I am in ecstasy, saith Picus Mirandula, to think how profane men rail upon those now, whom one day they will wish they had imitated. It was excellent counsel that the heathen orator gave his hearers, ita vi- vamus, ut rationem nobis reddendam arbitremur, let us live as those that must give an account of all at last.4
Chrysostom brings in Christ comforting his disciples against re- proaches, speaking thus unto them, What ! is the wrong grievous to you that they now call you seducers and conjurors? It will not be long before they shall openly call you the saviours 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, and shall kindle the splendour of your virtue ; so they shall be found liars, evil speakers, false accusers of others ; but you shall be more clear and illustrious than the sun, and you shall have all men witnesses of your glory. Such as wisely and humbly bear reproaches now, shall judge reproachers at last.6 But,
5. Fifthly, I answer, TJiat God doth many times, even in this life, bear sad witness and testimony against the reproachers of his people.
1 Tertullian. » Tertul. defuga in persecut.
8 livi^ovrai .... (iXu<r<pi)f*t>vvris. * Cicero iv. in Verr.
5 Mai. iii. 17 ; Micah 7-11 ; 1 Cor. vi. 3, 4.
1 Kings XIV. 13.] apples of gold. 267
' I will bless them that bless thee, and I will curse them that curse thee/ Gen. xii. 3, and 2 Sam. xvi. 11-13. God will even in this life curse them with a witness, who curse them that he blesseth. Pharaoh found it so, and Saul found it so, and Jezebel found it so, and Haman found it so, and the princes of Babylon found it so, and the Jews find it so to this very day.1
And oh the dreadful judgments and curses that God hath poured out upon the reproachers of his name, of his Son, of his Spirit, of his word, of his ordinances, and of his people, in these days wherein we live ! I might give you many sad instances of such in our days, whose feet jus- tice hath taken in the snare, men of abstracted conceits and sublime speculations ; and indeed such usually prove the great wise fools, who, like the lark, soareth higher and higher, peering and peering, till at length they fall into the net of the fowler ; and no wonder, for such persons usually are as censorious as they are curious.
6. Sixthly, I answer, Paul rejoiceth more in his suffering reproaches for Christ's sake, than he did in his being rapt up in the third heaven : 2 Cor. xii. 10, ' Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in re- proaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake ; for when I am weak, then am I strong.' And therefore you have him often a-singing this song, ' I Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ ;' not I Paul, rapt up in the third heaven. He looked upon all his suffer- ings as God's love-tokens ; he looked upon all reproaches as pledges and badges of his sonship ; and therefore joys and glories under all. Christ shewed his glory 6,to him in rapping him up in the third heaven, and he shewed his love to Christ, in his joyful bearing of reproaches for his sake. Paul rattles his chain, which he bears for the gospel, and was proud of it, as a woman of her ornaments, saith Chrysostom.2
Now why should that be matter of trouble and discouragement to you, that was matter of joy and rejoicing to him ? Shall he look upon reproaches as a crown of honour, and will you look upon reproaches as a crown of thorns ?
Oh ! look upon reproach as a royal diadem, look upon it as Christ's livery, and count it your highest ambition in this world to wear this livery for his sake, who once wore a crown of thorns for your sakes. When Babylas was to die, he required this favour, to have his chains buried with him as the ensigns of his honour.3 But,
7. Seventhly, I answer, That by a wise and gracious behaviour under the reproaches thou meetest with for Christ's sake, thou may est be instrumental to win others to Christ.*
It was a noble saying of Luther, Ecclesia totum mundum convertit sanguine et oratione, the church converted the whole world by blood and prayer.
1 Divine justice is like Vulcan's iron net that took the gods ; it apprehends and con- demns all that are reproachers and enemies to his people. [Vulcan, or rather Hephses- tus: Odyssey, VIII. 266-358.— G.]
2 Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra, your cruelty is our glory, said they in Tertullian ; fire, sword, prison, famine, are all delightful to me, saith Basil.
8 Sufferings are the ensigns of heavenly nobility, saith Calvin. [On Luke iv. 1-10.— G.] 4 It was an observation of Mr John Lindsay, that the very smoke of Mr Hamilton
converted as many as it blew upon. [That is, Patrick Hamilton, the proto-martyr of
268 APPLES OF GOLD. [1 KlNGS XIV. 13.
Divers have been won to Christ by beholding the gracious carriages of Christians under their sufferings and reproaches for Christ.
We read of Cecilia, a poor virgin, who, by her gracious behaviour under all her sufferings and reproaches for Christ, was the means of converting four hundred to Christ.1
Adrianus, beholding the gracious, cheerful carriages of the martyrs under all their sufferings and reproaches, was converted to Christ, and afterwards suffered martyrdom for Christ.
Justin Martyr was also converted by observing the holy and cheerful behaviour of the saints under all their sufferings and reproaches for Christ.2 During the cruel persecutions of the heathen emperors, the Christian faith was spread through all places of the empire,3 because the oftener they were mown down, saith Tertullian, the more they grew.
And Austin observed, that though there were many thousands put to death for professing Christ, yet they were never the fewer for being slain.
Ah ! young men, you may, by a wise and gracious bearing of re- proaches for Christ, be instrumental to win others to Christ ; and therefore never plead there is a lion in the way. But I must hasten ; and therefore,
8. In the eighth and last place, consider, How bravely several of the very heathens have bore reproaches ; and let that provoke you, in the face of all reproaches, to seek and serve the Lord in the morning of your youth, &c.
When Demosthenes was reproached by one, I will not, saith he, strive with thee in this kind of fight, in which he that is overcome is the better man.
When one came and reproached Xenophon, says he, You have learned how to reproach, and I have learned how to bear reproach.
And Aristippus, the philosopher,4 said, You are fit to cast reproaches, and I am fit to bear reproaches.
Demochares. an Athenian orator,5 was sent to king Philip as ambas- sador. Philip asked him how he might pleasure the Athenians ? Forsooth, said he, if you will hang yourself. The prince patiently sent him home again, and bid him ask, Whether were more noble, the patient hearer or venter of such unseemly language ?