Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 102
§ 102.
ANd ſo you have the drunkards heart and tongue delineated, 2. There malice and envie would breake out at their hands if they were not manacled by the Law.and therein vvhat they doe to us, in caſe vve vvill not runne with them to the ſame exceſſe of ryot, Novv ſee, vvith the like patience, vvhat they vvould doe, in caſe the Lavv reſtrained them not, and hovv the malice and envie of their hearts, would break forth at their hands; for having done all this, and not finding the iſſue to anſwer their expectation, viz. that they cannot diſcourage us, but that we ſtill perfevere and hold out in our peremptory courſe of well doing, and will not reconcile our ſelves unto them, nor the world, doe they what they can; they would proceed further, if they durſt, and might bee allowed by the Law, as,Firſt they would combine together and lay divelliſh plots to deſtroy us.
Firſt, they would combine themſelves together, and cunningly undermine us: 1 Samuel 18.17.21.25. Ieremiah 18.18. Acts 6.9.10. yea, lay divelliſh plots to deſtroy us: Daniel 6. Exodus 1.9.10. Pſalme 83.3, 4, 5. Acts 4.26, 27. and 19. Chap. and 23.10, 14.
Secondly, 2 They would deliver us up unto the Magiſtrat.they would deliver us up, and falſely accuſe us to the Magiſtrates, 1 Sam. 22.9.10. and 23.19.20. and 26. 1. Acts, 6.8. to 15. and 24.13.
Thirdly, 3 Give deviliſh counſell againſt us & cauſe us to be impriſoned.they would perſwade, and give deviliſh counſell to them againſt us, Rev. 2.14. Ier. 38.4. Act. 17.13. and never leave untill they had, in the fourth place, ſhut us up in Priſon, 1 Kings, 22.27. Ier. 36.5. and 15.10. Luk. 21.12, Acts, 5.18. and 12.4. and 4.3. and 22.25. and 28.17. 2 Cor. 11.23. and in caſe we would not yet yeeld to aſſociate them in evill doing, nor conforme to their lewd and wicked cuſtomes, then would they give us bodily correction, as,
Firſt, 4 ſtrike us.they would ſtrike us, 1 Kings, 22.24. Ier. 20.2. and 37.15. Acts, 23.2. 2 Cor. 11.23.24.25.
Secondly, 5 hurt and maime us.they would hurt and mayme us, Numb. 14.10. Iudges, 16.21. Acts, 14.19.
Thirdly, Lastly, drunkards would kill us for being forefractory.if all this would not doe, in the laſt place theſe drunkards and vicious livers would kill us, for being ſo refractory, they would make us either bow or breake; they would kill our bodies, if they could not corrupt our ſoules; if we would not part with our innocency, we ſhould part with our lives; as it fared with the three children, that were put into the fiery furnace, becauſe they would not worſhip the golden Image, as others did, Dan, 3. and all the Prophets of the Lord, whom Iezabel ſlew, becauſe ſhe could not bring them to her owne bow, 1 King. 18.4. and thoſe numberleſſe Martyrs, whoſe ſoules St. Iohn ſaw under the Altar, Rev. 6. which were killed, becauſe they would not doe and ſay as the reſt, yea, even for the word of God, and for the teſtimony, which they maintained, ve. 9.
And why fares it not ſo with us? why doe not the ſame drunkards, vicious liveers, and other enemies of holineſſe, which now enuy, hate, cenſure, ſcoffe at, nicke-name, raile on, and ſlander us, even strike, maime, and kill us, but becauſe their hands are tyed by the Law?
I dare ſay it fares with many of them (becauſe they cannot have their wills) as it did with Achilles, who is feigned to eate his owne heart, becauſe he might not be ſuffered to fight.
Why are not our Sanctuaries turned into Shambles, and our beds made to ſwim with our bloods long before this, but that the God of Iſrael hath croſſed the confederacy of Balack. It is no thank to wicked men, that their wickedneſſe doth not proſper; the world would ſoone be over-runne with evills, if men might be ſo ill as they would.
Alaſſe! if our Gracious King and State did not maintaine true Religion, and countenance the ſame, it would be otherwiſe then it is with the people of God; as the Word of God, and former experience witneſſeth.