devise such cruell tortures for all those that but profest themselve Christians This made Ahab so hate Eliah that there was not one Kingdom or Nation where he had not sent to take away his life 1 King 18.10 And this made the Papists dig many of our choice Ministers out of their graves that they might the better curse them with bell bock and candle Yea ask from East to West from one Pole to the other search all records under Heaven if ever there was the like of the intended Powder plot Neither does this hatred extend it self to this or that person alone but to the whole generation of the godly as is well exprest Psal 83. Come let us cut them off from being a Nation and let the Name of Israel be no more in remembrance ver 4 12. And the like we see in Haman whose hatred to Mordecai was so deadly that he thought it too little to lay hands on him only except he destroyed all the Jews his people that were throughout the whole Kingdom of Ahashuerosh Esth 3.5 6. For the effecting whereof he offered ten thousand tallents of silver into the Kings treasury ver 9 13. And of his minde was Herodias who preferred the head of John Baptist before the half of Herods Kingdom And such another was cruell Arundale Archbishop of Canterbury who swore he would not leave a slip of professors in this Land And the world is no changeling for this age hath but too many such Hamans and Arundales who so hate the children of God that they wish as Caligula once did of the Romanes that they had all but one neck that so they might cut it off at a blow were it in their power As why are not our Sanctuaries turned into shambles and our Beds made to swim with our blouds but that the God of Israel hath crossed the confederacy of Balack and their wickednesse doth not prosper For their studies are the plots of our ruine and the best they intend is the destruction and overthrow of Religion or the religious or both Matth. 24.9 Joh. 16.2 Yea their enmity and hatred is so virulent and bitter that were their power answerable to their wils and malice the brother would betray the brother to death the father the sonne and the children would rise up against their parents and cause them to die the kinsman against the kinsman and the friend against the friend only for professing Christs Name and being religious as himself affirms Matth. 10.34 35 36. Luk. 21.16 17. Neither is it strange for this was one of the ends of Christs coming into the world as appears Matth. 10.34 35. where himself saith Think not that I am come to send peace but the sword meaning between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman for I am come to set a man at variance against his father the daughter in law angainst the mother in law and a mans enemies shall be they of his own houshold Luk. 12.51 52 53. Neither want we presidents of this For by whom was upright Abel persecuted and slaine but by his own brother Cain who scoft at righteous Noah but his own son Cham by whom was that vertuous and religious Lady Barbara put to death for imbracing the Christian faith but by her own father Dioscorus who made Serena the Empresse a Martyr for her faith in Christ but her own husband Dioclesian who helped to burn Bradford but Bourne whose life he had formerly saved And lastly By whom was our Saviour Christ betrayed but by his own Disciple Judas CHAP. XIX VVHerein consists their unlikenesse and contratiety Convert Minister There be more differences between the children of God and the children of the devil then there are between men and beasts But principally they differ in their judgements affections and actions How they differ in their judgements and affections I have shewn upon another occasion How in their actions and practice which occasions the greatest strife and discord I will acquaint you as briefly as I can There is nothing more common then for all sorts and kindes of men to hate scorn persecute reproach revile accuse slander and condemn the religious because their own works are evil and wicked and the others good holy and righteous As whâ—râ—fore slew Cain his brother saith S. John but because his own works were evil and his brothers good 1 Joh. 3.12 Why was Joseph accused of his Mistresse for an adulterer and thereupon committed to prison but because he would not be an adulterer like her Gen. 39 yea it was his party coloured coat composed of all kinds of graces and blessings that formerly procured his bretherens hate And what is it that Jobs wife expostulates with him about but his integrity as if she took it ill that he took it no worse his patience made her impatient Wherefore was holy David as himself complains almost in every Psalm had in derision hated slandered reviled contemned and made a proverb and song of the drunkards and other wicked man which sate in the gate but because he followed the things that were good and pleasing unto God and in him put his trust Psal 11.2 and 22.6 7 8. and 37.14 and 69.10 11 12. And lastly for I might be endlesse in the prosecution of this Why were all the just in Solomons time had in abomination and mockt of the wicked but because they were upright in their way and holy in their conversation Prov. 29.27 Or those numberlesse Martyrs whose souls S. John saw under the Altar Revel 6.9 killed but for the word of God and for the testimony which they maintained And the Master himself not for any evil as themselves are forced to confesse Mar. 7.37 Which examples sufficiently prove that that great Dragon the Devil and these his subjects are wroth with none but the woman and the remnant of her seed which keep the commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Revel 12 17. All was quiet at Ephesus before St Paul came thither but then there arose no small strife about that way Acts 19.23 c. A wolfe flies not upon a painted sheep we can with delight look upon the picture of a Toad It is your active Christian that is most spighted and persecuted As how many with us may complain with Jeremy that because they live a godly life themselves and call upon others to do the same they are cursed of every one and counted contentious Jer. 15.10 It faring with many as it did with Caius Selius of whom the heathen were woâ—t to say that he was a good man but he was a Christian Yea let but a spâ—â—k of fervent devotion break out in a family all the rest are up in clamours as when bells ring disorderly every one is ready with his bucket to â—â—ench the fire disgraced he must be for a puritane but only by Laodiâ—eans Indifferency strives to dash zeal out of countenance And the reason is wheresoever Christ comes there will
brethren of Cain or Cain himself in another person and without answerable repentance your portion shall be with Cain and the rest of that cursed crew I have shewn you what God in his word speaks and proved that your condition is no whit better then the condition of Cain and Ishmael and Haman and Doeg and Shemy and Rahsheke and their fellows yea no glasse can more lively represent your faces then this Book doth your hearts Only this is the misery as when a childe beholds his own face in a glasse he thinks he sees another childes face and not his own so fares it with you What do you look that Christ Jesus himself from heaven should call to you severally by name as he did to Saul and say Ho Ishmael such an one or Ho Elimas such an one Why dost thou persecute me I am Jesus whom thon persecutest Acts 9.4 5. Which yet if he should it were no more in effect then he hath often done nor would you be any more warned or reclaimed by it as is evident by the example of Hazael 2 King 8.12 13 c. And by what Abraham told Dives Luk. 16.31 For God in his word tels every one of you plainly that Satan is the God of all unbeleevers 2 Cor. 4.4 And their King Joh. 14.30 and 12.31 And their father Gen. 3.15 John 8.44 And that they are all his servants kept by the devil in a snare and taken captive of him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 And that he ruleth by and worketh his pleasure in all the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 3. And makes it manifest to all whom the devil hath not blinded that you of all men in the world are those unbeleevers and children of disobedience in whom he rules And yet poor souls you know it not As those four hundred of Ahabs Prophets in whom this evil spirit spake did not know that Satan spake by them 1 King 22.22 Neither did Judas know when he eat the sop that Satan entred into him and put it into his heart to betray Christ Joh. 13.2 Neither do Magistrates when they cast the servants of God into prison once imagine that the devil makes them his jaylors but he doth so whence that phrase of the holy Ghost The devil shall cast some of you into prison Revel 2.10 They are his instruments but he is the principall Authour Neither did Ananias and Saphira once think that Satan had filled their hearts or put that lye into their mouths which they were strook dead for Act. 5. yet the holy Ghost tels us plainly that he did so ver 3. No Eve in Paradise had not the least suspition that it was Satan that spake to her by the Serpent nor Adam that it was the devils minde in her mouth his heart in her lips when tempted to eat the forbidden fruit Nor did David once dream that it was Satan which moved him to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 Much lesse did Peter who so dearly loved Christ imagine that he was set on by Satan to tempt his own Lord and Master with those affectionate words Master pity thy self for if Christ had pitied himself Peter and all the world had perished yet he was so which occasioned Christ to answer him Get thee behinde me Satan Mat. 16.22 23. But consider For hence we may argue that if Satan can make the best and wisest of Gods children and servants who have the very appearance of evil 1 Thes 5.22 Jude 23. Ephes 5.27 2 Pet. 3.14 Jam. 1.27 have the eye of faith and the spirits direction and know the minde of Christ above others 1 Cor. 2.12 13 15 16. Joh. 10.14 do him such service unwittingly and besides their intention how much more can he prevail with and make use of his own servants and children that delight only in wickednesse and have not the least knowledge of or ability to discern spirituall things 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Cor. 4.4 yea if Satan can perswade you as he hath done millions that you do God good service in persecuting his children as the Jews formerly did in putting his Prophets to death as Christ himself expresly tels us Joh. 16.2 What can he not perswade them to what work or service can he not put them upon without letting them know that he their God Father and Master speaks in and acts by them Whence that of Solomon There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the issues thereof are the waies of death Proverbs 14.12 Whence so many have been so strangely and so wofully deluded whereof a few instances very remarkable There was a Monk poysoned Henry the seventh Emperour of Germany with the sacramentall bread and thought he did God good service in so doing So did the Powder-Traitors when they intended to blow up the whole State Maximinian thought the bloud of Christians would be an acceptable sacrifice to his gods So Francis the second of France and Philip the second of Spain thought of the Lutherans bloud in their Dominions In the 6th Council of Toledo it was enacted that the King of Spain should suffer none to live in his dominions that professed not the Roman Catholike Religion Whereupon King Philip having hardly escaped shipwrack as he returned from the Low Countries said he was delivered by the singular providence of God to root out Lutheranism which he presently began to do professing that he had rather have no subjects then such In which opinion many depart but as men go to a Lottery with heads full of hopes but return with hearts full of blanks so will it one day fare with you CHAP. XXIV NOr are they few in number that with St Paul before his conversion do persecute the people of God even out of zeal to the traditions of their fathers Gal. 1.13 14. Phil. 3.6 Many walk saith St Paul that are enemies to the crosse of Christ Phil. 3.18 If many in St Pauls time many more now Yea St John saith that the number of those whom Satan shall thus deceive is as the sand of the sea Rev. 20.8 and 13.16 See Isa 10.22 1 Joh. 5.19 Rom. 9.27 Matth. 7.13 14. and 20.16 and 22.14 And experience it self tells us that it is the case almost of who not For this sin is so epidemicall that take forty men where you please City or Country as they dwell passe the streets or sit in the Church and nine and thirty of them are malignants to the power of Religion As for other sins one man is given to lust another to intemperance a third to swearing a fourth to cousening some to more then one some to all of them but who is not tainted with this sin who is not an open or sccret enemy to holinesse by reason of that generall contempt which is cast upon professors Yea who is there even of those that have resigned up their pride and their lust and their lying and their cousening and what other sins they have been prone to with whom this sin
Labourers in the vineyard against the Master of the house and their fellowes Matth. 20.11 15. Sixtly To censure their actions and misconster their intentions as Eliab did Davids zeal for Gods glory in fighting with Goliah 1 Sam. 17.28 and those wicked ones his fasting and mourning Psal 35.13 to 17. Thus Jobs friends censured him for an hypocrite Job 4.6 to 11. and the Jews Christianity to be heresie and Paul the Preacher of it a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition and maintainer of scisme yea all the Disciples to be deceivers 2 Cor. 6.8 Seventhly By carrying tales of them unto others as Cham did to his brethren of Noahs nakednesse Gen. 9.22 Doeg to Saul of David and Abimeleck 1 Sam. 22.9 10. and the Ziphims 1 Sam. 23.19 20. and 26.1 And those Libertines with other suborned men against Steven to the Counsell of Priests Acts 6.8 to 15. Eightly To perswade and give divelish counsell to others like themselves to persecute them as Balam to Balaack against the Children of Israel when he could not be suffered to curse them Rev. 2.14 The Princes and Rulers to Zedekiah the King against Jeremiah Jer. 38.4 and the Jews of Thessalonica to the people of Bereah against Paul Acts 17.13 Ninethly To scoff at them as Ishmael scoft at Isaac Gen. 21.9 Rabsheke at Hezekiah and his people 2 King 18.27 and the Philosophers at Paul Acts 17.18 to 21. Tenthly To nick-name them as Ahab nick-named Eliah 1 King 18.17 the wicked Job and David Psal 35.13 14. Job 4.6 to 11. the Courtiers Jeremiah Jer. 37 15 c. and the Jews Paul Acts 24.14 and all the Disciples 1 Cor. 4.9.10 Eleventhly To revile and rayle on them as Goliah reviled and railed on the Host of Israel and their God 1 Sam. 17.45 Shemai upon David 2 Sam. 16.7 and likewise the Mighty men Psal 31.13 and the Jews upon Paul and Barnabas Acts 13.45 Twelfthly To raise slanders of them as those wicked men slandered Naboth confirming the same with an oath 1 King 21. the wicked David Psal 57.4 and the multitude John Baptist Matth. 11.18 Thirteenthly To curse them as Goliah cursed David 1 Sam. 17.43 and also Shemei 2 Sam. 16.7 to 15. the Heathen Israel Zach. 8.13 and all wicked men the godly Matth. 5.44 Fourteenthly To threaten them as all the men of Sodom did Lot Gen. 19.9 Jehoram Elisha 2 King 6.31 and as Paul before his conversion did the Disciples Acts 9.2 Fifteenthly By subtilty to vndermine them in talk that they might betray them as Saul caused his servants to undermine David by flattery to work his confusion 1 Sam. 18.14 and again ver 21 25. the false Prophets and other enemies of the truth Jeremiah seeking every way to destroy him Jer. 18.18 c. and certain of the Synagogue Steven Acts 6.9 10. CHAP. IX SIxteenthly By using scornfull and disdainfull gestures to despight them as Goliah against David 1 Sam. 17.42 and also those wicked ones Psal 22.7 13. and 35.16 and 109.25 Others against Iob Job 16.10 The scoffing Idolaters against the godly in Isaiahs time Isa 57.3 4. and the Labourers in the Parable against the Master of the Vineyard and their fellows Matth. 20 15. Seventeenthly To withstand and contrary the doctrine which they are commanded by God to deliver As Zedekiah the false prophet did Michaiahs doctrine 1 King 22.24 the Priests Prophets and all the people Jeremiahs Jer. 26.8 9. and Elymas the Sorcerer Paul and Barnabas in their preaching Acts 13.8 Eighteenthly To combine themselves together and lay divellish plots to destroy them as the new King of Egypt with his people did against the children of Israel Exod. 1.9 10. the hundreth and twenty Governours to work Daniels overthrow Dan. 6. And Demetrius with the rest of the Craftsmen conspired the death of Pauls companions Acts 19. and likewise more then forty of the Jews which bound themselves by a curse not to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul in which conspiracy the chief Priests were likewise assistants Acts 23.12 13 14. Nineteenthly To imprison them as Ahab did Michaiah 1 King 22.27 the malicious Priests Ieremiah Jer. 36.5 and all wicked men the godly when it is in their power Luk. 21.12 as they served John Baptist Peter Paul and many other of the Apostles Acts 5.18 and 12.4 and 4.3 and 22.25 and 28.17 2 Cor. 11.23 Twentieth To strike them as Zedekiah the false Prophet strook Michaiah 1 King 22.24 Pashur Ieremiah Jer. 20.2 and the Princes also chap. 37.15 and Ananias the High Priest Paul Acts 23.2 as also the Jews 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25. Twenty one To hurt and maim them as the whole Congregation of the children of Israel would have served those true hearted spies for speaking well of the Land of Canaan had not the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation Numb 14.10 the Philistims Sampson Judg. 16.21 and the Jews of Antiochia and Iconium Paul Acts 14.19 Twenty two and lastly To slay them as Doeg slew Ahimeleck and the rest of the Priests 1 Sam. 22 29. Iezabell all the Prophets of the Lord she could finde 1 King 18.4 Ierusalem the Prophets Matth. 23.37 and Herod all the male-children that were in Bethlehem and all the coasts thereof that he might make sure work with Christ Matth. 2.16 CHAP. X. NOw to speak nothing in this place of the diversity of deaths and tortures that millions of Martyrs have suffered for professing of Christs Name and keeping of a good conscience though their sufferings were nothing either to what their sins had deserved or to what their Saviour had done and suffered for them for he endured many a little death all his life for our sakes and at length that painfull shamefull and cursed death â—f the crosse yea he suffered every one of these two and twenty wayes befoâ—ementioned and that from his own countrymen and kinsfolks yea of the Chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees who were teachers and expounders of the Law and which sate in Moses chair For he was envied Matth. 26.15 Contemned Matth. 12.24 and 13.55 Rejoyced at in his misery and distresse Matth. 27.29 Hated Joh. 7.7 Murmured against Luk. 15.2 Had his actions and intentions misconstrued Matth. 11.19 Had tales carryed of him Matth. 12.14 and divelish counsel given against him Matth. 27.20 was scoffed at Matth. 27.42 Nick-named Matth. 13.55 Railed on Luk. 23.39 Slandered Matth. 28.13 Cursed Gal. 3.13 Threatned Joh. 11.53 Undermined in talk that they might accuse him Matth. 22.15 They used disdainfull gestures before him Matth. 27.29 39. Withstood him in his preaching and contraried his doctrine Luk 5.21 Matth. 9.34 Combined together and laid divellish plots to destroy him Matth. 12.14 Took him prisoner Matth. 26.57 Smote him Luk. 22.64 Hurt and wounded him Matth. 27.29 Joh. 19.34 And lastly they put him to death Matth. 27.35 And why all this not for any evil they found in him for their own words are He hath done all things well Mark 7.37 He
doth not remain as being carried away with misprisions surmises and weak opinions raised from meer prejudice and shadowes of things And which is worst of all it hath by long custom taken such deep root in mens hearts that I look never to see it mended till Christ comes in the clouds Only it behoves all men even every living soul of us to see that himself be none of that numberlesse number whom Satan thus cunningly prevails withall And not without need though most are apt to flatter themselves for this is an infallible rule every man is either of the seed of the Serpent or of the seed of the woman Gen. 3.15 the childe of God or the childe of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.10 either haters of Religion or hated for Religion Matth. 10.22 and 24.9 either one of this world or one that Christ hath chosen out of the world Joh. 15.19 Though all the divels children are not alike malicious neither do they so openly manifest that enmity which is in their hearts for some transcend this way as Doog did the rest of Sauls servants another way you shall know such an one yea all men shall know such to be the divels children by these few marks He will hate a man to the death though he have nothing to condemn him but his being holy His hatred is so inveterate and universall that he spends all his wit in frothy scoffs and invectives against the whole people of God And nothing so tickles his spleen or glads his heart as that discourse which may most shame profession disgrace Religion and dishonour God with Festus he calls zeal madnesse and Religion foolishnesse with Michall He will sharpen his tongue in gall and dip his pen in poison to dsgrace the graces of God in his children He hates zeal and devotion so inveterately that he can in no wise bare with it in others He is so desperately wicked that he cannot indure so much as the sight of godlinesse like him in Seneca who was so fearfully idle that his sides would ake to see another work He is just like the Jews spoken of Acts 13. who when they saw a great company at Pauls Sermon were filled with envy and fell to contradiction and blasphemy ver 45. Or the High Priests and Pharisees who when our â—aviour was so flockt after said among themselves perceive ye not behold the world goeth after him and if we let him thus alone all men will beleeve in him Joh. 11.48 and 12.19 being like the dog in the manger that will neither eat bay himself nor suffer the Horse He is of a reprobate judgement touching actions and persons esteeming good evil and evil good And is so desperately wicked that he will mock his admonishers scoff at the means to be saved and make himself merry with his own damnation As good men by their godly admonition and vertuous example draw all they can to heaven so he by his subtill allurements and wicked example draws all he can to hell He regards more the blasts of mens breath then the fire of Gods wroth He will boldly do what God forbids and yet confidently hope to escape what he threatens c. Now if you know any that do thus you may be sure he is of that wicked one Joh. 8.44 Matth. 23.33 1 Joh. 3.10 For none but a Cane or a devil in condition will envy because his own works are evil and his brothers good Neither could he do so if the devil were not in his heart Neither can there be a greater argument of a foul soul then the deriding of holy services Yea to scoff at Religion is the very depth of sinne such an one is upon the very threshold of hell as being set down in a resolute contempt of all goodnesse And so much of the first Use CHAP. XXV SEcondly We may learn from the originall of this enmity that to be without reproaches and persecutions we may rather wish then hope For what peace can we look for between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman seeing God himself from the beginning hath set them at enmity yea once to expect it were an effect of frenzy not of hope Thirdly From the continuance of it in all ages and in that all the godly that have gone before us have been envied hated traduced nick-named and persecuted by wicked men and all that come after us shall be let no particular member of the Church look to fare better then the whole body We see the Patriarks went this way the Prophets this way the Apostles this way the Martyrs this way this way went all the Saints and servants of God and do we look for an easier way Yea if the dearest of Gods children in former ages have suffered so much for Christ been put to such cruell deaths and torments for keeping of a good conscience let us praise the Lord who hath dealt with us far otherwise and pray for good Magistrates to whom next under God we owe the thanks Yea if our fore-fathers so willingly underwent those fiery trials let none for shame shrink under the burthen of an airy triall only For he will never endure a blow that cannot concoct a foul word He that is discouraged and made to return with an Ishmaelitish persecution of the tongue how would he endure a Spanish Inquisitian or those Marian times He that is so frighted with a squib how would he endure the mouth of a Cannon Fourthly If our Saviour himself suffered so much and so many wayes as he did being the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth Let none of us hope to be free from suffering or think it a strange thing when he doth suffer for well doing For the disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord If they have persecuted Christ they will persecute you also Joh. 15.20 If they have called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold Matth. 10.25 Yea sencelesse were it once to think that the same enmity which spared not to strike at the head will forbare the weakest and remotest limbe It was the lot of Christ and must be of all his followers to do good and suffer evil Nor can we else be conformable to Christ our head or be like our elder brother who was consecrated through afflictions and we must suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him Rom. 8.17 Yea hereunto we are called saith St Peter For Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 Suffering is the way to reigning through many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 14.22 Even as Christ had his passion before his assention and bare his crosse before he ware his Crown And what greater promotion can flesh and bloud be capable of then a conformity to the Lord of glory Who would not be ambitious of the same entertainment which Christ