Circumspect Walking, Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII.
Rules to carry our selues wisely towards euill men, euilly affected to vsus.
IF men bee not onelyonly euill in themselues, but also to vsus, then it is either in euill purposes, or in euill practices against vsus.
If they purpose euill,Rules how to carry our selues to our enemies. then our Sauiours rule is, Beware of men, Mat. 10. 17. for they will deliuer you vp to the Councels. By men, our Sauiour meanes those whom in the former words hee calleth woolues, that desire to make a prey and spoile of the sheepe of Christ, and in his caueat aduiseth, 1. Wisely to preuent the plots1. Wisely preuent their plots and traines of vngodly men, discreetly to preuent our owne trouble so neere as we can. How wisely did Iaacob preuent the fury of his brother Esau? And as they watch to traduce vsus, so must wee watch to cut off occasions of entrapping; Luk. 6. 7. the Scribes and Pharisies watched whether Christ would heale on the Sabbath day or no, to find accusation against him; our Sauiour for all this omitted not to do good, but in doing it by his question vntounto them cut off so farre as he could, the matter of their malice by clearing the lawfulnesse of it. So must wee: And yet prepare stoutly to beare whatsoeuer the Lord measureth out by them.
2. Our Sauiour would hauehave vsus wisely decline their fury,2. Decline their fury. not without cause prouoking them: It is no wisedome to prouoke an euill man: It is no good discretion to stirre vp a Lyon, to take a Beare by the tooth, or a dogge by the eares. For they desire nothing more, than matter to stirre vp their corruption by: So H…zekiah commanded his seruants not to answer Rabseca one word. 3. Ioyn with serpentine wisedome,3. Ioin with serpentine wisedome, innocency of Doues. innocencie of doues, Mat. 10. 16. Nothing more vexeth & vanquisheth an aduersary than innocency: no better brestplate than righteousnesse. But if a man had the innocency of Christ himselfe, the aduersary will watch aduantages, and play vponupon a mans simplicity: therefore ioyne serpentine wisdome, as Paul did, Act. 23. 6. he testified his innocencie, and that with all good conscience he serued God till that day▪ but what tell you Ananias of doues innocency? he commands to strike him on the mouth: the more innocent, the lesse endured; he fared the worse for that: and therefore he ioynes in season serpentine wisedome; for, perceiuing his greatest enemies to be Pharisies and Sadduces, he professeth himselfe a Pharisie, and the sonne of a Pharisie, and that he was brought in danger for the hope of the resurrection which the Sadduces denied; and so casting a bone betweene them, and setting them by the eares, hee escaped betweene them.
4. Out of their malice we should draw our owne good,4. Out of their euill draw som… good. so warily to carry our selues towards them, as that wee may finde that of the heathen true, An enemy often hurteth lesse, and profiteth more than many friends. Wee must both in their absence, and presence especially, take heed we doe not disaduantage our selues. It was some disaduantage to Paul, when in the Councell (although hee was prouoked, and vniustly smitten) hee called the high Priest whited wall: he was glad to excuse it by his ignorance. We may not be to bold, or too forward to speake in a good matter.
5. If euill men hauehave done vsus harm, and wrongfully molested and persecuted vsus,Hauing receiued wrong from them doe three things. our rule is, 1. In respect of them, to pitty, pardon, and pray for them. If we doe them good, wee shal either ouercome their euill with goodnesse, or heap coales on their heads. 2. In respect of our selues, possesse our soules with patience, and shew meeknesse and moderation, and say as Dauid in Shimei his rayling, It may be the Lord will doe me good for his cursing of mee this day. 3. In respect of our duty, still to shew an vndaunted constancy, and resolution for the truth and all good wayes: 1 Pet. 3. 14, 15. If ye suffer for righteousnesse, blessed are ye; but feare not, neither be troubled, but sanctifie the Lord in your hearts, and bee ready alwayes to giuegive an answer to eueryevery man that asketh a reason of your hope.
Thus farre of the rules of Christian wisdome: of which I may say with Moses, Deut. 4. 5. 6. These are the rules and ordinances: keepe them, and doe them: for this is your wisedome.