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
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
have wee to stand out being so extreamly degenerated If they in the state of innocency when they had wisdome at wil and reason at command found him too hard for them when they fell once to argue the case with him how much more too weake shall wee finde our selves that are as wee are and when our owne flesh is become our Enemy and his cunning Soliciter My brethren be no longer deceived but hearken more to what God speaks in his word lesse to the Tempter for hee will set a faire coulour upon the foulest sinne that ever was committed witnesse his words to Eve when shee eate the forbidden fruite at the price of death eternall Gen. 3. Witnesse the glorious pretences which Hammon made to Ahashuerosh that he might procure that bloody decree against all the Iewes Ester 3. and a thousand more which I could reckon up And so on the contrary what good action can bee so splendent and glorious but hee will bring reasons in appearance to make it not onely faulty but odious witnesse our saviours casting out devills which saith he by the mouthes of the Scribes and Pharisees is done through Belzebub hee will make the people beleeve that either the action is evill or if good not God but himselfe will have the glory of it Matt. 12.24 Yea through Sathans subtilty Christ was made the greatest offender that offended not once in all his life which would make a wise man suspect his owne judgement or the common fame to examin things throughly before they condemne one whom they know no evill by But not to weary you with instances If hee can perswade men as hee hath done millions that they shall doe God good service in putting his prophets to death as Christ himselfe expresly tell us Iohn 16.2 What can hee not perswade them to As what stone so rough but hee can smooth it what stuffe so pittifull but hee can set a glosse upon it for like a Beare hee can lick into fashion the mostmis-shapen and deformed lumpe Or like a Dogge heale any wound hee can reach with his tongue Yea your selves cannot choose but know except you bee starke blinde what golden eloquence he will whisper in your eares what brasen impudence what subtile shifts what quainte querks what cunning conveyances what jugling shuffling and packing hee will use to make any sin feasible like the Hare which if shee dare not trust to her speed she will try the turne And so on the contrary to discourage Gods people in good Neither could concupisence bring forth sin without the consent of reason and reason would never consent so long as the eyes are open Yea if the light of knowledge might freely shine in the soule Sathans suggestions would soon make him ashamed and vanish with all his workes of darknesse Or if temptations might bee but turned about and shewne on both sides his Kingdome would not be so populous wherefore when he sets upon any poore soule he shews the baite hides the hooke Whence it is that Sathan hath more servants to fight for him here below then the Trinity which made us Else how should that bee true which our saviour Christ and his Apostles so often inculcate viz. that the whole World lyeth in wickednesse 1 John 5.19 That the number of those whom Sathan shall deceive is as the sand of the Sea Revel 20.8 and 13.16 Isay 10.22 Rom. 9.27 That the greatest number goe the broade way to destruction and but a few the narrow way which leadeth unto life Matth. 7.13 14. That many are caled viz. by the outward ministery of the word but few chosen Matth. 20.16 and 22.14 sad predictions Oh that we could not apply them but experience shewes that among them that call themselves Christians scarse one of an hundred whose practise is answerable either to the gospell their christian profession or the millions or mercies they have received Yea notwithstanding the Holy ghost tells us in the word and wee heare it dayly That every man shall be judged according to his workes be they good or evill Revel 20.13 and 22.12 And that we shall give an account at the day of judgement for every idle word wee speake Matth. 12.36 And that wee neede no other ground of our last and heaviest doome then ye have not given ye have not visited c. Matth. 25.41 to 46. and that the righteous shall scarsly be saved And that many shall seeke to enter in at the strait gate and shall not be able Luke 13.24 the which scriptures if they bee true what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse as the Apostle speakes 2 Pet. 3.11 And yet most men live as if the Gospell were quite contrary to the rule of the Law as if God were neither to bee feared nor cared for As if they were neither beholding to him nor affraid of him both out of his debt and danger Yea as if there were no God to judge nor Hell to punish nor heaven to reward I cannot think of it without astonishment I remember Cyprian brings in the Devill triumphing over Christ in this manner As for my followers sayth the Devill I never dyed for them as Christ hath done for his I never promised them so great reward as Christ hath done to his and yet I have more followers than hee and they doe more for me than his doe for him Oh that men would duly consider how true this is and amend before the draw-bridge bee taken up but this is the misery and a just plague upon our so much formality and prophanesse under our so much meanes of grace there bee very few men that make not the whole Bible and all the Sermons they heare yea the checks of their owne consciences and the motions of Gods spirit utterly in-effectuall for want of wit and grace to apply the same to themselves whereas if they would rightly and ingenuously apply but one text or two as Matth. 7.12 and 16.26 or the like unto their owne soules as they can unto others being better able to discerne others moates than their owne beames they might be everlastingly happy But this is the gift of God alone and naturall men love their sins better than their soules Objection But you will say what is this to us Wee live unrebukably wee pay every man his owne wee are temperate chaste c. wee goe duely to Church pray in our families make conscience of swearing lying c. Answer But does it flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the Holy ghost 1 Tim. 1.5 Acts 15.9 Is it done in faith and out of right ends as out of love and obedience because God commands the same that hee may bee glorified and others edified thereby Otherwise all your best performances are no better in Gods account then the offering of swins blood or the cutting off of a dogs neck as himselfe shewes Isay
the Synagogue sought to undermine Steven that so they might have matter wherby to informe the Councell against him Acts 69 10. Their chiefe Principle is that of Lysanders VVhere the Lyons skinne will not suffice we must adde a scantling of the Foxes Whereupon as intelligencers for States mingle themselves with all companies but use their best art to keep themselves concealed so doe these you may travell with such an one as far as the Indies and yet finde the way into his heart a farther journey For as High-way-men lighting into true meaning company by the way can talke of sincere dealing and uprightnesse against robbery and oppression to take off suspition till they spy their opportunity so will they have semblances of religion pretend great love yea perhaps doe you a reall curtesie but with the same intent that Saul gave Michall to David which was only to ensnare him Like Fowlers and Anglers when they meane to catch and snare us they hide their nets and cover their hooks with the pleasing baites of flattery setting a sunshine countenance upon cloudy thoughts Yea when they intend to murther then speake they fairest when deadly malice dives deepest into their hearts then the smoothest words floate in their mouthes as no faces looke lovelyer then the painted Now this kind of undermining they have borrowed from Satan that old Serpent and arch-polititian who in the beginning useth this complement to our first Parents Ye shall be as gods when his drift was to have them devils Gen. 3.5 Yea he sets them on worke who never ceaseth either by himselfe or by his servants to tempt and undermine the people of God 1 Pet. 5.8 especially at such times as they are or should be addressing themselves to some notable workes in performing the will of God as we may see Ier 1.6 Ezek. 3.14 15. Nehe. 2.48.19 6.5 6 7 10. Acts 6.9 10. Matth. 4.1 But beware we trust them not for these Hypocrites never wound so deadly as when they stroak us with a silken â—and being like the mistaken Lanthorne in Eighty eight for under pretence of guiding they will draw us into hazzard and losse among our enemies and whosoever puts confidence in their words shall finde them to resemble sinking floores which will then fail us when our weight is on them And so much of the Verbal properties of this enmitie SECT 37. Qu. IN the last place what are the Actuall Properties Answ. Thirdly wicked men actually manifest their enmitie against the Religious in seven particulars viz. 1. By scornefull gestures 2. By withstanding their Doctrine 3. By combining together against the Godly 4. By imprisoning the Godly 5. By striking the Godly 6. By hurting the Godly 7. By killing the Godly First by gesture as Goliah against David when he looked upon him with a disdainfull countenance 1 Sam. 17.42 Which is a kinde of brow-beating and other wicked ones who made mowes and nodded the head at him Psalme 22.7 Gaped upon him with their mouthes as ramping and roaring Lions verse 13. Gnashed their teeth at him at publique meetings Psal. 35.16 Shaked their heads at him Psal. 109.25 Thus Iob complaines That his enemies opened their mouthes against him Iob 16.10 And Isaiah that the scoffing Idolaters gaped and thrust out their tongues against the godly in his time Isai 57.3 4. And the Labourers in the Parable are said to have an evil eye against the Master of the Vineyard because he was good Matth. 20.15 Many will speak that dare not strike and some will make mouthes that fear to speak Now this of gesture is a silent foe yet upon inquisition made I finde none more guilty of the Serpents enmitie than he who speakes with his brow and striketh with his eyes who because his tongue cannot usâ—ly condemn a man he will leave him suspected of ill by silence or some disdainfull gesture For as his Maâ—estie said most aptly and elegantly As the tongue speaketh to the ear so the gesture speaketh to the eye And though such an one be silent for want of words yet he is not so for want of malice even scoffes and nick-names slander and curâ—ing stickes in his teeth and onely dares not freely come forth because he is guilty of his owne faultinesse and were he not a monstrous coward not daring to speak or act for fear of â—ustice there would be no dealing with him yet bad as he is being dumbe I finde him uncapable of a verdict and so dismisse him to leade the Van which is both a punishment to himselfe and those that follow SECT 38. 2. IT is their manner to withstand and contrary the Doctrine which they are commanded by God to deliver Thus Zidkiah the false Prophet withstood and contraried Michaia's Doctrine 1 Kings 22.24 The Priests Prophets and all the people Ieremiahs saying Why hast thou prophesied in the Name of the Lord that this house shall be like Shilo and this Citie shall be desolate and without an inhabitant Ierem. 26.8 9. And thus Elimas the Sorcerer withstood and contraried Paul and Barnabas in their preaching Acts. 13.8 And this is still the manner of wicked men being better acquainted with wrangling than reasoning and deeper in love with strife that truth even to cavill against the good Word of God and oppose the messenger and what they cannot maintain by reason a feminine testinesse shall outwrangle These night-birds know right well that where the Sun shines there is small place for them to appear whence the Ministers preaching is as great a vexation to them as their conversation is to him and in case he hath a â—ire in his tongue kindled with a coal from the Altar they have a sea of water in their hearts to quench it But if some one be more specially gifted in convincing of sin he is sure to have treble opposition if he molest Satan and dispossesse him of his strong holds Satan will molest him with a powder all the Drunkards in that Parish shall fall about such a Ministers eares yea perhaps some neighbour Ministers that pretend gravitie and good will to God shall more than set them on for vertue fares hardest oftentimes from such as should uphold her When Henry Zuâ—phen was Preacher at Breame the Catholiques sent their Chaplaines to evey Sermon to trap him in his words but the greater part of them that were sent to hearken were thereby converted and did openly witnesse for him to his Adversaries teeth that they never in all their life had heard the like at which the Monkes and Cardinals were mad The case of our Prelates during the time of their High Commission None so deep in Hell as knowing men strong braines are commonly too wise to be saved by the foolishnesse of preaching But Paul the babler must be both heard and admired before heaven can be had yea great Doctors must acknowledge themselves but great Dunces in comparison of meaner men speaking by
where they bee and another thing to bee master of them It is not the knowing but the possessing of them that makes rich What saith one No more then the knowledge of goodnesse maketh one to be named a good man no more doth the knowledge of wisdome only cause any person properly to bee called a wiseman And certainly that wisdome and learning is little worth which nothing profits the owner of it either to vertue or happinesse These things if ye know happy are yee if yee doe them Iohn 13.17 So that he is the best Scholer that learnes of Christ obedience humility c. He the best Arithmetician that can adde grace to grace He the best learned that knows how to be saved Yea all the Arts in the world are Artlesse Arts to this But alas Naturall men are so farre from being thus learned that not one of them doth really and by his owne experience know the chiefe Points of Christian Religion such as are Faith Repentance Regeneration the Love of God the Presence of the Spirit the Remission of sinnes the Effusion of Grace the Possession of heavenly Comforts he knows not what the peace of Conscience and joy in the holy Ghost is nor what the communion of Saints means he knows not what it is to have a certaine and experimentall feeling with a continuall proofe of Gods favour in the whole passage of a mans life and practise c. Prov. 24.7 when every of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest beleever SECT 63. Object BUt the Word of God in divers places calls worldly men wise men yea ascribes the greatest wisdome and knowledge to the wicked Answ. It s true but in what sense Doe ye not perceive that God either speaks it in a holy derision as Gen. 3.22 is to be understood Or else hee speakes it in the person of the wicked calling it wisdome because worldly men deem it so as in another place he calls preaching the foolishnes of preaching because the wicked esteem preaching but foolishnesse and as Christ calls the Pharisees just because they justified themselves Luke 15.7 Or thirdly he meanes the wisdome of the flesh or of the world and that is as much as if he had said in other words foolishnesse for the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God and no lesse then twelve times infatuated by the wisdome of God in one Chapter 1 Cor. 2. But to make it more plain that no naturall man is a wise man we must know that there is a speculative knowledge in the brain common to hypocrites with Gods children Heb. 6.4 And there is a spirituall and heavenly wisdom a practicall experimentall and saving knowledge in the heart which keepes a man from every evill way Prov. 2.12 peculiar to the godly alone Ephes. 4.8 and 5.8 The naturall man saith Paul perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him but the spirituall who have the mind of Christ understand all things even the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. And again We speake the wisdome of God in a mystery even the hid wisdome which none of the princes of this world have knowne 1 Cor. 2.7 8. See 1 Thess. 5.4 5. Whence it is that naturall men are said to be in darknesse Ephes. 5.8 Matth. 4.16 whereas the regenerate are called Children of the light and of the day 1 Thâ—ss 5.4 5. Luke 1.79 Which comparison is very emphaticall For as the Soule is the lamp of the body and 〈◊〉 Reason of the Soule and Religion of Reason and Faith of Religion so Christ is the light and life of faith Whence it followes that as meere sense is uncapable of the rules of reason so reason is no lesse uncapable of the things which are supernaturall And as to speake is only proper to men so to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven is onely proper to beleevers Sense is a meere beasts reason a meere mans Divine knowledge is onely the Christians Now if it be askt Why a naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Saint Paul in the place before quoted answers He cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 For if they be spiritually discerned how should they discern them that have not the Spirit For as no man can see the Sun but by the light of the Sun so no man can know the secrets of God but by the revelation of God 1 Cor. 12.8 Mat. 16.17 To know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven wee must have hearts eyes and eares sanctified from above Deut. 29.2 3 4. Psal. 111.10 Luk. 24.45 Iohn 15.15 Rom 8.14 15. Neither is spiritual and â—â—avenly wisdome the fruit of time and study as the naturall is It is not eloquence nor Logicall demonstrations that can make us capable of it We cannot attaine to supernaturall and celestiall knowledge by any naturall and terrestriall meanes No learning nor experience will serve to know that great mystery of godlinesse and hid wisdome spoken of 1 Cor. 2.6 7 8 10 c. to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge c. Ephes. 1.17 18. and 3.19 Because this wisdome descendeth from above Iames 3.17 SECT 64. 2 SEcondly As none can attaine to this precious grace of saving knowledge except it be given them from above so it is a jewell of such worth that God gives it to none but his children the godly and such as hee knows wil improve their knowledge to his glory The servant saith Christ meaning the ungodly man knoweth not his masters will but I have called you friends speaking to his Apostles and in them to all that are converted for all things that I have heard of my Father have I made knowne unto you John 15.15 Surely saith Solomon to a man that is good in his sight God giveth wisdome and knowledge Eccles. 2.26 Intimating that he doth not so to the evill man The Wise that is the godly saith Daniel shall understand but none of the wicked shall have understanding Dan. 12.10 A scorner seeketh wisdome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that wil understand Pro. 14.6 that is to him that will be bettered by his understanding Wicked men understand not judgement but they that seeke the Lord understand all things Prov. 28.5 and 3.32 They which observe the Commandments have a good understanding saith David Psal. 111.10 the rest have an ill understanding and a vain an understanding like that of the Scribes and Pharisees which was enough to condemn them but not to save them Such as are delivered up to councells and brought before Rulers and Kings in defence of the Gospell are straitly charged by our Saviour neither to premeditate or take thought before hand how or what to answer because the holy Ghost shall teach them in that
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
multiplying glasses That subtil Syren with Orphean aâ—ers and dexterous warbles leads us to the flames of hell and then derides us with contempt and triumph Like a cunning courtezan that dallies the Ruffian to undoe himselfe and then paies him with a fleere and scorne SECT 73. BUT I hope I have said enough and that thou art convinc'd in thine own Conscience that hitherto thou hast been a meer Atheist and that through Atheisme thou hast hated reviled and persecuted the godly If not Truth is as much Truth when it is not acknowledged as when it is Now if thou dost confidently and without peradventure beleeve what the Scripture speaks of God Heaven Hell c. If thou beleevest the threatnings and precepts as well as the promises and if thou bearest any love to thine owne soule Break off thy sins by repentance and oppose the good no longer give no credit to the flesh or the Devill which propheâ—â—e prosperity to sinne but beleeve God and the Scripture which manifestly proves that every man shall bee judged according to his works Revel 12.13 22.12 Make not Christ a boulster for sin nor Gods mercy a warrant for thy continuance in an evill course Bee not therefore evill because hee is good least like the foolish builder thou commest short of thy reckoning for Christ came to destroy the workes of the Devill Iohn 3.3.8 9 10. And not to be a Patron of sin and there is mercy with God that hee might be feared not that he might be despised blasphemed c. Psalm 130.4 Yea know this and write it in the Table-booke of thy memory and on the table of thine heart that if God's bountifullnesse and long suffering towards thee does not leade thee to repentance it will double thy doome and increase the pile of thy torments for every day which does not abate of thy reckoning will increase it Qui numerat dotes numerat dies and thou by thy hardnesse and impenitency shalt but treasure up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the â—ust judgement of God Romans 2 4 5 6. And so much of the third Cause SECT 74. THere are Eight other Causes as they make them why they thus hate and persecute us The first is Speaking of Truth for which see 1 King 22.8.17.23 24.26.27 Ier. 11.19 and 26.8 9.11 and 36.23.26 and 38.4 5 6. Amos 5.10 Mark 6.16 to 29. Act. 16.19 to 25. and 17.5.6.7.13 and 18.11.12 13. and 19.26 to 34. and 21.27 28.30.31 and 22.22 23. and 23.1 2.12 13.14 Gal. 4.16 The second is Misprision for which see Act. 24.14 and 26.9.10.11.24 1 King 18.17 18. Psalm 14. 1 Ier. 44.17 18 19. Wisd. 5.4 Matth. 7.14 and 13.55 56 57. and 28 15. Mark 5.39.40 and 7 5 8.9 Iohn 2.19 20.21 and 3.3.4 and 7.15.23 24. and 8.15.57 58 59. 9.16 16.2 Act. 2.13 2 Thess. 2.10.11 12 Rom. 8.5 6 7 8. 1 Corinth 1.18 to 29. and 2.7 8 10 11.12 13 14 15 16. and 3.18 19 20. 2 Timothy 2.26 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Revel 3.17 The third is Example of the multitude touching which read Gen. 19.4 to 12. Numb 14.2 3 10. and 16.1 to 4. Matth. 27.20.25 27 39 49. Act. 19.24 to 30. The fourth is Separation for which looke Gen. 39.12 to 21. Psal. 26.4.5 and 101.7 and 119.63.115 Prov. 5.8 and 23.20 Ier. 15.19 Wisd. 2.16 Ioh 15.19 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Cor. 6.17 Ephes. 5.7 2 Thess. 3.6.14 1 Pet. 4.4 Rev. 18.4 The fifth is The preaching of some Ministers for which see Ier. 5.31 and 8.11 and 23.13.14 15 16 17.21 22 26 27.31 32. Ezek. 22.25 26 28. Mat. 9.34 Mar. 13.22 Ioh. 5.43 Act. 13.8 and 20.29.30 Romans 16.17 18. 2 Cor. 2.17 and 11.13.14.15 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3.8 2 Pet. 2. ch and 3.3 The sixth is The scandalous lives of some Professors for which see Gen. 9.21.22 and 12 18 19. and 19.33 35 36. and 20.2.12.16 and 34.13 14 15 16.25 26. to 31. 1 Sam. 2.12 to 18. 2 Sam. 12.14 Mat. 7.15 and 18.7 and 23.3.14 23 24 25 27. and 26.14 15 16.70.72.74 and 27.5 The seventh is Flocking after Sermons for which looke Ioh. 11.48 and 12.19 and 6 2. Acts 13.45 Matth. 4.24 25. and 15 30. Mar. 3.10 and 8.1 and 10.1 2. Luke 5.15 and 6.17 18 19. Eightly the finall Cause is that they may have more company here in sinne and hereafter in torments For which turne to Psal. 35.4 7 12. 40.14 56.6 59.2 3. Matth. 23.13 15. Luke 11.52 Iohn 11.48 and 12 10 11. and 15.19 Act. 26.11 1 Pet 4.4 Revel 12.17 and 13 15. But they are all so prolix and yet so unmeete to be abbreviated that if I should handle them and make of all but one Volume they would so swel the heape that not a few would bee deprived of the whole Hee will buy a Manuall or Enchiridion that will not buy a Commentary and hee will read a Curranto that will not reade a Chronicle History Yea it may happen to meet with Patients so desperate that although they acknowledge it is of absolute necessity for them to be informed touching these things yet having Queasie stomacks if they see their Potion bigge aswell as bitter will resolve to suffer yea to dye rather than take it That will bee swallowed by morsells and easily disgested which being taken all at once will not only cloy but surfeit Wherefore I have devided the whole into parts of which five are already published Viz. The Cure of Misprision Compleat Armory against evill society Characters of the kinds of Preaching Sin Stigmatized The Victory of Patience FINIS Imprimatur John Downeham * of Gen. 3.15 what chiefly concerns our selves we apply to others and this makes all meanes to prove ineffectuall Sufficient hath beene spoken to convince the most malitious The reason why so few are converted Al scoffers as bad as Cain Ishmael c. No expecting a voice from heaven as Saul had and yet if so it would not pâ—evail with them The worst think well of themselves The most prophane can apply the promises which belong not to thâ—m hard to say whether their applying the promises or not applying the precepts and threats most occasions their impenitency Salvation not more promised to the penitent then damnation threatned to the impenitent If we will not heare Christ now he will not heare us hereafter Christ came not to be a patron for sin but to sanctifie as well as to save us If Christians we wil imitate Christ if Gods servants we will obey him But scoffers are Satans servants The great evill that scoffers do Satan the god king and father of all unbelievers Satan speakes in and by scoffers but they know it not Of which many examples 1 Tim. 6. â—4 Five main reasons why they fight under Sathans banner and yet thinke themselves Gods servants 1 Their ignorance of spirituall things 2 the
commonnesse of this sin hath taken away the sense of it This counted no sin and yet worse then all his fellows 3 They reject all meanes of being bettered 4 Because they will not imbrace the truth they are given up to beleeve lyes 5 The Prince of darkenesse blindes them Satan prevailes most by desception of our reason We mistake good for evill and evill for good Sathan desires no more then to beheard speake He will put a faire coulour upon the foulest sin and make the best action odious He hath perswaded millions that they doe wel in persecuting the saitus If Sathan shewed the hooke as well as the bâ—ite his Kingdom would not be so populous Sathan more servants here then God Few compared with the multitude shall be saved The difficulty of entring the strait gate 1 Pet. 4.18 Yet most live as if they had no soules The foolish ingratitude of ungodly men Want of application on the cause of al impiety All performances abominable except they proceed from right ends and a heart sanctified Tryall of a Christian by the fruites of his faith Morrall men count zeal madnesse and Religion foolishnes They so hate holinesse that they will hate men for it They persecute us out of zeal Which is the case of not a few All hated for religion or haters of reigion They have so hardened their hearts that we were as good admonish a stone The reason why al are not beaten off by their sâ—offes How to have our â—udgments cleared and our prejudice cured Occasion of writing upon this subject All ineffectual except God give a blessing The religious hated and spoken against of all and every where A secret enmity antipathy betweene the wicked and Godly Millions beaten off from being religious by the scoffs reproaches of wicked men The miseâ—â—ble â—ondition of cowardly Christians A remarkable example The contempt of Religion makes many resolve against goodness They will make an evill construction of what soever we do or speak No reclayming such as are forestaled with preiudice Meanes to cleare our Iudgments touching the worlds hatred Religion most opposed by formall professors Christ his crosse inseparable All the saints have been hated and persecuted Meanes to confirme comfort strengthen us against the worlds hatred Their malice a good signe we belong to God The originall of the worlds hatred Gen. 3 15 opened explained An enmity proclaimed and what it is The Author proclaiming The Captaines and Souldiers between whom All wicked men are the Serpents seed What is meant by the Woeman and her seed Severall uses of instruction 1. Vse 2 Use 3 Use The certainty of this War Lessons of Instruction from hence 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Lesson Originall sin the origâ—nall of this disâ—cord The end why â—hreefoâ—d God the Author without being the Author of sin 1. Reason 2 Reason The same further cleared The distinction of adversiâ—ties The time when this warr was proclaimed 2. The time that it is to continue 3. The time more strictly in regard of the subiect and obiect A Vse of comfort The manner of their venting this enmity The circumstance of place three-forld What will be the issue who shall get the Victory What is meant by brusing the head What by bruising the Heele This text an epitomy of the whole Bible Order and distribution of the whole booke The continuance of it in all Ages 1 It was before the Flood 2 After the Flood before the Law 3 After the Law before Christ. 4 In the time of Christ and his Apostles What a multitude have suffered for professing Christ. 5. After the Apostles in the time of the tenne Persecutions 6 From the primitive times hitherto Formall Christians the greatest persecutors of true Christians 7 In the times wherein we live A holy life cannot escape persecution This enmity makes them forget all â—â—turall affection 8 It will continue so long as time continues Application of the point Twenty two signes or properties of this enmity 1 They envy the Godly Envy the Devills cogniâ—ance as love is Christs 2 They contemne them which is not for 〈◊〉 of ignorance 3 they reioyce at our supposed evill estate But most if they see us sin 4 They hate the godly Their hatred extends to the whole generation of the Godly But they have not so much authority as malice Though their punishment shall be never the lesse 5 They murmure against the godly and God himselfe For being better then them selves They have a great advantage of the godly Their miserable condition 6 They sensure our actions and mis-consture our inteutions Preiudice blindes them They traduce whoÌ„ they cannot seduce They condemne others that themsâ—lves may be justified They iudge others by themselves 7 They carry tales of us to the Rulers Charge us with many things but proove nothing They passe over our good partes They will coyne matter to accuse us How to heare the tale-bearer No musick so sweet as to heare well of themselves ill of the religious The tale-bearers end 3 They give divelish councel against us They dazell mens eyes with false accutions Their matchlesse malice in slandering us The Prelates more ready to yeeld their ayd then the rude rabble to aske it 9. They flout and scoffe at the godly They so hate righteousnesse that they hate men for it They think us mad we know them to be mad They are zealous against all that are zealous They scoff at us God laughes at them Their punishments No greater Argument of a foule soule 10. They use to nick-name the godly It is the Devill that speakes in and by them Nothig hath proved more successfull to Satan then lies Wicked men think to grace themselves by disgracing the godly 11 They revile and raile on the godly Because the Law bindes their hands they smit with their tongues They speak evill of us because they cannot do evil to us How fitly they are termed dogs Their words are to bee â—lighted Foule mâ—uthed men and women are devills in the Scripture phrase Satans heart in their lips 12. They raise slanders of the godly Evill reports both make and increase iealousies and disable us from discerning the truth Slanderers Satans best servants Great wits not apter to raise slanders then othes to beleeve them A slander once raised never dyes At least it leaves a scar of suspition behinde Wise men will examine before they beleeve Their policy in slandering us The theef most forward to cry stop theefe 13. They will curse the godly Wicked men lye when they speake the truth As they belong to hell so thâ—y speak the language They that curse us would kill us if they durst They curse those that least of all deserve it They curse us that they may discourage us Though they curse yet God will blesse How miserably cursers shall be cursed 14. They use to threaten the godly No living for the godly if their enemies hands were alowed to be as bloody