to thwart it or like to disgrace or disparage it as it was said of Israel of old 2 Chron. 36. v. 14. That the chief of the Priests and the Prophets transgressed very much after all the abominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord c. and they had habituated themselves so to do that this was the effect v. 15. That when God had sent to them by his Messengers because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place They v. 16. mocked the messengers of God despised his word and misused his Prophets Their custom to worship in that false way made them now not able to bear with a reprroof or persuasion to return to worship again after the way which God himself had prescribed so zealous were they for that which they had been used to in those days therefore did they persecute and misuse the Messengers whom God had sent to have turned them from their Heathenish way of worshiping which also the Psalmist noted in his time Psal 2. He prophesied that which should come to pass in Christs time Why saith he there do the heathen rage and the people imagin a vain thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Le ts break their bands assunder and cast away their cords from us When the Lords Anointed should come he would by his Laws alter the Jewish ways of worshiping according to their old Law Traditions and Customs and introduce a new as the Law of God before did contradict and forbid the Heathen Worship which neither the one nor the other could bear with while unconverted therefore would they rage imagin and take counsel against God and Christ how to break their Bands and to cast away their Cords they would none of Christs Government or Laws of which also Christ himself in his days spake to his Disciples John 16. v. 2. that this blind Zeal should put them upon killing of the Opposers thereof The time cometh saith he there that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God good service Their opinion of their own false Way should be so strong that it should prompt them to destroy any who should preach or practice the contrary as for instance it came to pass Such was Pauls Zeal before his Conversion Act. 8. 't is said of him v. 3. That he made havock of the Church entring into every house and haleing men and women and committing them to prison the cause of which was his zeal for his Religion as himself acknowledged Act. 22.3 4. in these words I was zealous towards God as ye all at this day and I persecuted this way unto the death c. All this as the consequent of his mistaken Zeal as he said Acts 26. v. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus which things I also did and the particulars he named in the next verses Being exceeding mad against them I persecuted them c. And again Gal. 1.13 he declared it in these words Ye have heard of my Conversation in times past in the Jews Religion that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it The grounds and reasons stirring him up hereto was his mistaken Zeal as he himself saith in the next verse in these words And profited in the Jews Religion above many of mine equals in mine own Nation being more exceeding zealous of the Traditions of my Fathers Here his blind Zeal he verily thought he ought to do as he did he having been bred up in the strict observation of the Law and of the Jewish Traditions and Customs made him so exceeding mad against all such whose Doctrin or Practice was otherwise could not bear with any alteration or turning out of his accustomed way nor with any who did walk profess or teach otherwise therefore was he so violent in persecuting of Christians and in his endeavors to hinder the spreading of the Gospel till Christ met with him and convinced him to purpose of his mistaken zeal Another instance of this is noted by Daniel in his days Dan. 3. When the King there had set up an Image v. 1. and dedicated it v. 3. and in the following verses proclaimed that all should at such times fall down and worship And the Caldeans great zeal for this Idolatry put them upon accusing Shadrach Meshach and Abednego c. for not worshiping this Image as the Caldeans did worship this also set the King into a great rage too against them such was his zeal also yea to such a degree too that when they had utterly denyed to worship the Image he commanded the Furnace to be heat seventy times hotter and they to be cast in which was executed v. 21. So hot was he for his Image-worship that the Non-complyers must die for it Upon the like ground also did the Scribes and Pharisees quarrel with Christ and his Disciples in those days Mat. 15. Why say they there to Christ do thy Disciples transgress the Traditions of the the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat Bread v. 2. Their Heat and Fervor for their Religion and Traditions put them upon this Cavelling tho Christ had told them that they by their Traditions had made void the Law of God this Tradition and Custom of theirs is set forth in Mark 7.3 4. thus That the Pharisees and the Jews except they wash their hands oft eat not holding the Traditions of the Elders and when they came from the Market except they washed they would not eat and many other things there be which they have received to hold as the washing of Cups and Pots Brasen-vessels and of Tables or Beds Their Heart engagedness to these Ways and Traditions received of their Father made them quarrel at Christ and his Followers for not observing of them So again for not observing the Sabbath Mat. 12. they said Behold thy Disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day v. 2. And this put them upon endeavoring to ensnare Christ by questions and take counsel against him how they might destroy him they could not bear with such who did not as they did in these matters in those days The Philosophers were so addicted to their Idols Act. 17. that they despised Paul and his Doctrin and said v. 14. What will this babler say he seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods and v. 19 20. they said May we know what this new Doctrin whereof thou speakest is For thou bringest certain things we would know therefore what these things mean These could not bear with the preaching up the true God they being worshipers of Idols the true God was a strange God to them and what Paul had preached were strange things because contrary to what they had been bred up in and their zeal was so hot for their false Worship that they despised
all the Jews must be destroyed together which he pursued in the following verses After the same manner did they pursue Christ himself to the death John 18. and because the Jews themselves could not proceed so far as to put him to death by their Law as themselves confessed v. 31. they therefore brought him before Pilate to be judged that they might by pretence of that Authority put him to death which afterwards they did tho so just a One as he was and by Pilate declared so to be as is in the next Chap. recorded yea when Pilate would have released him because of his Innocency Luke 23.14 15. the Jews cryed out v. 21. Crucifie him Crucifie him right or wrong they must have his life this was in their hearts to have as appears further v. 22 23. The Scribes and Pharisees having beforehand Mat. 12.14 taken counsel how they might destroy him Christ did forewarn his Disciples and Followers and intimated unto them that they should be so dealt with too Mat. 10. The Brother saith he there in v. 21. shall deliver up the Brother to death and the Father the Child and the Children shall rise up against their Parents and put them to death according to which they frequently did in those days as the Scripture doth evidence When Christ had raised up Lazarus John 11.43 44. The chief Priests in Chap. 12. v. 10 11. consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death because that by reason of him many of the Jews believed on Jesus So Acts 5. because the Apostles had preached Christ before the Council there they presently consulted to slay them v. 33. The same Spirit was Saul of Act. 8.1 he there consented to the death of Stephen and Act. 9.1 it s said of him That he yet breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord which he himself acknowledged he had done Act. 22. v. 4. in these words I persecuted this way to the death so dealt he and others with Stephen upon his preaching of Christ Act. 7. They ran upon him with one accord and cast him out of the City and stoned him v. 57 58. Herod the King Act. 12. stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church v. 1. and v. 2. he killeth James with the sword yea there were more than fourty of the Jews who bound themselves in a curse not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul v. 12 13. of which they acquainted the chief Priests and Elders and directed them into a way to effect it too in the next verses And again Act. 25. The chief Priests and chief of the Jews designed to kill him and in order to it they desired the favor of Festus to send for Paul to Jerusalem v. 2. and v. 3. 't is said That there were lyers in wait in the way to kill him thus did they pursue their very Lives by all their former Methods For which doings the Apostle complained in his First Epist to the Thessalonians of the Jews Chap. 2. v. 14 15. thus The Jews who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophet and have persecuted us c. Thus hath the Scripture also taken notice that their Enmity was such that by way of revenge nothing less would serve them than the very Lives of the Saints and Servants of God yea of Christ himself in those days they could not rest till they had taken them off the Earth Then Thirdly As the Holy Ghost hath by Scripture Records shewn the bitter Enmity that was seated in the Hearts of the wicked in those days against the Saints and Holiness it self and the several Methods those Men then took to express or evidence their Enmity against them and it for their suppression and to hinder the growth of Holiness so also hath the same Spirit deluded down to after Age many of the Grounds and Causes of such their Enmity against and hatred of them and which put them upon Persecuting the one and Opposing the other The First and Original Cause why they did persecute at that rate in those days was from that irreconcilable Enmity which they brought into the World with them against God against Christ who came forth from him against his Laws and Government as is said Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God cannot be subject to him they cannot endure any thing of the Spirit whilst they are in the Flesh in the same State in which they came into the World they cannot bear with the Light which shineth in the Law of God because their Works are Works of Darkness and hence came their Hearts to be at enmity and hatred against the Saints and Servants of God such who owned God and his Laws and subjected themselves to him and it or did preach up Subjection to the same and so consequently to persecute their Persons and oppose and obstruct the spreading of the Truth by all the ways they could as the Psalmist impli'd they did when he spake in Psal 2. thus Why do the heathen rage and the people imagin vain things The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take councel together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Let us break their Bands and cast their Cords from us c. they could not bear them they would not be bound by them v. 1 2. Here their Enmity against God and Christ and his Laws put them upon imagining taking councel how to ease themselves of the good Men of God and Christ and as a consequent how to ease themselves of all those who did submit to those Laws of God and walk with him as the Psalmist again did cleerly assert Psal 83. in these words v. 2. Thine enemies make a Tumult and they who hate thee lift up the head v. 2. what follows why v. 3. they have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones and v. 4. they said Come and le ts cut them off from being a Nation here first they hate God himself and then consult to destroy his People To this cause doth the Psalmist reduce it in those days Psal 44.22 For thy sake saith he there are we killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter it was for Gods sake they hated him and must needs kill his whom they could reach Jeremiah spake after the like manner Chap. 15. v. 15. he prays thus Revenge me of my Persecutors c. and useth this as the Argument Know saith he that for thy sake have I suffered rebuke it was for his faithfulness to God So Christ told his Disciples Mat. 10. That they should be brought before Governors and Kings but for his name sake v. 8 they hated Christ so punished his Followers and again v. 22. Ye shall be hated of all men for my name sake their hatred of Christ is assigned here as the cause of their hatred against his Followers as Christ further hinted to the Jews in the
the Pride height of Spirit and revengeful Nature which was in them Such was their Pride that they would not seek God themselves nor bear with those who did as the Psalmist said Psal 10.4 That the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek God and in v. 8. 't is said of him That in the secret places doth he murther the innocent his eyes are privily set against the poor as their Pride here would not permit them to seek God so it set them against the Saints innocent Ones who did seek God The Psalmist again Psal 119.69 said The proud have forged a lie against me And again Psal 123.4 he saith Our Soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of them who are at ease and with the contempt of the proud Here the Holy Ghost takes notice that the Pride of their Hearts did render the Saints the objects of their Scorn and put them upon forging of lies against them This very thing set Haman into so great hatred against Mordicai and made him so resolute on revenge against him and all the Jews Hester 3. his proud Heart could not bear with Mordicai because he did not arise and do him Reverence as is expressed v. 5. in these words When Haman saw that Mordicai bowed not nor did him reverence then was Haman full of wrath and in the next verse He thought scorn to lay hands on Mordicai alone but sought to destroy all the Jews with him such were his revengeful Purposes from the dreadful Pride of his Heart Hence it came to pass that the Presidents and Princes in Daniels time so much hated him studied to revenge and took those courses to execute it upon him Dan. 6. He being now advanced by King Darius over all the Presidents and Princes v. 1 2. their proud hearts could not bear it and this put them upon seeking occasion against him concerning the Kingdom v. 4. and finding none so good a Subject and innocent Man was he they in the next verses resolves to take him in the matters of his God procured a Law and pursued him in the ways they had devised till they had gotten him into the Lions Den tho the King himself would have saved him From the like pride of Heart the Libertines and others who were disputing with Stephen Act. 6. and not able v. 9. to resist the spirit and wisdom by which he spake nor able to bear to be silenced by Stephen they in the next verses evidenced their Pride and revengeful Spirits they confute him by suborning Witnesses stirring up the People Elders and Scribes against him caught him and carryed him before the Council The like Spirit did the Jews evidence in those days in their Behaviour towards the Man who was born blind John 9. when he had by such convincing Arguments which they could not resist proved Christ to be of God v. 30. and so on The Pride of the Pharisees being such that they could not bear to be put to silence by such a poor unlearned Man as he was therefore they v. 34. took this course they first say to him Thou wast altogether born in sin and dost thou teach us And they Excommunicated him Having no better Argument they confuted him this way and revenged upon him after this sort Thus hath the Scripture noted that the wicked Ones envy against good Men often did arise from the Pride of their Hearts and revengeful Nature 4thly A fourth cause or ground from whence they so maligned and persecuted the Saints Christ himself and his Followers in those days did arise from their great ignorance of God himself of Christ and of the Saints in persecuting of whom they persecuted Christ as he told Saul Act. 9.4 As 't is said of Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go I know not the Lord said he therefore I will not let Israel go his ignorance of God here made him oppress and grieve Gods People still and pursue them afterwards So it was with Saul Act. 9. when Christ had said Why persecutest thou me Saul answered Who art thou Lord v. 4 5. Here his ignorance of Jesus was the cause why he persecuted him and his Saints Christ intimates this also to be the cause why the Jews hated him and persecuted him to the death Luke 23. when they were Crucified of him he there prays for them in these words v. 34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do Had they known him saith the Scripture they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 Their ignorance here was the cause of their persecuting Acts and of their malignant Mind against him and his The Psalmist took it for granted that in those days it did proceed from hence Psal 14.4 thus he said Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread Which Saying strongly implies that had they had knowledge they would not they could not have done so The Apostles also in their time did intimate the like and assigned the Ignorance of the Jews to be the cause of their malignity against Christ and his Act. 3. they tell them v. 15. That they had killed the Prince of life but v. 17. saith to them thus Now Brethren I wot that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Rulers And again Act. 13. said the Apostle to them in v. 27. That they who dwell at Jerusalem and their Rulers because they knew him not nor yet the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath-day they have fulfilled them in condemning him and in v. 28. Tho they found not cause of death in him yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain Upon the same Foundation of Ignorance Paul acknowledgeth that he went Act. 26. I verily thought with my self v. 9. that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus The Jews themselves John 9. did own their ignorance of Christ v. 29. said they As for this Fellow we know not from whence he is all the undeniable Evidences they had had that he was of God did not enlighten them nor convince them therefore they persisted to envy and persecute him and as to such who professed to own him many denied him Titus 1.16 being unto every good work reprobate or void of Judgment In like manner the Scripture declared that afterwards they persecuted and hated good Men upon this account or from hence that they knew not God Christ or them 1 Jo. 3.1 Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew not him and as Christ had told his Disciples John 15.20 If they persecuted me they will also persecute you and in the next verses gives the reason of it in these words All these things will they do unto you for my name sake because they know not him who sent me So again John 16. The time cometh said Christ there v. 2. that whosoever killeth you shall think he doth God
good service the reason of which he gives in the next verse in these words These things will they do because they have not known the Father nor me From this Root also doubtless it came to pass that the Christians in that Age were called a Sect Act. 28. and were so much spoken against every where as Pauls Countrymen said v. 2. We desire said they to him to hear of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this Sect we know that every where 't is spoken against right or wrong they speak against them and their way because they understood them not nor it Peter in general assigns this as the cause of Mens speaking evil of many things 2 Pet. 2.12 Those saith he speaking there of wicked Men as natural brute Beasts c. spake evil of the things which they understood not nay 't is marvellous that the malice of the Jews against Christ did so blind them that when Judas came to them and acknowledged to them that he had betrayed innocent Blood Mat. 27.3 4. They say What is that to us look thou to that when they had been the chief Instruments in the betraying of him and putting him to death Thus doth the Scripture Records note this Cause among others of which Mens envy against Christ himself and his Followers in those days against the Saints of old before his time and why they persecuted them 5thly A fifth cause or ground yet which the same Scripture doth assign or declare of these their Spirits and Doings was from a causeless and carnal Fear which they had conceived that if the Saints of old Jesus Christ and his Followers in those days were suffered amongst them or if their Doctrin should have prevailed then these would grow to big for them and would withdraw their subjection from their Rulers Rebel usurp Authority and would be had in greatest Esteem and Repute by the People and so derogate from the Honor Esteem Authority and Rule of those who did thus envy and persecute them they were ready to think that all Men would believe on Christ and that all the World would go after him if they should have let Him and his Followers alone and should not have stopped their course as they did declare John 11.48 If we let him thus alone said they there all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our Place and Nation And again John 12.19 they said Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold the world is gone after him thus did their causeless Jealousie work to Envy and Hatred and Persecution This made the Chief Priests and Scribes so highly displeased Mat. 21. when they had seen Christ to have such Esteem among the People and the same so evidenced by the multitudes spreading of their Garments decking the Ways where he did ride with Branches and crying out Hosanna to the Son of David blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the Highest v. 8 9 15. and upon this they v. 23. demanded of Christ by what authority he did those things as if he were about to usurp Authority or at least that he did it against or without Authority Particular instances of this cause or ground too not a few the Scripture takes notice of as in Exod. 1. The King there was without cause jealous that the Jews there would grow too great and numerous and Rebel therefore consulted to prevent their increase by dealing hardly with them his Jealousie is expressed v. 9 10. in these words The Children of Israel are more and mightier than we Come let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to pass that when there falleth out any War they join also to our Enemies and fight against us This causeless Fear put him upon dealing cruelly with them in order to prevent their growth as in the following verses upon which account also Josephs Brethren went Gen 37. they suspecting by his Dreams and his Fathers shew of love to him that Joseph would be greater than they v. 4. and the 8 11. they thereupon are said there to hate him and envy him and v. 19 20. of the same Chap. they consulted to slay him They could not bear with the thoughts of this that he should be greater than they in his Fathers Heart nor superior unto them in after-times which they had guessed his Dreams did intimate that he should be therefore they hate him and resolve to prevent the coming thereof to pass by taking away of his Life tho God purposed to advance Joseph to save them alive as Joseph afterwards told them Gen. 45.5 This Spirit is taken notice of also in Joshua from the same ground in Moses time Numb 11.26 When Eldad and Medad had prophesied in the Camp the young man presently thinking Moses was clouded somewhat by this told Moses on 't v. 27. and v. 28. said My Lord Moses forbid them which Spirit of Envy in Joshua and the cause on 't too Moses perceived and blamed him for it in these words in the next verses Enviest thou for my sake would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all doubtless Joshua here thought that none should have the honor of a Spirit of Prophesie but Moses or if they had they should not shew it as being eclipsing to Moses Glory and this stirred up this Envy in him For this cause also did Saul eye and envy David in that day and sought his Life David had gotten far into the opinion of his Fellow Subjects through his prudent Behavior in the Kings business and Saul feared that he would usurp the Kingdom too doubtless which he intimated in these words 1 Sam. 18. When the Women came after the overthrow of the Philistines singing in v. 6 7. that Saul had slain his thousands and David his ten thousands he v. 8. was very wroth and the saying displeased him and he said they have ascribed to David his ten thousand and to me thousand and can he have more but the Kingdom The Effect followeth in the next verses Saul from that day following eyed David and resolved and endeavored to kill him and Chap. 19.1 He gave order to his Son and Servants to kill him Yea he was also wroth with his Son Jonathan upon the same grounds for Jonathans sake 1 Sam. 19. when Jonathan had been excusing Davids absence v. 28 29. Sauls anger was kindled against Jonathan v. 30. and he said unto him Do not I know that thou hast chosen the Son of Jesse to thine own confusion c. and in the next verse he said As long as the Son of Jesse liveth upon the ground thou shalt not be established nor thy Kingdom wherefore send and fetch him to me for he shall surely die Here Sauls apprehension that David did eclipse his Glory and that the People had too much esteem for David and that he might prove disloyal and usurp
and persecuted such as offered the true they took Paul here and carryed him before the highest Court where they put these questions to him After the same manner did the Jews with Paul upon this ground too Act. 18.11 He having before preached Jesus Christ to them at Corinth They here with one accord made an insurrection against him and brought him to the Judgment Seat saying This Fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the Law Here now was the great ground of their Enmity and Violence against him they could not bear to have Men worship God in any other way than in that which they had usually worshiped according to the Law and their Traditions nor bear with any Persuasions thereunto such was their blind zeal for that wherein they had been educated and used to Their old received Customs were more valued by them than the Laws of God tho God was then to be worshiped otherwise as Christ had hinted to them and as the Apostle Paul Acts 24. there confessed before the Governor that he did v. 14. in these words After the way they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things written in the Law and the Prophets But because he did dissent from their Traditions and Customs and worshiped not as they did therefore called they his Way Heresie and they persecuted him as in the beginning of the Chapter and before altho it was according to what was written in the Law and the Prophets So again Act. 21. The Jews there v. 27. stirred up the People and laid hands on Paul and v. 28. cryed out this is the man who teacheth all men every where against the People and the Law and this Place This was the great thing which moved them here Paul had taught the People to worship God otherwise than according to the Ceremonies of the Law the Customs and Traditions of the Jews wherein they had been so long conversant and this they could not bear with The Admirers of Diana did so too Act. 19. when the Silversmith there had tho upon another account insinuated that the Apostles did design by their Preaching to disgrace and render their Goddess Diana contemptible v. 24 25. and so on These Adorers of Diana were very wroth upon the hearing on 't and the whole City was filled with confusion crying up Diana O they could not bear with any thing which they had apprehended to have any tendency to the lessening of their so much admired Diana which quickly put them into an unanswerable uprore and violence against Pauls Companions whom they had caught v. 28. and so on as the Town Clerk himself had told them v. 37 38. and so on Thus the Scpipture hath taken notice of this Cause also of the Enmity in the Breasts of wicked Men and of their persecuting Spirit against the Saints in those days 7thly There was yet a seventh cause or rise of the Enmity and persecuting Practices of these against the Saints which those divine Records hath set down in it that was the privat Profit and Gain that some Men had by some Religion then professed or some other Way then in esteem amongst the People which Gain being by Christ or the Apostles preaching of the truth abated or in danger of being gone they were set in a rage against the Truth and against all those who preached it or believed and embraced it they could not bear with the thoughts of their Gain being taken away therefore did persecute and endeavor to destroy the Apostles and others and used all means to prevent the spreading of their Doctrins This very thing put the Silversmiths upon stirring up the People who were the great Adorers of Diana Act. 19. Not their zeal for Diana so much as for their Profit When Paul there had preached in Asia and turning People from the worshiping of false gods the Silversmiths presently apprehending that this would bring Diana their Goddess into disesteem that People would not worship her any more and then farwell their Gain which matter so troubled them that 't is said thus there v. 23. That there was no small stir about this way and in the next verses That Demetrius who made the Silver Shrines to Diana brought no small gain to the Craftsmen whom he called together and said unto them Ye know that by this craft we have our wealth and Paul hath said They be no gods which are made with hands so that not only our craft is in danger but Diana would be despised which Saying proved sufficient to beget an Enmity in the Breasts of the Craftsmen against the Apostles and that Doctrin and to set them upon persecuting of them as in the following verses they did for they very well knew that if once the People did believe that the Religion and Worship they were found in were not right Diana no Goddess and that all their Zeal in and for that way was no better than Vanity Superstition and Idolatry then no body would imploy them to make Silver Shrines for Diana any more and consequently they must take leave of their old Gain this now set them into such a flame of Envy and Violence against the Apostles and their Preaching From the very same cause were the Masters of the Damsel who was possessed with the Spirit of Divination stirred up against Paul and Sylas and did persecute them Act. 16.16 't is there said That a certain Damsel possessed with a Spirit of Divination met us who brought her master much gain by southsaying whom Paul in v. 18. cast out upon which her masters in the next verses caught Paul and Sylas and drew them unto the Rulers unto the Magistrates saying These being Jews do exceedingly trouble our City and teach Customs c. Upon which the multitude rose up against them and the Magistrates commanded them to be beaten which they did and put them into Prison The main cause of all these Accusations and Complaints against them and of their Imprisonment and Beating was only the loss of that Gain the Damsel had brought her Masters as 't is expresly said v. 19. in these words And when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone they caught Paul c. Thus hath the Scripture also taken notice of this cause too why some in those Ages of the World did hate and persecute the Saints 8thly Yet further these divine Records hath taken notice of an eighth cause or spring from whence ill Mens Spirits were moved against the good or from whence many were engaged in persecuting and destroying of them that was from a fear of or desire to please and gratifie others some great Men or Men of Power who were themselves full of Envy and Malice against the Saints and did persecute them and thereby to secure to themselves the good opinion of those still tho otherwise against their own judgments and inclinations and it may be against convictions too that in so doing they did not well
not my Anointed and do my Prophets no harm Isaiah records these words Chap. 63.8 9. He was their Saviour in all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them c. Here were great Expressions of his care and concernedness for them God himself by the Prophet Zachariah spake thus concerning them Chap. 2. v. 8. He who toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine eye and in v. 9. he saith of their Enemies Behold I will shake mine hand upon them c. So did Christ himself declare his concernedness for the Church when Saul had persecuted them Act. 9.1 2 3. Christ met him in the way and in the next verses uttered these words Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Who art thou said Saul I am Jesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Here Christ evidenced himself to be neerly concerned for his Saints and also he hinted to Saul the danger of persecuting too It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Then Secondly The Scripture Records the many direful Threatnings against such Persecutors in those days and declared the many sad Effects and Consequents of such doing in those Ages of the World In the general God said Deut. 32. v. 43. That he will revenge the blood of his servants and will render vengeance to the adversaries And again Psal 7.13 He hath ordained his arrows against the Persecutors Yea thus spake he to his People Israel in particular by the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 10. O my people c. be not afraid of the Assyrians he shall smite thee with a rod v. 24. and in v. 25 26. For yet a little while and the indignation shall cease and mine anger in their destruction and the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian Yea and tho their stout Hearts would not take notice of Gods Hand lifted up against them Isa 26. yet God said there That they should see and be ashamed for their envy at the people or towards my people yea said he there the fire of thine enemies shall devour them v. 11. Again Isa 51. I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling the dregs of the cup of my fury thou shalt no more drink it again but I will put it into the hands of them who afflict thee who said to thy soul bow down that we may go over c. v. 22 23. Here God tho he did permit his Peoples Enemies sometimes to lay the Rod on his yet the Dregs of the Cup the Enemies Persecuters themselves are threatned to drink with which God threatned several Nations who had been his Peopls Israels great Enemies and Oppressors for their insolent insulting over them and for all their cruel and severe Dealings with them Ezek. 25. The Amonites for their saying Aha Aha against Gods Sanctuary when it was profaned and against the land of Israel when it was desolate and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity v. 3. and in the next verses there are Threatnings denounced against them for this further and for that That they had claped their hands and rejoyced in heart with all their despight against the Land of Israel v. 6. and in the following verses Threatnings are denounced against them and against Moab too in the 8 9 and following verses and v. 12. 't is said from the Lord That because Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance and hath greatly offended and revenged himself upon them therefore did God threaten them sorely in the next verses and again in v. 15. 't is said of the Philistines thus Because they dealt by revenge and have taken vengeance with a despightful heart to destroy for the old hatred therefore thus saith the Lord I will stretch forth my hand c. in the next verses God also threatens Titus for the lifting up her self against Israel see it at large Ezek. 26. and in Chap. 35. God by the Prophet there saith to Mount Seir thus I am against thee and I will stretch out mine hand against thee and I will make thee most desolate c. v. 1 2 3 4. and in v. 5. he declares the cause in these words Because thou hast a perpetual hatred and hast shed the blood of the Children of Israel by the force of the sword and in the time of their calamity c. and in the next verses he saith I will prepare thee to blood and blood shall pursue thee c. So did God threaten the Heathen in general for the same cause in Chap. 36. at the beginning and in Zephan Chap. 2. did he threaten Moab and Ammon upon this account v. 8. I have heard the reproach of Moab said he and the revilings of the Children of Ammon whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their borders therefore as I live saith the Lord there v. 9. and so on Moab shall as Sodom c. Nay God threatned the Heads of Jacob and Princes of the house of Israel for their hating of the good and loving of the evil and as the natural consequent thereof their hurting and persecuting of his People Micah 3.1 2 3 4. And again he threatens Edom in Obadiah v. 9 10. for this cause too in these words And thy mighty men O Teman shall be dismayed to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter for thy violence against thy Brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever Thus did God in those days take notice of the abuses done to his and did threaten their Persecutors Yea further in the days of the New Testament too doth the Holy Ghost take special notice of these things Christ himself pronounced a woe in general to such who should offend his Mat. 18. said he there Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea v. 6. and in v. 7. he adds a woe to the world because of offences c. and woe to the man by whom they come this he spake in general but more particular to the Jews He in Mat. 23.29 30. pronounced Woes against them upon this account and spake dreadfully to them v. 34 37. in these words I send you Prophets c. and some of them ye shall kill and crucifie and some of them shall you scourge in your Synagogues and persecute them from City to City That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth from righteous Abel c. According to which the Apostle spake 1 Thess 2. of the Jews he having said to the Thessalonians v. 14. That they also had suffered like things of their Countrymen as they have of the