The Cause and Cure of Ignorance, Section 34 – Section 37
SECT. 34.
9. IT is usuall with them to Curse the godly,13. They will curse the godly. as Goliah cursed David, 1 Sam. 17.43. And also Shimei, 2 Sam. 16.7. to 15. Thus the Heathen cursed Israel, Zach. 8.13. And thus wicked in all ages shall be so drunke with malice, that they shall spew out cursing and slander against the godly, as our Saviour hath foretold, Mat. 5.44.
And experience proves, that not a few amongst us doe steep their words in hate and curses against the good, carrying this deadly poyson, these arrows, swords, knives, razors in their mouthes, wherewith to interlace their discourse, whether in reviling the present, or backbiting the absent.
There is a generation (pity they should be called Christians) all whose Prayers are Curses, and all their relations lyes: Or if sometimes they lend the truth their voice,Wicked men lye when they speake the truth. they are but false witnesses in speaking of it; for their hearts are of another judgement. As let them say with their mouths, I beleeve in God, or Our Father which art in Heaven, or God spake these words, &c. even in this they lye, for in their hearts they thinke there is no God at all: or if with their hearts they beleeve, and with their tongues confesse that there is a God, at least by their works they deny him, and the power of his word. So that all the difference between them, and very infidels, is only this, the one are infidels in their hearts, the other are infidels in their lives, as Augustine pithily.
And whats the reason they curse us,As they belong to hell, so th…y speak the language. but this? They are the Devils best schollers, and of his highest Forme; the language of Hell is so familiar unto them, that they speake not a word of our Countrey language: And indeed, how should they speake the language of Canaan, to whom blasphemy is become the mother tongue?
Secondly,They that curse us would kill us if they durst. they curse us because they cannot be suffered to kill us; for in heart and Gods account they are no better then murtherers; nor will it bee any rare thing at the day of Judgement, for Cursers to be indited of murther: they would kill us, if they durst: they doe kill, so far as they can. I would be loath to trust his hands, that bannes mee with his tongue. It is easie to guesse how they would deale with us, if we were at their mercy. He that smiled on David in his throne, curseth him in his flight: Now his unsound and treacherous heart discovers it selfe in a tongue full of venome, a handfull of stones; and had not David been yet too strong for his impotent Subject, he had then breathed his last.
Prosperous successe hides many a false heart, as a drift of snow covers a heape of dung: but when that white mantle melts, the filthy rottennesse will soon appeare.
They curse those that least of all deserve it.Neither is it any sinne we commit, or offence wee give them, that they Curse us. Who could have lesse deserved those curses, those aspersions, those stones, then David? Had Shimei beene other then a dog, hee had never so rudely barked at so harmeles a passenger. That head deserved to be tonguelesse, that body to be headlesse, that thus blasphemed an Innocent, though hee had beene lesse then the Lords Anoynted.
They curse us that they may discourage us.Againe, Why would they kill our bodies, but because they could not slay our soules? For it is soule-blood which the Serpent and his Seed thirst after, as I shall shew afterward.
But alasse, if all their Curses and threats, all their aspersions and Anti-christian slanders, could flout us out of the integrity of our devotion, when our forefathers feared not the flames, we were fearfull cowards.
As for their banning of us, we have learnt from Solomon, Though they curse, yet God will blesse.That the causelesse curse shall not come, Prov 26.2. or at least, it shall not come where the curser meant it. Yea, the Psalmist tells us plainly, That though they curse, yet God will blesse, Psalm. 109.28. And his blessing shall doe us good, while their curses hurt none but themselves: for what saith the Holy Ghost in the same Psalme, speaking of the desperately wicked, whose brand is, that they love cursing. The words are these, As he loved cursing, How miserably cursers shall be cursed.so shall it come unto him; and as he loved not blessing, so shall it be far from him. As be cloathed himselfe with cursing, as with a rayment: so shall it come into his bowels like water, and like oyle into his bones. Let it be unto him, as a garment to cover him, and for a girdle, wherewith he shall be alwayes girded, ver. 17, 18, 19.
Heare this all yee whose tongues run so fast on the Devils errand, Yee loved cursing, you shall have it, both upon you, about you, and in you, and that everlastingly, if you persevere and goe on. For if Christians be charged to blesse their enemies; what will bee their case, that curse their friends? Yea, if he which but curseth Satan curseth his owne soule, as it is, Eccles. 21.27. What doth he that curseth the Saints and deare children of God? Surely, their curses shall bound backe into their owne breasts, as the stones, which Shimei threw at David, did rebound upon Shimei, and split his heart; yea, and at last knockt out his braines.
Cursing mouthes are like ill made Peeces, which while men discharge at others, recoile in splinters upon their owne faces. Their words and wishes bee but whirle-winds, which being breathen forth, returne againe to the same place; Cursed be he that curseth thee, Gen. 27.29. Yea, hee shall be cursed with a witnesse, for even Christ, which came to save the world, shall say unto them at the last day, Depart yee cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels, Matth. 25.41. Where they shall doe nothing but curse for evermore, Revel. 16.11.21. And indeed, Who should goe to Hell, if cursers should be left out? Wherefore let all those learne to blesse, that looke to be heires of the Blessing.
SECT. 35.
10. IT is their use to threaten the religious,14.They use to threaten the godly. as all the men of Sodome threatned just Lot, that they would deale worse with him then with the Angels, Gen. 19.9. Iehoram, Elisha, saying, God do so to me, and more also if the head of Elisha shall stand on him this day, 2 Kings 6.31. And thus Paul, before his conversion, breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples, Acts 9.1, 2.
It were no living for godly men, if their hands were allowed to bee as bloody as their hearts. But men and Devills are under restraint of the Almighty.
Neither are their words more swelling,No living for the godly if their enemies hands were alowed to be as bloody as their hearts or their designes more lavish, then their atchievements be vaine, and their execution short. Benhadad sends great words unto the King of Israel, as if it were nothing to conquer him: but stay the proofe, Benhadad flyes, and Israel pursues. Commonly they that least can doe, best cavill can, and make the greatest flourish.
Well for the innocent that the wicked cannot keep their own councell.However, it is well for the innocent, that wicked men cannot keepe their owne counsels, as God fetcheth their thoughts out of their owne mouthes, many times, even against their wills, for the good of his Children; as we may see in Esau, when hee purposed the death of Iacob; and in Saul, touching David; and in Iezabel touching Elisha; whose threats did preserve them, whom they meant to kill. The wisdome and power of God could have found evasions for his Prophets, with their enemies greatest secrecy: but now they need no other meanes of rescue, then their own lips. And it is a mercy (deserving thanks) from God,They are forced to give us warning that wee may prevent them. that the lightning of anger in a cruell mans eyes, gives us warning of the thunderbolt in his hand.
But this concernes us only, when we are threatned by the potent: in other cases, our best way will bee to stand it out: for many a foe hath spoken bravely, who in the push hath made more use of his heels, then of his hands: their threats being but like a boyes squib, that onelyonly flashes, and cracks, and stinks, but is nothing.
SECT. 36.
11. IT is their manner by subtlety to undermine the godly in talke,15. They will undermine us in talke that they may betray us. that they may betray them, as Saul caused his servants to undermine David by flattery, thereby to worke his confusion, 1 Sam. 18.17. And againe, verse 21.25. thus those false Prophets, and other enemies of the truth undermined Ieremiah, seeking every way to destroy him, Ier. 18.18. to the end of the Chap. And thus certaine of 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, Their cunning in this case.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,And dissimulation 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.They have borrowed this craft from Satan who sets them on worke.
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,B…ware we trust them not. for these Hypocrites never wound so deadly, as when they stroak us with a silken …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.
16 They manifest their enmitie against the religious by their gestu…e.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;As the tongue speaketh to the ear, so the gesture speaketh to the eye. 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 us…ly condemn a man, he will leave him suspected of ill by silence, or some disdainfull gesture: For, as his Ma…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 nicknames, slander and cur…ing stickes in his teeth, and onelyonly 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 …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.