58. chap. and 66.3 1 John 3 12. Matth. 7.22 23. Againe doe you pay God his dues also doe you repent and beleeve the Gospell precepts and menaces as well as promises doe you declare your faith by your workes doe you pray by the power of the spirit and with the understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 doe you receive the word with good and honest hearts reade conferre and meditate upon it and also bring forth the fruits of it in your lif and conversation doe you sanctifie his Sabbaths and see that all under you doe the same love his children promote his glory and strive to gaine others to imbrace the Gospell instruct your children and servants and teach them to feare the Lord doe you feare an oath hate a lye c love zeale and devotion in others make conscience of evill thoughts vaine and unprofitable words grieve for your unprofitablenesse under the meanes of grace for the evill which cleaves to your very best actions and for sins of omissions c No you may bee good morrall honest men but none of these graces grow in the Gardens of your hearts You have a forme of godlinesse but you deny the power of it and are reprobate to every good worke 2 Tim. 3.5 Titus 1.16 Yea have you not strange conceits and base thoughts of the best men doe you not deeply censure condemne the generation of the just and thinke the worse of a man for having of a tender conscience doe you not envy hate scoffe at nick-name raile on and slander the people of God and mis-consture their actions and intentions watch for their halting and combine with others against them doe you not with Festus account zeale madnesse and religion foolishnesse with Michal For men of the world think the Religious fooles and madde-men but the Religious know them to be fooles and madde-men Doe you not sharpen your tongues in gall and dip your pens in poyson to disgrace the graces of God in his children yea have you not beaten off many from being religious by your scoffes and reproaches and made them resolve against goodness and staggered others that have made some progresse in holinesse yes every place where you come and all that you are conversant withall can witnesse it Yea you hate zeale and devotion so invetterately that you can in no wise bear with it in others I speake not by rote for would I be so uncivill as you are or doe by you as you by others I could name hundereds of you though you will not confesse it when taken in the manner but justifie your so doing by many collourable pretences For poore soules you are so ignorant of Sathans wiles Ephes. 6.11 That with Saint Paul before his conversion you persecute the Church of God even out of zeale to the traditions of your fathers Gal. 1.13 14. Phil. 3.6 Which is the case almost of who not for this sinne is so epidemicall that take forty men where you please City or Country As they dwell passe the streets or sit in their pues and nine and thirty of them are malignants to the power of religion You will say it is a big word but I have warrant for it doth not our Saviour say you shall be hated of all men and nations for my names sake Matth 10.22 and 24.9 which infers that all who are not hated for religion are haters of religion Neither is Christ's name any where more spoken against then in Israel Luke 2.34 where all professe themselves to bee Gods people The like place you have Matth. 5.11 And what is meant by these words I will put enmity betweene the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman Gen. 3.15 but that all men living are either the womans or the serpents seed As for other sins one man is given to lust another to intemperance a third to swearing a fourth to cousening some to more than one some to all of them but who is not tainted with this sinne who is not an open or secret enemy to holinesse by reason of that generall contempt which is cast upon professors Yea who is there even of those that have resigned up their pride and their lust and their lying and their coâ—sening or what other sinnes they have beene prone to with whom this sinne doth not remaine as though they had a dispensation for this evill Yea and thinke they doe wondâ—rous well in it for they delude themselves with a multitude of misprisâ—ons and false surmises against the godly the soules of most men being drowned in their senses and carried away with weake opinions raised from vulgar mistakes and shadowes of things And which is worst of all they have so hardned their hearts and so seared their consciences with accustomary using it even from their infancy that a man were as good speake to a stone Ezek. 11.19 as admonish them of it having Pharoah's curse upon them an hard heart and a seared conscience And a bruit beast is as capable of good councel as they Yea braying in a Morter as Solomon speakes would not alter them Prov. 27.22 Neverthelesse though they resemble those Beasts that went into the Arke uncleane and came out againe uncleane yet it shall comfort me that I have done my best to plucke up this infectious weede out of mens hearts that I have hopefully ministred unto them whom I cannot cure And that I have brought water enough to wash these Blackamores white if it were in the power of water to do it Besides I did it as well for the godlies sake as for theirs I considered how my selfe was formerly forestalled with prejudice against goodnesse and how extreamly I mis-judged both actions and persons by reason of that generall contempt which was cast upon Professors which for many yeares hindred me from entering upon a religious course Yea when God of his free grace and good pleasure had brought me out of darknesse into his marvellous light and touched my heart with the load-stone of the Gospell that I was not beaten off againe from ever being religious through the daily scoffes and reproaches which in every place I met withall for refusing to doe as others with whom I was conversant no reason can be rendered but that of the Apostle whom he did predestinate them he also called and justified and saved Rom. 8.30 And O the depth Rom. 11.33 Wherefore when once my judgement was cleared and my prejudice cured by the sage councell of a friend and by pondering these few scriptures 2 Tim. 3.12 Mat. 10.22 23. c. and 24 9â—â— Luke 2.34 and 4.29 Iohn 15.20 Gen. 3.15 1 Iohn 3.13 1 Pet. 4.12 13 14. Luke 14 27. and 6.26 Mat. 5.10 11 12. Phill. 1.28 29. Both of them being driven home or set on by the rodde of affliction By Gods grace I not onely shooke off this slavish yoke of bondage and feare in which Sathan for the present held mee But probably
be argued in the Court of thy Conscience say whether thou art guilty or not guilty He that believes the promises of God to be true believes also the commands and threatnings and thereupon feares God and makes conscience of sin otherwise if thou beest as it were a dead man continuing under the burthen of notorious crimes without sorrow or fear or remorse or care of amendment Ephes. 2 1. If thou art of a reprobate judgement touching actions and persons esteeming good evil and evil good if the Devil hath so bewitched thee that thou preferrest Hell to Heaven and blamest those that do otherwise if Ishmael-like thou mockest or Cham-like thou scoffest at the religious or usest bitter jests against them Psal. 1.1 Ephes. 5.4 If thou raisest slanders of them or furtherest them being raised Psal. 4.2 31.18 35.20 As the Red Dragon Rev. 12. cast a floud of water out of his mouth after the Woman when he could not reach her with his clawes verse 15. Or any way opposest them for the opposition of goodnesse gives thee the title of wickednesse which alone is the enemy thereof and shewes that thou art a Souldier of the great Dragon who goes out to make War with that blessed Seed which keep the Commandments of God Rev. 12.17 These or any one of these shew that thou hast neither part nor fellowship in the Christian beliefe that thou art an Infidell yea an Atheist which is a higher degree of infidelity and that thou doest no way differ from an Heathen but onely in the saying of a Pater noster a Creed and it may be the ten Commandments neither hast thou any more of a conscience than fear which fear also arises more from the power of the Magistrate than from the Omnipotency of a God But to make thy selfe confesse this examine thy beliefe by thy life for infidelity is the bitter root of all wickednesse and a lively Faith the true Mother of all goodnesse Indeed if pride swâ—aring prophaning of the Lords Day drunkennesse adultery contempt of Religion and all goodnesse were fruits of Faith then the World were full of Believers but Faith purifieth the Heart Acts 15.9 and worketh by love Gal 5.6 Consumes our natural unnatural corruptions and sanctifieth the whole man thâ—oughout 1 Thes. 5.23 Acts 26.18 So that our Faith to God is seen in our faithfulnesse to men Shew me thy faith by thy workes saith S. Iames that is thy invisible beliefe by thy visible life for the hand is the best Commentary of the heart What a man does I am sure he thinkes not alwayes what he speakes Men may say they believe the Word but certainly they would never speak as they speak thinke as they thinke do as they do if they thought that their thoughts words and deeds should ever come to judgement If men believed that Heaven were so sweet and Hell so intolerable as the word makes them they would be more obedient upon earth the voluptuous would not say with Esau Give me the pottage of pleasure take who will the Birth-right of grace here and glory hereafter the Covetous would not say Take you Heaven let us have money I le clear it by a similitude If a Physician should say unto his Patient here stands a Cordial which if you take will cure you but touch not this other Vial for that is deadly Poyson and he refuseth the Cordial to take the Poyson in this case who can chuse but conclude that either he believed not his Physician or preferred death before life But go on If men but believed that God alwayes beholds them they durst not sin No Thiefe was ever so impudent as to steale in the very face of the Judge O God let me see my selfe seen by thee and I shall not dare to offend thee Againe if men believed that there is a place of Darknesse they would fear the workes of Darknesse If Lot's sonnes-in-Law had believed their father when he told them the Citie should suddenly be destroyed with fire and brimstone and that by flying they might escape it they would have obeyed his counsel If the old World had believed that God would indeed and in good earnest bring such a Floud upon them as he threatned they would not have neglected the opportunity of entring the Arke before it was shut up and the windowes of Heaven opened much lesse would they have scofft and flouted at Noah while he was building it so if you did firmely believe what the Scripture speaks of Hell you would need no intreaties to avoid it yea cast but your eyes upon that fiery gulf with a full perswasion of it and sin if you dare You love your selves well enough to avoid a knowne paine wee know that there are Stocks and Bridewells and Goales and Dungeons and Racks and Gibbits for Malefactors and our very feare keeps us innocent were your hearts equally assured of those hellish torments ye could not yee durst not continue in those sinnes for which they are prepared yea if you did truly beleeve a hell there would bee more danger of your dispaire 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 Sodâ—me and Gomorrah Pharoah and the Egyptians Nadab and Abihu Chora Dâ—than 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 Achytophell Ahab and Iesabell Senacherib and Nebucâ—adnezar the two Captaines and their fifties Herod and Iudas Annanias and 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 viz. with Moses Aaron and Eli which were in singular favour with him yea with David a man after his own heart and that after his sin was remitted it were impossible but you woulde feare to offend so Jealous a God for thus you woulde argue If God be so just and severe to his owne children who were so good and gracious how shall I a wicked and ungracious servant that never did him a peece of good service all my dayes looke 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 shal the Philistims escape If the righteous shall scarcely be saved were 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 Just and so long continued proceedings SECT 72. WHerefore dally no longer with your owne soules Are ye Christians in earnest Doe yee beleeve the word or do you not if ye do not ye are worse than the Devill fâ—r the Devills belâ—eve and
yea much more feare him that hath power to cast both body and soul into hell as they doe the temporall Magistrate that hath onely power to kill the body They would think it a very hard bargaine to win the whole world and lose their owne soules Luk. 9.25 But alasse if visible powers were not more feared than the inviâ—ble 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 be over-runne with outrage Whereas now even the worst of the Serpents seed by reason of Authority are kept in a meane between Devils Christians so living like beasts because they think they shall die like beasts without any answer for ought they have either acted or left undone SECT 68. TRue they doe not alwayes nor at any time altogether think there is no GOD or judgement to come Not alwayes for though at present they thinke their villany is unsâ—ene because it is unpunished according to that in the Psalmes The wicked thinketh there is no Goâ— and the reason followes his wayes alway prosper Psalm 10 4 5 yet none as Plato speakes are so confirmed in Atheisme but some great danger will make them fly to the aide 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 he contemned whiles he 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 sometimes looke 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 goe to Hell that Spira-like they depart desolate and desperate in and into hellish horrors Prosperity doth so tympanize mens soules and entranse them from themselves that they forget they had a Maker Who is God saith Pharoah There is no God saith Nebuchadnezar What God can deliver out of my hand saith Rabshakeh I am God saies Alexander But Nebuchadnezer 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 hee supposed and confest that hee knew himselfe mortall by two things viz. Sleepe and Lust. And so it shall fare with these in the end They that would stultizare in culpa shall be forced sapere in poena Vengeance shall make them wise whom sinne hath made and left foolish At least in hell they shall know there is a righteous Judge that will reward every man according to his deeds confesse that what they once vainly imagined was but imagined There may bee Atheists on earth there are none in hell A Pope of Rome being on his death bed said Now comes three things to tryall which all my life I have made doubt of Whether there be a God a Devill and whether the soule be immortall It was not long ere hee was fully resolved with a vengeance And so shall you O yee fools when that houre comes though yee flatter your selves for the present like that desperate Pirate who when ransacking and rifling a bottom he was told by the Master that though no Law coâ—ld touch him for the present he should answer it at the day of judgement replyed Nay If I may stay so long ere I come to it I will take thee and thy Vessell too Nothing more certain than death Amongst Lawes some are antiquated as that of divorce some changed as that of Circumcision some dispensed withall as that of the Sabbath in cases of necessity Matth. 12.1 to 14. but this statutum est that all shall dye and come to judgement it is neither antiquated nor changed nor dispensed withall And as nothing is more certain than death so nothing more uncertaine than the houre thereof thy pulse may leave beating before thou canst fetch thy breath Wherefore thinke not as Lot's Sons in Law that we speake in jest least you feel the fire wrath of God in earnest SECT 69. 2 SEcondly nor at any time doe they altogether thinke there is no God c. For as the best faith is but like the twilight mixed with some degree of darknesse and infidelity so the most grounded Atheisme is mixed with some degree either of beleife or doubting What saith David The foole hath said in his heart there is no God in his heart he hath said it but in his heart hee never beleeved it No foole ever thought it peremptorily he would fain have it so he cannot beleive it so it is an opinioÌ„ which he suggests to his heart not which his heart suggests to him and this makes him fearful to dye to dye fearfully Tully speaking of Metrodorus an Atheist in his time saith Nec quemquam vidi qui magis ea timeret quae timenda esse negaret They that make a flout of Hell Affirmant mihi tibi non sibi noctu non interdiu their mouthes tell us so their hearts doe not tell their mouths so No hell I dare say if there were a generall collection made throughout the whole world that there might bee no judgement day these men would be none of the backwardest Yea if they had as many Provinces as Ahasuerus had they would give an hundred and six and twenty of them to bee sure of it The consciences even of wicked men can never bee so charmed or over-ruled either by arguments or the temptations of Sathan that they can let goe the sense of a God-head We are all borne Idolaters and chuse rather to adore the Sunne the Moone yea the meanest of all creatures rather than not acknowledge a Deity You may sooner get a Conscience to beleeve all the fables in the Popish legend or Turkish Alcaroâ— than that this universall frame is without a minde Prima est haec ultio quod se Iudice nemo nocens absolvitur So that to say truely they doe not and yet they do beleive there is a God and a Hell for when they admit conscience into their councell they doe beleeve but because they would rather not beleeve it they stifle Conscience stop their owne eares and flatter their hearts with the contrary opinion Like as it fared with the Philistims of Ashdod 1 Sam. 6. who when they had stood
THE Cause and Cure of Ignorance Error Enmity Atheisme Prophanesse c. OR A most Hopefull and Speedy way to grace and salvation by plucking up impediments by the roote Reduced to Explication Confirmation Application tending to Illumination sanctification devotion By R. YOUNGE of Roxwell in ESSEX They call evill good and good evill c. They justifie the wicked and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isai. 5.20.23 Wherefore slew Cain his brother but because his own works were evill and his brothers good 1 Joh. 3.12 I was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbeliefe 1 Tim. 1.13 Printed at London by R.I. for N. Brook at the signe of the Angel in Cornhill MDCXLVIII Courteous Reader HAving perused this Cause and Cure of Enmity Prophanesse c. we finde it to containe a lively description of the worlds envy and hatred to the godly Together with a perspicuous discovery of the originall Continuance Properties and Causes of the same In which also the Ignorance Atheisme and Prophannesse of most men are pithily pathetically painted out the remedies of either prescribed with many forcible inducements to a pious life and religious conversation saving knowledge and true wisdome soundly described and distinguished from their counterfiets with the meanes to attain both The necessity of repentance c. prest home All which is laid down pithily orderly and ellegantly with much both sinuous strength of argument and variety of gracefull and delightfull illustration which may draw on the Reader to his no small benefit and through Gods blessing prove of much use to all sorts that shall reade the same whether for information or direction diswasion from evill or confirmation in good as tending much to the comforting of beleevers in their sufferings and to the reclayming or at least the convincing of such as any way oppose the way of truth So that whatsoever time labour or dilligence thou shalt spend in often reading the same we doubt not but the profit wil recompence thy paines abundantly George VValker Edm. Calamy Joseph Caryll An Advertisement to all such as speake evill of the way of truth and of the things which they understand not 2 Pet. 2.12 MY brethren many of you to my knowledge have read this Cure and highly approvâ—d of it but for want of acquaintance with your owne hearts you thinke it concernes others not you As David thought of Nathans parable 2 Sam. 12.1 to 8. And Ahab of the Prophets 1 King 20.39 to 43. when it concerned no lesse then his owne life So that these lines to you for want of application are but as so many characters written in the water which leave no impression behind them For you are the same men â—till as bitter malignants to the power of godlinesse and as much forestalled with prejudice against the religious as you were before Though I did hope better things both of you and it that upon good probability For it cannot be denyed but I have said sufficient in this and the succeeding parts which sundry of you have read also if not to convert yet at least to convince all gainsayers and consequently to stop the mouth of iniquity which is set so wide-open To quench those tongues which are set on fire from hell And to charm the mouth of the most envious Momus that ever hell did hatch from barking at professors and practisers of piety Which makes mee feare that what this will not effect no ordinary meanes are like to doe As what can bee further expected No glasse can more lively represent your faces than this booke does your hearts Onely this is the misery as when a child beholds his owne face in a glasse hee thinkes hee sees another child's face and not his owne So fares it with you Which is the sole cause that in the middest of so much means so few are converted for otherwise the word of God is so powerfull and the Gospel so ravishing that the World could not stand before it without submitting to it Whereas for want of applying it to their owne consciences every one can evade whatsoever their Ministers can speak to them out of the word I have shewne you what God in his word speakes and proved that your condition is no whit better then the condition of Caine and Ishmael and Hamman and Eliab aâ—d Goliah and Michal and Doeg and Shemei and Rabshekah and Tobia and Sandballat and Pashur and Zedekiah and Herod and Saint Paul before his conversion and Ananias the high Preist and Demetrius the Silver-smith and Alexander the Copper-smith and Elimas the Sorcerer What doe you looke that Christ Iesus himselfe from Heaven should call to you severally by name as he did to Saul and say ho Ishmael such an one Or ho Elimas such an one Why doest thou persecute me I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Acts 9.4 5. And this booke is an Epistle which I have caused to be writ unto thee therefore see thou bee warned by it and perswaded to repent or I will come against thee shortly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth except thou amend Rev. 2.6 3.20 And yet if Christ himselfe should doe so I question whether you would bee any more warned or reclaimed by it than Hazaell was when the Prophet told him what abominable wickednesse hee should commit 2 Kings 8.12 13. c. Abraham tels Dives as much in effect Lu. 13.31 I know you thinke well of your selves and so did Hazaell which made him answer the Prophet what is thy servant a Dog that I should doe this great evill though hee afterward did it and was worse then any Dogge Yea you call your selves Christians and will face us downe that you are the servants of God and that the word may prove your baine the prophanest of you can snatch the comfort of every promise you hear as belonging to you witnesse my Sovereign Antedote in which there is not one word of comfort for or intended for you that are scoffers but for such as suffer reproach for the name of Christ and for well-doing Yet it is admirable to consider how you comment upon those comforts and apply every passage therein to your selves against the godly In which case it is hard to say whether your applying the promises in that and such like books and sermons or your not applying the threats and precepts in this and the like will most occasion your finall impenitency And whether it best pleases Satan that you thus read and heare Gods word or that you neither reade nor heare it at all Oh the many wayes that Satan hath to gull and delude carnall men and how willing and apt they are to gul delude themselves But consider Hath God made any promise to Scoffers Or can the Crosse of Christ save them that continue
malitious enemies to his Crosse Phil. 3.18 No God hath promised to shew mercy unto thousands of them that love him keep his cōmandments Exod. 20.5 6. And to forgive the most unrighteous if they will forsake their evill wayes and returne unto him Isay 55.7 And Christ hath made a generall Proclamation that whosoever have they formerly been never so wicked and vicious shall repent and beleeve and obey the Gospell shall be saved Marke 16.16 Heb. 5.9 But withall Christ hath no lesse told us and I pray marke it that except we repent and beleeve we shall for ever perish and bee damned Marke 16.16 Luke 13.3 5. and threatned that hee will come the second time in flaming fire to render vengeance unto them that know him not and that obey not his Gospell 2 Thess. 1.7.8 Psalm 11.6 Adding that no unrighteous persons shall inherit the Kingdome of God but shall have their part and portion in that Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. 5.21 Revel 21.8 And that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 and God no lesse tels us that hee will recompence every man according to his workes be they good or evill Revel 20.13 and 22.12 Rom. 2.6 Jer. 25.14 and 32.19 and 50.29 and 51.56 Ezek. 7.4.8 9. and 9.10 and 11.21 and 16.43 Yea hee tels us expresly that he will not be mercifull unto such as flatter themselves in an evill way but that his wrath and jealousie shall smoake against them and every curse that is written in his booke shall light upon them c. Deut. 29.19 20. And that if we will not regard nor hearken unto him when he calls upon us for repentance he will not hear nor regard us when in our distresse and anguish we shall call upon him for mercy but even laugh at our destruction and mocke when our fear commeth Prov. 1.24 to 33. Neither is salvation more promised to the godly in any part of the Bible Old Testament or New than eternall death and destruction is threatned to the wicked For though to all repentant sinners he is a most mercifull God yet to wilfull and impenitent sinners he is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 Doe you indeed beleeve that hee who is truth it selfe speakes as hee meanes in his word Or will you hearken to God and Christ rather than to Satan and your deceitfull Heart that would gull you of your soule and plunge you into everlasting horror If so take notice that Christ came not to be a Patron for sin but that he might destroy the body of sin and the workes of the Devill in us 1 Iohn 3.8 and to sanctifie as well as to save us Rom. 6.5 6. Titus 2.11 12 14. Luke 1.74 75. And that the very end of Gods electing and of Christs redeeming us was that we might be holy Ephe. 1.4 Matth. 19.17 And therefore hee binds it with an oath That whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spirituall enemies they shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their lives Luke 1.73 74 75. 1 Pet. 2.24 Nor ought any indeed to call upon Christ or once to name him with their mouthes except they depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2 1◠And this do all that are spirituall 1 Cor. 2.14 15. Such as resolve to doe Gods will Psalm 111.10 to whom alone Christ reveales himselfe savingly Iohn 15.14 15. 1 Iohn 2.20 know that if you were Christians indeede as you say you are you would immitate Christ and indeavour to square your lives according to his Gospell 1 Iohn 2.4 5 6. Iohn 15.14 15. Or if you were Gods servants you would doe what hee commands 1 Iohn 1.6 7. Mall 1.6 Ier. 7.23 and 26.13 But certainly as Linacre said long since so may I now Either the New Testament is none of Christ's Gospell or you are not Christians Iohn 8.31 Gal. 5.24 1 Iohn 5.3 And so of the Old either it is none of God's word or you are none of his servants As marke what the Holy Ghost saith Rom. 6. Know ye not that to whom ye yeeld your selves as servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey v. 16. to 23. 2 Pet. 2.19 And 2 Cor. 5. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature v. 17.2 Tim. 2.19 and our saviour himself who affirmes that wee are the Children of the Devill if wee doe the workes of the Devill Iohn 8.34 44. Luke 14.26 And what worke or service can the Devil put you upon like this which both blockes up the way to heaven so and opens such a flood-gate to all prophanesse that few or scarse any doe sufficiently discerne and deplore But that Satan is your Father your King and your God and how you advance his Kingdom by your daily scoffs reproaches c. 1 in detaining many from entering into a Religious course 2 in staggering many Who have made some progresse in the way 3 in keeping many From doing the good which they would or appearing the same which they are 4 in beating many Cleane off from their profession 5 in hardening many And making them resolve against goodnesse 6 in intentionally slaying many With death eternall the insuing pages sufficiently shew Onely I would if it were possible make your selves acknowledge that you are the men there spoken of For though all experiensed Christians know and God in his word tels you plainely that Satan is the God of all unbeleevers 2 Cor. 4.4 And their King Iohn 14.30 and 12.31 And their Father Gen. 3.15 Iohn 8.44 And that they are all his Servants kept by the Devill in a snare and taken captive of him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 And that hee ruleth by and worketh his pleasure in all the children of disobedience Ephe. 2.2 3. Yet poore soules you know it not as those foure hundred of Ahabs Prophets in whom this evill spirit spake did not know that Satan spake by them 1 Kings 22.22 Neither did Iudas know when he eate the sop that Sathan entred into him and put it into his heart to betray Christ Iohn 13.2 For hee had more plausible ends in it as thinking that Christ could at pleasure deliver himselfe out of their hands and the like Neither do Magistrates when they cast the servants of God into prison once imagine that the Devill makes them his Jaylors but hee doth so whence that phrase of the Holy Ghost The Devill shall cast some of you into prison Rev. 2.10 They are his instruments but hee is the principall Author Neither did Ananias and Saphira once thinke that Satan had filled their hearts or put that lye into their mouthes which they were strooke dead for Acts 5. yet the Holy ghost tels us plainly that hee did so ver 3. No Eve in Paradise had not the least suspision that it was Sathan that spake to her by the Serpent nor Adam that
it was the Devills mind in her mouth his heart in her lips when tempted to eate the forbidden fruite Nor did David once dreame that it was Sathan which moved him to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 Much lesse did Peter who so dearly loved Christ imagine that he was set on by Sathan to tempt his own Lord and Master with those affectionate words Master pity thy self for if Christ had pitied himselfe Peter and all the World had perished Yet hee was so which occasioned Christ to answer him get thee behind me Sathan Mat. 16.22 23. Whence we may argue that if Sathan can make the best and wisest of Gods children and servants who hate the very appearance of evill 1 Thess. 5.22 Iude 23. Eph. 5.27 2 Pet. 3.14 Iam. 1.27 have the eye of faith and the spirits direction and know the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 13 15 16. Iohn 10.14 above others to doe him such service unwittingly and besides their intention how much more can he prevaile with and make use of his owne servants and children that delight only in wickednesse and have not the least knowledge of or ability to discerne spirituall things 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Cor. 4.4 1 Tim. 4.2 But will you know how it comes to passe that you call evill good and good evill put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter that you justifie the wicked and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isai. 5.20.23 And so fight under Sathans banner against Gods people And yet take your selves to bee not Sathans but Gods servants I will shew you five maine Reasons of it I pray marke them First So long as you are in your naturall condition you have eyes and see not eares and heare not hearts and understand not spirituall things As Christ himselfe plainly affirmes Matth. 13.15 and his Apostle Acts 28.27 and before them both the Prophet Isay chap. 6.9.10 And the reason of that is you have a vaile or curtaine drawne over your hearts which is never taken away untill ye turne to the Lord by repentance at which time it is taken away as you may reade 2 Cor. 3.14 15 16. Rom. 12.2 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. Secondly long custome and the commonnesse of this sinne hath taken away the sense of it 1 Tim. 4.2 Heb. 3.13 Yea quite turned it from a sin and that the greatest to a vertue As how many in this land for all they are Traytors to God and take up armes against all that worship him in spirit in truth would yet be counted and are so by the blind world not onely honest men but good Christians Whereas if it were not so common and in fashion they would be counted very Atheists and Devills and so they are accounted of all but them that are Atheists How many that scoffe at traduce and nick-name the conscionable Puritans and hate them even for the graces of Gods spirit which shine in them would yet be counted Religious men whereas if it were not so usuall and that custome had not bleered mens minds it would bee counted no better than open rebellion and blasphemy against God so it is counted by all but them that use it This sin is counted no sin and yet it is the most desperate sinne and does more hurt than all his fellowes Thirdly To helpe forward when God sends to you his Gospell thereby to cure and save you you will not be cured Jer. 51.9 Yea you so hate the light of the Gospell that you shun it all you can least your deeds should be reprooved John 3.19 10. Or else you stop your eares and shut your eyes least you should see with your eyes and heare with your eares and should understand with your hearts and should he converted and Christ should heale you as himselfe affirmes Matth. 13.15 And what is light to him that will shut his eyes against it Or reason to him that will stop his eares from hearing it Fourthly Here upon because you will not receive the truth in love that you might be saved for this cause God gives you up to strong delusions that you should beleeve a lye That all of you might be damned who beleeve not the the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousnesse They are the very words of the Holy ghost 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. of which see more Rom. 1.21 to 32. Fiftly and lastly Sathan the God of this World hath blinded your mindes that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God should not shine unto you 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Ephes. 2.2 2 Thess. 2.9 10. 1 Tim. 4.2 For as Sathan is the Prince of darkenesse so hee rules in the darkenesse of the understanding dealing with wicked men as Faulkoners do with their Haukes who that they may carry them quietly and doe what they list unto them First blinde their eyes with a hood Neither could men else hear the Gospell day after day and yeare after yeare which is the strong arme of the Lord and the mighty power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 and the sword of the spirit Ephe. 6.17 and like as a fire or an Hammer that breaketh even the rocke in peeces Ier. 23.29 30. And that irresistable Cannon shot that is mighty to beat downe all the strong holds of sinne and Sathan 2 Cor. 10.4 quick and powerfull And sharper then any two edged sword and peirâ—eth even to the dividing asunder of the soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and to the discerning of the very thoughts and secret intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 And stand it out even refusing the free offer of grace and salvation Neither could they other then hate sin love holinesse For besides that any wise man would rather be saved than damned Plato a very heathen could say that vertue if it be clearly seene moves great love and affection Yea if wee could descerne good from evill perfectly that subtile Serpent could deceive no longer And because hee cannot force men against their wills which leaves us without excuse for though that old Sheba blowes many an inticing blast to carry us away from our true allegiance to Christ Iesus our King yet the minde of man is not capable of a violation either from man or Sathan therefore he useth his utmost pollicy to perswade us And by desception of our reason whereby we mistake vertue for vice and vice for vertue hee cheefly prevailes For no vice could ever bee loved but for the seeming good which it makes shew of And Sathan is so cunning a Sophister and so dexterous a Retoritian in perswading that hee desires no more then to bee heard speake As what thinke you if that old Serpent and Sophister did so easily perswade Eve by himself and Adam by her to beleeve what hee spake though they had heard God himselfe say the contrary immediatly before what hope
conjectured that God would inable mee to discover and sound this depth of malice in Sathan his adherents which makes them so swel and rage against the godly And thereby so convince the one that they should not dare to pervert the straight wayes of the Lord by turning away the weake from the faith And so furnish the other with Armour of proof against their scornes that they might see there was no cause nor have the least thought or purpose of returning For the effecting whereof I have not beene sparing in either paines or prayer to God for divine aâ—sistance it being a subject that none as I conceive have hitherto handled which I found extended to me blessed bee his holy name beyond my expectation Indeed we may speake to the eare but God alone hath the key of the heart Acts 16.14 To whose blessing I leave the successe and its use to the world Humbly beseeching the Almighty that these lines may not rise up in judgement against those Hazaells that have read them and are never the better And so instead of curing their sinne prove a meanes to increase their torment R. Y. An Alphabeticall Table both for the Book and for the Advertisement A. ACtions our best actions abominable except they proceed from right ends and a heart sanctified Advertisement Aa Accuse wicked accuse the godly of many things but prove nothing Page 68 They will coyne matter to accuse us 70 They dazle mens eyes with false accusations 73 And have a great advantage therein of the godly 63 They have so hardened their hearts that we were as good admonish a stone Ad. Ee Adversities distinction of them 27 Agree impossible the good and bad should ever agree 132 Carnall men can agree with any so they be not religious 133 Though they differ in other things they will agree against the godly 133 Agreement in some points doth but advance hatred the more 136 Anthipathy a secret enmity and antipathy between the wicked and the godly 2 Look enmity All means ineffectuall for want of application Ad. A. B Want of application the cause of all impiety Ad. A. B.Z What chiefly concernes us wee apply to others Ad. A. Z The most prophane can apply the promises which belong only to such as suffer for well-doing Ad. D Hard to say whether their applying the promises or not applying the precepts and threats doth most occasion their finall impenitency Ad. E Assitance divine assistance in time of triall 192 Atheisme fruits of it wherewith the lands abounds Look unbeleef 23 Atheists on earth none in hell 214 Fire and brimstone shall confute all Atheists 219 The most grounded Atheisme hath a mixture of beleefe 215.217 Atheists would give all they have to bee sure there were no bell 216 Their convicted consciences shall be witnesses against their unbeleefe 218 None so confirmed in Atheisme but will feare in time of danger 211 At least on their death beds they confesse a God 212 B. Beliefe unbeliefe a cause of persecuting us 202 Proved by testimonies ibid. By examples ib. By experience 204 Men think they believe but do not ib. Evidences of mens unbeliefe 205 A carnall heart flint to God wax to Satan 221 That most men believe not an hell proved undeniably 226 Did men believe the word or a judgement to come they durst not live as they doe 208.226 Carnall men believe the promises but neither the precepts nor threats 222 All men apt enough to presume upon Gods mercy 220. Ad. D All true believers the children of God 131 All unbelievers children of the divell ib. Sathan the God King and father of all unbelievers Ad. K Admonition to beware before it proves too late 230 All that hath or can be spoken will prove fruitlesse except Gods blessing doe accompany it Ad. Hh Bruising the head what is meant by it 32. And what by bruising the heele 33. Byble Gen. 3.15 an epitomy of it 35 C Causes of hatred and persecution eleven 127.239 Censure they censure our actions and misconsture our intentions 64 They passe over our good parts 69 Look murmuring To censure all for the faults of a few is only the part of a fool 148 But most are such fooles and beasts ib. If Christians we will imitate Christ if Gods servants we will doe what he commands Ad. H Christians if a tithe of them be Christians that are so called there are millions of Christians in hell 232 They combine together and lay divelish plots to destroy the godly 105 They will easily finde occasion 107 Our serving of God shall be ground sufficient 108 Or a Ministers saving of soules ibid. The manner of their consultations 106 Would we accompany them in evill their malice would cease 144 They condemne us that themselves may be justified 66. Look judging Means to confirm comfort and strengthen us against the worlds hatred 12 To consider before it prove too laâ—e 214 They will make an evill construction of whatsoever we doe or speake 6 Constancy such as feare God as immoveable as a rock 253. Looke profession They contemne the godly which is not for want of ignorance 56 Contempt of Religion makes many resolve against goodnesse 6 Contrariety a maine cause of hatred and persecution 130 They are contrary and differ 1. In their judgements touching Wisdome Happinesse Fortitude Sin Holinesse 138 2. In their passions and affections of Love Feare Anger Ioy c. 139 3. In their practice and this breeds many a quarrell 139 Sufficient hath been spoken to convince the most malicious Ad. B They give devilish counsell against us 72 Miserable condition of cowardly Christians 4 Christ and his crosse inseparable 10 They use to curse the godly 87 And those that least deserve the same 90 Curse us that they may discourage us ib. Though they curse yet God will blesse 91 How miserably cursers shall bee cursed 91 They that curse us would kill us if they durst 89 D. Of denying Christ a memorable example 5. Look profession Foule mouthed men and women are devills in Scripture phrase 83 Good men may differ in many things yet agree in the maine 157 A vast difference betweene another discipline and another doctrine 158 Discretion eats up devotion 156 Wicked men thinke they grace themselves by disgracing others 79 How fitly they are called dogs 81 E. An enmity or war proclaimed betweene the wicked and godly 15 The author proclayming ib. The Captaines and souldiers betweene whom 16 Severall uses of instruction 17 The certainty of this war 20 Foure lessons of instruction 21 The end why threefold 23 God the author without being the author of sin 24 Of which sundry reasons ibid. The same further cleared 26 Originall sin the originall of this discord 23 The time threefold 28 Vse of comfort 29 The manner of their venting it 30 The place threefold ibid. What will be the issue and who shall get victory 32 This war is perpetuall 28 It was before the flood 40 After the
in Gods account is persecution 165 The woful reward of persecuting Christs members 64 77 206 But they blesse themselves and think to speed as well as the best 208 Why persecuters are not alwayes punished here 207 Look hatred They cry up practise to cry down preaching 170 The preaching of some Ministers the cause of hatred and persecution 140 Prejudice blindes them 65 No reclaiming such as are forestalled with prejudice 7 Prejudice how to have it cured and our judgements cleared 8. Ad. Ff. The Prelates more râ—ady to yeeld their aide then the rabble to ask it 74 Wicked men all in extreames and either presume or dispaire 223. Look faith They are prone to imprison us 111 Not for any crime 112 But to prevent further dispute ib. And for other the like reasons 113 Good men will hold their profession though they lose their lives 161 Common Protestants can be of any religion 154 R. They rejoyce at our supposed evill estate 58 But most if they see us sin 59 Religion most opposed by formall professors 9 Most men can be of any religion which shews they are truly of none 234 They think to adde to their own reputation by detracting from others 104 They revile and raile on the godly 80 They so hate righteousnesse that they will hate men for it 75 S. Satan speakes in and by scoffers but they know it not of which many examples Ad. L Satan more servants here than God Ad. X Satan prevailes most by desception of our reason Ad. R. Satan desires no more than to be heard speak Ad. S. Hee will put a faire collour upon the fowlest sin and make the best action odious Ad. T He hath perswaded millions that they do well in persecuting the Saints Ad. V If Satan shewed the book with the baite his kingdome would not be so populous Ad. X Scandalous lives of some Professors one cause of hatred and persecution 240 Wicked men use to flout and scoffe at the Religious 75 Even for their zeale purity and holines 124 They would scoffe us out of our faith 159 And would effect the same did not God support us 160 Millions beaten off from being religious by their scoffes and reproaches 3 Some will better abide a stake then others a scoffe 164 Scoffing counted no sin and yet worse than all its fellows Ad. O. P The great evill that scoffers doe Ad. I. K All scoffers as bad as Cain Ishmael c. Ad. C They are Satans servants Ad. I The reason why all are not beaten off from goodnesse by their scoffes Ad. F f To be scoft out of our goodnesse how ridiculous 162 The character of a malicious scoffer 149 No greater argument of a foule soule 77 They scoffe at us God laughs at them 76 Good counsell for scoffers 237 SeparatioÌ„ a main cause of persecution 240 Flocking after Sermons another cause ib. Satan and sin doe besot the wicked 220 They use to slander the godly 83 They traduce whom they cannot sedâ—ce 65 Slanderers do satan the best service 84 Great wits not apter to raise slanders then others to beleeve them 85 A slander once raised never dies ib. At least it leaves the scar of suspicion ib. Wise men wil examin before they believe 86 Their policy in slandering us 87 They slander us out of policy 147 Slanders both make and increase jealousies disable us from discerning the truth 84 Their matchles malice in slandering us 73 It is satan that speakes in and by the slanderer 78 A slander is the devils heart in their lips 83 Singularity our great and grievous crime 152 They use to smite the godly and confute them with fists 114 Their arguments are al steele and iron ib. Because the Law bindes their hands they smite with their tongues 80 How satan playes the Sophister 158 They speak evill of us because they cannot do evill to us 81 They think not as they speak 146 Satan gets more by subtlety than by violence 63 Suffering our Saviour suffered 22 severall wayes from ungodly men 121 Let none look to fare better than Christ. 126 What a multitude have lost their lives for professing Christ 42 Comfort for such as suffer 126 God will assist such as suffer for him 22 T. They are wont to carry tales of us to the Rulers 67 How to hear the talebearer 70 No musick so sweet as to hear well of themselves ill of the Religious 71 The tale-bearers End ib. The Theefe most forward to cry stop theef 87 They use to threaten the godly 93 Speaking of truth a main cause of hatred and persecution 239 Wicked men fly the light 101 They use to withstand and contrary the truth by us delivered 100 V. They will undermine us in talk that they may betray us 95 Their cunning in this case ib. And dissimulation 96 They have borrowed this craft from Satan who sets them on worke ib. Beware we trust them not 97 W. A War proclaimed between the wicked and the godly 15 The time when 28 Warning No expecting a voyce from heavâ—n as Saul had Ad. C And yet if they should it would not do Ad. D They are forced to give us warning that we may prevent them 94 All wicked men are the serpents seed 16 We cannot anger them worse then to doe well 137 Wicked beholding to the godly for their lives 174 How strangely they gull themselves 150 Many that have a depth of knowledge are not soule wise 181 Examples of many wise in the worlds esteem yet fools in Gods account 182 With God the greatest sinner is the greatest foole and he most wise that is most religious 182 God regards not braine-knowledge except it seaze upon the heart also 183 Rightly a manknows no more then he practiseth 184 Saving knowledge or wisdom described 185. That the meanest beleever knows more then the profoundest clark 186 In what sense the word calls worldly men wise men 187 Strong braines too wise to be saved 102 Vengeance makes wise whom sin makes foolish 213 They that would have this tallent must resolve to improve it 194 The way to obtain true wisdome ib. Instruction from the premises 195. First for all naturall men ibid. Secondly for such as speak evill of the way of truth 196. Thirdly for Gods people 198. A Fourth Vse 199. A Fifth 200. A Sixt 200. A Seventh Vse 201 Look more in knowledge in ignorance What is meant by the woman and her seed 17 Their words are to be slighted 82 If we cannot concoct ill words we would never indure blows 162 They will cavill against the very word of God and oppose the Messengers 101 Z. They are zealous against all that are zealous 76 They perâ—ecute us out of zeale Ad. Cc Which is the case of all morrall men Ad. ib. THE CAVSE CVRE OF Ignorance Error Enmity Atheisme Prophaness c. SECT I. Question HOw is it that the practice of Christianity is every where spoken against under the name of Schisme
Christs name shall suffer bruising in one kinde or other for his sake And then his heele is bruised when his Members are afflicted But all the hurt they can do is but to bruise the heele Bruise them in their Persons Estates Good Names For to hurt their best parts their Soules they shall never be able yea all this bruising in the end shall turne to the further good Of their Soules Here in Grace Hereafter in Glory And so you have the matter the Author the Subject the Object the Cause the End the Time the Manner the Place the Continuance the Issue and effects of this Enmity SECT 13. Quest. BY your opening of this Text and unveyling of the termes I see it looketh two severall wayes and that it reacheth out as it were with one hand a blessing to all beleevers aswell as a curse with the other to all wicked men and Spirits Answ. Yea it is like a Checker halfe white halfe black Consisting as Much of Mercy and Consolation as Judgement and terror resembling Moses who saved the Israelites and slew the Egyptians For as harsh as the words sound they are so full of grace and mercy and containe so much in a little that this text may well be called the Gospells Epitome yea the marrow or pith of the whole Bible compiled by wisdome it selfe A short yet absolute Sum of all holy faith yea the foundation of all whatsoever the Prophets and Apostles have written or Ministers do preach The key of the Scriptures as Ambrose calls the Creed It is but of a short sound but of a large extent little in shew infinite in sence In fine it is so large for matter so short for phrase so profound for depth so sweet for Consolation and yet so terrible for severity that it well suites with the Author who spake the words and none els Quest. I perceive then that to draw this Well dry to dig this Mine to the bottome and to speak of each severall in this universe were an Herculean work and fit for some divine Theseus or Solomon Besides it would require too large a vollume for Common use wherefore it shall content mee you only Anatomize that part or Member of the whole which is here termed Enmity by laying open the veines and Arteries thereof it being the very point or mayn Center the pole or Cardinall Axeltree upon which this text moves and is turned And that will be sufficient For where prevailing is by lyes there discovery is victory yet lest the Pages should still grow As fiâ—h into a multitude garble your notions and give us but the very Marrow of the matter And because Method to the matter is as fashion to Apparell and form to building propose what shall be your order of distribution Ans. As the Throne of Solomon was mounted unto by six staires so this Throne of Sathan this strong hold of the wicked may be mounted unto for I only intend a discovery at this time by a Ladder of six steps set upon this ground which is already laid or if this originall be counted for one step then the Ladder consists of seaven staves answerable to the seven steps which led up to that Temple in Ezekiels Vision Ezek. 40.26 For I will draw all our present discourse to one of these heads taking liberty so to place them as may serve best for my purpose and the Readers benefit Viz. The Originall of Enmity The Continuance of Enmity The Properties of Enmity The Causes Why wicked men hate and persecute the Godly The Ends Why wicked men hate and persecute the Godly The Reasons why God permits them The Reasons why The Godly suffer it so patiently These seaven shall limit my speech and your patient attention and I take them only to be inherent in the words there be some short adherent circumstances which I shall salute as I passe they may be within the circumference these are in the heart and Center And these alone as I suppose may serve as spectacles to see the Devill â—nd his Workes by in the matter of hatred and persecution SECT 14 Quest. TO begin with the second point proposed having dispatched the first and to proceed from Explication to Confirmation and so to Application How prove you that there hath been in all Ages past is now and ever shall be between these two Kings Sathan and Christ and their Regiments the wicked and the Godly a perpetuall War Enmity and strife according to the Lords prediction or Proclamation Ans. For proofe I could produce Testimonies and examples innumerable there being scarce a Page in the Bible which doth not â—ither expresse or imply somewhat touching this Enmity yea as if the Scriptures contained nothing else the holy Ghost significantly calls them the book of the Battailes of the Lord Numb 21.14 as Rupertus well observes And because examples give a quicker impression then Arguments the proofe shall be by Induction of particuler instances collected from the Scripures and Ecclesiasticall History wherein I will be briefe and only mention Three in every Age though the Sea of examples hath no bottome for that I shall be forced to speak more at large when I come to the properties and Causes of Enmity The continuance of the worlds Enmity in all Ages Viz. 1. In the old world before the flood 2. After the flood before the Law 3. After the Law before Christ. 4. Since the Gospell in the time of Christ and his Apostles 5. After the Apostles for the residue of the ten Persecutions 6. From the Primitive times and Infancy of the Church hitherto 7. For these present times wherein we live 8. For the time to come unto the Worlds end 1. To begin with the first Age Viz. the old World before the Flood Wee read of this War enmity and strife between Cain and Abell 1 Iohn 3.12 Betweene Lamech and the holy Seed Gen. 4.23.24 and between those wicked Gyants which Moses speaks of and the sons of God Gen. 6.2 to .12 Yea those Gyants bad battle to Heaven as our Mythologists add to ver 4. SECT 15. 2. 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 son and Sarah and Isaac the Free-woman and her son Gen. 21.9.10 Gal. 4.29 And between Esau and Iacob first in the wombe the more plainely to shadow out this enmity Gen. 25.22.23 and after they were borne Gen. 27.41 SECT 16. 3. AFter the Law before Christ between Doeg and the eighty five Priests which he slew with the edge of the sword 1 Sam. 22.18.19 Between Iezabell and all the Prophets of the Lord which she destroyed 1 Kings 18.13.14 And between the Heads in Israel in Micahs time and all that were good Micah 3.2 SECT 17. 4. SInce the Gospell in the time of Christ and his Apostles this enmity so manifested it selfe not only in the Gentiles
their teeth beaten out to prevent their biting yea and their chaps muzled for feare of opening yet most of them are tooth-lesse Curres which though they barke yet they cannot bite and cowardly Curres for if you note such an one he seldome unbuttons his tumoured brest but when he finds none to oppose the bignes of his looks and tongue And for such our only way is either to slight them as King Philip did Nicanor in the like case who being told by Smitichus of his evill reports and raylings answered Nicanor is not esteemed by the worst in Macedonia Or else stop their mouths with some good turne as AEneas in the fiction cast Cerberus the hell-hound a sweet morsell that hee might not barke against him The doore when it hath been oyled leaves creaking and this is good policy for barking Curres oft-times great mastiffs wake But as if the tearme of Dogge were of too narrow extent the Scripture elsewhere calls them Devils Saint Pauâ— 2 Tim. 3.3 as Bishop Andrews observes from the Originall foretels that in the latter dayes there shall bee men Devils foule mouthed men evill speakers and 1 Tim. 3 11 he speaketh of women-devils whose speeches are calumnious And wherefore is the Devill called by that name but by reason of his foul mouth in defaming Yea A Calumny saith one of the Fathers is the Devils minde in the mouth of a man his arrow shot by mans bow he lendeth him his lyes and malice and borroweth his tongue to utter them because the Devill wants a tongue I close up this point with those words of the Prophet either convert the persons or confound the lying lips O God that speake against the righteous SECT 33. 8. IT is their manâ—er to raise slanders of the godly as those wicked men slandered Naboth saying he hath blasphemed God and the King confirming the same with an oath 1 Kings 21. Thus the wicked slandered David Psalm 57.4 And the multitude Iohn Baptist saying he had a Devill Matth. 11.18 It is Satans policy because report both makes jealousies where there are none and increaseth those that are to abuse our eares in hearing our tongues in speaking and our hearts in beleeving lyes to disable us from discerning the truth Yea this stratagem of raising slanders upon good men like a huge and mighty Polyphems hath done such service to the uncircumcised that examples thereof in Scripture are like moats in the Sunne and it were easie to parallel former ages with this of ours for well may we take up those words of the Psalmist The wicked bend their bow and make ready their arrows upon the string that they may secretly shoot at them which are upright in heart Psalme 11.2 Innocency is no shelter against evill tongues Malice never regards how true any accusation is but how spitefull And great wits are not more ready with the high Priests and Elders Matth. 28.12 13. to raise these slanders then the common sort are apt to beleeve the same as we see by our Saviours example ver 15. And how many particular persons know to their smart that a slander once raised will scarce ever dye for comming once into the mouth of the vulgar true or false like wild-fire it can never bee quenched for even death it selfe which delivereth a man from all other enemies is not able to deliver him from this of the tongue Whereas Truth hath much adoe to be beleeved a lye runs far before it can be stayed However a man once wounded in his good name is not cured without scarres of suspition Yea commonly as a little ball rowled in the snow gathers it selfe to a great lump so the report that is but a little sparke at first proves a great flame by that it hath past through many mouths But did not mens owne wickednesse blinde them were they not absolutely turned fooles they would thus argue Not he that is accused but he that is convicted is guilty as Lactantius hath it In the Chancery are many accusations they never meane to prove Neither doth any Law condenme a man till hee comes to his answer Upright Cato was fifty times undeservedly indited and accused by his fellow Citizens yet was every time acquitted and found innocent The Orator Tertullus when hee would plead against Paul sayes Wee have found this man a pestilent fellow Acts 24.5 But if you marke it this foolish Tertulâ—us mistooke the antidote for the poyson the remedy for the disease Indeed he hath some wit in his anger and so have his followers in slandering such as excell in vertue for whereas formerly the splendor of the others vertues hath obscured the meannesse of their credit as the lesser light of a candle is obscured by the greater light of the Sun so now by clouding and depraving him and all his fellows himselfe shall be judged vertuous veâ—y cheap accounted a man of honesty and honour though a Paricide or a sacrilegious person And is it not good policy for a swinish drunkard or a beastly liver to fling durt in a holy mans face when first any colour seemes the fairer when as blacke is by Secondly when being conscious of their owne defects by this meanes they draw away mens thoughts and consideration of the beholders from climbing up into their faults while they are fixed and busied upon a new object One colour wee know being laid upon another doth away tâ—e former and remains it selfe A Cut-purse in a throng when he hath committed the fact will cry out my Masters take heed of your purses and he that is pursued will cry stop theefe that by this meanes hee may escape unattached SECT 34. 9. IT is usuall with them to Curse the godly as Goliah cursed David 1 Sam. 17.43 And also Shimei 2 Sam. 16.7 to 15. Thus the Heathen cursed Israel Zach. 8.13 And thus wicked in all ages shall be so drunke with malice that they shall spew out cursing and slander against the godly as our Saviour hath foretold Mat. 5.44 And experience proves that not a few amongst us doe steep their words in hate and curses against the good carrying this deadly poyson these arrows swords knives razors in their mouthes wherewith to interlace their discourse whether in reviling the present or backbiting the absent There is a generation pity they should be called Christians all whose Prayers are Curses and all their relations lyes Or if sometimes they lend the truth their voice they are but false witnesses in speaking of it for their hearts are of another judgement As let them say with their mouths I beleeve in God or Our Father which art in Heaven or God spake these words c. even in this they lye for in their hearts they thinke there is no God at all or if with their hearts they beleeve and with their tongues confesse that there is a God at least by their works they deny him and the power
that cursed death of the Crosse Matth. 27 3â— That the Scriptures might be fulfilled which saith And thou shalt bruise his hell for all that he suffered was but in his Humanity and so no more than the bruising of his heel And why all this Not for any evil they found in him for their own words are He hath done all things well Marke 7.37 He hath done such was his power all things such was his wisedom well such was his goodnesse and yet crucified and abused every way he must be It was indeed for his zeal purity and holinesse and because his life and practice was clean contrary to theirs his Doctrine too powerfull and pure for such carnal hearts to imbrace or endure So that it is plain and all men may see who are not dead in sense how it would fare with us might our enemies the same Seed of the Serpent have their wils SECT 45. Q WHat Uses may this serve for which hath been spoken touching the properties of this enmity and our Saviours suffering Answ. First by this tast of it's fruits learne we to detest them all Secondly it may serve to informe 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 22 fruits of enmity you shall know them as well as you shall know the life by breathing or the day by it's light Wherefore all ye that read reflect and cast your eyes on these Examples which are such lively Emblems and Representations of your selves if you be the Serpent's Seed and yet in your sinnes Yea let it make you tremble for know assuredly that if this spawn of enmity formerly spoken of remain in you if any of these â—ayes you persecute Christ in his Members or but hate the good because they will not be so evil as you are you have not cast off this serpentine quality which you drew from the loines of old Adam but it is an infallible signe that you are of the Serpents Seed children of the Devil enemies to God and all goodnes the brethren of Cain yea Cain himselfe in another person and without repentance your portion shall be with Cain and the rest of that cursed Crue On the other side doth any conscionable Christian finde himselfe hated persecuted by ungodly men for wel-doing for Christ's sake for Religion and 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 Childe of God a Member of Christ's mystical Bodie and an Heir of eternal Life Thirdly these Examples being written to admonish us upon whom the ends of the world are come may informe the Godly what they are to expect from the world Shall any hope to be free from suffering or tâ—â—â—ke it a strange thing when he doth suffer for wel-doing when our Saviour Christ himselfe suffered so much as he did being the onely begotten Son 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 Iohn 15.20 If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of his household Matth. 10.25 Yea senselesse were it once to thinke that the same enmity which spared not to strike at the Head will forbear the weakest and remotest Limbe Wherefore arme 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 And so much of the Kindes and Properties of this enmity SECT 46. The Causes Q WHat are the Causes why wicked and ungodly men thus hate and persecute the religious Answ. The Causes being divers may yet be reduced to three Heads for either they be Causes in regard of God his Justice Mercy Wisedom Power Satan his permitted Malice Subtiltie Strength Men Wicked Godly And these we might further branch subdivide and distribute into Causeâ— Internal Material Formal Natural Artificial External Efficient Properly Improperly Meritorious Instrumental Final And those are either 1. Next or Remote 2. By themselves or By accident 3. Sufficient or Insufficient But the time would be too short oâ— this Treatise too long if I should speak of every one yea talking Fabius would be tyred before he could relate halfe of what is requisite to be spoken of each for they require whole Volumes besides Instructions if they exceed are wont as nailes to drive out one another Q1 Then select out the Principal I mean such as in regard of our edification are most behoovefull for us to know And least 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 1. Contrariety 2. Ignorance 3. Separation 4. Speaking of Truth 5. Infidelity 6. Example of the multitude 7. The preaching of some Ministers 8. The scandalous lives of some Professours 9. Flocking after Sermons 10. Misprision 11. That they may have more company here in sin and hereafter in torment First a main Cause why wicked men hate and persecute the godly is the contrariety of their natures Q1 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 Iohn 1.12 And partake of the Divine Nature 2 Peter 1.4 Being begotten Iames 1.18 And borne a new of God Iohn 1.13 1 Iohn 3.9 By the immortal seed of the Word Iames 1.18 And the Spirit 's powerfull working with it Iohn 3.5 8. whereby they are become like God in holinesse 1 Peter 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 Bâ—dy 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 verse 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 Devil and so partake of his nature 1 Iohn 3.8 10 12 14 Acts 13.10 Iohn 6.70 and 8 4â— and 14.30 and 16.11 Matth. 13. 38 39. 2 Cor 4 4. 2 Tim. 2.26 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 Peter 2.9 10 25. Iohn 3.3.5 6. which being
nature that much may be said on either side Now if I chuse that side on which I am sure I shal not sin I deserve to be excused rather then censured if I use them it is possible I may sin it may be they are not sinfull yet I am not so sure of it that I shall not sin if I use them as I am sure I shall not sin nor break any of Gods Commandments if I doe not use them This I may be bold to build upon He that sayles amongst Rocks it is possible hee may escape splitting but hee is not so sure to keep his Vessell safe and whole as he that sayles in a cleare Sea where no Rocks are at all SECT 55. Qu. BVt to speak really and as the truth is why doe they use all these discouragements An. Their onely aime is to make us square our lives according to their Rule as that Gyaâ—t did proportion the bodies of all his guests to the bed of his Harlot Yea if they would give their tongues liberty to acquaint us with their hearts and consciences they must needs confesse that they use that odious nickname devised by Satan himselfe for no other end but to slout men out of their faith and holy profession and to bring the very truth of Religion and power of godlinesse into contempt and scorn And indeed whom not heroicall in fortitude the case standing as it doth would it not discourage and beat back to the world But thanks be given to God his Spirit herein so hardneth and steeleth his servants that their faces are like flint and themselves like brazen walls and defenced Cities though otherwise soft in affection and true professors of meeknesse Yea undoubtedly he must be more then man that is more spirit then flesh that can contentedly make himself contemptible to follow Christ be pointed at for singularity endure so many base and vile nicknames as are every where cast upon the conscionable for there is scarce a house but is haunted with these kinde of spirits familiars visible and carnall Devills soule-murtherers have his religion â—udged Hypocrisie his Christian prudence craâ—t and policy his godly simplicity sillinesse his zeale madnesse his punctuall obedience to Gods Laws rebellion to Princes his contempt of the world ignorance his godly sorrow dumpishnes c. For these and the like as unseasonable froâ—s nip all gracious offers and beginnings in the bud and as much as in them lyeth with Herod labour to kill Christ in young professors Yea the censures and scoffs of these Atheists and Worldlings like the blasts of Rams-hornes before the wals of Iericho lay al the strength of a young beginners vertues levell at one utterance yea it is the only Remora greatest cause of arrest if any looke heaven-ward that makes them recoyle True a wise man will not be scoft out of his money nor a just man be flouted out of his faith Yea like Iohn Baptist hee will hold his profession though hee loose his head for it If Christ have but once possest the affections there is no dis-possessing him againe The league that Heaven hath made Hell wants power to breake If the sweet doctrine of Christ be once gotten into the heart it cannot be got out againe by all the torments which wit and cruelty can devise as we see in the Martyrs Neither would hee ever endure a blow who cannot concoct a foule word Hee that is discouraged and made returne with an Ishmaelitish persecution of the tongue how would hee endure a Spanish Inquisition or those Marian times Hee that is so frighted with a squib how would he endure the mouth of a Cannon But to proceed For a man to bee scoft out of his goodnesse by those that are lewd is all one as if a man that seeth should blind-fold himselfe or put out his eyes because some blind wretches revile and scoffe at him for seeing or as if one that is sound of limbs should limpe or maime himselfe to please the Criple and avoid his taunts For my part I had rather live hated of all men for goodnes then be beloved of al for vice and rather please one good man then content a thousand bad ones his single authority being sufficient to countervaile the disdain of a whole Parish of sensualists Yet experience shewes That divers are content to be misled with the multitude rather then be an obiect of their scorne and derision Yea thousands hold it the best and safest way in differences of religion without further question to take the stronger part that so doing as the most doe they may have the fewest to finde fault with them and al through base cowardlinesse Which bashful devill never leaves a great many so long as they live whereby with the rich man Luke 16. they never thinke of heaven till tormented in the flames of hell Whereas Satan formerly assaulted the Church by violence now he doth it by deceit and certainly the devill gets more by such discouragements and the reproaches that are cast upon religion then he did formerly by fire and Faggot for then the blood of the Martyrs was found to be the seed of the Church others Phoenix-like springing out of their ashes wheras now multitudes of souls are scoft out of their religion by wicked men But I grieve to see how they wrong themselves in thus wronging others for in that wicked men do so mock and deride such as are in love with heavenly things it is hard to say whether they doe most offend in hindering the honor of God thereby or their neighbours wel-fare or their own salvation Alas some men will better abide a stake then some others can a mocke Zedikiah was willing to hearken to the Prophets councell but that this lay in his way the Chaldeans would mock him Ier. 38.10 it was death to him to bee mock'd A generons nature is more wounded with the tongue than with the hand yea above hell there is not a greater punishment then to become a Sannio a subject of scorne as Sampson I doubt not found Alcibiades did professe That neither the proscription of his goods nor his banishment nor the wounds received in his body were so grievous to him as one scornfull word of his enemy Câ—esiphon Thou thinkest not tongue-taunts to be persecution but thou shalt once hear it so pronounced in thy bill of inditement Ishmael did but flout Isaack yet Saint Paul saith he persecuted him Gal. 4.29 God calls the scorning of his servants by no better a name then persecution And what ever thou conceivest of it let this sault be as far from my soule as my soule from hell And thus you see That nothing but goodnesse is the whetâ—â—on of their malice which being so are not we heathenish Christians What honour of Christ is there among us wher Religion makes one contemptible Is this Christian-like Such men may bee Christians in shew or
name but they are devills indeed however they flatter themselves resembling the high Priests Scribes Pharisees who called themselves the Church while they went about to kill the head of the Church who the same night that Christ instituted the Sacrament and consulted how to save them did consult how they might destroy him yea let any indifferent stander by â—udge whether thou beest not bottomlessely ill who doest malice goodnesse in others who art displeased with us because we please God and murmurest like the Scribes and Pharisees at the same things whereat the Angels rejoyce for none but a Caine or a Devill in condition will envy because his owne workes are evill and his brothers good They are desperately wicked that cannot indure so much as the sight of godlinesse as he was fearefully idle that Seneca speaks of whose sides would ake to see another worke Neither couldest thou doe so if the Devill were not in thine heart And so much touching the third difference betweene the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman SECT 56 4 FOurthly as they hate and persecute the godly because they doe well so likewise because they fare well and are accepted before them As why was Caine wroth with his brother Abel and after slew him as affirmeth the holy Ghost but because The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering but unto Cain and his offering he had no respect Gen. 4.4 5. Why did Esau hate Iacob and purpose to kill him but because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him Gen 27.41 Isaacs blessing bred Esaus hate Again Wherefore did the Philistines and Abimelek envy Isaac stop up his wells and banish him from them but because the Lord so abundantly blessed Isaac as appeares Gen. 26 12. to 18. Wherefore did Iosephs brethren hate him not being able to speake peaceably unto him and after sell him into AEgypt but because his father more favoured him and they feared he should reigne over them Gen. 37.4 If Ioseph be his fathers darling he is his brethrens eye-sore Wherefore did Saul persecute David and pursue after him from place to place to take away his life but because he was so praised and preferred of the people before himselfe and The Lord was with David and prospered him in every thing he tooke in hand 1 Sam. 18.12 13 28 29. Davids successe is Sauls vexation yea he findes not so much pleasure in his Kingdome as vexation in the prosperity of David And lastly for I passe by the elder brothers envy in the Parable against his younger brother when his father so royally entertained him at his return Luk. 15.28 which is meant of the Iewes envying the Gentiles conversion and many the like instances Why was Eliab wroth with his younger brother 1 Sam. 17.28 but because he should bee more exalted And I doubt me whether Davids brethren were more glad that Goliah was slaine or angry that hee was slaine by their brother for envy is sicke if her neighbour be well and the good mans honour is the envious mans torment as it fared between Haman Mordecai as hereafter the glory of Christ shall adde to these reprobates confusion when they are driven to confesse This is he whom we once had in derision SECT 57. BUt to apply what hath been collected out of the Word See whether these examples sute not with some and not a few in our times As First why doe a sort of Ministers none of the best I meane such as live ill and viciously or preach ill and unprofitably or both live ill and preach ill maligne hate and traduce yea promote against such as preach more faithfully and powerfully and live more holily and unblameably but because God honours their Ministery with the conversion of soules and their words are with such power that the people flocke after them as they were wont after Christ while in the meane time themselves are neglected and dis-esteemed being as they suppose far greater scholers for if a Minister preach profitably they will give it out hee is no scholer neither can they doe Satan a greater pleasure and their Sermons more elaborate for they will be as long in the conception and breeding of them as an Elephant is of her young which being borne onely amazeth the hearers and makes them at their wits end with admiration their owne bosomes will tell them that I speake truth Againe why doe these men inveigh and preach against preaching As what needs so much preaching say they and all stupified sensualists it was never a good world since so many Lectures were set up there was more love and charity and plaine-dealing among our fore-fathers they meane in time of Popery who were only 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 himselfe once in six weekes that hee might silence his Parishioners 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 words 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 downe 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 applied but let conscience doe 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 good men while himselfe is neglected and disesteemed of both much more if hee belch out his spleene against the religious because they are praised and preferred before himselfe let him know that this could not be if hee were not full of the venome of the serpent Psal. 112.10 Pro. 14.30 SECT 58. SEcondly this may be applied to people of the looser sort As why doe their hearts rise against every holy man they see as some stomacks rise at sweet-meats Why doe all drunkards and vicious livers hate the religious and so belch out their enmity and spleene against them in raising and spreading of slanders as they doe but although partly to rescue themselves from contempt and procure a contrary esteeme 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
Iealousie The Sap Hatred The Fruit Persecution severally and apart for ignorance causeth Suspition and Suspition Hatred and Hatred Persecution But I cannot stand upon these SECT 61. Qu. IF Ignorance be such a generall cause of hatred and persecution as you have shewre What is the reason that so many great Scholers and wise men do also hate and persecute the godly Ans. Great scholers they may bee and wise men also in the worlds esteeme but in the maine and in Gods account they are nothing so for admit they have inlightned heads sufficient to leave them without excuse yet because they withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse and doe not glorifie God with their knowledge neither are thankfull but become vain in their imaginations their foolish hearts are darkned and so while they professe themselves to be wise in changing the truth of God into a lie they become fools and expresse it by thus hating God and his children Romans 1.18.21.22.25.30 So that Ignorance is the cause even in them also And indeed if they were wise they would foresee the torments of hell and prevent them as Bernard speakes Or if they knew God they would keep his commandments for hereby saith Saint Iohn is it knowne that wee know God if we keep his Commandements 1 John 2.3 but he that saith I know him and yet keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and there is no truth in him Ver. 4. Yea these have sworne to keepe the commandements and to deny the world and yet are not content with their owne disobedience unlesse they cast aspersions upon them that obey Againe thirdly if they knew Christ they could not but love him and loving him they must needs love his members not persecute them for it is the very first part of our conversion to love them that love God 1 Joh. 3.14 and 4.7.8 and Joh. 13.35 But so many as are enemies to the crosse of Christ shew that they never knew God in Christ. As for their wisdome and learning you must know that men may be â—xquisitely wise and incomparably learned in the worlds opinion and yet very fooles in Gods account 1 Cor. 3.19 As sharp-eyed as Eagles in the things of the earth and yet as blinde as Beetles in the matters of heaven And knowledge consisteth not so much in the quantity as in the quality not in the greatnesse but in the goodnesse of it For as a little precious stone is of more worth then many other stones of greater bulke so one drop of wisdome guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning One sparke of spirituall experimentiall and saving knowledge is worth a whole flame of secular wisdome and learning One scruple of holinesse one dram of faith one graine of grace is more worth then many pounds of naturall parts But learning and grace doe not alwayes keep company together Yea O Lord how many are there that have a depth of knowledge yet are not soule-wise That have a Library of Divinity in their heads and not so much as the least Catechisme in their consciences no rare thing for men to abound in speculation and be barâ—en in devotion to have full braines and empty hearts cleare judgements and defiled affections fluent tongues and lame hands Yea you shall heare a flood in the tongue when ye cannot see one drop in the life For example I might instance in Balaam whom the holy Ghost stiles a foole 2 Peter 2.16 And Iudas Mat. 27.3 4 5. And Paul before his conversion who even while hee was a persecuter like these men was eminent among the Pharisees for wit and learning but a very Ideot among the Apostles And lastly the Priests Scribes and Pharisees who were matchlesse for their wisdome and learning as wanting nothing that either nature or Art could inrich them withall yea and they were chiefly learned in the Scripture Gods Oracles which will make a man wise or nothing and yet our Saviour who could not bee deceived calls them foure times in one Chapter blinde and twice fools Mat. 23.16.17.19.24.26 Because they wanted faith and holinesse which are the sinewes and nerves yea the soule of saving knowledge inlivening feeding and strengthening the same for in the dialect of the Scripture a fool is a naturall man and a wise man a man sanctified Alas God regards not lip-learning and tongue-wisdome and braine-knowledge except it ceize upon the heart also and lead captive the affections to the government of the Gospel whereby wee are changed and transformed into new men after the image of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 Eph. 4.20 to 25. Col. 3.10 except we digest our knowledge into practise and imploy our wisdome to his glory that gave it our neighbours good and the furthering of our owne salvation For with him wickednes is folly and the greatest sinner is the greatest foole and he most wise that is most religious and that offends least Prov. 1.7 Iob. 28.28 Prov. 9.10.12 and 11.3 Deut. 4.6 Hosea 14.9 Iames 3.13.17 2 Tim. 3.15 And he that is truly wise thinks that to be wisdome and folly which God thinks so Neither is that worth the name of knowledge which may be heard only and not seen Good discourse is but the froth of wisdome the pure and solid substance of it is in well framed actions What saith the Scripture Keepe the Commandements of God and doe them for this is your wisdome and understanding before God and men Deut. 4 6. And again He that is a wise man and indued with knowledge will shew it by his conversation in good works Iames 3.13 For SECT 62. RIghtly a man knows no more then he practiseth It is said of Christ 2 Cor. 5 21. that he knew no sinne because he did no sin in which sense hee knows no good that doth no good And certainly they who wander in the by-paths of sin and errour declare themselves ignorant of the right way of salvation Rom. 3.17 Saving knowledge of the truth works a love of the truth knowne it is an uniforme consent of knowledge and action Iob 28.28 He onely is wise saith Solomon that is wise for himself Prov. 9.12 He whose conscience pulleth all he hears and reads to his heart and his heart to God who turneth his knowledge to faith his faith to feeling and all to walke worthy of his Redeemer he that subdues his sensuall desires and appetite to the more noble faculties of the soule Reason and Understanding and makes that understanding of his serve him by whom it is and doth understand hee that subdues his lust to his will submits his will to reason his reason to faith his faith his reason his will himself to the will of God this is practicall experimentall and saving knowledge to which the other is but a bare name or title For what is the notionall sweetnesse of honey to the experimentall taste of it It is one thing to know what riches are and
as the precisest and so did those Iews Iohn 5. which persecuted Iesus and sought to slay him thinke they beleeved Moses writings but it is plain they did not by Christ's answer to them who knew their hearts better than themselves his words are Had ye beleeved Moses yee would have beleeved me for he wrote of me but if yee beleeve not his writings how should ye beleeve my words ver 46 47 And againe Ye have not my Fathers Word abiding in you for whom he hath sent him yee beleeve not Ver. 38 39. So bring these that persecute any of Gods Children for well doing to the tryal and their owne consciences shall testifie before God that they neither beleeve the Old Testament nor the New For did they beleeve that the godly are unto God as the Signet upon his right hand Jer. 22.24 Zach. 2.24 Yea as the Apple of his owne eye Zach. 2.8 and that whatsoever wrongs and contumelies are done to his Children he accounts as done to himselfe Psalm 44.22 and 69.7 and 74.4 10 18 22 23 and 83.2 5 6 and 89 50 51 and 139 20. Prov. 19.3 Rom. 1.30 and 9.20 Matth. 10.22 and 25.45 Luk. 21.17 1 Sam. 17.45 Esay 37.4.22 23.28 and 45.9 and 54 17. Act. 5.39 and 9.4 5. Iob 9.4 1 Thess 4.8 Iohn 15.18 20 21 23 24 25. Num. 16.11 1 Sam. 8.7 They durst not hate revile slander deride nicke-name and persecute them as they doe More particularly did they really and indeed beleive God when he saith in his word that whosoever shal offend one of those little ones that beleeve in him it were better for him rather that a Milston were hung about his neck that he wer cast into the sea Marke 9 42. That he will destroy them for ever and roote them out of the Land of the living whose tongues imagine mischeife and are like a sharpe Razer 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 Jer. 17.18 Yea that he will render unto their 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 five and brimston with storms and tempests Psal. 11.6 and after all cast them into a furnace of fire where shall be wailing and guashing of teeth for evermore when the just whom they now dispise shall shine as the Sun 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 Kings 2.24 Where God caused two and forty little Children to be devoured of wild Beares onely for nick-naming Elisha they durst not nick-name the religious as they doe Indeed God doth not alwaies nor often so eminently punish Persecutors in this life as here it fared with these children or as it did with Lucian who for barking against religion like a dog was by the just judgement of God devoured of dogges Or as it did with Nightiâ—gall parson of Crondall in Kent who was strook dead in the Pulpit while he was belching out his spleen against Religion and Goodnesse Or as it did with Stephen Gardiner who would not sit downe to dinner till the newes came of the good Bishops burnt at Oxford But then came out rejoycing and saying to the Duke of Norfolk Now let us goe to dinner but it was the last that ever he are for it Or as it fared with Arundal Arch-Bishop of Canterburys and Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester in their times who putting to silence both the word of God and those that purely preached 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 True some flagitious persons God punisheth here least his providence but not all least his patience and promise of a generall judgement should bee called in question But alasse they are so farre from beleeving whaâ— God threatens in his word against these sinnes that they blesse themselves in their hearts saying we shall have peace we shall speed as well as the best although we walke according to the stubburnnesse of our own 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 once Rabshekab would have perswaded the Iewes touching their trust and considenec 2 Kings 18.22 25 30 32 33 35. Yea how â—'st possible that any wicked man should beleive what is written of God in the Scripture especially touching his justice and severity in punishing sin with eternall destruction of body and soule For did they really and indeed beleive 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 inoathing 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 hee will sweare the more to spite you Which were not possible if beleeving God they did not what in them lies give themselves over to the Devill Againe did they beleeve that neither fornicacors nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor theeves nor murtherers nor drunkards nor swearers nor raylours nor lyers nor covetous persons nor extortioners nor unbelevers nor no unrighteous men shall inherit the Kingdom 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 immortal soules which shall everlastingly live in blisse or wo and receive according to that they have done in their bodies whether it be 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 feel and know they beleeve the Lawes of the Land that there are places and kindes of punishment here below and that they have bodies 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
out that sore judgement seven months and brought upon their god Dagon and the whole Countrey a very great destruction and perceived that all which were guilty of keeping and prophaning the Arke suffered in the judgement and onely they at last could bring forth this conclusion Peradventure it is God's hand that smote us yet it may bee it is but a chance that hath hapened unto us Ver. 9. Wherein it is evident they did half beleeve and no more Their consciences told their hearts there was a powerfull God to revenge the prophaning of his Arke but their hearts were very loth to give assent thereunto and so fares it with these when they wrong and persecute his Children Or they may be likened to those untoward Israelites Exod. 16. Who did in part beleeve God when hee told them If they reserved of the Manna untill morning it should stinke and that if they went to gather it on the Sabbath they should finde none who would have thought it foule scorne if one should have told them they beleeved no such thing for all they had seene so many Miracles yet t is apparent they did but halfe beleeve him for what else made them try whether hee spake true or no after they were flatly forbidden ver 20. or Lastly they are like the unbeleeving Iewes who considering the Oracles that CHRIST spake and the Miracles which he wrought were forced to testifie both these of him for all they hated him never man spake as this man doth and We never saw it on this fashion yet this have yee seen and beleeve not saith our SAVIOUR Iohn 6. 36. They saw they heard they wondered they were convinced yet they beleeved not therfore their own eyes in seeing their own eares in hearing their own hearts in wondring their own convicted reasons shall but witnesse against their unbeleefe Ioh. 16.9 And indeed if they did not in some part beleeve a Judgement to come they should be worse than the very Devills themselves there is no Hell Quis Daemonum hoc asseret What Devill will so affirme They know it and feele it Why say the Legion to Christ art thou come to torment us before the time Matth. 8.29 And shall not men tremble to deny what the Devils confesse sayes Chrysostome Wherefore beleeve it peremptorily â— ye fooles mad men yea believe it avoid it by beleeving to purpose ye shall avoyd it otherwise if ye will give more credit to your deceitful hearts than to what the Word speaks as Eve beleeved the word of the Serpent Adam the word of Eve both before the Word of God God will leave you to be confuted by fire brimston if you wil not beleive what is written you shall feele what is written SECT 70. Ob. BUT here it will be objected That the wickedest man that lives presumes upon Gods mercy in Christ and thinkes he shall be saved as well as the â—heife upon the Crosse yea hee will prove by Scripture that at what time soever hâ— repents his sinnes shall be pardoned Ezech. 18.21 22. Yea there is scarce a man on earth but hee thinkes to goe to Heaven Answ. True the flesh prophesies prosperity to sin yea life and salvation as the Pope promised the Powder Traytors â—nd to this the Devill sets his sâ—ale wheâ—â—upon while prosperity lasteth they can turne the grace of God into wantâ—nâ—esse and even apply Christ's Passion as a warrant for their licenciousnesse and take his death as a licence to sin his Crosse as a Letters Pattent to doe mischeife Yea the Devill and sinne so infatuates and besots them that they thinke to have part in that merit which in every paâ—t they have so abused to be purged by that blood which now they take al occasions to disgrace to be saved by the same wounds which they swear by and so often swear away to have Christ an Advocate for them in the next life when they are Advocates against Christ in this and that Heaven will meet them at their last hour when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten road toward Hell The Devil makes large promises and perswades his they shall have what they desire yet ever disappoints them of their hopes as he did our first Parents Diabolus mentitur ut fallet vitam pollicetur ut perimat saith Saint Cyprian But all one their carnall hearts shall be flint unto God wax to the Devil who blowes this presumption into them whereby they believe the promises let go the threatnings You shall die saith God is heard but You shall not die saith the Devil is believed as it fared with Eve when she eat the forbidden fruit Yea they believe the promises that they shall have them but they believe not the precepts to do them nor the threatnings that they shall suffer them for their not believing and disobedience which shewes that they truly believe neither Yea this makes it plain that either they believe there is no God at all or else that God is not just and true nor speakes as he meanes in his word which is worse or if they do believe that he is a just and true God they believe also that they shall be punished as he threatens for their provoking of him and they provoke him that they may be punished which is worst of all So that take them in the best sense they are but like David's fool which saith in his heart there is no God and lives thereafter which is never a whit strange for it is usuall with them to thinke there is no God for whom it would make that there were none what we would have to be we are apt to believe I confesse it is hard for men to believe their own unbelief in this case they that be most dangerously sicke are least sensible of their own sicknesse much more hard to make them confesse it for he whose heart speakes Atheisme will confesse with his tongue that he believes there is a God and that he is just and true and that every tittle of his Word is equally â—rue which being granted this must necessarily follow that God will as well punish the disobedient as reward the obedient which in another fit they are apt enough yea too forward to believe For it is Satan's method first to make men so senselesse as not to feel their sinnes at all and then so desperate that they feel them too much in the first fit men live as if there were no Hell in the last they die as if there were no Heaven for wicked men are altogether in extremes at first they make question whether this or that be a sin at last they apprehend it such a sin that they make question whether it can be forgiven either God is so mercifull that they may live how they list or so just that he will not pardon them upon their repentance SECT 71. BUt to prevent after claps let this point
as their hearts Well for the innocent that the wicked cannot keep their own councell They are forced to give us warning that wee may prevent them 15. They will undermine us in talke that they may betray us Their cunning in this case And dissimulation They have borrowed this craft from Satan who sets them on worke Bâ—ware we trust them not 16 They manifest their enmitie against the religious by their gestuâ—e As the tongue speaketh to the ear so the gesture speaketh to the eye 17 They will withstand and contrary the truth by us delivered They will cavill against the very word and oppose the messengers They fly the light A powerfull Minister most opposed Strong braines too wise to be saved An humble man will never be an hereâ—ique Nor will they be appeased They will hate us because they have hurt us They neither hear him themselves nor suffer others They adde to their own reputation by detâ—acting from others 18 They combine together and lay devilish plots to destroy the godly The manner of their consultations They will easily finde occasion For our serving of God shall be sufficient Or saving of soules They com not to be caught by a Minister but to catch him But are taken in the snare they spread for others 19 They are proane to imprison the godly Not for any crime But to prevent further dispute And other the like reasons 20 Their usuall way of confuting is with fists Their Arguments are all steel and iron 21 They will hurt maime the godly Their malice makes them like beasts or â—â—ocks 22 usuall with them to murther the Saints Instead of arguments they take up armes They are savage and bloody Of which five reasons 1 Reasoâ— 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Reason 5 Reason Our Saviour suffered two twenty wayes of ungodly men 4 Mental Properties 11 verball Properties 7 Actuall Properties It was for his zaale purity and holinesse Severall uses of their enmity 1 Use. 2 Use. To informe us whether we be children of the devill or members of Christ. Comfort for such as suffer 3 Use. Let non look to fare better than Christ. 11 Causeâ— 1 The contrariety of their natures All true beleevers the children of God All natural men children of the Devill Impossible the good and bad should agree Naturall men can agree with any so they be not Religious Yea differ they in other thngs they will joyne against the Godly Many Wives Children and Servants hated for being religious Hatred foâ— religion the most bitter and implacable agreement in some points does but advance hatred the more We cannot anger them worse then to doe wel Wherein this contrariety consists They differ in their judgements 1 Touching Wisdome 2 Touching happinesse 3 touching fortitude 4 touching sin 5 touching holinesse Secondly they differ in their passions affections Thirdly they differ in their practice Wicked men persecute the godly for being better then they Of which many examples The same applyed Where Christ comes ther will be opposition Nothing more contemned then goodnesse Would we accompany them in evill their malice would cease We may appeale to themâ—elves who are the honester men They think not as they speak They asperse us out of policy To tax all for the faults of a few is only the art of a fool Most mâ—n fooles and beasts The Character of a malicious scoffer How strangely wicked men gull themselves Some of theâ— excuses Singularity our great and grevious crime To obey God rather than men great disorders Common protestants can be of any religion Yet none think better of them selves How Satan playes the Sâ—phister Discresion eates up devotion Goodmen may differ in many things yet agree in the main A vast difference between another discipline and another Doctrine That indifferent to one that is not so to another â—o be scrupulous 〈◊〉 ill signe In cases of a doubtfull nature we should take the surest side they woulâ—â—â—our us ouâ— of our faith And effect the same did not God support us To be a Christian requires fortitude Good men will hold their profession though they lose their lives If we cannot concoct evill words we would nevâ—r endure blowes To be scoft out of our goodnesse how rediculous The most will doe as he most to Satan gets more by subtilty than by violence Some will better abide a stake than others a mock Tongue-taunts in Gâ—ds account is perâ—ecution None but the desperately wicked wil malice an other for goodnesse 4 They are wroth with us becuâ—se we fare better then they Of which many examples The good mans honour the envious mans torment Application first to unhollowed Ministers They cry up practise to cry down preaching This sore will not endure rubbing Application thereof to the rabble A second cause is ignorance Proved 1. by testimonies 2 By examples Wicked beholding to the godly for their lives Malignants as witlesse as wicked 3 By experience The more ignorant the more malicious They allwaies make the worst construction of things ignorance causeth suâ—pition suâ—pition hatred c. Ob. That great scholers and wisemen doe the same answered Their actions prove them ignorant The first part of conversion is to love them that love God Many that have a depth of knowledge are not soule-wise Examples of many wise in the worlds esteem but fools in Gods account With God the greatest sinner is the greatest fool and he most wise that is most religious God regards not braine knowledge except it seize on the heart also Rightly a man knows no more then hee practiseth Saving knowledge described That the meanest beleever knows more then the profoundest naturian In what sense the word caâ— worldly men wisemen What knowledg is peculiar to the godly and what common to them with Hipocrits Naturall men want both the light of the spirit and the eye of faith No attaining supernatuaral kuowledg by any natural means Saving knowledg given to none but good men Of which many instances Divine assistance in time of tryall The same further amplified They that would have this talent must resolve to improve it The way to obtaine true wisdome Instruction from the premises 1. For all naturall men 2 For such as speake evill of the way of truth When they doe worst they think they doe well 3 For Gods people A fourth Use. A fifth use A sixt use A seventh use The third cause is unbeleefe Provâ—d 1 By testimonys 2. By examples Men think they beleeve but doe not Evidences of mens unbeleife The woful reward of Persecutors Why Persecutors are not punished here But they blesse themselves and think to speed as well as others Did men beleeve the word they durst not live as they doe Natural men feare visible powers but not the invisible God None so confirmed in Atheisme but feare in time of danger At least on their death beds they conâ—esse a God Vengance makes wiâ—e whom sin makes foolish Atheists on earth but none in hell To consider before it prove too late The most grounded Atheisme hâ—th a mâ—xture oâ— beleâ—fe Atheists would give all they have to be sure there were no hell They doe and yet do not beleive a God c. Their convicted consciences shal but witnesse against their unbeleefe Men may doubt but the devils beleeve a judgement to come Fire and bâ—imstone shall confute all Atheâ—sts They that beleeve not the threaâ—s can yet preâ—ume upon Gods mercy The devill and sin do infatuate and besot the wicked A carnall heart is flint to God wax to the Devil Carnall men believe the promises but not the precepts nor threats Hard for men to believe their own unbeliefe Wicked men either presume or despaire Notes of triall touching beliefe and unbeliefe Hâ—w men may examine themselves Men would never do as they do if they thought they shold be called to an account Most men beleive not an hell proved undeniably Did men beleeve what God hath already inflicted on the Angels old World Sodom c. they would not live as they doe Admonition to bewâ—r before it proves too late Fruits of Atheisme wherewith the land abounds If a tithe of us are Christians then there are milions of Christians in hell How far we come short of Primative Christians Most men can be of any religion which proves they are truly of none How Gods goodnesse aggravates our wickednesse Mens eyes will be opened on their death-beds or in hell Good councell for Scoffers eight other causes of hatred and persecution 1 Speaking of truth 2 misprision 3 Example of the multitude 4 seperation 5 The preaching of some Ministers 6 The scandalous lives of some professors 7 Flocking after sermons That they may have more company here in sin and hereafter in torment Conclusion
of his word So that all the difference between them and very infidels is only this the one are infidels in their hearts the other are infidels in their lives as Augustine pithily And what 's the reason they curse us but this They are the Devils best schollers and of his highest Forme the language of Hell is so familiar unto them that they speake not a word of our Countrey language And indeed how should they speake the language of Canaan to whom blasphemy is become the mother tongue Secondly they curse us because they cannot be suffered to kill us for in heart and Gods account they are no better then murtherers nor will it bee any rare thing at the day of Judgement for Cursers to be indited of murther they would kill us if they durst they doe kill so far as they can I would be loath to trust his hands that bannes mee with his tongue It is easie to guesse how they would deale with us if we were at their mercy He that smiled on David in his throne curseth him in his flight Now his unsound and treacherous heart discovers it selfe in a tongue full of venome a handfull of stones and had not David been yet too strong for his impotent Subject he had then breathed his last Prosperous successe hides many a false heart as a drift of snow covers a heape of dung but when that white mantle melts the filthy rottennesse will soon appeare Neither is it any sinne we commit or offence wee give them that they Curse us Who could have lesse deserved those curses those aspersions those stones then David Had Shimei beene other then a dog hee had never so rudely barked at so harmeles a passenger That head deserved to be tonguelesse that body to be headlesse that thus blasphemed an Innocent though hee had beene lesse then the Lords Anoynted Againe Why would they kill our bodies but because they could not slay our soules For it is soule-blood which the Serpent and his Seed thirst after as I shall shew afterward But alasse if all their Curses and threats all their aspersions and Anti-christian slanders could flout us out of the integrity of our devotion when our forefathers feared not the flames we were fearfull cowards As for their banning of us we have learnt from Solomon That the causelesse curse shall not come Prov 26.2 or at least it shall not come where the curser meant it Yea the Psalmist tells us plainly That though they curse yet God will blesse Psalm 109.28 And his blessing shall doe us good while their curses hurt none but themselves for what saith the Holy Ghost in the same Psalme speaking of the desperately wicked whose brand is that they love cursing The words are these As he loved cursing so shall it come unto him and as he loved not blessing so shall it be far from him As be cloathed himselfe with cursing as with a rayment so shall it come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones Let it be unto him as a garment to cover him and for a girdle wherewith he shall be alwayes girded ver 17 18 19. Heare this all yee whose tongues run so fast on the Devils errand Yee loved cursing you shall have it both upon you about you and in you and that everlastingly if you persevere and goe on For if Christians be charged to blesse their enemies what will bee their case that curse their friends Yea if he which but curseth Satan curseth his owne soule as it is Eccles. 21.27 What doth he that curseth the Saints and deare children of God Surely their curses shall bound backe into their owne breasts as the stones which Shimei threw at David did rebound upon Shimei and split his heart yea and at last knockt out his braines Cursing mouthes are like ill made Peeces which while men discharge at others recoile in splinters upon their owne faces Their words and wishes bee but whirle-winds which being breathen forth returne againe to the same place Cursed be he that curseth thee Gen. 27.29 Yea hee shall be cursed with a witnesse for even Christ which came to save the world shall say unto them at the last day Depart yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Matth. 25.41 Where they shall doe nothing but curse for evermore Revel 16.11.21 And indeed Who should goe to Hell if cursers should be left out Wherefore let all those learne to blesse that looke to be heires of the Blessing SECT 35. 10. IT is their use to threaten the religious as all the men of Sodome threatned just Lot that they would deale worse with him then with the Angels Gen. 19.9 Iehoram Elisha saying God do so to me and more also if the head of Elisha shall stand on him this day 2 Kings 6.31 And thus Paul before his conversion breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples Acts 9.1 2. It were no living for godly men if their hands were allowed to bee as bloody as their hearts But men and Devills are under restraint of the Almighty Neither are their words more swelling or their designes more lavish then their atchievements be vaine and their execution short Benhadad sends great words unto the King of Israel as if it were nothing to conquer him but stay the proofe Benhadad flyes and Israel pursues Commonly they that least can doe best cavill can and make the greatest flourish However it is well for the innocent that wicked men cannot keepe their owne counsels as God fetcheth their thoughts out of their owne mouthes many times even against their wills for the good of his Children as we may see in Esau when hee purposed the death of Iacob and in Saul touching David and in Iezabel touching Elisha whose threats did preserve them whom they meant to kill The wisdome and power of God could have found evasions for his Prophets with their enemies greatest secrecy but now they need no other meanes of rescue then their own lips And it is a mercy deserving thanks from God that the lightning of anger in a cruell mans eyes gives us warning of the thunderbolt in his hand But this concernes us only when we are threatned by the potent in other cases our best way will bee to stand it out for many a foe hath spoken bravely who in the push hath made more use of his heels then of his hands their threats being but like a boyes squib that onely flashes and cracks and stinks but is nothing SECT 36. 11. IT is their manner by subtlety to undermine the godly in talke that they may betray them as Saul caused his servants to undermine David by flattery thereby to worke his confusion 1 Sam. 18.17 And againe verse 21.25 thus those false Prophets and other enemies of the truth undermined Ieremiah seeking every way to destroy him Ier. 18.18 to the end of the Chap. And thus certaine of
opposition nor thinke the worse of themselves if such reproach them never so The Corinthians exceedingly slighted Paul he was this and he was that But what saith Paâ—l With me it is a very small thing that I shâ—uld be judged of you 1 Cor. 43.3 4 Alasse the best of them â—aw no more than Saint Pauls outside the grace of his heart the raptures of his soule the ravishing delights of the inward man and the like spirituall priviledges more glorious than the states of Kingdomes were to these sensualists as a covered messe And indeed naturall men are as â—it to judge of spirituall matters as â—â—â—nd men are fit to judge of colours We know Litle childâ—eÌ„ will often laugh at wise men when they are about serious necessary affairs busines which notwithstanding is not an argument of the unworthines of the things they laugh at but of the folly of them which laugh Wil the MerchaÌ„t be discouraged because his wine pleaseth not a sick mans palat when those that are in health commend it and himselfe knowes it to be good Much lesse cause have we to be discouraged having more certainety to rely upon Our enemies have Sense Reason and Experience to confirme their judgements but we have them with an advantage of three infalliable witnesses Gods word and Spirit and Faith Wherefore henceforward let us take our Saviours Councell and seeke to justifie our judgements to the children of Wisdome of whom she is justified and not to fooles by whom shee is daily crucified Neither let any thinke the better of such whom they extoll for the blinde eate many a flye 4 This shews that they suspect much because they know little as Children in the darke suppose they see what they see not They complaine like the Owle of the glory of the Sun when the fault is in their own eyes They are blind yet the misery is they see not that they are blinde and therefore believing that they see they accuse others of schisme when indeed themselves are only guilty of prejudice as a blinde man running against one that seeth calls him blinde that did not shunne him They are like Harpast a blinde woman in Seneca's family who would not be perswaded that shee was blinde but found fault with the house wherein she was as being over darke 5. If none are truly wise but such as have past the second birth it gives us to understand that the regenerate for the most part sleep nigh halfe their time in ignorance that the wicked are never awake And if this Wisedome commeth downe from the Father of lights and that we cannot have it except God vouchsafe to give it us It may teach us to be humble Ioh. 42.6 And not like the Ape that is proud of his Masters Jacket Heavenly notions grow not in us we spin them not out of our owne breasts And thankfull for it they be given let us not forget the giver 6. If all naturall men are like blinde Sampson without his guide not able without the Holy â—hosts direction to finde out the pillars of the house the principles of faith let us not wonder that they swerve so much from the godly in their judgements and practice Is it any strange thing to see a blinde man stumble and fall Yea let us condole all their disasters and drop some teares in pity and compassion for their great and grievous misery 7. And lastly If with God one sparke of spirituall experimentall and saving knowledge be of more worth than all secular Wisdome and Learning then strive we for that knowledge which will make the knower blessed Let us so be learned that we may bee saved Let us not in our hearing and reading and communication doe as little children that looke only upon the Babyes in a booke without regard to the matter therein contained but like men in years have more respect to the pith and solidity of the matter than to the phrase and to the profit of our soules than the pleasing of our senses And so much of the second cause SECT 66. Quest. WHat is the third cause why ungodly men hate and persecute the Religious Answ. Their infidelity and unbeliefe Quest. How doth that appeare Answ. I will demonstrate it beyond deniall Why doe the Heathen rage saith David and the people murmure the Kings of the Earth band themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Let us breake their bands c. Psalm 2.1 to 4. but this they thinke alwayes there is no God God is not in all their thoughts Psal. 10.4 And againe They breake in peeces thy people O Lord and afflict thine â—eritage c. the reason followes they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Psalm 94.5 6 7. And what saith our Saviour to the Iewes Ye seeke to kill me because my Word hath no place in you John 8.37 that is they beleeved not what heâ— spake nor the Scriptures which testified of him If yee will see it in Examples look 2 King 18.35 Dan. 3.15 Exod. 5.2 Or if in the New Testament see Acts 17. where the Holy Ghost makes a decision between such as did and such as did not beleeve Paul when in the Synagogue he disputed with them by the Scriptures opening and alleadging that Christ must have suffered risen againe c. for saith the Text So many of the Jewes as beleeved and of the Grecians and chiefe women as feared God joyned themselves in company with Paul and Silas But those that beleeved not mooved with envy tooke unto them certaine Vagabonds and wicked fellowes with the multitude and made a tumult in the City and assaulted the house of Jason drawing out him and as many of the brethren as they could finde and brought them before the people and the heads of the City crying These are they which have subverted the State of the world and they all doe against the decrees of Caesar c. And lastly looke but 1 Tim. 1. you shall heare Saint Paul most ingenuously confessing I was a blasphemer a persecuter and an opposer of Christ and his members but I did it ignorantly through unbelieâ—e v. 13. Now they which thinke all whatsoever is written in Scripture of God of Christ and of His Kingdome of Grace here and glory hereafter to be but a fable as that impious Pope did who was not ashamed blasphemously to boast what he had gained by Fabula de Christo And all Machivillian Atheists who thinke Religion to be but a Politicke device to keep men in awe do whose number is greater than is supposed These I say must needs think them madde and foolish who lose thereby either profit or pleasure and use them accordingly SECT 67. TRue this might seeme an absurd position if I should presume upon an Appeale to their owne blinded consciences for they thinke they believe in God and the Scriptures as wel