Chapter 32: 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 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 of him, some told him they deride you; but says he, I am not derided, I will not take to myself that which is cast upon me: It is wisdom for people to go away, and take but little notice of any thing 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 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 of people, and so the evil is worse, as a dunghil stirred stinks the worse.

Again, it may occasion those that reproach us, to raise up things that were dead a great while ago, and adde that to our reproach.

Again, it may occasion abundance of new matter, though false, to make our reproaches greater. If a 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 and stir, it comes to be more divulged.

Lastly, when we do stir, if we do not clear every 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 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.

Not so, we know many times Christ himself took no notice of a great deal of evil that was 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 show 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 says, that you mayest be clear when you judgest. St. Paul quoting this, Rom. 3:4 he has it, That you mayest overcome when you 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 yourselves 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 show 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 people have against patience. Some will say, if it were not wrongfully, I could bear it, it would never grieve me.

One would wonder that ever there should come 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 increase the burden 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 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 the Jews then of the Chaldeans; it is certainly a sorer affliction 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 satisfy 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 yourself unto him in it: Would you have God exercise you in such afflictions as are only easie to be born, of which you should not be sensible? it is the bitterness of them that causes 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 only a disgrace to their 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 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 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 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 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 reproaches, 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 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 has 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 only others that are better then you, but God and Christ is reproached: How is the 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, sovereignty, 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 muchcontempt as Christ beares daily, says Luther: Not to speak of the reproaches that Christ endures in his 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 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 has 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 God has endured for your sakes; and is it so great a matter for your names to be reproached for his sake? It is a notable speech Chrysostom has, That for us and for our life our Lord should be blasphemed, is worse then if we perished; Has not the name of God been reproached for your sakes? not only 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 you, and for what it is. It is the speech of an Ancient, 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, has 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 show the signification of it, as first, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], 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 [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], 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 [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], 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,[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], Prov. 3:34 for such likewise are scorners: Fifthly, by a word that signifies to deal unjustly, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], Psalm 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 you bald head, go up you 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 causes 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 has 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. 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 show 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 only upon the carrion, or like flyes that love only 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 your condition, and if there be such a great evil for others to speak of it, what a great evil is it for you 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 yourself 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.

But if you go on in an innocent way, whoever do think so, do disgrace themselves: for suppose one 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 you mayest comfort yourself in this, that there is no dishonor in natural infirmity, it is only 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 you for natural infirmities.

Seventhly, consider what honor God has put upon you, and what he intends to put upon you: if you be godly, he has put honor enough upon you, and that may be enough to uphold the heart under all the reproaches and stains that men and Devils can cast upon you. Has not the Lord been pleased to bring you into the honorable estate of sonship? and has put his glory upon your souls, and has honored you by that near relation you have to Christ? he has honored you by the glorious priviledges of the Gospel, he has honored you by giving himself and Christ to you; he has honored you in the hearts of his Saints, men of precious spirits, who know much of Gods mind, who are able to judge in which 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 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 flourishes 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 has 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 has raised them to such glory, when as God has 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 has 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 you 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: 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, andshall 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 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 ourselves.

Again, if you consider that God has the care of your names, that may be a great argument to help you to bear reproach: God has taken the charge of the names of his people, as truly as of their souls, and if God has the charge of your names, why are you troubled at any thing that befals you in regard of your name? If you be in Gods way, you are to commit yourselves to God, he has charge of you; when Gods Servants are meek and quiet, and do not hear reproaches against themselves, yet God 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 you O Lord do I hope, you will 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 You shall 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 you shall 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 you should be scourged, yet you art hid from it so as it shall do you no hurt, no not to your name in the conclusion. And so in Psalm 37. 5, 6. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass, and he shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noon day. This was the argument 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 has 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 only can bark and not bite, that their tongues and not their hands can only reach you. The complaint of Job might have been your, ch. 16:11 God has 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 you art far from their reach as she was, therefore be patient under reproaches. It is 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 more honor in bearing reproaches patiently, then there is disgrace in having them cast wrongfully 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 has 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 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 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 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.