The Cause and Cure of Ignorance, Section 43 – Section 45
SECT. 43.
7 ANd lastly,22 usuall with them to murther the Saints. It is their manner out of Enmity to slay the godly, as Doeg slew Ahimeleck and the re…t of the Prie…s, even fourscore and five persons, and Nob the City of Priests, whom he smote with the edge of the sword, both man and woman, child and suckling, at Sauls command, 1 Sam. 22.19. Thus Iezabel slew all the Prophets of the Lord she could finde, 1 Kings 18.4. And Herod, all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and al the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, that hee might make sure worke with Christ, Matth. 2.16. And thus the Inhabitants of Ierusalem, Gods owne people, chosen out of all the World, used to make such havock of their own Prophets, that out Saviour bemoaning her case, cryeth out, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, &c. Matth. 23.37.
And thus it fares with the Saints & servants of God at this day,Instead of arguments they take up armes. in such places where wicked men may have their wills. Whereas those Romish Doctors are appointed for the saving of many, they are all for distruction: like rash Empiricks, they can cure no way; but by letting of blood; and hereupon they turn their Massing into massacring; the School into a Camp; Arguments, into Armes; teaching all their Proselytes dismall conclusions: as it hath been no rare thing, for some of their Priests in Queen Maries reign, when in arguments they have found the weaknesse of their pens, to fall to their pen-knives: In…ead of arguments they take up armes; and instead of zeale and the spirituall word, they use fire and the sword; yea, treasons, are their best reasons; the Spanish Inquisition, is their Grammer; fire and fagot their Rheitorick; Fleete and fetters, their Log…ck; The Canons roar, their Musick; poysoning, their physick; Yea, their very building of the Church, is by blowing up of common-wealths; and instead of fighting for God, they fight against God and his Leivtenant.They are savage and bloody.
And if at this day they catch but a Protestant in their net, it is a miracle if ever he escapes death, without making shipwracke of faith and a good conscience. For if we will not obey them rather then God, they have a Law by which men ought to dye, a Law like Draco's, written with blood, and sealed with death. Of which their savage proceeding, there are many reasons to be rendered.
First,Of which five reasons. they must doe the workes of their father the Devil: he is a murtherer, and so his children are given to blood, Iohn 8.44.1 Reaso….
Secondly,2 Reason. that their deeds of darknesse may not come to light Vriah must be put to death, least Davids adultery bee discovered, and himselfe disgraced. A living Curre you know, will doe more harme then a dead Lion: and it is a sure rule, that of Egges fried in the Pan come no ill Chickens.3 Reason.
Thirdly, the wicked through malice seek by all meanes to cut off the godly, because their sinfull and wicked lives are reproved by their godly conversation: neither can they follow their sinnes so freely as they would, nor so quietly, without detection or check. Now if Abels good works reprove Caines evill deeds, let Caine but take away the cause, kill Abel, and the effect shall not follow.
4 Reason.Fourthly, whereas the godly are too hard for them in disputing: take Steven for an instance: they will be even with him, by casting of stones, stop his mouth with brick-bats, fetch arguments from the Shambles; and this they are sure will doe, when all other hopes and helps fayle. So they make their party good, if not with arguments of reason, yet with arguments of steele, and Iron. But this is a very hard way of confuting.
5 Reason.Fifthly, their glory and credit with the World is ecclipsed, by suffering these which excell in vertue, This made Adrian and Nero to kill all such as ecclipsed their glory by any demerit: and Mercine, you know, was murthered of her fellowes, because she did excell the rest in beauty. Thus Herod, thought he could not be King, if Christ should reigne. Yea, as though hee had beene of the race of the Ottamans, he thought hee could not reigne, except the first thing hee d…d, hee killed all the males in Bethlehe,m from two yeares old and under: and the Pharisees that they should be despised, if Christ were regarded.
And so much of the actual properties of this Enmity.
SECT. 44.
Q. IN how many of these kindes did our Saviour himself suffer (whose example hitherto you have omitted) in his own person of the Jewes,Our Saviour suffered two & twenty wayes of ungodly men. his Countrey-men and Kinsfolke; yea, of the Chief Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, who were Teachers and Expounders of the Law, and which sate in Moses Chair?
Answ. In every one of the 22. for as touching the Mental Properties.
1 They Envied him,4 Mental Properties Matth. 26.15.
2 They Contemned him, Matth. 12.24. & 13.55.
3 They Rejoyced at him in his miserie and distresse, Matth. 27.29.
4 They Hated him, Iohn 7.7.
2. Touching the Verbal.
11 verball Properties.1 They Murmured against him, Luke 15.2.
2 They Misconstrued his actions and intentions, Matth. 11.19.
3 They Carried tales of him, Mat. 12.14
4 They Gave devilish counsel against him, Matth. 27.20.
5 They Scoft at him, Matth 27 42.
6 They Nick-named him, Matth. 13 55.
7 They Railed on him, Luke 23.39.
8 They Slandered him, Matth. 28 13.
9 They Cursed him, Gal 3 13.
10 They Threatened him, Iohn 11.53.
11 They Undermined him in talke, that they might accuse him, Matth. 22.15.
3. Touching the Actual.
1 They Used disdainfull gestures before him,7 Actuall Properties. Matth. 2….29.39.
2 They Withstood and contraried his Doctrine, Luke 5.21. Matth. 9.34.
3 They Combined together, and laid plots to destroy him, Matth. 12.14.
4 They Took him prisoner, Mat. 26.57.
5 They Smote him, Luke 22.64.
6 They Hurt and wonnded him, Matth. 27.29. Iohn 19 34.
7 They Put him to death, even that cursed death of the Crosse, Matth. 27.3….
That the Scriptures might be fulfilled which saith, And thou shalt bruise his hell; for all that he suffered was but in his Humanity, and so no more than the bruising of his heel.
And why all this? Not for any evil they found in him; for their own words are,It was for his zaale purity and holinesse. He hath done all things well, Marke 7.37. He hath done, such was his power; all things, such was his wisedom: well, such was his goodnesse: and yet crucified, and abused every way he must be. It was indeed for his zeal, purity, and holinesse, and because his life and practice was clean contrary to theirs, his Doctrine too powerfull and pure for such carnal hearts to imbrace or endure. So that it is plain, and all men may see, who are not dead in sense, how it would fare with us, might our enemies, the same Seed of the Serpent have their wils.
SECT. 45.
Severall uses of their enmity.Q WHat Uses may this serve for, which hath been spoken touching the properties of this enmity, and our Saviours suffering?
1 Use.Answ. First, by this tast of it's fruits learne we to detest them all.
2 Use.Secondly, it may serve to informe every man, whether he be of the Serpents Seed, a childe of the Devil, as he came into the world,To informe us whether we be children of the devill or members of Christ. or regenerate, and so become of the Womans Seed, a Childe of God, and Member of Christ: for as our Saviour saith, speaking of false Prophets, By their fruits ye shall know them: so I of the Seed of the Serpent, and children of the Devil, By these 22 fruits of enmity you shall know them, as well as you shall know the life by breathing, or the day by it's light. Wherefore all ye that read, reflect and cast your eyes on these Examples, which are such lively Emblems and Representations of your selves, if you be the Serpent's Seed, and yet in your sinnes. Yea, let it make you tremble; for know assuredly, that if this spawn of enmity, formerly spoken of, remain in you; if any of these …ayes you persecute Christ in his Members, or but hate the good, because they will not be so evil as you are, you have not cast off this serpentine quality, which you drew from the loines of old Adam; but it is an infallible signe, that you are of the Serpents Seed, children of the Devil, enemies to God, and all goodnes, the brethren of Cain, yea, Cain himselfe in another person, and without repentance, your portion shall be with Cain, and the rest of that cursed Crue.
Comfort for such as suffer.On the other side, doth any conscionable Christian finde himselfe hated & persecuted by ungodly men for wel-doing, for Christ's sake, for Religion and righteousnesse sake? Let him be comforted; for it is a manifest signe, and a notable strong evidence, that he is of the Womans Seed, regenerate and borne a new, the Childe of God, a Member of Christ's mystical Bodie, and an Heir of eternal Life.
Thirdly, these Examples being written to admonish us, upon whom the ends of the world are come, may informe the Godly what they are to expect from the world: Shall any hope to be free from suffering, or t…ke it a strange thing, when he doth suffer for wel-doing, when our Saviour Christ himselfe suffered so much as he did, being the onelyonly begotten Son of God, 3 Use.full of grace and truth? Let non look to fare better than Christ.No, the Disciple is not above his Master, nor the Servant above his Lord: If they have persecuted Christ, they will persecute you also, Iohn 15.20. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household? Matth. 10.25. Yea, senselesse were it once to thinke, that the same enmity which spared not to strike at the Head, will forbear the weakest and remotest Limbe.
Wherefore arme thou us, O God, with an expectation of that evil which we cannot avoid, yea, make thou us as strong, as Satan and his instruments are malicious, and then let them do their worst.
And so much of the Kindes and Properties of this enmity.