A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 49
CHAP. XLIX. Reputation of Godlineſs and Honeſty how far—
9. ANother piece of Honour that ſelf muſt be denied in, is, The Reputation of Godlineſs and Honeſty. Concerning both the former and this I muſt ſay, by way of caution, that the Reputation both of Faith and Godlineſs is a great Mercy, and not to be deſpiſed, nor prodigally caſt away by our own negligence or miſcarriages; nor unthankfully to be received: But yet 1. It is not to be deſired for it ſelf, but for God, that it may help and advantage us to ſerve him, or as it is a Mercy that brings the report of his love. 2. And the greater the Mercy is, the greater is our temptation, when it would deprive us of a far greater mercy than it ſelf: I have oft thought it was a very high paſſage for an Heathen to ſay as Seneca did, that [No man doth ſhew a higher eſteem of goodneſs, than he that can let go the Name or Reputation of being a good man, rather than let go his goodneſs it ſelf.] The world is ſo much unacquainted with goodneſs, that they know it not when they ſee it; but call it by thoſe odious names that leaſt agree with it. Their Judgements follow their Natures, diſpoſitions and intereſts: And therefore they cannot take that to be good which is contrary to theſe. A feather-bed is no better to a ſwine than a mire-lake: A banquet is not ſo good to a Cow as a green paſture. As the perſon is himſelf, ſo do all things ſeem good or evil to him. The Toad or Snake hath no ſuch odious apprehenſions of it ſelf as men have. And hence it is that to ungodly men the beſt men and beſt actions ſeem to be the worſt. And hence alſo it is, that in all Ages Godlineſs ha…h been matter of reproach: and the beſt have been laden with the he avieſt calumnies. David had enemies that laid to his charge the things that he never thought of. And it ſeems by the ſtrain of Shimei in his railing, that they took him to be but a Traitor, becauſe King Saul was againſt him; and to be a bloody man, becauſe he had been engaged in the wars, 2 Sam. 16. 7, 8. [Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the houſe of Saul in whoſe ſtead thou haſt raigned] See what a wicked perſon David was eſteemed by ſuch fellows as this! And yet he ſo far denied himſelf here, as that he would not hear of revenge upon the railer, but makes it as a tryal ſent from God. And two ſpecial reaſons moved him to bear it. One was the remembrance of that ſin againſt God and his Servant Uriah, which he knew God was now chaſtiſing him for: And therefore being under the rod of the Lord, he durſt not think of revenge upon the inſtrument; and being ſenſible that he had brought all this upon himſelf, he durſt not let fly too much at others. The other was that God had raiſed up (by permiſſive providence) the Son of his bowels againſt him: and therefore he thought it an unſeemly thing to be much offended with a ſtranger for leſs. And ſuch Reaſons as theſe have we alſo to perſwade us to Patience and Self-denial in the like Caſe. The Lord Jeſus himſelf who had no ſin at all, eſcaped not theſe cenſures of malicious men. He was eſteemed a friend or Companion of Publicans and Sinners, yea a gluttonous perſon, and a wine bibber; yea a deceiver; yea a conjurer that did his works by the help of the Devil, Mat. 11. 19. Luk 7. 34. Mat. 27. 63. Job. 7. 12. Mat. 12. 27. What uſage the holy Apoſtles themſelves had, and how they behaved themſelves under all, you may conjecture by that one paſſage, (to mention no more) 1 Cor. 4. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. [For I think God hath ſet forth us the Apoſtles laſt, as it were men appointed to death: For we are made a ſpectacle to the world, and to Angels, and to men: we are fools for Chriſts ſake, but ye are wiſe in Chriſt; we are weak, but ye are ſtrong; ye are honourable, but we are deſpiſed; Even to this preſent hour we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; and labour working with our own hands; being reviled, we bleſs; being perſecuted we ſuffer it: being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things to this day] The like uſage had the Chriſtians after the Apoſtles days. They were ſlandered by the Pagans as if they ſacrificed, and eat their own children, and putting out the lights had commonly been unclean together after their holy exerciſes: And when they caſt them to the Lions to be devoured, and many wayes tormented them, it was as ungodly men, for preaching againſt the Heathen Gods, and refuſing to offer ſacrifice to them. And therefore the rabble was wont thus to cry for Judgement againſt them, [Tollite impios] [Tollite impios] Away with the ungodly Chriſtians! The wicked multitude that were drowned in filthineſs and ungodlineſs, did think themſelves Religious men, and the Chriſtians to be ungodly. So that they were fain to live and die under a Reputation as contrary to the truth, as darkneſs is contrary to light.
And this uſage hath ſtill been the attendant of true Godlineſs. When the Papiſts burn Gods ſervants at the ſtake, it is for ſuppoſed Hereſie and impiety: they put a painted cap and coat upon them, made of paper, on which the Images of Devils are pictur d to make the people believe that they are ungodly perſons, the ſervants of the Devil, and poſſeſſed by him already, and unworthy to live any longer among men. When they butchered the poor Waldenſes and Albigenſes by thouſands, it was under the name of ungodly hereticks. The ignorant ungodly rabble among us now, that hate and revile thoſe that ſeek after God more diligently than themſelves, have yet more deviliſh wit than to oppoſe them directly under the name of honeſt godly men; but they firſt make the world believe that they are Hypocrites, and Proud, and Self-conceited, and Covetous, and ſecretly are as bad as others, and theſe are the things, if you will believe them, that they hate and ſpeak againſt them for. But then how comes it to paſs that it is their Praying and Preciſeneſs that is ſo much in the ſcorners mouths? Doth that ſignifie Hypocriſie or Pride? Why do they not commend the good while they ſpeak againſt the evil? and joyn with them in the holy Worſhip and ways of God, while they oppoſe their ſuppoſed viciouſneſs? Doth the name (Puritan] ſignifie a covetous man, or a vicious perſon? or rather one that will not be content to venture his ſoul in the common, impure, ungodly courſes of the world! And how comes it to paſs that a man may quietly enough follow ſuch vices, if he will but forbear the profeſſion of Godlineſs? But (to leave theſe wretches in the dirt where we find them) by this you may ſee the common meaſure that is to be expected from the world: If you will be truly godly, you muſt be taken for ungodly, or for hypocrites, that ſeem to be godly when you are not.
But it's eaſie to bear this charge when it falls upon a whole ſociety, and takes us but in the crowd among the reſt, and when we have ſo much honourable company to ſuffer with us: But it goes nearer us when we are ſingled out by name, and noted and talk'd of all about as Hypocrites, or Proud, or worſe than others. But that alſo muſt be born by thoſe that will be Chriſtians.
But the greateſt trial of all is, when the Servants of God that ſhould help us in our ſuffering, have got a hard report of us, and by miſinformation we have loſt our credit even with them. Under all theſe falſe and injurious reports, direct and ſtabliſh your own minds by the help of theſe Conſiderations following.
1. It may be there is ſome ſpecial cauſe that you ſhould try and judge your ſelves: and ſo God doth ſuffer other men to judge you, to awaken you to ſelfjudging. However make this uſe of it, and you are ſure to be no loſers by the reproach. Enter into your hearts, and ſearch them throughly as before the Lord, and ſee if there be any way of wickedneſs in them which hitherto you have not diſcovered: Try whether there be Hypocriſie and Pride or not; Eſpecially when it is the ſervants of God that think hardly of you, and above all, if it be wiſe, impartial men that are acquainted with you, it's then your duty to be very jealous of your hearts and ways, and to fear leſt you are guilty, and to ſearch the more diligently, and not be quiet till you either find out your ſin, or be ſure that you are clear. And if you be clear in that point, yet ſuſpect and ſearch leſt there be ſome other ſecret or allowed ſin, which God would detect to you, or excite you againſt by the injurious cenſures of thoſe that have reproached you.
2. When you have ſearch'd and cleared your own Conſciences, then conſider further, that though you are not ſuch as you are cenſured to be, yet ſinners you are, and you know your ſins in other kinds are ſo many and ſo great that you ſhould bear the more patiently to be hardly thought of, when you know your ſelves to be ſo bad. If indeed you are godly, you have ſeen a ſink of uncleanneſs in your ſelves, and have condemned your ſelves oft, and loathed your ſelves for your abominations, and bewailed them before the Lord. And is it ſuitable for ſuch a ſpirit to be eager after the Reputation of ſincerity, and to be much troubled that you are taken by others to be naught?
3. And conſider alſo that your Caſe may be as Davids was, and God may poſſibly make this reproach a chaſtiſement for ſome former ſin, and a means to humble you for it more throughly, and to reclaim you from it. Perhaps he bids (by permiſſive providence) ſome Shimei curſe you. It may be the voice of a ſlanderer muſt do that which the voice of a Preacher could not do. And then it is your work to look behind you and within you, more than without you, and to hearken more to the voice of God and Conſcience, than of the ſlanderer: and to take it as the rod of God, and a call to a more ſerious Repentance.
4. And conſider that when you are under the falſe Cenſures of the world, you may have the inward peace of a good conſcience, which is better than all the applauſe of men: And this being a continual feaſt, they cannot do much againſt your quietneſs, as long as they cannot deprive you of this.
5. Yea moreover, you have the Approbation of God himſelf, and that ſhould ſatisfie againſt the cenſure of all the world. Even a Proud man if he have any wit, can bear the Contempt of the ignorant vulgar, if he have but the applauſe of great and wiſe, and learned men: As that Orator that valued the judgement of Socrates above all the reſt of his auditory. But all the wiſeſt men in the world are fools in compariſon of God. Having his Approbation, you have the Greateſt, the Beſt, and the Wiſeſt on your ſide; and a Judgement for you that will weigh down the judgement of ten thouſand worlds.
7. And if you value not Gods approbation above mans, it's a ſign that you are hypocrites indeed, and ſo the censure is not unjust: But if you do, then you will acquieſce in it, though man condemn you; and ſay as the Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 33, 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect; It is God that Justifieth, who is he that condemneth? And as 1 Cor. 4. 3, 4. [With me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of mans judgment—but he that judgeth me is the Lord.]
And remember that the great day of Judgment is near at hand, that will ſet all ſtraight which the ſlanderous tongues of men made crooked. Stay but a while, and the Glory of Chriſt, and the ſentence of your judge, will diſpel all the unjuſt reproaches that were on you, and waſh off all the blots that were falſly laid on your good name: and he will bring forth your righteouſneſs as the light, and your judgment as the noon-day: for there is nothing hid that ſhall not be then revealed.
8. In the mean time God will take care of your name: He will make the very tongues that ſlander you to honour you; in the blindneſs of their reproaches, croſſing themſelves. As the Papiſts by the poor Waldenſes, ſaying they were the more dangerous hereticks, becauſe they held all the Articles of faith, and lived godly and honeſtly, and were reputed holy, but only that they were againſt the Church of Rome. As you truſt God with your health, and wealth, ſo muſt you do with your Reputation, even in point of Honeſty, and be ſatisfied that he can clear you when he pleaſes.
9. And it is not Gods ordinary way to leave the Reputation of his ſervants wholly uncleared even in this world. If one condemn them, another ſhall Juſtifie them: and commonly the wiſeſt and beſt men Juſtifie them; and the moſt fooliſh and ungodly are they that condemn them: And cannot you bear the words of fools and children? The proudeſt man can paſs by a contempt or ſlander from a drunken man, an ideot, or a mad man, as being no diſhonour to him: and cannot you bear the cenſures of the diſtracted world? Or if they are better men that ſlander you, it's two to one but it is the more fooliſh or paſſionate ſort of them; and that the judgment of the more wiſe and ſober is againſt them, and vindicateth your Reputation. Or if at the preſent they do not, it's ten to one but Providence ſhall work to the clearing of your Reputation, either in your life-time, or when you are dead. Moſt of the Servants of God that were moſt hated and ſlandered, while they lived on earth, are cleared and honoured now they are dead. God is not diſ-regardful of his Servants names.
10. But however it go, you are ſecured of the main; that which you expected or covenanted for with God, you ſhall be ſure of. If you have the Thing, you may eaſily bear the want of the name. Hath the Spirit of God renewed and ſanctified you? are you made the living members of Chriſt, and the Sons of God, and the heirs of Heaven? I hope you may well ſpare then the applauſe of men, and eaſily bear it, if you be reputed to be deſtitute of what you have. If you are in health, it will not much trouble you if it be reported that you are ſick: And if you are alive, you can bear it if the report go that you are dead: For as long as you have the thing you can ſpare the name: And if you have Chriſt, and Grace, and Pardon, and Juſtification, and Title to eternal life, cannot you endure to have men think that you are without them? How baſely do you undervalue th…ſe ineſtimable things, when the thoughts of a mans mind, or the words of a mans mouth can blaſt the comforts of them all? As if you ſaid to the world, It is not Chriſt, and Grace, and Pardon, and Salvation, that will ſerve me, without the applauſe of men! How baſely think you of God, and how highly of men, if this be your mind! It is more excuſable for a Haman to ſay of all his honour and wealth that they ſatisfie him not, or do him no good, as long as he wants but Mordecai's obeyſance, than for a Chriſtian to ſay of God, of Chriſt, of Glory, All this will not ſerve my turn as long as men take me for an hypocrite or ungodly. For there is not a ſatisfying ſufficiency in Honors and wealth, as there is in God and glory. As long as you have the precious treaſure, methinks you may give loſers leave to talk. It was not for the good words of men that you became Chriſtians, and Covenanted with God, but for pardon and ſalvation: and theſe you ſhall have: God will perform his Covenant to you, and give you both his Kingdom, and ſo much of worldly things as overplus, as is truly good for you; and what would you have more? You ſhall have the Inheritance and Crown of bleſſedneſs; and will not that ſerve your turn without a few good words from ſilly man! I hope you would be loth to change Rewards with the Hypocrite! Why then do you ſo much deſire his Reward, and ſo much undervalue your own! Though his be preſent, and yours be future, I hope you think it but a doleful hearing, to have Chriſt ſay [Verily they have their Reward] in compariſon of his promiſe to his reproached ſervants [Verily great is your Reward in Heaven] Mat. 6. 2. Mat. 5. 12.
And now I hope in all theſe ten particular conſiderations you may ſee reaſon enough for ſelf-denial in the very Reputation of your Godlineſs and Honeſty; and why you ſhould endure joyfully to be eſteemed ungodly and diſhoneſt rather than to be ſo.