The Cause and Cure of Ignorance, Section 49 – Section 50
SECT. 49.
Quest. WHerein consists their unlikenesse and contrariety?Wherein this contrariety consists.
Answ. Chiefly, in foure particulars; though indeed there bee more differences between the Children of God and the Children of the Devil, than there are betweene men and beasts.
First, they exceedingly differ in their judgements touching Wisdome.They differ in their judgements. 1 Cor. 1.18.20, 23. and 2.14. and 4.10. Luke 6.27. to 36. Acts 26.24. Wisd. 5.4. Gen. 41.8. Iob 5.13. Prov. 28.11.1 Touching Wisdome. Ier. 4.22. 1 Cor. 3.19. Exod. 1 10. Iosh. 9.4. Titus 3 9. Prov. 10. ver. 18. Rom. 16. ver. 19.
2 Touching happinesse.Happinesse, Luke 6.26. and 8.13. Ia. 4.4. Mark. 16.16. Iob. 3.16, 18. and 8.34, 36. Rom. 6.16.18.22. Psal. 2.3, 4. and 10.3. and 21.4. 2 Tim. 2.26. Mal. 3.15. Revel. 3.17. 1 Thes. 5.3.
3 touching fortitude.Fortitude, Prov. 28.1, 2. Rev. 13.6, 7. and 12, 13, 17 Mar. 13.9. Acts 7.52. Mat. 10.28. Gal. 4 29. Ioh. 16.2.
4 touching sin.Sinne, Luke 16.15. Prov. 13.19. Marke 7.5, 11, 12, 13, Luke 7.33, 34. Matth. 7.14. 1 Pet. 4 18 Psal. 35.13.16.
5 touching holinesse.Holinesse, Acts 26.9. Exod. 8.26. 1 Cor. 4.10. and 2.14. Prov. 13.19. Psal. 14.1 Ier. 44.16. to 19. Yea, they are of a reprobate judgement touching actions and persons Isa. 5.20. and so speak, thinke and doe all by contraries, like Heliogabalus who wore shooes of Gold, and Rings of Leather. Or the Blackmoores who judge of beauty by contraries. Wherefore read their words as Scholars doe Hebrew, backward, and you have the meaning: for instance do they call thee Puritan as nothing more frequent in their mouths, understand by it Saint for a Christian indeed (as thou art) is a Puritan in the Devils language, and a Christian in name onelyonly (as such an one is) is an Atheist in Gods language.
Secondly, They no lesse differ in their Passions and affections of Love,Secondly▪ they differ in their passions & affections. Psalm, 119.57, 72, and 17, 14.
Feare, Prov. 28.1, 2. 1 Tim 4.1. Rom. 2.14, 15.
Anger, Acts 7.52. to 60. and 5.30. to 34. Prov. 12.10. Rev. 18.19, 20.
Joy, 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. Ioh. 3.15. Mat. 11.19. And the like, which for brevities sake I forbeare.
Thirdly they differ no lesse in practice,Thirdly, they differ in their practice. & this breeds many quarrels: as what more common than for all sorts and kinds of men to hate, scorne, persetute, reproach,Wicked men persecute the godly for being better then they. revile, accuse, slander and condemn the Religious, because their owne workes are evill and wicked, and the others good, holy, and righteous. Wherefore slew Caine his brother, saith Saint Iohn, but because his own Workes were evill, and his brothers good? 1 Ioh. 3.12. Why was Ioseph accused of his Mistris for an adulterer, and thereupon committed to prison, but because hee would not bee an Adulterer like her? Genesis 39. Yea, it was his party-coloured Coat, composed of all kinds of graces and blessings that formerly procured his Brethrens hate. And what is it that Iobs Wife expostulates with him about, but his integrity? As if shee tooke it ill, that he took it no worse: his patience made her impatient. Wherefore was holy David, Of which many examples.as himself complaines, almost in every Psalme Had in derison, hated, slandered, reviled, contemned and made a proverbe and song of the Drunkards, and other wicked men which sate in the gate? but because he followed the things which were good and pleasing unto God and in him part his trust? Psal. 11.2. and 22.6, 7, 8. and 37.14. and 69.10, 11, 12. And lastly (for I might bee endlesse in the prosecution of this.) Why were all the just, in Solomons time, had in abhomination and mockt of the wicked, but because they were upright in their way, and holy in their conversation, Prov. 29.27. Or those numberlesse Martyrs, whose soules Saint Iohn saw under the the Alter (Rev. 6.9.) killed, but for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they maintained? And the Master himselfe? not for any evill as themselves are forced to confesse, Marke 7.37. which examples sufficiently prove, that all wicked men are like the women of Lemnos, who when they had every one slaine their husbands and kinsmen, exiled Hypsipyle the Kings daughter, for that she alone saved her Father alive. That great Dragon the Devill, and these his Subjects, make warre and are wroth with none but the woman, and the remnant of her Seed, which keepe the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ, Revel. 12.17. All was quiet at Ephesus before Saint Paul came thither: but then there arose no small strife about that way▪ Acts. 19.23. &c. A Wolfe flys not upon a painted sheepe; we can with delight look upon the picture of a Toa… It is your active christian, that is most spighted, and persecuted.
SECT. 50.
The same applyed.BUt to apply this to our selves. I would faine know, whether the power of godlinesse, the sincere profession of the name of Christ, according to the Vow which we made in Baptisme, all kind of purity and holinesse, doth not live in persecution among us, as Protestants doe in Spaine? Is it not a capitall crime to bee vertuous? Is not the name of an honest man, who makes conscience of his wayes, growne odious? Is not circumspect walking, the zeale of Gods glory in promoting the best things, frequent hearing of Sermons, singing of Psalmes holy conference, brotherly admonition, &c. counted a vice, and that vice called Puritanisme? And must not hee who is called a Puritan, be derided, hated, persecuted, slandered and laught to scorne? how many may complaine with Ieremy, that because they live a godly life themselves, and call upon others to doe the same, they are cursed of everyone, and counted contentious? Ier. 15.10. It faring with Professors, as it did with Caius Selius: of whom the Heathen were wont to say, that hee was a good man, but he was a Christian. Yea, let but a sparke of fervent devotion breake out in a Family,Where Christ comes ther will be opposition. all the rest are up in clamors; as when Bels ring disorderly, every man is ready with his bucket to quench the fire; disgraced he must be for a Puritan, but onelyonly by Laodiceans. Indifferency strives to dash zeale out of countenance, The reason is, wheresoever Christ comes, there will be opposition. When Christ was borne, all Ierusalem was troubled, and Herod cut the throats of all the children in Bethlehem: so when Christ is borne in any man, the soule is in an uproare, and Satan with his instruments are ready to kill in him every good motion, though it be never so little a Babe.
That which the Antients did cheifly admire (goodnesse) we do most of all contemne:Nothing more contemned then goodnesse. for is not the godly man more dispised for his godlinesse, then the wicked for his wickednesse? Are not the members of Christ more hated, and worse intreated by us, then the limbs of the Devill? What suppressing and disgracing is there of Hels, and Romes cheifest adversaries, under the aspersion and pretence of Puritanisme.
Whereas if the same men, would but beare them company in their sins, bee drunke, sweare, temporise, contemne holinesse, mispend their time, haunt Play-Houses and Tavernes, play the good fellows, and doe as the rest doe, they should have the approbation & good word of the greatest number; yea, if they would not be precise in their actions, nor reprove others for their evill courses;Would we accompany them in evill, their malice would cease. if they would not speake against pluralities, Non-residents, lazy and good-fellow Pastors, who either starve or quite neglect, or else mis-leade their flocks; if they would but bee prophane and wicked, and make no bones of sinne, their malice would cease, and wee should not have a Puritan in all the World.