A Preparative to Contention, Book · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Of the Malepertneſſe of certaine priuate and ignorant perſons, which preſume to cenſure the Prince, the Magiſtrates, the Miniſters, &c.
IT is right and meete that faults ſhould be reprooued, corrected,Euerie man is not to be a corrector or reproouer of other mens faults. or contemned, ſo farre, that neither heinous ſinnes in perſons, nor horrible inconueniences or miſchiefs in lawes, ſhould vnderunder tearmes of honeſtie and iuſtice, bee defended. Amici vitia ſiferas, facistua, If thou ſuffer the vices of thy friende (ſaith Seneca) thou makeſt them thine owne. He ſpeaketh of thoſe vices which no man by the Law of friendſhip, ſhould winke at in his deere friende. And Eraſmus in his Moria, will that the faults of our friendes ſhould be corrected,In lib. de amicit. alluding vntounto Cicero, who in his book of friendſhip, will hauehave nothing diſſembled in friendſhip. And indeede, he that in ſuch a caſe ſo winketh at the hainous offences of others,Leuit. 19.17. that he yeeldeth obſequie to the ſinner, committeth a double ſinne. This is the general law: Thou ſhalt in any wiſe rebuke thy neighbor, and ſuffer not ſinne to reſt vppon him: but thou ſhalt not hate him in thine hart. Euerie man is not meete to be a reprouer of others.Howbeit we be alſo taught, that it is not meete that therefore eueryevery priuate perſon ſhould be a fault finder, a reproouer, a correcter, a iudge of euerie law, of euerie perſon, of euerie offence, in eueryevery ſort, in euerie place, and as him liſteth, without diſcretion and difference: for then, how ſhould the law be anſwered, Honour father and mother? howe ſhould Peters rule be obſerued: LoueLove couereth the multitude of ſinnes? how ſhould the words of Chriſt be followed, Iudge not: condemne not? how ſhould Iames be vndeſtood, Bee not many maiſters (my brethren) knowing how that wee ſhall receiue the greater damnation: for in many things we ſin all? P. Berthor. in. 1. Sam. 24 5, 6. Item, de orig. Concil Nicen: ſub Conſtan. hiſto. Eccl. li. 10. ca. 1.The Emperour Conſtantine holding it vnlawfull for priuate men or inferiour perſons, to cenſure or iudge the Magiſtrates and Biſhoppes, cauſed all thoſe Libelles to be burned, which contained the accuſations of certaine Biſhoppes in a generall Councell. Indeed there be not many called to this function, much leſſe euerie perſon. Therefore albeit that Mardochai the Iew, was an eſpecall inſtrument appointed by the Lord to work with Heſther, the reuerſion of the kings commaundement,Exo. 18. Nom. 16.1. yet did it not become Haman to face hir preſumptuouſly. Though Iothro was heard in his good counſaile which hee gaue to Moſes, yet Dathan vrged him both vntimely and vniuſtly. And notwithſtanding the Prophet Nathan, and the prophet Gad, were ſpecially rayſed vp and ſent to Dauid by the Lord,Luth. in Eccl. ca. 10.20. to reproue him for his faults: it became not Michel (for all that) to mocke the king her huſband, and to call him foole. Nor was it meete and right, that malicious Shimei ſhould ſo vnreuerently rayle at the Lords Annointed, and curſe and checke him. For this buſineſſe belonged not onelyonly vntounto him, nor did he deale therin diſcreetely. Moreouer, to teach how vnſeemely a thing it is, either for children to note or diſplay their owne fathers faults, or for the inferiours to be iudges and correctours of their ſuperiours, the Scripture telleth, that Shem and Iaphet, Shem and Iaphet winked at and couered their fathers faults.the two ſonnes of Noah, did ſo diſſemble their fathers faults, that they did not onelyonly care, not to behold them; but alſo had great regarde to couer and conceale them and therefore they went towards him to couer him, their faces being turned away. And the ſame Scripture ſaith, that becauſe Cham had vnreuerently reuealed his fathers fault,Cham reuealed his fathers fault. he was much diſliked of his brethren, and of his father. Alſo the Poets tel, that one Actaeon for ſuch a thing was deuoured of his owne dogges;Actaeon deſcried the nakedneſſe of Diana. as a puniſhment meete for him that taketh pleaſure to deſcrie and diſplay other mens faults, eſpecially of them whome he ought to reuerence, honour, and obey.
2. Next, as wee ſhould not ſpeake wickedly though for Gods cauſe, ſo alſo in thoſe cauſes,In what ſort faults muſt be reprooued. in thoſe places, and of thoſe perſons, wherin it becommeth well Moſes himſelfe to be iealous, and Paul to be zealous, there ſhould be no curſed and vngodly ſpeeches vſed among true Chriſtians, either of them in authoritie and office, or of any other whatſoeuer. It is expreſſely forbidden in the law, that any man ſhould rayle vponupon the Gods: that is, vponupon the princes and magiſtrates, or to ſpeak euill of the ruler of the people. Eccl. 10.10.Which alſo Salomon intendeth when he ſaith: Curſe not the King, no, not in thy thought: Neither ſpeake euil of the rich, that is of the magiſtrate, in thy bedchāber.
VVhat to eſteeme of the Lawes, and how wee ſhould deale one with one another.According to the true meaning of that law, the Apoſtles of our Lord, Peter, Iames, Paul, and the Lord himſelf hauehave moſt prouidently taught & aduiſed vsus, aſwell by example, as by word, that we ſhuld ſpeak, iudge, and eſteem of the lawes, magiſtrates, and miniſters of the word, with great reuerence & regard. And with whomſoeuer we ſtriue, or of whomſoeuer we talk, our words ſhuld be ſo ſeaſoned & tempered, yt no note of bitter curſing paſſe our mouthes: & this Michael our cheefe captaine hath alſo taught vsus in his contention with the diuel, by the teſtimoby of S. Iude. Iudae. ver. 9.And that, as touching the infirmities & offences of priuate perſons, we that be Chriſtians, and ſhould immitate our maiſter,Priuate offences. muſt take heede, how we take on vsus haſtily to iudge of them, and ſo to condemne them: nay rather we ſhould by charity couer the multitude of ſins, and knowing our ſelues to be ſpiritual & ſtronger then ſome others, we ought neither to quip them with bitter ſcofs and vnſeemely taunts,Gal. 6.1.3. nor too rigorouſly reprehend & reproue them: but (as it is the propertie of the righteouſneſſe of faith and ſpiritual iuſtice) to beare with the weak, and gently to enforme and aſſay to reſtore them, as the Apoſtle Paul aduiſeth, whereto he addeth this reaſon, Leaſt thou alſo be tēpted. He that obſerueth not this rule, had need to feare, leaſt the Spirit of God reproue him of iudgement: and that out of his own words, there be not gathered againſt himſelf,Ioh. 16.8. matter both to iudge and to condemne him. So dangerous and ſo dreadful a thing it is, to be a cenſour, a iudge, a reproouer of others.
3. But (this notwithſtanding) curious Caliſthenes diſliketh all things in the Court of Alexander, It is the nature of ſome perſons to diſlike all things, and to check the beſt men, but to amend nothing in themſelues. Sen. li. 3. de Ira. Iuuenal. ſat. 8. Homer. Il.and talketh therof his pleaſure without wiſedom, reuerence or feare. Demochares alſo that ſaucie Parrheſiaſtes of Athens, is ouer-bold with king Philip of Macedonia, and that impudent and deformed Graecian Therſites, bluſheth not to taunt and prattle moſt malepertly againſt noble Achilles and other mightie men of his Countrey. Yea, the verie baſe Seriphian (that cannot liue though hee were an Athenian without ſhame) obiecteth, as it pleaſeth him, to Themiſtocles the Athenian (who though he were a Seriphian, would not liue without honour.) And who perceiueth it not, how well this is digeſted of thē that emulate others, that ſome priuate perſons,Iob. 30, 8, 9, 10. ignorant mē, yea, ſuch as are diſtained with whoredoms, dronkennes, vſury, theft, piracie, murthers, & other vile ſins, ſhuld preſume to cenſure the prince, the iudges and magiſtrates, the biſhops and paſtors, with open mouthes, and that (which is moſt horrible) they ſhould blaſpheme the prince, the magiſtrates, the miniſter, the lawes? Be theſe zealous perſons? be theſe reformed people? hauehave they beene ſchooled and learned the true diſcipline? Nay,Iudae. 4.16, 19. 2. Pet. 2.10. Shem and Iaphet turned away their faces, as not willing to behold it. rather they be the ſame (among others) of whome S. Iude ſpeaketh in his Epiſtle▪ and ſuch of whome Saint Peter propheſieth, which hauehave a pleaſure (not with Shem and Iaphet, to diſſemble and to aſſay to conceale their Fathers fault, but vnreuerently with Cham the father of Chanaan to diſcouer and divulgate the ſame) to ſpeake euill of them that be in authoritie, to walke after the fleſh in the luſt of vncleanneſſe, being perſons preſumptuous, and ſuch as ſtand in their owne conceit. To yeelde vntounto the prouiſion of any good Law, or to exhibit any gratefull aſſiſtance or obedience to the wiſeſt makers and beſt executioners of Lawes, they be farre behind all others, whatſoeuer they make ſhew of; and who ſeeth not what they bee contented to yeeld vntounto for the good of the Church and common wealth, without bitter murmur & grudge? Beſides that, in their common cenſures,Mat. 24. Luke 19. they expreſſe ſuch charitie towards their brethren and neighbours, as thoſe latter times, wherof Chriſt propheſied, do affoord: and yet they would ſhew deepe deuotion,Iam. 1.26. not conſidering what Saint Iames had ſaide:It is the nature of charitable chriſtians, to be ſory for other mens faults and infirmities. If any man among you ſeeme to be devout, and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiueth his owne heart, this mans deuotion is vaine. The right charitable chriſtians, ſeeing that the Iuſt man falleth ſeauen times in a day, that the very Iudgement Seate ſauoureth of oppreſſion, and that the Fathers and Elders of the Church hauehave had their particular faults, do rightly conſider of mans nature;Eccleſ. 3.16. incident to ſlidings, and they be moſt ſorie, not onelyonly for the falles of their brethren and friendes, with Moſes, Nehemiah, and Paul:Dolendum ſi quis inter nos m…lus. but alſo for the tranſgreſſions of their mortall enemies and ſtrangers▪ with Dauid, Daniel, the Apoſtles, and their Maiſter Christ: hauing the like ſimpathie and compaſſion that one membe… hath ſuffering with another.Bucer in Mat. 26. …arra: Sect. 4. Aboue al, they lament the imperfections of them that bee in authoritie and publike places, as of Salomon, of Peter, of Dauid, of Iehoſophat; which are in them (though they be otherwiſe gods ſeruants) as the paine of the heade enflaming the whole body and as oughly ſpots in a tower of excellent beautie, to the vnſpeakable griefe of the godly.
But, as for theſe vncharmed,Vncharitable tongues. and vncharitable perſons, which hauehave not yet learned to ſpeake well of any,Pindarus. they eſteeme ſlaunderous wordes for moſt daintre morſels (as Pindar ſaid of ſuch) when comming togither they cannot onelyonly cut with theyr tongues (as with ſharpe raſors,Iob 30, 8, 9, 10 that pierce and diuide aſunder) but alſo, as hungry Rauens which feed on the carkaſſes, they deuour thē that be abſent with gredineſſe and delight: But if that a perſonage of account or name fall into their mouths, oh God!The play of the Cat the death of the Mouſe. Boet. de cont. ſol.. Philo. li. 2. Met. 7. how he is toſſed, turned, gnawne and rent in peeces among them, with iolitie and pleaſure? They play with him as the Cat plaieth with the Mouſe, and they draw him to the extremity of that ſecōd death; wherof Boethius ſpeaketh, wherby (to their power) they depriue him of al good name, honour, and authoritie, both in his life, and after his departure alſo, with all greedineſſe.
In the maner of this iudgement,Haſtie and raſh iudgemēt touching other men. Alexander. Alexanders example is ſet a ſide, for he would cōmonly ſtop the one of his eares, when he heard and accuſation againſt any man, vntill the partie accuſed could come to anſwer for himſelfe. But with them, impudent Actaeon can no ſooner deſcry naked Diana, Inſcius Actaeon vidit ſine veſte Dianam. Ouid.and ſhameleſſe Cham diſcouer his owne fathers fault: but by & by, there be mightie occaſions profered as they thinke, to Momus of reprehēſion, to Zoilus of railing, to Timon of deteſtation. So Doeg accuſeth, Nabal ſlaundereth, & Shimei curſeth the Lords anointed: the viper hangeth on Pauls hande, aſſaying to hurt and ſting him to death: and the vnnurtered boyes mocke Elizeus in great ſport and play. As if they would ſay: There, there, for ſo would we hauehave it! Now is his holy life brought to light! Of ſuch Dauid complained in his daies. Mine enemies ſpeake euill of me: when ſhall he die, and his name periſh? And if he come to ſee me, he ſpeaketh vanitie, and his heart conceiueth falſhood within himſelfe, and when he commeth forth he telleth it. Is this religion? Is this charitie?
Puniſhment of ſlanderers and mockers. 2. Sam. 16.9. 1. King. 2.8.5 But this kind would be better aduiſed (in mine opinion) if Dauid would but hearken to Abiſhai: or if his bent againſt Nabal were perfited: or if his charge which he gaue to Salomon touching Shimei, were in eueryevery ſuch caſe ſeuerely executed: or if euerie true Chriſtian had that abilitie & wil (with Paul) to fling the viper into the fire: or, that the Lord did ordinarily execute his vengeance with ſhee-Beares on ſuch mockers now, as he did on thoſe vnnurtured boyes then. Neither would they be half ſo malepert in this malice, if euerie ſuch viper incurred the impriſonment,Ariſtogeton. condemnation and ende of Ariſtogeton the Athenian, for his faucineſſe againſt Phocian, and for his diſturbance of the Citizens: or at the leaſt, if but only that ſentence of Calipho (whom Plaute bringeth in ſpeaking to Pſeudolus) were exacted of thē by ſome lawfull officer.Plaut. in Pſeudol. Homines qui geſtant, quique auſeultant crimina, &c. Let both the ſlanderer (ſaith he) and the listner to the ſame, be hanged vp, the one by the tong, the other by the eares. And wel worthy: for (ſaith Bernard) as the one carieth the diuell in his mouth: ſo the other carieth the diuell in his eare: And they both being execrable offenders,Pſal. 15.3. are denied the right of Paradice.
But, foraſmuch as this ſentence wanteth an executioner;Hypocrites eſpie moates in other mens eyes, and perceiue not beams in their owne. neither is Peter euer ready with his ſword to cut off Malchus ear (which is ſo open to receiue ſiniſter reports) in the defence of his Maiſters innocencie, they wanting all charitie to couer the verie manifeſt ſins, preſume yet ſo to prie moſt curiouſlie with eager emulation on other men, in whoſe eyes they hauehave a delight to eſpie litle thin motes, whē yet they perceiue not the big beams in their own. Such an one (once pointing to a married Miniſter) ſaid of him in ſcorne: lo, this is he, that hath maried a wife, Luke 14.26.and therfore he cānot come: not cōſidering the whiles, that himſelfe had not only maried a wife too, but had alſo fined a farme, and bought fiue yoke of oxen, and was ſo gone to ſuruey the one, and to proue the other, that he came not indeed: Howbeit, is the eie ſeeth all thing ſauing it ſelfe, ſo could he not ſee into himſelfe, though he gliked at his brother,Mat. 4. with the wreaſting of Scripture in ſuch a diſdainfull ſort, which is a part of the diueliſh diuinitie.
6. So curious are they in noting the liues of other men, ſecretly to accuſe them, bitterly to rip them;Their vanitie Gregor. hom. 36. ſuper illud Iuga beum emi quin que .& moſt negligēt the whiles to ſee into themſelues, and to cleare themſelues of al their filthy abominations! Of all the vanities vnderunder the Sunne, this is not the meaneſt (by the iudgement of Saint Auguſtine. In libro. confeſſ. 10.) But how neare they come to the nature thoſe hypocrites, of whō Bernerd ſpeaketh, let themſelues (whē they hauehave well ſearched and examined their owne hearts and conſciences) be the iudges: Volunt eſſe humiles fiue deſpectu, &c. They would appeare humble, but not in contempt: they would ſeeme poore, but without any want: well cloathed, without carefulneſſe: they woulde hauehave eaſe without labour: flattering ſome: backbiting others: byting like Dogges: deceiuing like foxes: proude as Lions, and inwardly as rauening wolues. As beares they ſeeke the ſweeteneſſe of the honie of vaine glorie, and ſecrete delights. They will bee Iudges without authoritie, witneſſes without ſight, falſe accuſers without all truth. As if hee ſaide in one worde: Theſe bee verie Neroes, which yet would bee eſteemed Catoes. Might not Dauid ſay in this part of them, as hee ſayde, when hee expoſtulated with the counſailours and flatterers of Saule, who had ſecretly accuſed him, and openly ſlaundered him?Pſal. 58.1, 2. Is it true? (O Congregation) ſpeake yee iustly? O ſonnes of men? Iudge ye vprightlie? yea, rather ye imagine miſchiefe in your heart: your hands execute crueltie vponupon the earth: And worthilie of them ſpeaketh Agur in the Prouerbs of Salomon. Pro. 30.11, 12.There is a generation that curſe their father, and bleſſe not their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit, and yet are they not waſhed from their filthineſſe. Our Sauiour in the Goſpel reproueth ſuch hypocrites;Mat. 7. and a verie heathen man (not able to ſuſtaine this curriſh kind) flingeth to thē this opprobrious ſtone
Horat. Cum tua peruide as oculis mala lippus in vnctis: cur? Good counſaile. Plato.VVhat meaneſt thou with Serpents ſights,
ſo ſharpely to deſcrie
Thy neighbours faults; ſith thou maiſt ſee
thine owne with bleared eie?
7. But as hee which reproueth, ſhould not giuegive a iuſt occaſion to be reproued, leaſt in reprehending others he condemne himſelfe: ſo by Platoes aduice, if one find another man committing a fault, he ſhould looke by and by into himſelfe, and ſay ſecretly: Am not I ſuch an one?
Thus alſo counſaileth Syracides. Ecclus. 5.15.Be thou not a priuie accuſer, as long as thou liuest, and vſe no ſlaunder with thy tongue: for ſhame and ſorrow goeth ouer the theefe, and an euill name ouer him that is double tongued: but he that is a priuie accuſer of other men, ſhall be hated, enuied, and confounded. Aboue all, Chriſt commaundeth:Christ, Iudge not, condemne not. Cast out the beame of thine owne eye. And Iames his holie Apoſtle,Iames. would that wee ſhould not backbite one another. This is the rule of the Goſpel, this is the Lawe, this is the Prophets.K. Henrie 8 Graft. in Chron. An. H. 8.37. And this thing reſpected that moſt noble King of famous memorie, Henrie the eight: when in open Parliament he ſayde among other things: Beholde, what louelove and charitie is amongst you, when the one calleth the other Heretike, and Anabaptiſt: and he calleth him againe, Papiſt, Hypocrite, and Phariſie? Are theſe ſignes of fraternall louelove betweene you? No, no. Againe, Alas, how can the poore ſoules liue in concord, when ye Preachers ſowe amongſt them in your Sermonms, debate and diſcord? Againe: yee of the temporaltie bee not cleane and vnſpotted of malice and enuie: for ye raile on Biſhops, ſpeake ſlaunderouſly of Priests, and rebuke and taunt preachers, both contrarie to good order, and Chriſtian fraternitie. If ye know ſurely that a Biſhop, or Preacher erreth, or ſpeaketh peruerſe doctrine, come and declare it to ſome of our Councell, or to vsus, to whom is committed by God the high authoritie to reforme and order ſuch cauſes and behauiours: and bee not iudges your ſelues of your owne fantaſticall opinions, &c.