rms in water, and
embracing his boat, would have carried him out upon his shoulders, adding
that his humility and wisdom had triumphed over his pride and folly," and
thereupon he was reconciled unto him and did his homage. If thou canst not
so win him, put it up, if thou beest a true Christian, a good divine, an
imitator of Christ, [3987]("for he was reviled and put it up, whipped and
sought no revenge,") thou wilt pray for thine enemies, [3988]"and bless
them that persecute thee;" be patient, meek, humble, &c. An honest man will
not offer thee injury, _probus non vult_; if he were a brangling knave,
'tis his fashion so to do; where is least heart is most tongue; _quo
quisque stultior, eo magis insolescit_, the more sottish he is, still the
more insolent: [3989]"Do not answer a fool according to his folly." If he
be thy superior, [3990]bear it by all means, grieve not at it, let him take
his course; Anitus and Melitus [3991]"may kill me, they cannot hurt me;" as
that generous Socrates made answer in like case. _Mens immota manet_,
though the body be torn in pieces with wild horses, broken on the wheel,
pinched with fiery tongs, the soul cannot be distracted. 'Tis an ordinary
thing for great men to vilify and insult, oppress, injure, tyrannise, to
take what liberty they list, and who dare speak against? _Miserum est ab eo
laedi, a quo non possis queri_, a miserable thing 'tis to be injured of
him, from whom is no appeal: [3992]and not safe to write against him that
can proscribe and punish a man at his pleasure, which Asinius Pollio was
aware of, when Octavianus provoked him. 'Tis hard I confess to be so
injured: one of Chilo's three difficult things: [3993]"To keep counsel;
spend his time well; put up injuries:" but be thou patient, and [3994]leave
revenge unto the Lord. [3995]"Vengeance is mine and I will repay, saith the
Lord"--"I know the Lord," saith [3996]David, "will avenge the afflicted and
judge the poor."--"No man" (as [3997]Plato farther adds) "can so severely
punish his adversary, as God will such as oppress miserable men."

[3998] "Iterum ille rem judicatam judicat,
Majoreque mulcta mulctat."

If there be any religion, any God, and that God be just, it shall be so; if
thou believest the one, believe the other: _Erit, erit_, it shall be so.
Nemesis comes after, _sero sed serio_, stay but a little and thou shalt see
God's just judgment overtake him.

[3999] "Raro antecedentem scelestum
Deseru