Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 96 – Section 99
§ 96.
3 THirdly, drunkards cenſure and ſlander ſuch as are ſober and conſcionable, to incite and ſtirre up others to doe the like: as thoſe ancient enemies of the Goſpell, clad the Martyrs in the skinnes of wild beaſts, to animate the Dogs to teare them: which is an old and cunning practice of theirs.
We reade that Maximinus ſet certaine vile perſons on worke, to accuſe the Chriſtians of heinous crimes, that ſo he might perſecute them, with more ſhew of Reaſon: and what any one of them does, is a law to the reſt. For as one Dog ſets many Dogs on barking; or as one Beacon ſet on fire, occaſions many to be kindled: ſo one tongue ſet on fire from Hell, (as St. Iames ſpeakes) ſets many others on fire.
The ignorant multitude (as if, And the multitude like a flack of ſheepe if they ſee but one take a wrong way all the reſt will followwhich the Zigantes, they fed onelyonly upon Apes fleſh) are juſt like ſo many Apes, which will imitate any thing they ſee others doe, though it be to the cutting off a lim: they are like a Kennell of hounds, for if they but heare a good man cenſured, ſlandered, or but nicke-named, Puritane, they runne away with the Crye, and barke out the terme againſt every honeſt man they meete, to the diſgraceing even of vertue and true Religion.
The force of Example prevaileth ſtrongly to produce the likeneſſe of manners in any; much more with that ignorant fry, the multitude, who can ſcarcely diſcerne betweene their right hand and their left, as it fared with thoſe ſix ſcore thouſand Ninivites, Iona, 4.11. And whoſe judgments are ſo light, that (like Philetas Chous, Of which many examples.who was faine to tye lead to his heeles, or the bird Cepphus) every leaſt wind that blowes, is enough to carry them away: for like a flocke of ſheepe, which if they ſee but one take a wrong way, all the reſt will follow, and it's eaſier to drive a flock of them, then one ſingle, as Cato Cenſorius once ſpake of the Romans. As for example, let Corah but kindle a fire of conſpiracy, two hundred and fifty Captaines will bring wood to encreaſe it; let but Demetrius the Silverſmith begin a quarrell againſt Paul and his companions, for preaching againſt Idolatry; when he perceiveth his profit to ceaſe, and his craft in danger to be ſet at nought, all the workemen of like occupation will joyne with him, and others with them, till the whole City be filled with uproare and confuſion, every one taking Diana's part, and not one taking part with God, Act, 19.23. to 41. you know a ſtone throwne into the water, makes of it ſelfe but one circle, but that one begets a hundred: in a word, if but ſome godleſſe perſons in Sodom aſſault juſt Lot, and his two Angells, before night all the men of the City, from the young even to the old, from all quarters, will compaſſe the houſe round about, revile him, and ſeeke to breake open the dore upon him, yea, though they are ſtrucken with blindneſſe, they will ſtill perſiſt, till they have wearied themſelves, and feele fire and brimſtone about their eares, Gen. 19.4. to 25.
We give but a touch here (when we could be large) for I ſpeake to thoſe that underſtand; and plaine things, which our ſelves are dayly witneſſes of, neede no proofe. It is but too well knowne how many blaſpheme and perſecute the Godly, becauſe they ſee others doe ſo; as many will yawne, when they ſee others yawne; and make water, when they ſee others doe ſo before them; that moſt men yeeld themſelves (like dead Images, or engines) to be mooved onelyonly with the wheeles of custome and example.
Like ſo many fooles, they know their heads are inſufficient to direct them, and therefore they reſolve that cuſtome ſhall: whence it is that we are cenſured, laughed to ſcorne, and counted ſilly fooles of the greateſt number, that we are made the But of every ones malice, and the ſubject of all their diſcourſe: for ſhould the world be barred this practice, ſhould we, or could we gag people from cenſuring, talebearing, ſlandering, detractions, &c. there would be ſilence at our boards, ſilence at our fire ſides, ſilence in the Taverne, ſilence on the way, ſilence in the Barbers ſhop, in the Mill, in the Market, every where ſilence, yea, our very Goſſips would have nothing to whiſper.
Indeed, every viſible act of vice, ſhould be our encouragement to vertue; but woe is me, we are Ceſternes to ſinne, Sives to grace.
§ 97.
FOurthly, 4 That they may mitigate their owne ſhamewith our diſcredit.our infamous drunkards cenſure and ſlander us, that they may mitigate their owne ſhame, with our diſcredit; having loſt their owne, they ſo vex, if they heare or meete another which hath got a good name, that preſently they will ſet upon him, and ſeeke by all meanes to take it away, as Panus having loſt his Boate, ſued every one for it that he met.
Their cunning is to condemne others, that themſelves may be juſtified: as Caligula tooke off the heads from the images of the gods, to ſet up his owne: or as Merchants, who to raiſe the prices of their owne commodities, beate downe the prices of others: we know the twinkling ſtarres at the approach of the Sunne loſe their light, and after regaine it not, untill darkeneſſe be upon the deepe.
Bad natures, whom they cannot reach by imitation, they will endeavour to doe by detraction: and doe ſo in ſome meaſure, for by making vertue contemptible, and depraving the Godly, they ſeeme to be upon the ſame ground with them; being out of hope to attaine to the vertues of the Religious, they ſeeke to come at even hand, yea, have the better, by depreſſing them: for like Gameſters at play, what the one loſeth, the other wins; or like two buckets in a Well, as the one dryeth, the other dippeth. Yea, their dealing with us, is like that of a Theife, who meeting with a full purſe, not onelyonly takes it away, but returnes a ſtab.
Pride was ever envious and contumelious; thinking ſhe adds ſo much to her owne reputation; as ſhe detracts from others. And is it not good policy, for a ſwiniſh drunkard, or a beaſtly liver, to fling dirt in a holy mans face, ſeeing any colour ſeemes the fairer, when blacke is by?
But let theſe depravers take heede, leaſt imitating the fact of Cenſor Fulvius (who as the Heathens feigne, untiled Iuno's Temple, to cover his owne houſe) they partake not of the like judgement, runne mad and dye deſpairing.
§ 98.
FIftly, 5 They traduce us becauſe they cannot otherwiſe hurt us.theſe drunkards ſpeake evill of us, becauſe they can not doe evill unto us; and traduce us, becauſe they cannot otherwiſe hurt us.
Becauſe the Law binds their hands, they will be ſmiting with their tongues; and becauſe they dare not ſmite us on the mouth, (as Annanias ſerved Paul, Act. 23.2.) they will ſmite us with the mouth, which is as bad, or worſe. For as theſe ſpitting Adders wil ſmite their ſtings very deepe; ſo their wounds are commonly incureable.
Many particular perſons know to their ſmart, A ſlander once raiſed will ſcarce ever dye.that a ſlander once raiſed will ſcarſe ever dye, whereas truth hath much a doe to bee believed, a lye runs far, before it can be ſtayed; yea ſo far, that even death it ſelf, which delivereth a man from all other enemies, is not able to deliver him from this of the tongue. A report once comming into the mouth of the vulgar, whether true, or falſe, like wild-fire, can never be quenched; why? report and heare-ſay is the alone Oracle of the common people, and what they ſpeake, is hard to diſprove, would any undertake the ſame; for it is the jealous mans miſery, hee may prove his wife falſe, hee can never prove her true; beſides, the evill minded would have it true, and what men would have to be, they are apt to believe.
Yea, in this caſe a wicked drunkard will beleeve that to bee true, which lately hee knew to bee falſe; for a lyer may tell his lyes ſo often, till in the end, hee forgets that himſelf was the deviſer and ſo believeth them himſelf; wherin men are parties, they are apt to be partiall.
But this is not all the miſchiefe, for their evill reports will increaſe, as well as continue: a mans good name is like a milkwhite Ball, Tea the ſlander is increaſed.that will infinitely gather ſoyle in toſſing: for this is there manner, one, begins a whiſper; another, makes it a report; a third, enlargeth it to a dangerous calumny; a fourth, adds ſomewhat of his own, the which is augmented and divulged for a truth by a thouſand. So that as a ſtone caſt into a pond, begets circle upon circle: or as a little Ball rowled in the Snow, gathers it ſelfe to a great lump: ſo the report that is but a little ſparke of fire at the firſt, proves a great flame, by that it hath paſt through many mouths. Or admit the beſt that can come, I am ſure a man once wounded in his good name, is ſeldome cured, without skarres of ſuſpicion: as fine linnen being once ſtained with black Inke, though it be waſh'd never ſo, will retaine an Iron-mould ever after.
O the malice and miſchiefe of aſlanderer, The ſinue and puniſh ment of a ſ…anderer.for he not only woundeth the party of whom he ſpeaks, but the party likewiſe to whom hee ſpeakes, if hee either raſhly believes it, or is delighted in hearing it, or further divulgeth it, or doth not defend the abſent wronged party; ſo ſlaying three at once, with the one Arrow of his viperous and venimous tongue, himſelfe being one of the number, as Luther well obſerves: wherein hee puts downe Menelaus, that Romane Archer, in the warres betweene Constantius and Magnantius; for although hee could ſhoote three Arrowes at once at one loofe, and therewith wound three at the leaſt, yet he could kill but one, with one Arrow.
Yea, in caſe this ſlander ſpreades it ſelfe; the firſt relater may have to anſwer for the ſinnes of a thouſand, wherefore no marvaile if after thoſe words, Deut. 27 24. Curſed be he that ſmiteth his neighbour ſecretly, it bee added, and let all the people ſay, Amen: no marvaile if, Pſalm. 101.5. it be written, him that privily ſlandereth his neighbour, will I deſtroy.
§ 99.
SIxthly, 6 They must doe what Sathan will …nvethem.drunkards traduce and ſlander us, becauſe they muſt doe what Sathan will have them: yea, it is hee that ſpeaketh by them, as once he did by the Serpent; neither could hee ſpeake for want of a tongue, if it were not for wicked men. A calumny, ſaith one of the Fathers, is the Divel's mind, in the mouth of a man, his Arrow, ſhot by mans Bow; he lendeth him his lyes and malice, and borroweth his tongue to utter them, becauſe the Divell wants a tongue: heare this all yee, whoſe tongues runnes ſo faſt on the Divells errand; it is but his heart in your lippes.
The accuſer of the bretheren makes uſe of wicked men, to traduce thoſe, whom hee cannot ſeduce as hee deſireth: he makes them drunke with malice, as well as with Wine, and they ſpew out curſing and ſlander againſt ſuch as are better, or would have them better then ver they meanes to be, Mat. 5.44. whence it is, that the Divell is not more blackemouthed then a ſlanderer; nor a ſlanderer leſſe malicious than the Divell, Ioh. 8.44 where they are proved his children, and hee their father.
Yea, they ſhew themſelves to be of the ſame houſe, The receiver as bad … as the talebearer.who eaſily and willingly believe their ſlanders, neither doth Sathan leſſe profit, or advantage himſelfe by them. For firſt, while he fils their eares, he kills their ſoules, as one of the Fathers hath it. Secondly, as he which reports a ſlander, hath the Divell in his tongue: ſo hee that receives it, hath the Divell in his eare, as Bernard excellently; the one, is the Foot-poſt, and meſſenger of Sathan; the other is the Recorder or Regiſter of Hel: and were their no receivers in this kinde, there would bee no theeves; if ſome had not itching eares to heare falſe rumours, others would not have ſcratching tongues, like the pens of Libellers, to make and move them; for ſee we not, that the leaſt check or frowne of a ſtander by, will ſilence the barking tongue: and indeed, had they both their due, tale-bearers ſhould be hanged by their tongues, and tale hearers by their eares, as Plautus ſpeaks. And ſo I have given you the ſubordinate reaſons, the principall follow.