storms and tempests Psa 11.6 And after all cast them into a Furnace of fire where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore When the just whom they now despise shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Many are apt to think that because they use their tongues only they are no persecutors but they shall hereafter hear themselves stiled so in their Bill of Inditement Ishmael did but flowt Isaac yet St Paul saith he persecuted him Gal. 4.29 God cals the scorning of his servants by no better a name then persecution and will thereafter reward it perhaps in this life as it fared with those two and fourty little children 2 Kin. 2.24 who were devoured of wilde bears only for nicknaming Elisha Or as it did with Felix who for one malicious scoff did nothing day and night but vomit bloud till his unhappy soul was fetcht from his wretched carcasse And Pherecydes who was consumed by worms alive for giving Religion but a nick-name a small matter if thou maist be made judge Or as it did with Lucian who for barking against Religion like a dog was by the just judgement of God devoured of dogs Or as it did with Nightingale Parson of Crondall in Kent who was struck dead in the Pulpit while he was belching out his spleen against Religion and zealous professors of the Gospel Or as it did with Steven Gerdiner who would not sit down to dinner till the news came of the good Bishops burnt at Oxford but then came out rejoycing and saying to the Duke of Norfolk now let us go to dinner but it was the last that ever he eat for it Or as it fared with Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury and Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who putting to silence both the Word of God and those that purely preach it were themselves put to silence and so smitten in their tongues that they could not swallow their meat nor speak for a good space before they died The time would be too short to tell of Cham whose scoffing only brought his Fathers curse and Gods upon that Of the Spies that brought a scandall upon the Land of Canaan as these do upon the way of truth and made all the people to murmure against Moses who died by a plague from the Lord and were not permitted to enter into it Numb 14.37 And the like which God hath inflicted upon men even in this life though I count it a mâ—rcy to smart here if they die penitent rather then be reserved to those flames which are easelesse and endlesse Besides it is frivolous to say they only use their tongues It is not so materiall what thou dost as what thou desirest the very purpose of treason though the fact be hindred is treason not the outward action but the inward affection is all in all with God who measures the work by the will as men measure the will by the work CHAP. XXII NOw the reason why Christ takes what is done to his members as if it were done to himself and why he will so severely punish 't is for that their spight and malice is principally against God and Christ himself For thy sake saith holy David are we killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter Psalm 44.22 True they are so blinde that they think they love God or at least do not hate him but Christ himself saith expresly They have hated both me and my Father John 15.23 24. where he repeats the words twice Nor will they spare when vengeance shall seize upon them openly and expresly to blaspheme the God of Heaven to his face as the holy Ghost twice affirmeth Rev. 16.9 11. Common eyes may be cheated with easie pretences but he that looks through the heart at the face knows that the foundation of all their hatred and enmity to us is their hatred against God and Christ the chief of the Womans seed even as when Satan slew Iobs servants his malice was against Job Or as when Saul darted a spear at Jonathan his spight was against David 1 Sam. 20.33 He that loves not the members was never a friend to the head He that wrongs the wife is no friend to the Husband he loves neither that vilifies either yea they that hate and revile the godly because they are godly as these do for they could love our persons well enough if we were not conscionable hate and revile God himself and they that fight against the grace of the spirit fight against the spirit whose grace it is and whatsoever wrong is done to one of Christs little ones is done unto him Mat. 25.45 Saul Saul saith Christ seeing him make havock of the Church why persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 5. It is an idle misprision to sever the sence of an injury done to any of the members from the head see Rev. 12. It contents the dog to gnaw the stone when he cannot reach the thrower It was well-pleasing to Saul since he could not catch David that he might have the bloud of Ahimelech who used him so friendly and releeved him in his great distresse 1 Sam. 21. So though these men cannot wreak their malice upon God he being out of their power and reach yet that they may do him all the mischief they can have at his Image they will wreak it upon his children in whom his spirit dwells As the Panther will fiercely assault the picture for the inveterate and deadly hatred which he beareth to man It being as true of malice as it is of love that it will creep where it cannot go And so much for the clearing of your judgement I come now to the use and application of the whole And CHAP. XXIII FIrst It may serve to inform every man whether he be of the Serpents seed a childe of the devil as he came into the world Or regenerate and so become of the womans seed a childe of God and member of Christ For as our Saviour saith speaking of false Prophets By their fruits ye shall know them so I of the seed of the Serpent and children of the devil by these two and twenty fruits or properties of enmity before spoken of you shall know them as well as you shall know the life by breathing or the day by its light Wherefore all ye that reade reflect and cast your eyes on these examples which are such lively emblemes and representations of your selves if you be the Serpents seed and yet in your sins Yea let it make you tremble For know assuredly that if this spawn of enmity remain in you if any of these waies you persecute Christ in his members or but hate the good because they will not be so evill as you are you have not cast off this Serpentine quality which you drew from the loins of old Adam but it is an infallible sign that you are of the Serpents seed and children of the devil enemies to and haters of God and all goodnesse the
himself had Christ wore a Crown of thorns for me and shall I grutch to ware this paper cap for him said John Hus when they put one upon him that had ugly devils painted on it with the Title of Heresie And what said a French Martyr when a rope was put about his fellow Give me that gold chain and dub me a Knight of that Noble Order Wherefore arm thou us O God with an expectation of that evil which we cannot avoid yea make thou us as strong as Satan and his instruments are malicious and then let them do their worst Fifthly If the brother persecute the brother the son the father the parent the childe the husband his wife the disciple his Lord think it not strange to be persecuted of any for they which are not persecuted are persecutors themselves CHAP. XXVI SIxtly Since we can expect no peace from the Serpents seed let as many as are of the womans seed and of Christs side unanimously hold together and joyn against their common enemy Basil and Eusebius are much to be commended who when they perceived the Arians to improve a difference between them to the prejudice of the Orthodox soon reconciled themselves and united their forces together against the common enemy O that all godly and orthodox Christians whether Presbyterians or Independents would joyn together against Atheists and Papists and not so crosse contradict and asperse each other if they never so little differ in judgement about circumstantials As let but two mastiffs be jarring between themselves when the Bear comes they forget private strife to assoil their common Enemy And certainly they might be as firm friendâ— to truth although they were not such bitter enemies to peace For aâ— the case standeth it is hard to determine whether they more intend to do God service or really do the devil and his instruments service Seventhly If the Lord have put this enmity between us and the wicked here is warrant in opposing comfort in suffering If the seed 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 we fight for able enough to vindicate all our wrongs Eighthly If a Christian in respect of his hard straits between Gods Law on the one side and the malignant world on the other may fitly be compared to the Gibbionites who if they made not their peace with Joshuâ— must die by strangers and if they did make their peace with him they must die by neighbours Or to Susanna who if she did yeeld unto the two Elders must lose her chastity and hazard her soul and if she did not yeeld she must loose her life For we have a Wolf by the ears which we can neither stay nor let go with safety If we seek to please God by a holy life we displease the world and that will hate and vex us If we seek to please the world we displease God and he will hate and condemâ— us for their commands are diametrically contrary Act. 4.18 19. Theâ— of two evils let us choose the least let us not tun into the fire to avoiâ— the smoak It is better to have the mocks and flouts of men on earth then the grinning mocks and lashes of the devils in hell Let us not bâ— like those white-livered Rulers John 12. that loved the praise of men moâ—â— then the praise of God Nor like Peter who denied his Lord and curseâ— himself to get credit amongst a cursed crew For what are their wordâ— other then as a boys-squib that only flashes and cracks and stinks bâ—â— is nothing And those that hang their faith on such mens lips do bâ—â— like Ixion embrace a cloud instead of Juno Yea well may he claim 〈◊〉 Boat-swayns place in Barkleys Ship of sools that will sell his soul for 〈◊〉 few good words from wicked mens tongues But what will some object For many with Nicodemus do owe Goâ—â— some good will but they dare not be known of it like Nicodemus thâ—â— would steal to heaven so no body might see them they would please God yet so as they might not displease others nor themselves Like the young man in the Gospel they would follow Christ so Christ propounded no other conditions to them then what they like of And these will be ready to say what need we publish our selves or our faith cannot men serve God in secret whereby they may avoid the worlds taunts Answ Profession can no more be separated from the truth of Religion then light from the Sun Rom. 10.9 10 11. True fire not painted cannot but heat break forth and ascend That which is not gold may glister but that which is gold cannot choose but glister The fruit will shew what the Tree is It is but a dead faith which hath no works Jam. 2.17.20 26. Psal 37.30 31. Secondly Unlesse a man keep his lips alwaies seal'd up he must either dissemble or else his language will bewray what countreyman he is Neither can he avoid telling it for admit a man be in adverse company they will so beset him with questions and draw him on and pick it out of him that without an absurd silence he must shew an inclination one way Or if he do not they will gather as much by his silence as by his speech Or Thirdly and lastly A man cannot dissent from their wicked customs he cannot refuse to run with them to the same excesse of riot in drinking swearing prophaning the Lords day and the like much lesse can he admonish them and so discharge his conscience but he makes too great a shew and his profession troubles them Besides As this cannot be so it ought not to be and that for many solid reasons and grounds taken out of Gods word as I have largely proved in my Cure of Misprision and as you may see Deut. 6.7 8 9. Matth. 5.16 and 10.32 33. Mark 15.43 Joh. 12.42 43. 1 Pet. 2.9 12. Phil. 2.15 Luk. 11.33 and 12.8 and 8.38 39. Psal 50.15 and 71.17 18. and 51.14 and 119.171 and 22.22 and 35.18 and 119.46 Rom. 9.33 and 10.9 10. 2 Tim. 1.16 Exod. 12.13 Rev. 21.8 Acts 4.20 Which being so namely that there is no pleasing God nor being saved without being holy and religious nor no being religious but it will appear to the world and so occasion its enmity and persecution Let us in no wise forbear good actions nor admonitions be the malignant world pleased or displeased with it yea let us shine as lights in the midst of a naughty and crooked generation by a blamelesse and pure life and conversation thereby to win others among whom we live Phil. 2.15 Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 Let us shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 And so
all fears together First observe that grievous temptations and persecutions do alwayes accompany the remission of sinnes That all men as Austins speaks are necessitated to miseries who bend their course towards the Kingdom of Heaven neither can Gods love be enjoyed without Satans disturbance Yea the world and the devill therefore hate us because God hath chosen us If a convert comes home the Angels welcome him with songs the devils follow him with uprore and fury his old acquaintance with scorns and obloquie as you sufficiently finde Godly men are thorns in wicked mens eyes as Job was in the devils because they are good or for that they are dearly beloved of God If a mans person and wayes please God the world will be displeased with both whence we are so often foretold and forewarned of it that we may be the better forearmed and prepared to entertain it All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Ye shall be hated of all men and nations for my Names sake Matth. 10.22 and 24.9 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves Matth. 10.16 and many the like Whence also those many and strong encouragements in the word which may serve as so many flaggons of wine to comfort and strengthen us against whatsoever we meet withall in the world Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.10 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you ver 11 12. Rejoyce inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy For if ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye For the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you which on their part is evil spoken of but on your part is glorified 1 Pet. 4.12 13 14. Loe here is reward enough for all that men or devils can do against us which hath made thousands even ambitious to imbrace the flames Your cruelty is our glory said the Martyrs in Tertullians time to their persecutors for the harder we are put to it the greater shall our reward be in Heaven It is to my losse said Gordius the Martyr if you bate me any thing of my sufferings See more Phil. 1.28 29. Rev. 2.13 And so much to shew that he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks For it is an everlasting rule of the Apostle He that is born after the flesh will persecute him that is born after the spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evill but because he is so much better then himself 1 Joh. 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his waies are of another fashion Wisd 2.15 CHAP. IV. SEcondly consider That as wee are every where in the word forewarned of it so it is not our case alone for search the whole Bible over and you shall not finde one holy man mentioned without mention of something he suffered from ungodly men as it were easie to instance how Abel Lot Noah righteous men Abraham the father of the faithfull Isaac Jacob Ioseph Patriarchs and Fathers of the Church meek Moses upright Samuel Job that none-such all the Lords Priests Prophets Apostles yea the harmlesse Babes and our Saviour Christ himself did severally suffer from wicked and ungodly men Yea never man came to Heaven but first he past through this purgatory God had one sonne without sinne but never any one without suffering Which makes our Saviour say Woe be to you when all men speak well of you that is when evil men speak well of you for so did the Jews of the false Prophets Luk. 6.26 Wherefore marvell not though the world hate you as St John speaks 1 Joh. 3.13 Neither count it strange as St Peter hath it concerning the fiery triall which is amongst you to try you as though some strange thing were come unto you 1 Pet. 4.12 For Christ and his Crosse are inseparable Luk. 14.27 Whence that distinction of Luther that a Christian is a Crosse-bearer He that will be my disciple let him take up his crosse daily and follow me Luk. 9.23 and 14 26 27. CHAP. V. THirdly No hope it should be otherwise since God from the beginning of the Creation hath proclaimed a War enmity and strife between the wicked and the godly Did you never read that Scripture Gen. 3.15 where God himself saith to the Serpent I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed he or it shall bruse thine head and thou shalt bruse his heel Where by the serpents seed are meant the whole generation of wicked men and by the womans seed Christ and all his members as all Interpreters conclude and other Scriptures make cleere where wicked men are called serpents a generation of vipers and children of the devil Matth. 23.33 Joh. 8.44 1 Joh. 3.10 And as this war was proclaimed in Paradise even in the beginning of time originall sinne being the originall of this discord so it shall continue to the end of all time When time saith One began this malice first began nor will it end but with the latest man It is an everlasting Act of Parliament like a Statute in Magna Charta Which is the next thing I would commend to your serious consideration And that you may be the better confirmed therein see how according to the Lords prediction or proclamation there hath been a perpetuall war enmity and strife in all ages past is now and ever shall be between Satan and Christ and their Regiments the wicked and the godly For proof whereof I could produce testimonies and examples innumerable there being scarce a page in the Bible which doth not expresse or imply somewhat touching this enmity But that I may be brief and because examples give a quicker impression then arguments I will only give you three instances in every Age. As First to begin with the first Age viz. the old world before the flood We read of this mortall enmity and strife between Cain and Abel 1 Joh. 3.12 between Lamech and the holy seed Gen. 4.23 24. and between those wicked Giants which Moses speakes of and the sons of God Gen. 6 2 to 12. Yea those Giants bad battell to Heaven as our Mythologists add to ver 4. Secondly After the Flood before the Law between all the men of Sodom and righteous Lot Gen. 19.4.9.11 2 Pet. 2.8 Between Hagar and Ishmael the bond-woman and her sonne and Sarah and Isaac the free woman and her sonne Gen. 21.9 10. Gal. 4.29 and between Esau and Jacob first in the womb the more plainly to shaddow out this enmity Gen. 25.22 23. and after they were