Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 113
§ 113.
NOw wherein doe they overcome, They would have our company in torments.and what is it theſe ſpirituall Kings, and their Regiments chiefely fight for (for having made cleare way, I come now at length to prove the ſecond part of my former propoſition, namely, that their utmoſt aime and end (whether they ſeeke to intiſe or enforce us to ſinne with them) is, that they may have our company hereafter in the burning lake) but to win ſoules each from other? and what thinke you doe drunkards, the ſeede of the Serpent, and children of the Devill, more delight in, then the murther of ſoules? and why doe they ſo ſubtilly perſwade, and ſo violently enforce us to ſinne with them, but that they may pluck us out of Chriſts fould, and bring us into the ſame place of torment, whether they are going? This is the very end and purpoſe of all their warring againſt the ſeede of the woman. No thing but …our ſoul ewill Iſatisfi the berpent and is ſeede.For as nothing but the diſhonour and rape of Tamer, could pleaſe Amnon; and nothing but the blood of Amnon, could ſatisfie Abſalom; and nothing but the heart of Abſalom, could content Ioab; and nothing but the death of Ioab, could pacifie Salomon: ſo nothing but our ſoules, will ſatisfie the Serpent and his ſeede. This is the very Pricke, White, and Butt, whereat they ſhoote all their Arrowes, and lay their levell.
If any ſhall ſay, this word is too big for my mouth, I wiſh them, firſt heare, and then determine. The Devill by theſe, as through ſo many Bowes, ſhootes a deadly Arrowe at thy ſoule, as Lycian Pandorus did at Menelaus the Grecian; but God, like Pallas, turneth by the Shaft, and makes it hit upon thy body, goods, or good name; as that upon the buckler of his girdle.
Why thinke you are all their frownes, and frumps, and cenſures, and ſcoffes? Why ſo many ſlanders, and ſtigmaticall nick-names raiſed and caſt upon the Religious? why are they the alone object of their ſcorne and deriſion, but that they may flout them out of their faith, dampe, or quench the ſpirit, where they perceive it is kendled, but that they may baffle them out, and make them aſhamed of their holy profeſſion and religious courſe, and conſequently pull them back to the world?
Why did the Heathen Emperours ſo violently oppoſe, and ſo cruelly perſecute the Chriſtians, but to make them become Heathens too? Why did Bonner and Gardiner, with the reſt of that crew, in the time of Queene Mary, burne at the ſtake all that truely profeſt the purity of Religion, but to winne them from Chriſt? Why did St. Paul, before his converſion, breath out threatnings and ſlaughters againſt the Diſciples; why did he perſecute them, even to ſtrang cities, ſhut up in Priſon, and puniſh them throughout all the Synagogues, but that he might make them renounce Chriſt, and his religion, and compell them to blaſpheme? as himſelfe confeſſeth, Acts, 26.10.11. Why did the high Prieſts ſo conſult and contrive about putting Lazarus to death, after he was raiſed; and Chriſt alſo, that raiſed him, but becauſe for his ſake many of the Iewes went away, and beleeved in Ieſus? as the Holy-Ghoſt affirmes, Iohn, 12.10.11. ſee alſo Chap. 11.48. Laſtly, if there were not many men ſo curſedly wretched, as to delight in the murther of ſonles; what ſhould holy David ſo much, and in ſo many places, uſe theſe, and the like expreſſions, They have laid waite for my ſoule, Pſa. 59.2.3. They rewarded me evill for good, to have ſpoyled my ſoule, Pſal. 35.12. Mine enemies, the wicked, compaſse me round about for my ſoule, Pſa. 17.9. They gather themſelves together, and lay waite for my ſoule, Pſalme 56.6. and many the like, which was not more his caſe, then it is ours: for all their ayme, when they either tempt, or afflict us, is, that they may make us ſquare our lives, according to their rule, (as that Gyant did proportion the bodies of all his gueſts, to the bed of his Harlot; either by ſtretching out, if they wanted in length; or cutting off, if they did exceed) and conſequently, draw us to perdition.
They rather wiſh all damned with themſelves, then any to bee freed from their owne Priſon: and as in the bleſſed, there is perfect charity; ſo in the damned, there is perfect envie; neither the good would be ſaved, nor the wicked would be damned alone; wherefore they ſeeke to winne all they can.