Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 101
§ 101.
IT is betweene the ſeed of the Serpent; and the ſeed of the Woman, Let us turn openly prophane their quarrell is at an end.as betweene Turkes and Chrictians, the Turkes call and account Christians as Dogs; but let the ſame Christians turne Turkes, and they ſhall bee highly reckoned of: ſo let us turne openly prophane, their quarrell is at an end; nothing but our goodneſſe is the whetſtone of their envie: ſo that one notable proofe of ſaving grace in us, is, the exerciſe of their malice againſt us, Iohn 15.19. Alaſſe! had we continued the Divels ſubjects, we ſhould have beene let alone.
The Iſraelites were never ſet upon by Pharaoh and all his forces, Sathan diſturbs not his owne.untill they were gone out of his land: the blind man, nor his parents were ever troubled of the Iewes, untill Chriſt cured him of his blindneſſe: nor the diſeaſed man grudged at for eight and thirty yeares together, till Chriſt ſaid unto him, take up thy bed, and walke; but then as hee carries his bed, ſo he carried reproaches: ſo long as S. Paul joyned with the high Prieſts and Elders to make havock of the Church, hee was no whit moleſted by them; but when hee became a Convert, and preach'd in the name of Ieſus, who ſo hated and perſecuted as he? If the Church travell, and bring forth a male, it is in danger of the Dragon's ſtreames, but not elſe; that Goliah defies none, but the Hoſt of the liveing God; Sathan meddles not with his owne, they are as ſure as temptation can make them, they meddle not with repentance, and hee meddles not with them: to ſinne hee would have our paths ſmooth, and calme, and pleaſant, winning us forward; but if wee turne our feet towards S…on, then he encounters, and blocks up our way with temptations, yea, then this Ahab will wage cruell war with, and fight againſt us, untill hee recovers his Ramoth Gilead, that is, our ſoule, 1 Kings 22.3. otherwiſe he is more ſubtile, then to ſpend his malice on them that doe him ready ſervice: carnall drunkards need no entreaty (much leſſe be forced) to bee officious, for they have a free will to that which is evill, it is only a Iob that the divell delights to vex with anguiſh, hee knowes an Abſolom will runne laughing to hell, it is ſome Peter whom Sathan deſires to winnow, Luk. 22.31. ſome are all chaff; he wil not meddle with them; Ephraim is joyned with Idols, let him alone, Hoſea 4.17. let him alone, ſaith God, let him alone, faith Sathan; he is as faſt as I would wiſh him, ſo all is in peace, Luk. 11.21.
But let them take it for a fearefull ſigne of a dead heart, No greater temptation then not to be tempted.when they feele not Sathans buffetings, for there is not a greater temptation, ſaith Gregrory, then not to bee tempted, why? they ſhall not feele his hate, till they feele his heate, even his unquenchable fire in the burning lake. Alaſſe! hee ceaſeth to tempt them whom hee hath already wonne, but the godly are enemies, therefore they muſt looke to be aſſaulted.
Neither were he his craftsmaſter, if he did otherwiſe. Doth any Prince or Generall make warre with his owne ſubjects or ſouldiers, that march under his colours? no, but with rebells and enemies. What Jayler layes more bolts upon the ſhackled malefactor, that loves his Priſon, and would not change? this is for ſuch as have attempted to breake Priſon. Beſides, there is great reaſon why the godly are tempted more then the wicked, becauſe the wicked doe him ſervice in this particular, and tempt others.
Again, the crafty thiefe will not break into an empty houſe, but where he may finde ſome good booty: the empty Traveller ſings before the thiefe, and may paſſe unmoleſted; it is the ful purſe which invites the highway man. The Pirat never ſpends his ſhott upon Cole-Ships, but lets flie at the rich Merchant: ſo if the Divell and his inſtruments, drunkards, ſet upon us, it is a good argument, and we may preſume there is the Treaſure of grace, at leaſt the beginnings of it; for where there is no light, there is no ſhadow.
As Chriſt was no ſooner baptiſed, and the Spirit deſcended on him, but preſently Sathan had a bout with him; yea, as Iacob was no ſooner conceived in the wombe, then Eſau ſtrove with him, Gen. 25.22. ſo every true Chriſtian begins his warre with his being, both our births are accompanied vvith teares; ſo that vvhen once vvee put our endeavours to godlineſſe, expect no quiet, for a Chriſtians life can no more bee vvithout ſorrovves, then the Sea can bee vvithout vvaves and flovvings.
And yet our caſe vvould be far vvorſe, Our caſe would be far worſe if we ſhould be at peace with them.if vve ſhould yeeld unto them, both here, in reſpect of our conſciences; and hereafter, in reſpect of our ſoules. As I have read of a Chriſtian, that to ſave his life, turned Turke; but this could not ſave him, for they preſently in deriſion hanged him up, vvith theſe vvords, Morieris in fide, Turca, hovvever thou liveſt, thou ſhalt dye a Turke.