A Sovereign Antidote to Drive out Discontent, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
5. BEcauſe their adverſaries are rather to be contemptuouſly pitied than maligned or reckoned of; and that whether we regard their preſent, o… future eſtate. Concerning the preſent; If a man diſtracted (and ſo are wicked men touching ſpiritual things) do rail on us, we are more ſorry for him, than for our ſelves: Yea, who will take in evil part the reproaches and revilings of a man in his feaver? or who will be angry with a Dogge for barking? (and ſuch an one hath but the minde of a beaſt, in the form of a man:) Let us then do the like, in a caſe not unlike: and not reſemble Cteſipho the wraſtler, who would not put up a blow at the heels of an Aſſe, but like an Aſſe kickt her again. Socrates bidding good ſpeed to a dogged fellow, who in requital of his kind ſalutation, returned him a baſe anſwer; the reſt of the Company rayling on the fellow, were reprehended by Socrates in this manner: If any one (quoth he) ſhould pass by us diſpleaſed in his body▪ or diſtracted in his mind, ſhould we therefore be angry? or had we not more cauſe to be fill'd with joy and thank…fulness, that we our ſelves are in better caſe? What need we return rayling for rayling? All the harm that a common ſlanderer can do us with his foul mouth, is to ſhame himſelf. For his words are like duſt, that men throw againſt the wind, which flyes back into the throwers face, and makes him blinde: for as the blaſpheme… wounds himſelf by wounding Chriſt: ſo the rayler ſhames himſelf, when he thinks to ſhame another. Neither have they power to hurt us; ſtrong malice in a weak breaſt, is but like a heavy houſe built upon ſlender crutches.
True, they conceit of their ſlanders as the Pope of his cenſures, who if he put a Traytor into the Rubricke, he is preſently a Saint in Heaven; if he curſe, or excommunicate a Chriſtian, he muſt needs be inrolled in hell; but we know their words, meer Idols, which as the Apoſtle witneſſeth▪ are nothing in the world; and therefore trouble not thy ſelf about them. What need had David to load himſelf with an unneceſſary weapon▪ one ſword can ſerve both his enemy and him; Goliahs own weapon ſhall ſerve to behead the Maſter: ſo this mans own tongue ſhall ſerve to accuſe himſelf, and acquit thee. Whence thoſe Noble Emperours, Theodoſius and Honorius; would not have any puniſhed that ſpake evil of them: for (ſaid they;) if it comes from lightneſs of ſpirit, it is to be contemned; if from madneſs, it is worthy of pitty; if from intended injury, it is to be pardoned; for wrongs are to be forgiven. And indeed, in things that may have a double ſenſe, it is good to think the better was intended; for ſo ſhall we both keep our friends and quietness.
Again he well conſiders the ignorance of his enemies, who being carnall, fleſhly, unregenerate, cannot diſcern the ſpirituall Objects at which they are offended. Father forgive them (ſaith our Saviour of his enemies,) for they know not what they do, Luk. 23.34. Alas poor ignorant ſouls, they did but imitate Oedipus, who kild his Father Laius King of Thebes, and thought he had killed his enemy. Socrates being perſwaded to revenge himſelf of a fellow that kicked him, anſwered, If an Asse had kickt me, ſhould I have ſet my wit to his, and kick him again? or if a Maſtiff had bitten me, would you have me go to Law with him? And when it was told him another time, that ſuch an one ſpake evill of him, he replied, Alas the man hath not as yet learned to ſpeak well, but I have learned to contemn what he ſpeaks. Diogenes being told that many deſpiſed him, anſwered; It is the wiſemans portion to ſuffer of fools. Ariſtotle, being told that … ſimple fellow railed on him, was not once moved, but ſaid, Let him beat me alſo being abſent, I care not: we may well ſuffer their words, while God doth deliver us out of their hands: for if we go on in a ſilent conſtancy, ſay our ears be beaten, yet our hearts ſhall be free. And this heroicall reſolution had St. Paul, that choſen veſſell; I paſſe very little to be judged of you (meaning blind ſenſualiſts:) or of mans judgement, he that judgeth me is the Lord, 1 Cor. 4.3, 4. and indeed, an ounce of credit with God, is more worth than a talent of mens praiſes. I regard not (quoth Plato) what every one ſaith; but what he ſaith that ſeeth all things: he knew well enough, that the fame which is derived from fools and knaves is infamy, Cato was much aſhamed if at any time he had committed any thing diſhoneſt; but elſe, what was reproved by opinion only, never troubled him: Yea, when a fool ſtruck him in the Bath; and after being ſorry for it, cried him mercy; he would not come ſo neer revenge, as to acknowledge he had been …ronged. Light injuries are made none by a not regarding. The ignorant multitude among the Iews ſaid, that St. Iohn had a Devill; and that Chriſt was a Glutton, and a Wine-bibber: But what ſaith he by way of anſwer? Wiſdome is juſtified of her children, Matth. 11.18, 19.
Let none object the Scribes and Phariſees joyning with them, who were great Scholers; for no man knows ſo much, but it is through ignorance that he doth ſo ill. Neither doth our Saviour enquire, what the Phariſees or Prieſts reputed him; but whom ſay men (meaning thoſe who minded his Doctrine) that I the ſonne of man am? Matth. 16.13. Wherefore in theſe caſes it hath been uſuall for Gods people, to behave themſelves liked dead Images, which though they be rayled on, and reviled by their enemies, yet have ears, and hear not; mouths, and ſpeak not, hands, and revenge not; neither have they breath in their noſtrils to make reply: Pſal. 115.5, 6, 7. If you will ſee it in an example, look upon David, he was as deaf and dumb at reproach, as any ſtock or ſtone. They that ſeek after my life (ſaith he) lay ſnares, and they that go about to do me evil, talk wicked things all the day; (ſure it was their vocation to backbite and ſlander) but I was as deaf, and heard not; and as one dumb, which doth not open his mouth. I was as a man that heareth not, and in whoſe mouth are no reproofs, Pſal. 38.1….13. This innocent Dove was alſo as wiſe as a Serpent, in ſtopping his ears and refuſing to hear the voice of theſe blaſphemous Inchanters, charmed they never ſo wiſely, which being ſo, let us hear with patience, and ſay with Tacitus, You are able to curſe, and I to contemn: Tu linguae ego aurium ſum Dominus, you are Maſter of your tongue, and I of mine ears. What ſaith one adviſedly? When we are provoked to fight with women, the beſt way is to run away. And indeed, he that lets looſe his anger upon every occaſion, is like him that lets go his Hawk upon every bayt. Indeed in Gods cauſe the caſe may differ. When Iulian in a mock asked Maurice Biſhop of Chalcedon, why his Galilean, God could not help him to his fight; he replied, I am contentedly blind, that I may not ſee ſuch a Tyrant as thou art.
And as their words are to be contemned by us, ſo are their challenges to fight. When a young Gallant would needs pick a quarrell with an ancient tried Souldier, whoſe valour had made him famous: it was generally held, that he might with credit refuſe to fight with him, until his worth ſhould be known equivalent to his: ſaying, Your ambition is to win honour upon me, whereas I ſhall receive nothing but diſgrace from you. The Goſhawke ſcorns to fly at Sparrows Thoſe noble Doggs which the King of Albany preſented to Alexander, out of an overflowing of courage, contemned to encounter with any beaſts, but Lyons and Elephants: as for Stagg…, wild Boars and Bears, they made ſo little account of, that ſeeing them, they would not ſo much as remove out of their places. And ſo the Regenerate man, which fighteth daily with their King, Satan, ſcorns to encounter with his ſervant and ſlave, the carnall man. And this is ſo far from detracting▪ that it adds to his honour, and ſhews his courage and fortitude, to be right generous and noble.
Again ſecondly, The wager is unequall, to lay the life of a Chriſtian againſt the life of a Ruffian (and the blind ſword makes no difference of perſons) the one ſurpaſſing the other, as much as Heaven, Earth; Angels, men; or men beaſts: even Aristippus (being derided by a fearless ſouldier, for drooping in danger of ſhipwrack,) could anſwer, Thou and I have not the like cauſe to be afraid: for thou ſhalt only loſe the life of an Aſſe, but I the life of a Philoſopher. The conſideration whereof, made Alexander (when he was commanded by Philip his Father to wraſtle in the games of Olympia,) anſwer; he would, if there were any Kings preſent to ſtrive with him, elſe not; which is our very Caſe: and nothing is more worthy our pride, than (that which will make us moſt humble if we have it,) that we are Chriſtians. When an Embaſſadour told Henry, the fourth that Magnificent King of France, concerning the King of Spains ample Dominions: Firſt ſaid he, He is King of Spain: is he ſo? ſaith Henry, and I am King of France: but ſaid the other, He is King of Portugall, and I am King of France, ſaith Henry: He is King Naples and I am King of France: He is King of Sicily, and I am King of France: He is King of Novae Hiſpaniola, and I am King of France: He is King of the Weſt Indies and I, ſaid Henry, am King of France: He thought the Kingdom of France only, equivalent to all thoſe Kingdoms. The application is eaſie, the practiſe uſuall with ſo many, as know themſelves heirs apparent, to an immortall Crown of glory. And as touching their future eſtate, Fret not thy ſelf (ſaith David) becauſe of the wicked men, neither be envious for the evill doers; for they ſhall ſoon be cut down like grass, and ſhall wither as the green herb, Pſal 37 1, 2▪ This doth excellently appear in that remarkable example of Samaria, beſieged by Benhadad and his Hoſt, 2 King. 7.6, 7. As alſo in Haeman who now begins to envy, where half an hour ſince he had ſcorned: as what could ſo much vex that inſulting Agagite, as to be made a Lackie to a deſpiſed Iew? yea, not to mention that which followed, ſtay but one hour more, the baſeſt ſlave of Perſia, will not change conditions with this great favourite, though he might have his riches and former honour to boot. I might inſtance the like of Pharaoh, Exod. 15.9, 10, 19. Senacherib, Iſa. 37.36, 37, 38. Herod, Acts 12▪22, 23. and many others; but experience ſhews, that no man can ſit upon ſo high a Cogue, but may with turning prove the loweſt in the wheele; and that pride cannot climbe ſo high, but Iuſtice will fit above her.