The Cause and Cure of Ignorance, Section 39 – Section 42
SECT. 39.
3. THey will combine themselves together,18 They combine together, and lay devilish plots to destroy the godly. and lay devilish plots to destroy the godly, as the new King of Egypt with his people did against the children of Israel, when they perceived them to multiply so fast, Exod. 1.9, 10. Thus the hundred and twenty Governours combined together to worke Daniels overthrow, Dan. 6. And thus Demetrius the Silver-smith, and the rest of the crafts-men, which made gain by the silver Temples of Diana, combined themselves together, to conspire the death of Paul's companions, Acts 19. And when Paul was rescued by Lysias, the next day there were more than forty of the Iewes, which bound themselves by a curse, saying, They would neither eat nor drinke▪ till they had killed Paul; in which conspiracie the chief Priests and Elders were likewise assistants, Acts 23.10, 14.
The Apostle saith, If God be on our side, who can be against us? But Saint Chrysostome, in opening of those words saith, Nay rather, Who is not against us, if God be with us? For, they cast their heads together, saith David, with one consent, and are confederate against God, and his secret ones, imagining crafty counsel against them, saying, Come, Let us root them out, &c. Psal. 83.3, 4, 5.
The manner of their consultations.How wicked men agree in persecuting the truth, and professours thereof, we may see, Acts 4.26, 27. & Mark 14. where even old Annas, and that wicked bench of grey-headed Scribes and Eld…rs, are content to break their sleep to do mischief, and make noon of midnight.
As for the manner of their consultations, they are lively exprest by the Author of the Book of Wisdom, who bringeth them in, saying thus, one to another, Come, let us lie in wait for the righteous, because he is not for our turne, but is clean contrary to our doings: he upbraideth us with our offending the Law: he was made to reprove our thoughts: it grieveth us also to look upon him, for his life is not like other mens, his wayes are of another fashion, he vaunteth to have the knowledge of God, and counteth us as bastards; he withdraweth himselfe from our wayes as from filthinesse; he commendeth the latter end of the just, and boasteth that God is his Father. Wherefore let us see if his workes be true; let us prove and examine him with rebukes and torments; let us condemne him to a shamefull death. And then gives the reason: Such things do they imagine, for their own wickednesse hath blinded them, and they do n…t understand the mysteries of God, neither hope for the reward of righteousnesse, nor can discern the honour of the soules that are faultlesse, Wisd. 2.12. to 23.
Qu. I, They will easily finde occasion.but what have they whereupon to ground their accusations? For the religious mans life is commonly like Paul's, Phil. 3.6. unrebukable, and he walketh in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Law, without reproof, as Zacharie and Elizabeth did, Luke 1.6.
Answ. He that studies quarrels will easily finde occasion. When the Governours were resolved that Daniel should die, they soon found pretences. As suppose it be a private Christian, they will lie in wait to finde faults in him, and turne good into evil, and are of so prying an observation, that they will look farther into his actions, than the best man would willingly have them search. Nor can you easely finde the man that is not quick-sighted in other mens faults, blinde to his own.
For our serving of God shall be sufficient.But being disappointed of their hopes, hear what they say, We shall not finde an accusation against him, he is so faithfull, Except we finde it concerning the Law of his God, Dan. 6.5. And his punctuall obedience to Gods Lawes, and …icking close to the word of truth, shall serve for a need.
Or secondly, If he be a Minister, they will assemble together to hear him pray and preach, that so they may catch something out of his mouth, whereof they may accuse him, as the Scribes and Pharisees dealt with our Saviour, Luke 11.54. And those Governours with Daniel, wherein he shall not be able to speak so warily, but they will finde matter enough to insnare him, as the words shall be wrested, though indeed, to have a great audience onelyonly shall be made crime enough:Or saving of soules. you know when the Jewes saw that a great companie were at Paul's Sermon, they were filled with envie, and fell to contradiction and blasphemie, Acts 13.45. And the high Priests and Pharisees, when our Saviour was so flocked after, said among themselves, Perceive ye not, Behold, the World goeth after him, and if we let him thus alone, all men will beleeve in him, Iohn 11.48. and 12.19. They were like the Dog in the manger, that will neither eat hay himselfe, nor suffer the Horse; yet they had a reason for it, as these have: Rome thinkes that the Gospels rising, must needs be her falling, as when the day comes, the night must end. Indeed, opinion makes them coyn that for a reason, which others will not assent unto: yea, what is truth to these men, is errour to others more wise.
And when once he is questioned, every one, like Iael to Sisera, will drive a nail, to keep him from rising again.
O the wicked mindes that many go to Church withall,They com not to be caught by a Minister but to catch him. and the great dangers that Ministers are liable unto, did not God mightily support them! many of their hearers being like that Lawyer, which stood up to tempt Christ; for they come not to be taught by him, but to catch him. In which case, let him preach like an Angel, yea, like Christ himselfe, he shall speak to no more purpose than Beda did, when he preacheed to an heap of stones. It is well known, saith Erasmus, that many points are condemned as hereticall in Luthers books, which in Austens and Bernards books are received for good and orthodox.
But what saith David? Though they have conceived mischief, and do travail with wickednesse, yet they shall bring forth a lye, Psal. 7.14. For, the Lord breaketh their counsels, and bringeth their devices to naught, Psal. 33.10.But are taken in the snare they spread for others. Yea, while the ungodly are whetting a knife to cut our throats. God is whetting a sword to cut their throats. Shall the powder thinke to blow up the house, and scape it selfe from burning? No, it is a true rule, that of evil premises doth not follow a good conclusion, but from evil seeds come evil plants.
SECT. 40.
4. THey are very proan to imprison the godly,19 They are proane to imprison the godly. cause or no cause; as Ahab commanded Michaiah to be put into the prison house, and sed with the bread of affliction, and with the water of affliction, 1 Kings 22.27. Thus the malicious Priests procured Ieremiah to be shut up in prison, Ier. 36.5. And thus our Saviour shewing what entertainment the faithfull should finde in the World, foretelleth that wicked men shall lay hands on them, and deliver them up to the Assemblies, and into prisons, bring them before Kings and Rulers, for his names sake, Luke 21.12. As Iohn Baptist, Peter, Paul, and many other of the Apostles, were put into the common prison by Herod, and the Synod of Priests, when they preached in Christs Name, Acts 5.18. and 12.4. and 4.3. and 22.25. and 28.17. and 2 Cor. 11.23. And … presume the common people were more glad of the Churches losse herein, than they would have been of their own gain.
But why into prison? Why not unto death? No thankes to Satan, nor his seed, they would destroy all. Yea, Why are not our Sanctuaries turned into Shambles, and our beds made to swim with our blouds, but that the God of Israel hath crossed the confederacie of Balak, and their wickednesse doth not prosper, their studies are the plots of our ruine, and the best they intend, is the destruction and overthrow of Religion, or the religious, or both.
Not for any crime.Again, Why these, and a thousand more in all ages shut up in prison? What was their delinquencie? Even this. They were too good, too holy to be endured. What was it but Iosephs goodnesse, that brought him to the stockes and Irons? And so of Michaiah, Ieremiah, the Apostles, and all the Saints in succeeding Ages.
And to speak truly,But to prevent further dispute. this is a deep point of policie in our Adversaries: for when all their arguments faile, by this meanes they get the better, and withall prevent further dispute. In the mid… of their anger they use this discretion, Stand not to argue, le… thou be overcome, and let the accused plead what he can for his owne innocencie: the Wolfe would answer the Lamb, Indeed thy cause is better then mine, but my teeth are better then thine, I will devour thee: So the Devill puts off the Fox, and puts on the Lyon.
Againe,And other the like reasons. we know the Moone hath so much the lesse light, by how much it is neerer the Sun; yea, so long as the Sun shines above the Horizon, the Moone is scarcely seene. And we use to say of Homer, that the dazling beames of his Sunne makes all other Poets, like little Stars, loose their light.
This made Dionysius, when he could not equall Philoxenus in Poetry, nor match Plato in discourse, condemne the one to the stone-quarries, and sell the other as a slave into the Ile of Agina. And out of like consideration, have the wicked alwayes dealt with the godly, even as Iulian the Apostate did by our Saviour, who tooke down his Image in contempt, that he might set up his owne in the same place, and have the people worship it, which he knew they would never doe, so long as the other was reverenc'd.
SECT. 41.
20 Their usuall way of confuting is with fists.5 THey often manifest their enmity against the Religious by striking them, as Zedikiah, the false Prophet, strook Michaiah on the cheek, 1 King. 22.24. thus Pasher strooke Ieremiah, Ier. 20.2. And the Princes also, Chap. 37.15. And thus Ananias the high Priest caused Paul to be smitten on the mouth, Acts 23.2. and the Iewes whipt him five times with forty stripes save one, and others beat him with rods, 2 Cor. 11.23, 24, 25.
And thus our rough adversaries of Rome stopt our Martyrs mouthes, and refuted them, not with reasons, nor by Law (for the Law hath no power to strike the vertuous) but with fists.
Their Arguments are all steel and iron.When Polititians Rhetorick failes, Carters Logick must do the feat. Their arguments are all Steel and Iron, they speake dagger points: As Ioab discoursed with Amaza in the fifth Rib. So Zedikiah disputed with the Prophet a word and a blow; yea, a blow without a word; for hee smote him first, and spake to him afterwards.
Every false Prophet is like Iulius the second, who threw Saint Peters keyes into the river Tiber, protesting, that thenceforth he would use and helpe himselfe with Saint Pauls sword.
And in case they cannot have their wills, they resemble Achillis, who is fained to eate his owne heart, because he might not be suffered to fight.
SECT. 42.
6 IT is usuall with them to hurt and maime the godly:21 They will hurt & maime the godly as the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel would have served those true hearted Spyes, for seeking to appease the tumult, and speaking well of the Land of Can…a…, had not the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, Numb. 14.10. Thus the Philistims put out Sampsons eyes, when they had bound him, Iudg. 16.21. and thus the Iewes of An…iochia and Ico…m hurt Paul, when they …toned him, and drew him out of the City, supposing he had beene dead, Act. 14.19. Neither have succeeding ages wanted Alexanders, who have done much hurt to Gods people: for not seldome when reason and railing failed, have they come to plow-mans Logick, Gun-powder arguments, open violence, taking up swords to strike, or stones to cast at us, though they incurre by it the danger of the Law. Whereas religion makes wild beasts civill; Atheisme, and Impiety makes of wise meu beasts and …ools. How many have been known, like him in Esop, who willingly lost one eye, that his fellow might loose both.Their malice makes them like beasts or …ocks
Yea, whereas the drift of such an ones preaching, in case he be a minister, is to make them like him, in whose name they preach: contrarily, the very word of God, by accident, makes them degenerate into stockes and stones: for hearing but their sins layd open, and the judgement due thereunto, they become so stupid and in sensible of reason, that now, maugre all admonition, the quarrell must end in blood: Yea, away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not meet that he should live, Acts 22.22.