David was derided for keeping close to God's word, possibly by those proud ones mentioned in the former verse. They contemned the word themselves, and would not suffer others to keep it; as the Pharisees would neither enter into the kingdom of God themselves, nor suffer others to enter. But David makes this an argument to beg the Lord's grace, to wit, light and strength, that he might give no occasion to their reproach; and if it lighted upon him, that it might not rest upon him. Or by the proud men may be meant Saul's courtiers, who traduced his innocency, and sought to overwhelm him with slander. Now, God knew his conscience and integrity, and therefore could best clear him.
In the words, as in most of the other verses, you have -
1. A request, remove from me reproach and contempt.
2. A reason and argument to enforce the request, for I have kept thy
testimonies.
First, for the request, 'Remove from me reproach and contempt.' The word
signifies, Roll from upon me, let it not come at me, or let it not stay with
me.
And then the argument, 'for I have kept thy testimonies.' The reason may be
either thus : - (1.) He pleads that he was innocent of what was charged upon
him, and had not deserved those aspersions. (2.) He intimates that it was for
his obedience, for this very cause that he had kept the word, therefore was
reproach rolled upon him. (3.) It may be conceived thus, that his respect to
God's word was not abated for this reproach. He still kept God's testimonies,
how wicked soever he did appear in the eyes of the world. It is either an asser
tion of his innoceney, or he shows the ground why this reproach came upon him;
or he pleads his respect to God, and his service was not lessened, whatever
reproach he met with in the performance of it.
The points from hence are many.
1. It is no strange thing that they which keep God's testimonies
should be slandered and reproached.
2. As it is the usual lot of God's people to be reproached, so it is
very grievous to them, and heavy to bear.
3. It being grievous, we may lawfully seek the removal of it. So doth
David, and so may we, with submission to God's will.
4. In removal of it, it is best to deal with God about it; for God is
the great witness of our sincerity, as knowing all things, and so to be
appealed to in the case. Again, God is the most powerful assertor of our
innocency; he hath the hearts and tongues of men in his own hands, and can
either prevent the slanderer from uttering reproach, or the hearer from
entertainment of the reproach. He that hath such power over the consciences of
men can clear up our innocency; therefore it is best to deal with God about it;
and prayer many times proves a better vindication than an apology.
5. In seeking relief with God from this evil, it is a great comfort and
ground of confidence when we are innocent of what is charged. In some cases we
must humble ourselves, and then God will take care for our credit. We must
plead guilty when by our own fault we have given too much occasion to the
slanders of the wicked: so Ps. 119.39, 'Turn away my reproach which I fear, for
thy judgments are good.' My reproach, for it was in part deserved by himself,
and therefore he feared the sad consequences of it, and humbles himself before
God. But at other times we may stand upon our integrity, as David saith here,
'Turn away my reproach and contempt, for I have kept thy testimonies.' These
are the points which may be drawn from this verse; but I shall insist but upon
one of them, which, in the prosecution of it, will comprise all the rest; and
that is this -
Doct. That reproaches are a usual, but yet a great and grievous, affliction to the children of God. I will show -
1. They are a usual affliction.
2. They are a grievous affliction.
First., They are a usual affliction. Reproaches are either such as
light upon religion itself, or upon our own persons.
1. Upon religion itself. Sometimes the truth is traduced, and the way of
God is evil spoken of, disguised with the nicknames of sedition, heresy,
schism, faction. Look, as astronomers miscall the glorious stars by the name of
the dog-star, the bear, the dragon's tail, and the like - they put upon them
names of a horrid sound - so do carnal men miscall the glorious things of God,
his holy ways; they put an ill name upon them: Acts 24.14, 'After the way which
they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers.' The Jews called
Christianity a heresy, or an apostasy from the old religion; and so do Papists
call the Reformation. Luther, when he was charged with apostasy from the faith,
answered thus: I confess I am an apostate, but from the devil's cause; I have
not kept touch with the devil, Cant. 5.7, we read that the spouse's veil was
taken from her by the watchmen; so the comeliness of the church is taken away
by the imputations of evil men. Thus there may reproaches light upon religion
itself.
2. On our persons; and so either for religion's sake, or upon a private
and personal respect.
[1.] For religion's sake; and thus God's children have been often
calumniated. It is foretold by Christ as the lot of his people; and therefore
he provides against it: Mat. v. 11, 'Blessed are ye when men shall revile you
and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my
sake.' Those who have no strength and power to inflict other injuries have
these weapons of malice always in readiness. When other kinds of persecutions
and violences are restrained, yet men take a liberty of censuring and speaking
all manner of evil falsely of the children of God; and ever this hath been
verified in the experience of the saints. Their lives are a real reproach to
the wicked, they do upbraid them and therefore, to be quits with them, the
wicked reproach them by censures and calumniations. I shall give some
instances. Moses had his portion of reproaches: Heb 11.26, 'Esteeming the
reproaches of Christ better riches than the treasures of Egypt.' Possibly the
Holy Ghost means there when he was scoffed at for joining himself with so mean
and afflicted a people; they thought Moses was mad to quit all his honours.
Christ himself was accused of the two highest crimes of either table -
blasphemy and sedition: of blasphemy, which is the highest crime against the
first table; and of sedition, which is the highest crime against the second.
And all that will be Christ's they must expect to bear his reproach: Heb.
13.13, 'Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his
reproach.' The apostle alludes to the sacrifice of atonement, which was to be
slain without the camp. So Jesus Christ was cast out of the city; and we must
be contented thus to be cast off by the world, to be cast forth from among men
as vile and accursed, bearing Christ's reproach.
[2.] For personal reproaches; this is very usual with God's children
also, reproaches upon private and personal occasions. God may let loose a
railing Shimei against David. Many times he complains of his reproaches, often
in this psalm, more in other psalms: Ps. 31.13, ' Fort have heard the slander
of many; they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my
life.' Sundry sorts of persons made him the butt upon which they let fly the
arrows of censure and reproach: Ps. 35.15, 'The abjects gathered themselves
together against me; they did tear me, and ceased not;' meaning his name was
torn and rent in pieces, and that by the abjects: such bold and saucy dust will
be flying in the faces of God's people. So I may speak of Jeremiah, and Joseph,
and other servants of God; yea, our Lord himself endured the contradiction of
sinners. Jesus Christ, that was so just and innocent, which did so much good in
every place, yet meets with odious aspersions. So Ps. 64. 3, 4, 'They bend
their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words; that they may shoot in
secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.' Perfection
meets with envy, and envy will vent itself by detraction—a usual
affliction for the people of God, and therefore we cannot say they are wicked
because they are traduced, and we should not presently condemn all those of
whom we hear evil. It was the fashion of the primitive times to clothe
Christians with bear-skins, and bait them with the dogs. God's best children
may be clad in an ill livery; and therefore we should not easily take up these
slanders. Thus it is a usual affliction.
Secondly, It is a grievous affliction. Ver. 39, David saith he
looked upon it as a great evil. In the account of scripture it is persecution.
Ishmael is said to persecute Isaac: Gal. 4.29, How? Because he mocked him.
Compare it with Gen. 21. 9: 'Sarah saw the son of the bondwoman mocking Isaac;'
and in the reddition and interpretation, the Holy Ghost calls it a persecution.
So they are called 'cruel mockings,' Heb. 11.36. There is as much cruelty, and
as deep a wound made by the tongue of reproach many times as by the fist of
wickedness. Reproach must needs be grievous to God's children, upon a natural
and upon a spiritual account.
1. Upon a natural account, because a good name is a great blessing. See
how it is against nature. It is more grievous than ordinary crosses. Many would
lose their goods cheerfully, yet they grieve more for the loss of their name.
Some constitutions are affected more with shame than with fear, and above all
their possessions they prize their name and credit. To most proud spirits,
disgraceful punishment is much more dreadful than painful: Ps. 22.7, ' All they
that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head.' A
good name is more precious than life to some: Eccles. 7.1, 'A good name is
better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's
birth.' The coupling of these two sentences shows men had rather die than lose
their name. If a man die, he may leave his name and memory behind him that may
live still; therefore it is more hateful to have our names and credit mangled
than be pierced with a sharp sword.
2. Upon a spiritual account it is a grievous affliction. It is not
barely for their own sake, because their innocency is taxed; but for God's
sake, whose glory is concerned in the honour of his servants, and whose truth
is struck at through their sides. This is grievous to grace. Why? Next to a
good conscience there is no greater blessing than a good name; and certainly he
that is prodigal of his credit will not be very tender of his conscience; and
therefore the children of God, upon gracious reasons, stand upon their name, it
is the next thing to conscience they have to keep. Grace values a good name,
partly because it is God's gift; it is a blessing adopted and taken into the
covenant, as well as other blessings. It is one of the promises of God: 'He
will hide us as in a pavilion from the strife of tongues,' Ps. 31.20. This is
frequent in the Old Testament, where heaven is but sparingly mentioned; a good
name is often mentioned. Partly because it is a shadow of eternity. When a man
dies, his name lives, which is a pledge of our living with God after death; as
spices, when broken and dissolved, leave an excellent scent, so he leaves his
name behind him. And partly because it is put above riches: Prov.22.1, 'A good
name is rather to be chosen than great riches.' It is better, more pure and
sublime than wealth, and more worthy our esteem. They are low and dreggy
spirits whose hearts run after wealth; the greatest spirits run out upon fame
and honour: so Eccles. 7.1, 'A good name is better than precious ointment.'
Aromatical ointments were things of great use and esteem among the Jews, and
counted the chief part of their treasures; now a good name is better than
precious ointment. And partly because of the great inconveniences which follow
the loss of name. The glory of God is much interested in the credit of his
servants. The credit of religion depends much upon the credit of the persons
that profess it. When godly men are evil spoken of, the way of truth suffers;
and when we are polluted, God is polluted: Ezek. 36. 20, 'They profaned my holy
name when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone
forth out of his land;' that is, by their scandals. The offences are charged
upon us, but in effect they prove the disgrace of Christ. Christ, that will
hereafter be admired of his saints, will now be glorified and honoured in them.
The shame of those things charged upon us redounds to God and religion till we
be clear. And as the honour of God is concerned in it, so again their safety
lies in it. Observe it, Satan is first a liar, then a murderer. First, men are
smitten with the tongue of slander, and afterwards with the fist of wickedness:
the showers of slander are but presages and beginnings of grievous storms of
persecution; wicked men take more liberty when the children of God are
imprisoned as criminals; therefore it is the usual practice of Satan first to
blast the repute of religious persons, then to prosecute them as offenders.
Possibly this may be the meaning of that, Ps. 5.9, 'Their throat is an open
sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue;' that is, the slanders of the wicked
are a preparation to death, as an open sepulchre is prepared to swallow and
take in the dead carcase. I expound it thus, because we find the phrase used in
this sense. The force and power of the Babylonian, Jer.5.16, is called an 'open
sepulchre;' they are all mighty men; that is, you can expect nothing but death
from the force and puissance of their assaults. So here their reproach is not
only a burying-place for our names, but our persons; for first men slander,
then molest the children of God. When the Arian emperor raged against the
orthodox Christians, and the bishops and pastors of the churches were
suppressed everywhere, they durst not meddle with Polonus, out of a reverence
of the unspottedness of his fame; and therefore a good report is a great
security and protection against violence. And then they desire a good name to
honour God with it. A blemished instrument is little worth. Who would take meat
from a leprous hand? It is Satan's policy, when he cannot discourage
instruments from the work of God, then to blemish and blast them. Therefore,
those that have anything to do for God in the world should be tender of their
credit, especially those that are called to public office, that they may carry
on their work with more success. Therefore one of the qualifications of a
minister is, 'He must have a good report of them that are without, lest he fall
into reproach and the snare of the devil,' 1 Tim. 3.7. I suppose it is taken
there appellatively, lest he fall into the snare of the slanderer; I will not
absolutely determine. Men set snares for you, and they watch for your halting.
Thus grace presseth a good name, because of the consequences of it.
Use 1. Here is advice to persons reproached. Acknowledge God in the affliction, though it be great and grievous. God hath an aim in all things that befall you. The general aim of all afflictions is to try, purge, and make white: Dan. 11.35; or as it is in Deut.8.13, 'To humble thee, prove thee, and do thee good at the latter end.' Your enemies may intend harm, but God means good; you should receive good by this, as by every affliction. Plutarch, in his excellent discourse, How a man should profit by his enemies, brings in a comparison of one Jason, that had an impostume, which was let out by the wounds an enemy gave him; so many times our impostumes, and the corrupt matter that is within us, is let out by the gashes and wounds which those that meant harm to us give to our name and credit.
First, God doth it to humble thee.
Carnal men shoot at rovers, but many times we find the soul is pricked in the
quick; when they shoot their arrows of detraction and slanders, it may revive
guilt, and put us upon serious humiliation before God. There are many sins to
which this affliction is very proper.
1. It seems to be a proper cure for the sin of pride; be it pride in the
mind, which is self-conceit; or pride in the affections, which is called
vainglory; all sorts of pride; there is no such effectual reseed as this.
Possibly we have been too self-conceited, then God giveth us to such scandals
that may show us what we are. Many times our very graces do us hurt, as well as
our sins; and we may be puffed up with what we have received. So for vainglory,
when we are apt too much to please ourselves in the opinions others have of us,
which is an evil the people of God are liable to, this pride God will cure by
reproach. Pride is one of the oldest enemies ever God had; it was born in
heaven in the breast of the fallen angels, for which they are laid low; and
when his children harbour it, God hath a quarrel against it. When Paul was
puffed up, when the bladder was swollen, God sent him a thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure, 2
Cor. 12.7. Possibly it was some eminent affliction; but when he expresseth it
afterwards, he mentioneth reproaches, ver. 10, 'Therefore I will rejoice in
infirmities,' that is, sickness; nay, 'I will rejoice in reproaches.'
2. For carnal walking. When we are negligent, and do not take notice of
the fleshliness and folly we are guilty of and allow in our hearts, that breaks
out into our actions. God suffers others to reproach us and gather up our
failings, that we may see what cause we have to take our ways to heart. Every
man that would live strictly had need of faithful friends or watchful enemies;
of faithful friends to admonish him, or watchful enemies to censure him. God
makes use of watchful enemies to show us the spots in our garments that are to
be washed off. Many times a friend is blinded with love, and grows as partial
to us as ourselves; therefore God sets spies for us to watch for our halting:
Jer.20.10, 'I heard the defaming of many: report, say they, and we will report
it: all my familiars watched for my halting.' They lie in wait to take us
tripping; and God sees it needful that we should have enemies as well as
friends; how ignorant else should a man be of himself! Therefore God useth them
as a rod to brush the dust from our clothes.
3. The sin God would humble us for is censuring. If we have not been so
tender of the credit of others, God will make us taste the bitterness of
affliction ourselves, and recompense the like measure into our bosoms: Mat.
7.1,2, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, ye
shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you
again.' We shall find others to judge as hardly of us as we do of them. Good
thoughts and speeches of others are the best preservative of our own name; and
therefore, when reproach falls upon you, it is not enough you should not slight
it, though you know the report to be false; but a Christian is to examine
himself: have we not drawn it upon ourselves by slandering others, or talking
intemperately of others? and doth not God pay us home in our own coin? He that
is much given to censuring seldom or never escapes severe censuring from
others. It is said, 'Let his own words grieve him.' Your own words will fall
upon you; therefore humble thyself before God for the reproaches thou hast cast
upon others. Thus the Lord ordereth it with good advice to humble us, and that
for pride, careless walking, and for censuring others.
Secondly, It is to try thee.
1. To try your faith in the great day of accounts. Can you comfort
yourselves in the solemn vindication of the day of judgment, and in God's
approbation then? 2 Cor. 10.18, 'He is approved whom the Lord commendeth.' Men
cannot defend thee if God condemn thee, they cannot condemn thee if God acquit
thee; and therefore canst thou stand to God's judgment? In a race it is not
what the standers-by say, but what he that is the judge of the games will
determine. We are all in a race, and it is not what men say of us, but what God
saith, who is judge of all: 1 Cor. 4.3, 4, 'It is a small thing that I should
be judged of man's judgment; but he that judgeth me is the Lord.' In the
original it is 'man's day,' and so in the margin. We shall never be resolute
for God, until we come to this, to count it a very small thing to be judged of
man's judgment. Now is man's day, but God hath his day hereafter. So to try our
faith in particular promises: Ps.119.42, 'So shall I have wherewith to answer
him that reproacheth me; for I trust in thy word.' A Christian, when he gives
up himself to God, he gives up everything he hath to God; not only gives his
soul to God to keep, but that God may take charge of his person, estate, and
good name. Now God requires a trust according to the extent of the covenant, a
waiting and confidence in his power. He can turn the hearts of men, and give
them favour in their eyes: Ps.37.6, 'He shall bring forth thy righteousness as
the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day.'
2. As to try our faith, so our patience. We should prevent reproach as
much as we can; but then we must bear it when we cannot avoid it, They
reproach, but I pray, Ps. 109.4; that was David's exercise and revenge; he took
that advantage, to pray for them. God will try how we can bear the injuries of
men. The grace of patience must be tried as well as other graces. We read that
Shimei went railing upon David to the peril of his life; saith David, 'It may
be God hath bid him curse.' A mad dog that bites another makes him as mad as
himself; so usually the injuries and reproaches of others foster up our
revenge, and then there is no difference between us and them: they sin, and we
sin. Revenge and injury differ only in order; injury is first, and revenge is
next. Saith Lactantius, if it be evil in another, for thee to imitate him, to
be as mad as they, break out in passion and virulency, it is more evil in
thyself, because thou sinnest twice, against a rule and against an example;
therefore God tries whether we will be passionate or patient. The patience of
his servants is mightily discovered by reproaches: 1 Cor.4.12, ' Being reviled,
we bless ; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat.' There
must be a season to try every grace; and therefore now God trieth us, whether
we can with a meek humble submission yield up ourselves; or whether we are
exasperated and drawn into bitterness of passion, yea or nay.
3. God tries our uprightness. Many are turned out of the way by
reproaches; the devil works much upon stomach and spleen. Tertullian being
reproached by the priests of Rome, in revenge turns Montanist. Now God tries us
to see whether we will hold on our course. The moon shines and holds on its
course though the dogs bark; so a child of God should hold on his way though
men talk their fill. In the text, though proud men reproached and contemned
David, yet all this did not unsettle him. Some men can be religious no longer
than when they are counted to be religious; but when their secular interest is
in danger, they fall off. Thus when men injure them, they do as it were take a
revenge upon God himself. Those carnal men that fall off from God are like
pettish servants that run away from their master when he strikes them; a good
servant will take a buffet patiently, and go about his master's word; and if we
were seasoned as we should be for God, we would pass 'through evil report and
good report,' 2 Cor.6.8, and still keep our integrity.
Thirdly, God ordereth this grievous and sharp affliction to do you good
or to better you.
Reproach is like soap, which seems to defile clothes, but it cleanseth them.
There is nothing so bad but we may make some good use of it, a Christian may
gain some advantage by it. Dung seems to stain the grass, but it makes the
ground fruitful, and to rise op at spring with a fresh verdure. Reproaches are
a necessary help to a godly conversation, to make us walk with more care; and
therefore there is another piece of holy revenge we should take upon them, to
make us walk more strictly and more watchfully, the more they slander us and
speak of us as evil-doers; the way is not to contend for esteem, so much as to
stop their mouths by a good apology. Passionate returns will but increase sin,
but a holy conversation will silence them.
Use 2. To them that either devise or receive reproaches; both are very sinful.
First, To you that devise them, that speak reproachfully of others.
Consider—
1. You hazard the repute of your own sincerity: James 1.26, 'Whosoever
seemeth religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain.' Hypocrites, and men that put themselves into a
garb of religion, and are all for censuring, take a mighty freedom this way;
these men bewray the rottenness of their hearts. Those that are so much abroad
are seldom at home; they do not inquire and look into their own hearts. Alas!
in our own sight we should be the worst of men. The children of God do ever
thus speak of themselves as 'the least of saints,' the 'greatest of sinners,'
'more brutish than any men,' of 'sinners whereof I am chief.' Why? Because we
can know others only by guess and imagination, but they can speak of themselves
out of inward feeling; therefore we should have a deeper sense of our own
condition. But now a man that is much in judging and reproving others is seldom
within; for if he did but consider himself, if he had but an account of his own
failings, he would not be so apt to blemish others. It is a cheap zeal to let
fly at the miscarriages and sins of others, and to allow our own. Consider,
thou hast enough to observe already in thyself.
2. You rob them of the most precious treasure. He that robs thee of thy
name is the worst kind of thief: Prov. 22.1, 'A good name is rather to be
chosen than great riches.' A man that is taken pilfering another man's goods,
he is ashamed when he is found; so should a censurer: you rob him of a more
excellent treasure.
3. You offend God, and draw public hatred. It is the devil's work to he
'the accuser of the brethren,' Rev. 12.10. The devil doth not commit adultery,
doth not break the Sabbath, nor dishonour parents; these are not laws given to
him. If the devil will bear false witness, he is an accuser of the brethren; it
is the devil's proper sin, and therefore slanderer and devil have one name,
Diabolus.
Object. But must we in no case speak evil of another? or may we not speak of another's sin in no case?
Sol. 1. It is a very hard matter to speak any evil of another
without sin; for if it be without cause, then it is downright slander, and is
against truth; if it be for a light and small cause, then it is against
charity; if it be for things indifferent, or for lesser failings,
indiscretions, or weaknesses, still it is against charity: James 4.11, 'Speak
not evil one of another, brethren.' It is worse in brethren. Many take liberty
to traduce God's choice servants that are in difference. For a soldier to speak
evil of soldiers, or a scholar of scholars, is worse than for those that hate
these functions. So for you, Christians, to speak evil one of another, you
gratify the triumphs of hell, and bring a reproach upon the ways of Christ. In
things doubtful, judge the best; in things hidden and secret we can take no
cognisance: when the fact is open, we do not know the aim nor the intent of the
heart. It is the devil's work to judge thus: 'Doth Job serve God for nought?'
when he could not traduce his action. If the practice be open and public, we do
not know what alleviating circumstances it may bear, what grievous temptations
they had, or whether they have repented, yea or nay. The devil is called a
slanderer, because he doth accuse the saints. It is too true many times what he
accuseth them of. Ay! but he accuseth them when they are pardoned; he rakes up
the filth God hath covered; he accuseth the brethren after repentance, after
they are acquitted by the Lord's grace; and so you may incur the like: and
therefore it is a very hard matter to avoid sin; in one way or other we shall
dash upon the command; better let it alone.
2. Speak not of him, but to him; and so change a sin into a duty. I say,
when you turn admonition into censure, you exchange a duty for a sin. 'Admonish
one another,' is a thing spoken of in scripture; but 'speak not evil one of
another.'
3. If you speak of the failings of others, it should be with tenderness
and grief; as when they are incorrigible and likely to infect others, or when
it is for the manifest glory of God: Phil. 3.19, 'There are some of whom I have
told you often, and now tell you weeping,' etc. He speaks of some seducers
that, under the form of godliness, did undermine the purport of the Christian
religion, merely took up the profession of it for their own ends. It should be
done with a mighty deal of caution; not out of idleness for want of
talk—that is babble; not out of hatred and revenge—that is malice:
though the matter is true, yet we must not speak of men's faults to please
others—that is flattery.
Secondly, To them that receive the slander.
He is a slanderer that wrongs his neighbours' credit by upholding an ill report
against them. It is hard to say which is worse, railing or receiving. Ps. 15.3,
when an inhabitant of Sion is described, it is said, 'He that receiveth not a
report, and takes it not up against his neighbour;' so Prov. 17.4, 'A wicked
doer giveth heed to false lips, and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.' It
is not only a point of wickedness to have a naughty tongue or false lips, but
to give heed. He is a liar that receiveth a lie, and loves it when brought to
him. God will plague all those that love lies. As in treason, all that are
acquainted with the plot are responsible; so you are responsible for your ears,
as they for their tongue. It is good to have a spiritual tongue, that will heal
the wounds that others make in men's reputation: Prov.12.18, 'There is that
speaketh like the piercings of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health.'
Some carry a sword in their mouths, others balsam to heal the wounds that are
made.
Use 3. If this be so usual and grievous an affliction, and that even to the children of God, and that not only upon the account of nature, but of grace, then it puts us upon seeking comfort against reproaches.
1. The witness of a good conscience within. If you be innocent, it
is not against thee they speak, but against another, whom the slanderer takes
thee to be. The hair will grow again though it be shaven, as long as the roots
remain. A good conscience is the root of a good credit; and though the razor of
censure hath brought on baldness, yet it will grow again. God will either turn
their hearts or support thee under it.
2. Reproaches cannot make thee vile in God's sight. The world's filth
many times are God's jewels. Many that were praised in the world are now in
hell, and many that were disgraced in the world are in great favour and esteem
with God; many times their contempt doth increase their esteem with God, and
therefore they cannot hurt thee. They may persecute thee; but if thou be
patient, they cannot impose upon thee, and burden thy cause in his eyes. God
doth not ask the world's vote and suffrage whether such and such shall be
justified or received into glory, yea or nay. If they be infirmities and
defects, humble thyself, and God will cover them, Ps. 32.1. God is wont to
scatter reproaches cast upon his children, as the sun scatters the clouds, Ps.
37, and heaven will make amends for all.
3. The profit thou gainest by them, the watchfulness, the diligence, all
this will be sweet. I might have given comfort against reproaches for religion.
These are honourable, they are the reproaches of Christ, Heb. 11.26; Heb.13.13.
It is as honourable before God as ignominious before men. And we cannot expect
better fare than our master: 'The disciple is not above his lord, nor the
servant above his master: it is enough for the disciple to be as his lord, and
the servant as his master,' Mat.10. 24,25. We cannot expect to fare better than
Christ did, and it is an honour to suffer as he did.
Again, if cripples mock us for going upright, let us pity them. The judgment of
wicked men is depraved, not to be stood upon; and this contempt one day will be
cast upon themselves: Ps. 49.14, 'The upright shall have dominion over them in
the morning.'