out These men are drunk with new wine Untill we be born again we are like Nicodemus who knew not what it was to be born again Iohn 3.4 Untill we become zealous our selves we are like Festus who thought zeale madnesse Acts 26.24 Untill we be humble our selves we are like Michal who mocked David for his humility and thought him a foole for dancing before the Arke 2 Sam. 6.16 Yea to such as shall perish or are for the present in a perishing condition all religion seemes foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18 And thus you see in grosse that Ignorance is a main cause of hatred and persecution We shall more clearly discerne how it comes to be so if we note The Root Ignorance Stem Suspition or Iealousie Sap Hatred Fruit Persecution severally and apart for ignorance causeth Suspition and Suspition Hatred and Hatred Persecution But I cannot stand upon these Que. If Ignorance be such a generall cause of hatred and persecution as you have shewne What is the reason that so many great Scholers and wisemen do also hate and persecute the godly Ans Great scholers they may be and wise men also in the worlds esteem 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 do not glorifie God with there 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 fooles 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 speaks Or if they knew God they would keep his commandments for herby saith Saint Iohn is it known that we know god if we keep his Commandments 1. John 2.3 but he that saith I know him and yet keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and there is no truth in him Ver. 4. Yea these have sworne to keep the commandments and to deny the world and yet are not content with there own disobedience unlesse they cast aspersions upon them that obey Again thirdly if they knew Christ they could not but love him and loving him they must needes 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 4.7.8 and Ioh 13.35 But so many as are enemies to the Crosse of Christ shew that they never knew God in Christ As for their wisdom and learning you must know that men may be exquisitely 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 bulk so one drop of wisdom guided by the fear of God is more worth then all humane learning One sparke of spirituall experimentiall and saving knowledge is worth a whole flame of secular wisdom and learning One scruple of holinesse one dram of faith one grain of grace is more worth then many pounds of naturall parts But learning and grace do not alwayes keep company together Yea O Lord how many are there that have a depth of knowledge yet are not soul-wise That have a Library of Divinity in there heads and not so much as the least Chatechisme in their consciences no rare thing for men to abound in speculation and be barren in devotion to have full braines and empty hearts clear judgements and defiled affections fluent tongues and lame hands Yea you shall here 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 fool 2 Peter 2.16 And Iudas Mat. 27.3.4.5 And Paul before his conversion who even while he was a persecuter like these men was eminent among the Pharisees for wit and learning but a very Iddiot among the Astostles And lastly the Priests Scribes and Pharisees who were matchlesse for their wisdom and learning as wanting nothing that either nature or Art could inrich them withall yea and they were cheifly learned in the Scripture Gods Oracles which will make a man wise or nothing and yet our Saviour who could not be deceived calles them four 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 sould of saving knowledge inlivening feeding and strengthening the same for in the dialect of the scipture a fool is a naturall man and a wise man a man sanctified Alas God regards not lip-learning and tongue-wisdom and braine knowledge except it ceaze upon the heart also and lead captive the affections to the government of the Gospel whereby we are changed and transformed into new men after the image of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 Ephe. 4.20 to 25. Col. 3.10 except we digest our knowledge into practise and imploy our wisdom to his glory that gave it our neighbours good and the furthering of our own salvation For with him wickednes is folly and the greatest sinner is the greatest fool and he most wise that is most religious and that offends least Prov. 1.7 Ioh. 28.28 Pro. 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 wisdom and folly which God thinks so Neither is that worth the name of knowledge which may be heard onely and not seen Good discourse is but the froth of wisdom the pure and solid substance of it is in well framed actions What saith the Scripture Keep the Commandements of God and do them for this is your wisdom 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 Rightly a man knows no more then he practiseth It is said of Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 that he knew no sin because he did no sin in which sense he 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 known it is an uniform consent of knowledge and action Ioh 28.28 He onely is wise saith Solomon that is wise for himselfe Pro. 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
goodnesse and yet crucified and abused every way he must be It was indeed for his zeale purity and holinesse and because his life and practice was cleane contrary to theirs his Doctrine too powerfull and pure for such carnall hearts to imbrace or endure So that it is plaine and all men may see who are not dead in sense how it would fare with us might our enemies the same Seede of the Serpent have their wils Qu. What uses may this serve for which hath been spoken touching the properties of this enmity and our Saviours suffering An. First by this taste of its fruits learne we to detest them all Secondly it may serve to informe every man whether he be of the Serpents seed a child of the Devill as he came into the world or regenerate and so become of the womans Seed a child 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 Devill By these 22. fruits of enmity you shall know them aswell as you shall know the life by breathing or the day by its light Wherefore all ye that read reflect and cast your eyes on these examples which are such lively emblemes and representations of your selves if you be the Sepents seed and yet in your sins Yea let it make you tremble for know assuredly that if this spawne of enmity formerly spoken of remaine in you if any of these wayes you persecure 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 quallity which you drew from the loynes of old Adam but it is an infallible signe that you are of the Serpents seed children of the Devill enemies to God and all goodnesse the brethren of Cayne yea Cayne himselfe in another person and without repentance your portion shall be with Cayne and the rest of that cursed crue On the other side doth any conscionable Christian find himselfe hated and persecuted by ungodly men for weldoing for Christs sake for Religion and for righteousnesse sake Let him be comforted for it is a manifest signe and a notable strong evidence that he is of the Womans Seed regenerate and borne a new the child of God a member of Christs mysticall body and an heire of eternall life Thirdly these examples being written to admonish us upon whom the ends of the world are come may inform the godly what they are to expect from the world Shall any hope to be free from suffering or thinke it a strange thing when he doth suffer for well doing when our Saviour Christ himselfe suffered so much as he did being the onely begotten Sonne of God full of grace and truth No the Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord If they have persecuted Christ they will persecute you also John 15.20 If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of his houshold Mat. 10.25 Yea senslesse were it once to thinke that the same enmity which spared not to strike at the Head will forbeare the weakest and remotest limbe Wherefore arme thou us O God with an expectation of that evill which we cannot avoyd yea make thou us as strong as Satan and his instruments are malicious and then let them doe their worst And so much of the kinds and properties of his enmity The Causes Qu. What are the Causes why wicked and ungodly men thus hate and persecute the religious Answ They are so many that the time would be too short or this Treatise too long if I should speake of every one yea or relate halfe of what is requisite to to be spoken of each for they require whole Volumes besides instructions if they exceed are wont as nailes to drive out one another Qu. Then select out the principall I meane such as in regard of our edification are most behoovefull for us to know And lest the pages should still grow as fish into a multitude garble your notions and give us onely the marrow of the matter Answ The Causes best deserving our discovery and the worlds notice I take to be Eleaven First a maine Cause why wicked men hate and persecute the godly is the contrariety of their natures Qu. How contrary are they Answ As contrary and opposite one to the other as are God and the Devill for the one are Children of God 2 Cor. 6.18 Gal. 3.26 Joh. 1.12 And partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Being begotten Iames 1.18 And borne a new of God Joh. 1.13 1 Joh. 3.9 by the immortall seed of the word Iames 1.18 And the spirits powerfull working with it Ioh. 3.5.8 whereby they are become like God in holinesse 1 Pet. 1.15 And not children onely but heires also even the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ Rom. 8.17 being his brethren Rom. 8.29 Members of his body 1 Cor. 12.27 Bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ephes 5.30 having his Spirit dwelling in them Rom. 8.9 to witnesse with their spirits that they are the children of God vers 16. And being Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 And the other are the Seed of the Serpent and children of the Devill and so partake of his nature 1 Ioh. 3.8.10.12.14 Act. 13.10 Ioh. 6.70 and 8.44 and 14.30 and 16.11 Matth. 13.38.39 2 Cor. 4.4 2 Tim. 1.26 Gen. 3.15 and 5.3 Ephes 2.1 to the end and 5.14 1 Cor. 15.22 Rom. 5.12.18 Titus 3.3 to 8. 1 Pet. 2.9.10.25 Joh. 3.3.5.6 which being so they must needs be very contrary and if contrary no marvell they should so ill agree although God had not proclaimed an enmity between them For there can be no amity where there is no sympathy No reconciling of the Wolfe and the Lambe the winds and the sea No neighbourhood no aliance no conjunction is able to make the cursed seed of the Serpent and the blessed seed of the Women ever agree For fire and water light and darknesse heaven and hell are not more contrary One blood one belly one house one education could never make Cayne and Abel accord Iacob and Esau Isack and Ishmael at one Yea though they be man and wife parent and childe yet if they be not like they will not like 2 Cor. 6.14.15 And indeed what is the corporall sympathy to the spirituall antipathy Can there be such a parity betweene the parent and the child the husband and the wife as there is a disparity betweene God and Satan No certainly A wicked man can agree with all that are wicked be they Papists or Turkes or Atheists prophane and loose persons civill or morall men for all these agree with him in blindnesse and darknesse as who feeles the smart of their tongues or hands not the Idolator or vile person not the professed Atheist the Canker fretting Arminian or state betraying Jesuite For with all
these men enveigh and preach against preaching As what needes so much preaching say they and all stupified sensualists it was never a good world since so many Lectures were set up their was more love and charity and plain dealing among our fore-fathers they mean in time of Popery who were onely verst in the Lords Prayer Creed and ten Commandments one Sermon well remembred and put in practise is better then ten yea quoth a Minister in the pulpit that preacht himself once in six weekes that he might silence his Parishoners who complained for want of their daily food you will finde this Sermon more then you will be able to practise this two months and no question spake out of feeling for he having lived already above five ages could never yet put those five wordes of his text into practise viz. Repent and beleeve the Gospel But the reason of this their murmuring is easie Carnall worldlings cry up practise to cry down knowledge as you may see by their own practise even as cunning Papists will extoll Saint Iames onely to disparage Saint Paul This point would be further applyed but let conscience do it for it is a sore that will not endure rubbing onely this if any man be vexed at his brother because he fares better and is better accepted because he is favoured and respected of God and goodmen while himself is neglected and dis-esteemed of both much more if he belch out his spleene against the religious because they are praised and preferred before himself let him know that this could not be if he were not full of the venome of the serpent Psal 112.10 Pro. 14.30 Secondly this may be applied to people of the looser sort As why do all drunkards and vicious livers hate the religious and so belch out their enmitie and spleen against them in raising and spreading of slanders as they doe but although partly to rescue themselves from contempt and procure a contrary esteem by putting a foule and ugly vizard upon vertue and decking up vice in a gorgeous and comely attire yet chiefly because they are precious in Gods sight his peculiar and chosen people out of all the world the children of God and members of Christ temples of the holy Ghost yea chiefly because they partake of the Divine Nature and are one with the Father and the Sonne Iohn 17.14 21 22. 2 Cor. 6.18 This is the eye-sore of our enemies and let envie look her selfe blinde And so much of the first Cause Quest What is the second Cause why ungodly men hate and persecute the religious Answ Their ignorance of God of Christ and the Scriptures Quest How is that proved Answ By Testimonies Examples Reason and our own Experience 1. First by Testimonies They shall hate and persecute you yea they shall excommunicate and kill you for my Names sake saith our Saviour to his Disciples because they have not known the Father nor me Iohn 16.2.3 15.21 And again they are an offence unto us because they understand not the things which are of God but the things which are of men Matth. 16.23 And are deceived because they know not the scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22.29 Luke 19.42 2. Secondly by Examples Reason This the Apostle confesseth to have been the cause of his persecuting the Church 1. Tim. 1.13 Who so soon as he was inlightned with the saving knowledge of the truth changed his note with his name and preached that faith which before he persecuted It s worth the noting how he was no sooner informed but he was reformed Now if we look upon him as Saul we shall see what we are by generation if we look upon him as Paul we shall see what we are or should be by regeneration Neither is it strange that the men of the world through ignorance should hate and persecute the members of Christ for upon the same ground they even crucified Christ himself Father forgive them saith he of his murtherers for they know not what they do And why have the kings of the earth in all ages banded themselves together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal 2.2 But because they knew him not John 15.21 For if the Princes of this world had known they would not have crucisied the Lord of glory as the holy Ghost speakes 1. Cor. 2.8 Yea if we consider it rightly we shall finde that ignorance is the cause of all sin Sin indeed at the first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of sin Swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the land Hos 4.1.2 It is a people that do erre in their hearts saith God why because they have not known my wayes Psal 95.10 3. Thirdly Experience proves that none are so far transported with a mad superstitious zeal against the religious as the rude rabble who can yeeld no other reason or confession of their faith if they be asked than this that they are no puritanes or that they hate a Puritane from their soules when as the devill himself who hates the Puritane they meane most of any can make as good a confession of his faith as this For who are the greatest censurers and the violentest opposers of goodnesse are not the ignorant fry who have more rage then reason and the more sottish still the more insolent As reprove one of them for swearing or drunkennesse or uniust dealing or for prophaning the Lords day for Atheisme and the like you are sure to be branded with the odious title of Puritane yea you are factious and schismaticall if ye will not be drunk and every whit as lewd as they are It is worth a large smile to observe what a clamour the blundering rabble will make against the people of God if one in their company but mention the word Puritane or tell them how scrupulous precise such an one is O what a number of sharp and deadly arrows will each of them shoot both at the good and goodnesse maugre all admonition For each being stung with the Gad-flie of mis-governed zeal as Paul was before he knew Christ they presume to affirm with incredible impudence accompanied with invincible ignorance that there are not worse men in the world then the religious Wherein it is hard to say whether ignorance or malice do more abound whether it be more out of the strength of will or weaknesse of judgement It is the nature of ignorant and carnall men that walk after the flesh in the lusts of uncleannesse whom Saint Peter calls brute beasts led with sensuallity to speak evill of the things which they understand not 2 Pet. 2.12 Especially in judging acts of zeal and piety their opinion still lights upon the worst sense like them in the second of the Acts who mocked the Apostles when they were filled with the holy Ghost and hearing them speak languages which they understood not cried
the sound of a Bell that is rung O this is a difficult Devill to be cast out even like that which we read of Math. 17.16 For as all the Disciples could not cast out that Devill no more can all the Preachers this for the Cure of Prejudice alone in one man is more then to cure the seaven deadly sinnes as the Papists tearme them in another Nay if I may speake it with reverence what meanes can God use that shall be able to convert such an one The nine plagues shall not prevaile with Pharaoh the graves opening the dead arising the vayle of the Temple renting the light of the Sunne fayling the Centurion confessing c. will doe no good uppon the Scribes and Pharisees Yea though Ahab be told from the Lord that if he goe to Warre hee shall perish yet he goeth and speeds accordingly Quest But how should weake Christians know the mystery of this iniquity shake off this slavish yoke of bondage and feare in which Satan for the present holds them Answ Search the Scriptures and they will so cleare your judgement and cure your Prejudice that in some measure you shall be enabled to quench those fiery darts Ephes 6.16 I meane the reproaches of those evill tongues which are set on fire from Hell James 3.6 for Virgil most excellently and profoundly couples the knowledge of cause and the conquest of all feares together First for the informing of your judgement our Saviour Christ and his Apostles hath abundantly foretold the same Of a multitude of predictions I 'le only instance three or foure All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Not some but all and what all but even all that will live godly Now me thinkes if there were no other texts in the Bible but this one it were omnisufficient to take away Prejudice and wonder touching the Worlds hatred and calumny but the Scriptures are full of the like Yee shall be hated of all men and Nations saith our Saviour for my Names sake Matth. 10.22 24.9 Not of a few but of all Men and Nations that is all naturall men or the greatest part of men in all Countryes and Nations yea and for no other cause but for professing of Christs Name Neither is Christ a Signe to be spoken against of many in Babylon or Assyria but of many in Israel Luke 2.34 where Religion is profest publickly Yea when sincerity is wanting the nearer the line with any opposition the greater Eclips The Gadereans but besought Christ to depart his owne country-men drave him out and cast him downe headlong Luke 4.29 Yea who was his greatest enemy but his greatest friend even one of his houshold-Chaplains And who but Jeremies familiars watched for his haulting Againe faith our Saviour The Servant is not above his Master John 15.20 But Christ having suffered so much if we should rest the Servant were above his Master which were senslesse to thinke For could not his wisedome innocency and holinesse sence him from these scornes and can thine fence thee Besides that ancient prediction must be fulfilled I will put enmity betweene the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 But if there be no warre betweene the men of the World and the children of God if they should not hate and persecure us this Prediction were not fulfilled Yea all the former predictions of Christ and many that I omit should bee false which were blasphemy once to thinke Wherefore marvell not my brethren though the World hate you as Saint John speakes 1 John 3.13 Neither count it strange as Saint Peter hath it concerning the fiery tryall which is among you to prove you as though some strange thing were come unto you 1 Pet. 4.12 for Christ and his Crosse are unseparable Luke 14.27 Againe search the whole Bible over and you shall not finde one holy man mentioned without mention of something hâ—e suffered from ungodly men as it were easie to instance how Abel Lot Noah Righteous men Abraham the Father of the Faithfull Isaac Jacob Joseph Patriarches and Fathers of the Church meek Moses upright Samuel holy David wise Solomon all the Lords Priests Prophets Apostles yea the harmelesse Babes and our Saviour Christ himselfe did severally suffer from wicked and ungodly men Yea never man came to Heaven but first he past thorow 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 speake well of you that is when evill men speake well of you for so did the Jewes of the false Prophets Luke 6.26 Whereas he pronounceth them blessed which heare ill for well doing Matth. 5.11 Which leads me to the second point Secondly For Scriptures to confirme comfort and strengthen weake Christians against the Worlds hatred and calumny these would be applyed which follow Blessed are they saith our Saviour which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5.10 And againe Blessed are yee when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill 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 And Saint Peter Rejoyce inasmuch as yee 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 evill spoken off but on your part is glorified 1 Pet. 4.12 13 14. Loe here is reward enough for all that men or devils can doe against us And what will not men undergoe so their reward may be answerable But yet further What saith Saint Paul In nothing feare your adversaries whose malice is to them a token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Phil. 1.28 Yea in the same Chapter vers 29. he preferreth the gift of suffering before the gift of beleeving And in his Epistle to the Church of Thessalonica peremptorily concludeth That they are elect of God from this ground That they received the Word in much affliction with joy in the holy Ghost Examine these Scriptures againe and againe for every word of them is ponderous and consider of whom and by whom they were spoken then certainely thou wilt confesse that if there be any Nectar in this life 't is in sorrowes wee endure for Righteousnesse And methinkes when I heare goodnesse calumniated I beare it the easier because the servants of vice doe it Quest What is the Originall ground of the Worlds hatred Answ That proclamation which God himselfe made in Paradise Gen. 3.15 where he saith unto the Serpent I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed be or it shall bruise thine head and
speaking of the Whore of Babylon saith She was drunke with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus Revel 17.6 Which in part was fulfilled in England under the raigne of Queene Mary when in one yeare a hundred seventy six persons of good quality were burnt for Religion with many of the common sort and in France for before these late bloody Massacres there were more then two hundred thousand which suffered Martyrdome about Transubstantiation For the chiefe persecutors of Christ and his followers are not Atheists or Turks or Jewes but such as hold great place in the Church Antichristians and Pseudochristians which makes our Saviour say they shall excommunicate you that is they shall blot out your names from among Gods people or cast you out from the visible outward communion of the Saints And indeed vertue hath ever suffered most from those which should and seeme to uphold her and intruders upon other mens right can indure any man how bad soever rather to live by them then the servants of him whom they intrude upon as you may see Mat. 21.33 to 39. where those Farmers of the Vineyard killed the servants who came to receive their Mâ—sters rent they did not kill the Theeves and Robbers and Spoylers of the Vineyard but the servants yea and the sonne too and the end of all was that they might take the Inheritance Yea the godly have ever suffered most from such as professe the same Faith and Religion with them It hath been the complaint almost of all the Fathers and Saints of God which have written that the faithfull in their severall times were hated traduced calumniated slandered reproached accused persecuted and condemned of such as professe the same Religion with them though under other pretences yet onely for their austere and holy lives that they stuck close to the truth made conscience of their wayes and would not rush so boldly into sin as others Ecclesiasticall History lib. 6. Chap. 4.5.16 7. To come unto these present times wherein we live Is the World mended with age Yea I would to God we did not find that as it is in the little world the older it grows the more diseased so in the great World the older the more vicious that the consummation of times and sinnes were not met together upon us But as commonly in a diseased body all the humours fall downe into the Legs or feet and make an Issue there so the corruption of all ages hath sliden downe into this of ours as into the feete Many saith the Apostle walke that are enemies to the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.18 If many in Saint Paules time more now for Satan who was then bound is now loosed again out of his prison and hath great wrath because he knowes he hath but a short time Revel 12.12 To speake onely of the entertainment which piety findes among such as would bee counted not onely Christians but Protestants which principally I intend Is it possible for a man to live a conscionable and unreproveable life abstaine from drunkennesse swearing prophaning the Lords day separate himselfe from evill yea wicked company be zealous for the glory of God c. without being traduced calumniated hated slandered and persecuted for the same No it is not possible for if our righteousnesse doe but exceed the righteousnesse of a swearer or a drunkard we are sure to be persecuted for our righteousnesse as Abel was persecuted of Caine because his Sacrifice was better then his If a man walke with God he is too precise if he will be more then almost a Christian he is curious phantasticall factious and shall be mocked with the Spirit as if the Spirit of God were a Spirit of dishonour and shame How common a thing is it to wound all holinesse under the name of Puritan a name so ful of the serpents enmity as the egge of a Cockatrice is full of poyson What should I say The World is growne so much knave that 't is now a vice to be honest O the deplorable condition of these times Even the Devill himselfe durst not have been so impudent as to have scoft at holinesse in those ancient and purer times but now I could even sinke downe with shame to see Christianity every where so discountenanced our very names come into few mouths out of which they returne but with reproaches Amongst the rest of our sinnes O God be mercifull to the contempt of thy Servants True blessed be God and our gracious Soveraigne the very breath of our nostrils we suffer little but the lash of evill tongues but were wicked mens powers answerable to their wils and malice they would deliver us up to be afflicted put us out of the Synagogues excommunicate and kill us as our Saviour shewes John 16.2.33 and Mat. 24.9 Yea their enmity and hatred would be so virulent and bitter that the brother would betray the brother to death the father the sonne and the Children would rise up against their Parents and cause them to dye the kinsman against the kinsman and the friend against the friend onely for professing Christs Name and being religious as himselfe affirmes Matth. 10.34 35 36. Luke 21.16 17. Neither is it strange for this was one of the ends of Christs comming into the World as appeares Mat. 10.34 35. where himselfe saith Thinke not that I am come to send peace but the sword meaning betweene the Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father the daughter-in-Law against the mother-in-Law and a mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold Luke 12.51 52 53. Neither want we precedents of this For by whom was upright Abel persecuted and slain but by his own brother Caine Who scoffed at righteous Noah but his owne sonne Cham By whom was that vertuous and religious Lady Barbara put to death for imbracing the Christian Faith but by her owne Father Dioscorus And lastly by whom was our Saviour Christ betrayed but by his owne Disciple Judas 8. For the time to come As this strife and enmity in the wicked against the godly was early in its entrance taking its first being in the beginning of time and hath constantly continued hitherto so it will be long in continuance and endure to the end of time as the Scripture shewes Yea the last remnants of time are likely to have the most of it because as in them love shall wax cold Math. 24.12 so as love groweth cold contention groweth hot More expresly the Holy Ghost foretels That in the last dayes shall come such perilous times that all who will live godly shall suffer persecution and that toward the end of the World there shall be scoffers false accusers cursed speakers fierce despisers of them that be good such as shall turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and deny God the onely Lord and our Lord Jesus Christ And being fleshly not having
onely shall be made crime enough you know when the Jewes saw that a great company were at Pauls Sermon they were filled with envy and fell to contradiction and blasphemy Acts 13.45 And the high Priests and Pharisees when our Saviour was so flockt after sayd among themselves perceive yee not behold the World goeth after him and if we let him thus alone all men will beleeve in him John 11.48 12.19 they were like the dog in the manger that will neither eate Hay himselfe nor suffer the Horse yet they had a reason for it as these have Rome thinkes that the Gospels rising must needs be her falling as when the day comes the night must end Indeed opinion makes them coyne that for a reason which others will not assent unto Yea what is truth to these men is error to others more wise And when once he is questioned every one like Jael to Sizera will drive a nayle to keep him from rising againe O the wicked mindes that many goe to Church withall and the great dangers that Ministers are lyable unto did not God mightily support them many of their hearers being like that Lawyer which stood up to tempt Christ for they come not to be taught by him but to catch him But what saith David Though they have conceived mischeife and doe travell with wickednesse yet they shall bring forth a lye Psal 7.14 For the Lord breaketh their counsels and bringeth their devices to naught Psal 33.10 Yea while the ungodly are whetting a knife to cut our throats God is whetting a sword to cut their throats Shall the powder thinke to blow up the house and scape it selfe from burning No it is a true rule that of evill premises doth not follow a good conclusion but from evill seeds come evill plants 4. They are very proane to imprison the godly cause or no cause As Ahab commanded Michaiah to be put into the prison house and fed with the bread of affliction and with the water of affliction 1 Kings 22.27 Thus the malicious Priests procured Jeremiah to be shut up in prison Jer. 36.5 And thus our Saviour shewing what entertainement the faithfull should find in the World foretelleth that wicked men shall lay hands on them and deliver them up to the assemblies and into prisons bring them before Kings and Rulers for his names sake Luke 21.12 As John Baptist Peter Paul and many other of the Apostles were put into the common prison by Herod and the Synod of Priests when they preacht in Christs Name Acts 5.18 12.4 4.3 22.25 28.17 And 2 Cor. 11.23 And I le warrant you the common people were more glad of the Churches losse herein then they would have been of their owne gaine But why into prison Why not unto death No thankes to Satan nor his seede they would destroy all Yea Why are not our Sanctuaries turned into Shambles and our beds made to swimme with our bloods but that the God of Israel hath crossed the confederacy of Balaak and there wickednesse doth not prosper their studies are the plâ—ts of our ruine and the best they intend is the destructions and overthrough of Religion or the religious or both Againe Why these and a thousand more in all ages shut up in prison What was their delinquency Even this They were too good too holy to be endured What was it but Josephs goodnesse that brought him to the stocks and Irons And so of Michaiah Jeremiah the Apostles and all the Saints in succeding ages And to speake truly this is a deepe point of pollicy in our adversaries for when all their arguments faile by this meanes they get the better and withall prevent further dispute In the midst of their anger they this discretion Stand not to argue lest thou be overcome and let the accused plead what hee can for his own innocencie the Wolfe would answer the Lamb Indeed thy cause is better then mine but my teeth are better then thine I will devoure thee So the Devill puts off the Fox and puts on the Lyon Againe we know the Mâ—one hath so much the lesse light by how much it is neerâ—r the Sunne yea so long as the Sunne shines above the Horizon the Moone is scarcely seene And we use to say of Homer that the dazling beames of his Sunne makes all other Poets like little stars loose their light This made Dionysius when he could not equall Philoxenus in poetry nor match Plato in discourse condemne the one to the stone-quarries and sell the other as a slave into the I le of Agina And out of like consideration have the wicked alwayes dealt with the godly even as Julian the Apostate did by our Saviour who tooke downe his Image in contempt that he might set up his owne in the same place and have the people worship it which hee knew they would never doe so long as the other was reverenc'd 5. They often manifest their enmity against the religious by striking them as Zidkiah the false Prophet strooke Michayah on the cheeke 1 King 22.24 thus Pasher strooke Jeremiah Ier. 20.2 And the Princes also Chap. 37.15 And thus Ananias the high Priest caused Paul to be smitten on the mouth Acts 23.2 and the Iewes whipt him five times with forty stripes save one and others beat him with rods 2 Cor. 11.23.24.25 And thus our rough adversaries of Rome stopt our Martyrs mouthes and refuted them not with reasons nor by Law for the Law hath no power to strike the vertuous but with fists When Politisians Rhetorick failes Carters Logick must doe the fear Their arguments are all Steele and Iron they speake daggers points As Ioab discoursed with Amaza in the 5th Rib. So Zedikiah disputed with the Prophet a word and a blow yea a blow without a word for hee smote him first and spake to him afterwards Every false Prophet is like Iulius the second who threw Saint Peters keyes into the river Tiber protesting that thenceforth he would use and helpe himselfe with Saint Pauls sword And in case they cannot have their wills they resemble Achilles who is fained to eate his owne heart because he might not be suffered to fight 6. It is usuall with them to hurt and maime the godly as the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel would have served those true hearted Spyes for seeking to appease the tumult and speaking well of the land of Canaan had not the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation Numb 14.10 Thus the Philistims put out Sampsons eyes when they had bound him Indg. 16.21 and thus the Iewes of Antiochia and Iconium hurt Paul when they stoned him and drew him out of the City supposing he had beene dead Act. 14.19 Neither have succeeding ages wanted Alexanders who have done much hurt to Gods people for not seldome when reason and rayling failed have they come to plow-mans Logick Gunpowder arguments open violence taking up swords to strike or stones to
reviled contemned and made a proverbe and song of the drunkards and other wicked men which sate in the gate but because he follewed the things which were good and pleasing unto God and in him put his trust Psal 11.2 and 22.6 7 8. and 37.14 and 69.10 11 12. And lastly for I might be endlesse in the prosecution of this Why were all the just in Solomons time had in abhominations and mockt of the wicked but because they were upright in their way and holy in their conversation Prov 29.27 Or those numberlesse Martyrs whose soules Saint Iohn saw under the Altar Revel 6.9 killed but for the Word of God and for the testimony which they maintained And the Master himselfe not for any evill as themselves are forced to confesse Marke 7.37 which examples sufficiently prove that all wicked men are like the women of Lemnos who when they had every one slaine their husbands and kinsmen exiled Hypsipyle the Kings daughter for that she alone saved her Father alive That great Dragon the Devill and these his Subjects make warre and are wroth with none but the Woman and the remnant of her Seed which keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ Revel 12.17 But to apply this to our selves I would faine know whether the power of godlinesse the sincere profession of the name of Christ according to the Vow which we made in Baptisme all kind of purity and holinesse doth not live in persecution amongst us as Protestants doe in Spaine Is it not a capitall crime to be vertuous Is not the name of an honest man who makes conscience of his wayes growne odious Is not circumspect walking the zeale of Gods glory in promoting the best things frequent hearing of Sermons singing of Psalmes holy conference brotherly admonition c. counted a vice and that vice called Puritanisme And must not he who is called a Puritan be derided hated persecuted slandered and laught to scorne how many may complaine with Ieremy that because they live a godly life themselves and call upon others to doe the same they are cursed of every one and counted contentious Ier. 15.10 Yea let but a sparke of fervent devotion breake cut in a Family all the rest are up in clamors as when Bels ring disorderly every man is ready with his bucket to quench the fire disgraced he must be for a Puritan but onely by Laodiceans Indifferency strives to dash zeale out of countenance The reason is wheresoever Christ comes there will be opposition When Christ was borne all Ierusalem was troubled and Herod cut the throats of all the children in Bethlehem so when Christ is borne in any man the soule is in an uproare and Satan with his iustruments are ready to kil in him every good motion though it bee never so little a Babe That which the Ancients did chiefly admire goodnesse we doe most of all contemne for is not the godly man more despised for his godlinesse then the wicked for his wickednesse Are not the members of Christ more hated and worse intreated by us then the limbes of the Devill What suppressing and disgracing is there of Hels and Romes chiefest adversaries under the aspersion and pretence of Puritanisme Whereas if the same men would but bare them company in their sinnes be drunke sweare temporise contemne holinesse mispend their time haunt Play-houses and Tavernes play the good fellowes and doe as the rest doe they should have the approbation and good word of the greatest number yea if they would not be precise in their actions nor reprove others for their evill courses if they would not speake against pluralities Non-residents lazy and good-fellow Pastors who either starve or quite neglect or else mislead their flockes if they would but be prophane and wicked and make no bones of sinne their malice would cease and we should not have a Puritane in all the world As let me appeale from th ir tongues to their hearts and from their mouthes to their consciences whether this be not the greatest cause of their quarrell We refuse to pledg them in their wicked customes For may not all see saving such as the Prince of darknesse hath blindâ—d that those for the most part whom the world speakes so basely of are bâ—fore men in respect of any scandalous offences or open crimes unblameable and may say with the Lamb whom they follow Which of you can rebuke me of sinne though with Paul 1 Tim 1.15 they thinke themselves the worst of sinners And doe not their adversaries know that the men whom they terme Puritanes are honester men and more righteous then themselves as Pharaoh was forc'd to confesse touching Moses Exod. 10.16 17. And Saul touching David 1 Sam. 26.21 yea I know they are perswaded well of them even when they speake most to the contrary though I expect not they should use them thereafter We know Pilate judged Christ guiltlesse but yet he put him to death And Festus acknowledged that Paul was without crime yet he left him in prison I dare say Tertullus knew that he lyed when he called Paul a pestilent fellow his conscience could not choose but answer him Thou lyest in thy throat Tertullus Paul is an honester man then thy selfe And must not these mens conscinces tell them that the same they accuse so are in their lives the most unreproveable of the land Yea I will appeale to their greatest adversaries whether the Protestant at large or those who are called Puritanes be of the purest religion and most reformed to the Primitive Church â—or not seldome are wicked mens judgements forced to yeeld unto that truth against which their affections maintaine a rebeilion And yet as if they would stamp Gods Image on the Divels drosse and the Divels image on Gods silver they justifie those actions and persons which God condemnes and condemne those which he justifies True these enemies to holinesse spare not to cast aspersions on us else how should they worke their wills How should Naboth be cleanly put to death if he be not first accused of blasphemy 1 King 21.13 and the like of Joseph Eliah Jeremiah Susanna Paul Steeven and our Saviour Christ himselfe But if you marke it they are as guilty of the crimes whereof they be accused as Ioseph was in forcing of his Mistris or as Naboth and the rest were of those things which were laid to their charge I speake not of those monsters those white devills who make Religion a stalking horse to villany I know too many dishonour God by wearing of his livery But what was Satan to the children of God Iob 1.6 though he thrust himselfe into their company Or what wise man will tax all the Apostles because one was a Iudas To argue because some are so and so therefore the rest are alike is a saplesse reason only becomming a foole Yet most men are such fooles or rather brute beasts led with sensualitty and made to be taken and destroyed as
the Sea Mark 9.42 That he will destroy them for ever and roote them out of the Land of the living whose tongues imagine mischiefe and are like a sharpe Razor that cutteth deceitfully loving to speake evill more than good Psalm 52.2 to 5. That hee will confound such as persecute his Children and destroy them with a double destruction Ier. 17.18 Yea that he will render unto there enemies seaven fold into their bosome their reproach wherewith they have reproached the Lord Psalm 79.12 In fine that he will rayne upon them snares of fire and brimstone with stormes and tempests Psalme 11.6 and after all cast them into a furnace of fire where shall bee wayling and gnashing of teeth for evermore when the just whom they now despise shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father They durst not doe as they doe to the godly Yea if they did beleeve but that one place 2 King 2.24 Where God caused two and fortie little Children to be devoured of wild Beares onely for nick-naming Elisha they durst not nick-name the religious as they doe But alasse they are so farre from beleeving what God threatens in His Word against these sinnes that they blesse themselves in their hearts saying wee shall have peace we shall speed as well as the best although wee walke according to the stubbornnesse of our owne wills so adding drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 Yea they preferre their condition before other mens who are so abstemious and make Conscience of their wayes even thinking that their God deceiveth them with needlesse feares and scruples as oncâ— Rabshakeb would have perswaded the Jewes touching their trust and confidence 2 King 18.22 25 30 32 33 35. Yea how i' st possible that any wicked man should beleeve what is written of God in the Scripture especially touching his justice and severity in punishing sinne with eternall destruction of body and soule For did they really and indeed beleeve God when he saith that his curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer Zac. 5. They durst not sweare yea and forsweare as they doe much lesse durst they take a pride in oathing of it resembling Ballio the baud in Plautus who was not ashamed but even proud of Carting Yea which is worse reprove a swearer and he will sweare the more to spite you Which were not possible if believing God they did not what in them lyes give themselves over to the Devill Againe did they believe that neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor thieves nor murtherers nor drunkards nor swearers nor raylours nor lyers nor covetous persons nor extortioners nor unbeleevers nor no unrighteous men shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but shall have their part in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Revel 21 8. they durst not continue in the practice of these sinnes without feare or remorse or care of amendment Did they beleeve that except their righteousnesse doe exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall in no case enter into the kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5.20 And that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12 14. with many the like it were impossible they should live as they doe Yea if they did in good earnest beleeve that there is either God or Devill Heaven or Hell or that they have immortall soules which shall everlastingly live in blisse or woe and receive according to that they have done in their bodies whether it bee good or evill 2 Cor. 5.10 they could not but live thereafter and make it their principall care how to be saved But alasse they beleeve what they see and feele and know they beleeve the Lawes oâ— the Land that there are places and kindes of punishment here below and that they have bodyes to suffer temporall smart if they transgresse and this makes them abstaine from murther felony and the like but they beleeve not things invisible and to come for if they did they would as well yea much more feare him that hath power to cast both body and soule into bell as they doe the temporall Magistrate that hath onely power to kill the body They would thinke it a very hard bargaine to win the whole world and lose there owne soules Luk 9.25 But alasse if visible powers were not more feared than the invisible GOD and the halter more than Hell naturall men being like beasts that are more sensible of the flash of Powder than of the Bullet the World would bee over-runne with outrage Whereas now even the worst of the Serpents Seede by reason of Authority are kept in a meane betweene Devills and Christians so living like beasts because they thinke they shall dye like beasts without any answer for ought they have either acted or left undone True they doe not alwayes nor at any time altogether think there is no GOD or judgment to come Not alwayes for though at present they thinke their villany is unseene because it is unpunished according to that in the Psalmes The wicked thinketh there is no GOD and the reason followes his wayes alway prosper Psalme 10.4 5. yet none as Plato speakes are so confirmâ—d in Atheisme but some great danger will make them flye to the ayde of a Divine power Extremity of distresse will send the prophanest to God as the drowning man stretcheth out his hand to that bough which hee contemned whiles hee stood safe on shore Even Sardanapalus who for all his bould denying of God at every hearing of thunder was wont to hide his head in a hole Yea in their greatest jollity even the most secure heart in the world hath some flashes of feare that seaze on them like an Arrest of Treason for conscience cannot but somtimes look out of it selfe and see what it would not At least on their death beds they would give all the world to bee sure what the Scripture speakes of Hell were not true though all their life they supposed it but a fable How oft doe those ruffians that deny God at the Tap-house preach him at the Gallowes and confesse that in sobriety of spirit which they oppugned in wantonnesse And not seldome are the most lethargized consciences so awakened ere they go to hell that Spira-like they depart desolate desperate in into hellish horrors Prosperity doth so tympanize mens soules and entranse them from themselves that they forget they hada Maker Who is God saith Pharaoh There is no God saith Nabuchadnezar What God can deliver out of my hand saith Rabshakeh I am God sayes Alexander But Nabuchadnezar found there was a God Pharaoh found what that God was Rabshakeh found to his cost that there was an Almighty God able to deliver in the Valleys as well as on the hills Alexander found hee was not as he supposed and confest that he knew himselfe mortall by two things viz. Sleepe and Lust And so it shall fare with these in the end They