The right way to shake off a viper. An essay, upon a case too…

I will mention to you, Two very observable Experiments; things which I have often observed in the Course of my Pilgrimage.

First, It is a Passage which the Famous Baxter has in his Christian Directory: If you be famous for any Grace or Good Works, expect to be Defamed for the quite contrary; I have known some that have given away almost all they had to the Poor, and hardly kept Necessaries for themselves; yet these Persons have been accused of Covetousness, Unkindness, Hard Dealing. 'Tis most certainly so. ⟨p. 53⟩Insani sapiens Nomen ferret, Aequus Iniqui. If you decline a Thousand Opportunities to make your self a Name, and very patiently bear, and almost seek to be over-looked, yet you shall be called, The proudest of Men. I you are always devising Liberal Things, and ever scorn little Things, yet you shall be Reproached as, a Man looking always for Gain If you contrive all the Methods imaginable not only to be Good, Loving, Tender in your several Relations, yet you shall be treated as a very unkind Person, and perhaps most unkindly by them that have the least Reason for it. Methought, I have often seen some resemblance of this Matter in a thing which I have seen befalling a Minister, when in the way of his Pastoral Duty, he visited Persons possessed with Evil Spirits; the Persons, tho' they knew every one else in the Room, yet thro' the unaccountable Operation of the Evil-Spirits on their Eyes, the Minister who was most likely to do them Good, still appeared so dirty, so ugly, so disguised unto them, they could have no knowledge of him. So misrepresented shall Good Men often be to the Minds of People, when Evil Spirits are working on the unpersuadable Children. Sir, If ever you find it so, remember that God is now Trying of you, whether you will grow in that Grace; hold on in that Good Work; for which you have hitherto ⟨p. 54⟩had so small Encouragements, in the Representations of the Neighbourhood.

First, It is a Passage which the Famous Baxter has in his Christian Directory: If you be famous for any Grace or Good Works, expect to be Defamed for the quite contrary; I have known some that have given away almost all they had to the Poor, and hardly kept Necessaries for themselves; yet these Persons have been accused of Covetousness, Unkindness, Hard Dealing. 'Tis most certainly so.