Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXI. How we are to bear Reproaches.
BUt how are we to bear reproaches? We are to bear our reproaches wiſely, patiently, fruitfully, joyfully, and to return good for evil.
Firſt, we are to bear them wiſely: there is a great deal of wiſdom required in bearing of reproaches and evils 1.that men are accuſed of, the exerciſe of wiſdom does appear much in the bearing of reproaches, though we ſhould not be inſenſible, yet not to take too much notice of every reproach that is caſtp on us. It was the ſpeech of a Philoſopher, when one was reproaching Derident te; At ego non dtridcor.of him, ſome told him they deride thee; but ſays he, I am not derided, I will not take to my ſelf that which is caſt upon me: It is wiſdom for people to go away, and take but little notice of any thing Sapiens à nullo connemnituditem ſuamnovit. Sen. in Sap. non cad. injur.that is caſt upon them, and therefore when upon every idle reproach, there come a company tatling, and ſay, Such a one ſays thus and thus; ſuch ſhould be ſent away with an angry countenance, it is a diſhonor to you to receive them, as if you would take notice of every word, and as if you had no other things to take up your thoughts. Dionyſius having not very well uſed Plato at the Court, when he was gone, he feared leſt he ſhould write againſt him, therefore he ſent after him, to bid him not to write againſt him, ſays he, Tell Dionyſius, I have not ſo much leiſure as to think of him: ſo we ſhould let thoſe that reproach us to know, that we have not leiſure to think of them; as S. Paul, when the Viper came upon his hand, he ſhaked it off, ſome would have ſwelled, and almoſt dyed at the very ſight of ſuch a thing but he did but ſhake it off: And ſo ſhould we do by our reproaches; when reproaches are oppoſed they The evil of much ſtirring when Reproaches are upon us.do grow, as hair the more it is cut the more it grows, when they are deſpiſed they will vaniſh away; there is a great deal of evil comes by making much ado about reproaches.
Firſt, by this means they are kept up in the mouthes 1.of people, and ſo the evil is worſe, as a dunghil ſtirred ſtinks the worſe.
Again, it may occaſion thoſe that reproach us, to 2.raiſe up things that were dead a great while ago, and adde that to our reproach.
Again, it may occaſion abundance of new matter, 3.though falſe, to make our reproaches greater. If a Eſt enim Satanae pectus faecundiſſimū mendaciis. Luth.man ſhould undertake to anſwer every reproachful ſpeech, there would be no end; for the Devils breaſt, ſays Luther, is very fruitful with lyes:
Again, our making much ſtir, does but ſtir them the more that do reproach us, and by making ado 4.and ſtir, it comes to be more divulged.
Laſtly, when we do ſtir, if we do not clear every 5.little minute to the utmoſt, it will be a means to make us ſuſpected of all, and therefore do not take much notice of reproaches. It is a notable example that we finde of one Pericles as he was ſitting before others in a meeting, a foul-mouthed fellow railed upon him Plutarch in vita Peric.all the day long; at night when it was dark, and the meeting broke up, the fellow followed him and railed at him even to his door, and he took no notice of him what he ſaid, but when he came at home, this is all he ſaid, It is dark, I pray let my man light you home.
But men will take me for guilty if I let it paſs quietly.Object.
Not ſo, we know many times Chriſt himſelf Anſw.took no notice of a great deal of evil that was Convitia ſi traſcare, agnita videntur; spreta exleſcūt Tacitus lib 4. Qui cito injuria movetur fecit ſe dig…ū videri contumelia ſū vult ca indignus probari: melior eſt itaque qui contēnit injuriam quā qui dolet. Ambroſ. de offic. l 1. c. 6. Pſal. 51. 4. Nec prudentiae quicquā in ſe eſſe nec fiduciae oſtendit, qui contumelia afficitur. Sen. in Sap non cad. injur.ſaid againſt him, ſo that the Rulers wondred, How is it that they lay theſe things to your charge, and you anſwer nothing? Again, rather the other will ſhew us guilty; it was a ſpeech of Ambroſe concerning thoſe that cannot ſuffer reproach, while they clear themſelves guilty, they approve themſelves to be more guilty of that evil which is ſaid againſt them.
Obj. But we ſhall hearten them more in accuſing of us.
Anſw. No, it will rather be a means to hearten them by keeping a ſtir, for then they have ſomething to feed upon.
Obj. How ſhall we ſtop their mouthes?
Anſ. Firſt, walk innocently, innocency wil clear all, and overcome in time; hence David ſaith, that thou mayeſt be clear when thou judgeſt. St. Paul quoting this, Rom. 3. 4. he hath it, That thou mayeſt overcome when thou judgeſt; he puts overcome for clear, becauſe thoſe who are clear will overcome. But more then this in the ſecond place, you muſt labor to be eminent in that which is quite contrary to that which you are reproached for: Perhaps he reproaches you for one that is a diſſembler, labor for the greateſt eminency of plainneſs of heart and ſincerity: If it be for covetouſneſs, labor to be eminent in liberality, & doing good wiſely, not where they would have you, but in a gracious way, ordering your affairs by diſcretion: If it be for pride, clear your ſelves not by yielding to their humor, but labor for an eminency of humility another way, that thoſe that can judge right may ſee there is humility in you: thus labor to entertain reproaches with wiſdom.
Secondly, labor to bear reproaches patiently. And therein firſt I ſhall labor to take away thoſe pleas whereby men are hindred in their patience. Secondly, I will ſhew what powerful arguments there are for bearing reproaches. Thirdly, give ſome means how to bear them patiently.
Firſt, to take away the pleas and objections that 1.people have againſt patience. Some will ſay, if it Obj. 1.were not wrongfully, I could bear it, it would never grieve me.
One would wonder that ever there ſhould come Anſw.ſuch a fooliſh ſpeech out of the mouth of a reaſonable creature; if there be any thing that ſhould uphold your hearts, it ſhould be your innocency, therefore let not ſuch a ſpeech be heard out of a man or womans mouth, much leſs out of a Chriſtians mouth; if your guilt would encreaſe the burthen of the reproach, as moſt certainly it would, then it would be harder to bear it being guilty, then now it is being innocent.
But this is that which ſinks my heart, it is a reproach Obj. 2.that takes away my Name, even from thoſe that are godly, and they come by theſe reproaches to have hard thoughts of me; and this is the greateſt affliction, for an outward affliction, under Heaven.
It is true, Zedekiah feared more to be mocked of Anſw.the Jews then of the Chaldeans; it is certainly a ſorer Ier. 38. 15affliction to be reproached by the profeſſors of Religion, then by any others; but yet God is pleaſed to exerciſe his people many times with this affliction alſo; and it may be God ſees this to be the moſt ſeaſonable and ſuitable to exerciſe you withal, becauſe he would wholly take off your hearts from other things, and ſatisfie your ſouls with himſelf alone; and bleſſed is that man that can make this uſe of it, to get his heart the more cloſe and fully to God. It is the bleſſing of God upon you, that your heart is above the reproaches of other men; if God will exerciſe you with an affliction that you are ſenſible of, it is fit you ſhould yield your ſelf unto him in it: Would you have God exerciſe you in ſuch afflictions as are onelyonly eaſie to be born, of which you ſhould not be ſenſible? it is the bitterneſs of them that cauſeth them to work, if they were not bitter, as to make you ſenſible, it is not like they would be profitable.
Thirdly, ſome cannot tell how to bear their reproaches, becauſe it is not onelyonly a diſgrace to their Obj. 3.name, but it hinders their ſervice in Gods Church, by this means they come to have ill eſteem, and are not like to do ſo much good in the Church of God, which I confeſs is a great matter.
Let no man lay ſo much upon his ſervice he ſhall do, but let God have his work his own way, and God Anſw.expects this humility from us, that he may have his work done his own way, and if God pleaſeth he may make uſe of us to do ſo much work for him, as if our names were never ſo clear: The Prophets were ſcorned and reproached, and did they never do ſervice? and St. Paul, never any man in the world that ever did God more ſervice, and yet no man that ever was ſo much reproached as he; he was whipped up and down as if he had been a rogue, and he was fain to go about in tatters, not having wherewithal to cover his nakedneſs, and had not bread to put in his body, and was called a ſeditious fellow, and counted the filth of all things; and yet this St. Paul was uſed as the moſt worthy inſtrument of Gods ſervice that ever was ſince the world began, next Chriſt himſelf.
Secondly, the arguments that may move us to bear Why reproaches ſhould be born patiently.reproaches patiently.
Firſt, a Chriſtian is called to do and ſuffer great things for God, and ſtrong and glorious is the grace of God that is in a man where it is true; now if Chriſtianity 1.ſhall not enable to bear reproaches, what will it enable you to do? Does not the Scripture ſpeak of the excellency, and the glory, and the power of the grace of God? What excellency, and power, and glory is in it, if it cannot do this? Now Chriſtians that are called to do and ſuffer ſuch great things, ſhould be above the reproaches of the world. Seneca would not have them called miſeries, but Sapiens à nullo concemnitur, magnitudinem ſuam novit, omnes bas quas non miſcrias ſed moleſtias dixerim non vincet, ſed ne ſentit quidem. Sen in ſap. non cad. injur. c. 10.trouble ſome things, concerning which we cannot ſay a wiſe man overcomes them, but he is ſo far above them, as he is ſcarce ſenſible of them; if it be not out of ſtupidity or diſcontentedneſs, but out of true magnanimity of ſpirit, that one is not ſenſible of ſuch things, this beſeems a Chriſtian well. Now if a Chriſtian having received the grace of God, ſhould not think much of any miſery that he is capable of in this world, then ſurely he ſhould not have his heart ſink when there is but a troubleſome thing befaln him. It was the ſpeech of Xenophon, when one came and reproached him, ſays he, You have learned how to reproach, and I have learned how to bear reproach. And Ariſtippus the Philoſopher ſaid, You are fit to caſt Tu proferendis ego audiendis cōtumellis idoneusreproaches, and I am fit to hear reproaches.
Secondly, what are you? or what is your names that you ſhould think much to bear reproach? when as others that are your betters, that are not 2.ſo vile, not ſo guilty as you, not ſo lyable to reproach as you; when as others of Gods ſervants, that have been moſt eminent in grace and parts, have been under exceeding reproach; yea, others whoſe names have been far more worth then yours, there have been more uſe of their names, and credits, and honors, then of yours, and yet God hath ſo ordered it in his providence, that reproaches and aſperſions have been caſt upon them, and do you think ſo much to be reproached? What do we think of our fleſh better then others, that we ſhould not endure trouble in it? and what do we think of our names, that we cannot endure reproaches in them.
Yea, not onelyonly others that are better then you, but God and Chriſt is reproached: How is the 3.name of God ſlighted? the baſeſt wretch that will tremble before his Maſter, thinks himſelf good enough to blaſpheme the name of God: How is the majeſty, ſoveraignty, and authority of God contemned in the world? How are the dreadful threatnings of God, and the revelation of Gods wrath ſcorned in the world? When as we hear out of the word ſuch dreadful manifeſtations of Gods wrath againſt ſin, which calls for trembling hearts, yet how are they ſlighted in the world? thus God is reproached, and Chriſt: No man is able to bear ſo much contempt as Chriſt beares daily, ſays Luther: Not to ſpeak of the reproaches that Chriſt endures in his Nullus homo poteſt ferre tantū contemptum ſui, quantū Deus fert quotidite. Luth. in Pſ. 122.people, but the reproaches that he endured in his perſon, in his preaching; how was he contemned in Luke 16. 14. when he preached againſt covetouſneſs, the Phariſees ſcorned at him; the word ſignifies, They blew their noſes at him: you know how he was called a Devil, a Samaritan, a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and ſinners; What worſe can be imagined then was caſt upon Chriſt? they ſpit on his face, that In faciem illam quam fluctus maris reveriti ſunt, quam ſol in cruce vivendo radios occuluit. Chryſoſt. Hom. 86. ex cap. 26. in Mat.bleſſed face of his, that the waves of the Sea were afraid of, and that the Sun withdrew its light from, as not being fit to behold it, and yet they put thorns upon his head, and bowed to him in reproach; yea, in his miſery how was he reproached, when he was upon the Croſs, they nodded their heads at him, and ſaid, He that could ſave others, let him come down and ſave himſelf.
Again, conſider the great mercy of God in concealing the ſecret ſins of your thoughts: there are none, let them be never ſo innocent in the world, yet there is ſo much filth and baſeneſs within the heart, that if God ſhould but turn the inſide outward, and diſcover all to the world, certainly it would make them aſhamed of the ſociety of men, make them aſhamed to come into the Congregation; what confuſion, and what matter of reproach would there be then? Now, ſeeing God in his goodneſs favors his people ſo far, as he keeps in much ſecret evil that he could diſcover before the world: if he ſhould withdraw himſelf a little from you, he could let you fall into ſuch ſins, as your ſecret ſins ſhould be diſcovered; but God favors your names, ſo as that he hath kept in that ſecret evil that you have had ſecret inclinations unto; now the conſideration of Gods goodneſs in tendring you ſo far, may very well quiet your hearts when you begin to be troubled for every reproach that is caſt upon you: Now I ſee my adverſaries are fain to watch and ſearch, and pry for occaſion of reproach, God might have given them matter enough, and therefore its mercy they have ſuch little matter as they have. It is a great work of nature to keep the filth of the body when it is in a man from being unſavory unto others; ſo the filth of the ſoul, though it be unſavory to God, yet it is Gods mercy that keeps it from that unſavorineſs that it might be to men.
Fifthly, conſider how much reproach the name of 5.God hath endured for your ſakes; and is it ſo great a Perditione noſtra multo pejus eſt quod dominus noſter propter nos vitam que noſtram blasphematur. Chriſ Hom. 6 & variis in Mat. locismatter for your names to be reproached for his ſake? It is a notable ſpeech Chryſoſtom hath, That for us and for our life our Lord ſhould be blaſphemed, is worſe then if we periſhed; Hath not the name of God been reproached for your ſakes? not onelyonly in the time of your ignorance, but ſince; have there not been occaſion given by you, to cauſe others to reproach the name of the bleſſed God? and if God comes to you in your names, do you take it ſo ill?
Again, conſider who thoſe are that do reproach 6.you, and for what it is. It is the ſpeech of an Ancient, Ille quidem homine pejor, hic Angelis par. Chryſoſt. in Act. Hom. 14.That a reproacher is beneath a man, but the reproached that bear it well, are equal to the Angels. The Hebrew word that ſignifies ſcorners, hath many other ſignifications which ſet out the vileneſs, the dangerous evil there is in a ſcornful ſpirit; the Seventy, beſides that of ſcorning, have five other words to foreignſhew the ſignification of it, as firſt, foreign, in the firſt Pſalm, in the chair of ſcorners, they tranſlate it by a word that ſignifies the plague, in the chair of plagues, becauſe ſcorners are a plague to the place where they live, and do infect many; a ſecond word that they uſe to expreſs it by, is foreign, Prov. 20. 1. which ſignifies incorrigible, that which cannot be tamed, becauſe ſcorners are ſuch; Wine is a ſcorner, res indomita, an unruly thing that cannot be tamed, becauſe it makes men to be ſo, and ſo are ſcorners, there is little hope of ſuch: Thirdly, ſometimes they tranſlate it foreign, Prov. 9. 12. as ſuch as are given up to all kinde of vice, and ſo are ſcorners: And fourthly, by a word that ſignifies proud, foreign, Prov. 3. 34. for ſuch likewiſe are ſcorners: Fifthly, by a word that ſignifies to deal unjuſtly, foreign, Pſal. 119. 51. becauſe ſcorners are injurious. Thus you ſee what kinde of men thoſe who ſcorn and reproach the ways and profeſſors of Religion are.
But beſides, they are eſpecially ſuch as have been brought up ſuperſtitiouſly or prophanely; ſuch as have been bred in ſuperſtitious Popiſh families, are many times bitter ſcorners and reproachers of thoſe who are moſt forward in the ways of godlineſs. We read 2 Kings 2. 23. when Eliſha went to Bethel, there came forth little children out of the city and mocked him, and ſaid unto him, Go up thou bald head, go up thou bald head; that is obſervable, they came out of Bethel, which was that idolatrous city in Iſrael, where the Calf of Jeroboam was ſet up, that place was full of ſcorners at the Prophets of the Lord; you may know the temper of the place, by the diſpoſition of the little children, they uſually heard their parents and thoſe who were elder ſcorn at the Prophets of the Lord, they were brought up in that way, and becauſe it was at Bethel, the curſe of God was the rather upon their children to deſtroy them, although they were but children, yet two and forty of them were preſently deſtroyed. Hoſea 7. 5. we read of thoſe who were elder, the great ones in that City, even Jeroboam himſelf, and his Courtiers, what ſcorners they were, In the day of our King, the Princes have made him ſick with bottles of wine, he ſtretched out his hand with the ſcorners. The Princes, Nobles, Officers, great ones of the Countrey, jeered and ſcorned at thoſe, who would not yield to that way of worſhip that Jeroboam had ſet up, namely of the Calves; O they muſt be ſo preciſe, as no worſhip will ſerve their turn, but going up to Jeruſalem to worſhip there; ſuch as ventured the loſs of their eſtates, their offices, their liberties, they accounted them fools, and reproached them as a company of ſimple ſilly people.
And as ſuperſtition is a cauſe of this, ſo prophaneneſs and ſenſuallity cauſeth it likewiſe; that is obſervable in the forenamed place of Hoſea, when he was made ſick with wine, then he ſtreched out his hand with ſcorners; when wicked men pamper themſelves with good cheer, and their hearts are hot with wine, then they ſcorn at Religion, and reproach ſuch as are more ſtrict and forward then others, bleſſing themſelves in the brave life they live, contemning the ways of godlineſs, and the profeſſors of them, as ſuch who want thoſe brave delights they enjoy, and in regard of that they ſcorn at, and reproach the ways of God and his people at thoſe times. Pſalm 35. 16. with hypocritical mockers, in feaſts, they gnaſhed upon me with their teeth; the moſt cruel ſcornful reproaches againſt the Saints are at feaſts. That place is obſervable, Deut. 32. 33, 34. Their wine is the poyſon of dragons, and the cruel venom of aſps, becauſe of the bitterneſs of their ſpirits, againſt thoſe who are godly, when they are at their cups: but mark what follows, Is not this laid up in ſtore, and ſealed up among my treaſures? to me belongeth vengeance, and recompence, their foot ſhall ſlide in due time. God will remember this, it is laid up in ſtore with him, it is ſurely ſealed up, and ſhall certainly be brought forth one day.
And yet further, Who are your reproachers? They are thoſe that are weak, or ignorant, or ſuch as are malicious. Weak and ignorant, for any one that hath wiſdom, to be troubled at the reproaches of thoſe that are weak, it is a wonderful diſgrace: Will any man care that is a workman, to have an unskilful man reproach his work? It is a notable ſpeech of Seneca, Some are poſſeſt with ſuch great folly and madneſs, to think they may be reproached by a woman. A malis vituperari laudari eſt. Sen.And for the malicious, alas! they reproach themſelves a great deal more then they reproach you, they do but diſcover their own filth in it, and therefore are compared to ſwine; ſwine will leave other things, and continually be rooting in dung; and ſo thoſe that love to be reproaching, leave the good that is in any, and will always be rooting in their filth, here they ſhew their ſwiniſh diſpoſitions. One compares a reproacher to the ſtone that ſtruck down Nebuchadnezzars Image, whoſe head was of gold, and the breaſt and upper parts of ſilver, and the feet of clay, the ſtone came and ſtruck the feet, the clay, and ſo ſtruck it down: ſo reproachers do not look at the gold and ſilver, the parts and graces of Gods people, but if there be any clay, any infirmities or ſins, they ſtrike at them, and ſo fell them down. The godly had need fence their feet of clay and infirmities, that they do not lie open to malicious men. Eraſmus tells of one who collected all the lame and defective verſes in Homers Works, but paſſed over all that were excellent: So theſe, if they can ſpy any thing defective and evil, they obſerve it, and gather all they can together, but will take no notice of that which is good and praiſe-worthy; like the Kite who flies over the fair meadows and flowers, and lights onelyonly upon the carrion, or like flyes that love onelyonly to be upon the ſore galled places of the horſes back.
And what is it you are reproached for? it is either good or evil; if it be good, you have no cauſe to be troubled, if it be evil, it is threefold, the evil of ſin, or natural infirmities, or outward meanneſs. If it be the evil of ſin, then either you are guilty or not guilty; if you be guilty, it is not reproach, but right judgement of thy condition, and if there be ſuch a great evil for others to ſpeak of it, what a great evil is it for thee to be guilty of it? and therefore you ſhould turn all the trouble that you have for the notice which is taken of it, upon your guiltineſs in it: and many times although the thing be true they ſay of you, yet it is ſo poor and mean a thing, that you may comfort your ſelf in this, that ſurely they cannot perceive worſe in you, for if they could, they would make uſe of that. Latimer in his laſt Sermon before K. Edward, ſays, He was glad when any objected indiſcretion againſt him in his Sermons, for ſays he, by that I knew the matter was good, elſe they would ſoon have condemned that. And if you be not guilty, innocency is bulwark enough. Says Seneca, He is to be aſhamed that does unjuſtly, and ſhall you be aſhamed that are innocent?
Yes, others think I am guilty.Obj.
But if you go on in an innocent way, whoſoever Anſw.do think ſo, do diſgrace themſelves: for ſuppoſe one Die queſo, ſi quis ſolē tenebrarum autorem exiſtimet, ſoline an ſibi detraxit? ſibi, viz. ipſi, cum furioſi et inſaniē tis opinionē cōſequatur eodem profectò modo qui bonos pravos eſſe putant ſeipſos vituperant Chryſoſt. Hom. Mat. cap. 27.ſhould ſay the Sun were dark, and another ſhould believe it, who is diſgraced? the Sun, or the man that either ſaid it or believed it? ſo if an aſperſion be caſt upon thoſe that are godly, and they walk in a ſhining converſation before others, it will be ſuch a reproach to any that raiſes the reproach, as it will keep others from believing of it. But if the evil be ſome natural infirmity, weakneſs of parts, or the like, then thou mayeſt comfort thy ſelf in this, that there is no diſhonor in natural infirmity, it is onelyonly ſin that brings ſhame, there is a relation between ſin and ſhame, but between nothing elſe and ſhame; it is a ſign alſo they want other things, when they reproach thee for natural infirmities.
Seventhly, conſider what honor God hath put upon you, and what he intends to put upon you: if you be godly, he hath put honor enough upon you, and that may be enough to uphold the heart under all the 7.reproaches and ſtains that men and Devils can caſt upon you. Hath not the Lord been pleaſed to bring you into the honorable eſtate of ſonſhip? and hath put his glory upon your ſouls, and hath honored you by that near relation you have to Chriſt? he hath honored you by the glorious priviledges of the Goſpel, he hath honored you by giving himſelf and Chriſt to you; he hath honored you in the hearts of his Saints, men of precious ſpirits, who know much of Gods minde, who are able to judge wherein true excellency conſiſts, their hearts are with you, they bleſs God for you, the eſteem of one godly man is more to be regarded then thouſands of others, your name is precious amongſt the Saints, and that is enough. When Doeg reproached Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum.David with devouring words in Sauls Court, yet David bleſſed himſelf in this, Pſalm 52. 8. But I am a green Olive-tree in the houſe of God; Doeg flouriſheth in the Court, and my name may be blaſted there, but In the houſe of God, there my name is precious; I am there as a green olive-tree, and that is more to me then flouriſhing in Sauls Court. Now ſhall the reproach of an evil tongue take away the comfort of a godly heart that hath ſo great honors? We count it a great evil, and exceeding was the baſenes of the ſpirit of Haman, when he was ſo honored by the King and his Nobles, yet that he ſhould be vexed, becauſe Mordecai would not bow to him, that all his honor ſhould do him no good: ſo is it not the baſeneſs of the ſpirits of Gods Servants, (truly it is to be called by no other name) when as God hath raiſed them to ſuch glory, when as God hath made them Members of, and Coheirs with his Son, and they are invited to the Banquet of the Lord, to the great Supper of the Lamb, and the Lord hath provided for them all the glory of Heaven, and there are ſuch glorious things ſpoken of them in the word, yet for all this if they come into wicked company, and have but an evil tongue ſpeak againſt them, they are ſo diſcouraged and caſt down, as if all the honor that God had put upon them were nothing: What an evil thing is this? And how do you derogate from the goodneſs of God, to walk thus unbeſeeming Chriſtians?
If you had never ſo much filth upon you for the preſent, being there is ſo much honor to come, what need you to care? If a man be going to be crowned, and to be glorified, and thoſe that do not know him, as he goes contemn him, what cares he? He knows that within a few days he ſhall be honored by thoſe that do reproach him. As David ſaid to Michal, 2 Samuel 6. 22. when ſhe told him of being vile in the eyes of the handmaids, Of the maid-ſervants which thou haſt ſpoken of, of them ſhall I be had in honor: ſo even of thoſe men of the world, which now you ſay do ſo reproach you, even of them hereafter ſhall you be had in honor: If we believe there are ſuch things to come, that we ſhall ſit with Chriſt, and judge the Angels, and judge the reproachers, why ſhould we be troubled?
There is a famous paſſage I have met with in Chryſoſtom, to this purpoſe; he brings in Chriſt comforting his Diſciples againſt reproaches, ſpeaking thus unto them: *An gra vis injuria eſt quia ſeductores ci Magos vos vocāt? certe non multo poſt ſalvatores vos benefuctoreſ que totius orbis praedicabunt. Tepus enim quod obum brata ōnia declarat illorum adverſus vos emētittita verba redarguet, virtutis veſtre ſplē dorem accendet; ſic illi menda ces, maleduci falſi que aliorum accuſatores videbuntur vos autem vel ſole ipſo clariores atque illuſtriores teſtcſ que claritatis veſtrae univerſos habebit is homines.What, is the wrong grievous unto you, that now they call you ſeducers and conjurers? it will not be long before they ſhall openly call you the Saviors and bleſſings of the whole world; that time that ſhall declare all things that are now hid, ſhall rebuke them for their lying words againſt you, and ſhall kindle the ſplendor of your vertue; ſo they ſhall be found lyars, evil ſpeakers, falſe accuſers of others, but you ſhall be more clear and illuſtrious then the Sun, and you ſhall have all men witneſſes of your glory.
8. Again, conſider what abundance of reproach and contempt juſtly many do ſuffer for their ſins and wickedneſs that indeed they are guilty of, ſin carries many men through infinite ſhameful things: as take one that is given to a baſe luſt, and ſo as he may enjoy his luſt, he cares not what ſhame he endures, though he be counted the ſhame of their friends, and the ſcum of the place where he lives. Who are ſo baſely looked upon as baſe drunkards? they are looked upon as more vile then the filth and dung of the earth, and yet they go on and bleſs themſelves in the pleaſure they have in their luſts, notwithſtanding the reproach. If one ſhould be content to go on in his luſts, and pleaſe himſelf therein, notwithſtanding all the reproach he endures, what cauſe have we to go on in the ways of God, and keep cloſe to him, though all the world reproach us?
9. Again, conſider the goodneſs of God in delivering of you from everlaſting reproach. In Dan. 12. 2. Many of them that ſleep in the dust of the earth ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt. We might have been amongſt the company of thoſe that ſhall have all their wickedneſs opened at the laſt day of Judgement before God himſelf, and might have had the Lord himſelf mocking at us.
10. And yet futther, conſider that the greateſt evil of reproach it is from him that receives it, it is according as we take it. It is a ſpeech of Chryſoſtom; As it is with meat, ſo it is with reproaches, it is not the goodneſs and ſweetneſs of the meat in its ſelf that makes it to be good and ſweet to me, but according as my ſtomack and body is affected: And ſo in all reproaches, it is not as it comes from him that caſts it, that makes it evil, but it is as he that receives it makes it: caſt dirt upon dirt, and it will ſtick, caſt dirt upon Voluptas non in ciborum apparatu, ſed in comedentium affectu fita eſt, hoc de contumelia dico, quod contumelia non è con tumeliantium ſententia, ſed à petitentium affectu conſtituitur vel deſtruitur; ſi contum… liam deri ſeris, cōtumelia non paſſus es. Chryſoſt. Hom. 2. ad Pop. Antioch.on a piece of poliſhed braſs or iron, and it will fall off; the greateſt part of the evil of reproaches, comes from the affection of the receiver; then it is in our power to make reproaches to be as nothing, if we can but take pains to get our hearts ſo affected, as that the reproach may not ſtick: It is not in the power of any man in the world to ſtain us, if we by ſome evil do not make the ſtain to ſtick upon our ſelves.
Again, if you conſider that God hath the care of your names, that may be a great argument to help you to bear reproach: God hath taken the charge of the names of his people, as truly as of their ſouls, and if God hath the charge of your names, why are you troubled at any thing that befals you in regard Pars major conſtat vitio interpretantis. Senec.of your name? If you be in Gods way, you are to commit your ſelves to God, he hath charge of you; when Gods Servants are meek and quiet, and do not hear reproaches againſt themſelves, yet God 11.hears them, it is no great matter then though they hear them not themſelves. It is an excellent place we have for this, Pſalm 38. 12, 13, 15. They ſpeak miſchievous things, ſays David, but I as a deaf man heard not; but mark verſe 15. In thee O Lord do I hope, thou wilt hear, O Lord my God; What need David hear, God will hear: the leſs we hear in this caſe, the more will God hear, Job 5. 21. Thou ſhalt be hid from the ſcourge of the tongue: Now there is a twofold hiding from the ſcourge of the tongue, either by delivering us wholly from it, or otherwiſe delivering us from the evil of it: As a man may be ſaid to be hid and delivered from a thing that can do him no hurt, and ſo in this ſenſe at leaſt thou ſhalt be delivered from the ſcourge of the tongue; it may be that God will wholly free us from the ſcourge of the tongue, or it may be it is fit thou ſhouldſt be ſcourged, yet thou art hid from it ſo as it ſhall do thee no hurt, no not to thy name in the concluſion. And ſo in Pſal. 37. 5, 6. Commit thy way to the Lord, truſt alſo in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſs, and he ſhall bring forth thy righteouſneſs as the light, and thy judgement as the noon day. This was the argument O altitudo prudentiae! O altitudo patientiae! ô devorandae contumeliae grande inventum! Ambr. Apol. de David. c. 6.that upheld David when Shimei curſt him; Well, ſays he, it may be God bid him; my name is in his hand, and he may do with my name what he pleaſe. Upon this Ambroſe hath this ſpeech, O the height of the wiſdom, prudence, patience of David! what a worthy plot had he to deliver himſelf from the evil of reproach.
Again, it is a greater mercy that God keeps you from the evil of the hands of wicked men, if God beat out the teeth of wicked men, that they onelyonly can 12.bark and not bite, that their tongues and not their hands can onelyonly reach you. The complaint of Job might have been thine, ch. 16. 11. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked; this would have been grievous indeed. Although they ſend a flood of reproaches after you, as Rev. 12. 15. the Dragon caſt out of his mouth a flood after the Church, yet thou art far from their reach as ſhe was, therefore be patient under reproaches. It is Non vacat haec notare cui pejora inſtant; nimio otto ingenia infirma & muliebria & inopia verae injuriae laſcivientia bis commoventur. Sen.through the wantonneſs of our hearts that we are ſo ſenſible of the evil of reproaches, becauſe we are not accuſtomed to ſuffer greater evils; thoſe who are in danger of greater evils, have no leiſure to think on theſe things, ſays Seneca, but mindes weakned with too much idleneſs, and wanton and effeminate through want of ſufferings.
Yet further, conſider what a great deal of good there is in bearing reproaches patiently.
Firſt, there is a great deal of honor in it: There is 13.more honor in bearing reproaches patiently, then 1.there is diſgrace in having them caſt wrongfully The benenefit of bearing repoaches patiently.upon you; now what do you loſe then? Suppoſe there be hot water, and I put ſo much cold to it, it loſes its warmth, but if I put more warm then cold to it, then the water hath loſt nothing of its warmneſs: So ſuppoſe you be reproached, and God brings more honor then the reproach did ſcandal, then you have loſt nothing; Every fool can caſt reproach, but it is the part of a wiſe man to bear it well.
Again, if we can bear reproaches patiently, what 2.a quiet will it be to our hearts? otherwiſe we ſhould never be quiet, for we live amongſt thoſe that will caſt reproaches, and unleſs we can get power this way, we ſhall never have comfortable lives, and we ſhould think it much, that the comfort and quiet of our lives ſhould lie at the mercy of others.
Thirdly, the bearing of reproaches patiently is a mighty help to the progreſs of godlineſs in us: As 3.thoſe that have overcome the evil of ſhame in a way of ſin, grow mightily hardned in their ſins; ſo thoſe that have got that ſtrength, to go on in the ways of God, ſo as not much to regard any reproach that is Haud vclim Eraſmi gloria aut nomine vehi; major eſt mihi timor in laudibus, gaudium verò in maledictis & blaſphemiis Luth. ep. ad Nicolaum Hanſmannum.caſt upon them in that way, they will mightily grow in thoſe ways.
Laſtly, conſider there is much danger in being honored by men, and in many regards, the honors of men are as much, if not more to be feared then their contempts and diſhonors. Luther writing to a friend of his, ſays, He would not have the glory and fame of Eraſmus; my greateſt fear is the praiſes of men, but my joy is in their reproaches and evil ſpeeches.