffes did rife up against me, they laid to my charge things which I knew not (or which I was altogether Guiltless of) they rewarded me evil for good (or this Evil of Slander for all the good Services I have done them) to the Spoiling, or (as 'tis in our Old Translation) to the great discomfort of my Soul. And Pfal. 69. 19, 20. he thus Complains; Thou hast known my Reproach and my shame and my Dishonour, mine Ad

verfaries

verfaries are all before thee, Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of Heaviness. So that a Slanderer being a Robber of that which is defervedly fo Precious, or at least he alwayes being fo in his Endeavour, there was great reason why this Holy King fhould fo Abominate him, as we find by our Text he did: But,

2. As the Slanderer is thus highly Injurious to Those who are the Objects of his Slanders, fo is he the moft Peftilent Creature to the Community of which he is a Member. Those who invent Slanders, are the greatest Pests and Plagues to a Body Politique. They are continually stirring up Strife and Contention, Animofities and Emulation: And where these are, St. James tells us, There is Confufion, and every evil Work. One of these is fufficient to fet a whole Neighbourhood. together by the Ears, and a Few of them are enough to enflame a whole City, nay a whole Kingdom. King Solomon faith, Prov. 16. 27. An ungodly Man diggeth up Evil, and in his Lips there is a burning Fire. And St. Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 20. brings in Swellings and Tumults immediately after Backbitings and Whisperings. Which he had good reafon to do, fince thofe are the Natual Confequents and Effects of thefe. For

they

they not only fow Seeds of Divifion among the People, but beget a mutual Mif-understan ding between them and their Governours. These Backbitings and Whisperings render Governours jealous of their People, and the People as jealous of their Governours. Princes fee with other Mens Eyes, as they Act by other Mens Hands; and therefore 'tis the most difficult Thing, and even next to impoffible for them, ordinarily to difcern between Calumnies and True Stories. They have greater Matters alwayes to mind, than to have Leisure to Dive to the bottom of

thofe Reports that are brought to them. And therefore, no wonder if they are frequently Abused and Impofed upon; and fo, perfwaded to take fome for their Worst, who are in the number of their Best Subjects; and others for their Beft, who are really their Worst. And while the Slanderers are as Cunning and Dextrous as they are Wicked and Malicious, What can alwayes prevent this, and the horrible Mifchiefs occafioned thereby, but fuch a degree of Wisdom and Knowledg, as no where refides but in GOD himself?

Now King David had great reafon to refolve upon doing his Utmoft towards the Root

ing out of his Kingdom fuch People as These, when he knew them to be the great Inftruments of their Father the Devil, in making his Subjects uneafy to himself, and to one another, and himself too as uneafy unto them: When he knew that all good Order and Government, was inconfiftent with the Encouragement, or Toleration of fuch a Crew of vile Miscreants. When he was fo well aware, that let fuch pretend to what Loyalty they pleased, 'twas impoffible for him to have Naughtier Subjects than Thefe are.

Let us Confider what St. James faith of a Slandering Tongue, Ch. 3. v. 5. The Tongue is a little member, and boafteth great things; behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the Tongue is a Fire, a VVorld of Iniquity. So is the Tongue (or a Calumniating Backbiting Tongue) among our Members, that it defileth the whole Body, and it is fet on Fire of Hell.

Secondly, As Inventers of Slanders are the most Mischievous and Destructive fort of People; so, whilst they are neglected and let alone, they are the most Successful in their wicked Defigns. They are fo Successful, that what our

Proverb