_Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Trusts and Secrets._
_Quest._ I. How are we forbidden to put our trust in man? And how may it be done?
_Answ._ 1. You must not trust man for more than his proportion, and what belongs to man to do: you must not expect that from him which God alone can do. 2. You must not trust a bad, unfaithful man to do that which is proper to a good and faithful man to do. 3. You must not trust the best man, being imperfect and fallible, as fully as if you supposed him perfect and infallible: but having to do with a corrupted world, we must live in it with some measure of distrust to all men (for all that Cicero thought this contrary to the laws of friendship). But especially ignorant, dishonest, and fraudulent men must be most distrusted. As Bucholtzer said to his friend that was going to be a courtier, _Commendo tibi fidem diabolorum, crede et contremisce_: he that converseth with diabolical men, must believe them no further than is due to the children of the father of lies. But we must trust men as men, according to the principles of veracity that are left in corrupted nature; and we must trust men so far as reason showeth us cause, from their skill, fidelity, honesty, or interest: so a surgeon, a physician, a pilot may be trusted with our lives: and the skilfuller and faithfuller any man is, the more he is to be trusted.
_Quest._ II. Whom should a man choose for a matter of trust?
_Answ._ As the matter is: one that hath wisdom, skill, and fidelity, through conscience, honesty, friendship, or his own apparent interest.
_Quest._ III. In what cases may I commit a secret to another?
_Answ._ When there is a necessity of his knowing it, or a greater probability of good than hurt by it, in the evidence which a prudent man may see.
_Quest._ IV. What if another commit a thing to me with charge of secrecy, and I say nothing to him, and so promise it not; am I bound to secrecy in that case?
_Answ._ If you have cause to believe that he took your silence for consent, and would not else have committed it to you, you are obliged in point of fidelity, as well as friendship: except it be with robbers, or such as we are not bound to deal openly with, and on terms of equality.
_Quest._ V. What if it be a secret, but I am under no command or promise at all about it?
_Answ._ You must then proceed according to the laws of charity and friendship; and not reveal that which is to the injury of another, without a greater cause.
_Quest._ VI. What if it be against the king, or state, or common good?
_Answ._ You are bound to reveal it, so far as the safety of the king, or state, or common good requireth it; yea, though you swear the contrary.
_Quest._ VII. What if it be only against the good of some third ordinary person.
_Answ._ You must endeavour to prevent his wrong, either by revealing the thing, or dissuading from it, or by such means as prudence shall tell you are the meetest, by exercising your love to one, without doing wrong to the other.
_Quest._ VIII. What if a man secretly intrust his estate to me, for himself or children, when he is in debt, to defraud his creditors?
_Answ._ You ought not to take such a trust: and if you have done it, you ought not to hold it, but resign it to him that did intrust you. Yea, and to disclose the fraud, for the righting of the creditors, except it be in such a case as that the creditor is some such vicious or oppressing person, as you are not obliged to exercise that act of charity for; or when the consequents of revealing it will be a greater hurt, than the righting of him will compensate; especially when it is against the public good.
_Quest._ IX. What if a delinquent intrust me with his estate or person to secure it from penalty?
_Answ._ If it be one that is prosecuted by a due course of justice, _cujus pœna debetur reipublicæ_, whose punishment the common good requireth, the case must be decided as the former: you must not take nor keep such a trust. But if it be one whose repentance giveth you reason to believe, that his impunity will be more to the common good than his punishment, and that if the magistrate knew it, he ought to spare or pardon him, in this case you may conceal his person or estate; so be it you do it not by a lie, or any other sinful means, or such as will do more hurt than good.
_Quest._ X. What if a friend intrust me with his estate to secure it from some great taxes or tributes to the king? May I keep such a trust or not?
_Answ._ No: if they be just and legal taxes, for the maintenance of the magistrate or preservation of the commonwealth: but if it be done by a usurper that hath no authority, (or done without or beyond authority, the oppressing of the subject,) you may conceal his estate or your own by lawful means.
_Quest._ XI. What if a man that suffereth for religion, commit his person or estate to my trust?