A Christian Library, Part 1 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. That their expectation may not be answered.
3. BEcause he will not answer his enemies expectation; in which kinde he is revenged of his enemy, even while he refuseth to revenge himself. For as there is no such grief to a Iester or Iugler, as when he doth see that with all his jests, tricks and …ooleries, he cannot move mirth, nor change the countenances, of them that see and hear him; so there can be no greater vexation to a wicked and malicious enemy, than to see thee no whit grieved nor moved at his malice against thee; but that thou dost so bear his injuries, as if they were none at all. Yea, he which makes the tryall shall finde that his enemy is more vexed with his silence, than if he should return like for like.
Dion of Alexandria was wont to take this revenge of his enemies; amongst whom there was one, who perceiving that by injuring and reviling of him he could not move him to impatience, whereby he might have more scope to rayl; went and made away with himself, as Brusonius reports. And Montaigne tells us of a Citizen, that having a Scold to his Wife, would play on his Drum when she brawled, and rather seem to be pleased with it, than angry; and this for the present did so mad her, that she was more vexed with her self, than with him: but when she saw how it succeeded, and that this would not prevail, in the end it made her quite leave off the same, and prove a loving wife, that so she might overcome him with kindnesse, and win him to her bow, by bending as much the other way; that so like a prudent Wife, she might command he… Husband by obeying. And whosoever makes the tryall, shall finde, that Christian patience, and magnanimous contempt; will in time either drain the gall out of bitter spirits, or make it more overflow to their own disgrace.
At least it will still the barking tongue, and that alone will be worth our labour.
Satan and his instruments cannot so vex us with sufferings, as we vex them with our patience. It hath been a torment to Tyrants, to see that they were no way able, either with threats or promises; kindnesse or cruelty, to make the Christians yeeld: but that they were as immoveable as a Rock; it being true of them which is but fained of Iupiter; namely, that neither Iuno through her riches, nor Mercury through his eloquence, nor Vonus through her beauty, nor Mars through his threats, nor all the rest of the gods, though they conspired together, could pull him out of Heaven. Neither feared they to die, knowing that death was but their passage to a state of immortality. But to go on; you cannot anger a wicked man worse than to do well; yea, he hates you more bitterly for this, and the credit you gain thereby, then if you had cheated him of his patrimony with your own discredit: nor do they more envy our grace, than they rejoyce is see us sin: For what makes God angry makes them merry. And they so hunger and thirst after our discredit, that should we through passion but overshoot our selves in returning like for like, or in doing more than befits us, they would feed themselves with the report of it: for like flesh-flies, our wounds are their chief nourishment, and nothing so glads their hearts, or opens their mouthes, with insolency and triumph.
Besides, what is scarce thought a fault in other men, is held in us a hainous crime: When they could not accuse Christ of sinne, they accused him for companying with sinners, and doing good on the Sabboth day. When the Rulers and Governours could finde no fault in Daniel concerning the Kingdom, he was so faithfull, they alledged his praying to God, and brought that within compasse of a Premunire, Dan. 6.4.13.
The World is ever taxing the least fault (yea no fault, or rather the want of faults) in the best men, because one imaginary cloud in a just man, shall in their censure darken all the starres of his graces; yea the smallest spot in his face, shall excuse all the sores and ulcers in their bodies: so that by answering their expectation, or by returning like for like, we shall both wrong our selves and pleasure them; which is like the setting of a mans own house on fire through carelesnesse, in which case he not only bears the losse, and scorches himself in it, but must give five pounds to the Sheriff also, if it be in London. So that the best answer is either silence or laughter; or if neither of these will do, a cudgell. The best answer to words of scorn and petulancy, saith learned Hooker, is Isaacs Apologie to his brother Ishmael; the Apologie which patience and silence make, (no Apologie) and we have our Saviours president for it: for when false witnesses rose up and accused him fasly before the Priests, Scribes and Elders, it is said that Iesus held his peace: that infinitewisdome knew well, how little satisfaction there would be in answers, where the Sentence was determined: where the Asker is unworthy, the Question captious, words bootlesse, the best answer is silence. Let our Answer then to their Reasons be, No; to their scoffs, nothing. And yet, when the slanders which light on our persons, rebound to the discredit of our profession, it behoveth us not to be silent in answering truly, whenas our adversaries are eloquent in objecting falsly. An indignity which only toucheth our private persons, may be dissembled; as Augustin replied to Petillian, P…ssumus esse in his copiosi pariter, sed nolumus esse pariter vani. But in the other case, the retorting of a poysoned weapon into the adversaries own breast, is laudable.
It is the weaknesse of some good natures (the more is the pitty) to grieve and to be angry at wrongs received, and thereby to give advantage to an enemy. But what would malice rather have, than the vexation of them whom it persecutes? We cannot better please an adversary, than by hurting our selves: and this is no other than to humour envy, to serve the turn of those that maligne us, and draw on that malice, whereof we are already weary: whereas carelesnesse puts ill will out of countenance, and makes it withdraw it self in a rage, as that which doth but shame the Author, without hurt of the Patient. In a causelesse wrong, the best remedy is contempt of the Author.