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A97253
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Panoplia, or, Armour of proof for a weak Christian, against the worlds envy, scoffs and reproaches together with the doves innocency and the serpents subtility, upon Gen. 3. 15. / by R.J. [sic]
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Younge, Richard.
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1652
(1652)
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Wing Y167C; ESTC R43836
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38,326
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37
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be opposition When Christ was born all Ierusalem was troubled and Herod cut the throats of all the children in Bethlem so when Christ is born in any man the soul is in an uprore and Satan with his instruments are ready to kill in him every good motion though it be never so little a babe You cannot anger a wicked man worse then to do well yea he hates you more bitterly for this and the credit you gain thereby then if you had cheated him of his patrimony with your own discredit Whereas if a man will but bare them company in their sins drink swear temporize contemn holinesse mispend his time haunt Taverns play the good fellow and do as the rest do he shall have the approbation and good word of the greatest number Yea if none would be precise in their actions nor reprove others for their evil courses if they would but be prophane and wicked and make no bones of sinne their malice would cease and we should not have a puritane or roundhead in all the world Neither is Christ a signe to be spoken against of many in Babylon or Assiria but of many in Israel Luk. 2.34 where religion is profest publikely Yea when sincerity is wanting the neerer the line with any opposition the greater eclipse The Gadareans but besought Christ to depart his own country men drave him out and cast him down headlong Luk. 4.29 And who was his greatest enemy but his greatest friend even one of his houshold Chaplins and who but Ieremies familiars watched for his halting Yea commonly vertue fares hardest from such as should and seem to uphold her for the chief persecutors of Christ and his followers are not profest Atheists or Turks or Iews but such as hold some great place in the Church And intruders upon other mens right can endure any man how bad soever rather to live by them then the servants of him whom they intrude upon as you may see Matth. 21.33 to 39. where those farmers of the vineyard did not kill the theeves robbers and spoylers of the vineyard but the servants yea and the son too and the end of all was that they might take the inheritance However it hath been the complaint almost of all that have written that they have suffered most from such as profest the same faith and religion with them And so much touching the main difference between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman CHAP. XX. I Might go on and shew you that as they hate and persecute the godly because they do well so likewise because they fare well and are accepted before them As why was Cain wroth with his Brother Abel and after slew him as affirmeth the holy Ghost but because the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering but unto Cain and his offering he had no respect Gen. 4.4 5. Why did Esau hate Jacob and purpose to kill him but because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him Gen. 27.41 Isaacks blessing bred Esaus hate Again wherefore did the Philistims and Abimelech envy Isaac stop up his wells and banish him from them but because the Lord so abundantly blessed Isaac as appears Gen. 26.12 to 18. Wherefore did Josephs Brethren hate him not being able to speak peaceably unto him and after sell him into Egipt but because his father more favoured him and they feared he should reign over them Gen. 37.4 to 9. If Joseph be his fathers darling he is his brethrens eye-sore Wherefore did Saul persecute David and pursue after him from place to place to take away his life but because he was so praised and preferred of the people before himself and the Lord was with David and prospered him in every thing he took in hand 1 Sam. 18.12 13 28 29. Davids successe is Sauls vexation yea he findes not so much pleasure in his Kingdom as vexation in the prosperity of David And lastly for I passe by the Elder Brothers envy in the Parable against his younger Brother when his Father so royally entertained him at his return Luke 15.28 which is meant of the Jews envying the Gentiles conversion and many the like instances Why was Eliab wroth with his younger brother 1 Sam. 17.28 but because he should be more exalted And I doubt whether Davids brethren were more glad that Goliah was slain or angry that he was slain by their brother For envy is sick if her neighbour be well and the good mans honour is the envious mans torment as it fared betwen Haman and Mirdecai as hereafter the glory of Christ shall adde to these Reprobates confusion when they are driven to confesse this is he whom we once had in derision Luke 13.28 I might also apply all this to many in our times As why do many mens hearts rise against every holy man they meet as some stomacks rise at the sight of sweet-meats Why do all drunkards and vitious livers hate the religious and so belch out their enmity and spleen against them in raising and spreading of slanders as they do but although partly to rescue themselves from contempt and to procure a contrary esteem by putting a foul and ugly vizard upon vertue and decking up vice in a gorgeous and comely attire yet chiefly because they partake of the divine nature and are one with the Father and the Son John 17.14 21 22. 2 Cor. 6.18 I might I say be large upon this and many the like but I must only mention them CHAP. XXI INdeed if there were any speaking to such I would wish them to beware of this sin of all other sins in the world For the godly are unto God as the signet upon his right hand Jer. 22.24 yea as the apple of his own eye Zech. 2.8 And whatsoever wrongs and contumelies are done to them he accounteth as done to himself as they may see Psa 44.22 and 69.7 and 74.4 10 18 22 23. and 83.2 5 6. and 89.50 51. and 139.20 Pro. 19.3 Rom. 1.30 and 9.20 Mat. 10.22 and 25.45 Luke 21.17 1 Sam. 17.45 Isa 37.4.22 23.28 and Act. 5.39 and 9.4 5. Job 9.4 1 Thess 4.8 Iohn 15.18 20 21 23 24 25. Numb 16.11 1 Sam. 8.7 Yea thirdly God hath expresly told them that whosoever shall offend one of those little ones that beleeve in him it were better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck and that he were cast into the Sea Mat. 18.6 And that he will destroy them for ever and root them out of the Land of the living whose tongues imagine mischief and are like a sharp razor that cutteth deceitfully loving to speak evil more then good Psa 52.2 to 8. That he will confound such as persecute his children and destroy them with a double destruction Jer. 17.18 yea That he will render unto their enemies sevenfold into their bosome their reproach wherewith they have reproached the Lord Psal 79.12 In fine That he will reign upon them snares of fire and brimstome with
PANOPLIA OR Armour of Proof FOR A WEAK CHRISTIAN Against the worlds envy scoffs and reproaches Together with the Doves Innocency and the Serpents subtilty upon Gen. 3.15 The third Impression By R.J. CHAP. I. Reverend Sir SOme time since I heard you upon 1 Cor 6.9 10. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor no unrighteous persons shall ever inherit the Kingdom of God What change it hath wrought in me I forbear to mention But certainly Satan and the World fear they have lost the one a subject or prisoner the other a limbe or member ever since for whereas they â—â—er molested me formerly now as if I were rescued out of Satans cluâ—â—â—es that Lyon foames and roares and bestirs himself to recover his losse And as for my old acquaintance they so envy to see themselves casheered and so mortally hate me for that I will no longer continue miserable nor run with them as I have done to the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 that they make me weary of my life as the daughters of Heth did Rebecka Gen. 27.46 Yea I am so scoft at and scorned both by Parents Friends and Enemies that it not only hinders me from doing the good I would or appearing the same I am but it almost beats me off from being religious back to the world And certainly he must be more spirit then flesh that can contentedly make himself contemptible to follow Christ be pointed at for singularity endure so many base and vile nick-names have his Religion judged hypocrisie his godly simplicity fillinesse his zeal madnesse his contempt of the world ignorance his godly sorrow dumpishnesse and the like malicious and mischievous constructions made of whatsoever he speaks or does For my part I could better abide a stake God assisting me then the mocks scoffs and scornes which every where I meet withall It is death to me to be mockt as it fared with Zedekiah Jer. 38.19 Nor is there above Hell a greater punishment in my judgement then to become a Saunio a subject of scorn as Sampson I doubt not found Alcibiades profest that neither the proscription of his goods nor his banishment not the wounds he received in his body were so grievous to him as one scornfull word from his enemy Ctesiphon Yea doubtlesle our Saviours ear was more painfully pierced then either his brows or hands or feet It could not but go deep into his soul to hear those bitter and girding reproaches from them whom he came to save A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue then with the hand CHAP. II. I Grant there is no such rub in the way to Heaven as this Minister Satan hath not such a tried shaft in all his quiver he gets more now by such discouragements and the reproaches that are cast upon Religion then he did formerly by fire and faggot for then the blood of the Martyrs was found to be the seed of the Church others Phaenix like springing out of their ashes Whereas now multitudes of souls are scoft out of their Religion by wicked men many being apt with Peter to deny their religion when they come in company with Christs enemies and with David to dissemble their faith when they are amongst Philistius lest they should be mockt have so many frowns and frumps and censures and scoffs be branded with that odious and stigmaticall name of an hypocrite c. Yea St Austin confesseth that he often belied himself with sins which he never committed lest he should be unacceptable to his sinfull companions which makes our Saviour pronounce that man blessed that is not offended in him Matth. 11.6 But for all that a wiâ—â—â—â—an will not be scoft out of his Money nor a just man flowted out of his Faith The taunts of an Ishmael shall never make an Isaack out of love with his inheritance Yea for a man to be scoft out of his goodnesse by those which are lewd is all one as if a man that seeth should blindefold himself or put out his eyes because some blinde wretches revile and scoff at him for seeing Or as if one that is sound of limbes should limp or maim himself to please the criple and avoid his taunts And know this That if the barking of these currs shall hinder us from walking on our way to Heaven it is a sign we are most impotent cowards Yea if our love be so cold to Christ that we are ashamed for his sake to bear a few scoffs and reproaches from the world it is evident we are but counterfets such as Christ will be ashamed of before his Father and his holy Angels as the latter day Mark 8.38 For for the comfort of all that are single and honest-hearted notwithstanding all the scoffs and scorns of atheists and carelesse worldlings all their perswasions and persecutions they shall both lose their labours and themselves too in the end Well may they intend and also do their utmost to flout us out of our Faith that so they may slay us with death eternall and speed thereafter As God that regards not so much what is performed as what was intended and measures what we do by what we meant to do as in the case of Abrahams offering up his sonne and those Jews who only thought they had killed Paul Acts 14.19 but they shall be no more able to hinder the salvation of any one whom God hath chosen to his Kingdom of grace and glory then Saul with his Courtiers could hinder David from attaining the promised Kingdom of Israel Psal 129.1 Revel 13.8 The windes may well tosse the ship wherein Christ is but never overturn it If Christ have but once possest the affections there is no dispossessing him again The League that Heaven hath made Hell wants power to break Who can separate the conjunctions of the Deitie Whom God did predestinate saith Paul them be also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 They shall sooner blow up hell with trains of powder then break the chain of this dependent truth No power of men or devils is able to withstand the will of God it shall stand firmer then the firmament A fire in the heart overcomes all other fires without as we see in the Martyrs which when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once got into their hearts it could not be got out again by all the torments that wit and cruelty could devise CHAP. III. BUt how should I a novice Convert a punie a white-liver a milksop shak off this slavish yoak of bondage and fear in which Satan for the present holds me Minister By well observing what the Scriptures in this case hold forth for the encouragement of all that thus suffer I will commend to your serious consideration only six things and I pray minde them well for Virgil most excellently and profoundly couples the knowledge of cause and the conquest of