Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	day_n	jew_n	sabbath_n	7,683	5	10.0435	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43607	Syntagma theologicum, or, A treatise wherein is concisely comprehended, the body of divinity, and the fundamentals of religion orderly discussed whereunto are added certain divine discourses, wherein are handled these following heads, viz. 1. The express character of Christ our redeemer, 2. Gloria in altissimis, or the angelical anthem, 3. The necessity of Christ's passion and resurrection, 4. The blessed ambassador, or, The best sent into the basest, 5. S. Paul's apology, 6. Holy fear, the fence of the soul, 7. Ordini quisque suo, or, The excellent order, 8. The royal remembrancer, or, Promises put in suit, 9. The watchman's watch-word, 10. Scala Jacobi, or, S. James his ladder, 11. Decus sanctorum, or, The saints dignity, 12. Warrantable separation, without breach of union / by Henry Hibbert ...	Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678.; Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678. Exercitationes theologiae.	1662 (1662)	Wing H1793; ESTC R2845	709,920	522

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he burst out into an holy heat he wrought with a kind of anger against himself and others because the work went on no faster i. e. animum accendit Hic in bonum sumitur est studii ardentis non irae Buxt Chrysostome saith of Peter that he was like a man made all of fire And Basil was said to be a Pillar of fire such was their Zeal When Polycarpus had heard of any false doctrine broached by any he was wont to stop his cares saying Ah my Lord why hast thou reserved me to these times And would presently go his way Old father Latimer said we had good things in England onely deest ignis viz. Zelus Give God thine affections else thine actions are still-born and have no life in them The best way to keep fire alive is under ashes So Zeal which is the fire of the spirit is best preserved in an humble soul remembring it self to be dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 Job 42.6 Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Tins 2.14 and purify unto himself a pecullar people zealous of good works Luke-Warmness A luke-warm Christian is one that standeth indifferently affected neither eager for the truth nor an open adversary thereunto Neither a Zealous professour nor a professed enemy to Religion but a neuter Such saith a Divine are our civil Justiciaries Quoties Judaeos foeliciter degere videant cognatos corum se appellant ut pote à Joseph oriundi Quando verò cos rebus adversis constictari intelligant adfirmare nihil eos ad se pertinere Politick professors neuter-passive Christians a fair day mends them not and a foul day pairs them not peremptory nover to be more precise resolved to keepe on the warm side of the hedge to sleep in a whole skin suffer nothing do nothing that may interfere with their hopes or prejudice their preferments Thinking they can at once keep correspondency both with God and the world And therefore Camelion-like turn themselves into any colour and accommodate themselves to any company Such of old were those Assyrian Colonies 2 King 17.41 that feared the Lord and withal served their graven images And such like were their successors the Samaritanes of whom Josophus recordeth the Jewes while they flourished should be their dear Cousins but if at any time under-hatches they would not once own them Such were the ancient Ebionites of whom Eusebius tells us that they would Keep the Sabbath with the Jewes and the Lords day with the Christians And still we have now a days more than a good many in utrunque parati unresolved and ready to be any thing with the time Such Profligate Professours and temporizing Gospellers the Lord holds in such special detestation that they are held worthy to be set in the front and to lead the ring-dance of such reprobates as shall be hurl'd into hell Yea the Lord will spew such parasites out of his mouth as too loathsome morsels for his stomack to brook or bear with I know thy works Rev. 3 15. Vers 16. that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot So then beause thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth Vigilancy True Christian watchfulnesse is an earnest care and bending of the mind to live every day as one would live upon his dying or upon his judgment day which may fall out to be every day for ought that we know 1. There is a watchfulness in reference to God We should watch 1. What God doth 2. What God saith 2. And we should watch in reference to our selves We should watch 1 What we do 2. What we speak 3. What we think Every thought word and work must be accounted for and brought to judgment And therefore it is as much our wisdom as it is our duty to watch over them VVhilst Ishbosheth slept upon his bed at none Baanah and Rechab took away his head Scilicèt ut paratum intentum momentis omnibus quò vellet subitò educeret Sueton. Whilst the Crocodile sleepeth with open mouth the Indian Rat gets into him and eateth his entrails Our enemy is alwayes ready to annoy us should we not therefore be vigilant It was a piece of Julius Caesars policy never to fore-acquaint his souldiers of any set time of removal or on-set that he might ever have them in readinesse to draw forth whithersoever he would Christ who is called the Captain of our salvation deales in like manner Merit● semper sonare auribus nostris debet haec vox vigilaete This word Watch should be ever sounding in our eares running in our minds Bucer in Mark cap. 13.37 It fareth with the best as with a drowsie person who though awakened and set to work is ready to fall asleep at it So Peter James and John those pillars as they are called Gal. 2. fell asleep at their very prayers Mat. 26.40 Such dull mettal are the best men made of and so weak is the flesh be the spirit never so willing so ill disposed is our most noble and immortal part the soul to supernal and supernatural employements Meditation and Prayer are the creatures of the Holy Ghost Jude 20. and that we may not run out into extravagancies or put up yawning petitions we must watch and pray yea watch while we are praying meditating c. against corruption within the sin that doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 and temptations without whether from the world the things whereof are so neer us and natural unto us Or from the Devil who is ever busiest with the best as flies with sweet-meates and with the best part of their best performances as in the end of their prayers when the heart should close up it self with most comfort Keep thy heart with all diligence Pro. 4.23 otherwise it will presently be a dunghill of all filthy and abominable lusts and the life a long ch●in of sinfull actions a very continued web of wickednesse Take heed where you set gun-powder sith fire is in your heart Austin thankes God that the heart and temptation did not meet together Beside Satan will be interrupting as the Pythoniss did Paul praying Act. 16.16 as the fowles did Abraham sacrificing Gen. 15.11 as the enemies did Nehemiah with his Jews building Who therefore praid and watcht and watcht and praid What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Mark 13.37 Security There is a twofold security 1. Spiritual and good 2. Carnal and sinful The one ariseth from the actings of a vigorous faith grounded upon the promise and Word of God Hope in God is the security and settlement of the soul Spes illa solùm firmitatam hahet qua Deo nititur God is the Saints Anchor-hold they cannot be removed by any storm when once they have fastened upon him He is the hope of all the ends of the earth and hope in him

pracipitur Aaroni Num 6 23. 2. Propheticâ se● Patriarchali ut fecit Noah 3. Ex charitate ut unusquisque proxinto fausta omnia precatur The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich Pro. 10.22 Rom. 12.14 and he addeth no sorrow with it Bless them which persecute you bless and curse not Cursing If the Prophets cursed their enemies at any time Gorran it was not livore vindictae sed zelo justitiae Not out of a vindictive spirit but by the instinct of Gods holy Spirit and out of a zeal for Gods glory Austin saith that David's Cursings are rather Prophecies shewing what shall come unto them than any wishes of his own as desiring that such things should come to pass Cursing men are cursed men Witness the Jews who to this day are still great Cursers of Christians they shut up their daily prayers with Maledic Domine Na●araeis And how it cometh home to them who knoweth not even wrath to the utmost Epiphamins and Chrysostom falling out about Origin's writings wished a curse to one another and it fell our accordingly The one died ere he came home and the other was unbishoped Pol●n●s tells of one Thomas Linacle Pol. in cap. 53. an English-man who reading Mat. 5.44 Bless them that curse you cryed out O my friends either this is very absurd or we are no Christians We may not curse any saith Hierom no not the Devil Com. in cap. 3. Ep. ad Titum though he deserves to be cursed yet it must not go out of the Arch-angels mouth It may be some uncircumcised Goliah accustoms himself to such grievous things but the tongues of the children of God drop no such gall and poyson but honey and oil and much graciousness If thou sayest Thou art provoked this excuseth thee not but manifests thy cankered nature A 〈◊〉 hath fire in it but unless it be provoked by the Steel it is not seen As the Bird taking her flight from her nest fetcheth a compass and by and by returns thither again So Curses come in where they go out returning upon a mans self as do stones cast against a wall A man that takes up an Adder in his hand or Fire to throw against his enemy hurteth himself most so it is with them that curse their adversaries I have not suffered my mouth to sin Job 31.30 by wishing a curse to my enemies soul Imprecation Holy men of God have sometimes made use of Imprecations Diris se devovens thereby to clear themselves from false imputations The like may be done by us but sparingly and not without great necessity lest if we do it falsly or rashly God say Amen and set his Fiat to it as he hath done in sundry instances in several 〈◊〉 Mention is made in our Chronicles of two that rotted above ground Act. Mons according to their wish And of another hanged which he confessed was just upon him for that in Carding and Dicing he had often wished himself hanged if it were not so and so In Germany Anno 1551. Ioh. Man lot com p. 192. The Devil in a visible shape lifted up a Cursing woman into the air and there-hence threw her down in the view of many people and brake her neck Another brought her daughter to Luther intreating his prayers for her for that she was possessed by the Devil upon her cursing of her For when she said in a rage against her daughter Involet in te Diabolus The Devil take thee he took possession of her accordingly The same Author relateth a like sad story of a stubborn son cursed by his father who wished he might never stir alive from the place he stood in And he stirred not for three years The Jews saying of Christ His blood be on us and on our children God said Amen to this woful curse which cleaves close to them and their posterity As he loved cursing so let it come unto him As he delighted not in blessing so let it be far from him As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment Psal 109.17 18 19. so let it come into his bowels like water and like oil into his bones Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually Violence Robbing is a violent taking away from any 〈…〉 Hence violence and ●obbery are joined together Levit. 19.13 A●o● 3.10 Wicked men are said to drink the wine of violence Pro. 4.17 that is They spoil others and what they get that way they live upon make merry with There are secret Robbers doing it by deceit and fraud ● robbing while they pretend to seek for right And so the Law may be made a shadow to many lawless actions He is a Robber that takes his neighbours right from him by pretence of Law as well as he that takes away his purse by the high-way Again others rob secretly while they seem to fell A man may rob with a pair of Ballances or Me●ewand in his hand as well as with a Sword or Pistol in his hand And there are also open and violent Robbers who waste ● spoil and destroy all that comes neer them and eare not who sees Such are Warlike robbers who bring power to do what they cannot do by justice Those boysterous sons of Mars 〈…〉 men of blood and violence who make their will their law and think they may do whatsoever they have power to do These have a will to destroy as much as they can but they cannot destroy as much as they will If they could the whole World must fall before them if it will not fall down unto them And truly the usual effect of War is waste and spoil 〈…〉 It is said of the Turkish wars that where the Grand Seignour's horse sets his foot no more grass will grow he makes havock of all Alexander the Great was told to his teeth by a Pyrate taken at Sea and condemned by him That he was the greatest Thief in the world I am condemned said he for robbing at Sea in a little Ship but thou robbest at Land all the world over and art applauded And what was Julius Caesar who said That for a Kingdoms sake Right might be violated 〈…〉 And who robbed his Country of Liberty for the satisfying of his unlawful desire of Greatness And certainly He that hath power hopes he may oppress and go unpunished Some durst not oppress but for the shelter of an high place More there are who steal by reason of their abundance than by reason of their want What they have gives them ability to rob for more These are Nimrods G●n 10.9 mighty 〈◊〉 before the Lord not of beasts but of men whose estates and lives they sacrifice to their own lusts Yet there want not some to commend these Called 〈◊〉 as there were that applauded Cain for killing his brother and that extolled the Sodomites Core and his

therefore the Jews called it a Sabbath of Sabbaths or Regina Sabbathorum the Queen of rests 4. Gods own distinction raining no Manna that day 5. Other holy dayes were memorative or figurative only but this was both memorative and figurative which Bellarmine marks 6. Other feasts might be transferred to it but it might be transferred to none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. The whole Week takes denomination from it and is called a Sabbath Luk. 18.12 that is in the Week Now our Christian Sabbath or religious rest is called a Sabbath-day by our Saviour Mat. 24.20 Called therefore also the Lords day Rev. 1.10 as one of our Sacraments is called the Lords Supper and the Table of the Lord because instituted by him Yet with grief be it spoken it is so observed by some that it may more fitly be stiled Dies Daemoniacus quàm Dominicus Alsted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. But let every one of us sanctifie it that is keep it spiritually rejoycing in the meditation of Christs law more than the rest of our bodies For external rest alone may be called the Sabbath of the Oxe or of the Ass but the internal or secret rest is true consecrating of a Sabbath It is observable that though upon all days Christ was operative and miraculous Dr. J. T. yet chose he to do many of his miracles upon the Jews Sabbath And many reasons doubtless did concur and determine him to a more frequent working upon those days of publick ceremony and convention amongst which these may be two 1. That he might draw off and separate Christianity from the yoke of Ceremonies by abolishing and taking off the strictest Mosaical Rites 2. And that he might do the work of abrogation and institution both at once So that he hath dissolved the bands of Moses in this and other instances principally in the sacred command for the Sabbath-day that now we are no more obliged to that rest which the Jews religiously observed by prescript of the Law Col. 2.16 For that which now remains moral in it is that we do honour to God for the Creation and to that and all other purposes of Religion separate and hallow a portion of our time Concerning the Lords day which now the Church observes it was set apart in honour of the Resurrection And he who keeps that day most strictly most religiously he keeps it best and most consonant to the designe of the Church from whence it had its positive institution the ends of Religion and the interest of his soul The works that may be done on the Sabbath are those of Piety Charity Necessity In Scripture he that gathered sticks was paid home with stones Num. 15. The first blow given the German Churches was upon the Sabbath-day which they carelesly observed And Prague was lost upon that day Sanctifying the Lords day in the Primitive times was a badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servâsti Dominicum Hast thou kept the Sabbath The answer was returned Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian and may not do otherwise That holy man Johanna D●ùsius when the Sabbath-day approached put upon him his best apparel and welcomed the Sabbath going forth to meet and salute it with Veni Sponsa mea Come my sweet Spouse He was glad of it as the Bridegroom of the Bride Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy Exod. 20.8 Kingdom of God There is the Kingdom of God's 1. Power 2. Grace 3. Glory For the first His throne is lofty and dominion large It being his powerful government generally over the whole world and every particular in it even unto the sparrows on the house top and hairs on our head which he preserveth and disposeth of according to his own will and royal decree Of this Psal 103.19 Psal 145.13 Mat. 10.30 Hereunto Devils and all creatures whatsoever are subject The second signifies his special gracious government and rule over the Elect whose hearts he enlightneth and guideth by his Spirit effectually moving them to believe his promises and do his will Of this Luk 17.21 Rom. 14.17 And by the third understand his blessed and glorious estate wherein he reigneth with millions of Saints for ever and ever full of heavenly majesty and felicity Of this 1 Cor. 6.9 Luk. 22.16 Called heavenly 2 Tim. 4.18 Now of these two latter the one is the means the other the end for grace is the way to glory holiness to happiness Therefore Seek ye first the kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 and his righteousness Gods Presence There is a twofold presence of God in his people 1. Felt and perceived 2. Secret and unknown Sometime God is not only present with his people but also makes them sensibly perceive it as Simeon and therefore his mourning was turned to mirth and his sobs to songs Again sometime God is present but not felt and this secret presence sustains us in all temptations it ever leaveth life in our souls like the tree wherein life remains when the leaves are gone Fear thou not Isa 41.10 for I am with thee Church-Order and Discipline Order THe Church of God is not a Den of Confusion but an House of Order Ceremonies are of two sorts some are typical others are of order Those are abrogated not these saith Peter Martyr The Ceremonies of the Law were primò mortales postea mortuae Légalia faerunt ante passionem Domini viva statim post passionem mortuae hodie sepulta Aug● postremò mortiferae So that to leave Christ for them or to join Christ with them is the plain way to destruction Yet such is the nature of misguided zeal that under colour of weeding out Superstition it will pluck up by the roots many plants of Paradise and acts of true Religion God is the God of order therefore it is good to have respect in the Church to things both real and ritual For Ordine servato mundus servatur at illo Neglecto pessùm totus orbis abit Order being kept the World is kept but when That is neglected all the World 's gone then Faith and Order that is saith one Doctrine and Discipline these two make the Church fair as the Moon cleer as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Our Saviour caused the people whom he fed to keep order in their sitting on the grass they sate down rank by rank as rows or borders of beds in a garden so the Greek imports whereupon an Expositor noteth Ordinatim res in Ecclesia faciendae Order must be observed in the Church Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 Reproof Wise men ever take a freedom of reproving especially when vice is bold and daring for when Modesty dies Vertue is then upon the vanish Seasonable speech falling upon a prepared heart hath oft a strong and sweet operation Friends as Bees are killed with the honey of Flattery but quickned with the

safe in any place without Gods protection In 1. Field Witnesse Abosolom and Saul In 2. House Witnesse Pharaoh In 3. Bed Witnesse Ishbosheth In 4. Chamber Witnesse Jezabel In 5. Church Witnesse Senacherib Joab God snatcht Lot out of Sodom David out of many waters Tutus sub umbrâ leonis Paul out of the mouth of the lyon Jonah out of the belly of hell c. Cur timeat hominem homo in sinu dei positus He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee Job 5.19 Affliction Water properly is that element cold and moist contrary to fire Psal 42.7 Fluctus fluctum trudit But frequently signifies amongst many other things afflictions and troubles which threaten dangers as waters threaten drowning Often in the Psalms and elsewhere it is so used And I conceive that ever after Noah's flood that dismall destruction great and grievous afflictions were set forth by the rushing in of waters and overwhelming therewith Afflictions are that Sea that all the true Israelites in their journey to the everlasting Canaan must go through But yet these rivers of Marah are sweetned they are to the godly pleasant and they going through the vale of misery use it for a Well whereout they draw living water Psal 84.6 There are light crosses which will take an easy repulse Others yet stronger that shake the house sides but break not in upon us Others veliement which by force make way to the heart Others violent that lift the mind off the hinges or rend the barres of it in peices Others furious that tear up the very foundations from the bottome leaving no monument behind them but ruine Anton. Pius The wisest and most resolute moralist that ever was looked pale when he should taste of his hemlocke Christ went to Jerusalem the vision of peace by Bethany the house of grief so must we to heaven God useth to lay the foundation low when he will build high afflict much when he will destinate to some excellent end As in the creation first there was darknesse then light Or as Jacob first God makes him halt and then the place becomes a Peniel Therefore take knowledge of the low deeps into which Gods Children are brought That soul that feels it self hand-fasted to Christ though it meet with a prosperous estate in this world it easily swells not and if it meet with the adverse things of the world it easily quails not for it hath the word of Christ and Spirit of Christ residing in it Whereby you shall behold their faith victorious their hope lively their peace passing all understanding their joy unspeakable and glorious their speech alwayes gracious their prayer full of fervour their lives full of beauty and their end full of honour Apollonius writes of certain people that could see nothing in the day but all in the night In mirabil Histor Many Christians are so blinded with the sun-shine of prosperity that they see nothing belonging to their good but in the winter night of adversity they can discern all things Christians are never more exposed to sins and snares than in prosperity Though winter have fewer flowers yet also fewer weeds And fishes are sooner taken in a glistering pool than in a troubled Fen. Besides while the wind is down we cannot discern the wheat from the chaffe but when it blows then the chaffe flies away only the wheat remains Witnesse that masculine resolution of him Ful gentius who in the midst of his sufferings used to say Plura pro Christo tolleranda Here we live in the valley of Achor from Achan that was troubled that day wherein he was stoned Lorin Cap. 2. Prolcgom in Eccles Josh 7. Petrus Tenorius Archbishop of Toledo having a long time considered the weighty reasons on each side whether King Solomon were damned or saved and not knowing how to resolve the houbt in the end caused him to be painted on the walls of his Chappel as one that was half in heaven and half in hell The darker the foil the lighter the Diamonds Fealty A child of God in respect of his manifold afflictions he meets with here seems many times to himself and others to be in hell But having also tasted the first-fruits of the Spirit and the consolations that accrue unto him thereby he seems to be half in heaven Our light affliction 2 Cor. 4.17 which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Hurt It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt saith Laban to Jacob Gen. 31. though indeed it never was farther than given him from above Rideo dicebat Caligula consulibus quòd uno nutu meo jugulare vos possim Vxori tam bona cervix simul ac jussero demctur And Caesar told Metellus that he could as easily take away his life as bid it be done But these were but bravado's for that 's a royalty which belongs to God only to whom belong the issues of death Wicked men do not only pull manifold miseries upon themselves but are many wayes mischievous to others and have much to answer for their other mens sins How many are undone by their murders adulteries robberies false testimonies blasphemies and other rotten speeches to the corrupting of good manners What hurt is done daily by the Divels factors to mens souls bodies lives estates Besides that they betray the land wherein they live into the hand of divine justice whiles they do wickedly with both hands greedily When Christ gave his Disciples a commission to preach the Gospel he promised that they should take up Serpents and if they drank any deadly thing it should not hurt them No more shall the deadly poyson of sin hurt those that have drunk it if they belong to God Provided that they cast it up again quickly by confession and meddle no more with such a mischief Foolish and hurtful lusts drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ita demorgunt ut in aqua summitate rursus non ebulliant Loss What tell you me of goods in heaven say many let me have my goods on earth A bird in the hand is better than two in a bush The Grecians comprehend both life and goods in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew perhaps men had as lief lose their lives as their goods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fronte nubila Mat. 19.22 He came hastily but went away heavily This is an hard thing it made the young man go sorrowful away that Christ should require that which he was unwilling to perform If heaven be to be had upon no other terms Christ may keep it to himself Many now adayes must have Religion to be another Diana to the Crafts-masters however are resolved to suffer nothing Jeroboamo gravior jactura regionis quàm religionis The King of Navarre told Beza that in the cause of Religion

body to glorify his name All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Censuring Momus reliquorum omnium irrisor reprehensor qui cujusque vitia carpit turpitudinis infamiae dedecoris notas ut maculas accuratissime observat ob●icit reprehendit hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dedecus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprehensibilis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ridicule loquor Erat autem nocte matre somnopatre progenitus ut docet Hesiod Cui nihil placet quamvis exactum decies castigetur ad unquem What a rash thing it is when any thing dislikes us to blame the whole body for one blemish or wart Intemperate tongues cause God many times to take away the Word but wisdom is justified of her children Those that have a blemish in their eye think the sky to be ever cloudy and such as are troubled with the Jaundise see all things yellow so do those who are overgrown with malice and hypocrisy think all like themselves Curiosi ad cognoscendum vitam alienam desidiosi ad corrigendum suam Aug. Caligula did not believe there was any chast person upon earth The greatest censurers are commonly the greatest hypocrites Those that are most inquisitive about other mens manners are most carelesse of their own As any one is more wise he is more sparing of his censures And a gracious heart is alwayes ready to cast the first stone at it self Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye Mat. 7.5 Detrahere aut detrabentem audire audit● scilic●t placentiae quid horum damnabilius sit non facilè dixcrim Uterque diabolum habet iste in linguâ ille in aure and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye Reproach Plato commendeth the Law of the Lydians that punisheth detracters as they did murtherers And indeed there is a murther of the tongue as well as of the hand How many clip the reputation of others as coyn to make them weigh lighter in the ballance of mens esteem this is no better than to bury them while they are alive It is a marvellous great grace to be disgraced for Christ Tom. 2. p. 323. Quanto plùs contumeliarum pro Christo tulerimus tantò nos manet gloria major said Zwinglius To suffer for Christ saith Latimer is the greatest promotion in this world Speak not evil one of nother brethren James 4.11 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye c. 1 Pet. 4.14 Mocking There are tongue-smiters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à ladendo inquinando famam alterius probr is maledictis Haec ●ritur ex cordis irâ malitiâ Corenim felle livoris amarum per linguae instrumentum spargere nisi amara non potest as well as hand-smiters such as maligne and molest Gods dearest children as well with their virulent tongues as violent hands This is collateral blasphemy blasphemy in the second table and so it is often called in the New Testament God for the honour he beareth to his people is pleased to afford the name of blasphemy to their reproaches as importing that he taketh it as if himself were reproached Religion was long since grown as it is also at this day among many not more a matter of form than of scorn In our wretched dayes as the Turks count all fools to be Saints so many with us account all Saints to be fools He is a fool we say that would be laughed out of his coat but he were a double fool that would be laughed out of his skin that would hazard his soul because loth to be laught at A man that is mocked is under the meanest estimation and greatest contempt It is fundamentally opposite to the fundamental lawes of love It is an addition to affliction yea one of the greatest afflictions wounding not only the name but the Spirit It was one of the greatest afflictions amongst the sufferings and cruel persecutions that the Saints endured yea it was one great part of the sufferings of Christ he was mocked and used like a fool in a play they put a robe on his back a reed in his hand and crown upon his head And when he hung on the crosse finishing the work of our salvation they in highest scorn bid him save himself Haefamae leniter volant non lenitèr violant We have various examples of Gods hand upon mockers Ishmael mocking Isaac is punished with ejection Gen. 21. Reditus ecclesiis eripuit sacrasmis additis se Christianos expeditiores facere ad regnum caelorum qui● Gali●aeus magister ipsorum dix erit beatos esse pauperes c. Pezel in Sleid. Machiavel that scoffing Atheist rotted in the prison at Florence Jearing Julian had his payment from heaven he was in his time counted and stands upon record to this day among the greatest of sinners an Apostate from Christ Whose Apostacy brake out chiefly at his lips and the very spirit of his malignity against the Gospel of Christ appeared in mocking the Christians When we had taken away their estates he said it should not trouble you to be poor your Master was poor and he said Blessed are the poor And when he had caused them to be smitten your Master saith he hath taught you That whosoever shall smite you on the right cheek you must turn to him the other also Thus he turned the holy counsels of Christ into profane jests Sir Thomas Moor qui scopticè scabiose de Luthero religione reformata loquebatur lost his head One mocking at James Abbes Martyr as a mad man for that having no money he gave his apparel to the poor some to one some to another as he went to the stake he lost his wits for it Act. Mon. fol. 1904. What 's truth said Pilate to our Saviour in a scornful profane manner not long after which he became his own deaths-man And Appian that scoffed at Circumcision had an Ulcer at the same time and in the same place Surely God is the avenger of all such A scoffer saith Chrysostem is bomine pejor worse than a man as the scoffed that beareth it well is Angelis par saith he an Angels peer The favourablest persecution saith one of any good cause is the lash of lewd tongues whether by bitter taunts or scurrilous invectives which it is as impossible to avoid as necessary to contemn But let us bravely contemn saith another worthy all contumelies and contempts for conscience sake taking them as crowns and confirmations of our conformity to Christ If Demetrius hath testimony of the truth that 's enough let Diotrephes prate what he pleaseth And others had triall of cruel mockings Heb. 11.36 Resolution in Persecution A Spanish Cavalier who for some fault was whipped through the principal streets of Paris and keeping a sober pace was advised by a friend to make more hast