A Sovereign Antidote to Drive out Discontent, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
3. THey bear the ſlanders and reproaches of wicked men patiently, for that they are falſe, and ſo appertain not unto them. Socrates being rayled upon, and called by one all to naught, took no notice of it; and being demanded a reaſon of his Patience, ſaid, It concerns 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 poor, or a ſound Chriſtian, an hypocrite, he ſlights it, he laught at it, becauſe he knoweth the ſame to be falſe, and that his Accuſer is miſtaken: whereas, if a Beggar be called bankrup, or a diſſembler, hypocrite, he will wince and kick, and be moſt grievouſly offended at it. Yea, as ſoares and ulcers are grieved, not only at a …ight touch, but even with fear and ſuſpition of being touched, ſo will an exu…erate minde, ſaith Seneca. And as ſmall letters offend bad eyes ſo leaſt appearances of contradiction will grieve the ill affected ears of guil…y perſons, ſaith Plutarch. For, let mens tongues, like Bells, give but an indefinite, & not a ſignificant ſound, they imagin them to ſpeak and mean, whatſoever their guilty conſciences frame in the fancie, and whiſper in the ear: which are thoſe evil 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 bear, as forbear reproaches. But where the conſcience is clear, the caſe is altered. Marius was never offended with any report that went of him, becauſe if it were true, it would ſound 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 works. Sophocles being accuſed by his own children, that he grew D…tard, and ſpent their Patrimonies idly, when he was ſummoned, did not perſonally appear before the Magiſtrates, but ſent one of his new Tragedies to their peruſall, which being read, made them confeſs, This is not the work 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 bear the great ſtorms 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 clear conſcience, will abide all tryals: in proſperity it will not be lifted up, in adverſity, it will not be utterly caſt down: whereas, the corrupt heart and feſtered conſcience, can endure nothing, even a word, if it be pleaſing, puffs 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, be put out of tune with the very diſtemper of the aire: but when the ſoul is ſteeled with goodneſſe, no aſſaults of evil can daunt it. I more fear what is within me (ſayes Luther) then what comes from without: The ſtorms and wind without, do never move the Earth, only Vapours within, cauſe Earthquakes, Jam. 4.1. No greater ſign of innocency when we are accuſed, than mildness, as we ſee in Ioſeph, who being both accuſed and committed for forcing his Miſtress, anſwered juſt nothing that we can read of, Gen. 39.17, 18. And Suſanna, who being accuſed by the two Elders of an h…ynous crime (which they …lone were guilty of,) never contended by laying the fault upon them, but …ppeals unto God whether ſhe were innocent or no. And Hannah, whoſe …eply to Ely (when he falſly accuſed her of drunkenneſs) was no other …ut, Nay my Lord, count not thine Handmaid for a wicked woman, 1 Sam. … 15, 16. Neither is their a greater Symptome of guiltineſs, than our …reaking into choler, and being exaſperated when we have any thing laid to …ur charge; witneſſe Cain, Gen. 4.9. That Hebrew which ſtruck his fel…ow. Exod. 2.13.14. Saul, 1 Sam. 20.32, 33, Abner, 2 Sam. 3.…. Ieroboam, … King. 13.4 Ahab, 1 King. 22.27. Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25.16. Uzziah … Chron. 26.19. Herod the Tetrarch, Luk. 3.19.20. The men of Naza…eth, Luk 4 28, 29. The Phariſees Ioh. 8.47.48. And the High Prieſts and Scribes, Luk. 20.19, 20.
Sinne and falſhood are like an impudent ſtrumpet, but innocency and truth will veil themſelves, like a modeſt Virgin, 2 Pet. 2.18. The more falſe the matter, the greater noiſe to uphold it. Paul is nothing ſo loud 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 beautiful face, that needs no painting; or a comely body, which, any decent apparell becomes. We plaiſter over rotten poſts, and ragged walls; ſubſtantiall buildings are able to grace themſelves. So that as ſparks flying up, ſhew the houſe to be on fire, and as corrupt ſpittle ſhews 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 bleat; and the latter unto Swine, which will roar and cry if they be but toucht. A good Conſcience is not put out of countenance with the falſe accuſations of ſlanderous tongues: it throweth them off, as St. Paul did the Viper, unhurt. Innocence and patience are two Bucklers ſufficient to repulſe and abate the violence of any ſuch charge; the Breſtplate of Righteouſneſſe, the brazen wall of a good conſcience, feareth no ſuch Canons. The Conſcionabl… being railed upon, and reviled by a foul mouth, may reply as once a Steward did to his paſſionate Lord, when he called him Knave, &c. Your Honour may ſpeak as you pleaſe, but I believe not a word that you ſay, for I know my ſelf an honeſt man. Yea, ſuppoſe we are circled round with reproaches our conſcience knowing us innocent, like a conſtant friend, takes us by the hand and cheers us againſt all our miſeries. A good ſpirit, will be, as Simon to Chriſt, its Cross-bearer. A juſt man ſaith chryſoſtome, is impregnable, 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, he hath his converſation in Heaven: kill his body, it ſhall riſe again: 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, contemn them; own them not ſo much, as once to take notice thereof. A wicked heart is as a harrill powder to temptation; let thine be, as a River of water. Yea, ſeeing God eſteems men as they are, and not as they have been, although formerly thou haſt been culpable; yet now thou mayeſt anſwer for thy ſelf, 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 been; 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 Apothegme of Diogenes to a baſe fellow, that told him he had once been 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 mayeſt ſay, by how much more I have formerly ſinned, by ſo much more is Gods power and goodness now magnified. As St. Auſtine hearing the Donatiſts revile him for the former wickedneſs of his youth; anſwered, The more deſperate my diſeaſe was, ſo much the more I admire the Phyſician. Yea, thou mayeſt yet ſtrain it a peg higher, and ſay, the greater my ſinnes were, the greater is my honour: as, the Devi…s which Mary Magdalen once had, are mentioned for her glory.