The Cause and Cure of Ignorance, Section 4 – Section 5
SECT. 4.
Quest. BVt how should weak Christians know the mystery of this iniquity, Meanes to cleare our Iudgments touching the worlds hatred.shake off this slavish yoke of bondage and feare, in which Satan for the present holds them?
Answ. Search the Scriptures, and they will so cleare your judgement, and cure your Prejudice, that in some measure you shall be enabled to quench those fiery darts, Ephes. 6.16. I meane, the reproaches of those evill tongues, which are set on fire from Hell, Iames 3.6. for Virgil most excellently and profoundly couples the knowledge of cause, and the conquest of all feares together.
First for the informing of your judgement, our Saviour Christ and his Apostles hath abundantly foretold the same. Of a multitude of predictions I'le only instance three or foure. All that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution, 2. Tim. 3.12. Not some, but all: and what all, but even all that will live godly? Now, methinkes, if there were no other texts in the Bible but this one, it were omnisufficient to take away Prejudice and wonder touching the Worlds hatred and calumny: but the Scriptures are full of the like, Ye shall be hated of all men and Nations (saith our Saviour) for my names sake, Math. 10.22. & 24.9. Not of a few, but of all Men and Nations, that is, all naturall men, or the greatest part of men in all Countries and Nations, yea, and for no other cause, but for professing of Christs Name. Neither is Christ a signe to be spoken against of many in Babylon, or Assyria, Religion most opposed, by formall professors.but of many in Israel, Luke 2.34 where Religion is profest publickly.
Yea, when sincerity is wanting, the nearer the line with any opposition, the greater Eclips. The Gadereans but besought Christ to depart, his own Country men drave him out, and cast him down headlong, Luk 4.29. Yea, who was his greatest enemy but his greatest friend, even one of his houshold-Chaplains? And who but Ieremies familiars watched for his haulting?
Againe (saith our Saviour) The servant is not above his Master, Iohn 15.20. But Christ having suffered so much, if we should rest, the Servant were above his Master, which were senslesse to thinke: For could not his wisdome, innocency, and holinesse, fence him from these scornes, and can thine fence thee? Besides, that ancient prediction must bee fulfilled, I will put emnity between the seed of the Serpent, and the seede of the Woman Gen. 3.15. But, if there bee no war betweene the men of the World, and the children of God; if they should not hate and persecute us, this Prediction were not fulfilled: Yea, all the former predictions of Christ, and many, that I omit, should bee false; which were blasphemy once to thinke.
Wherefore marvell not my bretheren, though the world hate you, as Saint Iohn speakes,Christ & his crosse inseparable. 1 Iohn 3.13. Neither count it strange, as Saint Peter hath it, concerning the fiery tryall which is among you, to prove you, as though some strange thing were come unto you, 1 Pet. 4.12, for Christ and his crosse are unseparable, Luke 14.27.
Whence that definition of Luther that a Christian is a crosse-bearer.
Againe, search the whole Bible over and you shall not finde one holy man mentioned, without mention of something hee suffered from ungodly men; as it were easie to instance, how Abel, Lot, All the saints have been hated and persecuted.Noah, Righteous men Abraham the Father of the faithfull, Isaac, Iacob, Ioseph Patriarches and Fathers of the Church, meek Moses, upright Sam…l, holy David, wise Solomon, all the Lords Priests, Prophets, Apostles; yea the harmlesse Babes and our Saviour Christ himselfe, did severally suffer from wicked and ungodly men, yea, never man came to Heaven, but first hee passed through this Purgatory: God had one Sonne without sinne, but never any one without suffering; which makes our Saviour say, Woe be to you, when all men speake well of you, that is, when evill men speake well of you, for so did the Iews of the false Prophets, Luke 6.26. Whereas hee pronounceth them blessed, which heare ill for well doing, Mat. 5.11. Which leads mee to the second point.
SECT. 5.
SEcondly, For Scriptures to confirme, comfort, and strengthen weake Christians against the worlds hatred and calumny,Meanes to confirme comfort, & strengthen us against the worlds hatred. these would be applyed which follow.
Blessed are they (saith our Saviour) which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 5.10. And againe, B…essed are yee when men shall revile you, and persecute you an… say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake, rejoyce and bee exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you, ver. 11.12. And Saint Peter, Rejoyce, inasmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, yee may bee glad also with exceeding joy, for if yee be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are yee, for the spirit of glory and of Go… resteth upon you; Which on their part is evill spoken off, but on your part is gloryfied, 1 Pet. 4.12, 13, 14. Loe here is reward enough for all that men or divills can do against us: And what will not men undergoe, so their reward may be answerable? This hath made thousands even ambitious to imbrace the flames. Your cruelty is our glory, said the Martyrs in Tertullians time, to their persecutors; for the harder wee are put to it, the greater shall our reward bee in heaven. It is to my losse (said Gordius the Martyer) if you bate mee any thing of my sufferings.
But yet further, what saith Saint Paul? In nothing feare your adversaries, whose malice is to them a token of perdition, Their malice a good signe we belong to God.but to you of salvation, and that of God, Phil. 1 28. Yea, in the same Chapter, ver. 29. He preferreth the gift of suffering before the gift of beleeving: And in his Epistle to the Church of Thessalonica peremptorily concludeth, that they are elect of God, from this ground, That they received the word in much affliction with joy in the holy Ghost. They that dwell where Sathans seate is, holding fast Christs name, without denying his faith: are Protestants indeed, Revel. 2.13.
Examine these Scriptures againe and againe, for every word of them is ponderous, and consider of whom and by whom they were spoken: then certainly thou wilt confess, that if their be any Nectar in this life, 'tis in sorrows wee indure for Righteousnesse. And methinks, when I heare goodnesse calumniated, I beare it the easier, because the servants of vice do it.