Cain and Abel Malignity, Chapter 2
Chap. II. Whom I mean by Godly Persons, and whom by Malignant Enemies to Godliness.
§ 1. BY GODLINESS I do not mean, 1. Any Superstition, or making Religions, or Religious Duties which God never made, and extolling these, and the Party that are for them. God hath made us Religious work enough: Could we do that well, we need no more. Religion, so far as it is made by men, is no Religion, but a contradiction or equivocation; for Religion is our Obligation and Duty to God, and Conscience of it. Could I be for Superstition, or more Religion than God hath made us, I might be for all the New Religions of Rome, Franciscans, Dominicans, Carthusians, Jesuits, Oratorians, and all the rest: And I might be for their Works of Supererogation, their Massings, worshiping Bread, Angels, dead Saints, Images, their Pilgrimages, Relicks, and all their pretended Traditions and Councils, their new made Church-Laws; and I should know no end.
§ 2. And 2. By Godliness I mean not any singular, odd Opinion differing from the Scripture, and making a Sect, or any Errour whatsoever; nor any Opinion which is contrary to any thing which the whole Church on Earth did ever hold as necessary to Salvation or Communion.
§ 3. Nor 3. Do I mean any Truth or Duty of inferiour moment, which only makes to the well-being of a Christian, though this be an Inferiour part of Godliness; at least not that which a godly willing person knows not to be his duty.
§ 4. Much less 4. Do I mean any proud false conceit of a mans own Godliness, and becoming one of an unwarrantable Sect, that he may be conspicuous to others, or cherish this presumption in himself; and say to others, Stand by, I am holier than thou: Or as the Pharisee, I thank thee Lord that I am not as this Publican: (Though yet all that will be saved must greatly differ from the ungodly, and must with thankfulness own Gods grace.)
§ 5. Nor 5. Do I mean any unlawful practice, which on the pretence of Godliness may be done, whether unjust censures, backbiting, unwarrantable separations from others, divisions, disobedience to Authority, Sedition, Rebellion, &c. These are all contrary to Godliness and true Religion. Christ is the strictest condemner of them, and Godliness the best cure. If any Godly or Religious person, be guilty of any one of these, 1. It cannot be as known and in a predominant degree; 2. And it is his Disease (as a Leprosie to a man) and not his Godliness.
§ 6. But by GODLINESS I mean only the serious Consent to, and Performance of the Covenant which we made with God in our Baptism: That we seriously believe that there is One only God, of most perfect Power, Knowledge and Goodness, our Creator, Maintainer, Governour and End; whom we must Obey, and Serve, and Love above all Creatures whatsoever; and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and will give everlasting blessedness to the faithful, and everlastingly punish the ungodly. That we seriously believe that Iesus Christ is the Redeemer and Saviour, who Teacheth, Ruleth, Pardoneth, Sanctifieth and Saveth all true penitent Believers; who is our Intercessor, Head and Iudge. That we seriously believe that the Holy Ghost indited and sealed by his Gifts and Miracles the Doctrine and Writings of the Prophets and Apostles, now recorded in the Scriptures, and that he is sent from the Father and the Son to Regenerate, Sanctifie, Comfort and Strengthen those that shall be saved.
And that we seriously consent to Love and Obey God our Father, Saviour and Sanctifier as his Creatures, Subjects and Children in these Relations, that we may be pardoned and saved by him. And that we be willing to forsake the Devil and his Works, and the World and Flesh, so far as they would tempt us to break this Covenant against God, and our Obedience and Salvation.
And lastly, That we seriously or sincerely (though not perfectly) endeavour in our lives to keep this Covenant, preferring God in our Love and Obedience, and our Hopes of Life everlasting before all the pleasures and treasures of this World, and resisting the temptations of the Devil, World and Flesh, which would turn us from him, and from our Obedience and Hope: And that we truly (though not perfectly) trust God and our Redeemer for the Heavenly Glory which he hath promised.
This is plainly, distinctly and fully what I mean by Godliness or Holiness: And such are the persons (though all imperfect, and of divers degrees) which I call Saints or Godly: He that feigneth me to mean any thing else, doth but abuse himself and me: If there be none such, there are no Christians, and all the Word of God is vain.
But every Duty commanded by God is a part of the matter of our Obedience and Religion, viz. As according to the first Commandment to take God for our God, to be absolutely Obeyed, Loved and Trusted, and to renounce all Idols, and neither to Obey, Love or Trust our selves or any creature before him; So also according to the second Commandment, to renounce all scandalous symbolizing with Idolaters, in the outward worship of God in their sinful way; especially by Images, and other apearances of Idolatry: And that we worship God, according to his Word.
And according to the third Commandment, that we avoid all Prophanation of holy things; All Perjury, false Vows, and fathering falshoods upon God or his Words, and rash Swearing and Unreverent using of Gods Name, and turning his worship into a lifeless form.
And according to the fourth Commandment, that we worship God publickly in solemn assemblies, and devote the Lords day to holy exercises; that we search the Scriptures, pray for what God hath promised, or commanded; Meditate and Confer of holy things, and celebrate the Sacraments in the Communion of Saints.
And so according to the second Table that we honour and obey our Parents, and (as far as their right of Government reacheth) all other that God sets over us: And dishonour them not, nor obey Civil, Ecclesiastical or Domestical Usurpers against them.
That we do our best to save our neighbours Life and Bodily welfare, against Murderers or Usurpers; and hurt no mans life or health either violently or by Iezabels pretence of Justice.
That we keep our Senses, Thoughs, Affections, Passions and Actions, from all unchastity and immodest lasciviousness.
That we wrong no man in his estate, but to our power help them.
That we avoid all Injustice, Lying, false Witness, false Judgment and Oppressive, Unrighteous Government; And promote Truth and Justice to our power.
And lastly that we love our Neighbour as our selves, and take his welfare and his sufferings as our own, and do as we would have others do by us, and covet not to draw from him to our selves.
So that he that pretendeth to love God and Godliness, and obedience to Christ, and yet loveth not such a life as this, he lieth, or says he knows not what.
And he that hateth men or opposeth them, for any one of all these duties, (for reading or hearing Gods Word, for praying for things promised, for holy Conference and Meditation, for sanctifying the Lords day, for desiring a Shepherd and not a Wolf; for abhorring prophaneness, and other great sins) doth thereby declare that it is so much of Godliness or Obedience which he abhorreth; and it is through Ignorance doubtless if he seriously love and practise the rest of Gods Commands.
§ 7. II. By Malignant Enemies of Godliness, 1. I do not mean every one that hath any backwardness to any duty, which he overcometh in the practice: Nor every one that is guilty of some omissions: The spirit is willing, and the flesh is weak.
§ 8. 2. I mean not those that are Godly in the main so far as they can know, but through education or otherwise are ignorant of some Integral Truths or Duties, and have an opposing contentious Zeal against them by mistake; and by factious company are taught therefore to speak evil falsly of those from whom they differ. I hear some revile all even with terms of enmity and unchristian threatnings, yea seeking their ruine, who do not swear, say and practise all that is required to English Conformity. I do not conclude them therefore Malignant Enemies of Godliness, if they live soberly, righteously and godlily in their way, and prefer God before Men, Heaven before Earth, the Soul before the Body, and a Holy life before the pleasures and profits of the flesh. If they are uncharitable against all that are not for Diocesans, Lay-Chancellours Excommunications, Symbolical Crossing of Children as a Covenanting sign of Christianity, and all the rest; I wish them more Charity, but I call them not Malignant Enemies.
I find Bishop Gunnings Chaplain thinks that he doth say well, when he saith, that [Not only Murderers, Adulterers, Drunkards, but such Schismaticks as disturb the peace, and weaken the authority of the Churches Discipline (theirs) are to be excommunicated and reckoned among Heathens and Publicans; and Enemies to the Gospel of Christ (if they preach it without a Diocesanes license.) p. 214. And that it is already our case, that it's a very difficult matter to find a Iury and Witnesses especially among the Dissenters, upon whose credit we may rely.) All this signifieth how little blind Faction is to be believed, and how far it conquereth even humane modesty and veracity: But yet I difference it from the Enmity to Godliness which I speak of. And that you may see that he is no Papist, though for a Forreign Iurisdiction, he tells you of Cromwell that [There is too great, reason to suspect that he intended to settle Popery in the Nation, when matters had been ripe to go through with it.] I confess this is news to me: I have roundly told him to his face of his Disloyalty in deposing our English Monarchy, and told the world then of his treacherous Usurpation, but it never came into my thoughts that he intended to settle Popery in the Nation. But if these words come from Clergy Truth and Modesty, they are very considerable. I hope the old Royalists will be against Popery the more if Cromwel was for it: And the Papists I hope will be no more angry with Dr. Moulin that answereth Philanax Anglicus, for making the Kings death to be caused and concluded by the Papists, if Cromwel was for them. But Faction will face men down, that Snow is black.
So on the other side, I hear some that are against Infant Baptism, sharply censure all that are not of their mind; And some oversharply censure the Prelatists and Conformists; And almost all the Christian world is divided into parties, that too little stick at the injurious censuring of others; The Papists, Greeks, Abassines, Armenians, Nestorians, Jacobites, &c. And among the Papists, the Dominicans and Molinists, and Jansenians, &c. And among the Protestants, too many. This is no small sin, but it is not that enmity to Godliness it self which I mean.
§ 9. 3. And I mean not by malignity, mens Differences in Civil and Political Controversies. Though I take Popery to be half a Civil Controversy, and to be unsufferable by such Princes and People whom they bind themselves to depose and destroy: And that to Subject all the Christian world to the Legislative, Judicial and Executive Government of one Pope, or one Pretorian Court, is no better than to proclaim such a Pope or Court, to be publick enemies and usurpers to all Christian Princes and States. But yet abundance of Political differences may consist with serious Piety: My reason is, because God hath not made Political Controversies so clear as that all good Christians can resolve them. Neither the Light of Nature, nor the Bible▪ nor Tradition endeth them. Nor hath he put them into our Creed or the ten Commandments, nor laid mens Salvation on them, as he hath done on the Essentials of Religion: Nor commanded all men to be so well Skill'd in Statute Books and Common Law as to be able to know which party is in the right. And therefore I joyn not with those Clergy or Lay-Gentlemen, who damn all that are not of their mind and side, in differences of that nature.
I often hear some say that Kings and States do all receive their Authority from the Body of the Nation who are the chief seat of it. So Hooker, so Laud, and indeed as aforesaid, so Heathen, Papist and Protestant Politicks ordinarily hold: I call not all these malignants, though I am fully satisfied, 1. That God is the Instituter of Magistracy in genere. 2. And that he hath so far specified it as to determine of its unchangeable Essentials (that they shall as his Officers promote obedience to the ten Commandments.) 3. And that he never gave this governing power to the people. 4. But that all that the people do is, 1. To specify it as to the number of persons (a Monarchy, Aristocracy or, mixt of these and some Democracy.) 2. To limit it by determining of the Degrees of power, about Property and Liberty, and all things which Gods Law hath left undetermined, and mutable. 3. And to determine of the persons and Families that shall receive the immutable power from God and the mutable from men.
I often hear some most magnify Democracy, and some Aristocracy, and some Monarchy, and some a mixture; and some English Clergy men are for a Civil Monarchy Subject to a Catholick Clergy-Aristocracy: I call none Malignants for any such differences.
I find some Papists and Protestants Politick writers saying that when it proveth hurtful to the Common-wealth, the people may retract the power given the Prince, and change the Government, and Hooker saith, No doubt in such a case a Prince will part with it: And A. Bishop Laud, before cited, saith of the like, and abrogating Laws, This power no Body Collective Ecclesiastical or Civil, can put out of it self and give away, And I find many that extol Hooker and Laud, call this a principle of Rebellion. It is neither of them that I call Malignants.
I find most writers of Politicks agreed that the Law of nature Alloweth and Commandeth Kingdoms and Commonwealths self-defence against any publick Enemies that seek to destroy them. And that no man on pretence of Right to a Crown hath any right to destroy the body of the people, or the Bonum publicum which is the Essentiating end of Government, nor can be simul rex & publicus hostis. I hear others take this for an unchristian doctrine of Rebellion, and say, that if a King would destroy all the people of a Kingdom (in revenge, or in siding with another Kingdom of his own or anothers,) they ought not to resist him, or any that he Commissioneth to do it: And that if he should Commission a few men to kill all the Parliament as they sit, or to burn the City, it is Rebellion to resist by self-defence. I hear Lawyers themselves at great difference on such matters, some for more power, and some for less: I find the great Defenders of Monarchy, such as Barclay and Grotius de Iure Belli, naming many cases in which Kings may be resisted, yea and forfeit all: And I find others among us of a contrary mind. Yea I find the Conformable and Diocesane Pillars quite differ in such cases, Bishop Bilson naming many cases in which resistance is no rebellion, (To Subject his Kingdom to a Forreign Realm, or to change the form of the Commonwealth from Impery to Tyranny, or neglect the Laws Established by common consent of Prince and People, to execute his own pleasure; In these and other such cases which might be named, if the Nobles and Commons joyn together to defend their ancient and accustomed Liberty, Regiment & Laws, they may not well be counted Rebels, saith he, of Obedience, pag. 520.) But I hear many now say the contrary, and Condemn such Doctrine as disloyal.
I find some joyn with the Papists in accusing the Reformation as caused by Rebellions, in Germany, Geneva, France, Belgium, &c. And I find Bishop Iewel, Bilson, and other Bishops defending the French defence, and Dr. Peter Moulin of Canterbury in his answer to Philanax Anglicus, Contradicting their accusers, as false in Point of History.
Abundance of such Political Controversies are now lately agitated, some charging their adversaries with Rebellion, and some with Tyranny: Some saying, they are guilty of Treason against the King; and others, They are Traitors against the Kingdom: And too ordinarily damning one another; as if these matters were Articles of our Creed.
What a dismal difference is there now about those words in the Declaration in the Corporation Act; [There is no Obligation on me or any other person, from the Oath called the solemn League and Covenant: Some say there are none but Rebels will refuse it; And that if any obligation had been granted to things lawful or necessary some would have extended it to Rebellion or Schism. And therefore all Obligation is to be renounced. Others say, that National perjury is a forerunner of National Calamity or ruine; and that where Oaths bind not, there can be no Trust; and no Trust, no Commerce: And they think as Dr. Sanderson, and Casuists, Papists and Protestants do, that though an Oath or Vow be unlawfully Imposed and Sinfully taken, and part of the matter of it be unlawful, and the Imposers and Takers are bound to repent, and no one is bound by it to the unlawful part, yet the taker is bound to that part of the matter which is lawful or necessary: And they take it to be lawful and necessary to Repent of sin, to oppose Prophaneness, Schisms, Heresy and Popery, to defend the King, and therefore that it obligeth them to these.
I meddle not with the Roman opinion that it is the Henrician Heresy to say that Kings have a power of investing Bishops, and disobeying the Popes Excommunication; and of such as Cardinal Perron that dare not question or deny the power of the Pope and Councils to Excommunicate and depose Kings, because then they must condemn approved General Councils, which are their religion itself, and (saith he) must grant that the Pope is Antichrist, and the Church erroneous that hath so long used this.
I name all these Political Controversies, 1. To tell you that it is not factious and passionate enmity to each other on such accounts, which I mean by enmity to Religion.
2. And to remember men, that if in so many and great points of Politicks and Government, the Learned and Christian World, have so great difference, what reason is there that we should Damn or Excommunicate, or hate each other about a hard opinion in Religion, or a Ceremony.
3. And to tell the Popish Church, that if it were a good argument that there must be one Pretorian Court or Church, to oblige all the World by an universal determination in what sence to expound the Scripture, because it is abused to errour by mens mistake, and there must be an end of Controversies; by the same reason there must be an universal Pretorian Court to expound all human Laws, and end the controversies of Lawyers; Yea and to master all mens Reason; for Scripture is no more commonly controverted and abused than Law is; And not half so much as Reason is, which is pleaded for almost all the falshood and wickedness in the World.
§ 10. Moreover it is not personal feuds between Man and Man that I mean by Enmity to Godliness: No though any such be against an Innocent and Godly Man, where it is not for his Godliness, but some other difference.
§ 11. I will say more though some dislike it, it is not a Papist as such that I mean by a Malignant Enemy of Godliness; I know that Education, and Temptation, and want of hearing the confutation of their errours judiciously made, may cause Godly persons to think that the universal Church must be united in some humane Head or Soveraign power; and that there is no other way to end controversies and schisms, and that (as Dr. Saywell saith) there must be some over Kingdoms or National Churches, as well as over particular persons, that many may not escape while a few are punished: It is easy to be deceived by the pretences of Unity and Concord, while men see the divisions and discords of others: And the false pretences of Antiquity are so confidently uttered by their Clergy, that men unacquainted with the history may verily believe them: And the plea for an uninterrupted succession of Ministerial ordination, and that a Superior must give power to the Inferiors, deceiveth many. If there must be a Diocesane to ordain and rule all Presbyters, and a Metropolitan to ordain or rule the Diocesanes, and a Patriarch to rule them, from whom shall the Patriarchs receive their power, or commands, but from a Pope? The poor reasoning which the French now use with the Protestants puzleth unskilful persons; viz. Was there any Church before your reformation? If yea, where was it? And had not you your Ministerial power from it? It was Rome or none: And if it was the true Church then, it is so now. We answer them, there was and is one only Catholick Church: Of this Christ only is the Head or Universal governour, and no man or men; Of this all Lawful Pastors are his official guides in their several Provinces, as many Justices and Mayors of Corporations under one King: That all these having one King (Jesus) and one Law (of Christ) and one Spirit, and one Faith and Hope, are to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and to use Synods when needful to that end, but not as a Pretorian or Regent Aristocracy or Court. That the Church before Luther was all over the World where ever there were Christians: in Ethiopia, Egypt, Syria, Armenia, Georgia, Circassia, Asia, and where ever the Greek Christianity is, in Moscovy, and in all Europe where there were true Christians. That the envious man having sowed Tares, this Church is unhappily fallen into many corruptions, diseases, and factious sects, almost all censuring one another: no part of it is perfect: That the Papal part is in Doctrine, Worship and Government one of the most corrupted parts! Yet so far as their diseases or errours nullify not their profession of Christianity, they are parts, though leprous. And therefore though they are the most uncharitable and schismatical part, as they cut off or unchurch all the Christian World save themselves, yet being as Christians united to the rest in the common faith, their Baptism & Ordinations are not nullities as they invest men in the Christian Society and Christian Ministry; though that part of them is a nullity which engageth men in a schism and in sin. That the Ministerial power is not the gift of Man, but only of Christ, who by the Charter of his recorded Word, giveth the power and the obligation to that person who is duely chosen and called thereto: As the Kings Charter giveth the power to the Mayor of a Corporation duly qualified and chosen: that the ordainers are but partly Judges of due qualification, and partly Ministerial Investers, and not at all the Donors of the Power: that ordination is for order sake needful, when it may be had to keep men from being Judgers of their own sufficiency: But order being only for the thing ordered, (as the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath) is not necessary against the end. That there is no necessity that a Superior must ordain: but as the Colledge of Physicians, Philosophers, &c. make Physicians, Philosophers as approved, so may equals in the Ministry: Do not Bishops make or consecrate Bishops. If this were not so, who makes the Pope? If he did not pretend that his power is given him immediately from Christ, he must grant that there are some men above him to give it him, and so he is not the Soveraign. If they say that the power of Popes (and Kings) is given by the whole body (the Church) he is then no Pope: for it's known that three parts of the Christian World are against him. If he will say, None are the Church but those that are his party, any sect or rebels may say the like, and appropriate authority to themselves.
Nothing more cheateth the ignorant, than ambiguous words, and confusion: And explaining those words, and needful plain distinction, would save the writing of many volumes, and would make truth easily meet the seeker, and unravel all the spider Webs of deceivers.
Do but well use these few distinctions and all Popery vanisheth into smoak. 1. Distinguish between a Catholick Church as headed by Christ; (This we are all members of;) and a pretended Catholick Church, headed by the Pope or any men: This is another Church as to the denominating form, having another informing, unifying head: And this is it which we deny.
2. Distinguish visibility: Christs Church is so far visible as to have a Head who was visible on Earth, is visible in Heaven, and will visibly come to Judgment, and visibly reign for ever. It hath visible Laws, Protection and Officers; The subjects bodies and their profession are visible; And it is no farther visible; no not as to the Souls or real faith of the subjects. The Papists Church hath an Usurping Visible Humane Head on earth.
3. Distinguish of Baptism and Ordination as into Christs Catholick Church, and done by Papists as Christians; And as into the Popes Catholick Church and done by Papists as Papists.
4. Distinguish of Subjection, and Communion: We owe Communion when we owe no Subjection, and where men have no right to be our Governours.
5. Distinguish between Communion in Christianity, and that in Essentials, Integrals or Accidents; and Communion in errours and corruptions, or defects. We have Communion with Papists and all Christians in Christianity, (if they be Christians indeed:) But we renounce Communion in the errours and sins of them and all others, as far as we are able to avoid them. All Christians have Union and Communion in the Essentials of Christianity: No Christians have Union and Communion in all the Integrals (on Earth) all being imperfect: But the more such Union and Communion, the better. No Christians have, or ought to have Communion in all the Accidents. All should avoid Communion in sin.
6. Distinguish between Communion of Hearts, Communion of Profession, and Communion in Local presence: We have Heart Communion in one Essential Faith, Hope and Love with all true Christians on Earth. We profess all one Faith in the Essentials: We have nearer Communion, or fuller with the Reformed Churches which are soundest in the Integrals, than we have with the more faulty and corrupt. But we have Local presence but in one place at once; and we ought to avoid Local presence where we cannot have it without sin, though we have Communion in Faith, Love and Profession with the same men. If a Reformed Church will not admit our Local presence without subscribing some one untruth, we must be absent, when we may be present with a worse Church which excludeth us not by any such Imposition.
7. Accordingly distinguish of Separation: We separate not at all from Union or Communion with Papists as they are Christians, or as they hold any Truth: But 1. We separate from Subjection and Obedience to them, which we never owed them, or any other Church. 2. We separate from Communion with their Church, as it is a Policy informed by an Usurping Humane King or Head. 3. We separate from all their sins so far as we know them. 4. We deny Local presence in their Mass-worship, because of the sin imposed on us, both before it, and in it. 5. We are uncapable of Communion in all accidents, or mutable indifferent things.
Understand and use well these few plain distinctions, and you need little more to answer all the Papists.
And I fear not to add, that were the Papists in my power (as I never did) I never would use any inhumanity or cruelty towards them; yea, I would use no Offensive, but only Defensive force against them; nor hurt one of them, further than they made it necessary for the Defence of the Land, or those whom they would hurt.
I knew not till a Book called The Liberties of England lately told me, how many very severe Laws are against them. I am no Judge of the times that they were made in, nor of their occasions: But I think that of late they have done more hurt than good: For 1. Some of them seem too severe. 2. Some I cannot prove to be justifiable; viz. Those which would compel them to come to our Sacramental Communion, when many a good Minister would not receive them if they came: And that which excommunicateth them that never were of our Communion: And that which layeth the Excommunicate as such in prison, &c. 3. It greatly tendeth to misinform Forreigners, who seeing these Laws, think they are all put in Execution; and so believe those that tell them, that the Catholicks here are under constant Cruelties, and frequent Martyrdoms; whenas I never in all my life knew of one Papist that suffered so much for his Religion, as I have done my self, within these few years past, though my sufferings are so small as to be no meet matter of very great complaint. 4. These Laws being a continual danger to them (should there be Governours that would execute them) doth put them on continual plotting and striving against them. Sufferings, or great dangers, put men by fear upon self-defence, and the utmost endeavours for deliverance, who would be more quiet if they found themselves in safety; and though their Clergy would be still plotting the recovery of the Papal power, to subject King and Kingdom to the Sacred King of Rome, yet the Laity would be less against the common Peace, when they found that it was their own Peace.
§ 12. I have told you what I mean not by Malignant Enmity to Godliness; I tell you now what I mean by it; viz.
When the blindness and ungodliness of corrupted Nature, increased by practice into Serpentine Enmity, and turning mens hearts by unbelief and disaffection from God and Heaven, doth possess them with a deep dislike of a holy, heavenly and spiritual life; first as to their own practices, and then as it is in others; and because it is against their worldly hopes and fleshly lusts, they hate it, and reject it themselves, and then hate and maliciously oppose it in others; yea though Law, Custom, and worldly Interest draw them formally to profess Christianity and Obedience to Gods Laws, and to Vow that in Baptism, they hate the serious performance of their own Profession and Vows; and would be glad to drive it out of the world, and to set up Hypocrisie and Ceremony, or a Stage Religion and Mummery, or the toothless Mass and Formalities in its stead: And if custom or shame hinder them from persecuting or scorning Truth and Godliness in its proper name, they will shew their mind by these things following.
1. They will set up some worldly, fleshly Interest (like the Papal Kingdom) which is contrary to the Christian and holy Interest; and then they will persecute Christians not as Christians, nor as Godly in name, but as such indeed by pleading Conscience and Obedience to God, against their inconsistent interest and ways.
2. Among all that are against their carnal false interest, they will cull out the more serious godly persons to afflict.
3. Among all the faithful, they will cull out those who do Christ most service in the world; because Christs service is it that is their disservice, and opposite to their sin.
4. They will make a scorn of their very Religious duties, and take up mimical derisions, to make them seem ridiculous or contemptible.
5. When they can charge them with no crimes, they will purposely make Nets to catch them, as the Enemies of Daniel did by him, Dan. 6. And as the Spider makes her curious Webs to catch and kill the Flies.
6. Yea they will make faults by slander, and lies, if not by perjuries, if they can find none.
7. Yea their virtue, piety and innocency shall be all called Hypocrisie; and when they cannot accuse their actions, they will accuse their hearts and secret thoughts, and judge them as if they had a Casement into their breasts.
8. Yea if their innocency cannot be so stained, they will hate them so much the more, because they cannot tread down their reputation.
9. They will search after, and aggravate all the failings of Religious people, and turn them into crimes.
10. If any one of them, or an Hypocrite, that's like them, be guilty of any notable fall, they will perswade men that all the rest of their lives is like that crime; yea and that all that profess much seriousness in Godliness, are as bad as they; that all the rest of the life of Noah, Lot, David, Solomon, &c. were as bad as the criminal part; and that all the Servants of Christ are Peter's, or Iudas's.
11. That it is not their sins, but their piety which they hate, you will see in that they live in far greater sin themselves, and take it to be no great harm, but hate those that reprove them.
12. And they make light of the common crimes of others. They can bear with an Atheist, an Infidel, a Drunkard, a prophane Swearer, a derider of Godliness, yea a Persecutor, a Fornicator, a man of no Religion, if he will but be for them, and serve their interest, and will not scruple Communion with such: But men never so sober, just and godly, that cross their wills and carnal ways, they cannot endure: And if they be such Clergy-men, as the world hath too many, such serious Godly men, for disliking their ungodliness, are made the common objects of their Pulpit and discoursing scorn or accusations, and perhaps are excommunicate ipso facto, for dissenting from their Opinions or Wills.
13. Such usually in former ages have been the chief Instigators of Princes and Rulers, to hate men of serious Religion, and to stir up Persecution against them, and to render such odious to the world as Hereticks or intolerable Villains. O what difference is there between the true narratives of the Lives of Luther, Calvin, Beza, and abundance such, and the odious lies and defamations written of them by some others. Yea, those who commend Melancthon, Bucer, and many such for Learning and Moderation, hate their Doctrine of Reformation and serious Piety.
14. And you may note, that in any slander of a Godly man, they will sooner believe one or two ignorant malicious Drunkards against them, that never knew them, than the testimonies of hundreds of most faithful persons who praise and vindicate them, though they better knew them.
15. They seldom give the accused leave to speak for themselves before they believe Accusations against them; but conclude that they are as bad as back-biting malice reporteth them behind their backs.
16. They are glad to hear of any infamy of Religious persons, and loth to hear them praised without contradiction; and are glad to hear of any suffering which befals them.
17. If there be any publick differences in a Church, City or Land, they are usually against that side, which most favoureth serious Godliness, be they who they will. If the King, Parliament, and Bishops will be for the persons and ways of soberness, justice and serious Godliness, they would be on the other side. And they will cry up any that will cry them down, or would oppress them.
18. Lastly, The quality of the Enemies may help with the rest to tell what it is that they are against: when it is the generality of worldlings, proud, ambitious men, sensual drunkards, gluttons, fornicators, prophane and irreligious, who hate Godliness so far, as to drive it from themselves and families, and rather venture on Hell fire, than be truly godly; it's easie to know what these hate in others.
I have told you who I mean by Malignant Enemies of Godliness, that the mistakers and slanderers of my words may have no excuse. Could we now but prevail against this Cainism, or Devilism, it would do much to recover the Peace of many Nations of the Earth: But Christ hath told us, that this Enmity between the seed of the Woman and the Serpent, of which Cain and Abel were the first specimen since the Fall, will never cease till Christ come, as is terribly described, 2 Thes. 1. 6, 10, 11, 12. and Matth. 25. But yet some Sauls may become Pauls, and for the hope of the recovery of such, I will adjoyn such Reasons as should convince any that have the use of Reason left.