if they be angry they turn their malice from the person which punisheth them to the sinne by which and for which he came to have leave and power to punish them and to themselves for committing such sins The cause of their suffering doth more vex them than the things which they suffer and they grieve more for the displeasure of God than for the stripes of his displeasure It is not the punishment but the cause of it makes them sorrowfull And indeed to speak home to every mans conscience why are we patient or impatient it is worth the noting when sinne lyes light then reproaches and contempt lye heavy whereas if we truly feel the weight of sinne all indignities will be as nothing Or thirdly In case they do return an answer it is after the manner of Epictetus who would not deny the sins his enemy taxed him with but reproves his ignorance rather in that being unacquainted with the infinity of his crimes he layes only two or three to his charge whereas indeed he was guilty of a million Or as Latymer was wont who rejoyced when any objected indiscretion against him in his Sermons saying he knew by that that they could not object against the matter it self Or according to Philip of Macedon his example who would not punish Nicanor although he openly spake evill of him saying when he heard thereof I suppose Nicanor is a good man it were better to search whether the fault be in us or no so no sooner shall an holy mans enemy accuse him of hypocrisie pride passion covetousnesse c. but he will go to God and accuse himself and complain I am so indeed yea with Paul I am the chief of all sinners I am more vile than his termes can make me and I much marvell my punishment is no greater then to hear a few ill and bitter words And indeed one would think whatsoever is not pain nor sufferance or admit it be pain and sufferance so long as it is not a curse but a crosse may well be born without grumbling What said that Gentleman in Athens to his friends when Ashuerus came and took away half his plate as he was at dinner with him they admiring that he was not a whit moved thereat I thank God quoth he that his Highnesse hath left me any thing Yea suppose we lose all we have our goods are furthest off us and if but in these we smart we must confesse to finde favour Or admit they hurt our bodies or kill us which they may soon do if God but give leave for our life even the best of us is but like a bubble which boyes blow up in the ayre and presently again blow into meer ayr Caesar goes an Emperour to the Senate is brought a Corps home again What ever I say befals us this would be our meditation he that afflicted me for a time could have held me longer he that touched me in part could have stricken me in whole he that laid this upon my body hath power to lay a greater Rod both upon my body and soul without doing me the least wrong That all crosses and curses temporall spirituall and eternall even from the pains of the damned to the very Itch as Moses sets down Deut. 28.27 are deserved and come not upon us against equity equity I say in respect of God not in respect of men they come from a just Author though from an unjust instrument And that sinne is the ground of all our griefs the source of all our sufferings wickednesse the root of our wretchednesse that we are disciplin'd is from our defects is a truth undeniable appears plainly for first God affirms it Deut. 28. Isa. 57.17 Hos. 13.9 Jer. 30.15 and 4.18 Secondly His servants confirm it 1 Chron. 21.17 Isa. 64.5 Dan. 9.7 8 c. Lam. 1.5 8. and 3.39 c. Ezra 9.13 Luk. 23.41 Thirdly Good reason makes for it sinfull men smite not their dogs much lesse their children without a cause and shall we think the just God will smite without just cause his judgements saith a Father are sometimes secret alwayes just No misery had ever afflicted us if sinne had not first infected us What 's the reason we all die it could not be in justice if we had not all sinned and so of all other evils even sicknesse originally proceeds from sinne and all weaknesse from wickednesse one man languisheth of a Consumption another laboureth of a Feaver a third is rackt with the Gout a fourth swoln with the Dropsie a fift hath his soul let out with a sword every one hath a severall way to bring him to the common end death but sinne is the universall disease Death passed upon all for all have sinned Rom. 5.12 Iames 3.2 Yea as we brought a world of sinne into the world with us so since each man hath broken every one of Gods ten Laws ten thousand times and ten thousand wayes which is far from a privative holinesse in reforming that which is evill and a positive holinesse in performing that which is good Eph. 4.22 23. and every sin helps for as originall sin is the originall cause of death so actuall sins hasten it But to conclude in generall that sin is the cause we suffer is not sufficient for commonly no judgement comes from God but some particular provocation of man went before it the hand of Divine Iustice seldom makes us smart without some eminent cause foregoing therefore David seeing a famine in the Land inquires for the particular provoking sin 2 Sam. 21.1 so when we suffer our question should be What have we done yea what have we done in the same kinde for oftentimes we may read our sin in our punishment as it fared with Adonibezeck Judg. 1.7 and many other mentioned in Scripture Sodom was burnt with fire unnaturall as they burned with lust unnaturall Absoloms chief pride lay in his hair and that became his halter Salomon dividing Gods Kingdom had his own Kingdom divided David hath slain Vriah with the sword therefore the sword shall not depart from his house Dives would not give Lazarus a crum Lazarus shall not bring Dives a drop Iudas was the instrument of his Masters death he shall be the instrument of his own death Proud Bajazet vowes to imprison Tamberlaine in an Iron Cage and carry him about the world in triumph But Tamberlaine having conquered that bragging Turk carried and carted him through all Asia to be scorned of his own people For instance Is any one censured reviled and persecuted of lewd men for being religious Let him reflect upon his life past and happily their revilings and persecutions will bring to his remembrance that he himself before his conversion hath likewise censured reviled or persecuted others It may be his naturall spirituall or politicall parents in some kind or other as who can plead innocency herein and he that is not humbled for his sin is not yet justified from his sin Yea so often as
succession shall reap them and we shall be happy in making them so so on the contrary wicked men leave their evill practises to posterity and though dead are still tempting unto sin and still they sin in that temptation they sin so long as they cause sin This was Ierobâ—ams case in making Israel to sin for let him be dead yet so long as any worshiped his Calves Ieroboam sinned Neither was his sin soon forgotten Nadab his son and Baasha his successour Zimri and Omri and Ahab and Ahaziah and Iehoram all these walked in the wayes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sin and not they alone but millions of the people with them So that it is easie for a mans sin to live when himself is dead and to lead that exemplary way to Hell which by the number of his followers shall continually aggravate his torments As O what infinite torments doth Mahomeâ— indure when every Tuâ—k that perisheth by his jugling does dayly adde to the pile of his unspeakable horrors And so each sinner according to his proportion and the number of souls which miscarry through the contagion of his evill example And look to it for the bloud of so many souls as thou hast seduced will be required at thy hands and thou must give an account for the sins perhaps of a thousand Thou doest not more increase other mens wickednesse on Earth then their wickednesse shall increase thy damnation in Hell Luk. 16. 9. § It were easie to goe on in aggravating thy sinne and wretchednesse and making it out of measure great and the souls that miscarry through the contagion of thy evill example numerous For is not the Gospell and the name of God blasphemed among the very Turks Iews and Infidels and an evill scandall raised upon the whole Church through thy superlative wickednesse and other thy fellows Yea does not this keep them off from embracing the Christian Religion and cause them to protest against 〈…〉 and all such wicked and prophane wretches are not like dirt in the house of God thrown out into the street by excommunication Or as eâ—â—ovements and bad humours in mans body which is never at case till it be thereof disburthened as Austin well notes That they are not marked with a black coal of infamy and their company avoided as by the Apostles order they ought Rom. 16.17 2 Thess. 3.6 14. Eph. 5 5 7. 1 Cor. 5.5 11. 1 Tim. 1.20 That they are not to us as Lepâ—rs were among the Iews or as men full of plague sores are amongst us We well know the good husband man weeds his field of â—urtfull plants that they may not spoil the good corn And when fire hath taken an house we use to pull it down lest it should fire also the neighbours houses Yea the good Chirurgion cuts off a rotten member betimes that the sound may not be endangered Nor will the Church of England ever flourish or be happy in her Reformation until such a course is taken MEMB. 4. Swearer Sir I unfainedly blesse God for what I have heard from you for formerly I had not the least thought that swearing by faith â—roth or any other creature was so grievous a sin â—s you have made it appear from the Word And I hope it shall be a sufficient warning to me for time to come 1. § Messenger If so you have cause to blesse God indeed For all of you have heard the self-same Word but one goes away beâ—tered others exasperated and inraged wherein Will only makes the difference And who makes the difference of Wills but God that made them He that creates the new heart leaves a stone in one bosome puts flesh into another 2. § Of hearers there are usually four sorts Mat. 13.19 to 24. as first an honest and good heart will not return from hearing the word unbettered Yea he will so note what is spoken to his own sin that it shall increase his knowledge and lessen his vices As who by looking in a Glasse shall spy spotâ— in his face and will not forthwith wipe them out A wise man will not have one sin twice repeated unto him And these may be resembled to wax which yeeldeth sonner to the seal then steel to the stamp But 3. § Secondly others are like Tullies strange soil much rain leaveâ— them still as dry as dust Or the Wolfe in the emblem which though she suckt the Goat kept notwithstanding her wolvish nature still For speak what can be spoken to them it presently passes away like the sound of a Bell that is rung Let testimonies and examples nâ—ver so much concern them they prove no other then as so many characters writ in the water which leave no impression 〈◊〉 hinde them Who may be resembled to an Hour-glasse or Conduâ—t that which in one hour runneth in the same in another hour runneth out again Or the Smiths Iron put it into the fire it is much sofined again put it into the water 't is harder then before Yea let them never so much smart for their sins they will return to them again untill they perish Resembling some silly flye which being beat from the candle an hundred times and oft singed therein yet will return to it again untill she be consumed Prov. 23.35 All those Beasts which went into the Arke 〈◊〉 came likewise ou◠〈◊〉 4. § Thirdly another sort will very orderly hear the Word and delight in it so long as the Minister shall rove in generalities preach little or nothing to the purpose But if once he touch them to the quick drive an application home to their consciences touching some one sin of theirs as John Baptist served Herod then they will turn their backs upon him and hear him no farther as those Jews served our Saviour Ioh. 6.66 The Athenians Paul Acts 17.16 to 34. and Ahab Micaiah 1 King 22.8 5. § Sore eyes you know are much grieved to look upon the Sun Bankrupts cannot abide the â—ight of their counting books nor doe deformed faces love to looke themselves in a true Glasse For which read John 3.19 20 2â— But let such men know that to flye from the light and reject the means puts them out of all hope That sin is past cure which turns from and refuseth the cure Deut. 17.12 Prov. 29.1 As what is light to them that will shut their eyes against it or reason to them that will stop their Ears from hearing it If those murtherers of the Lord of life Act. 2.23 had refused to hear Peters searching Sermon in all probability they had never been prickt in their hearts never been saved ver 37 38. And take this for a rule if ever you see a drowning man refuse help conclude him a wilfull murtherer 6. § Fourthly and lastly for I passe by those blocks that goe to Church as dogs do only for company and can hear a powerfull Minister for twenty or thirty years together and minde no more what they hear then the seats they
Abrahams faith Iobs patience Pauls courage and constancy if they had not been tried by the fire of affliction their graces had been smothered as so many lights under Bushel which now to the glory of God shine to all the World Yea noâ— only their vertues but the gracious lives of all the Saints departed dâ— still magnifie him even to this day in every place we hear of them anâ— move us likewise to glorifie God for them wherefore happy man thaâ— leaves such a president for which the future Ages shall praise him and praise God for him And certainly if God intends to glorifie himself by his graces in us he will finde means to fetch them forth into the notice of the World Who could know the faith patience and valour of Gods souldiers iâ— they alwayes lay in Garrison and never came to the skirmish Whereaâ— now they are both exemplary and serve also to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 1 Pet. 2.15 Yea without enemies valour and fortitudâ— were of no use Till we have sinned Repentance either is not or appearâ— not Neither is patience visible to others or sensible to our selves till we are exercised with sufferings whereas these vertues in time of misery and exigents shine as stars do in a dark night And what more glorious than with Noahs ' Olive-tree to keep our branches green under water Or with Aarons Rod to bring forth ripe Almonds when in appearance we are clong and dry Or with Moses's Bush not to consume though on a lighâ— fire One Iupiter set out by Homer the Poet was worth ten set out by Phidiaâ— the Carver saith Philostratus because the former slew abroad through all the World whereas the other never stirred from his Pedistal at Athens so at first the honour and splendour of Iobs integrity was confined to Uz a little corner of Arabia yea to his own Family whereas by means of the Devils malice it is now spread as far as the Sun can extend his beams or the Moon her influence for of such a Favourite of Heaven such a Mirrour of the Earth such a wonder of the World who takes noâ— notice Who could know whether we be vessels of gold or dross unless we were brought to the Touchstone of temptation Who could feel the odoriferous smell of these Aromatical Spices if they were not pounded and bruised in the Mortar of affliction The Worlds hatred and calumny to aâ— able Christian serves as bellows to kindle his devotion and blow off the ashes under which his faith lay hid like the Moon he shines clearest in the night of affliction If it made for the honour of Saul and all Israel that he had a little Boy in his Army that was able to encounter that selected great Giant Goliah of the Philistims and overcome him how much more doth it make for Gods glory that the least of his adopted ones should be able to encounter four enemies The World 1 John 5.4 The Flesh Gal. 5.24 The Devil 1 John 2.14 and The Death Rom. 8.36 37. The weakest of which is 1 The Flesh 2 The World Now the Flesh being an home-bred enemy a Dalilah in Samsons bosome a Iudas in Christs company like a Moath in the garment bred in us and cherished of us and yet alwayes attempting to fret and destroy us and the world a forreign foe whose Army consists of two Wings Adversity on the left hand Prosperity on the right hand Death stronger then either and the Devil stronger than all And yet that the weakest childe of God only through faiâ—h in Christ a thing as much despised of Philistims as Davids â—â—ing and stone was of Goliah should overcome all these fourâ— wherein he shews himself a greater Conquerour then William the Conquerour yea even greater then Alexander the Great or Pompey the Great or the Great Turk for they only conquered in many years a few parts of the World but he that is born of God overcometh the whole World all things in the World 1 Joh. 5. And this is the victory that overcometh the World even our faith Vers. 4. And makes not this infinitely for the glory of God Yea it makes much for the honour of Christians For art thou born of God Hast thou vanquished the World that vanquisheth all the wicked Bless God for this conquest The King of Spains overcomming the Indies was nothing to it If Satan had known his afflicting of Iob would have so advanced the glory of God manifested Iobs admirable patience to all Ages made such a president for imitation to others occasioned so much shame to himself I doubt noâ— but Iob should have continued prosperous and quiet for who will set upon his Adversary when he knoweth he shall be shamefully beaten This being so happy are they who when they do well hear ill but much more blessed are they who live so well as that their backbiting Adversaries seeing their good works are constrained to praise God and speak well of them CHAP. 4. That God suffers his children to be afflicted and persecuted by ungodly men that so they may be brought to repentance NOw the Reasons which have chiefly respect to the good of his children in their sufferings being thirteen in number are distinguished as followeth God suffers his children to be afflicted by them 1 Because it Brings them to repentance 2 Because it Works in them amendment of life 3 Because it Stirs them up to prayer 4 Because it Weans them from the love of the World 5 Because it Keeps them alwayes prepared to the spirituall combate 6 Because it Discovers whether we be true beleevers or Hyprocites 7 Because it Prevents greater evils of sinne and punishment to come 8 Because it makes them Humble 9 Because it makes them Conformable to Christ their head 10 Because it Increaseth their Faith 11 Because it Increaseth their Ioy and Thankfulness 12 Because it Increaseth their Spiritual Wisdome 13 Because it Increaseth their Patience First the Lord suffers his children to be vexed and persecuted by the wicked because it is a notable means to rouze them out of carelesse security and bring them to repentance He openeth the eares of men saith Elihu even by their corrections that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprizo and that he might keep back his soul from the pit Job 33.16 17 18. The feeling of smart will teach us to decline the cause Quia sentio poenam recogitâ— culpam saith Gregory the Great punishments felt bring to my consideration sins committed Those bitter sufferings of Iob toward his latter end made him to possess the iniquities of his youth Iob 13.26 whereby with Solomons Eves-dropper Eccles. 7.21 22. he came to repent of that whereof he did not once suspect himselfe guilty it made him not think so much of what he felt as what he deserved to feel in like manner how do the clamours of Satan our own consciences and the insulting World constrain us to possess
tryumphed over his enemies when most they seemed to tryumph over him Col. 2.15 And the Martyrs who are said by the holy Ghost to overcome the great Dragon that old Serpeut called the Divell and Satan in that they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12 11. Their conquering was by dying not by killing and can the back of Charity now bare no load are the sinews of Love grown so feeble And holy David who when he had Saul at his mercy in stead of cutting off his head as his servants perswaded him only cut off the lap of his garment and after thought that too much also And at another time when the Lord had closed him into his hands finding him asleep in the Fort in stead of taking away his life as Abishai counselled him he took away his Spear and in stead of taking away his blood from his heart he takes a pot of water from his head That this kinde of revenge for a man to finde his enemy at an advantage and let him depart free is generous and noble beyond the capacity of an ordinary man you may hear Saul himself confesse 1 Sam. 24.17 to 23. Again when the King of Syria sent a mighty Host to take Elisha and the Lord had smote them all with blindnesse and shut them into Samaria what doth the Prophet slay them No indeed the King of Israel would fain have had it so his fingers itcht to be doing but Elisha commanded bread and water to be set before them that they might eat and drink and go to their Master 2 King 6.22 So a Christian truly generous will omit no opportunity of doing good nor do evil though he have opportunity for to may and will not is the Christians laud. Which yet is not all for besides that it is the most generous noble valiant wise divine and Christianlike revenge to passe by and forgive injuries our Saviour Christ in whom is the fountain of all wisdome and knowledge as all the senses are in the head Zach. 4.12 allowes none for magnanimous but such as together with forgiving blesse those that curse them and do good to such as hurt them Matth. 5.44 The case of Moses Steven and many others as I shall shew in Chapter 31. which is true generosity indeed But how contrary is the opinion of the World to the judgment of God and the wisest of men concerning valour For should the greatest and gravost Divine in the Land preach this our impatient Gallants would not beleeve but that it consists in a brave revenge and that an humble patience is an argument of basenesse and that every wrong or disgracefull word is quarrell just enough to shed blood And lest there should want offences or they give place unto wrath as the Apostle adviseth Rom. 12.19 they will strive for the way or contend for the wall even to the death which proves them to be as wise as a wall for they come short of the wisedom of beasts Pliny tells us of two Goates Mutianus being an eye-witnesse which meeting on a straight and narrow bridge that the one could not passe by the other nor turn aside to return back again neither made his way by overturning the other but the one lay down that the other might go over him I pray God their too much turning to the right hand before man cause them not to be set at Christs left hand with those Goates which are destined to everlasting fire But certainly if they amend not their course God shall condemn them for invading his office for vengeance is his and that they call courage he shall judge outrage Woe is me into what unhappy times are we fallen and how hath the devill blinded and bewitcht our Gallants that the wretchedest and basest cowardise should ruffle it out in the garb of valour while the truly valiant passe for and are reputed cowards And how great is the corruption of mans heart which is not ashamed of things shamefull and yet ashamed of things wherein they ought to glory Is this courage to kill one another for the wall as though either of their honours were of more worth then both their souls Yea suppose they overcome is not this power of theirs the greatest infirmity for whether they thus die or kill they have committed murther if they kill they have murthered another if they die they have murthered themselves Surviving there is the plague of conscience dying there is the plague of torments if they both escape yet it is homicide that they meant to kill O that they would take notice of this and lay it to heart But what 's the reason of this their mistake what makes them judge Iob a fool and count David a coward for their humble patience this is the difference there was the faith and patience of the Saints here is the infidelity and impatience of sinners whom the Devill hath bewitcht to glory in their shame or in plain English a reprobate judgment is the only cause for with them every vertue is counted a vice and every vice a vertue as their own words witnesse in nicknaming each vice and grace with opposite titles But as when it was objected to a Martyr that his Christ was but a Carpenters sonne he answered yea but such a Carpenter as built Heaven and Earth so we grant we are Cowards as they tearm us but such cowards as are able to prevail with God Gen. 32.26 28. Exod. 32.10 And overcome the World the Flesh and the Devill 1 Joh. 5.4 Gal. 5.24 1 Joh. 2.14 which is as much valour and victory as we care for CHAP. XIX That suffering is the only way to prevent suffering 3. BEcause suffering is the only way to prevent suffering Revenge being one of those remedies which not seldom proves more grievous than the disease it selfe When once Xantippe the wife of Socrates in the open street pluckt his cloak from his back and some of his acquaintance counselled him to strike her he answers You say well that while we are brawling and fighting together every one of you may clap us on the back and cry Hoe well said to it Socrates yea well done Xantippe the wisest of the twain When Aristippus was asked by one in derision where the great high friendship was become that formerly had been beâ—ween him and Aeschiâ—es he answers It is asleep but I will go and awaken it and did so lest their enemies should make it a matter of rejoycing When Philip of Macedon was told that the Grecians spake evil words of him notwithstanding he did them much good and was withall counselled to chastise them he answers Your counsel is not good for if they now speak evil of us having done them good only what would they then if we should do them any harm And at another time being counselled either to banish or put to death one who had slandered him he would do neither of both saying It was not a sufficient cause to condemn him and
that perisheth by Mahomets jugling add to the pilâ— of his unspeakable horrors So if we sow good works succession shall reap them and we shall be happy in making others so Good Report from Bad men no mean disparagement TOGETHER With a Cordial for Christians when they receive evil for well doing BEING An Arrow drawn forth of that Sententious Quiver Intituled A Christian Library or a pleasant and plentifull Paradise of practical Divinity SECT I. Convert REverend Sir when by a providence you heard me swear and curse you gave me a printed Paper to convince me of that fowle audacious provoking and yet unprofitable sin and withall intreated me to read three larger Tracts viz. A short and sure way to grace and salvation The hearts Index with A serious and pathetical description of Heaven and Hell This to me whom you had never before seen seemed no less absurd then strange and having a darke heart in stead of great love and thanks I returned you a most churlish and uncivil answer and accordingly when I met with my drunken consorts I read it with no less scorn then ignorance but before I had done it made me tremble nor could I rest until I had perused the other three Books which have so represented the very thoughts secrets and deceitfulness of my heart unto my conscience that I could not but say of them as the woman of Samaria once spake of our Saviour They have told me all things that ever I did John 4.29 Which made me conclude with that Vnbeliever 1 Cor. 14.24.25 That the hand of God was in the contriving of them Nor could they ever have so done if they were not of God as the young man in the Gospel reasoned with the Pharisees touching Iesus when he had opened his eyes that had been blind from his birth John 9.32.33 Which is such a mercy that no tongue is able to express for till then I went on in the broad way and worlds road to destruction without any mistrust What change they have wrought in me with Gods blessing upon the means and how greatly I have longed to see you again I forbear to mention Onely this when I had read them in reference to Levit. 19.17 and in compassion to their pretious soules who are neither able nor willing to help themselves I have and not without some comfortable success taken up your trade in giving the Papers and mentioning the Books to all that I hear blaspheme my Maker or belch out their spleen against goodness As well considering that one soule is of more worth then the Indies And indeed whose heart would it not make to bleed to see what multitudes there are that go blindfold to destruction and no man offer to stop or check them before they arrive there from whence there is no redemption Matth. 7.13.14 1 Iohn 5.19 Revel 20.8 and 13 16. Rom. 9.27 2 Tim. 2.26 2 Cor. 4.4 Ephes. 2.1 to 4. Iohn 8.44 And certainly it more then behoves me as being my self snatcht out of the fire Jude 23. to do what I can to draw others of my brethren after me in imitation of Andrew John 1.41 and Philip v. 45. and the women of Samaria John 4.28 to 41. and Peter Luke 22.32 Acts 2.41 4.4 c. 3. and of Moses Exod. 32.32 and Paul Rom. 9.3 Neither are we of the communion of Saints if we desire not the salvation of others Yea how could I be thankful to my Redeemer that hath done and suffered so much for me or in the least love God and my Neighbour if I should not thus resolve as by my sins and bad example I have drawn others from God so now I will all I can draw others with my self to God yea what a shame were it If I should not be as faithful a servant to my Saviour As I have formerly been to Sathan Saul converted will build up as fast as ever he pulled down and preach as zealously as ever he persecuted Onely there is a great rub in the way which makes me fear I shall not be able to hold out for I am so scoft and scorned where ever I come both by Parents Friends and Enemies for giving these Papers that they make me even weary of my life as the daughters of Heth did Rebecca Gen. 27 46. And yet I dare not leave off since our Saviour saith expressly that he will be ashamed of such at the latter day who are now ashamed for his sake to bear a few scoffs and reproaches from the World Marke 8.38 Nevertheless I am in a wonderful strait for if I seek to please God and discharge my conscience I displease the world and that will hate and vex me if I seek to please the world I displease God and he will hate and condemn me Now though the case be plain enough for better it is to have all the world mine enemies then my Maker my Redeemer and my Conscience Acts 5.29 Yet it almost beats me off from being religious back to the world And certainly he must be more spirit then flesh that can contentedly make himself contemptible to follow Christ be pointed at for singularity indure so many base and vile nicknames have his Religion judged hypocrisie his godly simplicity silliness his zeal madness and the like malicious and mischievous constructions made of whatsoever he speaks or does For my part I could better abide a stake God assisting me then the mocks scoffs and scornes which every where I meet withall Its death to me to be mockt as it fared with Zedekiah Jer. 38.19 Now could you cure me of my cowardliness as you have of my cursing and swearing I should have cause indeed to bless the time that ever I saw you and why not Since God hath given you the Tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to them that are weary Esay 50.4 Sect. 2. Minister If you would shake off this slavish yoke of bondage and fear in which Satan for the present holds you and be rid of this bashful devil Search the Scriptures and they will both inform your judgement and confirm comfort and strengthen you against the worlds hatred and calumny though there needs no more then Ephes. 6.11 12 James 3.6.2 Tim. 3.12 Matth. 5.10 11 12 and 10.22 and 24.9 Luke 2.34 35. and 4.29 John 15.20 Gen. 3.15 1 John 3.13 1 Pet. 4 1â— 13 14. Luke 14.27 and 6.26 Philip. 1.28 29. Revel 2.13 Do but seriously ponder these few places and consider by whom they were spoken and then certainly you will confess that if there be any nectar in this life t is in sorrows we endure for righteousness And methinks when I hear goodness calumniated I bear it the easier because the servants of vice and none else do it But the better to help and further you in this great work take these ensuing Notions Aphorisms and conclusions which perhaps alone may both imbolden you and stop many of their mouths that scoff you First