The Cause and Cure of Ignorance, Section 20 – Section 27
SECT. 20.
7 In the times wherein we live.7 TO come unto these present times wherein wee live. Is the World mended with age? Yea, I would to God we did not find, that as it is in the little world, the older it grows the more diseased; so in the great world, the older the more vicious; that the consummation of times and sins were not met together upon us. But as commonly in a diseased body all the humours fall down into the Legs or feet, and make an Issue there: so the corruption of all ages hath sliden downe into this of ours, as into the feete. Many (saith the Apostle) walke, that are enemies to the Crosse of Christ, Phil. 3.18. If many in Saint Paules time, more now; for Satan, who was then bound is now loosed again out of his prison, and hath great wrath▪ because he knows he hath but a short time, Revel. 12.12. To speake onelyonly of the entertainment which piety finds among such as would be counted (not only Christians but) Protestants,A holy life cannot escape persecution. which principally I intend. Is it possible for a man to live a conscionable and unreprovable life, abstaine from drunkennesse, swearing, prophaning the Lords day, separate himselfe from evill, yea, wicked company, be zealous for the glory of God, &c. Without being traduced, calumlumniated, hated, slandered and persecuted for the same? No, it is not possible: for if our righteousnesse doe but exceed the righteousnesse of a swearer, or a drunkard, we are sure to be persecuted for our righteousnesse, as Abel was persecuted of Caine, because his Sacrifice was better than his. If a man walk with God, he is too precise: if he will be more than almost a Christian, he is curious, phantastical, factious, and shall be mocked with the Spirit, as if the spirit of God were a spirit of dishonour and shame. How common a thing is it to wound all holinesse under the name of Puritan, a name so full of the Serpents enmity, as the egge of a Cockatrice is full of poyson? What should I say? The world is growne so much knave, that 'tis now a vice to be honest. O the deplorable condition of these times! Even the Devill himself durst not have been so impudent, as to have scoft at holinesse in those ancient and purer times: but now I could even sinke downe with shame, to see Christianity every where so discountenanced: our very names come into few mouths, out of which they returne but with reproaches. Amongst the rest of our sins, O God, be mercifull to the contempt of thy Servants.
True, blessed be God, and good laws, we suffer little but the lash of evill tongues; but were wicked mens powers answerable to their wils and malice, they would deliver us up to be afflicted, put us out of the Synagogues, excommunicate and kill us, as our Saviour shewes, Iohn 16.2.33. and Mat. 24.9.
Yea,This enmity makes them forget all … turall affection. their enmity and hatred would be so virulent and bitter, that the brother would betray the brother to death the Father, the Son, and the Children would rise up against their Parents and cause them to dye, the kinsman against the kinsman, and the friend against the friend, only for professing Christs name, & being religious, as himselfe affirmes, Math. 10.34, 35, 36. Luke 21.16.17. Neither is it strange, for this was one of the endes of Christs comming into the World, as appeares, Mat. 10.34.35. where himselfe saith, Think not that I am come to send Peace, but the sword; meaning between the seed of the Serpent & the Seed of the Woman; for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father, the daughter-in-Law against the Mother-in-Law, and a mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold, Luke 12.51, 52, 53.
Neither want we precedents of this; For, by whom was upright Abel persecuted and slain, but by his owne brother Caine? Who scoffed at righteous Noah, but his owne son Cham? By whom was that vertuous and religious Lady Barbara put to death, for imbracing the Christian Faith, but by her owne Father Dioscorus? Who made Serena the Empresse, a Martyr for her faith in Christ? but her owne Husband Dioclesian. Who helped to burne Bradford? but Bourne, whose life he had formerly saved. And lastly, by whom was our Saviour Christ betrayed, bu… by his owne Disciple Iudas?
SECT. 21.
8 It will continue so long as time continues.8. FOr the time to come, As this strife and enmity in the wicked against the Godly, was early in its entrance, taking its first being in the beginning of time, and hath constantly continued hitherto: so it will be long in continuance, and endure to the end of time, as the Scripture shewes: Yea, the last remnants of time are likely to have the most of it, because as in them love shall wax cold, Math. 24.12. so as love groweth cold, contention groweth hot.
More expresly the Holy Ghost foretels, That in the last dayes shall come such perilous times, that all who will live godly shall suffer persecution, and that toward the end of the World there shall be scoffers, false accusers, cursed speakers, fierce despisers of them that be good, such as shall turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, and deny God the only Lord, and our Lord Iesus Christ; And being fleshly, not having the Spirit, they shall speak evill of the things which they know not; And whatsoever things they know naturally as bruit beasts, which are without reason, in those things they shall corrupt themselves; And that many shall follow their damnable wayes, whereby the way of truth shall be evill spoken off: And that as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses: so these also shall resist the truth, being men of corrupt mindes, reprobate concerning the Faith, being before of old, ordained to condemnation, 2 Tim. 3.1. to 13. 2. Pet. 2.2. & 3.3. Iude 4.10. 16, 18, 19. And so much of the continuance.
Now to wind up with a word of Application: If it be so, that all the Godly that have gone before us have been envyed,Application of the point. hated, traduced, nick-named, and persecuted by wicked men, and all that come after us shall be; let no particular member of the Church look to faire better then the whole body: we see the Patriarchs went this way, the Prophets this way, the Apostles this way, the Martyrs this way, this way went all the Saints and servants of God, and do we look for an easier way? Yea, if the dearest of Gods Children in former ages have suffered so much for Christ, beene put to such cruell deaths and torments for keeping of a good conscience; let us praise the Lord, who hath dealt with us farre otherwise; and pray for good Magistrates to whom, next under God, we owe the thanks: Yea, if our Fore-fathers so willingly underwent those fiery tryals, let none for shame shrink-under the burthen of an aiery tryall only.
2. If the brother persecute the brother, the son, the Father, the Parent his Childe, the Hnsband his Wife the Disciple his Lord, thinke it not strange to be persecuted of any; for lightly they which are not persecuted, are persecutors themselves.
SECT. 22.
Quest. HAving proved the Continuance of this Enmity in all ages, Twenty two signes or properties of this enmity.now tell us what be the Signes and Properties of it.
Ans. They are either
Mentall,
Verball
or Actuall.
The first whereof are inward and secret, the two later outward and manifest.
Quest. What are the mentall properties, which you call inward and secret.
Ans. They are foure in number.
It being their manor
1. To envy the good Estate of the Godly.
2. To contemne the meane Estate of the Godly.
3. To rejoyce at the evill Estate of the Godly.
4. To hate them.
First, it is … ner of wicked men, out of Enmity to envy the vertuous and good estate of the godly:1 They envy the Godly. For envy shall lead the Troope, as Iudas lead the Souldiers; and it may challenge the first place in the right-hand file (as pride doth in the Popes Catalogue of the seaven deadly sinnes) because it was the eldest and first borne sin that ever was in the Devill, after he was cast out of Heaven, and the first that ever he begate upon our nature, after we were cast out of Paradice; which makes St. Austin therefore call it (as by a kind of excellency) the Devills sin. Thus Caine envied his brother Abel, Gen. 4.5. Saul, David, 1 Sam. 18.28.29. and those unbeleeving Iewes, Paul, Acts 17.13. The wicked take as much delight to see the vertuous life of an holy man, as sore eyes do to look upon the Sunne. How contrary are good Angels and evill men? The Angels rejoyce at that, whereat these powte and stomack; they are ready to cry and burst for Anger, at that which makes musick in Heaven.Envy the Devills cogni…ance as love is Christs. But why is it? These Antipodes to vertue, having lost all good themselves, are vexed to see it in another: a true note to know the Serpents Seed by, for it is the Devils cognizance, 1. Iohn 3.14, 15. as Love is Christs, Iohn 13.35.
And as it is the very Lees of vice; so it hath a punishment answerable: for by a just judgement of God, their owne malice turnes back into their owne bowels, as it is Psalm. 7.14, 15, 16. and slayeth them, as the swords of Gideons enemies kild themselves, Iudges 7.22. For that none might have cause to envy the envious man againe, but all to pity him; envy it selfe is a fire, which consumes that fuell; a Worme which gnaweth that gourd; a viper, which eats through those bowels; a Moath, which fretteth that garment wherein it is bred, nourished and maintained; it is the consuming of the flesh, and rotting of the bones: Prov. 14 30.
And for hereafter, if wicked men thus envy the vertuous and good estate of the godly in this World, which is but their Hell, or at least their Purgatory; How will it gall them, when they shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob, and all the Prophets and Saints of God in the Kingdome of Heaven, and themselves thrust out of doores, and cast into the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone?
This shall make them gnash their teeth for envy, as our Saviour shewes, Luke 13.28. Math. 8.11.12. but how just is it with God, that this fire of envy should be punished with the fire of Hell!
SECT. 23.
2 They contemne them which is not for … of ignorance2. SEcondly, it is their manner and property to contemne the supposed meane estate of the godly, as Samballat, Tobiah and Gershom, with the rest of that crue, contemned Nehemiah and the Iewes, Nehem. 4.1.2, 3. Thus Rabshakeh contemned Hezekiah and his people, 2 Kings 18.19. to 36. and the Epicurean Philosophers Paul, Acts, 17.18.
Whereas misery, with good natures, is made a loadstone of mercy; with base mindes, it is contrarily made a footstoole for pride to trample on; and nothing so midnights the soule of him that is falne, as scorne and contempt.
But you may observe that arrogancy is a weed that ever grows on a dunghill, and from the ranknesse of that soyle, she hath her heighth and spreadings; for they are but puft mindes, and frothy wits, that get so to the top, and bubble thus above inferiours. As what makes them contemne us, but, together with pride, their ignorance? For alass…, they take notice of our misery, not of our happinesse. Noahs vertues are not Chams admiration; but his drunkennesse is his sport. Wicked men are like those ill taught children, 2 King. 2.24. that could upbraid Elisha with his bald head, but had not the wit to consider how God had crowned that head with vertue and honour. O that they could but see all, that they would but say all: as Ephialtes, when one cast him in the teeth with his poverty, answered, Why dost thou not make rehearsall of other things also, as that I love law, and regard right? But indeed, this were to cleane our faces, and foule their owne.
But let them insult for a while, they cannot sit upon so high a cogge, but may with turning prove the lowest in the Wheele: as it fell out with Hammon, who being now made Lackey to a despised Iew, begins to envy, where halfe an houre since he had scorned; and misery, like a Vulture, must have some body to prey upon. There is a continuall vicissitude of things: The Righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead, Prov. 11.8. The wicked shall bee a ransome for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright, Prov. 21.18.
SECT. 24.
3. THirdly, it is their manner, to rejoyce at the supposed evill estate of the godly,3 they reioyce at our supposed evill estate. as the Princes of the Philistims did at Sampsons blindnesse and bondage, whom they insulted over, and made their laughing stock, Iudg. 16.25. Peninna at Hannahs barrennesse, especially when shee went up to the house of the Lord, 1. Sam. 1.6.7. And the Iewes at the Disciples, and the rest of the Church, when Herod vexed some, and slew others, Acts 12.1.2, 3. Wicked men feed themselves with others adversity, as Beetles are fed with their fellowes dung: and like Flesh-flies, make the wounds of Gods children their chiefe nourishment: Yea, Crocodile-like, they would, if they might, fatten themselves with the warmest blood of godly mens lives.But most if they see us sin.
And not so onelyonly; for we have a generation, whose onelyonly rejoycing is, Cham-like, to see another fall into some grosse sin, or infirmity: Yea, as Luther speaks, they hunger and thirst after the scandals of the godly: and if at any time through humane frailty, they doe fall into some evill, like hungry Hogges, they muzzle in their excrements, and feast upon them, as upon dainties; there being nothing that so glads their hearts, that so opens their mouths with so much insolency and triumph; as what cure will they take to spread the same abroad by a common fame: Yea, it were well, if they would not play the Curres, and open when they are able to sp…ing no Game.
But they must needs be filthy creatures, that feed upon nothing but corruption. To delight in mens sinnes, is the sport of devils: recovery from those sinnes, is the joy of good men and Angels. Cham derides his Fathers nakednesse; it should have been his sorrow: he makes it his sport. But it is ill for a man to make himself merry, with that which angers God.
SECT. 25.
4 They hate the godly.4. IT is their manner to hate the religious, as all carnall men hate the members of Christ, Matth. 10.22. thus Ahab hated Eliah, as himselfe confessed, 1 King. 22.8. Yea, so inveterately, that there was not one Kingdome or Nation, where he had not sent to take away his life, 1 King. 18.10. and Haman Mordecai, which was so deadly, that he thought it too little to lay hands on Mordecai only;Their hatred extends to the whole generation of the Godly. wherefore he sought to destroy all the Iewes, the people of Mordecai, that were throughout the whole Kingdome of Abashuerus, Hest. 3-5, 6. For the effecting of which, he obtained that bloody Edict, ver. 6.9. And lest it should want successe, he offered ten thousand Talents of silver into the Kings Treasury, to have it effected. Hest. 3.9.13. And such another was cruell Arundel, sometime Arch-bishop of Canterbury; who vowed and swore, he would not leave a slip of Professors in this Land; For you must know, That their hatred extendeth not to this, or that person alone, but to the whole generation of Gods Children and people. As what saith the wicked in Davids time? Come, let us cut them off from being a Nation &, let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance. Let us take for our possessions the habitations of God, Psa. 83.4.12
And the World is no changling; for this age wants not many such Hamans and Arundels, But they have not so much authority as malice. Though their punishment shall be never the lesse.who so hate the Children of God, that they wish, as Caligula once did of the Romans, That they had all but one neck that so they might cut it off at a blow, where it in their power, Mic. 3.2. Ps. 83.4
But our comfort is, they have not so much authority as malice; resembling the Serpent Porphyrus, which abounds with poyson, but can hurt none, for want of teeth: Though their punishment shall be never the lesse. For as the will to doe God acceptable service, is accepted, as if it were service indeed: so the intent and offer of wrong shall be judged for wrong, in that Court of justice. Good and evill thoughts and desires in Gods account are good and evill workes: And so much touching the Mentall properties of this enmity.
5 They murmure against the godly and God himselfe.SECT. 26.
Quest. WHat are their Verball properties?
Ans. They are Eleven in number: And are manifested.
1. In murmuring against the persons of the Godly.
2. In misconstruing of their actions and intentions.
3. In carrying tales of them to others.
4. In perswading others against them.
5. In scoffing at them.
6. In nicknaming them.
7. In rayling on them.
8. In raysing slanders of them.
9. In cursing them.
10. In threatning of them.
11. In undermining of them by flattery.
First, ungodly men verbally manifest their enmity by murmuring against the Children of God: as Labans sons murmured against Iacob, Gen. 31.1. The Israelites against Moses and Aaron; Yea, against God himselfe; for which, the utmost part of the Host was consumed with fire from Heaven, Num. 11.1. & 14.2, 3. And lastly, the labourers in the Vineyard against the Master of the house, and their fellowes, Matth. 20.11, 12.
And have not we the like murmurers? O that so many Loaves and Fishes, as did feede five thousand in the Wildernesse, would but stop their mouthes, who amongst us doe both vex at others plenty of grace, and their owne want! that doe murmure against the godly,For being better then them selves. even for no other cause, but that they alone should bee the men in whom no crime, or fault scandalous can justly bee found: that make it their Grace, both before and after dinner, to disgrace some Innocent.
But so it is, That the baggage World desireth nothing more, then to scarre the face that is fairer then her selfe: whence she takes occasion, in every company, to …rect the faylings of holy men very high, like Saint Pauls, for the gaze of all; whereas they hide their good parts under ground,They have a great advantage of the godly. like Saint Faiths, that none may note them.
Wherein also is another disadvantage, that cannot be helped. The multitude will sooner beleeve them, then our selves. Affirmations being ap…er to win beliefe, then Negatives are to uncredit them: whereby …t fals out, that Piety is every where pusht at, an… the religious murmured at, and clamoured against in all places.
Their miserable condition.If such men would know their wages: let them looke, 2 Pet. 2.12. and there they shall finde, that as their tongues have walked against Heaven, so they shall be confined to Hell: And in the meane time, Cursed is hee (saith the Holy Ghost) that smiteth his neighbour secretly; and let all the people say, Amen, Deut. 27.24.
SECT. 27.
6 They sensure our actions and mis-consture our inteutions2. BY Censuring their actions, and mis-construing their intentions… as Eliab: did Davids zeale for Gods glory to be pride and malice, 1 Sam. 17.28. And those wicked ones, his fasting and mourning to be Hypocrisie, Psalm. 35.13. to 17. Thus Iobs friends condemned him for an Hypocrite, Iob 4.6. to 11. And the Iewes, Christianity to be Heresie; and Paul, the Preacher of it, a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition, and maintainer of schisme; yea, all the Disciples to be deceivers, 2 Cor. 6.8.
And thus too many in our dayes, will definitively censure men for Hypocrites, whom they scarce know superficially: Yea, (which is worse) only because their works are good.
Prejudice casteth a false colour upon the best actions:Preiudice blindes them. and Basenesse, what it cannot attain to, it will vellicate and deprave. But what saith Sincerity? While my conscience is innocent, the Worlds suppositions cannot make me culpable: Let me rather, with Eliah and Micah, doe well, and heare ill▪ then, with Ahab and Iezabel, do ill and be flattered.
The Accuser of the Brethren makes choyce of wicked men,They traduce whō they cannot seduce to t…aduce those whom he cannot seduce as he desireth; as we may plainly see in our Saviours example; who notwithstanding he fulfilled all righteousnesse, and did all things well; for in his mouth was found no guile, nor fault in his manners, nor error in his doctrine; Which of you (said he) can rebuke me of sinne? Yet the world traduced him for a Samaritan, a Blasphemer, a Sorcerer, a wine-bibber, an enemy to Caesar, and what not?
A Deceiver and yet true, was S. Pauls Motto, 2 Cor. 6.8, &c. And as it was then, so it is now.
Wicked men deale with the Godly, as sometimes a lustfull person will doe by a chaste woman, when he cannot take away her honesty, he will take away her credit; brag of effecting his will with her, when yet he could never have admittance into her company.
They condemne others, that thems…lves may be justified.Bad natures, whom they cannot reach by imitation, they will by detraction: like the Fox, what they cannot attain to, they will depresse, and seem to despise: their cunning is to condemne others, that themselves may be justified. As Caligula took off the heads from the Images of the gods, to set up his owne: Or as Merchants, who to raise the price of their own commodities, will beat down the prices of others.
And have they not reason thus to do? Yes: for how is a vicious person discredited, and made contemptible, by the vertuous life of an holy man? We know straight lines help to shew the crooked. And it is easie to guesse, the Pharaohs fat Kine made the lean ones more ill-favoured. A swarthy and hard-featured visage, loves not the company of cleare beauties.
Again,They iudge others by themselves another reason is, They judge others by themselves: now they doe all their good in hypocrisie, and so thereafter judge of others. Saint Chrysostome hath given the Rule, As it is a hard thing (saith he) for one to suspect another to be evil who is good himselfe: so it is as hard for him to suppose another to be good, who is himselfe ill. And we see it fulfilled in Nero, who verily beleeved, that all men were foule libidinists, because himselfe was such an one.