very houre what they ought to say or rather the holy Ghost shall speake in them Mark 13.9.11 Luk. 12.11 12. And which of the Martyrs did not finde the same verified Alice Drivers being a poore mans daughter and brought up at the Plow in defence of Gods truth and in the cause of Christ at her examination put all the Doctors to silence so that they had not a word to say but one looked upon another Indeed Bonner thought hee had non-plust a plaine fellow with his Sophistry about the reall presence But he answered him to the purpose My Lord quoth he I cannot so well dispute for the truth as you can against it but I can burne for the truth which you will never doe And did it a good argument to prove that he knew truth from falshood better than the Bishop Thus as no man can see God and live so no man can see Christ who is God sitting at the right hand of his Father in heaven so long as hee lives a meer naturall man 1 Cor. 2.14 God will not powre new wine but into new vessells Matth. 9.17 Christ is said to have expounded all things to his Disciples apart to shew that if we will have Christ to teach us wee must goe apart from the world If any will doe Gods will saith our Saviour he shall know the Doctrine whether it be of God or no Iohn 7.17 So that no man can learne this doctrine but he that doth it as no man could learn the Virgins song but they that sang it Revel 14.3 Yea if the feare of the Lord as Solomon speakes is the beginning of wisdome how should they have wisdome that have not the feare of the Lord All unrepentant sinners are enemies to God servants to Satan now we men doe not tell our secrets to enemies neither will an Artificer teach another mans servant his trade but the righteous are Christs friends and brethren and sisters and father and mother between whom there is a kinde of familiarity so that he makes them of his counsell His secrets saith Solomon are with the righteous Pro. 3.32 And again Psal. â—â— 14 The secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that fear him and his Covenant is to give them understanding See this in Abrahams example Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do saith God Gen. 18.17 As if this were an offence in God if he should tell the righteous no more then he tells the wicked Beâ—ides What should he doe with a talent that will not improve it And let a wicked man know never so much he is resolved to be never the better man And they that are unwilling to obey God thinkes unworthy to know which is but equity Indeed if they will put off concerning their former conversation the old man with his corruptions and deceiveable lusts and be changed by the renewing of their mindes and by putting on the new man which after God is treated in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephe. 4.20 to 25. Col. 3.10 2 Cor. 5.17 1 Joh. 4.7 Then they shall see what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is as Saint Paul and our Saviour Christ shews Rom. 12.2 Matth. 5.8 For God in the person of wisdome hath made a generall promise to all that will serve him Prov. 1. If thou wilt turne saith God at my correction I will powre out my heart unto thee and make thee understand my words Verse 23. But else they shall blindly goe on in persecuting Christ and his members perhaps to the killing of his Prophets and thinke also that they doe God good service Iohn 16.2.3 For as they like not to retaine God in their knowledge saith the Apostle so God shall give them over to vile affections and to a reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 And because they will not receive the truth in love that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they might beleeve lyes that all they might bee damned which beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes. 2.10.11.12 And is it not iust with God to say they would none of Christ let them welcome Sathan and Antichrist SECT 65. Quest. WHat instruction from the premisses Ans. As it ought to stop all wicked mens mouthes so it may both serve for direction and comfort to the godly and to informe all First If it be so that all naturall men are uncapable of divine and supernaturall knowledge that they are blinde touching spirituall things let not any carnall wretch hereafter dare to speake evill of the things actions and persons which are out of the reach of his capasity but silently suspend his judgement untill he is better informed For as it pertaineth not to the rusticke to judge of Letters so it belongeth not to naturall men to judge of spirituall things And in matters of sensure nothing but a certaine knowledge should make us give a certain judgement in the mean time confesse that Ioseph may know his brethren although they know not him He which is spirituall discerneth all things yet he himselfe is Iudged of no man 1 Cor. 2.14 that is of no naturall man 2. Let those that have used to speake evill of the way of truth learne to kicke no more against the pricks lest they bring the same curse upon themselves that those did which brought up an evill report of the holy Land viz. that As they never entred into the terrestriall Canaan So these never enter into the Celestiall Yea put case they shall think to doe God good service in it for there is a way saith Solomon that seemeth right to a man but the issues thereof are the wayes of death Pro. 14.22 As many shall thinke they doe God good service in putting his children so death Ioh. 16.2 even that Monke thought no lesse who poysoned Henry the seventh Emperor of Germany with the sacramentall bread And so did the Powder Traytors intending to blow up the whole State Maximinian thought the blood of christians would be an acceptable sacrifice to his Gods So Francis the second of France And Phillip the second of Spaine thought of the Lutherans blood in their dominions In the sixth councell of Toledo it was inacted that the King of Spaine should suffer none to live in his dominions that professed not the Roman Catholique 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 Lutheranisme which he presently began to doe prosessing 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 returne with hearts full of blankes so will it one day fare with these men 3 If all who deride and persecute the godly are ignorant persons as hath been proved then let not Gods children be discouraged maugre all slander and
it was the Devills mind in her mouth his heart in her lips when tempted to eate the forbidden fruite Nor did David once dreame that it was Sathan 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 Sathan to tempt his own Lord and Master with those affectionate words Master pity thy self for if Christ had pitied himselfe Peter and all the World had perished Yet hee was so which occasioned Christ to answer him get thee behind me Sathan Mat. 16.22 23. Whence we may argue that if Sathan can make the best and wisest of Gods children and servants who hate the very appearance of evill 1 Thess. 5.22 Iude 23. Eph. 5.27 2 Pet. 3.14 Iam. 1.27 have the eye of faith and the spirits direction and know the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 13 15 16. Iohn 10.14 above others to doe him such service unwittingly and besides their intention how much more can he prevaile with and make use of his owne servants and children that delight only in wickednesse and have not the least knowledge of or ability to discerne spirituall things 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Cor. 4.4 1 Tim. 4.2 But will you know how it comes to passe that you call evill good and good evill put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter that you justifie the wicked and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isai. 5.20.23 And so fight under Sathans banner against Gods people And yet take your selves to bee not Sathans but Gods servants I will shew you five maine Reasons of it I pray marke them First So long as you are in your naturall condition you have eyes and see not eares and heare not hearts and understand not spirituall things As Christ himselfe plainly affirmes Matth. 13.15 and his Apostle Acts 28.27 and before them both the Prophet Isay chap. 6.9.10 And the reason of that is you have a vaile or curtaine drawne over your hearts which is never taken away untill ye turne to the Lord by repentance at which time it is taken away as you may reade 2 Cor. 3.14 15 16. Rom. 12.2 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. Secondly long custome and the commonnesse of this sinne hath taken away the sense of it 1 Tim. 4.2 Heb. 3.13 Yea quite turned it from a sin and that the greatest to a vertue As how many in this land for all they are Traytors to God and take up armes against all that worship him in spirit in truth would yet be counted and are so by the blind world not onely honest men but good Christians Whereas if it were not so common and in fashion they would be counted very Atheists and Devills and so they are accounted of all but them that are Atheists How many that scoffe at traduce and nick-name the conscionable Puritans and hate them even for the graces of Gods spirit which shine in them would yet be counted Religious men whereas if it were not so usuall and that custome had not bleered mens minds it would bee counted no better than open rebellion and blasphemy against God so it is counted by all but them that use it This sin is counted no sin and yet it is the most desperate sinne and does more hurt than all his fellowes Thirdly To helpe forward when God sends to you his Gospell thereby to cure and save you you will not be cured Jer. 51.9 Yea you so hate the light of the Gospell that you shun it all you can least your deeds should be reprooved John 3.19 10. Or else you stop your eares and shut your eyes least you should see with your eyes and heare with your eares and should understand with your hearts and should he converted and Christ should heale you as himselfe affirmes Matth. 13.15 And what is light to him that will shut his eyes against it Or reason to him that will stop his eares from hearing it Fourthly Here upon because you will not receive the truth in love that you might be saved for this cause God gives you up to strong delusions that you should beleeve a lye That all of you might be damned who beleeve not the the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousnesse They are the very words of the Holy ghost 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. of which see more Rom. 1.21 to 32. Fiftly and lastly Sathan the God of this World hath blinded your mindes that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God should not shine unto you 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Ephes. 2.2 2 Thess. 2.9 10. 1 Tim. 4.2 For as Sathan is the Prince of darkenesse so hee rules in the darkenesse of the understanding dealing with wicked men as Faulkoners do with their Haukes who that they may carry them quietly and doe what they list unto them First blinde their eyes with a hood Neither could men else hear the Gospell day after day and yeare after yeare which is the strong arme of the Lord and the mighty power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 and the sword of the spirit Ephe. 6.17 and like as a fire or an Hammer that breaketh even the rocke in peeces Ier. 23.29 30. And that irresistable Cannon shot that is mighty to beat downe all the strong holds of sinne and Sathan 2 Cor. 10.4 quick and powerfull And sharper then any two edged sword and peirâ—eth even to the dividing asunder of the soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and to the discerning of the very thoughts and secret intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 And stand it out even refusing the free offer of grace and salvation Neither could they other then hate sin love holinesse For besides that any wise man would rather be saved than damned Plato a very heathen could say that vertue if it be clearly seene moves great love and affection Yea if wee could descerne good from evill perfectly that subtile Serpent could deceive no longer And because hee cannot force men against their wills which leaves us without excuse for though that old Sheba blowes many an inticing blast to carry us away from our true allegiance to Christ Iesus our King yet the minde of man is not capable of a violation either from man or Sathan therefore he useth his utmost pollicy to perswade us And by desception of our reason whereby we mistake vertue for vice and vice for vertue hee cheefly prevailes For no vice could ever bee loved but for the seeming good which it makes shew of And Sathan is so cunning a Sophister and so dexterous a Retoritian in perswading that hee desires no more then to bee heard speake As what thinke you if that old Serpent and Sophister did so easily perswade Eve by himself and Adam by her to beleeve what hee spake though they had heard God himselfe say the contrary immediatly before what hope
malitious enemies to his Crosse Phil. 3.18 No God hath promised to shew mercy unto thousands of them that love him keep his cōmandments Exod. 20.5 6. And to forgive the most unrighteous if they will forsake their evill wayes and returne unto him Isay 55.7 And Christ hath made a generall Proclamation that whosoever have they formerly been never so wicked and vicious shall repent and beleeve and obey the Gospell shall be saved Marke 16.16 Heb. 5.9 But withall Christ hath no lesse told us and I pray marke it that except we repent and beleeve we shall for ever perish and bee damned Marke 16.16 Luke 13.3 5. and threatned that hee will come the second time in flaming fire to render vengeance unto them that know him not and that obey not his Gospell 2 Thess. 1.7.8 Psalm 11.6 Adding that no unrighteous persons shall inherit the Kingdome of God but shall have their part and portion in that Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. 5.21 Revel 21.8 And that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 and God no lesse tels us that hee will recompence every man according to his workes be they good or evill Revel 20.13 and 22.12 Rom. 2.6 Jer. 25.14 and 32.19 and 50.29 and 51.56 Ezek. 7.4.8 9. and 9.10 and 11.21 and 16.43 Yea hee tels us expresly that he will not be mercifull unto such as flatter themselves in an evill way but that his wrath and jealousie shall smoake against them and every curse that is written in his booke shall light upon them c. Deut. 29.19 20. And that if we will not regard nor hearken unto him when he calls upon us for repentance he will not hear nor regard us when in our distresse and anguish we shall call upon him for mercy but even laugh at our destruction and mocke when our fear commeth Prov. 1.24 to 33. Neither is salvation more promised to the godly in any part of the Bible Old Testament or New than eternall death and destruction is threatned to the wicked For though to all repentant sinners he is a most mercifull God yet to wilfull and impenitent sinners he is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 Doe you indeed beleeve that hee who is truth it selfe speakes as hee meanes in his word Or will you hearken to God and Christ rather than to Satan and your deceitfull Heart that would gull you of your soule and plunge you into everlasting horror If so take notice that Christ came not to be a Patron for sin but that he might destroy the body of sin and the workes of the Devill in us 1 Iohn 3.8 and to sanctifie as well as to save us Rom. 6.5 6. Titus 2.11 12 14. Luke 1.74 75. And that the very end of Gods electing and of Christs redeeming us was that we might be holy Ephe. 1.4 Matth. 19.17 And therefore hee binds it with an oath That whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spirituall enemies they shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their lives Luke 1.73 74 75. 1 Pet. 2.24 Nor ought any indeed to call upon Christ or once to name him with their mouthes except they depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2 1◠And this do all that are spirituall 1 Cor. 2.14 15. Such as resolve to doe Gods will Psalm 111.10 to whom alone Christ reveales himselfe savingly Iohn 15.14 15. 1 Iohn 2.20 know that if you were Christians indeede as you say you are you would immitate Christ and indeavour to square your lives according to his Gospell 1 Iohn 2.4 5 6. Iohn 15.14 15. Or if you were Gods servants you would doe what hee commands 1 Iohn 1.6 7. Mall 1.6 Ier. 7.23 and 26.13 But certainly as Linacre said long since so may I now Either the New Testament is none of Christ's Gospell or you are not Christians Iohn 8.31 Gal. 5.24 1 Iohn 5.3 And so of the Old either it is none of God's word or you are none of his servants As marke what the Holy Ghost saith Rom. 6. Know ye not that to whom ye yeeld your selves as servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey v. 16. to 23. 2 Pet. 2.19 And 2 Cor. 5. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature v. 17.2 Tim. 2.19 and our saviour himself who affirmes that wee are the Children of the Devill if wee doe the workes of the Devill Iohn 8.34 44. Luke 14.26 And what worke or service can the Devil put you upon like this which both blockes up the way to heaven so and opens such a flood-gate to all prophanesse that few or scarse any doe sufficiently discerne and deplore But that Satan is your Father your King and your God and how you advance his Kingdom by your daily scoffs reproaches c. 1 in detaining many from entering into a Religious course 2 in staggering many Who have made some progresse in the way 3 in keeping many From doing the good which they would or appearing the same which they are 4 in beating many Cleane off from their profession 5 in hardening many And making them resolve against goodnesse 6 in intentionally slaying many With death eternall the insuing pages sufficiently shew Onely I would if it were possible make your selves acknowledge that you are the men there spoken of For though all experiensed Christians know and God in his word tels you plainely that Satan is the God of all unbeleevers 2 Cor. 4.4 And their King Iohn 14.30 and 12.31 And their Father Gen. 3.15 Iohn 8.44 And that they are all his Servants kept by the Devill in a snare and taken captive of him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 And that hee ruleth by and worketh his pleasure in all the children of disobedience Ephe. 2.2 3. Yet poore soules you know it not as those foure hundred of Ahabs Prophets in whom this evill spirit spake did not know that Satan spake by them 1 Kings 22.22 Neither did Iudas know when he eate the sop that Sathan entred into him and put it into his heart to betray Christ Iohn 13.2 For hee had more plausible ends in it as thinking that Christ could at pleasure deliver himselfe out of their hands and the like Neither do Magistrates when they cast the servants of God into prison once imagine that the Devill makes them his Jaylors but hee doth so whence that phrase of the Holy Ghost The Devill shall cast some of you into prison Rev. 2.10 They are his instruments but hee is the principall Author Neither did Ananias and Saphira once thinke that Satan had filled their hearts or put that lye into their mouthes which they were strooke dead for Acts 5. yet the Holy ghost tels us plainly that hee did so ver 3. No Eve in Paradise had not the least suspision that it was Sathan that spake to her by the Serpent nor Adam that
in Gods account is persecution 165 The woful reward of persecuting Christs members 64 77 206 But they blesse themselves and think to speed as well as the best 208 Why persecuters are not alwayes punished here 207 Look hatred They cry up practise to cry down preaching 170 The preaching of some Ministers the cause of hatred and persecution 140 Prejudice blindes them 65 No reclaiming such as are forestalled with prejudice 7 Prejudice how to have it cured and our judgements cleared 8. Ad. Ff. The Prelates more râ—ady to yeeld their aide then the rabble to ask it 74 Wicked men all in extreames and either presume or dispaire 223. Look faith They are prone to imprison us 111 Not for any crime 112 But to prevent further dispute ib. And for other the like reasons 113 Good men will hold their profession though they lose their lives 161 Common Protestants can be of any religion 154 R. They rejoyce at our supposed evill estate 58 But most if they see us sin 59 Religion most opposed by formall professors 9 Most men can be of any religion which shews they are truly of none 234 They think to adde to their own reputation by detracting from others 104 They revile and raile on the godly 80 They so hate righteousnesse that they will hate men for it 75 S. Satan speakes in and by scoffers but they know it not of which many examples Ad. L Satan more servants here than God Ad. X Satan prevailes most by desception of our reason Ad. R. Satan desires no more than to be heard speak Ad. S. Hee will put a faire collour upon the fowlest sin and make the best action odious Ad. T He hath perswaded millions that they do well in persecuting the Saints Ad. V If Satan shewed the book with the baite his kingdome would not be so populous Ad. X Scandalous lives of some Professors one cause of hatred and persecution 240 Wicked men use to flout and scoffe at the Religious 75 Even for their zeale purity and holines 124 They would scoffe us out of our faith 159 And would effect the same did not God support us 160 Millions beaten off from being religious by their scoffes and reproaches 3 Some will better abide a stake then others a scoffe 164 Scoffing counted no sin and yet worse than all its fellows Ad. O. P The great evill that scoffers doe Ad. I. K All scoffers as bad as Cain Ishmael c. Ad. C They are Satans servants Ad. I The reason why all are not beaten off from goodnesse by their scoffes Ad. F f To be scoft out of our goodnesse how ridiculous 162 The character of a malicious scoffer 149 No greater argument of a foule soule 77 They scoffe at us God laughs at them 76 Good counsell for scoffers 237 SeparatioÌ„ a main cause of persecution 240 Flocking after Sermons another cause ib. Satan and sin doe besot the wicked 220 They use to slander the godly 83 They traduce whom they cannot sedâ—ce 65 Slanderers do satan the best service 84 Great wits not apter to raise slanders then others to beleeve them 85 A slander once raised never dies ib. At least it leaves the scar of suspicion ib. Wise men wil examin before they believe 86 Their policy in slandering us 87 They slander us out of policy 147 Slanders both make and increase jealousies disable us from discerning the truth 84 Their matchles malice in slandering us 73 It is satan that speakes in and by the slanderer 78 A slander is the devils heart in their lips 83 Singularity our great and grievous crime 152 They use to smite the godly and confute them with fists 114 Their arguments are al steele and iron ib. Because the Law bindes their hands they smite with their tongues 80 How satan playes the Sophister 158 They speak evill of us because they cannot do evill to us 81 They think not as they speak 146 Satan gets more by subtlety than by violence 63 Suffering our Saviour suffered 22 severall wayes from ungodly men 121 Let none look to fare better than Christ. 126 What a multitude have lost their lives for professing Christ 42 Comfort for such as suffer 126 God will assist such as suffer for him 22 T. They are wont to carry tales of us to the Rulers 67 How to hear the talebearer 70 No musick so sweet as to hear well of themselves ill of the Religious 71 The tale-bearers End ib. The Theefe most forward to cry stop theef 87 They use to threaten the godly 93 Speaking of truth a main cause of hatred and persecution 239 Wicked men fly the light 101 They use to withstand and contrary the truth by us delivered 100 V. They will undermine us in talk that they may betray us 95 Their cunning in this case ib. And dissimulation 96 They have borrowed this craft from Satan who sets them on worke ib. Beware we trust them not 97 W. A War proclaimed between the wicked and the godly 15 The time when 28 Warning No expecting a voyce from heavâ—n as Saul had Ad. C And yet if they should it would not do Ad. D They are forced to give us warning that we may prevent them 94 All wicked men are the serpents seed 16 We cannot anger them worse then to doe well 137 Wicked beholding to the godly for their lives 174 How strangely they gull themselves 150 Many that have a depth of knowledge are not soule wise 181 Examples of many wise in the worlds esteem yet fools in Gods account 182 With God the greatest sinner is the greatest foole and he most wise that is most religious 182 God regards not braine-knowledge except it seaze upon the heart also 183 Rightly a manknows no more then he practiseth 184 Saving knowledge or wisdom described 185. That the meanest beleever knows more then the profoundest clark 186 In what sense the word calls worldly men wise men 187 Strong braines too wise to be saved 102 Vengeance makes wise whom sin makes foolish 213 They that would have this tallent must resolve to improve it 194 The way to obtain true wisdome ib. Instruction from the premises 195. First for all naturall men ibid. Secondly for such as speak evill of the way of truth 196. Thirdly for Gods people 198. A Fourth Vse 199. A Fifth 200. A Sixt 200. A Seventh Vse 201 Look more in knowledge in ignorance What is meant by the woman and her seed 17 Their words are to be slighted 82 If we cannot concoct ill words we would never indure blows 162 They will cavill against the very word of God and oppose the Messengers 101 Z. They are zealous against all that are zealous 76 They perâ—ecute us out of zeale Ad. Cc Which is the case of all morrall men Ad. ib. THE CAVSE CVRE OF Ignorance Error Enmity Atheisme Prophaness c. SECT I. Question HOw is it that the practice of Christianity is every where spoken against under the name of Schisme
Iealousie The Sap Hatred The Fruit Persecution severally and apart for ignorance causeth Suspition and Suspition Hatred and Hatred Persecution But I cannot stand upon these SECT 61. Qu. IF Ignorance be such a generall cause of hatred and persecution as you have shewre What is the reason that so many great Scholers and wise men do also hate and persecute the godly Ans. Great scholers they may bee and wise men also in the worlds esteeme but in the maine and in Gods account they are nothing so for admit they have inlightned heads sufficient to leave them without excuse yet because they withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse and doe not glorifie God with their knowledge neither are thankfull but become vain in their imaginations their foolish hearts are darkned and so while they professe themselves to be wise in changing the truth of God into a lie they become fools and expresse it by thus hating God and his children Romans 1.18.21.22.25.30 So that Ignorance is the cause even in them also And indeed if they were wise they would foresee the torments of hell and prevent them as Bernard speakes Or if they knew God they would keep his commandments for hereby saith Saint Iohn is it knowne that wee know God if we keep his Commandements 1 John 2.3 but he that saith I know him and yet keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and there is no truth in him Ver. 4. Yea these have sworne to keepe the commandements and to deny the world and yet are not content with their owne disobedience unlesse they cast aspersions upon them that obey Againe thirdly if they knew Christ they could not but love him and loving him they must needs love his members not persecute them for it is the very first part of our conversion to love them that love God 1 Joh. 3.14 and 4.7.8 and Joh. 13.35 But so many as are enemies to the crosse of Christ shew that they never knew God in Christ. As for their wisdome and learning you must know that men may be â—xquisitely wise and incomparably learned in the worlds opinion and yet very fooles in Gods account 1 Cor. 3.19 As sharp-eyed as Eagles in the things of the earth and yet as blinde as Beetles in the matters of heaven And knowledge consisteth not so much in the quantity as in the quality not in the greatnesse but in the goodnesse of it For as a little precious stone is of more worth then many other stones of greater bulke so one drop of wisdome guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning One sparke of spirituall experimentiall and saving knowledge is worth a whole flame of secular wisdome and learning One scruple of holinesse one dram of faith one graine of grace is more worth then many pounds of naturall parts But learning and grace doe not alwayes keep company together Yea O Lord how many are there that have a depth of knowledge yet are not soule-wise That have a Library of Divinity in their heads and not so much as the least Catechisme in their consciences no rare thing for men to abound in speculation and be barâ—en in devotion to have full braines and empty hearts cleare judgements and defiled affections fluent tongues and lame hands Yea you shall heare a flood in the tongue when ye cannot see one drop in the life For example I might instance in Balaam whom the holy Ghost stiles a foole 2 Peter 2.16 And Iudas Mat. 27.3 4 5. And Paul before his conversion who even while hee was a persecuter like these men was eminent among the Pharisees for wit and learning but a very Ideot among the Apostles And lastly the Priests Scribes and Pharisees who were matchlesse for their wisdome and learning as wanting nothing that either nature or Art could inrich them withall yea and they were chiefly learned in the Scripture Gods Oracles which will make a man wise or nothing and yet our Saviour who could not bee deceived calls them foure times in one Chapter blinde and twice fools Mat. 23.16.17.19.24.26 Because they wanted faith and holinesse which are the sinewes and nerves yea the soule of saving knowledge inlivening feeding and strengthening the same for in the dialect of the Scripture a fool is a naturall man and a wise man a man sanctified Alas God regards not lip-learning and tongue-wisdome and braine-knowledge except it ceize upon the heart also and lead captive the affections to the government of the Gospel whereby wee are changed and transformed into new men after the image of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 Eph. 4.20 to 25. Col. 3.10 except we digest our knowledge into practise and imploy our wisdome to his glory that gave it our neighbours good and the furthering of our owne salvation For with him wickednes is folly and the greatest sinner is the greatest foole and he most wise that is most religious and that offends least Prov. 1.7 Iob. 28.28 Prov. 9.10.12 and 11.3 Deut. 4.6 Hosea 14.9 Iames 3.13.17 2 Tim. 3.15 And he that is truly wise thinks that to be wisdome and folly which God thinks so Neither is that worth the name of knowledge which may be heard only and not seen Good discourse is but the froth of wisdome the pure and solid substance of it is in well framed actions What saith the Scripture Keepe the Commandements of God and doe them for this is your wisdome and understanding before God and men Deut. 4 6. And again He that is a wise man and indued with knowledge will shew it by his conversation in good works Iames 3.13 For SECT 62. RIghtly a man knows no more then he practiseth It is said of Christ 2 Cor. 5 21. that he knew no sinne because he did no sin in which sense hee knows no good that doth no good And certainly they who wander in the by-paths of sin and errour declare themselves ignorant of the right way of salvation Rom. 3.17 Saving knowledge of the truth works a love of the truth knowne it is an uniforme consent of knowledge and action Iob 28.28 He onely is wise saith Solomon that is wise for himself Prov. 9.12 He whose conscience pulleth all he hears and reads to his heart and his heart to God who turneth his knowledge to faith his faith to feeling and all to walke worthy of his Redeemer he that subdues his sensuall desires and appetite to the more noble faculties of the soule Reason and Understanding and makes that understanding of his serve him by whom it is and doth understand hee that subdues his lust to his will submits his will to reason his reason to faith his faith his reason his will himself to the will of God this is practicall experimentall and saving knowledge to which the other is but a bare name or title For what is the notionall sweetnesse of honey to the experimentall taste of it It is one thing to know what riches are and
commonnesse of this sin hath taken away the sense of it This counted no sin and yet worse then all his fellows 3 They reject all meanes of being bettered 4 Because they will not imbrace the truth they are given up to beleeve lyes 5 The Prince of darkenesse blindes them Satan prevailes most by desception of our reason We mistake good for evill and evill for good Sathan desires no more then to beheard speake He will put a faire coulour upon the foulest sin and make the best action odious He hath perswaded millions that they doe wel in persecuting the saitus If Sathan shewed the hooke as well as the bâ—ite his Kingdom would not be so populous Sathan more servants here then God Few compared with the multitude shall be saved The difficulty of entring the strait gate 1 Pet. 4.18 Yet most live as if they had no soules The foolish ingratitude of ungodly men Want of application on the cause of al impiety All performances abominable except they proceed from right ends and a heart sanctified Tryall of a Christian by the fruites of his faith Morrall men count zeal madnesse and Religion foolishnes They so hate holinesse that they will hate men for it They persecute us out of zeal Which is the case of not a few All hated for religion or haters of reigion They have so hardened their hearts that we were as good admonish a stone The reason why al are not beaten off by their sâ—offes How to have our â—udgments cleared and our prejudice cured Occasion of writing upon this subject All ineffectual except God give a blessing The religious hated and spoken against of all and every where A secret enmity antipathy betweene the wicked and Godly Millions beaten off from being religious by the scoffs reproaches of wicked men The miseâ—â—ble â—ondition of cowardly Christians A remarkable example The contempt of Religion makes many resolve against goodness They will make an evill construction of what soever we do or speak No reclayming such as are forestaled with preiudice Meanes to cleare our Iudgments touching the worlds hatred Religion most opposed by formall professors Christ his crosse inseparable All the saints have been hated and persecuted Meanes to confirme comfort strengthen us against the worlds hatred Their malice a good signe we belong to God The originall of the worlds hatred Gen. 3 15 opened explained An enmity proclaimed and what it is The Author proclaiming The Captaines and Souldiers between whom All wicked men are the Serpents seed What is meant by the Woeman and her seed Severall uses of instruction 1. Vse 2 Use 3 Use The certainty of this War Lessons of Instruction from hence 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Lesson Originall sin the origâ—nall of this disâ—cord The end why â—hreefoâ—d God the Author without being the Author of sin 1. Reason 2 Reason The same further cleared The distinction of adversiâ—ties The time when this warr was proclaimed 2. The time that it is to continue 3. The time more strictly in regard of the subiect and obiect A Vse of comfort The manner of their venting this enmity The circumstance of place three-forld What will be the issue who shall get the Victory What is meant by brusing the head What by bruising the Heele This text an epitomy of the whole Bible Order and distribution of the whole booke The continuance of it in all Ages 1 It was before the Flood 2 After the Flood before the Law 3 After the Law before Christ. 4 In the time of Christ and his Apostles What a multitude have suffered for professing Christ. 5. After the Apostles in the time of the tenne Persecutions 6 From the primitive times hitherto Formall Christians the greatest persecutors of true Christians 7 In the times wherein we live A holy life cannot escape persecution This enmity makes them forget all â—â—turall affection 8 It will continue so long as time continues Application of the point Twenty two signes or properties of this enmity 1 They envy the Godly Envy the Devills cogniâ—ance as love is Christs 2 They contemne them which is not for 〈◊〉 of ignorance 3 they reioyce at our supposed evill estate But most if they see us sin 4 They hate the godly Their hatred extends to the whole generation of the Godly But they have not so much authority as malice Though their punishment shall be never the lesse 5 They murmure against the godly and God himselfe For being better then them selves They have a great advantage of the godly Their miserable condition 6 They sensure our actions and mis-consture our inteutions Preiudice blindes them They traduce whoÌ„ they cannot seduce They condemne others that themsâ—lves may be justified They iudge others by themselves 7 They carry tales of us to the Rulers Charge us with many things but proove nothing They passe over our good partes They will coyne matter to accuse us How to heare the tale-bearer No musick so sweet as to heare well of themselves ill of the religious The tale-bearers end 3 They give divelish councel against us They dazell mens eyes with false accutions Their matchlesse malice in slandering us The Prelates more ready to yeeld their ayd then the rude rabble to aske it 9. They flout and scoffe at the godly They so hate righteousnesse that they hate men for it They think us mad we know them to be mad They are zealous against all that are zealous They scoff at us God laughes at them Their punishments No greater Argument of a foule soule 10. They use to nick-name the godly It is the Devill that speakes in and by them Nothig hath proved more successfull to Satan then lies Wicked men think to grace themselves by disgracing the godly 11 They revile and raile on the godly Because the Law bindes their hands they smit with their tongues They speak evill of us because they cannot do evil to us How fitly they are termed dogs Their words are to bee â—lighted Foule mâ—uthed men and women are devills in the Scripture phrase Satans heart in their lips 12. They raise slanders of the godly Evill reports both make and increase iealousies and disable us from discerning the truth Slanderers Satans best servants Great wits not apter to raise slanders then othes to beleeve them A slander once raised never dyes At least it leaves a scar of suspition behinde Wise men will examine before they beleeve Their policy in slandering us The theef most forward to cry stop theefe 13. They will curse the godly Wicked men lye when they speake the truth As they belong to hell so thâ—y speak the language They that curse us would kill us if they durst They curse those that least of all deserve it They curse us that they may discourage us Though they curse yet God will blesse How miserably cursers shall be cursed 14. They use to threaten the godly No living for the godly if their enemies hands were alowed to be as bloody