THE CVRE OF PREJUDICE: OR The DOVES Innocency, and the SERPENTS Subtilty; wherein The • Originall, , • Continuance, , • Properties, , • Causes, , • Ends, , and • Issue and Effect, of the Worlds Envie and Hatred to the Godly, is pithily laid open and applied, by way of Question and Answer, between a weake and an experienced Christian.
Question.
HOw is it, that the practice of Christianity is every where spoken against, under the name of Schisme, as the chiefe Jewes told Paul in his time? Acts 28.22. And that so soone as men become religious and conscionable, they are made a by-word of the people, Job 17.6. A [Page 2]song of the drunkards, Psal. 69.12. And generally hated of all, Matth. 10.22.
Answer. Know yee not (saith Saint James) that the Amity of the World, is the Enmity of God? And that whosoever will be a friend of the World maketh himselfe the enemy of God? James 4.4. A wicked man (saith Solomon) is abomination to the Just, and he that is upright in his way, is abomination to the wicked, Pro. 29.27.
There is a naturall Enmity, and a spirituall Antipathy betweene the men of the World and the Children of God; whence it is, that the holy Ghost (who can give most congruous Names to Natures) useth in the Scripture, Gods Dictionary, not onely to call wicked men, Adders, Aspes, Gockatrices, Serpents, Dragons, Lyons, Tygers, &c. Psal. 10.9. & 74.13 & 80.13. & 140.3. Esay 14.29. Dan. 7. Zeph. 3. Matth. 23.33. which are the mortallest enemies to mankind that live; but most frequently Wolves, and the godly Sheep; Behold (saith our Saviour to his Apostles) I send you forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves, Mat. 10.16. between whom there is a strange contrariety and antipathy living, and dead, as both Naturalists and Lutinists observe.
It is an everlasting rule of the Apostles, He that is born after the Flesh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit, Gal. 4.29. not because he is evil, but because he is so much better then himself. 1 John. 3.12. because his life is not like other mens; his wayes are of another fashion, Wis. 2.15. for therefore speake they evill of you, because yee will no longer run with them to the same excesse of ryot, 1 Pet. 4 4.
Quest. But are not many discouraged, and others beaten off from being Religious, through [Page 3]the daily scoffes and reproaches, which in every place the godly meete withall, for refusing to doe as others doe with whom they are conversant?
Answ. Yea millions, there being no such rub in the way to Heaven as that generall contempt which the Devill and the World have cast upon Religion and the practisers of Piety; which makes our Saviour pronounce that man blessed that is not offended in him, Matth. 11.6. For hereby it is growne to that, that men feare nothing more then to have a name that they feare God, and are more ashamed to bee holy then prophane, because holinesse is worse intreated then prophanenesse: with Peter we are apt to deny our Religion, when we come in company with Christs enemies: and with David, to dissemble our Faith, when we are amongst Philistims. Like those white-liverd Rulers, John 12 42. who loved the praise of Men, more than the praise of God, wee choose to conceale our knowledge of, and love to Christ, lest we should be mockt, have so many frownes, and frumps, and censures, and scoffes, be branded with that odious and stigmaticall name of an Hypocrite, &c.
True, with Nicodemus, we owe God some good will, but we dare not shew it, because of this, we would please him, yet so as we might not displease others, nor our selves. Like the young man in the Gospell, we will follow Christ, so Christ propound no other conditions, then what wee like of: but what will be the issue, our Saviour saith expresly. That he will be ashamed of such at the latter day, who are now ashamed for his sake, to beare a few scoffes [Page 4]and reproaches from the World, Mark 8.38.
But secondly, it so forestalleth (such as are without) with Prejudice against goodnesse and circumspect walking, that they resolve never to be Religious so long as they live: As how many not onely stumble at Christ, the living and chiefe corner stone, elect of God, and preclous, but quite fal as at a Rocke of offence; yea, utterly disallow of the things that are excellent, onely through the contempt which is cast upon Religion? 1 Pet. 2.7, 8.
What such mens thoughts are we may heare from the damned in Hell, We fooles thought their lives madnesse, &c. Wisd. 5.3, 4. And experience shewes, that they will hate a man to the death, though he have nothing to condemne him, but his being holy.
Yea, where Satan hath once set this his porter of Prej [...]dice, though Christ himselfe were on earth, that sou [...]e would stumble and bee offended at his very best actions; as we see in the Scribes and Pharisees, who made an evill construction of whatsoever he did or spake: For when he wrought Miracles, hee was a Sorcerer: When he cast out Devils, it was by the power of Devils: When hee reproved sinners, he was a seducer: When he received sinners, he was their favourer: When he healed the sick, he was a breaker of the Sabbath, &c. John 8.
Nor can the highest eloquence of the best Preacher ever reclaime such. For first, words are vagabonds where the Admonished hath an evill opinion of the Admonisher. Secondly, they are resolved against yeelding▪ Thirdly, let them be convinc't by strength of argument, the thought of those things presently passes away like the sound of a Bell that is rung. O this is a difficult Devill to be cast out, even like that [Page 5]which we read of, Math. 17.16. For as all the Disciples could not cast out that Devill, no more can all the Preachers this: for the Cure of Prejudice alone in one man, is more then to cure the seaven deadly sinnes (as the Papists tearme them) in another. Nay (if I may speake it with reverence) what meanes can God use that shall be able to convert such an one? The nine plagues shall not prevaile with Pharaoh; the graves opening, the dead arising, the vayle of the Temple renting, the light of the Sunne fayling, the Centurion confessing, &c. will doe no good uppon the Scribes and Pharisees; Yea, though Ahab be told from the Lord, that if he goe to Warre hee shall perish; yet he goeth and speeds accordingly.
Quest. But how should weake Christians know the mystery of this iniquity, shake off this slavish yoke of bondage and feare, in which Satan for the present holds them?
Answ. Search the Scriptures, and they will so cleare your judgement, and cure your Prejudice, that in some measure you shall be enabled to quench those fiery darts, Ephes. 6.16. I meane, the reproaches of those evill tongues, which are set on fire from Hell, James 3.6. for Virgil most excellently and profoundly couples the knowledge of cause, and the conquest of all feares together.
First, for the informing of your judgement, our Saviour Christ and his Apostles hath abundantly foretold the same. Of a multitude of predictions I'le only instance three or foure. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, 2 Tim. 3.12. Not some, but all; and what all, but even all that will live godly? Now, me thinkes, if there were no other [Page 6]texts in the Bible but this one, it were omnisufficient to take away Prejudice and wonder touching the Worlds hatred and calumny: but the Scriptures are full of the like, Yee shall be hated of all men and Nations (saith our Saviour) for my Names sake, Matth. 10.22. & 24.9. Not of a few, but of all Men and Nations, that is, all naturall men, or the greatest part of men in all Countryes and Nations; yea, and for no other cause, but for professing of Christs Name. Neither is Christ a Signe to be spoken against of many in Babylon, or Assyria, but of many in Israel, Luke 2.34. where Religion is profest publickly.
Yea, when sincerity is wanting, the nearer the line with any opposition, the greater Eclips. The Gadereans but besought Christ to depart; his owne country-men drave him out, and cast him downe headlong, Luke 4.29. Yea, who was his greatest enemy but his greatest friend, even one of his houshold-Chaplains? And who but Jeremies familiars watched for his haulting?
Againe (faith our Saviour) The Servant is not above his Master, John 15.20. But Christ having suffered so much, if we should rest, the Servant were above his Master, which were senslesse to thinke: For could not his wisedome, innocency, and holinesse, sence him from these scornes, and can thine fence thee? Besides, that ancient prediction must be fulfilled, I will put enmity betweene the seed of the Serpent, and the seed of the Woman, Gen. 3.15. But, if there be no warre betweene the men of the World, and the children of God; if they should not hate and persecure us, this Prediction were not fulfilled: Yea, all the former predictions of Christ, and many, [Page 7]that I omit, should bee false; which were blasphemy once to thinke.
Wherefore marvell not, my brethren, though the World hate you, as Saint John speakes, 1 John 3.13. Neither count it strange, as Saint Peter hath it, concerning the fiery tryall which is among you, to prove you, as though some strange thing were come unto you, 1 Pet. 4.12. for Christ and his Crosse are unseparable, Luke 14.27.
Againe, search the whole Bible over, and you shall not finde one holy man mentioned, without mention of something h [...]e suffered from ungodly men; as it were easie to instance, how Abel, Lot, Noah, Righteous men, Abraham the Father of the Faithfull, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Patriarches and Fathers of the Church, meek Moses, upright Samuel, holy David, wise Solomon, all the Lords Priests, Prophets, Apostles; yea, the harmelesse Babes, and our Saviour Christ himselfe, did severally suffer from wicked and ungodly men: Yea, never man came to Heaven, but first he past thorow this Purgatory: God had one Sonne without sinne, but never any one without suffering; which makes our Saviour say, Woe be to you, when all men speake well of you, that is, when evill men speake well of you, for so did the Jewes of the false Prophets, Luke 6.26. Whereas he pronounceth them blessed, which heare ill for well doing, Matth. 5.11. Which leads me to the second point.
Secondly, For Scriptures to confirme, comfort, and strengthen weake Christians against the Worlds hatred and calumny, these would be applyed which follow.
Blessed are they (saith our Saviour) which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake, for theirs is the Kingdome [Page 8]of Heaven, Matth. 5.10. And againe, Blessed are yee when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake, rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you, ver. 11.12. And Saint Peter, Rejoyce, inasmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy, for if ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; Which on their part is evill spoken off, but on your part is glorified, 1 Pet. 4.12, 13, 14. Loe, here is reward enough for all that men or devils can doe against us: And what will not men undergoe, so their reward may be answerable?
But yet further, What saith Saint Paul? In nothing feare your adversaries, whose malice is to them a token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God, Phil. 1.28. Yea, in the same Chapter, vers. 29. he preferreth the gift of suffering before the gift of beleeving: And in his Epistle to the Church of Thessalonica peremptorily concludeth, That they are elect of God, from this ground, That they received the Word in much affliction with joy in the holy Ghost. Examine these Scriptures againe and againe, for every word of them is ponderous, and consider of whom, and by whom they were spoken: then certainely thou wilt confesse, that if there be any Nectar in this life, 'tis in sorrowes wee endure for Righteousnesse. And methinkes, when I heare goodnesse calumniated, I beare it the easier, because the servants of vice doe it.
Quest. What is the Originall ground of the Worlds hatred?
Answ. That proclamation which God himselfe made in Paradise, Gen. 3.15. where he saith unto the Serpent, I will put enmity betweene thee, and the woman, and betweene thy seed, and her seed: be, or, it shall bruise thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heele.
Quest. What is meant here by Enmity?
Answ. A bitter, immoderate, inveterate, irreconciliable and endlesse hatred and division, opposite to that amity and familiarity which formerly had been betweene the Woman and the Serpent.
Quest. Betweene whom was this Enmity proclaimed?
Answ. Betweene the Serpent and his seed, on the one side; and the Woman and her seed, on the other.
Quest. What is meant by the Serpent and his Seed?
Answ. First, by the Serpent we are to understand Satan, who opened the Serpents mouth, and caused it to speake with mans voice; as the Lord by an Angell opened the mouth of Balaams Asse, Numbers 22.
Secondly, By the Serpents seed is meant the whole generation of wicked men, as all Interpreters conclude, and other Scriptures make cleare, calling them Serpents, Generation of Vipers, and Children of the Devill, Matth. 23.33. John 8.44. 1 John 3.10.
Quest. What is meant by the Woman and her Seed?
Answ. By the woman is meant Eve; by her seed we are to understand first and chiefly Christ, the singular Seed, who was so the Seed of the Woman, [Page 10]as that he was not of the Man, Gal. 4.4. being borne of a Virgin, Isaiah 7.14.
Secondly, It imployeth all his members, the Elect, when once regenerate, who are not onely Eves seed as she was the Mother of all living by nature, but by faith also; as else where they are called the seed, or children of Abraham, Gal. 3.29.
Quest. What occasioned the Lord to proclaime this enmity?
Answ. Adams sinne, in eating the forbidden fruit, and Satans malice, in moving and seducing him thereunto was the meritorious cause: the originall of this discord is from Originall sin.
Quest. What Instruction affords this?
Answ. First, That to be without reproaches and persecutions wee may rather wish then hope. For what peace can we looke for betweene the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent, seeing God himselfe, from the beginning, hath set them at enmity? Yea, once to expect it were an effect of frenzy, not of hope.
Secondly, If the Lord hath put this enmity between us and the wicked, here is comfort in suffering, warrant in opposing.
Thirdly, If the Seed of the Woman fight on Christs side, and they have Gods Word for their warrant, they are sure to have him assist them, and prevent their enemies. And is not that God we fight for, able enough to vindicate all our wrongs?
Quest. Doth that hatred and enmity continue to this day?
Answ. Yes, the words are set downe indefinitely without limitation, and so signifie that it shall be [Page 11]perpetuall, from the beginning of time to the end of all time. When time (saith one) began, this malice first began, nor will it end but with the latest man: it is an everlasting Act of Parliament, like a Statute in Magna Charta.
Quest. To proceed from Explication to Confirmation, and so to Application. How prove you, That there hath beene in all ages past, is now, and ever shall bee betweene the wicked and the godly a perpetuall Warre, enmity and strife, according to the Lords Prediction, or Proclamation?
Answ. For proofe I could produce testimonies and examples innumerable, there being scarce a page in the Bible, which doth not expresse, or imply somewhat touching this enmity. Yea, as if the Scriptures contained nothing else, the Holy Ghost significantly calls them the Booke of the Battles of the Lord, Numb. 21.14. as Rupertus well observes. But I will confine my selfe, and onely mention three examples in every age.
1. To begin with the first age, Viz. the old World before the Flood. We reade of this war, enmity and strife betweene Caine and Abel, 1 John 3.12. Between L [...]mech and the holy Seed, Gen. 4.23, 24. and between those wicked Gyants, which Moses speakes of, and the sonnes of God, Gen. 6.2. to 12. Yea, those Gyants bade battle to Heaven, as our Mythologists add, to ver. 4.
2. After the Flood, before the Law, betweene all the men of Sodome and righteous Let, Gen. 19.4▪ 9.11. 2 Pet. 2.8. Betweene Hagar and Ishmael, the Bondwoman and her sonne, and Sarah and Isaac the [Page 12]Free-woman, and her son, Gen. 21.9, 10. Gal. 4 29. And between Esau and Jacob: first in the wombe, the more plainely to shadow out this enmity, Gen. 25.22, 23. and after they were borne, Gen. 27.41.
3. After the Law, before Christ, betweene Doeg and the eighty five Priests, which he slew with the edge of the sword, 1 Sam. 22.18, 19. Betweene Jezabell and all the Prophets of the Lord, which she destroyed, 1 Kings 18.13, 14. And betweene the Heads in Israel in Micahs time, and all that were good, Micah 3.2.
4. Since the Gospell, in the time of Christ and his Apostles this enmity so manifested it selfe, not onely in the Gentiles, but in the Jewes, Gods owne people, who first moved those persecutions against Christ and his Members, that having beheaded John Baptist his Harbinger, and crucified himselfe the Lord of life, we read, that of all the Twelve, none dyed a naturall death save onely Saint John, and he also was banished by Domitian to Pathmos; and at another time thrust into a Tun of seething oyle at Rome, as Tertullian and Saint Hierom doe report: See Acts 7.51. to 60. & 12.1. to 5. Rom. 8.36. Iohn. 21.18, 19.
Now all these, besides many other of his Disciples, suffered martyrdome meerely for professing the faith of Christ; whereof some were stoned, some crucified, some beheaded, some thrust thorow with Speares, some burnt with fire, with a multitude of other Beleevers, for Ecclesiasticall History makes mention of two thousand which suffered the same day with Nicanor, Acts and Monuments, page 32. which makes Saint P [...]ul cry out, I thinke that God hath set forth us the last Apostles, as men appointed to death, 1 Corin [...]h. 4.9.
[Page 13]5. After the Apostles, if we consider the residue of the ten Persecutions, raysed by the Romans against the Christians, which was for three hundred yeares, till the comming of godly Constantine, we find that there was such an innumerable company of innocent Christians put to death and tormented, that Saint Hierome (in his Epistle to Chromatius and He [...]odorus) saith, There is no one day in the whole yeare unto which the number of five thousand Martyrs might not be ascribed, except onely the first day of Ianuary, who were put to the most exquisite deaths and torments that ever the wit or malice of men, or Devils could invent to inflict: we reade of no lesse then twenty nine severall deaths that they were put unto, if no other be omitted.
6. From the Primitive times and infancy of the Church hitherto the Turke and the Pope have acted their parts, in shedding the blood of the Saints, as well as the Jewes and Roman Emperours: touching which, for brevities sake, I referre you to the Booke of Acts and Monuments. Yet because a taste may please some, I will insert what the Holy Ghost hath foretold in the Revelation, touching the Pope, who cals himselfe Christs Vicar and supreame Head of the Church: the Angell, speaking of the Whore of Babylon, saith, She was drunke with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus, Revel. 17.6. Which in part was fulfilled in England, under the raigne of Queene Mary, when in one yeare, a hundred seventy six persons of good quality were burnt for Religion, with many of the common sort: and in France, for before these late bloody Massacres, there were more then two hundred thousand which suffered Martyrdome about Transubstantiation: For the [Page 14]chiefe persecutors of Christ and his followers, are not Atheists, or Turks, or Jewes, but such as hold great place in the Church, Antichristians and Pseudochristians; which makes our Saviour say they shall excommunicate you, that is, they shall blot out your names from among Gods people, or cast you out from the visible outward communion of the Saints.
And indeed, vertue hath ever suffered most from those, which should, and seeme to uphold her: and intruders upon other mens right can indure any man, how bad soever, rather to live by them, then the servants of him whom they intrude upon, as you may see, Mat. 21.33. to 39. where those Farmers of the Vineyard killed the servants, who came to receive their M [...]sters rent: they did not kill the Theeves, and Robbers, and Spoylers of the Vineyard, but the servants; yea, and the sonne too, and the end of all was, that they might take the Inheritance.
Yea, the godly have ever suffered most from such as professe the same Faith and Religion with them. It hath been the complaint almost of all the Fathers and Saints of God, which have written, that the faithfull, in their severall times, were hated, traduced, calumniated, slandered, reproached, accused, persecuted and condemned of such as professe the same Religion with them, though under other pretences, yet onely for their austere and holy lives, that they stuck close to the truth, made conscience of their wayes, and would not rush so boldly into sin as others, Ecclesiasticall History. lib. 6. Chap. 4.5.16.
7. To come unto these present times wherein we live. Is the World mended with age? Yea, I would to God we did not find, that as it is in the little world, the older it grows the more diseased; so in the great [Page 15]World, the older the more vicious; that the consummation of times and sinnes were not met together upon us. But as commonly in a diseased body all the humours fall downe into the Legs or feet, and make an Issue there: so the corruption of all ages hath sliden downe into this of ours, as into the feete. Many (saith the Apostle) walke, that are enemies to the Crosse of Christ, Philip. 3.18. If many in Saint Paules time, more now; for Satan, who was then bound, is now loosed again out of his prison, and hath great wrath, because he knowes he hath but a short time, Revel. 12.12. To speake onely of the entertainment which piety findes among such as would bee counted (not onely Christians, but) Protestants, which principally I intend. Is it possible for a man to live a conscionable and unreproveable life, abstaine from drunkennesse, swearing, prophaning the Lords day, separate himselfe from evill; yea, wicked company, be zealous for the glory of God, &c. without being traduced, calumniated, hated, slandered and persecuted for the same? No, it is not possible: for if our righteousnesse doe but exceed the righteousnesse of a swearer, or a drunkard, we are sure to be persecuted for our righteousnesse, as Abel was persecuted of Caine, because his Sacrifice was better then his. If a man walke with God, he is too precise: if he will be more then almost a Christian, he is curious, phantasticall, factious, and shall be mocked with the Spirit, as if the Spirit of God were a Spirit of dishonour and shame. How common a thing is it to wound all holinesse under the name of Puritan, a name so ful of the serpents enmity, as the egge of a Cockatrice is full of poyson? What should I say? The World is growne so much knave, that 'tis now a vice to be [Page 16]honest. O the deplorable condition of these times! Even the Devill himselfe durst not have been so impudent, as to have scoft at holinesse in those ancient and purer times: but now I could even sinke downe with shame, to see Christianity every where so discountenanced: our very names come into few mouths, out of which they returne but with reproaches. Amongst the rest of our sinnes, O God, be mercifull to the contempt of thy Servants.
True, blessed be God, and our gracious Soveraigne the very breath of our nostrils, we suffer little but the lash of evill tongues; but were wicked mens powers answerable to their wils and malice, they would deliver us up to be afflicted, put us out of the Synagogues, excommunicate and kill us, as our Saviour shewes, John 16.2.33. and Mat. 24.9.
Yea, their enmity and hatred would be so virulent and bitter, that the brother would betray the brother to death, the father the sonne, and the Children would rise up against their Parents, and cause them to dye, the kinsman against the kinsman, and the friend against the friend, onely for professing Christs Name, and being religious, as himselfe affirmes, Matth. 10.34, 35, 36. Luke 21.16, 17. Neither is it strange, for this was one of the ends of Christs comming into the World, as appeares, Mat. 10.34, 35. where himselfe saith, Thinke not that I am come to send peace, but the sword; meaning betweene the Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman; for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father, the daughter-in-Law against the mother-in-Law, and a mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold, Luke. 12.51, 52, 53.
Neither want we precedents of this, For, by whom [Page 17]was upright Abel persecuted and slain, but by his own brother Caine? Who scoffed at righteous Noah, but his owne sonne Cham? By whom was that vertuous and religious Lady Barbara put to death, for imbracing the Christian Faith, but by her owne Father Dioscorus? And lastly, by whom was our Saviour Christ betrayed, but by his owne Disciple Judas?
8. For the time to come, As this strife and enmity in the wicked against the godly, was early in its entrance, taking its first being in the beginning of time, and hath constantly continued hitherto: so it will be long in continuance, and endure to the end of time, as the Scripture shewes: Yea, the last remnants of time are likely to have the most of it, because as in them love shall wax cold, Math. 24.12. so as love groweth cold, contention groweth hot.
More expresly the Holy Ghost foretels, That in the last dayes shall come such perilous times, that all who will live godly shall suffer persecution, and that toward the end of the World there shall be scoffers, false accusers, cursed speakers, fierce despisers of them that be good, such as shall turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, and deny God the onely Lord, and our Lord Jesus Christ; And being fleshly, not having the Spirit, they shall speake evill of the things which they know not; And whatsoever things they know naturally as brute beasts, which are without reason, in those things they shall corrupt themselves; And that many shall follow their damnable wayes, whereby the way of truth shall be evill spoken off: And that as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses; so these also shall resist the truth, being men of corrupt mandes, reprobate concerning the Faith, being before of old, ordained to condemnation, 2 Tim. 3.1. to 13. 2 Pet. 2.2. & 3.3. Iude 4.10, 16, 18, 19. And so much of the continuance.
Now to wind up with a word of Application: If it be so, that all the godly that have gone before us ha [...] beene envyed, hated, traduced, nicknamed, and persecuted by wicked men, and all that come aft [...]r us shall be; let no particular member of the Church looke to fare better then the whole body: we see the Patriarchs went this way, the Prophets this way, the Apostles this way, the Martyrs this way, this way went all the Saints and servants of God, and doe we looke for an easier way? Yea, if the dearest of Gods Children in former ages have suffered so much for Christ, beene put to such cruell deaths and torments for keeping of a good conscience; let us praise the Lord, who hath dealt with us farre otherwise; and pray for his Majesty, to whom, next under God, we owe the thanks: Yea, if our Fore-fathers so willingly underwent those fiery tryals, let none for shame shrinke under the burthen of an aiery tryall onely.
2. If the brother persecute the brother, the son the F [...]ther, the Parent his Childe, the Disciple his Lord, thinke it not strange to be persecuted of any; for lightly they which are not persecuted, are persecutors themselves.
Qu. Having proved the Continuance of this Enmity in all ages, now tell us what be the Signes and Properties of it.
Ans. They are either
- Mentall,
- Verball,
- or Actual.
The first whereof are inward and secret, the two later outward and manifest.
Qu. What are the mentall properties, which you call inward and secret.
Ans. They are foure in number.
First, it is the manner of wicked men, out of Enmity, to envy the vertuous and good estate of the godly: For envy shall lead the troope, as Iudas lead the souldiers; and it may challenge the first place in the right-hand file (as pride doth in the Popes Catalogue of the seven deadly sinnes) because it was the eldest and first borne sinne that ever was in the Devill, after he was cast out of Heaven, and the first that ever he begate upon our nature, after we were cast out of Paradise; which makes Saint Austin therefore call it (as by a kind of excellency) the Devils sin. Thus Caine envied his brother Abel, Gen. 4.5. Saul David; 1 Sam. 18.28, 29. and those unbeleeving Iewes Paul, Acts 17.13. The wicked take as much delight to see the vertuous life of an holy man, as fore eyes doe to looke upon the Sunne. How contrary are good Angels and evill men? The Angels rejoyce at that, whereat these powre and stomack; they are ready to cry and burst for anger, at that which makes musicke in Heaven. But why is it? These Antipodes to vertue, having lost all good themselves, are vexed to see it in another: a true note to know the Serpents seed by, for it is the Devils cognizance, 1 Iohn 3.14, 15. as Love is Christs, Iohn 13.35.
And as it is the very Lees of vice; so it hath a punishment answerable: for by a just judgement of God, their owne malice turnes back into their owne bowels, as it is Psalm. 7.14, 15, 16. and slayeth them, as the swords of Gideons enemies kild themselves, [Page 20] Iudges 7.22. For that none might have cause to envy the envious man againe, but all to pity him; envy it selfe is a fire, which consumes that fuell; a Worme which gnaweth that gourd; a Viper, which eats through those bowels; a Moath, which fretteth tha [...] garment wherein it is bred, nourished and maintained; it is the consuming of the flesh, and rotting of the bones: Prov. 14.30.
And for hereafter, if wicked men thus envy the vertuous and good estate of the godly in this World, which is but their Hell, or at least their Purgatory; How will it gall them, when they shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob, and all the Prophets and Saints of God in the Kingdome of Heaven, and themselves thrust out of doores, and cast into the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone? This shall make them gnash their teeth for envy, as our Saviour shewes, Luke 13.28. Matth. 8.11.12. but how just is it with God, that this fire of envy should be punished with the fire of Hell!
2. Secondly, it is their manner and property to contemne the supposed meane estate of the godly, as Samballat, Tobiah and Gershom, with the rest of that crue, contemned Nehemiah and the Iewes, Nehem. 4.1, 2, 3. Thus Rabshakeh contemned Hezekiah and his people, 2 Kings 18 19. to 36. and the Epiourean Philosophers Paul, Acts 17.18
Whereas misery, with good natures, is made a loadstone of mercy: with base mindes, it is contrarily made a footstoole for pride to trample on; and nothing so midnights the soule of him that is falne, as scorne and contempt.
But you may observe, That arrogancy is a weed that ever growes on a dunghill, and from the ranknesse [Page 21]of that soyle, she hath her heighth and spreadings; for they are but puft mindes, and frothy wits, that get so to the top, and bubble thus above inferiours. As what makes them contemne us, but, together with pride, their ignorance? For, alasse, they take notice of our misery, not of our happinesse. Noahs vertues are not Chams admiration; but his drunkennesse is his sport. Wicked men are like those ill taught Children, 2 King. 2.24. that could upbraid Elisha with his bald head, but had not the wit to consider how God had crowned that head with vertue and honour. O that they could but see all, that they would but say all: as Ephialtes, when one cast him in the teeth with his poverty, answered, Why dost thou not make rehearsall of other things also, as that I love law, and regard right? But indeed, this were to cleane our faces, and foule their owne.
But let them insult for a while, they cannot sit upon so high a cogge, but may with turning prove the lowest in the Wheele: as it fell out with Hammon, who being now made Lackey to a despised Iew, begins to envy, where halfe an houre since he had scorned; and misery, like a Vulture, must have some body to prey upon. There is a continuall vicissitude of things: The Righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead, Prov. 11.8. The wicked shall bee a ransome for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright, Prov. 21.18.
3 Thirdly, it is their manner, to rejoyce at the supposed evill estate of the godly, as the Princes of the Philistims did at Sampsons blindnesse and bondage, whom they insulted over, and made their laughing stock, Iudg. 16.25. Peninna at Hannahs barrennesse, especially when shee went up to the house of the [Page 22]Lord, 1 S [...]m. 1.6.7 And the Iewes at the Disciples, and the rest of the Church, when Herod vexed some, and slew others, Acts 12.1, 2, 3. Wicked men feede themselves with others adversity, as Beetles are fed with their fellowes dung: and like Flesh-flies, make the wounds of Gods children their chiefe nourishment: Yea, Crocodile-like, they would, if they might, fatten themselves with the warmest blood of godly mens lives.
And not so onely; for we have a generation, whose onely rejoycing is, Cham-like, to see another fall into some grosse sinne, or infirmity: Yea, as Luther speakes, they hunger and thirst after the scandals of the godly; and if at any time through humane frailty they doe fall into some evill, like hungry Hogs, they muzzle in their excrements, and feast upon them, as upon dainties; there being nothing that so glads their hearts, that so opens their mouths with so much insolency and triumph; as what care will they take to spread the same abroad by a common fame: Yea, it were well, if they would not play the Curres, and open when they are able to spring no Game.
But they must needs be filthy creatures, that feed upon nothing but corruption. To delight in mens sinnes, is the sport of Devils: recovery from those sinnes, is the joy of good men and Angels. Cham derides his Fathers nakednesse; it should have been his sorrow: he makes it his sport. But it is ill for a man to make himselfe merry, with that which angers God.
4. It is their manner, to hate the religious, as all carnall men hate the members of Christ, Matth. 10.22. Thus Ahab hated Eliah, as himselfe confessed, 1 Kings 22.8. Yea, so inveterately, that there was [Page 23]not one Kingdome or Nation, where he had not sent to take away his life, 1 Kings 18.10. and Haman Mordecai, which was so deadly, that he thought it too little to lay hands on Mordecai on [...]ly, wherefore he sought to destroy all the Iewes, the people of Mordecai, that were throughout the whole Kingdome of Ahasuerus, Hester 3.5, 6. For the effecting of which, he obtained that bloody Edict, ver. 6.9. And lest it should want successe, he offered ten thousand Talents of silver into the Kings Treasury, to have it effected, Hester 3.9, 13. And such another was cruell Arundel, sometime Archbishop of Canterbury; who vowed and swore, he would not leave a slip of Professors in this Land. For you must know, That their hatred extendeth not to this, or that person alone, but to the whole generation of Gods Children and people. As what saith the wicked in Davids time? Come, let us out them off from being a Nation, and let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance, Let us take for our possessions the habitations of God, Psalme 83 4, 12.
And the World is no changeling; for this age wants not many such Hamans and Arundels, who so hate the Children of God, that they wish, as Caligula once did of the Romans, That they had all but one [...] that so they might cut it off at a blow, were it in [...] power, Micah. 3.2. Psal. 83.4.
But our comfort is, they have not so much a [...] rity as malice; resembling the Serpent Porp [...] which abounds with poyson, but can hurt non [...] [...] want of teeth: Though their punishment sha [...] [...] never the lesse. For as the will to doe God acce [...] ble service, is accepted, as if it were service inde [...] so the in [...]ent and offer of wrong, shall be judge [...] [...] wrong, in that Court of Justice. Good and [...] [Page 24]thoughts and desires, in Gods account are good and evill workes: And so much touching the Mentall properties of this enmity.
Qu. What are their Verball properties?
An. They are Eleven in number. First, ungodly men verbally manifest their enmity by murmuring against the Children of God: as Labans sonnes murmured against Iacob, Genesis 31.1. The Israelites against Moses and Aaron; Yea, against God himselfe; for which, the utmost part of the Host was consumed with fire from Heaven, Numb. 11.1. & 14.2, 3. And lastly, the labourers in the Vineyard against the Master of the house, and their fellowes, Mat. 20.11, 12.
And have not we the like murmurers? O that so many Loaves and Fishes, as did feede five thousand in the Wildernesse, would but stop their mouthes, who amongst us doe both vex at others plenty of grace, and their owne want: that doe murmure against the g [...]dly, even for no other cause, but that they alone should be the men in whom no crime, or fault scandalous can justly bee found: that make it their Grace, both before and after Dinner, to disgrace some Innocent.
But so it is, That the baggage World desireth nothing more, then to scarre the face that is fairer then her selfe: whence she takes occasion, in every company, to erect the faylings of holy men very high, like Saint Pauls, for [...]he gaze of all; whereas they hide their good parts under ground, like Saint Faiths, that none may [...].
Where [...] [...] another dis [...]dvantage, that cannot [...] [...]lped. The multitude will so [...]ner beleeve them, then our solves. Affi [...]mations being apter to [Page 25]win beleife, then Negatives are to uncredit them: whereby it fals out, that Piety is every where pusht at, and the religious murmured at, and clamoured against in all places.
If such men would know their wages: let them looke, 2 Pet. 2.12. and there they shall finde, that as their tongues have walked against Heaven, so they shall be confined to Hell: And in the meane time, Cursed is he (saith the Holy Ghost) that smiteth his neighbour secretly; and let all the people say, Amen. Deut. 27.24.
2. By Censuring their actions, and misconstruing their intentions, as Eliab: did Davids zeale for Gods glory to be pride and malice, 1 Sam. 17.28. And those wicked ones, his fasting and mourning to be Hypocrifie, Psalm. 35.13. to 17. Thus Jobs friends condemned him for an Hypocrite, Job 4.6. to 11. And the Jewes, Christianity to be Heresie, and Paul the Preacher of it, a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition, and maintainer of schisme; yea, all the Disciples to be deceivers, 2 Cor. 6.8.
And thus too many in our dayes will definitively censure men for Hypocrites, whom they scarce know superficially: Yea, (which is worse) onely because their workes are good.
Prejudice casteth a false colour upon the best actions: and Basenesse, what it cannot attaine to it will vellicate and deprave. But what saith Sincerity? While my conscience is innocent, the Worlds suppositions cannot make me culpable: Let me rather, with Eliah and Micah,, doe well, and heare ill; then, with Ahab and Jezahell, doe ill and be flattered.
The Accuser of the Brethren makes choyce of wicked men to traduce those whom he cannot seduce [Page 26]as he desireth; as wee may plainely see in our Saviours example, who notwithstanding he fulfilled all righteousnesse, and did all things well, for in his mouth was found no guile, nor fault in his manners, nor error in his doctrine, Which of you (said hee) can rebuke me of sinne? Yet the World traduced him for a Samaritan, a Blasphemer, a Sorcerer, a wine bibber, an enemy to Caesar, and what not?
Thus they deale with the godly, as sometimes a lustfull person will doe by a chaste woman, when he cannot take away her honesty, he will take away her credit; brag of effecting his will with her, when yet he could never have admittance into her company.
Bad natures, whom they cannot reach by imitation, they will by detraction: like the Fox, what they cannot attaine to, they will depresse and seeme to despise: their cunning is to condemne others, that themseves may be justified. As Caligula tooke off the heads from the Images of the gods, to set up his own. Or as Merchants, who to raise the price of their own commodities, beate down the prices of others.
And have they not reason thus to doe? Yes, for how is a vicious person discredited and made contemptible, by the vertuous life of an holy man? We know straight lines helpe to shew the crooked. And it is easie to guesse, that Pharaohs fat Kine made the leane ones more ilfavoured. A swarthy and hard featured visage, loves not the company of cleare beauties.
Againe, another reason is, They judge others by themselves: now they doe all their good in hypocrisie, and so thereafter judge of others. Saint Chrysostome hath given the rule, As it is an hard thing (saith [Page 27]he) for one to suspect another to be evill, who is good himselfe: so it is as hard for him to suppose another to be good, who is himselfe ill. And we see it fulfilled in Nero, who verily beleeved, that all men were most fowle libidinists, because himselfe was such an one.
3. Wicked men manifest their enmity against the religious, by carrying tales of them unto others: as Cham carryed tales to his brethren of Noahs nakednesse: his tongue was the trumpet, to sound forth his Fathers shame, Gen. 9.22. thus Doeg carryed tales to Saul of David, and Abimelech, 1 Sam. 22.9, 10. and the Ziphins two severall times brought tydings to Saul, where David had hid himselfe, to the end Saul might slay him, 1 Sam. 23.19, 20. & 26.1. And those Libertines, with other suborned men against Steven, to the Councell of Priests, Acts 6.8. to 15.
And of this burthen many amongst us are in continuall travell. For how frequently doe debauched drunkards, and incorrigible sinners (resembling their father the Devill, who both by name, Revel. 12.10. and by nature, Job 1.7, 8, 9. is a continuall Accuser of the brethren) carry tales to their fellowes, of such as will not consorte with them? Yea, of their faithfull Ministers, especially if hee thunders in his doctrine, and lightens in his conversation, as Gregory Nazianzen speakes of Basil? Yea, and thinke they doe as good service in it, as Secretaries, and espialls of Princes, doe to the State, when they bring in bills of Intelligence?
But doe they, as they ought, with an upright minde tell both our vertues and vices impartially, as Suetonius writeth of the twelve Caesars, and so leave the [Page 28]upshot to collection? No, but rather, as the Jewes did by Paul, Acts 24. charge us with many things, as that we are pestilent fellowes, movers of sedition, and maintaienrs of schisme, but proving nothing, verse 13. And indeed, how should they, when every word they speak is a slander? Or if otherwise, they look on our infirmities, they looke not on our graces, on our repentance? No these Flyes skip over all a mans sound parts, I meane his excellencies; to fasten on a scab, or ulcer; resembling our Prognosticators, that are more diligent to make mention of foule weather, then of fayre; stormes and thunder they much harp upon, but calme and serene dayes passe them unobserved: whereas an ingenuous nature would passe over the evill, where he findes more good; considering, we are full of faults by nature; good, not without our care and industry; for a minde well qualified, is often beholding to the industry of the owner: and Vlysses, as Homer relates, was so applauded for the acutenesse of an ingenious mind, that men spared to object unto him the deformity of his body.
But these contrarily, for want of matter to except against, will coyne it of their owne heads. And that they may deliver themselves with the greater Emphasis will affirme as that Gymnosophist in Plutarch did, of those Orators to Alexander, That every one of them doth exceed his fellowes, and sware that the matter is so cleare and manifest, that all the Towne ings of him (meaning the good fellowes of the towne) and to speake truth, the parties faults are so cleare and evident, that you may see them as well in the darke, as with a candle, as appeares by the sequell. For, are there not some godly and faithful, both Christians and Preachers, that have beene often (I say not ninety [Page 29]five times) accused by them, as Aristophanes was by the Athenians, and every time found innocent? Though no thankes to their accusers, for they endeavour all they can to corrupt such as heare them, and forestall their judgements against the good and goodnesse.
O that men were so wise, as to heare the tale-bearer with indignation, examine before they trust, beleeve his reports, if infallibly true, with unwillingnesse, acknowledge it with griefe, hide our neighbours faults with honest excuses, and bury them in silence: for commonly it fares with the first relator, as it doth with a stone throwne into the water, which of it selfe makes but one circle, but that one begets an hundred, and so both offends and infects many others, but alwayes proves himselfe to be uncharitable. It were good for other men, if tale-bearers would consider this, but better for themselves.
True, the wise and honest are able, as so many Angels of God, to discerne truth from slander; though to the griefe of many good hearts, no musick can be so sweet to the eares of others, as to heare well of themselves, ill of the religious.
And these, as they often set the former on worke, so they are resolutely opinionated in beleeving o [...] lyes (as Saint Austin speakes of the Priscillianists) whereby they supererogate of Satan.
But what is the end of these tale-bearers, and informers against good men? Follow them to their ends, and you shall see, that if ever the Lord open their eyes to see this their fact, they are even in this life rewarded with the strappadoes of an humane soule, rackt in conscience, and tortured with the very flashes of Hell fire, and not seldome forced to lay violent [Page 30]hands upon themselves, being never well, nor in their owne place, till they bee in Hell, Acts 1.25.
4. It is their manner to perswade and give devillish counsell to others, like themselves, to persecute the godly, as Balaam gave wicked counsell to Balack against the Children of Israel, when he could not be suffered to curse them, Revel. 2.14. Thus the Princes and Rulers did to Zedekiah the King against Jeremiah, saying, We beseech you, let this man be put to death, for thus he we [...]kneth the hands of the men of Warre, &c. Jer. 38.4. and the Jewes of Thessalonica to the people of Berea against Paul, Acts 17.13.
That the enemies of the Crosse of Christ, are still accustomed to deale after this manner with the religious, I need not demonstrate; plaine things, which our selves are dayly witnesses of, need no proofe, Onely note their matchlesse malice herein, who that they may be sure to prevaile, first dazell their friends eyes with false accusations against us, as true and certaine, as that Naboth did blaspheme God and the King; and their associates are as sure of it, as Darius was, that the Idoll Bell did eate and drinke every day forty Sheepe, twelve Kakes, and six great pots of Wine, because threescore and ten of the Priests gave it out so; And that their mortall enmity may be taken for a zeale of the Churches good, as Judas would have his covetousnesse taken for Charity, John 12.6. And the Pharisees their Cruelty thought Piety, Matth. 23.14. All the reproaches that the Devill and these his scavengers can rake out of the Channels of Hell shall be flung in our faces, the worst language that hath ever been dipt in the forge, or tipt at the fire of Hell, shall be bestowed upon us; wherein they resemble [Page 31]those ancient enemies of the Gospell, who clad the Martyrs in the skins of wild Beasts, to animate the dogs to teare them.
Though perhaps this is more then needs, for not seldome the counselled are more ready to yeeld their ayde, then they are to aske it; being of Maximinus his humor, who seeing none offer themselves, set on worke certaine vile persons to accuse the Christians of haynous crimes, that so he might persecute them with more shew of reason; for that one may supply the others defects, the first finds an head, the second a tongue, the third hands: As Ʋlysses may contrive, but Diomedes, must thorow with it: so altogether deale with the poore Minister, or Christian, as the souldiers did with Christ, first blind him, then strike him, and last aske him, Who is it that smote thee? And he may answer the best man of them, It was thou, O mine enemy, thou wast an Achitophell, in the one; a Doeg in the other; a Beliall in both. And let such men know, that this their instigation will end at last either in anguish, or confusion, teares or torment will become their recompence.
5. It is the manner and custome of wicked men to scoffe at the righteous, as Ishmael scoft at Isaac, Gen. 21.9. Rabshakeh at Hezekiah, and his people, 2 Kings 18.27. And the Philosophers at Paul, Acts 17.18. to 21.
And to this day the World is too full of scoffing Atheists, and mockers of Piety. Michal was barren, yet she hath too many Children, that scorne holy excercises: every houshold almost hath some in it, if not many, of the brood of Cham and Ishmael: so that if any one refraine from impiety, refuse to doe as the rest in all excesse of ryot, he is made both their prey [Page 32]and laughingstock: Yea, if he be so bold as to Preach righteousnesse to them, by voyce or by example, there is instantly some Tobiah, or Sanballat steps up to flout him. They so hate righteousnesse, that they will hate a man for it, and say of good living, as Festus did of great learning, it makes a man mad. But they cannot know who are sober, that are mad themselves: Achish and his Courtiers thought David mad, yet he was the wisest man amongst them. Yea, as old men answer young men, You thinke us fooles, but wee know you are not wise: so answer wee these, You thinke us madde that are so hot against sinnes, but wee know you madde, that are so cold for your soules.
Dogs will barke at the Moone: and what all men commend, you have some Thersites take delight to blast. Lot vexed himselfe, because he saw men bad; these, becau [...]e [...]en are good: not because Gods Law is broken, but because others keepe it better then themselves. But these are brinish and ill made candles, which so sparkle and spit at others: it is a cursed zeale in these men, to maligne the good zeale of all men.
But let them alone, they need no helpe to be miserable; for as they scoffe at us, so God laughes at them, He that fitteth in the Heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision, Psal. 2.4. yea, Judgments are prepared for these scorners, and stripes for the backs of thes [...] fooles, Prov. 19.29.
If t [...]ey smart not here, as Cham did, whose scoffing on [...]ly brought his Fathers Curse, and Gods upon tha [...]: And the two and forty little children, who were devoured of wild Beares, for scoffing at Elishas bald head, 2 King. 2.24. And Foelix, who for one malicious [Page 33]scoffe, did nothing day and night but vomit blood, till his unhappy soule was fetcht from his wretched carkasse: And Pherecydes, who was consumed by wormes alive, for giving Religion but a nickname; a small matter, if thou mayst bee made Judge: And Lucian, who for barking against Religion, like a Dog, was by a just judgement of God devoured of dogs.
For this let me tell them, what ever the Devill blinding them they thinke, there cannot be a greater argument of a foule soule, then the deriding of religious services: Y [...] to be a scoffer is the depth of sinne: such an one is upon the very threshold of Hell, as being set downe in a resolute contempt of all goodnesse.
6. It is their manner and property to nickname the godly as Ahab nicknamed Eliah, the troubler of Israel, 1 Kings 18.17. The wicked, Job and David Hypocrites, Psalm. 35.13, 14. Job 4.6. to 11. The Courtiers, Ieremiah an enemy to the Common-wealth of Israel. The Iewes, Paul a factious and seditious fellow, Acts 24.14. Yea, they tearmed all the Disciples, Sectaries, Schismaticks, subverters of the State, &c. 1 Cor. 4.9.10.
And the same Devill, who spake in Ahab and those wicked ones of old, now speakes in our loose Libertines, who nickname the conscionable, Puritans, and seditious persons, for doe but examine who they be which cast these aspersions upon the godly, and you shall find, that the hand of Ioab, I meane the Devill, is in this businesse. Alasse, poore soules, they are but set on by that subtill Serpent, as Zebede was by her sounes, Mat. 20.20. Mark 10.35. it is but his heart in their lips.
And Satan hath ever found it infinitely successefull, to give every vice a title, and every vertue a disgrace; for still he hath found, that the rude and unstable multitude onely looke upon the vizard and outside of things, which he pleaseth to put upon them, and so judge according to appearance, not righteous judgement.
Neither doth the Devill onely gaine by fastning reproachfull nicknames upon the religious, but his servants gaine too: much like the theef, who meeting with a full purse, not onel [...] takes it away, but returnes a stab: for in making [...]rtue contemptible, and in depraving the godly, they are at least upon even pround with them, if they have not the better: for were all the World ugly, deformity would be no monster. Among the Myconians baldnesse is no unseemly thing, because all there are borne bald: and hereupon infamous persons love to mitigate their owne shame, with others discredit. As Aesops Fox, when she had lost her tayle, would have redeemed her shame, by perswading all her fellow foxes to cut off theirs; yea, by depressing the good, they may possibly get the start of them. Even Heliogabulus, that beastly monster, thought to make himselfe the sole god, and be onely worshipped, by banishing all other religions out of the World.
But let these depravers take heed, lest imitating the fact of Censor Fulvius, who untiled Iuno's Temple to cover his owne house, they partake of the like judgement, run mad, and dye despayring.
7. It is their manner to revile and rayle on them, as Goliah reviled and rayled on the Host of Israel, and their God, 1 Sam. 17.45. Shimei, upon David, calling him murtherer, and wicked man, 2 Sam. 16.7. [Page 35]And likewise the mighty men, Psal. 31.13. And the Jewes upon Paul and Barnabas, Acts 13.45.
Calumny is every good mans Lackey, which followes him wheresoever he goes; for the Devill hath his servants in every corner; and rotten Lungs can never send forth sweet breath. If the Law bind their hands, yet they will be smiting with their tongues: and if the Law keep them in awe for smiting on the mouth yet they will doe what they dare, they will smite with the mouth.
It is with these men, as it was with Zoilus that common slanderer, who being demanded why hee spake evill of such and such, answered, because I cannot doe them evill: or elfe, like another Parisian Vigils, we should feele their swords, before we heard their alarums. When the Devils hands are bound, he vomits a flood of reproaches with his tongue, Revel. 12.15. What say they? Since we cannot attaine to their vertues, let us revenge our selves with rayling against them.
It is not for nothing, that wicked men are so often in Scripture called Dogs, as Psalm. 59.6. Deliver my soule, or my darling, from the power of the Dog: and They make a noyse like a Dog, and goe round about the City. Beware of Dogges, saith Saint Paul, Phil. 3.2. which either grin with malice, or barke with reproaches, or bite with mischiefe.
But blessed be God, although some of these Dogs have teeth like swords, and jawes like knives, as Solomon speakes, Prov. 30.14. And smite cruelly, as Jeremy complaines, Chap. 18.18. which deserve, like Shepheards Curres, to have their teeth beaten out, to prevent their biting; yea, and their chaps muzled, for feare of opening; yet most of them are tooth-lesse [Page 36]Curres, which though they barke, yet they cannot bite; and cowardly Curres, for if you note such an one, he seldome unbuttons his tumoured brest, but when he finds none to oppose the bignes of his looks and tongue.
And for such our onely way is, either to slight them, as King Philip did Nicanor, in the like case, who being told by Smitichus of his evill reports and raylings, answered, Nicanor is not esteemed by the worst in Macedonia.
Or else stop their mouths with some good turne, as Aeneas, in the fiction, cast Cerberus the hell-hound a sweet morsell, that he might not barke against him. The doore, when it hath been oyled, leaves creaking: and this is good policy: for barking Curres ofttimes great mastiffs wake.
But as if the tearme of Dogge, were of too narrow extent, the Scripture elsewhere cals them Devils. Saint Paul, 2 Tim. 3.3. (as Bishop Andrewes observes from the Originall) foretels, that in the latter dayes there shall be men Devils, foule mouthed men, evill speakers, and 1 Tim. 3.11. he speaketh of women-devils, whose speeches are calumnious. And wherefore is the Devill called by that name, but by reason of his foule mouth in defaming? Yea, A Calumny, saith one of the Fathers, is the Devils minde in the mouth of a man, his arrow shot by mans bow; he lendeth him his lyes and malice, and borroweth his tongue to utter them, because the Devill wants a tongue.
I close up this point with those words of the Prophet, either convert the persons or confound the lying lips, O God, that speake against the righteous.
8. It is their manner to raise slanders of the godly, [Page 37]as those wicked men slandered Naboth, saying, he hath blasphemed God and the King, confirming the same with an oath, 1 Kings 21. Thus the wicked slandered David, Psam. 57.4. And the multitude John Baptist, saying he had a Devill, Matth. 11.18.
It is Satans policy (because report both makes jealousies, where there are none, and increaseth those that are) to abuse our eares in hearing, our tongues in speaking, and our hearts in beleeving lyes, to disable us from discerning the truth.
Yea, this stratagem of raising slanders upon good men, like a huge and mighty Polypheme, hath done such service to the uncircumcised, that examples thereof in Scripture are like moates in the Sunne: and it were easie to parallell former ages with this of ours, for well may we take up those words of the Psalmist, The wicked bend their bow, and make ready their arrowes upon the string, that they may secretly shoote at them which are upright in heart, Psalmes 11.2.
Innocency is no shelter against evill tongues. Malice never regards how true any accusation is, but how spitefull.
And great wits are not more ready, with the high Priests and Elders, Matth. 28.12, 13. to raise these slanders, then the common sort are apt to beleeve the same; as we see by our Saviours example, ver. 15. And how many particular persons know, to their smart, that a slander once raised will scarce ever dye: for comming once into the mouth of the vulgar, true or falfe, like wild-fire it can never be quenched; for even death it selfe, which delivereth a man from all other enemies, is not able to deliver him from this of the tongue. Whereas Truth hath [Page 38]much adoe to be beleeved, a lye runs farre before it can be stayed.
However, a man once wounded in his good name, is not cured without scarres of suspition. Yea, commonly, as a little ball rowled in the snow gathers it selfe to a great lumpe: so the report that is but a little sparke at first, proves a great flame, by that it hath past through many mouthes.
But did not mens owne wickednesse blinde them, were they not absolutely turned fooles, they would thus argue: Not he that is accused, but he that is convicted is guilty, as Lactantius hath it. In the Chancery are many accusations they never meane to prove: Neither doth any Law condemne a man, till he comes to his answer. Vpright Cato was fifty times undeservedly indited and accused by his fellow Citizens, yet was every time acquitted and found innocent.
The Orator Tertullus, when he would pleade against Paul, sayes, We have found this man a pestilent fellow, Acts 24.5. But, if you marke it, this foolish Tertullus mistooke the antidote for the poyson, the remedy for the disease: Indeed, he had some wit in his anger, and so have his followers in slandering such as excell in vertue: for whereas formerly the splendor of the others vertues hath obscured the meannesse of their credit, as the lesser light of a candle is obscured by the greater light of the Sun: so now by clouding and depraving him and all his fellowes, himselfe shall bee judged vertuous very cheape, accounted a man of honesty and honour, though a Paricide or a sacrilegious person.
And is it not good policy, for a swinish drunkard, or a beastly liver to fling durt in a holy mans [Page 39]face, when, first, any colour seemes the fairer, when as black is by? Secondly, when (being conscious of their owne defects) by this meanes they draw away mens thoughts, and consideration of the beholders, from climing up into their faults, while they are fixed and busied upon a new object. One colour we know, being laid upon another, doth away the former, and remaines it selfe. A Cut-purse in a throng, when he hath committed the fact, will cry out, my Masters, take heed of your purses; and he that is pursued will cry, stop theefe, that by this meanes he may escape unattached.
9. It is usuall with them to Curse the godly, as Goliah cursed Dauid, 1 Sam. 17.43. And also Shimei, 2 Sam. 16.7. to 15. Thus the Heathen cursed Israel, Zach. 8.13. And thus the wicked in all ages shall be so drunke with malice, that they shall spew out cursing and slander against the godly, as our Saviour hath foretold, Mat. 5.44.
And experience proves, that not a few amongst us doe steep their words in hate and curses against the good, carrying this deadly poyson, these arrowes, swords, knives, razors in their mouthes, wherewith to interlace their discourse, whether in reviling the present, or backbiting the absent.
There is a generation (pity they should be called Christians) all whose Prayers are Curses, and all their relations lyes: Or if sometimes they lend the truth their voice, they are but false witnesses in speaking of it; for their hearts are of another judgement. As let them say with their mouthes, I beleeve in God, or Our Father which art in Heaven, or God spake these words, &c. even in this they lye, for in their hearts they thinke there is no God at all: or if with their hearts they [Page 40]beleeve, and with their tongues confesse that there is a God, at least by their workes they deny him, and the power of his word. So that all the difference betweene them, and very Infidels, is onely this, the one are infidels in their hearts, the other are infidels in their lives, as Augustine pithily.
And whats the reason they curse us, but this? They are the Devils best schollers, and of his highest Forme; the language of Hell is so familiar unto them, that they speake not a word of our countrey language: And indeed, how should they speake the language of Canaan, to whom blasphemy is become the mother tongue?
Secondly, they curse us because they cannot be suffered to kill us; for in heart and Gods account they are no better then murtherers; nor will it be any rare thing at the day of Judgement, for Cursers to be indited of murther: they would kill us, if they durst: they doe kill, so farre as they can. I would be loath to trust his hands, that bannes me with his tongue. It is easie to guesse how they would deale with us, if we were at their mercy. He that siniled on David in his throne, curseth him in his flight: Now his unsound and treacherous heart discovers it selfe in a tongue full of venome, a hand full of stones; and had not David been yet too strong for his impotent Subject, hee had then breathed his last.
Prosperous successe hides many a false heart, as a drift of Snow covers a heape of dung: but when that white mantle melts, the filthy rottennesse will soone appeare.
Neither is it any sinne we commit, or offence we give them, that they Curse us. Who could have lesse [Page 41]deserved those curses, those aspersions, those stones, then David? Had Shimei been other then a dog, he had never so rudely barked at so harmeles a passenger. That head deserved to be tonguelesse, that body to be headlesse, that thus blasphemed an Innocent, though he had been lesse then the Lords Anoynted.
Againe, Why would they kill our bodies, but because they could not slay our soules? For it is soule-blood which the Serpent and his Seed thirst after, as I shall shew afterward.
But alasse, if all their Curses and threats, all their aspersions and Antichristian slanders, could flout us out of the integrity of our devotion, when our forefathers feared not the flames, wee were fearefull cowards.
As for their banning of us, we have learnt from Solomon, That the causelesse curse shall not come, Prov. 26.2. or at least, it shall not come where the curser meant it. Yea, the Psalmist tels us plainely, That though they curse, yet God will blesse, Psalm, 109.28. And his blessing shall doe us good, while their curses hurt none but themselves: for what saith the Holy Ghost in the same Psalme, speaking of the desperately wicked, whose brand is, that they love cursing. The words are these, As hee loved cursing, so shall it come unto him; and as he loved not blessing, so shall it be farre from him. As he cloathed himselfe with cursing, as with a rayment: so shall it come into his bowels like water, and like oyle into his bones. Let it be unto him, as a garment to cover him, and for a girdle, wherewith he shall be alwayes girded, ver. 17, 18, 19.
Heare this all yee whose tongues run so fast on the Devils errand, Yee loved cursing, you shall have it, both upon you, about you, and in you, and [Page 42]that everlastingly, if you persevere and goe on. For if Christians be charged to blesse their enemies; What will be their case, that curse their friends? Yea, if he which but curseth Satan, curseth his owne soule, as it is, Eccles. 21.27. What doth he, that curseth the Saints and deare children of God? Surely, their curses shall bound back into their owne brests, as the stones which Shimei threw at David did rebound upon Shimei, and split his heart; yea, and at last knockt out his braines.
Cursing mouthes are like ill made Peeces, which while men discharge at others, recoile in splinters upon their owne faces. Their words and wishes be but whirle-windes, which being breathen forth, returne againe to the same place; Cursed be hee that curseth thee, Gen. 27.29. Yea, hee shall be cursed with a witnesse, for even Christ, which came to save the World, shall say unto them at the last day, Depart yee cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels, Matth. 25.41. Where they shall doe nothing but curse for evermore, Revel. 16.11.21. And indeed, Who should goe to Hell, if cursers should be left out? Wherefore let all those learne to blesse, that looke to be heires of the Blessing.
10. It is their use to threaten the religious, as all the men of Sodome threatned just Lot, that they would deale worse with him then with the Angels, Gen. 19.9. Jehoram, Elisha, saying, God doe so to me, and more also if the head of Elisha shall stand on him this day, 2 Kings 6.31. And thus Paul, before his conversion, breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples, Acts 9.1, 2.
It were no living for godly men, if their hands were allowed to be as bloody as their hearts. But [Page 43]men and Devils are under the restraint of the Almighty.
Neither are their words more swelling, or their designes more lavish, then their atchievements be vaine, and their execution short. Benhadad sends great words unto the King of Israel, as if it were nothing to conquer him: but stay the proofe, Benhadad flyes, and Israel persues. Commonly they that least can doe, best cavill, can and make the greatest flourish.
However, it is well for the innocent, that wicked men cannot keep their owne counsels as God fetcheth their thoughts out of their owne mouthes, many times, even against their wils, for the good of his Children; as we may see in Esau, when he purposed the death of Jacob; and in Saul, touching David; and in Jezabell, touching Elisha; whose threats did preserve them, whom they meant to kill. The wisedome and power of God could have found evasions for his Prophets, with their enemies greatest secrecy: but now they need no other meanes of rescue, then their owne lips. And it is a mercy (deserving thanks) from God, that the lightning of anger in a cruell mans eyes, gives us warning of the thunderbolt in his hand.
But this concernes us onely, when we are threatned by the potent: in other cases, our best way will be to stand it out: for many a foe hath spoken bravely, who in the push hath made more use of his heeles, then of his hands: their threats being but like a boyes squib, that onely flashes, and cracks, and stinks, but is nothing.
11. It is their manner by subtlety to undermine the godly in talke, that they may betray them, as Saul [Page 44]caused his servants to undermine David by flattery, thereby to worke his confusion, 1 Sam. 18.17. And againe, vers. 21.25. thus those false Prophets, and other enemies of the truth undermined Jeremiah, seeking every way to destroy him, Jer. 18.18. to the end of the Chap. And thus certaine of the Synagogue sought to undermine Steven, that so they might have matter whereby to informe the Councell against him, Acts 6.9, 10.
Their chiefe Principle is that of Lysanders, Where the Lyons skinne will not suffice, we must add a scantling of the Foxes. Whereupon, as intelligencers for States-men, mingle themselves with all companies, but use their best art to keep themselves concealed: so doe these, you may travell with such an one as farre as the Indies; and yet finde the way into his heart a farther journey. For as High-way-men, lighting into true meaning company by the way, can talke of sincere dealing, and uprightnesse, against robbery and oppression, to take off suspition, till they spy their opportunity: so will they have semblances of religion, pretend great love; yea, perhaps doe you a reall curtesie; but with the same intent that Saul gave Michall to David, which was onely to ensnare him.
Like Fowlers and Anglers, when they meane to catch and snare us, they hide their nets, and cover their hookes with the pleasing baites of flattery, setting a sunshine countenance upon cloudy thoughts: Yea, when they intend to murther, then speake they fairest; when deadly malice dives deepest into their hearts, then the smoothest words floate in their mouthes, as no faces looke lovelyer then the painted.
Now this kind of undermining they have borrowed from Satan, that old Serpent, and arch-politician, who in the beginning useth this complement to our first Parents, Yee shall be as gods: when his drift was, to have them devils, Gen. 3.5. Yea, he sets them on worke, who never ceaseth, either by himselfe or by his servants to tempt and undermine the people of God, 1 Pet. 5.8. especially at such times, as they are, or should be addressing themselves to some notable workes in performing the will of God, as we may see, Jeremiah 1.6. Ezek. 3.14, 15. Nehem. 2.19. & 4.8. & 6.5, 6, 7, 10. Acts 6.9, 10. Matth. 4.1.
But beware we trust them not, for these Hypocrites never wound so deadly, as when they stroake us with a silken hand; being like the mistaken lanthorne in Eighty eight; for under pretence of guiding, they will draw us into hazzard and losse among our enemies; and whosoever puts confidence in their words, shall finde them to resemble sinking floores, which will then fayle us, when our weight is on them. And so much of the Verball properties of this enmity.
Qu. In the last place what are the Actuall Properties?
Answ. Theirdly, wicked men actually manifest their enmity against the Religious in seven particulars.
First, by gesture, as Goliah against David, when he looked upon him with a disdainefull countenance, 1 Sam. 17.42. Which is a kind of brow-beating; and other wicked ones, who made mowes, and nodded the head at him, Psalm. 22.7. Gaped upon him with their mouthes, as ramping and roaring Lyons, vers. 13. Guashed [Page 46]shaked their heads at him, Psal. 109.25. Thus Job complaines, That his enemies opened their mouthes against him, Job. 16.10. And Isaiah, that the scoffing Idolaters gaped and thrust out their tongues against the godly, in his time, Isay 57.3, 4. And the Labourers in the Parable are said to have an evilleye against the Master of the Vineyard, because he was good, Matth. 20.15. Many will speak, that dare not strike; and some will make mouthes, that feare to speak.
Now this of gesture is a silent foe; yet upon inquisition made, I find none more guilty of the Serpents enmity, then he, who speakes with his brow, and striketh with his eyes; who because his tongue cannot justly condemne a man, he will leave him suspected of ill by silence, or some disdainefull gesture: For, as his Majesty said most aptly and elegantly, As the tongue speaketh to the eare; so the gesture speaketh to the eye. And though such an one be silent for want of words, yet he is not so for want of malice, even scoffes and nicknames, slander and cursing sticks in his teeth, and onely dares not freely come forth, because he is guilty of his owne faultinesse: and were he not a monstrous coward, not daring to speake or act for feare of Justice, there would be no dealing with him: Yet bad as he is, being dumbe, I finde him uncapable of a verdict, and so dismisse him to leade the Van, which is both a punishment to himselfe and those that follow.
2. It is their manner to withstand and contrary the doctrine which they are commanded by God to deliver. Thus Zidkiah the false Prophet withstood and contraried Michaiaes doctrine, 1 Kings 22.24. The Priests, Prophets, and all the people, Jeremiahs, saying, Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, [Page 47]that this house shall be like Shilo, and this City shall be desolate, and without an inhabitant? Jer. 26.8, 9. And thus Elimas the Sorcerer withstood and contraried Paul and Barnabas in their preaching, Acts 13.8.
And this is still the manner of wicked men (being better acquainted with wrangling then reasoning, and deeper in love with strife then truth) even to cavill against the good word of God, and oppose the messenger, and what they cannot maintaine by reason, a feminine testinesse shall outwrangle.
These night-birds know right well, that where the Sunne shines, there is small place for them to appeare: whence the Ministers preaching is as great a vexation to them, as their conversation is to him: and in case he hath a fire in his tongne kindled with a coale from the Altar, they have a sea of water in their hearts to quench it.
But if some one be more specially gifted in convincing of sinne, he is sure to have treble opposition, if he molest Satan, and dispossesse him of his strong holds, Satan will molest him with a powder; all the drunkards in that Parish shall fall about such a Ministers eares; Yea, perhaps some neighbour Ministers that pretend gravity and good will to God, shall more then set them on: for vertue fares hardest oftentimes from such as should uphold her.
Thus Satan and his instruments deale like our Pirats, who will set upon rich laden ships, but passe by those that are empty.
Nor are they to be appeased after they have once begun, for that which rashnesse and folly have brought forth, pride afterwards and contumacy shall maintaine to the last gaspe. Vsually an ill cause once undertaken, shall be maintained, though with blood. [Page 48]Nay, rather then want cause, they will now hate such a Minister, because they have formerly hurt him: as many husbands hate their wives, onely because themselves have wronged them, or at least love them the lesse for their owne faults: all which they will defend with their tongues, though they condemne it with their consciences.
Which men are like those wicked Jewes, Acts 13.45. who would neither beleeve the doctrine which Paul preacht, nor abide that the Gentiles should bee brought to the Faith of Christ: For they not only forbeare to heare such a Minister themselves, but will dehort all their familiars: In imitation of the high Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, who in their owne opinion were too good, too wise, too holy to receive Christ into their company; and, not content to sequester themselves from Christ, they disdained also that he should be conversant with Publicans and sinners.
Pride was ever envious and contumelious, thinking she adds so much to her owne reputation, as she detracts from others: and indeede the twinckling starres at the approach of the Sunne lose their light, and after regaine it not, untill darkenesse be upon the deepe: Yea, the whiter the Swan is, the more black is the Crow thats by her.
3. They will combine themselves together, and say devillsh plots to destroy the godly, as the new King of Aegypt with his people did against the children of Israel, when they perceived them to multiply so fast, Exod. 1.9.10. Thus the hundred and twenty Governors combined together to worke Daniels overthrow Dan. 6. And thus Demetrius the Silver-smith, and the rest of the craftsmen, which made gaine by the [Page 49]silver Temples of Diana, combined themselves together, to conspire the death of Pauls campanions, Acts 19. And when Paul was rescued by Lysias, the next day there were more then forty of the Jewes, which bound themselves by a curse, saying, They would neither eate nor drinke, till they had killed Paul; in which conspiracy, the chiefe Priests and Elders were likewise assistants, Act. 23.10.14.
The Apostle saith, If God be on our side, who can be against us? But St. Chrysostom, in opening of those words, saith, Nay rather, Who is not against us, if God be with us? For, they cast their heads together, saith David, with one consent, and are confederate against God and his secret ones, imagining crafty counsell against them, saying, come, let us rout them out, &c. Psal. 83.3.4, 5.
How wicked men agree in persecuting the truth, and professors thereof, we may see, Acts 4.26, 27. and Mark 14. where even old Annas, and that wicked bench of gray-headed Scribes and Elders, are content to break their sleep to do mischief, and make noon of midnight.
As for the manner of their consultations, they are lively exprest by the Author of the booke of Wisdome, who bringeth them in, saying thus, one to another, Come, let us lie in wait for the righteous, because he is not for our turne, but is cleane contrary to our doings: bee upbradeth us with our offending the Law: hee was made to reprove our thoughts; it grieveth us also to looke upon him, for his life is not like other mens, his wayes are of another fashion, he vaunteth to have the knowledge of God, and counteth us as bastards: he withdraweth himselfe from our wayes as from filthinesse; he commendeth the latter end of the just, and boasteth that God is his Father. Wherefore let us see if his workes be true; let us prove and examine him with rebukes and torments; let us condemne him to a shamefull [Page 50]death. And then gives the reason: Such things do they imagine, for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them, and they doe not understand the mysteries of God, neither hope for the reward of righteousnesse, nor can discerne the honour of the soules which are faultlesse, Wisd. 2.12. to 23.
Qu. I, But what have they whereupon to ground their accusations? For the religious mans life is commonly like Pauls, Philip. 3.6. unrebukeable, and he walketh in all the commandements and ordinances of the Law, without reproofe, as Zachary and Elizabeth did, Luke 1.6.
Answ. He that studies quarrels will easily find occasion. When the Governours were resolved that Daniel should die, they soone found pretences: As suppose it be a private Christian, they will lie in wait to finde faults in him, and turne good into evill, and are of so prying an observation, that they will looke farther into his actions, then the best man would willingly have them search.
But being disappointed of their hopes, heare what they say, We shall not find an accusation against him, he is so faithfull, except we finde it concerning the law of his God, Dan. 6.5. And his punctuall obedience to Gods Lawes, and sticking close to the Word of truth, shall serve for a need.
Or secondly, If he be a Minister, they will assemble together to heare him pray and preach, that so they may catch something out of his mouth, whereof they may accuse him, as the Scribes and Pharisees dealth with our Saviour, Luke 11.54. And those Gòvernours with Daniel, wherein he shall not be able to speake so warily, but they will finde matter enough to insnare him, as the words shall be wrested, [Page 51]though indeed, to have a great audience onely shall be made crime enough: you know when the Jewes saw that a great company were at Pauls Sermon, they were filled with envy, and fell to contradiction and blasphemy: Acts 13.45. And the high Priests and Pharisees, when our Saviour was so flockt after sayd among themselves: perceive yee not, behold the World goeth after him, and if we let him thus alone, all men will beleeve in him, John 11.48. & 12.19. they were like the dog in the manger, that will neither eate Hay himselfe, nor suffer the Horse; yet they had a reason for it as these have: Rome thinkes that the Gospels rising, must needs be her falling, as when the day comes, the night must end. Indeed, opinion makes them coyne that for a reason, which others will not assent unto: Yea, what is truth to these men, is error to others more wise.
And when once he is questioned, every one, like Jael to Sizera, will drive a nayle, to keep him from rising againe.
O the wicked mindes that many goe to Church withall, and the great dangers that Ministers are lyable unto, did not God mightily support them! many of their hearers being like that Lawyer, which stood up to tempt Christ; for they come not to be taught by him but to catch him.
But what saith David? Though they have conceived mischeife, and doe travell with wickednesse, yet they shall bring forth a lye, Psal. 7.14. For the Lord breaketh their counsels, and bringeth their devices to naught, Psal. 33.10. Yea, while the ungodly are whetting a knife to cut our throats, God is whetting a sword to cut their throats. Shall the powder thinke to blow up the house, and scape it selfe from burning? No, it [Page 52]is a true rule, that of evill premises doth not follow a good conclusion, but from evill seeds come evill plants.
4. They are very proane to imprison the godly, cause or no cause, As Ahab commanded Michaiah to be put into the prison house, and fed with the bread of affliction and with the water of affliction, 1 Kings 22.27. Thus the malicious Priests procured Jeremiah to be shut up in prison, Jer. 36.5. And thus our Saviour shewing what entertainement the faithfull should find in the World, foretelleth that wicked men shall lay hands on them, and deliver them up to the assemblies, and into prisons, bring them before Kings and Rulers, for his names sake, Luke 21.12. As John Baptist, Peter, Paul, and many other of the Apostles, were put into the common prison by Herod, and the Synod of Priests, when they preacht in Christs Name, Acts 5.18. & 12.4 & 4.3. & 22.25. & 28.17. And 2 Cor. 11.23: And Ile warrant you, the common people were more glad of the Churches losse herein, then they would have been of their owne gaine.
But why into prison? Why not unto death? No thankes to Satan, nor his seede, they would destroy all. Yea, Why are not our Sanctuaries turned into Shambles, and our beds made to swimme with our bloods, but that the God of Israel hath crossed the confederacy of Balaak, and there wickednesse doth not prosper, their studies are the pl [...]ts of our ruine, and the best they intend, is the destructions and overthrough of Religion, or the religious, or both.
Againe, Why these, and a thousand more in all ages shut up in prison? What was their delinquency? Even this, They were too good, too holy to be endured. What was it but Josephs goodnesse, that [Page 53]brought him to the stocks and Irons? And so of Michaiah, Jeremiah, the Apostles, and all the Saints in succeding ages.
And to speake truly, this is a deepe point of pollicy in our adversaries: for when all their arguments faile, by this meanes they get the better, and withall prevent further dispute. In the midst of their anger they this discretion, Stand not to argue, lest thou be overcome, and let the accused plead what hee can for his own innocencie: the Wolfe would answer the Lamb, Indeed thy cause is better then mine, but my teeth are better then thine, I will devoure thee: So the Devill puts off the Fox, and puts on the Lyon.
Againe, we know the M [...]one hath so much the lesse light, by how much it is neer [...]r the Sunne; yea, so long as the Sunne shines above the Horizon, the Moone is scarcely seene. And we use to say of Homer, that the dazling beames of his Sunne makes all other Poets, like little stars, loose their light.
This made Dionysius, when he could not equall Philoxenus in poetry, nor match Plato in discourse, condemne the one to the stone-quarries, and sell the other as a slave into the Ile of Agina. And out of like consideration, have the wicked alwayes dealt with the godly, even as Julian the Apostate did by our Saviour, who tooke downe his Image in contempt, that he might set up his owne in the same place, and have the people worship it, which hee knew they would never doe, so long as the other was reverenc'd.
5. They often manifest their enmity against the religious by striking them, as Zidkiah, the false Prophet, strooke Michayah on the cheeke, 1 King. 22.24. thus Pasher strooke Jeremiah, Ier. 20.2. And the Princes also, Chap. 37.15. And thus Ananias the high Priest caused [Page 54] Paul to be smitten on the mouth, Acts 23.2. and the Iewes whipt him five times with forty stripes save one, and others beat him with rods, 2 Cor. 11.23.24.25.
And thus our rough adversaries of Rome stopt our Martyrs mouthes, and refuted them, not with reasons, nor by Law (for the Law hath no power to strike the vertuous) but with fists.
When Politisians Rhetorick failes, Carters Logick must doe the fear. Their arguments are all Steele and Iron, they speake daggers points: As Ioab discoursed with Amaza in the 5th Rib. So Zedikiah disputed with the Prophet a word and a blow; yea, a blow without a word; for hee smote him first, and spake to him afterwards.
Every false Prophet is like Iulius the second, who threw Saint Peters keyes into the river Tiber, protesting, that thenceforth he would use and helpe himselfe with Saint Pauls sword.
And in case they cannot have their wills, they resemble Achilles, who is fained to eate his owne heart, because he might not be suffered to fight.
6. It is usuall with them to hurt and maime the godly: as the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel would have served those true hearted Spyes, for seeking to appease the tumult, and speaking well of the land of Canaan, had not the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, Numb. 14.10. Thus the Philistims put out Sampsons eyes, when they had bound him, Indg. 16.21. and thus the Iewes of Antiochia and Iconium hurt Paul, when they stoned him, and drew him out of the City, supposing he had beene dead, Act. 14.19. Neither have succeeding ages wanted Alexanders, who have done much hurt to Gods people: for not seldome when reason and rayling failed, have [Page 55]they come to plow-mans Logick, Gunpowder arguments, open violence, taking up swords to strike, or stones to cast at us, though they incurre by it the danger of the Law. Whereas religion makes wild beasts civill; Atheisme, and Impiety makes of wise men beasts and fooles. How many have been knowne, like him in Aesop, who willingly lost one eye, that his fellow might loose both?
Yea, whereas the drift of such an ones preaching, in case he be a minister, is to make them like him, in whose name they preach: contrarily, the very word of God, by accident, makes them degenerate into stocks and stones: for hearing but their sinnes layd open, and the judgement due thereunto, they become so stupid and insensible of reason, that now, maugre all admonition, the quarrell must end in blood: Yea, away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not meet that he should live, Acts 22.22.
7. And lastly, It is their manner out of Enmity to slay the godly, as Doeg slew Ahimeleck and the rest of the Priests, even fourscore and five persons, and Nob the City of Priests, whom he smote with the edge of the sword, both man and woman, child and suckling, at Sauls command, 1 Sam. 22.19. Thus Jezabell slew all the Prophets of the Lord she could find, 1 Kings 18.4. And Herod, all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and all the coasts thereof, from two yeares old and under, that he might make sure worke with Christ, Mat. 2.16. And thus the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Gods owne people chosen out of all the World, used to make such havock of their owne Prophets, that our Saviour bemoaning her case, cryeth out, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, &c. Matthew 23.37.
And thus it fares with the Saints and servants of God at this day, in such places where wicked men may have their wils. Whereas those Romish Doctors are appointed for the saving of many, they are all for destruction: like rash Empiricks, they can cure no way, but by letting of blood; and hereupon they turne their Massing into massacring; the Schoole into a Camp; Arguments, into Armes; teaching all their Proselites dismall conclusions: as it hath been no rare thing, for some of their Priests in Queene Maries raigne, when in arguments they have found the weaknesse of their pens to fall to their penknives: In stead of arguments, they take up armes; and in stead of zeale and the spirituall word, they use fire and the sword; yea, treasons, are their best reasons; the Spanish Inquisition, is their Grammer; fire and fagot their rhetoricke; Fleete and fetters, their Logicke; the Canons roare, their musick; poysoning, their physick; Yea, their very building of the Church, is by blowing up of common-wealths; and in stead of fighting for God, they fight against God and his Leivetenant.
And if at this day they catch but a Protestant in their net, it is a miracle if ever he scapes death, without making shipwrack of faith and a good conscience. For if we will not obey them rather then God, they have a Law by which men ought to dye, a law like Draco's, written with blood, and sealed with death. Of which their savage proceeding, there are many reasons to be rendred.
First, they must doe the workes of their Father the Devill: he is a murtherer, and so his children are given to blood, John 8.44.
Secondly, that their deeds of darknesse may not [Page 57]come to light. Ʋriah must be put to death, least Davids adultry bee discovered, and himselfe disgraced. A living Curre you know, will doe more harme then a dead Lyon: And it is a sure rule, that of Egges fryed in the pan come no ill Chickens.
Thirdly, the wicked through malice seeke by all meanes to cut off the godly, because their sinfull and wicked lives are reproved by their godly conversation: neither can they follow their sinnes so freely as they would, nor so quietly, without detection or check. Now if Abels good works reprove Caines evill deeds, let Caine but take away the cause, kill Abell, and the effect shall not follow.
Fourthly, whereas the godly are too hard for them in disputing: take Steven for an instance: they will be even with him, by casting of stones, stop his mouth with brickbats, fetch arguments from the Shambles; and this they are sure will doe, when all other hopes and helps fayle. So they make their party good, if not with arguments of reason, yet with argumēts of steel, and Iron. But this is a very hard way of consuting.
Fifthly, their glory and credit with the World is eclipsed, by suffering these which excell in vertue. This made Adrian and Nero to kill all such as eclipsed their glory by any demerit: and Mercine, you know, was murthered of her fellowes, because shee did excell the rest in beauty. Thus Herod, thought he could not be King, if Christ should raigne. Yea, as though he had beene of the race of the Ottomans, he thought he could not raigne, except the first thing he did, he killed all the males in Bethlehem, from two yeares old and under: And the Pharisees that they should be despised, if Christ were regarded.
And so much of the Actuall properties of this Enmity.
Qu. In how many of these kindes did our Saviour himselfe suffer (whose example hitherto you have omitted) in his owne person of the Jews, his Countrey men and kinsfolke; yea, of the chiefe Priests, Scribes and Pharisees, who were teachers and expounders of the Law, and which sate in Moses Chaire?
An. In every one of the 22. for as touching the Mentall Properties.
- 1 They Envyed him, Matth. 26.15.
- 2 They Contemned him, Matth. 12.24. & 13.55.
- 3 They Rejoyced at him in his misery and destresse, Mat. 27.29.
- 4 They Hated him, Iohn 7.7.
2. Touching the Verball.
- 1 They Murmured against him, Luke 15.2.
- 2 They Misconstrued his actions & intentions, Mat. 11. [...]9.
- 3 They Carryed tales of him, Mat. 12.14.
- 4 They Gave divellish counsell against him, Mat. 27.20.
- 5 They Scoft at him, Matth. 27.42.
- 6 They Nicknamed him, Matth. 13.55.
- 7 They Rayled on him, Luke 23.39.
- 8 They Slandered him, Matth. 28.13.
- 9 They Cursed him, Gal. 3.13.
- 10 They Threatned him, Iohn 11.53.
- 11 They Vndermined him in talke, that they might accuse him, Matth. 22.15.
3. Touching the Actuall.
- 1 They Vsed disdainful gestures before him, Mat. 27.29.39
- 2 They VVithstood and contraryed his Doctrine, Luke 5.21. Mat. 9.34.
- 3 They Combined together and layd Plots to destroy him, Mat. 12.14.
- 4 They Tooke him prisoner, Mat. 26.57.
- 5 They Smote him, Luke 22.64.
- 6 They Hurt and wounded him, Mat. 27.29. Iohn 19 34.
- 7 They Put him to death, even that cursed death of the [Page 59]Crosse, Matth. 27.35. That the Scriptures might be fulfilled which saith, And thou shalt bruise his heele; for all that he suffered was but in his Humanity, and so no more then the bruising of his heele.
And why all this? Not for any evill they found in him; for their owne words are, He hath done all things well, Mark 7.37. He hath done, such was his power; all things, such was his wisedome; well, such was his goodnesse: and yet crucified, and abused every way he must be. It was indeed for his zeale, purity and holinesse, and because his life and practice was cleane contrary to theirs, his Doctrine too powerfull and pure for such carnall hearts to imbrace or endure. So that it is plaine, and all men may see, who are not dead in sense, how it would fare with us, might our enemies, the same Seede of the Serpent have their wils.
Qu. What uses may this serve for, which hath been spoken touching the properties of this enmity, and our Saviours suffering?
An. First, by this taste of its fruits learne we to detest them all.
Secondly, it may serve to informe every man, whether he be of the Serpents seed, a child of the Devill, as he came into the world, or regenerate, and so become of the womans Seed, a child of God and member of Christ: for as our Saviour saith, speaking of false Prophets, By their fruits ye shall know them: so I of the seed of the Serpent, and children of the Devill, By these 22. fruits of enmity you shall know them, aswell as you shall know the life by breathing, or the day by its light. Wherefore all ye that read, reflect and cast your eyes on these examples, which [Page 60]are such lively emblemes and representations of your selves, if you be the Sepents seed, and yet in your sins. Yea, let it make you tremble; for know assuredly, that if this spawne of enmity, formerly spoken of, remaine in you; if any of these wayes you persecure Christ in his members, or but hate the good, because they will not be so evill as you are, you have not cast off this serpentine quallity, which you drew from the loynes of old Adam; but it is an infallible signe, that you are of the Serpents seed, children of the Devill, enemies to God, and all goodnesse, the brethren of Cayne, yea, Cayne himselfe in another person, and without repentance, your portion shall be with Cayne, and the rest of that cursed crue.
On the other side, doth any conscionable Christian find himselfe hated and persecuted by ungodly men for weldoing, for Christs sake, for Religion and for righteousnesse sake? Let him be comforted; for it is a manifest signe, and a notable strong evidence, that he is of the Womans Seed, regenerate and borne a new, the child of God, a member of Christs mysticall body, and an heire of eternall life.
Thirdly, these examples being written to admonish us, upon whom the ends of the world are come, may inform the godly what they are to expect from the world: Shall any hope to be free from suffering, or thinke it a strange thing, when he doth suffer for well doing, when our Saviour-Christ himselfe suffered so much as he did, being the onely begotten Sonne of God, full of grace and truth? No, the Disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord: If they have persecuted Christ, they will persecute you also, John 15.20. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his houshold? Mat. 10.25. Yea, senslesse were it once to [Page 61]thinke, that the same enmity which spared not to strike at the Head, will forbeare the weakest and remotest limbe.
Wherefore arme thou us, O God, with an expectation of that evill which we cannot avoyd, yea, make thou us as strong as Satan and his instruments are malicious, and then let them doe their worst.
And so much of the kinds and properties of his enmity.
The Causes.
Qu. What are the Causes why wicked and ungodly men thus hate and persecute the religious?
Answ. They are so many, that the time would be too short, or this Treatise too long, if I should speake of every one, yea, or relate halfe of what is requisite to to be spoken of each; for they require whole Volumes, besides instructions, if they exceed, are wont, as nailes to drive out one another.
Qu. Then select out the principall, I meane, such as in regard of our edification, are most behoovefull for us to know. And lest the pages should still grow, as fish, into a multitude, garble your notions, and give us onely the marrow of the matter.
Answ. The Causes best deserving our discovery, and the worlds notice, I take to be Eleaven:
First, a maine Cause why wicked men hate and persecute the godly, is the contrariety of their natures.
Qu. How contrary are they?
Answ. As contrary and opposite one to the other, as are God and the Devill: for the one are Children of God, 2 Cor. 6.18. Gal. 3.26. Joh. 1.12. And partake of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Being begotten, Iames 1.18. [Page 62]And borne a new of God, Joh. 1.13. 1 Joh. 3.9. by the immortall seed of the word, Iames 1.18. And the spirits powerfull working with it, Ioh. 3.5.8. whereby they are become like God in holinesse, 1 Pet. 1.15. And not children onely, but heires also, even the heires of God, and heires annexed with Christ, Rom. 8.17▪ being his brethren, Rom. 8.29. Members of his body, 1 Cor. 12.27. Bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, Ephes. 5.30. having his Spirit dwelling in them, Rom. 8.9. to witnesse with their spirits, that they are the children of God, vers. 16. And being Temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6.19.
And the other are the Seed of the Serpent, and children of the Devill, and so partake of his nature, 1 Ioh. 3.8.10.12.14. Act. 13.10. Ioh. 6.70. and 8.44. and 14.30. and 16.11. Matth. 13.38.39. 2 Cor. 4.4. 2 Tim. 1.26. Gen. 3.15. and 5.3. Ephes. 2.1. to the end, and 5.14. 1 Cor. 15.22. Rom. 5.12.18. Titus 3.3. to 8. 1 Pet. 2.9.10.25. Joh. 3.3.5.6. which being so, they must needs be very contrary, and if contrary, no marvell they should so ill agree, although God had not proclaimed an enmity between them.
For there can be no amity, where there is no sympathy; No reconciling of the Wolfe and the Lambe; the winds and the sea; No neighbourhood, no aliance, no conjunction is able to make the cursed seed of the Serpent, and the blessed seed of the Women ever agree: For fire and water, light and darknesse, heaven and hell are not more contrary.
One blood, one belly, one house, one education could never make Cayne and Abel accord, Iacob and Esau, Isack and Ishmael at one. Yea, though they be man and wife, parent and childe, yet if they be not like, they will not like, 2 Cor. 6.14.15. And indeed, what is the corporall sympathy to the spirituall antipathy? Can there [Page 63]be such a parity betweene the parent and the child, the husband and the wife, as there is a disparity betweene God and Satan? No certainly.
A wicked man can agree with all that are wicked, be they Papists, or Turkes, or Atheists, prophane and loose persons, civill or morall men, for all these agree with him in blindnesse and darknesse: as who feeles the smart of their tongues, or hands? not the Idolator or vile person, not the professed Atheist, the Canker fretting Arminian, or state betraying Jesuite: For with all these they are haile fellow well met. But with sincere Christians and Practicers of piety, he can never agree: the religious shall be sure of opposition, because their light is contrary to his darknesse; grace in the one is a secret disgrace to the other.
Yea, let wicked men be at never so much odds one with another, yet they will concurre and joyne against the godly. As for example, Edom and Ishmael, Moab and the H [...]garens, Gebal and Ammon, Ammaleck and the Philistims, the men of Tyre and Assur had each severall gods; yet all conspired against the true God, Psal. 83.5. to 9. Manasses against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasses; but both against Juda. Herod and Pilate two enemies, will agree, so it be against Christ: they will fall in one with another, to fall out with God. The Saduces, Pharisees, and Heredians were Sectaries of divers and adverse factions, all differing one from another; and yet all these joyne together against our Saviour, Matth. 22. The Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrions, Cilicians and Asians, differ they never so much, will joyne in dispute against Steeven, Acts 6.9. Herod neither loved the Jews, nor the Jewes Herod; yet both are agreed to vex the Church.
I cannot thinke of a fitter embleme of a naturall man, then Lime, which agreeth well with all things that are dry and of it's owne nature; but meeting with water, a thing directly opposite, it breaks, burnes, swels, smokes, crackles, skips and scatters: so nature will give a man leave to be any thing, save a sound Christian, and agree with all others, be their conditions never so contrary, provided they agree in the maine, are all seed of the same Serpent. But let the naturall man meet with one that is spirituall, they agree like heate and cold; if one stayes, the other flies; or if both stay, they agree like two poysons in one stomacke, the one being ever sicke of the other, be they never so neer alyed. As how many a wife is so much the more hated, because a zelous wife? How many a child lesse beloved, because a religious child? How many a servant lesse respected, because a godly servant? And no marvell; for though they dwell in the same house, yet they belong to two severall kingdomes; and albeit they both remaine on earth, yet they are governed by two severall lawes, the ones burguship being in Heaven, Phil. 3.20. And the other, being a denizon, belonging to Hell: as Irish-men are dwellers in Ireland, but denizons of England; and governed by the Statutes of this kingdome.
Neither is this of theirs an ordinary hatred, but the most bitter, exorbitant, unlimited, & unplacable of all others. No such concord, no such discord, saith one of the learned, as that which proceeds from Religion. My name, saith Luther, is more odious unto them, then any thief, or murtherer: as Christ was more detestable to the Iewes then Barrabas. Behold, saith David, mine enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with a cruell batred, Psal. 25.19. yea, so cruell, that it makes their teeth gnash, and their hearts burst againe, Act. 7.54. which made the Truths adversaties [Page 65]give Saint Paul stripes above measure, 2 Cor, 11.2, 3. And the Heathen Emperours to devise such cruell tortures, for all those which but profest themselves Christians.
Yea, agreement in some points, when there are differences in the maine, does but advance hatred the more: Witnesse the Reigne of Queene Mary, and the Butchery over all France of above two hundred thousand Protestants; besides the many thousands of late yeares: Yea, aske from East to West, from one Pole to the other; search all Records under Heaven, if ever there was the like of the intended Powder-Plot.
You cannot anger a wicked man worse, than to doe well: Ye, hee hates you more b [...]tterly for this, and the cred [...]t you gaine thereby, than if you had cheated him of his Patrimony, with your owne discredit. But that there is no hatred so virulent and bitter, as that which is occasioned by vertuous living, and professing of CHRISTS Name, our Saviour Himselfe proves copiously, Matthew 10. Luke 21.
Quest. Wherein consists their unlikenesse and contrariety?
Answ. Chiefly in foure particulars; thou hindeed there bee more differences betweene the Children of God and the children of the Devill, than there are betweene men and beasts.
First, they exceedingly differ in their judgments touching Wifedom, 1 Cor. 1.18.20, 23. and [...], 14. and 4.10. Luke 6.27. to 36. Acts 26.24. Wisd. 5.4. Gen. 41.8. Iob 5.13. Proverbs 28.11. Ierem. 4.22. 1 Cor. 3.19. Exodus 1.10. Ioshua 9.4. Titus 3.9. Proverbs 10. verse 18. Rom. 16. ver. 19.
Happinesse, Luke 6.26. and 8.13. Iames 4.4. Marke 16, 16. Iohn 3.16, 18. and 8.34, 36. Romans 6.16, 18.22. Psal. 2.3, 4. and 10.3. and 12.4. 2 Tim. 2.26. Mal. 3.15. Revel. 3.17. 1 Thes. 5.3.
Fortitude, Prov. 28.1, 2. Rev. 13.6, 7. and 12, 13, 17. Mar. 13.9. Acts 7.52. Matth. 10.28. Galathians 4.29. Iohn 16.2.
Sinne, Luke 16.15. Prov. 13.19. Marke 7.5, 11, 12.13. Luke 7.33, 34. Matth. 7.14. 1 Peter 4.18. Psalm. 35.13.16
Holines, Acts 26.9. Exo. 8 26. 1 Cor. 4.10. and 2.14 Pro. 13.19. Psal. 14.1. Ier. 44.16. to 1 [...]. Yea, they are of a reprobate judgment touching actions and persons, say 5.20. and so speake, thinks and doe all by contraries, like Helioga [...] who wore shooes of Gold, and Rings of Leather, or the Blackmoores who judge of beautie by contraries. Wherefore reade their words as Schollers do Hebrew, backward, and you have the meaning: for instance doe they call thee Puritan as nothing more frequent in their mouthes, understand by it Saint for a Christian indeed (as thou art) is a Puritan in the devils language and a Christian in name only (as such an one is) is an Atheist in Gods language.
Secondly, They no lesse differ in their Passion [...] and affections of Love, Psal. 119.57, 72. and 17, 14.
Feare, Prov. 28.1, 2. 1 Tim. 4.1. Rom. 2.14 15.
Anger, Acts 7.52. to 60. and 5.30. to 34. Prov. 12.10. Rev. 18.19, 20.
Ioy, 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. Ioh 3.15. Matth. 11.19. And the like, which for brevities sake I forbeare.
Thirdly, they differ no lesse in Practice, and this breeds many quarrels: as what more common, than for all sorts and kinds of men to hate, scorne, persecute, reproach, revile, accuse slander and condemne the Religious, because their owne workes are evill and wicked, and the others good, holy, and righteous. Wherefore slew Caine his brother, saith Saint Iohn, but because his owne Workes were ev [...]ll, and his brothe [...]s good? 1 Iohn 3.12. Why was Joseph accused of h [...]s Mistreffe for an Adulterer, and thereupon committed to prison, but because hee would not be an Adulterer like her? Genesis 39. Yea, it was his particoloured Coate, composed of all kindes of graces and blessings that formerly procured his Brethrens hate. And what is it that Jobs Wife expostulates with him about, but [Page 67]his integrity? As if she tooke it ill, that he tooke it no worse: his patience made her impatient. Wherefore was holy David, as himselfe complaines, almost in every Psalme, Had in derision, hated, slandered, reviled, contemned and made a proverbe and song of the drunkards, and other wicked men which sate in the gate, but because he follewed the things which were good and pleasing unto God, and in him put his trust? Psal. 11.2. and 22.6, 7, 8. and 37.14. and 69.10, 11, 12. And lastly (for I might be endlesse in the prosecution of this) Why were all the just, in Solomons time, had in abhominations and mockt of the wicked, but because they were upright in their way, and holy in their conversation, Prov, 29.27. Or those numberlesse Martyrs, whose soules Saint Iohn saw under the Altar (Revel. 6.9.) killed, but for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they maintained? And the Master himselfe, not for any evill as themselves are forced to confesse, Marke 7.37. which examples sufficiently prove; that all wicked men are like the women of Lemnos, who when they had every one slaine their husbands and kinsmen, exiled Hypsipyle the Kings daughter, for that she alone saved her Father alive. That great Dragon the Devill, and these his Subjects, make warre and are wroth with none but the Woman, and the remnant of her Seed, which keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ, Revel. 12.17.
But to apply this to our selves. I would faine know, whether the power of godlinesse, the sincere profession of the name of Christ, according to the Vow which we made in Baptisme, all kind of purity and holinesse, doth not live in persecution amongst us, as Protestants doe in Spaine? Is it not a capitall crime to be vertuous? Is not the name of an honest man, who [Page 68]makes conscience of his wayes, growne odious? Is not circumspect walking, the zeale of Gods glory in promoting the best things, frequent hearing of Sermons, singing of Psalmes, holy conference, brotherly admonition, &c. counted a vice, and that vice called Puritanisme? And must not he who is called a Puritan, be derided, hated, persecuted, slandered and laught to scorne? how many may complaine with Ieremy, that because they live a godly life themselves, and call upon others to doe the same, they are cursed of every one, and counted contentious? Ier. 15.10. Yea, let but a sparke of fervent devotion breake cut in a Family, all the rest are up in clamors; as when Bels ring disorderly, every man is ready with his bucket to quench the fire; disgraced he must be for a Puritan, but onely by Laodiceans. Indifferency strives to dash zeale out of countenance, The reason is, wheresoever Christ comes, there will be opposition. When Christ was borne, all Ierusalem was troubled, and Herod cut the throats of all the children in Bethlehem: so when Christ is borne in any man, the soule is in an uproare, and Satan with his iustruments are ready to kil in him every good motion, though it bee never so little a Babe.
That which the Ancients did chiefly admire (goodnesse) we doe most of all contemne: for is not the godly man more despised for his godlinesse, then the wicked for his wickednesse? Are not the members of Christ more hated, and worse intreated by us, then the limbes of the Devill? What suppressing and disgracing is there of Hels, and Romes chiefest adversaries, under the aspersion and pretence of Puritanisme.
Whereas if the same men, would but bare them [Page 69]company in their sinnes, be drunke, sweare, temporise, contemne holinesse, mispend their time, haunt Playhouses and Tavernes, play the good fellowes, and doe as the rest doe, they should have the approbation and good word of the greatest number; yea, if they would not be precise in their actions, nor reprove others for their evill courses; if they would not speake against pluralities, Non-residents, lazy and good-fellow Pastors, who either starve or quite neglect, or else mislead their flockes; if they would but be prophane and wicked, and make no bones of sinne, their malice would cease, and we should not have a Puritane in all the world.
As let me appeale from th ir tongues to their hearts, and from their mouthes to their consciences, whether this be not the greatest cause of their quarrell, We refuse to pledg them in their wicked customes. For may not all see (saving such as the Prince of darknesse hath blind [...]d) that those, for the most part, whom the world speakes so basely of, are b [...]fore men, in respect of any scandalous offences or open crimes, unblameable, and may say with the Lamb, whom they follow, Which of you can rebuke me of sinne, though with Paul, 1 Tim, 1.15. they thinke themselves the worst of sinners? And doe not their adversaries know, that the men whom they terme Puritanes, are honester men, and more righteous then themselves, as Pharaoh was forc'd to confesse touching Moses? Exod. 10.16, 17. And Saul touching David? 1 Sam. 26.21. yea, I know they are perswaded well of them, even when they speake most to the contrary, though I expect not they should use them thereafter. We know Pilate judged Christ guiltlesse, but yet he put him to death. And Festus acknowledged that Paul was without crime, yet he left him in prison. I [Page 70]dare say Tertullus knew that he lyed, when he called Paul a pestilent fellow: his conscience could not choose but answer him, Thou lyest in thy throat Tertullus, Paul is an honester man then thy selfe. And must not these mens conscinces tell them, that the same they accuse so, are in their lives the most unreproveable of the land? Yea, I will appeale to their greatest adversaries, whether the Protestant at large, or those who are called Puritanes, be of the purest religion, and most reformed to the Primitive Church? [...]or not seldome are wicked mens judgements forced to yeeld unto that truth, against which their affections maintaine a rebeilion: And yet, as if they would stamp Gods Image on the Divels drosse, and the Divels image on Gods silver, they justifie those actions and persons, which God condemnes, and condemne those which he justifies.
True, these enemies to holinesse spare not to cast aspersions on us; else how should they worke their wills? How should Naboth be cleanly put to death, if he be not first accused of blasphemy? 1 King. 21.13. and the like of Joseph, Eliah, Jeremiah, Susanna, Paul, Steeven, and our Saviour Christ himselfe. But if you marke it, they are as guilty of the crimes whereof they be accused, as Ioseph was, in forcing of his Mistris, or as Naboth and the rest were, of those things which were laid to their charge.
I speake not of those monsters, those white devills, who make Religion a stalking horse to villany. I know too many dishonour God, by wearing of his livery. But what was Satan to the children of God, Iob 1.6. though he thrust himselfe into their company? Or what wise man will tax all the Apostles, because one was a Iudas. To argue, because some are so and so, therefore the rest are alike, is a saplesse reason, only becomming a foole.
Yet most men are such fooles, or rather brute beasts, led with sensualitty, and made to be taken and destroyed, as Saint Peter speakes, who because they love to speake evill of the way of truth, 2 Pet. 2.2.12. If they see but an hypocrite discover himselfe, they not onely harden themselves in their sinnes, and, as it were, breake their owne necks at this stumbling blocke, being Satans trap, set on purpose to catch their blind soules in, but condemne all the rest of his profession to be such as hee is, save that they dissemble their hypocrisie more closly & cunningly; which is as equal and just, as it was for Simeon and Levi to murther all the Sechemites for the offence only of Hamors Son. But as all are not thievs that dogs bark at; so all are not hypocrites which they terme so.
Indeed, as all our enemies are not alike witty, so they are not alike malicious; for some transcend this way, as Doeg did the rest of Sauls servants another way, you shall know such an one by these few markes; his hatred is so inveterate and universall, that he spends all his wit in frothy scoffes, and invectives against the whole people of God? and as if the doore were not wide enough except he set open all the windows, and brake downe the walls to let in this infectious ayre, his tongue scrues something against the religious into all discourses; and when his owne invention failes, it shall be supplyed with what he hath heard: for as the Papists never found any error spued out by the Ancients, but they have licked it up, superstitiously to abuse the same: so he never heares of any scoffe, slander, or divellish invective formerly devised, but he licks it up, that he may spit it out againe in the face of some professor, or on the other fide poyson those with whom he doth converse; being to his company like a mad dog, that so biteth every one he meets, that [Page 72]they become mad too, and as apt to bite others as himselfe; or in case he meets with another like himselfe in wit and malice, it may be said of them, as Diogenes spake of two ill conditioned women, when hee saw them talking, See how the Viper and the Aspe are changing poyson. And nothing so ticles the spleene, or glads the heart of such, as that discourse which may most shame profession, disgrace Religion, and dishonour God. But, O that ever those tongues, which dare call God Father, should suffer themselves thus to be moved and possessed by that uncleane spirit! Or that ever the Church should owne such for her children. In the Primitive times, the Church would have denied her blessing to such a Sonne, that shou [...]d have thought himselfe disparaged by serving Christ and wearing of his livory, although he had not scoft at others: yet this man flatters himselfe that he is a Christian; yea, you cannot beat him from it, but that he is as good a Christian as the precisest, and shall goe to heaven as soone. But let him that reads, consider whether it be not a fearefull thing, to lend to Satan the heart for devising, the tongue for uttering, and the eare for hearing of calumnies, and all this to disgrace the grace of God in his children, and make it frutlesse to themselves and others. O impiety to be abhorred: Such sport on earth is only sport for the fiends in hell, and let them looke to it, for such joyes may chance to cost them eternall mourning; yea, certainly, if the infernall Tophet be not for them (in case they repent not) it can challenge no guests; for I may well say unto such an one, Many sinners have done wickedly, but thou surpassest them all; thine is such a superlative, such a soule-murthering sinne, that no other sinne can parallell it.
But thou hast plenty of excuses to pacify thy blinded [Page 73]and benummed conscience: Yea, thou wantest not some carnall reasons to make it good, as an easie invention may put false matters into true Sylogismes: And amongst the rest, thou wouldest not have men singular: wherefore that they may have lesse zeale and more temper, thou seek [...]st to alay their heate with frumps and scoffs, and taunts, and jeeres; as how often doe we heare remisse professors strive to choake all forward holinesse and zeale by commending the golden meane? For carnall men (who cleave as close to custome, and example of the greatest number, as clay to a Cart wheele) thinke every one exorbitant, that walketh not after their rule, 1 Pet. 4.4. As the Sodomites thought of Lot, Gen. 19.9. the hundred and twenty Governours of Daniel, Dan. 6.11. and the Caldeans of Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, Dan. 3 8. to 30. Daniel of all Darius his servants was so bold as to pray three times a day, not in contempt of the King of Babylons decree, but in zeale and obedience to the God of Heavens command: the Governours stranging at it, accuse him, and say, this Daniel which is of the captivity, regardeth not thee O King, nor the decree which thou hast signed; but doth so and so: wherefore command we pray thee, that he be cast into the Lyons den, for no decree, nor statute which the King establisheth may be altered, Dan. 6. Againe what disorder is this that I heare of you, saith Nebuchadnezzar to Shadrach, Meshech, and Ahednego: will not you serve my gods, nor worship the golden Image that I have set up, Dan. 3.14. who answer no, be it knowne unto thee O King, we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter: they were all as stiffe as if they had eaten a stake, and they could not bow to an Idoll: as the godly have beene in all ages, not being [Page 74]able to wheele with the times. Yea, they that truely feare God are usually as immoveable as the Sun in its course, because they thinke, and speake, and live by rule, and not by example, and hold themselves as fast tyed, as if they had the oath given them, which the Aegyptian Kings solemnly presented to their Judges, not to swerve from their consciences, what command soever they should receive from rhemselves to the contrary. Which strictnesse is a great eye-sore to carnall men: who hate singularity, almost as they doe sanctity, which makes them to cry it downe.
Now this imputation of singularity, and their extolling the meane, is a cunning discouragement, but it is the Devils Sophistry; for the meane of vertue, is betweene two kindes, not betweene two degrees: it is a meane grace, that loves a meane degree of grace.
Yet this is the onely staffe, with which the World beates all that are better then themselves. What will you be singular? Or are you wiser then all? Or what is this but want of discretion? And to speake truth, that which worldly men call discretion, eates up all true wisedome: There discretion and moderate stayednesse, devoures all true honesty, and goodnesse. But shall Lot leave his righteousnesse for such an imputation of singularity? Or shall he not depart Sodom, because the whole City thinkes it better to stay there still? Shall Noah leave building the Arke, and so himselfe, and his houshold perish, because all the World else, thinkes him haire-brayned? Or must the name of a Puritan, dishearten us from the service of God? No, but as Saint Paul said in his Apollogie, Acts 24.14. after the way which they call Herefie, so worship I the God of my Fathers: so we in this case, After the way [Page 75]which prophane men call Puritanisme, let my soule desire to serve Iesus Christ.
Ob. I grant (will the more moderate worldling say) in such cases wherein the word of God is expresse, singularity is not lawfull onely, but laudable: But (which makes my spleene rise) they will not conforme to things indifferent.
An. A seduced heart deceives thee in so saying, why else dost thou cast the same aspersions, upon such as are conformable.
But admit they onely are thornes in thine Eyes, dost thou well to hate all that are not of thy owne judgement, or that have tenderer consciences then thy selfe? No, for honest and good men may differ in opinion, not onely in things trivyall, but in matters of great moment; provided, they agree in the fundamentall articles of the Catholique faith, and yet may, and ought to continue brotherly love and communion, as members of the same mysticall body: as many examples witnesse, both of eminent Christians, and Fathers of the Church: as also our Saviours words, who speaking of the fundamentall poynts, penneth the league thus, He that is not with us, is against us, but of poynts not fundamentall thus, He that is not against us, is with us. Whereas these differ from thee (if thou beest a true Protestant as thou wouldest be thought to be) in nothing materiall, for there is a vast difference, betweene another discipline, and another doctrine: and they little differ, that agree in matter. Onely their consciences are not so large as thine: and thou thinkest those things indifferent, which they cannot assent unto; though they take more paines to satisfie and informe themselves then thou dost. But admit they be [Page 76]things of an indifferent nature, even actions of indifferency, when once they are felt to trench upon the conscience, lay deep obligations upon the soul, even whiles they are most slighted by carelesse hearts: there being no lesse difference in consciences, then stomacks, of which some will digest the hardest meates, and turne over substances not in their nature edible, whiles others surfeite of the lightest food, and complaine even of dainties.
And indeed, every gracious heart is in some measure scrupelous, and finds more safety in feare, then in presumption: And certainely in cases of a doubtfull and questionable nature, it is ever good to take the surest side, and which drawes neerest to probability. Many things are of so questionable a nature, that much may be said on either side: Now if I choose that side on which I am sure I shall not sin, I deserve to be excused, rather then censured; if I use them it is possible I may sinne, it may be they are not sinnefull; yet I am not so sure of it that I shall not sinne if I use them, as I am sure I shall not sinne, nor breake any of Gods commandements if I doe not use them. This I may be bold to build upon, He that sayles amongst Rocks, it is possible he may escape splitting, but he is not so sure to keep his Vessell safe, and whole, as he that sayles in a cleare Sea, where no Rocks are at all.
Qu. But to speake really, and as the truth is, Why doe they use all these discouragements?
An. Their onely aime is, to make us square our lives according to their Rule; as that Gyant did proportion the bodies of all his guests, to the bed of his Harlot; Yea, if they would give their tongues liberty to acquaint us with their hearts and consciences, they must needs confesse, that they use that odious nickname [Page 77](devised by Satan himselfe) for no other end, but to flout men out of their faith and holy profession, and to bring the very truth of Religion, and power of godlinesse into contempt and scorne.
And indeed, whom not heroicall in fortitude (the case standing as it doth) would it not discourage and beat backe to the world? But thankes be given to God, his Spirit herein so hardeneth and steeleth his servants, that their faces are like flint, and themselves like brazen walls, and defenced Cities, though otherwise soft in affection, and true professors of meeknesse.
Yea, undoubtedly he must be more then man (that is, more spirit then flesh) that can contentedly make himselfe contemptible to follow Christ, be pointed at for singularity, endure so many base and vile nicknames, as are every where cast upon the conscionable (for there is scarce a house, but is haunted with these kind of spirits, familiars, visible and carnall Devils, soule-murtherers) have his religion judged Hypocrisie; his Christian prudence, craft and policy; his godly simplicity, sillinesse; his zeale, madnesse; his punctuall obedience to Gods Lawes, rebellion to Princes, his contempt of the world, ignorance; his godly sorrow, dumpishnesse, &c. For these and the like, asunseasonable frosts, nip all gracious offers and beginnings in the bud, and as much as in them lyeth, with Herod labour to kill Christ in young professors. Yea, the censures and scoffes of these Atheists and Worldlings, like the blasts of Rams-hornes before the wals of lerico, lay all the strength of a young beginners vertues leavell at one utterance: yea, it is the onely Remora and greatest cause of arrest, if any looke heaven-ward, that makes them recoyle.
True, a wise man will not be scoft out of his money, [Page 78]nor a just man be flouted out of his faith; Yea, like Iohn Baptist, he will hold his profession, though hee loose his head for it. If Christ have but once possest the affections, there is no dispossessing him againe. The league that Heaven hath made, Hell wants power to breake. If the sweet doctrine of Christ be once gotten into the heart, it cannot be got out againe by all the torments which wit and cruelty can devise, as we see in the Martyrs.
Neither would he ever endure a blow, who cannot concoct a foule word. Hee that is discouraged and made returne with an Ishmaelitish persecution of the tongue: how would he endure a Spanish Inquisitian, or those Marian times? He that is so frighted with a squib, how would he endure the mouth of a Cannon? But to proceed.
For a man to be scoft out of his goodnesse, by those that are lewd, is all one, as if a man that seeth should blind-fold himselfe, or put out his eyes, because some blind wretches revile and scoffe at him for seeing: or as if one that is sound of limbes, should limpe, or maime himselfe, to please the Criple, and avoid his taunts. For my part, I had rather live hated of all men for goodnesse, then be beloved of all for vice; and rather please one good man, then content a thousand bad ones; his single authority being sufficient to countervayle the disdaine of a whole Parrish of sensualists.
Yet experience shewes, That divers are content to be misled with the multitude, rather then be an object of their scorne and dirision. Yea, thousands hold it the best and safest way, in differences of religion, without further question, to take the stronger part; that so doing as the most doe, they may have the fewest to finde [Page 79]fault with them, and all through base cowardlinesse, which bashfull devil never leaves a great many, so long as they live; whereby with the rich man, Luke 16. they never thinke of heaven, till tormented in the flames of hell.
Whereas Satan formerly assaulted the Church by violence, now he doth it by deceit: and certainly the devill gets more by such discouragements, and the reproaches that are cast upon religion, then hee did formerly by fiere and Faggot; for then the blood of the Martyrs was found to be the seed of the Church, others (Phenix-like) springing out of their ashes, whereas now multitudes of soules are scoft out of their Religion by wicked men. But I grieve to see how they wrong themselves, in thus wronging others: for in that wicked men doe so mocke and deride such as are in love with heavenly things, it is hard to say whether they doe most offend in hindering the honour of God thereby, or their neighbours welfare, or their owne salvation.
Alas, some men will better abide a stake, then some others can a mocke. Zedikiah was willing to harken to the Prophets, counsell, but that this lay in his way, the Chaldeans would mocke him, Ier. 38.10. it was death to him to be mock'd. A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue, than with the hand: yea, above hell there is not a greater punishment, then to become a Sannio, a subject of scorne, as Sampson, I doubt not, found. Alcibiades did professe, That neither the proscription of his goods, nor his banishment, nor the wounds received in his body, were so grievous to him as one scornfull word of his enemy Ctesiphon.
Thou thinkest not tongue-taunts to be persecution, but thou shalt once heare it so pronounced in thy bill of [Page 80]inditement. Ishmael did but flout Isaak, yet St. Paul saith, he persecuted him, Gal. 4.29. God calls the scorning of his servants by no better a name, then persecution. And what ever thou conceivest of it, let this fault be as far from my soule, as my soule from hell.
And thus you see, That nothing but goodnesse is the whetstone of their malice; which being so, are not wee heathenish Christians? What honour of Christ is there amongst us, where Religion makes one contemptible? Is this Christian-like? Such men may be Christians in shew, or name, but they are divels indeed (however they flatter themselves) resembling the high Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, who called themselves the Church, while they went about to kill the head of the Church: who the same night that Christ instituted the Sacrament, and consulted how to save them, did consult how they might destroy him; yea, let any indifferent stander by, judge whether thou beest not bottomlessely ill, who doest malice goodnesse in others, who art displeased with us, because we please God, and murmurest like the Scribes and Pharisees at the same things, whereat the Angels rejoyce: For none but a Cayne, or a Divell in condition, will envie, because his owne workes are evill, and his brothers good. They are desperately wicked, that cannot endure so much as the sight of godlinesse: as hee was fearefully idle, that Seneca speakes of, whose sides would ach to see another worke: Neither couldest thou doe so, if the divell were not in thine heart. And so much touching the third difference betweene the seed of the Serpent, and the Seed of the woman.
4. Fourthly, as they hate and persecute the godly, because they doe wel: so likewise, because they fare well, and are accepted before them. As why was Cayne wroth with his brother Abel, and after slew him, as [Page 81]affirmeth the holy Ghost, but because, The Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering: but unto Cain and his offering, he had no respect? Gen. 4.4, 5. Why did Esau hate Iacob, and purpose to kill him, but because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him? Gen. 27.41. Isaacs blessing bred Esaus hate. Again, Wherefore did the Philistines and Abimelek envie Isaac, stop up his wels, and banish him from them, but because the Lord so abundantly blessed Isaac, as appears, Gen. 26.12. to 18 Wherefore did Iosephs brethren hate him, not being able to speak peaceably unto him, and after sell him into Aegypt, but because his father more favoured him, and they feared he should reigne over them? Gen. 37.4. If Ioseph be his fathers darling, he is his brethrens eye-sore. Wherefore did Saul persecute David, and pursue after him from place to place to take away his life, but because he was so praised and preferred of the people before himself, and, The Lord was with David, and prospered him in every thing he took in hand, 1 Sam. 18.12, 13, 28, 29. Davids successe is Sauls vexation: yea, he findes not so much pleasure in his king dome, as vexation in the prosperiof David. And lastly, (for I passe by the elder brothers envie in the Parable against his younger brother, when his father so royally entertained him at his return, Lu. 15.28. which is meant of the Iewes envying the Gentiles conversion; and many the like instances) Why was Eliah wroth with his younger brother, 1 Sam. 17.28. but because he should be more exalted? And I doubt me, whether Davids brethren were more glad, that Goliah was slain, or angry that he was slain by their brother: for envie is sick, if her neighbour be well; and the good mans honour, is the envious [Page 82]mans torment; as it fared between Haman and Mordecai: as hereafter the glory of Christ shall adde to these reprobates confusion, when they are driven to confesse, This is he, whom we once had in derision.
But to apply what hath been collected out of the Word. See whether these examples sure not with some, and not a few in our times. As,
First, why do a sort of ministers (none of the best) I meane such as live ill and viciously, or preach ill and unprofitably, or both live ill, and preach ill, maligne, hate and traduce, yea, promote against such as preach more faithfully and powerfully, and live more holily and unblameably, but because God honours their ministery with the conversion of soules, and their words are with such power, that the people flock after them, as they were wont after Christ; while in the meane time them selves are neglected and dis-esteemed, being as they suppose far greater scholers (for if a minister preach profitably, they will give it out he is no scholer, neither can they do Satan a greater pleasure) and their Sermons more elaborate for they will be as long in the conseption and breeding of them, as an Elephant is of her young; which being borne-onely amazeth the hearers, and makes them at there wits end with admiration, their own bosoms will tell them, that I speak truth.
Again, why do these men enveigh and preach against preaching? As, what needes so much preaching, say they (and all stupified sensualists) it was never a good world, since so many Lectures were set up: their was more love, and charity, and plain dealing among our fore-fathers (they mean in time of Popery) who were onely verst in the Lords Prayer, Creed, and ten Commandments; one Sermon well remembred, and put in [Page 83]practise, is better then ten; yea, quoth a Minister in the pulpit, that preacht (himself) once in six weekes, that he might silence his Parishoners, who complained for want of their daily food, you will finde this Sermon more then you will be able to practise this two months; and no question, spake out of feeling; for he having lived already above five ages, could never yet put those five wordes of his text into practise viz. Repent, and beleeve the Gospel. But the reason of this their murmuring is easie: Carnall worldlings cry up practise, to cry down knowledge, as you may see by their own practise: even as cunning Papists will extoll Saint Iames, onely to disparage Saint Paul.
This point would be further applyed, but let conscience do it; for it is a sore that will not endure rubbing: onely this, if any man be vexed at his brother, because he fares better, and is better accepted, because he is favoured and respected of God and goodmen, while himself is neglected and dis-esteemed of both; much more, if he belch out his spleene against the religious, because they are praised and preferred before himself; let him know, that this could not be if he were not full of the venome of the serpent, Psal. 112.10. Pro. 14.30.
Secondly, this may be applied to people of the looser sort. As, why do all drunkards and vicious livers hate the religious, and so belch out their enmitie and spleen against them, in raising and spreading of slanders as they doe; but although, partly to rescue themselves from contempt, and procure a contrary esteem, by putting a foule and ugly vizard upon vertue, and decking up vice in a gorgeous and comely attire; yet chiefly, because they are precious in Gods sight, his peculiar, and chosen people out of all the world, the children [Page 84]of God, and members of Christ, temples of the holy Ghost: yea, chiefly, because they partake of the Divine Nature, and are one with the Father and the Sonne? Iohn 17.14, 21, 22. 2 Cor. 6.18.
This is the eye-sore of our enemies, and let envie look her selfe blinde.
And so much of the first Cause.
Quest. What is the second Cause, why ungodly men hate and persecute the religious?
Answ. Their ignorance of God, of Christ, and the Scriptures.
Quest. How is that proved?
Answ. By Testimonies, Examples, Reason, and our own Experience.
1. First, by Testimonies: They shall hate and persecute you, yea, they shall excommunicate and kill you for my Names sake, saith our Saviour to his Disciples, because they have not known the Father, nor me, Iohn. 16.2.3. & 15.21. And again they are an offence unto us, because they understand not the things which are of God, but the things which are of men, Matth. 16.23. And are deceived, because they know not the scriptures, neither the power of God, Matth. 22.29. Luke 19.42.
2. Secondly, by Examples & Reason. This the Apostle confesseth to have been the cause of his persecuting the Church, 1. Tim. 1.13. Who so soon as he was inlightned with the saving knowledge of the truth, changed his note, with his name, and preached that faith, which before he persecuted, Its worth the noting, how he was no sooner informed, but he was reformed. Now if we look upon him as Saul, we shall see what we are by generation; if we look upon him as Paul, we shall see what we are, or should be, by regeneration. [Page 85]Neither is it strange, that the men of the world through ignorance, should hate and persecute the members of Christ: for upon the same ground, they even crucified Christ himself, Father forgive them, saith he of his murtherers, for they know not what they do. And why have the kings of the earth, in all ages banded themselves together against the Lord, and against his Christ, Psal. 2.2. But because they knew him not. John 15.21. For if the Princes of this world had known, they would not have crucisied the Lord of glory, as the holy Ghost speakes, 1. Cor. 2.8.
Yea, if we consider it rightly, we shall finde, that ignorance is the cause of all sin. Sin indeed at the first was the cause of ignorance, but now ignorance is the cause of sin: Swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring abound, saith the Prophet, because there is no knowledge of God in the land, Hos. 4.1.2. It is a people that do erre in their hearts, saith God, why? because they have not known my wayes, Psal. 95.10.
3. Thirdly, Experience proves, that none are so far transported with a mad & superstitious zeal against the religious, as the rude rabble who can yeeld no other reason, or confession of their faith, if they be asked, than this, that they are no puritanes, or that they hate a Puritane from their soules; when as the devill himself, who hates the Puritane they meane most of any, can make as good a confession of his faith as this. For who are the greatest censurers, and the violentest opposers of goodnesse, are not the ignorant fry, who have more rage then reason? and the more sottish still the more insolent.
As, reprove one of them for swearing, or drunkennesse, or uniust dealing, or for prophaning the Lords day, for Atheisme, and the like, you are sure to be branded [Page 86]with the odious title of Puritane, yea you are factious and schismaticall, if ye will not be drunk, and every whit as lewd as they are.
It is worth a large smile, to observe what a clamour the blundering rabble will make against the people of God, if one in their company but mention the word Puritane, or tell them how scrupulous & precise such an one is. O what a number of sharp and deadly arrows will each of them shoot, both at the good and goodnesse, maugre all admonition! For each being stung with the Gad-flie of mis-governed zeal, as Paul was before he knew Christ, they presume to affirm with incredible impudence, accompanied with invincible ignorance, that there are not worse men in the world then the religious.
Wherein it is hard to say, whether ignorance or malice do more abound: whether it be more out of the strength of will, or weaknesse of judgement.
It is the nature of ignorant and carnall men (that walk after the flesh in the lusts of uncleannesse, whom Saint Peter calls brute beasts, led with sensuallity) to speak evill of the things which they understand not, 2 Pet. 2.12. Especially in judging acts of zeal and piety, their opinion still lights upon the worst sense, like them in the second of the Acts, who mocked the Apostles when they were filled with the holy Ghost, and hearing them speak languages, which they understood not, cried out, These men are drunk with new wine.
Untill we be born again, we are like Nicodemus, who knew not what it was to be born again, Iohn 3.4. Untill we become zealous our selves, we are like Festus, who thought zeale madnesse, Acts 26.24. Untill we be humble our selves, we are like Michal, who [Page 87]mocked David for his humility, and thought him a foole, for dancing before the Arke, 2 Sam. 6.16. Yea, to such as shall perish, or are for the present in a perishing condition, all religion seemes foolishnesse, 1 Cor. 1.18.
And thus you see in grosse, that Ignorance is a main cause of hatred and persecution. We shall more clearly discerne how it comes to be so, if we note The
- Root, Ignorance,
- Stem, Suspition, or Iealousie,
- Sap, Hatred,
- Fruit, Persecution,
severally, and apart; for ignorance causeth Suspition; and Suspition, Hatred; and Hatred, Persecution. But I cannot stand upon these.
Que. If Ignorance be such a generall cause of hatred and persecution, as you have shewne, What is the reason, that so many great Scholers and wisemen do also hate and persecute the godly?
Ans. Great scholers they may be, and wise men also, in the worlds esteem, but in the maine, and in Gods account they are nothing so: for admit they have inlightned heads, sufficient to leave them without excuse, yet because they withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse, and do not glorifie God with there knowledge, neither are thankfull, but become vain in their imaginations, their foolish hearts are darkned; and so while they professe themselves to be wise, in changing the truth of God into a lie, they become fooles, and expresse it, by thus hating God and his children, Romans 1.18.21.22.25.30. So that Ignorance is the cause even in them also.
And indeed if they were wise, they would foresee the torments of hell, and prevent them, as Bernard speaks. Or if they knew God, they would keep his commandments, for herby, saith Saint Iohn, is it known that we know god, if we keep his Commandments, 1. John 2.3. but he that saith I know him, and yet keepeth not his Commandments, is a lyar, and there is no truth in him, Ver. 4. Yea, these have sworne to keep the commandments, and to deny the world, and yet are not content with there own disobedience, unlesse they cast aspersions upon them that obey.
Again thirdly, if they knew Christ, they could not but love him; and loving him, they must needes love his members, not persecute them; for it is the very first part of our conversion, to love them that love God, 1 Joh. 3.14. & 4.7.8 and Ioh 13.35. But so many as are enemies to the Crosse of Christ, shew that they never knew God in Christ.
As for their wisdom and learning; you must know that men may be exquisitely wise, and incomparably learned in the worlds opinion, and yet very fooles in Gods account, 1 Cor. 3.19. As sharp-eyed as Eagles in the things of the earth, and yet as blinde as Beetles in the matters of heaven. And knowledge consisteth not so much in the quantity, as in the quality: not in the greatnesse, but in the goodnesse of it. For as a little precious stone is of more worth then many other stones of greater bulk: so one drop of wisdom guided by the fear of God, is more worth then all humane learning. One sparke of spirituall, experimentiall and saving knowledge, is worth a whole flame of secular wisdom and learning. One scruple of holinesse, one dram of faith, one grain of grace, is more worth then many pounds of naturall parts.
But learning and grace do not alwayes keep company together. Yea, O Lord, how many are there, that have a depth of knowledge, yet are not soul-wise! That have a Library of Divinity in there heads, and not so much as the least Chatechisme in their consciences? no rare thing for men to abound in speculation, and be barren in devotion: to have full braines, and empty hearts; clear judgements, and defiled affections; fluent tongues; and lame hands: Yea, you shall here a flood in the tongue, when ye cannot see one drop in the life.
For example, I might instance in Balaam, whom the holy Ghost stiles a fool, 2 Peter 2.16. And Iudas Mat. 27.3.4.5. And Paul, before his conversion, who (even while he was a persecuter like these men) was eminent among the Pharisees for wit and learning, but a very Iddiot among the Astostles. And lastly the Priests, Scribes and Pharisees, who were matchlesse for their wisdom and learning, as wanting nothing, that either nature or Art could inrich them withall: yea, and they were cheifly learned in the Scripture, Gods Oracles, which will make a man wise, or nothing: and yet our Saviour (who could not be deceived) calles them four times in one Chapter blinde, and twice fools, Mat. 23.16.17.19.24.26. Because they wanted faith and holinesse, which are the sinewes and nerves, yea the sould of saving knowledge, inlivening, feeding and strengthening the same; for in the dialect of the scipture a fool is a naturall man, and a wise man a man sanctified.
Alas! God regards not lip-learning, and tongue-wisdom, and braine knowledge, except it ceaze upon the heart also, and lead captive the affections to the government of the Gospel, whereby we are changed [Page 90]and transformed into new men, after the image of Christ, 1 Cor. 2.12. Ephe. 4.20 to 25. Col. 3.10. except we digest our knowledge into practise, and imploy our wisdom to his glory that gave it, our neighbours good, and the furthering of our own salvation: For with him wickednes is folly and the greatest sinner is the greatest fool: and he most wise, that is most religious, and that offends least, Prov. 1.7. Ioh. 28.28. Pro. 9.10, 12. and 11.3. Deut. 4.6. Hosea 14.9. Iames 3.13.17. 2 Tim. 3.15. And he that is truly wise, thinks that to be wisdom and folly which God thinks so.
Neither is that worth the name of knowledge which may be heard onely, and not seen. Good discourse is but the froth of wisdom; the pure and solid substance of it, is in well framed actions. What saith the Scripture? Keep the Commandements of God, and do them, for this is your wisdom and understanding before God and men, Deut. 4.6. And again, He that is a wise man and indued with knowledge, will shew it by his conversation in good works, Iames 3.13. For,
Rightly, a man knows no more then he practiseth. It is said of Christ, 2 Cor. 5.21. that he knew no sin, because he did no sin: in which sense, he knows no good, that doth no good. And certainly, they who wander in the by-paths of sin and errour, declare themselves ignorant of the right way of salvation, Rom. 3.17.
Saving knowledge of the truth works a love of the truth known; it is an uniform consent of knowledge and action, Ioh 28.28. He onely is wise, saith Solomon, that is wise for himselfe, Pro. 9.12. He whose conscience pulleth all he hears and reads to his heart, and his heart to God; who turneth his knowledge to faith, his faith to feeling, and all to walk worthy of his Redeemer; he that subdues his sensuall desires and appetite [Page 91]to the more noble faculties of the soul, Reason, and Understanding, and makes that understanding of his serve him, by whom it is, and doth understand; he that subdues his lust to his will; submits his will to reason, his reason to faith; his faith, his reason, his will, himselfe, to the will of God, this is practicall, experimentall, and saving knowledge, to which the other is but a bare name or title. For, what is the notionall sweetnesse of honey, to the experimentall taste of it? It is one thing to know what riches are, and where they be; and another thing to be master of them. It is not the knowing, but the possessing of them, that makes rich. What saith one? No more then the knowledge of goodnesse, maketh one to be named a good man; no more doth the knowledge of wisdom only, cause any person properly to be called a wise man. And certainly, that wisdom and learning is little worth, which nothing profits the owner of it, either to vertue, or happinesse. These things if ye know, happie are ye if ye do them, Iohn 13.17. So that he is the best Scholer, that learnes of Christ obedience, humilitie, &c. He the best Arithmetician, that can adde grace to grace. He the best learned, that knows how to be saved. Yea, all the Arts in the world are Artlesse Arts to this.
But alas! Naturall men are so far from being thus learned, that not one of them doth really, and by his own experience know the chiefe Points of Christian Religion; such as are, Faith, Repentance, Regeneration, the Love of God, the Presence of the Spirit, the Remission of sins, the Efusion of Grace, the Possession of heavenly Comforts; he knows not what the peace of Conscience, and joy in the holy Ghost is, nor what the communion of Saints means; he knows not what [Page 92]it is to have a certain and experimentall feeling, with a continuall proofe of Gods favour, in the whole passage of a mans life, and practise, &c. Pro. 24.7. when every of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest beleever.
Object. But the Word of God in divers places calls worldly men wise men; yea, ascribes the greatest wisdom and knowledge to the wicked.
Answ Its true, but in what sense? Do ye not perceive, that God either speaks it in a holy derision? as, Gen. 3.22. is to be understood: Or else he speaks it in the person of the wicked, calling it wisdom, because worldly men deem it so: as in another place, he calls preaching, the foolishnesse of preaching, because wicked esteem preaching but foolishnesse: and as Christ calls the Pharisees just, be [...]ause they justified themselves, Luke 15.7. Or thirdly, he means the wisdom of the flesh, or of the world; and that is as much, as if he had said in other words, foolishnesse, for the wisdom of the world is foolishnes with God, and no lesse then twelve times infatuated by the wisdom of God in one Chapter, 1 Cor. 2.
But to make it more plain, that no naturall man is a wise man, we must know that there is a speculative knowledge in the brain, common to hypocrites with Gods children, Heb. 6.4. And there is a spirituall and heavenly wisdom, a practicall, experimentall and saving knowledge in the heart, which keepes a man from every evill way, Pro. 2.12. peculiar to the godly alone, Ephes. 4.8. and 5.8. The naturall man, saith Paul, perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse unto him: but the spirituall, who have the minde of Christ, understand all things, even the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14, 15, 16. And again, We [Page 93]speak the wisdom of God in a mystery; even the hed wisdom, which none of the princes of this world have known, 1 Cor. 2.7, 8. See Thess. 5.4 5. W [...]ence it is, that naturall men are said to be in darknesse, Ephe. 5.8. Matth. 4.16. whereas the regenerate are called, Children of the light, and of the day, 1 Thess. 5.4, 5. Luke 1.79.
Which comparison is very emphaticall. For as the Soule, is the lamp of the body; and Reason, of the Soule; and Religion, of Reason; and Faith of Religion: so Christ is the light and life of faith. Whence i [...] follows, that as meer sense is uncapable of the r [...]les of reason: so reason is no lesse uncapable of the things which are supernaturall. And as to speak, is only proper to men: so to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, is onely proper to beleevers. Sense is a meer beasts, reason, a meer mans; Divine knowledge is only the Christians.
Now if it be askt, Why a naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God? Saint Paul, in the place before quoted, answers; He cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. For if they be spiritually discerned, how should they discern them, that have not the Spirit? For as no man can see the Sun, but by the light of the Sun: so no man can know the secrets of God, but by the revelation of God, 1 Cor. 12.8. Matt. 16.17. To know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, we must have hearts, eyes and cars sanctified from above, Deut. 29.2, 3, 4. Psal. 111.10. Luke 24.45. Iohn 15.15. Rom. 8.14, 15.
Neither is spirituall and heavenly wisdom the fruit of time and study, as the naturall is. It is not eloquence, nor Logicall demonstrations, that can make us capable of it. We cannot attain to supernaturall and celestiall knowledge, by any naturall and terrestriall [Page 94]means. No learning, nor experience will serve to know that great mysterie of godlinesse, and hid wisdom, spoken of, 1 Cor. 2.6, 7, 8, 10, &c. to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints, to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, &c. Ephes. 1.17, 18. and 3.19. Because this wisdom descendeth from above, Iames 3.17.
2. Secondly, As none can attain to this precious grace of saving knowledge, except it be given them from above: so it is a jewell of such worth, that God gives it to none but his children the godly, and such as he knows will improve their knowledge to his glory. The servant (saith Christ, meaning the ungodly man) knoweth not his masters will, but I have called you friends (speaking to his Apostles, and in them to all that are converted) for all things that I have heard of my Father, have I made known unto you, Iohn 15.15. Surely, saith Solomon, to a man that is good in his fight, God giveth wisdom and knowledge, Eccles. 2.26. intimating, that he doth not so to the evill man. The wise, that is, the godly, saith Daniel, shall understand, but none of the wicked shall have understanding, Dan. 12.10. A scorner seeketh wisdom, & findeth it not; but knowledge is easie to him that will understand, Pro. 14.6. that is, to him that will be bettered by his understanding. Wicked men understand not judgement, but they that seek the Lord, understand all things, Prov. 28.5. and 3.32. They which observe the Commandements, have a good understanding, saith David, Psal. 111.10. the rest have an ill understanding, and a vain; an understanding, like that of the Scribes and Pharisees, which was enough to condemne them, but not to save them.
Thus as no man can see God, and live: so no man can see Christ, who is God, sitting at the right hand of his [Page 95]Father in heaven, so long as he lives a meer naturall man, 1 Cor. 2.14. God will not powre new wine, but into new vessels, Matth. 9.17. Christ is said to have expounded all things to his Disciples apart, to shew, that if we will have Christ to teach us, we must go apart from the world. If any will do Gods will, saith our Saviour, he shall know the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or no, Iohn 7.17. So that no man can learn this doctrine, but he that doth it: as no man could learn the Virgins song, but they that sang it, Revel. 14.3. Yea, if the fear of the Lord, as Solomon speaks, is the beginning of wisdom, how should they have wisdom, that have not the fear of the Lord? All unrepentant sinners are enemies to God, servants to Satan: now we men, do not tell our secrets to enemies; neither will an Artificer teach another mans servants his trade: but the righteous are Christs friends, and brethren, and fisters, and father, and mother, between whom there is a kinde of familiarity, so that he makes them of his counsell; His secrets, saith Solomon, are with the righteous, Pro. 3.32. And again, Psal. 25.14. The secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that fear him, and his Covenant is to give them understanding.
See this in Abrahams example, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? saith God, Gen. 18.17. As if this were an offence in God, if he should tell the righteous no more then he tells the wicked.
Besides, What should he do with a talent, that will not improve it? And let a wicked man know never so much, he is resolved to be never the better man. And they that are unwilling to obey, God thinks unworthy to know: which is but equity.
Indeed, if they will put off concerning their former conversation the old man, with his corruptions, and [Page 96]deceiveable lusts, and be changed, by the renewing of there mindes, and by putting on the new man, which after God, is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse, Ephe. 4.20. to 25. Col. 3.10. 2 Cor. 5.17. 1 Iohn. 4.7. Then they shall see what the good and acceptable, and perfect will of God is, as Saint Paul, and our Saviour Christ shewes, Rom. 12.2. Matth. 5.8. For God in the person of wisdom hath made a generall promise to all that will serve him, Pro. 1. If thou wilt turn, saith God, at my correction, I will power out my heart unto thee, and make thee understand my words, Verse 23. But else, they shall blindly go on in persecuting Christ and his members, perhaps to the killing of his prophets, and thinke also that they do God good service, Iohn 16.2, 3. For as they like not to retain God in their knowledge, saith the Apostle, so God shall give them over to vile affections, and to a reprobate minde, Rom. 1.28. And because they will not teceaue the truth in love, that they might be saved; therefore God shall send them strong delusions, that they might beleeve lies: that all they might be damned, which beleeve not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse, 2 Thes. 2.10.11.12.
And is it not just with God, to say, they would none of Christ, let them welcome Sathan and Antichrist?
Quest. What instruction from the premisses?
Ans. As it ought to stop all wicked mens mouthes: so it may both serve for direction and comfort to the godly, and to informe all.
First, If it be so, that all naturall men are uncapable of divine and supernaturall knowledge, that they are blinde touching spirituall things: let not any carnall wretch hereafter dare to speak evill of the things, actions and persons, which are out of the reach of his capasity, but silently suspend his judgement, untill he is better [Page 97]informed. For as it pertaineth not to the rusticke to judge of Letters: so it belongeth not to naturall men to judge of spirituall things. And in matters of censure, nothing but a certaine knowledge should make us give a certaine judgement; and in the meane time, confesse, that Ioseph may know his brethren, although they know not him. Hee which is spirituall, discerneth all things; yet he himselfe is Iudged of no man, 1 Cor. 2.14. that is, of no naturall man.
2. Let those that have used to speake evill of the way of truth, learne to kicke no more against the pricks, lest they bring the same curse upon themselves, that those did, which brought up an evill report of the holy Land, viz. that, As they never entred into the terrestriall Canaan: So these never enter into the Celestiall. Yea, put case they shall thinke to doe God good service in it: for there is a way, saith Salomon, that seemeth right to a man, but the issues thereof are the wayes of death, Pro. 14 12.
3. If all who deride and persecute the godly, are ignorant persons, as hath beene proved; then let not Gods Children be discouraged, maugre all slander and opposition; nor thinke the worse of themselves, if such reproach them never so. The Corinthians exceedingly slighted Paul, he was this, and he was that; But what saith Paul? With mee it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, 1 Cor. 4.3, 4. Alasse! the best of them saw no more than St. Paul soutside; the grace of his heart, the raptures of his soule, the ravishing delights of the inward man, and the like spirituall priviledges, more glorious than the states of Kingdomes, were to these sensualists as a covered messe. And indeed, naturall men are as fit to judge of spirituall matters, as blind men are fit to judge of colours. We know little Children [Page 98]will often laugh at wise men, when they are about serious and necessary affaires and businesse; which notwithstanding is not an argument of the unworthinesse of the things they laugh at, but of the folly of them which laugh. Will the Merchant be discouraged, because his Wine pleaseth not a sicke mans palat; when those that are in health commend it, and himselfe knowes it to be good? Much lesse cause have we to be discouraged, having more certainety to rely upon. Our enemies have Sense, Reason, and Experience to confirme their judgements; but wee have them, with an advantage of three infallible witnesses, Gods Word, and Spirit, and Faith. Wherefore henceforward let us take our Saviours Counsell, and seeke to justifie our judgements to the children of Wisdome, of whom she is justified; and not to fooles, by whom she is daily crucified. Neither let any thinke the better of such whom they extoll, for the blinde eate many a flye.
4. This shewes that they suspect much, because they know little, as Children in the darke suppose they see, what they see not. They complaine, like the Owle, of the glory of the Sunne, when the fault is in their owne eyes. They are blinde, yet the misery is, they see not that they are blinde; and therefore believing that they see, they accuse others of schisme, when indeed themselves are only guilty of prejudice; as a blind man running against one that seeth, calls him blinde that did not shunne him. They are like Harpast, a blinde woman in Seneca's family, who would not be perswaded that shee was blinde; but found fault with the house wherein she was, as being over darke.
5. If none are truely wise, but such as have past the second birth, it gives us to understand that the regenerate (for the most part) sleepe nigh halfe their time in ignorance, [Page 99]that the wicked are never awake. And if this Wisedome commeth downe from the Father of lights, and that wee cannot have it, except God vouchsafe to give it us; It may teach us to bee bumble, Iob 42.6. And not like the Ape, that is proud of his Masters Iacket. Heavenly notions grow not in us, we spin them not out of our owne brests: And thankfull; for if they be given, let us not forget the giver.
6. If all naturall men, are like blind Sampson without his guide, not able without the Holy Ghosts direction to finde out the pillars of the house, the principles of faith, let us not wonder that they swarve so much from the godly, in their judgements and practice. Is it any strange thing, to see a blinde man stumble and fall? Yea, let us condole all their disasters, and drop some teares, in pity and compassion for their great and grievous misery.
7. And lastly, If with God one sparke of spirituall experimentall and saving knowledge be of more worth than all secular Wisdome, and Learning; then strive we for that knowledge which will make the knower blessed. Let us so be learned; that we may be saved. Let us not in our hearing, and reading, and communication, doe as little children, that looke only upon the Babyes in a booke, without regard to the matter therein contained: but like men in yeares have more respect to the pith and solidity of the matter, than to the phrase; and to the profit of our soules, than the pleasing of our senses. And so much of the second cause.
Quest. What is the third cause, why ungodly men hate and persecute the Religious?
Answ. Their infidelity and unbeliefe.
Quest. How doth that appeare?
Answ. I will demonstrate it beyond denyall.
Why doe the Heathen rage, saith David, and the people murmure, the Kings of the Earth band themselves, and the Rulers take counsell together, against the Lord, and against his Annointed, saying, Let us breake their bands, &c. Psalm. 2.1. to 4. but this they thinke all wayes, there is no God, God is not in all their thoughts, Psalm. 10.4. And againe, They breake in peeces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage, &c. the reason followes, they say the Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Iacob regard it, Psalm. 94.5, 6, 7. And what saith our Saviour to the Iewes, Yee seeke to kill me, because my Word hath no place in you, Iohn 8.37. that is, they beleeved not what he spake, nor the Scriptures which testified of him.
If yee will see it in Examples, looke 2 King. 18.35. Dan. 3 15. Exod. 5.2.
Or if in the New Testament, see Acts 17. where the Holy Ghost makes a decision betweene such as did, and such as did not beleeve, Paul, when in the Synagogue he disputed with them, by the Scriptures, opening and alleaging that Christ must have suffered, risen againe, &c. for faith the Text, So many of the Iewes as beleeved and of the Grecians and chiefe women as feared God, joyned themselves in company with Paul and Silas. But those that beleeved not, mooved with envie, tooke unto them certaine Vagabonds, and wicked fellowes, with the multitude, and made a tumult in the Citie, and assaulted the house of Iason, drawing out him, and as many of the brethren as they could find, and brought them before the people, and the heads of the City, crying; These are they which have subverted the State of the world, and they all doe against the decrees of Caesar, &c. And lastly, look but 1 Tim. 1. you shall heare Saint Paul most ingenuously [Page 101]confessing, I was a blasphemer, a persecuter, and an opposer of Christ; and his members; but I did it ignorantly, through unbeliefe, v. 13.
Now they which thinke, all whatsoever is written in Scripture of God, of Christ, and of His Kingdome of Grace here, and glory hereafter, to bee but a fable: as that impious Pope did, who was not ashamed blasphemously to boast what he had gained by Fabula de Christo: And all Matchivillian Atheists, who think Religion to bee but a Politicke device, to keepe men in awe, [...]oe, whose number is greater than is supposed. These, I say, must needes thinke them madde and foolish, who lose thereby either profit, or pleasure, and use them accordingly.
True, this might seeme an absurd position, if I should presume upon an Appeale to their owne blinded consciences; for they thinke, they beleeve in God, and the Scriptures, as well as the precisest: and so did those Jewes, Iohn 5. which persecuted Jesus, and sought to slay him, think they beleeved Moses writings: but it is plaine, they did not, by Christ's answer to them, who knew their hearts better than themselves: his words are, Had yee beleeved Moses, yee would have beleeved me, for he wrote of mee: but if yee beleeve not his wrightings, how should yee beleeve my words? verse 46 47. And againe, Yee have not my Fathers word abiding in you, for whom he hath sent, him yee beleeve not, Ver. 38.39. So bring these, that persecute any of Gods Children for well doing, to the tryall, and their owne conscienc [...]s shall testifie before God, that they neither beleeve the Old Testament nor the New.
For did they beleeve that the godly are unto God as the Signet upon his right hand, Jer. 22.24. Zach. 2.24. Yea, as the Apple of his owne eye, Zach. 2.8. and that [Page 102]whatsoever wrongs and contumelies are done to his Children, he accounts as done to himselfe, Psalme 44.22. and 69.7, and 74 4, 10, 18, 22, 23. and 83, 2, 5, 6. and 89.50, 51. and 139, 20. Prov. 19.3. Rom. 1.30. and 9.20. Matth. 10.22. and 25.45. Luk. 21.17. 1 Sam. 17.45. Esay 37.4.22, 23, 28. and 45.9. and 54, 17. Acts 5.39. and 9.4, 5 Iob 9 4. 1 Thess. 4.8. Iohn 15.18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25. Numbers 16.11. 1 Samuel 8.7. They durst not hate, revile, slander, deride, nicke-name and persecute them, as they doe.
More particularly, did they really and indeed beleeve God, when he saith in his Word, that whosoever shall offend one of those little ones, that beleeve in him, it were better for him, rather that a Milstone were hung about his necke, and that hee were cast into the Sea, Mark. 9.42. That he will destroy them for ever, and roote them out of the Land of the living, whose tongues imagine mischiefe, and are like a sharpe Razor, that cutteth deceitfully, loving to speake evill, more than good, Psalm. 52.2. to 5. That hee will confound such as persecute his Children, and destroy them with a double destruction, Ier. 17.18. Yea, that he will render unto there enemies seaven fold into their bosome, their reproach, wherewith they have reproached the Lord, Psalm. 79.12. In fine, that he will rayne upon them snares of fire, and brimstone, with stormes, and tempests, Psalme 11.6. and after all, cast them into a furnace of fire, where shall bee wayling and gnashing of teeth, for evermore: when the just, whom they now despise, shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father: They durst not doe as they doe to the godly. Yea, if they did beleeve but that one place, 2 King. 2.24. Where God caused two and fortie little Children to be devoured of wild Beares, onely for [Page 103]nick-naming Elisha, they durst not nick-name the religious as they doe.
But, alasse! they are so farre from beleeving what God threatens in His Word, against these sinnes; that they blesse themselves in their hearts, saying, wee shall have peace, we shall speed as well as the best, although wee walke according to the stubbornnesse of our owne wills; so adding drunkennesse to thirst, Deut. 29.19. Yea, they preferre their condition before other mens, who are so abstemious, and make Conscience of their wayes; even thinking, that their God deceiveth them with needlesse feares and scruples, as onc [...] Rabshakeb would have perswaded the Jewes, touching their trust and confidence, 2 King. 18.22, 25, 30, 32, 33, 35.
Yea, how i'st possible, that any wicked man should beleeve what is written of God in the Scripture, especially touching his justice, and severity in punishing sinne, with eternall destruction of body and soule? For did they really and indeed beleeve God, when he saith, that his curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer, Zac. 5. They durst not sweare, yea and forsweare as they doe; much lesse durst they take a pride in oathing of it, resembling Ballio the baud in Plautus, who was not ashamed, but even proud of Carting. Yea, which is worse, reprove a swearer, and he will sweare the more to spite you: Which were not possible, if believing God, they did not, what in them lyes, give themselves over to the Devill.
Againe, did they believe, that neither fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor murtherers, nor drunkards, nor swearers, nor raylours, nor lyers, nor covetous persons, nor extortioners, nor unbeleevers nor no unrighteous men shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven; but shall have their part in that lake which [Page 104]burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Revel. 21 8. they durst not continue in the practice of these sinnes, without feare, or remorse, or care of amendment. Did they beleeve, that except their righteousnesse doe exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, they shall in no case enter into the kingdome of Heaven, Matth. 5.20. And that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord, Heb. 12 14. with many the like, it were impossible they should live as they doe. Yea, if they did in good earnest beleeve, that there is either God, or Devill, Heaven, or Hell, or that they have immortall soules, which shall everlastingly live in blisse, or woe, and receive according to that they have done in their bodies, whether it bee good, or evill, 2 Cor. 5.10 they could not but live thereafter, and make it their principall care, how to be saved.
But, alasse! they beleeve what they see, and feele, and know; they beleeve the Lawes o [...] the Land, that there are places and kindes of punishment here below, and that they have bodyes to suffer temporall smart, if they transgresse; and this makes them abstaine from murther, felony, and the like: but they beleeve not things invisible, and to come; for if they did, they would as well, yea, much more, feare him that hath power to cast both body and soule into bell, as they doe the temporall Magistrate, that hath onely power to kill the body: They would thinke it a very hard bargaine to win the whole world, and lose there owne soules, Luk 9.25.
But, alasse! if visible powers, were not more feared than the invisible GOD, and the halter more than Hell, (naturall men being like beasts, that are more sensible of the flash of Powder, than of the Bullet) the World would bee over-runne with outrage: [Page 105]Whereas now, even the worst of the Serpents Seede, by reason of Authority, are kept in a meane betweene Devills and Christians; so living like beasts, because they thinke they shall dye like beasts, without any answer for ought they have either acted, or left undone.
True, they doe not alwayes, nor at any time altogether, think there is no GOD, or judgment to come. Not alwayes, for though at present they thinke their villany is unseene, because it is unpunished, according to that in the Psalmes, The wicked thinketh there is no GOD, and the reason followes, his wayes alway prosper, Psalme 10.4, 5. yet none, as Plato speakes, are so confirm [...]d in Atheisme, but some great danger will make them flye to the ayde of a Divine power. Extremity of distresse will send the prophanest to God: as the drowning man stretcheth out his hand to that bough, which hee contemned whiles hee stood safe on shore: Even Sardanapalus, who for all his bould denying of God, at every hearing of thunder was wont to hide his head in a hole.
Yea, in their greatest jollity, even the most secure heart in the world hath some flashes of feare, that seaze on them like an Arrest of Treason; for conscience cannot but somtimes look out of it selfe, and see what it would not.
At least, on their death beds they would give all the world to bee sure what the Scripture speakes of Hell were not true; though all their life they supposed it but a fable. How oft doe those ruffians, that deny God at the Tap-house, preach him, at the Gallowes, and confesse that in sobriety of spirit, which they oppugned in wantonnesse. And not seldome are the most lethargized consciences so awakened ere they go to hell, that, Spira-like, they depart desolate & desperate in & into hellish horrors.
Prosperity doth so tympanize mens soules, and entranse them from themselves, that they forget they hada Maker. Who is God? saith Pharaoh. There is no God, saith Nabuchadnezar. What God can deliver out of my hand? saith Rabshakeh. I am God, sayes Alexander. But Nabuchadnezar found there was a God. Pharaoh found what that God was. Rabshakeh found, to his cost, that there was an Almighty God, able to deliver in the Valleys, as well as on the hills. Alexander found hee was not as he supposed, and confest that he knew himselfe mortall by two things, viz. Sleepe and Lust. And so it shall fare with these in the end. They that would stultizare in culpa, shall be forced sapere in poena. Vengance shall make them wise, whom sinne hath made, and left foolish.
At least, in hell they shall know there is a righteous Iudge, that will reward every man according to his deeds; and confesse, that what they once vainely imagined, was but imagined. There may be Atheists on earth, were are none in hell.
A Pope of Rome being on his death bed, said, Now comes three things to tryall, which all my life I have made doubt of, Whether there bee a God, a Devill, and whether the soule be immortall: it was not long ere he was fully resolved with a vengance. And so shall you, ô ye fooles, when that houre comes, though ye flatter your selves for the present, like that desperate Pirate, who when (ransacking and rifling a Bottom) he was told by the Master, that though no Law could touch him for the present, hee should answer it at the day of judgement; replyed, Nay, If I may stay so long ere J come to it, J will take thee, and thy Vessell too. Nothing more cartaine than death. Amongst Lawes, some are antiquated, as that of divorce: some changed, as that of [Page 107]Circumcision: some dispensed withall, as that of the Sabboth (in cases of necessitie, Matth 12.1. to 14.) but this statutum est, that all shall dye, and come to judgement, it is neither antiquated, nor changed, nor dispensed withall.
And as nothing is more certaine than death: so nothing more uncertaine than the houre thereof: thy pulse may leave beating, before thou canst fetch thy breath.
Wherefore thinke not, as Lot's Sons-in-Law, that we speak in jest, least you feele the fire and wrath of God in earnest.
2. Secondly, nor at any time doe they altogether thinke there is no God, &c. For as the best faith is but like the twilight, mixed with some degree of darknesse and infidelity: so the most grounded Atheisme, is mixed with some degree, either of beliefe or doubting. What saith David, The foole hath said in his heart there is no God: in his heart he hath said it, but in his heart he never beleeved it: No foole ever thought it peremptorily; hee would faine have it so, he cannot beleeve it so: it is an opinion which he suggests to his heart, not which his heart suggests to him: and this makes him fearefull to dye, and to dye fearefully.
Tully speaking of Metrodorus, an Atheist in his time, saith, Nec quemquam vidi, qui magis ea timeret, qua timenda esse negaret. They that make a flout of hell, Affirmant mihi & tibi, non sibi; noctu, non interdiu; their mouthes tell us so, their hearts doe not tell their mouths so. No hell, I dare say, if there were a generall collection made throughout the whole world, that there might bee no Iudgement day, these men would bee none of the backewardest. Yea, if they had as many Provinces, as Ahasuerus had, they would give an hundred and six and twenty of them to be sure of it. The [Page 108]consciences even of wicked men can never bee so charmed, or over ruled, either by arguments, or the temptations of Sathan, that they can let goe the sense of a God-head. We are all borne Idolaters, and choose rather to adore the Sunne, the Moone, yea the meanest of all creatures, rather than not acknowledge a Deity. You may sooner get a Conscience to believe all the fables in the Popish legend, or Turkish Alcarou, than that this universall frame is without a minde,
So that to say truely, they doe not, and yet they doe believe there is a God, and a Hell: for when they admit Conscience into their counsell, they doe believe: but because they would rather not beleeve it, they stifle Conscience, stop their owne eares, and flatter their hearts with the contrary opinion: Like as it fared with the Philistims of Ashdod, 1 Sam. 6. who when they had stood out that fore judgement seven moneths, and brought upon their god DAGON, and the whole Countrey, a very great destruction, and perceived, that all which were guilty of keeping and prophaning the Arke, suffered in the judgement, and onely they; at last could bring forth this conclusion, Peradventure it is GOD'S hand that smote us; yet, it may bee, it is but a chance that hath hapned unto us, Verse 9.
Wherein it is evident, they did halfe beleeve, and no more; Their Consciences told their hearts there was a powerfull GOD, to revenge the prophaning of his Arke; but their hearts were very loth to give assent thereunto: and so fares it with these, when they wrong and persecute his Children. Or they may bee [Page 109]likened to those untoward Israelites, Exod. 16. Who did in part beleeve GOD, when hee told them, If they reserved of the Manna untill morning, it should stinke; and that if they went to gather it on the Sabboth, they should finde none, who would have thought it foule scorne, if one should have told them, they beleeved no such thing: for all they had seene so many Miracles, yet tis apparent, they did but halfe beleeve him: for what else made them try whether hee spake true or no, after they were flatly forbidden? ver. 20. or,
Lastly, they are like the unbelieving Iewes, who considering the Oracles that CHRIST spake, and the Miracles which hee wrought, were forced to testifie both these of him (for all they hated him) never man spake as this man doth; and Wee never saw it on this fashion: yet this have yee seene, and beleeve not, saith Our SAVIOVR, Iohn 6.36 They saw, they heard, they wondered, they were convinced, yet they beleeved not: therefore their owne eyes, in seeing; their owne eares, in heareing; their owne hearts, in wondring; their owne convicted reasons shall but witnesse against their unbeliefe, Ioh. 16 9.
And indeed, if they did not in some part beleeve a Iudgement to come, they should bee worse than the very Devills themselves: there is no Hell, Quis Daemonum hoc asseret? What Devill will so affirme? They know it, and feele it, Why (say the Legion to Christ) art thou come to torment us. before the time, Matthew 8.29.. And shall not men tremble to deny, what the Devils confesse? sayes Chrysostome.
Wherefore beleeve it peremptorily, ô yee fooles and madde men; yea believe it, and avoyd it, and by believing to purpose, ye shall avoyd it: otherwise, if ye will give more credit to your deceitfull hearts, than to what the Word speakes, as Eve beleeved the word of the Serpent, Adam the word of Eve, both, before the Word of GOD; God will leave you to bee confuted by fire and brimstone; if you will not beleeve what is written, you shall feele what is written.
Object. But here it will be objected, That the wickedest man that lives, presumes upon GODS mercy in Christ, and thinkes he shall be saved, as well as the thiefe upon the Crosse; yea, hee will prove by Scripture, that at what time soever he repents, his sinnes shall be pardoned, Ezek. 18.21, 22. Yea, there is scarce a man on earth, but he thinkes to goe to Heaven.
Answ. True, the flesh prophesies prosperity to sinne; yea life, and salvation, as the Pope promised the Powder Traytors; and to this the Devill sets his seale: whereupon while prosperity lasteth, they can turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, and even apply Christ's Passion, as a warrant for their licenciousnesse; and take his death, as a licence to sin; his Crosse, as a Letters Pattent to do mischiefe.
Yea, the Devill and sinne so infatuates and besots them, that they thinke to have part in that merit, which in every part they have so abused; to bee purged by that bloud, which now they take all occasions to disgrace; to be saved by the same wounds, wch they sweare by, and so often sweare away to have Christ an Advocate for them in the next life, when they are Advocates against Christ in this; and that Heaven will meete them at their last houre, when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten road toward hell.
The Devill makes large promises; and perswades his, they shall have what they desire; yet ever disappoints them of their hopes, as he did our first Parents: Diabelus menti [...]ur, ut fallet; vitam pollicetur, ut peri [...]at, saith Saint Cyprian.
But all one, their carnall hearts shall bee flint unto God, wax to the Devill, who blowes this presumption into them; whereby they believe the promises, let goe the threatnings: you shall dye, saith God, is heard, but you shall not dye, saith the Devill, is believed, as it fared with Eve, when she eate the forbidden fruit. Yea, they believe the promises, that they shall have them; but they beleeve not the precepts, to doe them; nor the threatnings, that they shall suffer them, for their not beleeving and disobedience; which shewes, that they truely beleeve neither. Yea, this makes it plaine, that either they beleeve there is no God at all, or else that God is not just, and true, nor speakes as he meanes in his words; which is worse: or if they doe beleeve that he is a just and true God, they beleeve also that they shall be punished (as he threatens) for their provoking of him; and they provoke him, that they may be punished; which is worst of all. So that take them in the best sense, they are but like David's foole, which saith in his heart there is no God, and lives thereafter: which is never a whit strange, for it is usuall with them to think there is no God, for whom it would make that there were none: What we would have to be, we are apt to beleeve.
I confesse, it is hard for men to beleeve their owne unliefe in this case: they that bee most dangerously sicke, are least sensible of their owne sicknesse: much more hard to make them confesse it; for he whose heart speakes Atheisme, will confesse with his tongue, that he beleeves there is a God, and that he is just, and true, and that every [Page 112]tittle of his Word is equally true: which being granted, this must necessarily follow, that God will as well punish the disobedient, as reward the obedient; which in another fit they are apt enough; yea too forward to beleeve.
For it is Satans method, first to make men so senselesse, as not to feele their sinnes at all; and then so desperate, that they feele them too much: in the first fit men live as if there were no hell: in the last they dye as if there were no Heaven; for wicked men are altogether in extremes: at first they make question whether this, or that be a sinne; at last they apprehend it such a sinne, that they make question whether it can be forgiven: either God is so mercifull, that they may live how they list; or so just, that hee will not pardon them upon their repentance.
But to prevent after claps, let this point be argued in the Court of thy Conscience: say, whether thou art guilty, or not guilty. He that beleeves the promises of God, to be true, beleeves also the commands and threatnings, and thereupon feares God, and makes conscience of sinne: otherwise, if thou beest as it were a dead man, continuing under the burthen of notorious crimes, without sorrow, or feare or remorse, or care of amendment, Ephesians 2.1. If thou art of a reprobate judgement touching actions, and persons, esteeming good evill, and evill good, if the Devill hath so bewit [...]d thee, that thou preferrest Hell to Heaven, and blamest those that doe otherwise: it, Ishmael-like, thou mockest; or, Cham-like, thou scoffest at the religious, or usest bitter jests against them, Psalme 1.1. Ephes. 5.4. If thou raysest slanders of them, or furtherest them being raised, Psalme 4.2. and 31.18. and 35, 20. As the Red Dragon, Revel. 12. cast a floud of water out of his mouth, [Page 113]after the Woman, when he could not reach her with his clawes, verse 15. Or any way opposest them; for the opposition of goodnesse, gives thee the title of wickednesse, which alone is the enemy thereof, and shewes that thou art a Souldier of th [...] great Dragon, who goes out to make Warre with that blessed Seede, which keepe the Commandements of God, Revelations 12.17. these or any one of these, shew that thou hast neither part, nor fellowship in the Christian beliefe; that thou art an Infidell, yea, an Atheist, which is a higher degree of infidelity, and that thou doest no way differ from an Heathen, but only in the saying of a Paternoster, a Creed, and, it may be the ten Commandements: Neither hast thou any more of a conscience, than feare, which feare also arises more from the power of the Magistrate, than from the omnipotency of a God.
But to make thy selfe confesse this, examine thy beleife by thy life; for infidelity is the bitter root of all wickednes, and a lively saith the true Mother of all goodnesse: Indeed if pride, swearing, prophaneing of the Lords Day, drunkennesse, adultery, contempt of Religion and all goodnesse were fruites of Faith, then the world were full of Believers; but Faith purifieth the Heart, Acts 15.9. and worketh by Love, Gall. 5.6. Consumes our naturall unnaturall corruptions, and sanctifieth the whole man throughout 1 Thess. 5.23. Acts. 26.18. So that our faith to G [...] is seene in our faithfullnesse to men: Shew me thy faith by thy works, saith S. Iames, that is, thy invisible beleife, by thy visible life: for the hand is the best commentary of the heart. What a man does, I am sure he thinkes, not alwayes what he speakes: men may say they beleeve the word, but certainely they would never speake as they speake, think as they think, do as they do, if they thought that their thoughts, words, and deeds, should come to Iudgement.
If men beleeved that heaven were so sweet, and hell so intolerable, as the word makes them, they would be more obedient upon earth; the voluptuous would not say, with Esau, give me the pottage of pleasure, take who will the birth-right of grace here, and glory hereafter; the Covetous would not say, Take you heaven, let us have mony. Ile cleare it by a similitude.
If a Physitian should say unto his Patient, here stands a Cordiall, which if you take will cure you; but touch not this other Viall, for that is deadly poyson, and he refuseth the Cordiall, to take the poyson; in this case, who can chose but conclude, that either he beleeved not his Physitian, or preferred death before life? But go on.
If men but beleeved, that God alwayes beholds them, they durst not sin. No theife was ever so impudent, as to steale in the very face of the Iudge. O God, let me see my selfe seene by thee, and I shall not dare to offend thee. Againe, if men beleeved, that there is a place of darknesse, they would feare the works of darknesse. If Lots Sonnes-in-law had beleeved their father, when he tould them the City should suddenly be destroyed with fire and brimstone, and that by flying they might escape it, they would have obeyed his counsell. If the old world had beleeved, that God would indeed, and in good earnest bring such a flood upon them, as he threatned, they would not have neglected the opportunity of entring the Arke, before it was shut, and the windowes of heaven opened; much lesse would they have scoft and flouted at Noah, while he was building it: so if you did firmely beleeve what the Scripture speakes of hell, you would need noe intreaties to avoid it: yea, cast but your eyes upon that fiery gulfe with a full perswasion of it, and sin if you dare. You love your selves well enough to avoid a knowne paine, we know that there are stocks [Page 115]and Bridewells, and Ioales, and dungeons, and Racks, and Gibbets for malefactors, and our very feare keeps us innocent: were your hearts equally assured of those hellish torments, yee could not, yee durst not continue in those sinnes, for which they are prepared: yea, if you did truly beleeve a hell, there would be more danger of your despaire, than of your security.
Yea, had you but so much of an historicall faith, as to beleeve the Scriptures, touching what God hath already inflicted upon sinners; as, upon the Angells, the old world, Sodome and Gomorrah, Pharoah and the Egyptians, Nadab and Abihu, Chora, Dathan, and Abyram, with their 250 Captaines, and many thousands of the Children of Israel, together with the whole Nation of the Iewes, Hammon and Balaam, Saul and Doeg, Absolon and Achitophell, Ahab and Iesabell, Senacherib and Nebuchadnezar, the 2 Captaines and their fifties, Herod and Judas, Annanias & Saphirah, with a world of others.
Much more, if you did beleeve how severely he hath dealt with his owne Children, when they sinned against him. vizt. with Moses, and Aaron, and Ely, which were in singular favour with him; yea, with David, a man after his owne heart, and that after his sin was remitted; it were impossible but thou wouldest feare to offend so Iealous a God: for thus thou wouldest argue, If God be so just and severe to his owne children, who were so good and gracious; how shall I, a wicked & ungracious servant, that never did him a peece of good service all my dayes, look to be dispensed withall? If the godly suffer so many, and grievous afflictions here; what shall his adversaries suffer in hell? If Sampson be thus punished, shall the Philistims escape? If the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare? as the Scripture speakes: 1 Pet. 4.18: For thou [Page 116]canst not Imagine, that he will deale after a new and extraordinary way with thee, and so breake the Course of his so Iust, and so long continued proceedings.
Wherefore dally no longer with your owne soules. Are yee Christians in earnest? Do yee beleeve the word? or doe you not? If you doe not, yee are worse than the Devill; for the Devills beleeve and tremble; they have both faith and feare, where as thou hast neither feare nor faith. If you be Christians, there is an hell in your Creed: if there bee an hell, How dare you tare Heaven with your blasphemies, and bandie the dreadfull Name of God in your impure mouthes, by your bloudy oathes and execrations? How dare you exercise your saucy wits in prophane scoffs at religion, and disgrace that bloud, whereof hereafter you would give a thousand worlds for one drop? It is no light or slight offence, to contemne the brethren of the Son of God: but thou fightest against the very graces of Gods Spirit, wherever they appeare: and notwithstanding thou didst vow in thy baptisme, to fight under Christs banner, against the world, the flesh and the Devill, and to continue his faithfull souldier and servant unto thy lives end, as good reason, since he laid downe his life to redeeme thee, and hath ever since protected and provided for thee; for a very Dog will fight for his master that feeds him: thou contrarily takest part with the world, the flesh and the Devill, his mortall enimies, and takest up armes to fight against Christ.
Againe, if there be an hell, and but a tithe of [...]hem Christians, who call themselves so; what meanes our grinding of faces, like edged tooles, and our spilling of blood, like water? What meanes our racking of rents, our detention of wages, our incredible cruelty to servants, our inclosing of Commons, ingrossing of commodities, our griping exactions, with streining the advantages [Page 117]of greatnes, our inequall levies of legall payments, our spightfull suites, griping usury, our bouzing and quaffing, our bribery, perjury, partiallity, our sacriledge, simoniacall contracts, and soule murther, our scurrill prophannesse, cosoning in bargaines, breaking of promises, perfidious underminings, pride, luxury, wantonnesse, contempt of Gods Messengers, neglect of his Ordinances, violation of his dayes, &c? when if the Word of God be true, we need no other ground of our last and heaviest doom, than ye have not given, ye have not visited, &c. Mat 25, 41. to 46. Certainely, if the tythe of us be Christians, which call our selves so, there are abundance of Christians in hell: For what eyes can but runne over, to see for the most part, what lives men leade? There was a woman much spoken of in some parts of this Land, that lived in a professed doubt of the Deity, yea, even after Illumination and Repentance, she could hardly be comforted; she often protested, that the vicious and offencive life of a great learned man, in the Towne where she dwelt, did occasion those damned doubts in her minde. And wee reade that Linacre reading upon the New Testament the 5.6. and 7th. Chapters of Saint Matthews Gospell, and comparing those rules with Christians lives, hee threw downe the book, and burst forth into this protestation, Either this is not God's Gospell, or we are not Christians. Let any man looke upon the lives of most men, and then say, whether the argument be not without all exceptions.
It is the abstract of Religion, to imitate him whom we worship: neither are wee worthy to be called Christians, except wee be like him in workes: Wee are not like Christ, except wee doe whatsoever God commands, and suffer whatsoever hee inflicts: Now we are naught at doing, but when it comes to suffering, we are gone: it is the happinesse of these cold times, that wee [Page 118]are not put to the hot fire, for tryall of our faith and love: if the Wheele should turne, which the mercy of God forbid, how many would turne from Christ, rather than burne for him? Alasse! the greatest number are like Orbilius the Grammarian, who not only forgot the Letters of his Booke, but even his own name: for they not only forget what is written in Christ's Gospell, but they forget also that they are Christians, and can be of any religion, for a neede; which shewes their hearts are truely of none. True, Gods seed is sowne, but the Devils fruit comes up: and, like the Iewes, we bring Christ Vinegar, when hee thirsts for Wine. But what a shame? What a prodigie is this? We are bound to praise GOD above any Nation whatsoever, (for what Nation under Heaven injoyes so much light, or so many blessings as we?) above any Creature, for all the creatures were ordained for our sakes: and yet Heaven, Earth, and Sea, all the Elements, all the Creatures obey the Word of God; only men, for whom they were all made, ingratefully rebell against it.
The which, as it mightily aggravates our unthankfulnesse; so when time comes, it will gall our Consciences to death. Yea, when we shall consider, that Christ hath removed so many evills from us, and conferred so many good things upon us, that they are beyond thought, or imagination; and that our recompence of his love, hath been only to doe that which he hates, and hate those whom he loves, it will make us speechlesse (like him in the Gospell, who wanted his wedding Garment) as neither expecting mercy, or daring to aske it: for know this, that thy own conscience will once sting thee, like an Adder, to think what Christ hath given, and what he would have forgiven thee, if thou wouldst but have repented: to thinke how often thou hast beene invited to Heaven, [Page 119]how easily thou mightest have escaped hell, how often Christ by his Embassadors offered thee remission of sins, and the Kingdome of Heaven freely, if thou wouldest but beleeve and repent, and how easily thou mightest have obtained mercy in those dayes, how neere thou wast many times to have repented, and yet diddest suffer the Devill and the World to keepe thee still impenitent, and how the day of mercy is then past, and will never dawn againe.
For the same Devill that now shuts your eyes, and labours to keepe you blinde, during the presumption of your life, will open them in the desperation, that shall wait on you at death, or in hell: As it fared with the rich man, who when he was in hell, lift up his eyes to Heaven; but never before, Luke 16.23. Those scorching flames opened them to propose: Sin shuts up mens eyes, but punishment opens them.
But I hope I have said enough, and that thou art convinc'd in thine own Conscience, that hitherto thou hast beene a meere Atheist, and that through Atheisme, thou hast hated, reviled and persecuted the godly: If not, truth is as much truth, when it is not acknowledged, as when it is.
Now if thou dost confidently, and without peradventure beleeve what the Scripture speakes of God, Heaven, hell, &c. If thou beleevest the threatnings and precepts, as well as the promises, and if thou bearest any love to thine own soule, Breake off thy sinnes by repentance, and oppose the good no longer, give no credit to the flesh, or the Devill, which prophesy prosperity to sinne; but beleeve God and the Scripture, which manifestly proves, that every man shall bee judged according to his workes, Revel. 12.13. and 22, 12. Make not Christ a boulster for sinne, nor Gods mercy a warrant for thy continuing [Page 120]in an evill course. Be not therefore evill, because hee is good, least like the foolish builder, thou commest short of thy reconning; for Christ came to destroy the works of the Devill, John 3.3.8, 9, 10. And not to be a Patron of sinne; and there is mercy with God that he might be feared, not that he might be despised, blasphemed, &c. Psal. 130.4. Yea, know this and write it in the Table booke of thy memory, and on the table of thine heart, that if God's bountifulnesse and long suffering towards thee does not leade thee to repentance, it will double thy doome, and increase the pile of thy torments: for every day, which does not abate of thy reckoning, will increase it, Qui numer at dotes, numer at dren; and thou by thy hardnesse and impenitencie, shalt but treasure up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath, and the declaration of the just judgment of God, Rom. 2.4, 5, 6.
And so much of the third cause.
Q [...]est. What other Causes are there, why they thus hate and persecute us?
Answ. Other maine Causes (as they make them) are these Eight,
- 1. Speaking of Truth. 1 Kings 12.8, 17, 23, 24, 26, 27. Ier. 11.19. and 26.8, 9, 11. and 36, 23, 26. and 38.4, 5, 6. Amos 5.10. Mark. 6.16. to 29. Acts 16, 19. to 25. and 17.5, 6, 7, 13. and 18, 11, 12, 13, and 19, 26. to 34. and 21: 27, 28, 30, 31. and 22, 22, 23. and 23 1, 2, 12, 13, 14. Gal 4.16.
- 2. Misprision, Acts 24.14. and 26, 9, 10, 11, 24. 1 Kings 18.17, 18. Psal. 14.1. Jer. 44.17, 18, 19. Wis. 5.4. Mat. 7 14. and 13.55, 56, 57. and 28, 15. Mar. 5.39, 40. and 7.5, 8, 9. John 2.19, 20, 21. and 3, 3, 4. and 7.15, 23, 24. and 8.15, 57, 58, 59. and 9.16. and 16, 2. Acts 2.13. 2 Thes. 2.10.11, 12. Rom. 8.5, 6, 7, 8 [Page 121]1 Cor. 1.18. to 29. and 2.7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. and 3.18, 19, 20. 2 Tim. 2.26. 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. Rev. 3.17,
- 3. Example of the multitude, Gen. 19 4. to 12. Num. 14.2.3, 10. and 16.1. to 4. Mat. 27.20, 25, 27, 39, 49. Acts 19.24, to 30.
- 4. Separation, Gen. 39.12. to 21. Psal. 26.4, 5. and 101.7. and 119, 63, 115. Prov. 5.8. and 23, 20. Ier. 15.19. Wisd. 2.16. Iohn 15.19. 1 Cor. 5.11. 2 Cor. 6.17. Ephes. 5.7. 2 Thes. 3.6, 14. 1 Pet. 4.4. Rev. 18.4.
- 5. The preaching of some Ministers, Ier. 5.31. and 8.11. and 23, 13.14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 26, 27, 31, 32. Eze. 22.25, 26, 28. Mat 9.34. Mark. 13.22. Ioh. 5.43. Act. 13.8 and 20, 29, 30. Rom. 16, 17, 18. 2 Cor. 2.17. and 11.13, 14, 15. 1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3. 2 Tim. 3.8. 2 Pet. 2. ch. and 3.3.
- 6. The scandalous lives of some professors, Gen. 9.21, 22. and 12, 18, 19. and 19.33, 35, 36. and 20.2, 12, 16. and 34, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 26. to 31. 1 Sam. 2.12. to 18. 2 Sam. 12, 14. Mat. 7.15. and 18, 7. and 23, 3, 14, 23, 24.25.27. and 26, 14, 15, 16, 70, 72, 74. and 27.5.
- 7. Flocking after Sermons, Ioh. 11.48. and 12, 19, 6, 2. and Acts 13.45. Matth. 4.24, 25. and 15, 30. Mar. 3.10. and 8.1. and 10, 1, 2. Luke 5.15. and 6, 17, 18, 19.
- 8. The finall cause is, that they may have more company here in sin, and hereafter in torment, Psal. 35.4 7, 12 and 40.14. and 5.6, 6. and 59, 2, 3. Matth. 23.13, 15. Luke 11.52. Iohn 11.48. and 12, 10.11. and 15.19. Act. 26.11. 1 Pet. 4.4. Revel. 12.17. and 13, 15.
But they are all so prolix, and yet so unmeete to bee abbreviated, that if I should handle them, and make of all but one Volume, they would so swell the heapè, that not a few would be deprived of the whole. He will buy a Manuall, or Enchiridion, that will not buy a Commentary: and he will reade a Curranto, that will not reade [Page 122]a Chronicle History. Yea, it may happen to meet with Patients so desperate, that although they acknowledge it is of absolute necessity for them to be informed touching these things, yet having Quesie stomacks, if they see their Potion bigge, aswell as bitter, will resolve to suffer, yea to dye rather than take it. That will bee swallowed by morsells, and easily digested, which being taken all at once, will not onely cloy, but surfet. Wherefore I will reserve the rest, untill I see what returne this will make: And the rather, for that there are three Treatises already publisht of this very subject,
viz.
- Sinne stigmatized.
- The Victory of Patience, last Edition.
- The mischiefe and misery of Scandalls.