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
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
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
flood before the law 41 After the law before Christ. ib. In the time of Christ and his Apostles 42 After the Apostles in the time of the ten persecutions 43 From the primitive times hitherto 44 In the times wherein we live 46 It will continue to the worlds end 50 Application of the point 52 Twenty two signes or properties of this enmity 53 Foure mentall ib. Eleven verball 62 Seven actuall 98 Eleven causes of this enmity 130 First cause is contrariety ibid. This enmity makes them forget all naturall affection 49 Severall uses of their enmity 124 125 To informe us whether we be children of the devill or members of Christ. 125 Application of the point 52.168 They envy the godly because better then themselves 139 Application of the point 142 And because they fare better 166 Application first to unhallowed Ministers 168. Secondly to the rabble 171 The good mans honour is the envious mans torment 168 Envy the devils cognizance as love is Christs 54 Example of the multitude 239 Some of their excuses 151 Genesis the 3.15 opened and explained 14 F. Triall of a Christian by the fruits of his faith Ad. Aa Bb Naturall men feare visible powers not the invisible God 210 Morall men count zeale madnesse and Religion foolishnesse Ad. Cc. To bee a Christian requires fortitude 160 G. Wicked men manifest their enmity against the religious by their gesture 98 As the tongue speaks to the ear so the gesture speaks to the eye 99 Gods goodnesse aggravates our wickednesse 234 No living for the godly if their enemies hands were allowed to be as bloody as their hearts 93 Nothing more contemned then goodnesse 143 H. All naturall men hate the religious 2.60 The best men most hated and spoken against 1 All the Saints have been hated and persecuted 11 They so hate holinesse that they will hate men for it Ad. Cc All hated for Religion or haters of Religion Ad. Dd Originall of this hatred 14 They will hate a man to the death for being holy 6. Look persecution None but the desperately wicked will malice his brother for goodnesse 165 They will hate us because they have hurt us 104 Causes of the worlds hatred eleven 127 Many wives children and servants hated for being religious 135 Hatred for Religion the most bitter implacable c. 136 Their hatred extends to the whole generation of the godly 60 But they have not so much authority as malice 61 Though their punishment shall be never the lesse ibid. They will neither heare themselves nor suffer others 104 They come not to be caught by a Minister but to catch him 109 But are taken in the snare they spread for others 110 As they belong to hell so they speak the language 89 A holy life cannot escape persecution 47 We may appeale to themselves who are the honester men 145 An humble man will never bee an heretique 102 see pride They will hurt and maime the godly 115 I. Ignorance a main cause of hatred and persecution 172 Proved by testimonies 173 By examples ib. By experience 176 Ignorance the cause of all sin 175 The more Ignorant the more malicious 177 Ignorance ever makes the worst construction of things 178 Ignorance causeth suspition suspition hatred c. ib. Look wisdome knowledge Objection that great Schollers and wise men doe the same answered 179 They have inlightned heads but darke hearts 179 Their deeds prove them ignorant 180 That Indifferent to one that is not so to another 58 To be scrupulous no ill signe 159 In cases of a doubtfull nature best to take the surest side ib. It is well for the innocent that the wicked cannot keep their own counsell 94 They judge others by themselves 67 Look censure Meanes to cleare our judgements touching the worlds hatred 8 Men may doubt but the Devils beleeve a judgement to come 219 The worst of men can justifie and think well of themselves Ad. D. Five main reasons why they fight under Sathans banner and yet thinke themselves Gods servants Ad. N. 1 Their Ignorance of spirituall things ib. 2 Long custome of this sin hath taken away the sense of it Ad. O. 3 They reject all meanes of being bettered Ad. P. 4 Because they will not receive the truth they are given up to beleeve lies ib. 5 Sathan the Prince of darkenesse blindes them Ad. Q K. What knowledge is peculiar to the godly and what common to them with hypocrites 188 No attaining supernaturall knowledge by any naturall meanes 190 Saving knowledge such a jewell that God gives it to none but his children ib. Of which many instances 191 The same further amplified 192 See more of this in Wisdome and in Ignorance L. Were it not for the Law there were no living among wicked men 49 The first part of conversion is to love them that love God 180 Nothing hath proved more successefull to Sathan than lyes 79 Wicked men lye when they speak the truth 88 Look slander M. Carnall men think us mad but wee know them so 76 Malignants as witlesse as wicked 175 Wicked mens malice makes them like beasts or stocks 116 Their malice a good signe wee belong to God 13. Look hatred Mercy salvation not more promised to the repentant than damnation is threatned to the impenitent Ad. E Christ came not to be a patron for sin but to destroy sin in us and to sanctifie as well as to save us Ad. G. If we will not hear Christ now he will not hear us hereafter ib. A powerfull Ministery most opposed 101 Nor will they be appeased 103 Of Misprisson 239 Men mistake good for evill and evill for good Ad. R. Most men will doe as the most doe 163 They murmure against the godly 62 And against God himself ib. For being better than themselves 63 They would murther the Saints 117 Look cruelty Instead of arguments they take up armes ib. Are exceeding salvage and bloody 118 Of which five Reasons 119 N. Naturall men want both the light of the spirit and the eye of faith 189 All naturall men the devils chidren 131 Their manner is to nickname the godly 78 Number few compared with the multitude shall be saved Ad. X. The difficulty of entring the straite gate Ad. Y. Most men live as if they had no soules ib. O. We must obey God rather then great ones 153 But this they call great disorder ib. How far we fall short of primative Christians in our obedience 333 Occasion of writing upon this subject Ad. Gg. Where Christ comes there will be opposition 143 Order and distribution of the whole Book 37 Originall sin the originall cause of all discord 23 P. No peace to be expected between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman 21 Wicked men persecute the godly for being better than they 139 Of which many examples 140 And further amplified 142 Formall Christians the greatest persecuters of true Christians 145 Yet none think better of themselves 155 Tongue-taunts
an effect of frenzy not of hope 2 Since we can expect no peace fâ—om the Serpents seede let as many as are of the womans seede and of Christs side â—nanimously hold together It is hard to say whither Bazil and Eusebius who perceiving the Arrians to improve a difference between them to the prejudice of the Orthodox soone reconciled themselves and united their forces together against the common enemy are more to bee commended Or the Pope to bee abhorred who was so busie and hot against Luther that hee neglected to looke to all Christendome against the Turke Which declared that hee could easier disgest Mahometisme then Lutheronisme The case of too many in our dayes that thinke they love Christ fervently though wee may justly suspect the contrary by their being so busie and hot against the Reformation established Against which they cannot bring any expresse scripture only they seek straws to put out their own eyes puzzell others withall As Bernard speaks of somâ— in his time and sure I am it would argue more love to Christ and obedience to his gospell if they would ioyne with the godly party against Atheists and Papists As let but two Mastifes bee jarring betweene themselves when the Bare comes they forget private strife to assayle their common Enemy And certainly they might bee as firme friends to truth although they were not such bitter enemies to peace For as the case standeth it is hard to determine whether they more intend to doe God service or really doe the Devill and his instruments service by their contradicting and aspersing all that are not of their owne judgement 3 If the Lord have put this Enmity betweene us and the wicked Here is warrant in opposing comfort in suffering 4 If the seede of the Woman fight on Christs side and they have Gods word for their warrant they are sure to have him assist them and prevent their Enemies and is not that God wee fight for able enough to vindicate all our wrongs SECT 8. Quest. What occasioned the Lord to proclaime this enmity Ans. Adams siâ—ne in eating the forbidden fruite aâ—d Sathans malice in moving and seducing him thereunto was the meritorious cause the originall of this discord is from originall sin Quest. What was the finall cause or end why God proclaimed it Ans. His end was threefold in regard of himselfe the wicked and the godly 1 In regard of himselfe his principal â—nd was his owne glory which should aâ—ise from the manifestation or admirable composition of his justice mercy holinesse wisdome power and providence herein 2 In regard of Sathan and wicked menâ— that hee might for the present punish one sinne with another and in the end take due vengeance on them in their greater condemnation and finall Ruine and destruction 3. In regard of the Godly for their greater good as namely that they might by this affliction and chastisement be stopt in their course of sin be brought to the â—ight of their evills pasâ— and made repent of them and prevented from siâ—ning for the time to come and lastly to keep them in continuall exercise that so they might walke on in the way of holiness which will bring them to eternall happiness and not to be condemned with the world SECT 9. Quest. But how can God be the Author of it without being the Author of Sin Ans. Very well Even as the temporal Magistrate may put a felloâ— to death without committing of Murther That he which is the fountaine of all good is not the Author of any evill herein may appeare 1. By considering how the case stood at this time with Adam and al his posterity being condemned persons every moment expecting and waiting for that direfull sentence to be executed and inflicted upon them which God before had threatned in case they should transgress his Royall command Gen. 2.17 namely the sentâ—nce of death Which was threefold viz. of Body which is the temporall Death Soule which is the spirituall Death Body and soule which is eternall Death Opposite to that three-fold life of Nature Grace Glory The which if it had been fully and universally accomplisht we could have had nothing to say but that God was just as now we have no reason to give why so many should be Redeemed but because he is mercifull yet because he would according to his nature in Justice remember Mercy he ordained a Saviour and Remedy even Christ implyed in the Pronoune Relative Hee for so many as he had before predestinated to be borne againe by his word and Spirit Iohn 3. to a lively faith whereby they might lay hold on this Remedy yet with all hee did appoint that this their way to Heaven should be thorny and troublesome To which end he mixed with the sweet promise of Salvation the bitter Ingredient of griefe and sorrow Implyed in the word Enmity but yet more to justifie this Judgement of God that is to make it appeare just 2 It will appeare if we distinguish the ends of God Sathan and wicked men To which purpose I will instance in our Saviours example Iudas delivered him to death for gaine the Iewes for Envy Pilate for feare the Devill provoked each of them through this Enmity Christ himselfe to obey his Fathers will God the Father in love to sinners and for their Redemption each did one and the same thing But to contrary ends so when this Enmity breaks forth in the wicked Sathan hath a hand in it as a malicious Author As when he entred into Iudas and made him betray Christ Luk 22.3 Man himselfe as a voluntary Instrument as when Pharoah hardened his owne heart against the Children of Israel Exod. 9.34 God as a most Righteous Judge and Avenger as when hee also hardened Pharoahs heart Exod. 9.12 but how even by permitting the seed of the Serpent from his owne malicious inclination to hate the seed of the Woman not by infusing this malice nor by withdrawing any grace but only by denying that grace which hee was not bound to give he doth not infuse corruption he doth not with hold the occasion Even as when the Rider gives his fiery horse the Reyns we saie he puts him on In mercy infusing this Enmity into the seed of the Woman against the seed of the Serpent Not against their persons as they are his Creatures but only against their condition disposition and wicked conversation we and the Devill should never have falne out we agree but too well but that God hath put an enmity between us Yea in the last place as God turned the treachery of Iudas not only to the praise of his Justice Mercy c. but to the good of all beleevers so he turnes this Enmity of Sathan and wicked men to his Childrens great advantage and his own glory And hereupon is that distinction of adversities as they come from Sathan they are usually called temptations as they come from men
the Synagogue sought to undermine Steven that so they might have matter wherby to informe the Councell against him Acts 69 10. Their chiefe Principle is that of Lysanders VVhere the Lyons skinne will not suffice we must adde a scantling of the Foxes Whereupon as intelligencers for States mingle themselves with all companies but use their best art to keep themselves concealed so doe these you may travell with such an one as far as the Indies and yet finde the way into his heart a farther journey For as High-way-men lighting into true meaning company by the way can talke of sincere dealing and uprightnesse against robbery and oppression to take off suspition till they spy their opportunity so will they have semblances of religion pretend great love yea perhaps doe you a reall curtesie but with the same intent that Saul gave Michall to David which was only to ensnare him Like Fowlers and Anglers when they meane to catch and snare us they hide their nets and cover their hooks with the pleasing baites of flattery setting a sunshine countenance upon cloudy thoughts Yea when they intend to murther then speake they fairest when deadly malice dives deepest into their hearts then the smoothest words floate in their mouthes as no faces looke lovelyer then the painted Now this kind of undermining they have borrowed from Satan that old Serpent and arch-polititian who in the beginning useth this complement to our first Parents Ye shall be as gods when his drift was to have them devils Gen. 3.5 Yea he sets them on worke who never ceaseth either by himselfe or by his servants to tempt and undermine the people of God 1 Pet. 5.8 especially at such times as they are or should be addressing themselves to some notable workes in performing the will of God as we may see Ier 1.6 Ezek. 3.14 15. Nehe. 2.48.19 6.5 6 7 10. Acts 6.9 10. Matth. 4.1 But beware we trust them not for these Hypocrites never wound so deadly as when they stroak us with a silken â—and being like the mistaken Lanthorne in Eighty eight for under pretence of guiding they will draw us into hazzard and losse among our enemies and whosoever puts confidence in their words shall finde them to resemble sinking floores which will then fail us when our weight is on them And so much of the Verbal properties of this enmitie SECT 37. Qu. IN the last place what are the Actuall Properties Answ. Thirdly wicked men actually manifest their enmitie against the Religious in seven particulars viz. 1. By scornefull gestures 2. By withstanding their Doctrine 3. By combining together against the Godly 4. By imprisoning the Godly 5. By striking the Godly 6. By hurting the Godly 7. By killing the Godly First by gesture as Goliah against David when he looked upon him with a disdainfull countenance 1 Sam. 17.42 Which is a kinde of brow-beating and other wicked ones who made mowes and nodded the head at him Psalme 22.7 Gaped upon him with their mouthes as ramping and roaring Lions verse 13. Gnashed their teeth at him at publique meetings Psal. 35.16 Shaked their heads at him Psal. 109.25 Thus Iob complaines That his enemies opened their mouthes against him Iob 16.10 And Isaiah that the scoffing Idolaters gaped and thrust out their tongues against the godly in his time Isai 57.3 4. And the Labourers in the Parable are said to have an evil eye against the Master of the Vineyard because he was good Matth. 20.15 Many will speak that dare not strike and some will make mouthes that fear to speak Now this of gesture is a silent foe yet upon inquisition made I finde none more guilty of the Serpents enmitie than he who speakes with his brow and striketh with his eyes who because his tongue cannot usâ—ly condemn a man he will leave him suspected of ill by silence or some disdainfull gesture For as his Maâ—estie said most aptly and elegantly As the tongue speaketh to the ear so the gesture speaketh to the eye And though such an one be silent for want of words yet he is not so for want of malice even scoffes and nick-names slander and curâ—ing stickes in his teeth and onely dares not freely come forth because he is guilty of his owne faultinesse and were he not a monstrous coward not daring to speak or act for fear of â—ustice there would be no dealing with him yet bad as he is being dumbe I finde him uncapable of a verdict and so dismisse him to leade the Van which is both a punishment to himselfe and those that follow SECT 38. 2. IT is their manner to withstand and contrary the Doctrine which they are commanded by God to deliver Thus Zidkiah the false Prophet withstood and contraried Michaia's Doctrine 1 Kings 22.24 The Priests Prophets and all the people Ieremiahs saying Why hast thou prophesied in the Name of the Lord that this house shall be like Shilo and this Citie shall be desolate and without an inhabitant Ierem. 26.8 9. And thus Elimas the Sorcerer withstood and contraried Paul and Barnabas in their preaching Acts. 13.8 And this is still the manner of wicked men being better acquainted with wrangling than reasoning and deeper in love with strife that truth even to cavill against the good Word of God and oppose the messenger and what they cannot maintain by reason a feminine testinesse shall outwrangle These night-birds know right well that where the Sun shines there is small place for them to appear whence the Ministers preaching is as great a vexation to them as their conversation is to him and in case he hath a â—ire in his tongue kindled with a coal from the Altar they have a sea of water in their hearts to quench it But if some one be more specially gifted in convincing of sin he is sure to have treble opposition if he molest Satan and dispossesse him of his strong holds Satan will molest him with a powder all the Drunkards in that Parish shall fall about such a Ministers eares yea perhaps some neighbour Ministers that pretend gravitie and good will to God shall more than set them on for vertue fares hardest oftentimes from such as should uphold her When Henry Zuâ—phen was Preacher at Breame the Catholiques sent their Chaplaines to evey Sermon to trap him in his words but the greater part of them that were sent to hearken were thereby converted and did openly witnesse for him to his Adversaries teeth that they never in all their life had heard the like at which the Monkes and Cardinals were mad The case of our Prelates during the time of their High Commission None so deep in Hell as knowing men strong braines are commonly too wise to be saved by the foolishnesse of preaching But Paul the babler must be both heard and admired before heaven can be had yea great Doctors must acknowledge themselves but great Dunces in comparison of meaner men speaking by