like him in workes Wee are not like Christ except wee doe whatsoever God commands and suffer whatsoever hee inflicts Now we are naught at doing but when it comes to suffering we are gone it is the happinesse of these cold times that wee are not put to the hot fire for tryall of our faith and love if the Wheele should turne which the mercy of God forbid how many would turne from Christ rather than burne for him Alasse the greatest number are like Orbilius the Grammarian who not only forgot the Letters of his Booke but even his own name for they not only forget what is written in Christ's Gospell but they forget also that they are Christians and can be of any religion for a neede which shewes their hearts are truely of none True Gods seed is sowne but the Devils fruit comes up and like the Iewes we bring Christ Vinegar when hee thirsts for Wine But what a shame What a prodigie is this We are bound to praise GOD above any Nation whatsoever for what Nation under Heaven injoyes so much light or so many blessings as we above any Creature for all the creatures were ordained for our sakes and yet Heaven Earth and Sea all the Elements all the Creatures obey the Word of God only men for whom they were all made ingratefully rebell against it The which as it mightily aggravates our unthankfulnesse so when time comes it will gall our Consciences to death Yea when we shall consider that Christ hath removed so many evills from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination and that our recompence of his love hath been only to doe that which he hates and hate those whom he loves it will make us speechlesse like him in the Gospell who wanted his wedding Garment as neither expecting mercy or daring to aske it for know this that thy own conscience will once sting thee like an Adder to think what Christ hath given and what he would have forgiven thee if thou wouldst but have repented to thinke how often thou hast beene invited to Heaven how easily thou mightest have escaped hell how often Christ by his Embassadors offered thee remission of sins and the Kingdome of Heaven freely if thou wouldest but beleeve and repent and how easily thou mightest have obtained mercy in those dayes how neere thou wast many times to have repented and yet diddest suffer the Devill and the World to keepe thee still impenitent and how the day of mercy is then past and will never dawn againe For the same Devill that now shuts your eyes and labours to keepe you blinde during the presumption of your life will open them in the desperation that shall wait on you at death or in hell As it fared with the rich man who when he was in hell lift up his eyes to Heaven but never before Luke 16.23 Those scorching flames opened them to propose Sin shuts up mens eyes but punishment opens them But I hope I have said enough and that thou art convinc'd in thine own Conscience that hitherto thou hast beene a meere Atheist and that through Atheisme thou hast hated reviled and persecuted the godly If not truth is as much truth when it is not acknowledged as when it is Now if thou dost confidently and without peradventure beleeve what the Scripture speakes of God Heaven hell c. If thou beleevest the threatnings and precepts as well as the promises and if thou bearest any love to thine own soule Breake off thy sinnes by repentance and oppose the good no longer give no credit to the flesh or the Devill which prophesy prosperity to sinne but beleeve God and the Scripture which manifestly proves that every man shall bee judged according to his workes Revel 12.13 and 22 12. Make not Christ a boulster for sinne nor Gods mercy a warrant for thy continuing in an evill course Be not therefore evill because hee is good least like the foolish builder thou commest short of thy reconning for Christ came to destroy the works of the Devill John 3.3.8 9 10. And not to be a Patron of sinne and there is mercy with God that he might be feared not that he might be despised blasphemed c. Psal 130.4 Yea know this and write it in the Table booke of thy memory and on the table of thine heart that if God's bountifulnesse and long suffering towards thee does not leade thee to repentance it will double thy doome and increase the pile of thy torments for every day which does not abate of thy reckoning will increase it Qui numer at dotes numer at dren and thou by thy hardnesse and impenitencie shalt but treasure up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the just judgment of God Rom. 2.4 5 6. And so much of the third cause Qâ—est What other Causes are there why they thus hate and persecute us Answ Other maine Causes as they make them are these Eight 1. Speaking of Truth 1 Kings 12.8 17 23 24 26 27. Ier. 11.19 and 26.8 9 11. and 36 23 26. and 38.4 5 6. Amos 5.10 Mark 6.16 to 29. Acts 16 19. to 25. and 17.5 6 7 13. and 18 11 12 13 and 19 26. to 34. and 21 27 28 30 31. and 22 22 23. and 23 1 2 12 13 14. Gal 4.16 2. Misprision Acts 24.14 and 26 9 10 11 24. 1 Kings 18.17 18. Psal 14.1 Jer. 44.17 18 19. Wis 5.4 Mat. 7 14. and 13.55 56 57. and 28 15. Mar. 5.39 40. and 7.5 8 9. John 2.19 20 21. and 3 3 4. and 7.15 23 24. and 8.15 57 58 59. and 9.16 and 16 2. Acts 2.13 2 Thes 2.10.11 12. Rom. 8.5 6 7 8 1 Cor. 1.18 to 29. and 2.7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. and 3.18 19 20. 2 Tim. 2.26 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Rev. 3.17 3. Example of the multitude Gen. 19 4. to 12. Num. 14.2.3 10. and 16.1 to 4. Mat. 27.20 25 27 39 49. Acts 19.24 to 30. 4. Separation Gen. 39.12 to 21. Psal 26.4 5. and 101.7 and 119 63 115. Prov. 5.8 and 23 20. Ier. 15.19 Wisd 2.16 Iohn 15.19 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Cor. 6.17 Ephes 5.7 2 Thes 3.6 14. 1 Pet. 4.4 Rev. 18.4 5. The preaching of some Ministers Ier. 5.31 and 8.11 and 23 13.14 15 16 17 21 22 26 27 31 32. Eze. 22.25 26 28. Mat 9.34 Mark 13.22 Ioh. 5.43 Act. 13.8 and 20 29 30. Rom. 16 17 18. 2 Cor. 2.17 and 11.13 14 15. 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3.8 2 Pet. 2. ch and 3.3 6. The scandalous lives of some professors Gen. 9.21 22. and 12 18 19. and 19.33 35 36. and 20.2 12 16. and 34 13 14 15 16 25 26. to 31. 1 Sam. 2.12 to 18. 2 Sam. 12 14. Mat. 7.15 and 18 7. and 23 3 14 23 24.25.27 and 26 14 15 16 70 72 74. and 27.5 7. Flocking after Sermons Ioh. 11.48 and 12 19 6 2. and Acts 13.45 Matth. 4.24 25. and 15 30. Mar. 3.10 and 8.1 and 10 1 2. Luke 5.15 and 6 17 18 19. 8. The finall cause is that they may have more company here in sin and hereafter in torment Psal 35.4 7 12 and 40.14 and 5.6 6. and 59 2 3. Matth. 23.13 15. Luke 11.52 Iohn 11.48 and 12 10.11 and 15.19 Act. 26.11 1 Pet. 4.4 Revel 12.17 and 13 15. But they are all so prolix and yet so unmeete to bee abbreviated that if I should handle them and make of all but one Volume they would so swell the heapè that not a few would be deprived of the whole He will buy a Manuall or Enchiridion that will not buy a Commentary and he will reade a Curranto that will not reade a Chronicle History Yea it may happen to meet with Patients so desperate that although they acknowledge it is of absolute necessity for them to be informed touching these things yet having Quesie stomacks if they see their Potion bigge aswell as bitter will resolve to suffer yea to dye rather than take it That will bee swallowed by morsells and easily digested which being taken all at once will not onely cloy but surfet Wherefore I will reserve the rest untill I see what returne this will make And the rather for that there are three Treatises already publisht of this very subject viz. Sinne stigmatized The Victory of Patience last Edition The mischiefe and misery of Scandalls The end of the first Part. Imprimatur Tho. Wykes
The Cure of PREIVDICE Or The Doves Innocency and the Serpents subtilty wherein The Originall Continuance Properties Causes Endes Issue and Effects of the worlds Envie and hatred to the Godly Is pithily laid open and applyed By R. Junius GEN. 3.15 I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and betweene thy seed and her seede it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele PRO. 29.27 A wicked man is Abomination to the Just and he that is upright in his way is Abomination to the wicked LONDON Printed by I. B. and are to be sold by James Crump at his house in Well-Yard in little S. Bartholmews 1641. Courteous Reader HAving perused this first part of the Cure of Prejudice we finde it to containe a lively description of that enmity and hatred which the wicked beare to Gods people together with a perspicuous discovery of the grounds reasons of it laid down pithily orderly and elegantly with much both sinew ous strength of argumeÌ„t and variety of gracefull delightful Illustration The which through Gods blessing accompanying it is likely to prove of much use to all sorts that shall read the same whether in comforting the godly in their sufferings or in reclaiming or at least convincing such as any way oppose the way of truth So that whatsoever time labour diligence thou shalt spend in often reading it we doubt not but the profit will recompence thy paines abundantly GEORGE WALKER EDM. CALAMY IOSEPH CARYLL THE CVRE OF PREJUDICE OR The DOVES Innocency and the SERPENTS Subtilty wherein The Originall Continuance Properties Causes Ends Issue and Effect of the Worlds Envie and Hatred to the Godly is pithily laid open and applied by way of Question and Answer between a weake and an experienced Christian Question HOw is it that the practice of Christianity is every where spoken against under the name of Schisme as the chiefe Jewes told Paul in his time Acts 28.22 And that so soone as men become religious and conscionable they are made a by-word of the people Job 17.6 A song of the drunkards Psal 69.12 And generally hated of all Matth. 10.22 Answer Know yee not saith Saint James that the Amity of the World is the Enmity of God And that whosoever will be a friend of the World maketh himselfe the enemy of God James 4.4 A wicked man saith Solomon is abomination to the Just and he that is upright in his way is abomination to the wicked Pro. 29.27 There is a naturall Enmity and a spirituall Antipathy betweene the men of the World and the Children of God whence it is that the holy Ghost who can give most congruous Names to Natures useth in the Scripture Gods Dictionary not onely to call wicked men Adders Aspes Gockatrices Serpents Dragons Lyons Tygers c. Psal 10.9 74.13 80.13 140.3 Esay 14.29 Dan. 7. Zeph. 3. Matth. 23.33 which are the mortallest enemies to mankind that live but most frequently Wolves and the godly Sheep Behold saith our Saviour to his Apostles I send you forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Mat. 10.16 between whom there is a strange contrariety and antipathy living and dead as both Naturalists and Lutinists observe It is an everlasting rule of the Apostles He that is born after the Flesh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evil but because he is so much better then himself 1 John 3.12 because his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion Wis 2.15 for therefore speake they evill of you because yee will no longer run with them to the same excesse of ryot 1 Pet. 4 4. Quest But are not many discouraged and others beaten off from being Religious through the daily scoffes and reproaches which in every place the godly meete withall for refusing to doe as others doe with whom they are conversant Answ Yea millions there being no such rub in the way to Heaven as that generall contempt which the Devill and the World have cast upon Religion and the practisers of Piety which makes our Saviour pronounce that man blessed that is not offended in him Matth. 11.6 For hereby it is growne to that that men feare nothing more then to have a name that they feare God and are more ashamed to bee holy then prophane because holinesse is worse intreated then prophanenesse with Peter we are apt to deny our Religion when we come in company with Christs enemies and with David to dissemble our Faith when we are amongst Philistims Like those white-liverd Rulers John 12 42. who loved the praise of Men more than the praise of God wee choose to conceale our knowledge of and love to Christ lest we should be mockt have so many frownes and frumps and censures and scoffes be branded with that odious and stigmaticall name of an Hypocrite c. True with Nicodemus we owe God some good will but we dare not shew it because of this we would please him yet so as we might not displease others nor our selves Like the young man in the Gospell we will follow Christ so Christ propound no other conditions then what wee like of but what will be the issue our Saviour saith expresly That he will be ashamed of such at the latter day who are now ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffes and reproaches from the World Mark 8.38 But secondly it so forestalleth such as are without with Prejudice against goodnesse and circumspect walking that they resolve never to be Religious so long as they live As how many not onely stumble at Christ the living and chiefe corner stone elect of God and preclous but quite fal as at a Rocke of offence yea utterly disallow of the things that are excellent onely through the contempt which is cast upon Religion 1 Pet. 2.7 8. What such mens thoughts are we may heare from the damned in Hell We fooles thought their lives madnesse c. Wisd 5.3 4. And experience shewes that they will hate a man to the death though he have nothing to condemne him but his being holy Yea where Satan hath once set this his porter of Prejâ—dice though Christ himselfe were on earth that souâ—e would stumble and bee offended at his very best actions as we see in the Scribes and Pharisees who made an evill construction of whatsoever he did or spake For when he wrought Miracles hee was a Sorcerer When he cast out Devils it was by the power of Devils When hee reproved sinners he was a seducer When he received sinners he was their favourer When he healed the sick he was a breaker of the Sabbath c. John 8. Nor can the highest eloquence of the best Preacher ever reclaime such For first words are vagabonds where the Admonished hath an evill opinion of the Admonisher Secondly they are resolved against yeelding Thirdly let them be convinc't by strength of argument the thought of those things presently passes away like
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
glory hereafter the Covetous would not say Take you heaven let us have mony I le cleare it by a similitude If a Physitian should say unto his Patient here stands a Cordiall which if you take will cure you but touch not this other Viall for that is deadly poyson and he refuseth the Cordiall to take the poyson in this case who can chose but conclude that either he beleeved not his Physitian or preferred death before life But go on If men but beleeved that God alwayes beholds them they durst not sin No theife was ever so impudent as to steale in the very face of the Iudge O God let me see my selfe seene by thee and I shall not dare to offend thee Againe if men beleeved that there is a place of darknesse they would feare the works of darknesse If Lots Sonnes-in-law had beleeved their father when he tould them the City should suddenly be destroyed with fire and brimstone and that by flying they might escape it they would have obeyed his counsell If the old world had beleeved that God would indeed and in good earnest bring such a flood upon them as he threatned they would not have neglected the opportunity of entring the Arke before it was shut and the windowes of heaven opened much lesse would they have scoft and flouted at Noah while he was building it so if you did firmely beleeve what the Scripture speakes of hell you would need noe intreaties to avoid it yea cast but your eyes upon that fiery gulfe with a full perswasion of it and sin if you dare You love your selves well enough to avoid a knowne paine we know that there are stocks and Bridewells and Ioales and dungeons and Racks and Gibbets for malefactors and our very feare keeps us innocent were your hearts equally assured of those hellish torments yee could not yee durst not continue in those sinnes for which they are prepared yea if you did truly beleeve a hell there would be more danger of your despaire than of your security Yea had you but so much of an historicall faith as to beleeve the Scriptures touching what God hath already inflicted upon sinners as upon the Angells the old world Sodome and Gomorrah Pharoah and the Egyptians Nadab and Abihu Chora Dathan and Abyram with their 250 Captaines and many thousands of the Children of Israel together with the whole Nation of the Iewes Hammon and Balaam Saul and Doeg Absolon and Achitophell Ahab and Iesabell Senacherib and Nebuchadnezar the 2 Captaines and their fifties Herod and Judas Annanias Saphirah with a world of others Much more if you did beleeve how severely he hath dealt with his owne Children when they sinned against him vizt with Moses and Aaron and Ely which were in singular favour with him yea with David a man after his owne heart and that after his sin was remitted it were impossible but thou wouldest feare to offend so Iealous a God for thus thou wouldest argue If God be so just and severe to his owne children who were so good and gracious how shall I a wicked ungracious servant that never did him a peece of good service all my dayes look to be dispensed withall If the godly suffer so many and grievous afflictions here what shall his adversaries suffer in hell If Sampson be thus punished shall the Philistims escape If the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare as the Scripture speakes 1 Pet. 4.18 For thou canst not Imagine that he will deale after a new and extraordinary way with thee and so breake the Course of his so Iust and so long continued proceedings Wherefore dally no longer with your owne soules Are yee Christians in earnest Do yee beleeve the word or doe you not If you doe not yee are worse than the Devill for the Devills beleeve and tremble they have both faith and feare where as thou hast neither feare nor faith If you be Christians there is an hell in your Creed if there bee an hell How dare you tare Heaven with your blasphemies and bandie the dreadfull Name of God in your impure mouthes by your bloudy oathes and execrations How dare you exercise your saucy wits in prophane scoffs at religion and disgrace that bloud whereof hereafter you would give a thousand worlds for one drop It is no light or slight offence to contemne the brethren of the Son of God but thou fightest against the very graces of Gods Spirit wherever they appeare and notwithstanding thou didst vow in thy baptisme to fight under Christs banner against the world the flesh and the Devill and to continue his faithfull souldier and servant unto thy lives end as good reason since he laid downe his life to redeeme thee and hath ever since protected and provided for thee for a very Dog will fight for his master that feeds him thou contrarily takest part with the world the flesh and the Devill his mortall enimies and takest up armes to fight against Christ Againe if there be an hell and but a tithe of â—hem Christians who call themselves so what meanes our grinding of faces like edged tooles and our spilling of blood like water What meanes our racking of rents our detention of wages our incredible cruelty to servants our inclosing of Commons ingrossing of commodities our griping exactions with streining the advantages of greatnes our inequall levies of legall payments our spightfull suites griping usury our bouzing and quaffing our bribery perjury partiallity our sacriledge simoniacall contracts and soule murther our scurrill prophannesse cosoning in bargaines breaking of promises perfidious underminings pride luxury wantonnesse contempt of Gods Messengers neglect of his Ordinances violation of his dayes c when if the Word of God be true we need no other ground of our last and heaviest doom than ye have not given ye have not visited c. Mat 25 41. to 46. Certainely if the tythe of us be Christians which call our selves so there are abundance of Christians in hell For what eyes can but runne over to see for the most part what lives men leade There was a woman much spoken of in some parts of this Land that lived in a professed doubt of the Deity yea even after Illumination and Repentance she could hardly be comforted she often protested that the vicious and offencive life of a great learned man in the Towne where she dwelt did occasion those damned doubts in her minde And wee reade that Linacre reading upon the New Testament the 5.6 and 7th Chapters of Saint Matthews Gospell and comparing those rules with Christians lives hee threw downe the book and burst forth into this protestation Either this is not God's Gospell or we are not Christians Let any man looke upon the lives of most men and then say whether the argument be not without all exceptions It is the abstract of Religion to imitate him whom we worship neither are wee worthy to be called Christians except wee be