A Counterpoison, Religious treatise · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Reasons of Patience.
That the godly are patient in suffering of wrongs, because innocent.
NOw that some may be perswaded to make this use of their sufferings, and that we may also put to silence the ignorance of others; (foolishmen who are mistaken in judging of this matter, supposing it a base thing to suffer injuries unrevenged) see the Reasons which deservedly make Gods children so patiently to suffer wrongs that the men of the world never dreame of: And how through the study of vertue and Christian prudence, they make the servile passions of their mindes (feare and anger) subject to the more worthy faculties of their soules, reason and understanding.
Wee beare their reproaches and persecutions patiently,
Either in regard of
Our Selves.
Our Enemies.
Our Selves and our Enemies.
Our Enemies and Others.
GOD.
CHRIST, and the Saints.
In regard of our selves,
1 Because We are innocent.
2 Because It is more laudible to forgive, then to revenge.
3 Because Suffering is the only way to prevent suffering.
4 Because Our sins have deserv'd it, and a far greater affliction.
5 Because Our sufferings are counterpoysed and made sweet, with more than answerable blessings.
6 Because Our patience brings a reward with it.
First, they beare the slanders and reproaches of wicked men patiently, for that they are false, and so appertaine not unto them. Socrates being rayled upon, and called by one all to naught, tooke no notice of it, and being demanded a reason of his patience, said, it concernes me not, for I am no such man. Diogenes was wont to say, when the people mockt him, They deride me, yet I am not derided; I am not the man they take me for. This reason is of more force from the mouth of an innocent Christian. If a rich man be called poore, or a sound Christian an hypocrite, he slights it, he laughs at it, because he knoweth the same to be false, and that his Accuser is mistaken; whereas if a Beggar be called bankrupt, or a dissembler, hypocrite; he will winch and kick, and bee most grievously offended at it. Yea, as soares, and ulcers, are grieved not only at a light touch, but even with feare and suspition of being touched: so will an exulcerate minde, saith Seneca. And as small letters offend bad eyes, so least appearances of contradiction, will grieve the ill affected eares of guilty persons, saith Plutarch; for let mens tongues like Bells, give but an indefinite, and not a significant sound, they imagine them to speak, and meane, whatsoever their guilty consciences frame, in the fancy, and whisper in the eare: which are those evill surmises of corrupt mindes, the Apostle taxeth: 1 Tim. 6. 4. When like Caius the humanist, one thinks every word spoken, tends to his disgrace; and is as unwilling to beare, as forbeare reproaches. But where the conscience is cleare, the case is altered. Marius was never offended with any report that went of him, because if it were true, it would …ound to his praise; if false, his life and manners should prove it contrary. And indeed, the best confutation of their slanders, is not by our great words, but by our good workes. Sophocles being accused by his owne children, that he grew Dotard, and spent their patrimonies idely; when hee was summoned, did not personally appeare before the Magistrates, but sent one of his new Tragedies to their perusall, which being read, made them confesse, This is not the worke of a man that dotes. So against all clamours and swelling opprobries, set but thine innocency and good life; thou needest do no more. That body which is in good health, is strong, and able to beare the great stormes and bitter cold of Winter, and likewise the excessive and intemperate heat of the Summer: but with a crazie and distempered body, it is far otherwise. Even so, a sound heart and cleere conscience will abide all tryals; in prosperity it will not be lifted up; in adversity, it will not be utterly cast downe: whereas the corrupt heart, and festred conscience, can endure nothing; even a word if it be pleasing, puffe… him up with pride; if not, it swels him with passion. A guilty conscience, (like Glasse) will sweat with the least breath, and like a windy Instrument, bee put out of tune, with the very distemper of the aire: but when the soule is steeled with goodnesse, no assaults of evill can daunt it. No greater signe of innocency when we are accused, than mildnesse: as we see in Joseph, who being both accused and committed for forcing of his Mistresse, answered just nothing that we can reade of, Gen. 39. 17, 18. And Susanna, who being accused by the two Elders of an haynous crime, (which they alone were guilty of) never contended by laying the fault upon them, but appeales unto God whether shee were innocent or no. The History of Susanna, Vers. 42, 43. And Hannah, whose reply to Ely, when hee falsely accused her of drunkennesse, was no other, but Nay my Lord, count not thine Handmaid for a wicked woman, 1 Sam. 1. 15, 16. Neither is there a greater Symptome of guiltinesse, than our breaking into choller, and being exasperated when we have any thing laid to our charge, witnesse Cain, Gen. 4. 9. That Hebrew which struck his fellow, Exod. 2. 13, 14. Saul, 1 Sam. 20. 32, 33. Abner, 2 Sam. 3. 8. Jeroboam, 1 King. 13. 4. Ahab, 1 Kings 22. 27. Amazia, 2 Chron. 25. 16. Uzziah, 2 Chron. 26. 19. Herod the Tetrarch, Luke 3. 19. 20. The men of Nazareth, Luke 4. 28, 29. The Pharisees, John 8. 47, 48. And the High Priest and Scribes, Luke 20. 19, 20.
Sinne and falshood, are like an impudent strumpet, but innocency and truth will vaile themselves, like a modest Virgin, … Pet. 2. 18. The more false the matter, the greater noyse to uphold it; Paul is nothing so lowde as Tertullus: The weakest cause will be sure to forelay the shrewdest counsell, or the lowdest Advocates: Errour hath alwayes most words; like a rotten house, that needs most props, and crutches to uphold it. Simple truth evermore requires least cost: like a beautifull face, that needs no painting; or a comely body, which any desent apparrell becomes. We playster over rotten posts, and ragged wals; substantiall Buildings are able to grace themselves. So that as sparkes flying up, shew the house to bee on fire, and as corrupt spittle shewes exulcerate lungs, so a passionate answer argues a guilty conscience. Why doth the Hare use so many doublings? but to frustrate the scent of the Hounds. And this is one reason why the former are compared to Sheep and Lambes (Emblems of innocency) which being harmed will not once bleate; and the latter unto Swine, which will roare and cry if they bee but toucht. But to leave these Swine and returne to the men wee were speaking of.
A good Conscience is not put out of countenance with the false accusations of slanderous tongues: it throweth them off, as Saint Paul did the Viper, unhurt. Innocence and patience are two Bucklers sufficient to repulse and abate the violence of any such charge; the Breast-plate of Righteousnesse, the brazen wall of a good conscience feareth no such Canons. The Conscionable being railed upon, and reviled by a foule mouth, may reply as once a Steward did to his passionate Lord, when hee called him Kav…, &c. Your Honour may speake as you please, but I beleeve not a word that you say, for I know my selfe an honest man. Yea, suppose wee are circled round with reproaches, our consciences knowing us innocent, like a constant friend, takes us by the hand and cheeres us against all our miseries. A good spirit will bee as Simon to Christ, its Crosse bearer. A just man, saith Chrysostome, is imprognable, and cannot be overcome; take away his wealth, his good parts cannot be taken from him, and his treasure is above; cast him into prison and bonds, he doth the more freely enjoy the presence of his God; banish him his Countrey, hee hath his conversation in Heaven; kill his body, it shall rise againe: so he fights with a shadow that contends with an upright man.
Wherefore, let all who suffer in their good names, if conscious and guilty of an enemies imputations, repent and amend; if otherwise, contemne them, owne them not so much as once to take notice thereof: A wicked heart, is as a Barrell of powder to temptation, let thine bee as a River of water. Yea, seeing God esteems men as they are, and not as they have been; although formerly thou hast beene culpable, yet now thou mayest answer for thy selfe as Paul did for Onesimus, Though in times past I was unprofitable, yet now I am profitable: and oppose to them that sweet and divine sentence of sweet and holy Bernard, Tell me not Satan what I have beene, but what I am and will be. Or that of Beza in the like case. Whatsoever I was, I am now in Christ a New Creature, and that is it which troubles thee, I might have so continued long enough ere thou wouldest have vexed at it, but now I see thou dost envy me the grace of my Saviour. Or that Apopthegme of Diogenes to a base fellow, that told him he had once beene a forger of money, whose answer was, Tis true, such as thou art now, I was once; but such as I am now thou wilt never be. Yea, thou mayst say, by how much more I have formerly sinned, by so much more is Gods power and goodnesse now magnified. As Saint Augustine hearing the Donatists revile him for the former wickednesse of his youth, answered, The more desperate my disease was, so much the more I admire the Physitian: Yea, thou mayst yet straine it a peg higher, and say, the greater my sinnes were, the greater is my honour: as the Divels which Mary Magdalen once had, are mentioned for her glory. Thus if we cannot avoid ill tongues, let our care bee not to deserve them, and tis all one as if we avoyded them. For how little is that man hurt, whom malice condemnes on Earth, and God commends in Heaven, let the World accuse mee, so long as God acquits me, I care not.