The Cure of Prejudice, Title page – To the reader

The Cure of Prejudice · Title page – To the reader

The Cure of PREIVDICE, Or, The Doves Innocency and the Serpents ſubtilty, wherein The

Originall,

Continuance,

Properties,

Cauſes,

Endes,

Iſſue and Effects

of the worlds Envie and hatred to the Godly

Is pithily laid open and applyed.

By R. Junius.

GEN. 3.15. I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and betweene thy ſeed and her ſeede: it ſhall bruiſe thy head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heele.

PRO. 29.27. A wicked man is Abomination to the Juſt, and he that is upright in his way, is Abomination to the wicked.

LONDON, Printed by I. B. and are to be ſold by James Crump, at his houſe in Well-Yard in little S. Bartholmews, 1641.

Courteous Reader,

HAving peruſed this firſt part of the Cure of Prejudice, we finde it to containe a lively deſcription of that enmity and hatred which the wicked beare to Gods people, together with a perſpicuous diſcovery of the grounds & reaſons of it, laid down pithily, orderly and elegantly, with much both ſinew ous ſtrength of argumēt, and variety of gracefull & delightful Illuſtration: The which, through Gods bleſſing accompanying it, is likely to prove of much uſe to all ſorts that shall read the ſame, whether in comforting the godly in their ſufferings, or in reclaiming, or (at leaſt) convincing ſuch as any way oppoſe the way of truth: So that whatſoever time, labour & diligence thou shalt ſpend in often reading it, we doubt not but the profit will recompence thy paines abundantly.

GEORGE WALKER.

EDM. CALAMY.

IOSEPH CARYLL.

p. 1THE CVRE OF PREJUDICE: OR The DOVES Innocency, and the SERPENTS Subtilty; wherein The

Originall,

Continuance,

Properties,

Cauſes,

Ends,

Iſſue and Effect,

of the Worlds Envie and Hatred to the Godly, is pithily laid open and applied, by way of Queſtion and Anſwer, between a weake and an experienced Chriſtian.

Queſtion.

HOw is it, that the practice of Chriſtianity is every where ſpoken againſt, under the name of Schiſme, as the chiefe Jewes told Paul in his time? Acts 28.22. And that ſo ſoone as men become religious and conſcionable, they are made a by-word of the people, Job 17.6. A p. 2ſong of the drunkards, Pſal. 69.12. And generally hated of all, Matth. 10.22.

Anſwer. Know yee not (ſaith Saint James) that the Amity of the World, is the Enmity of God? And that whoſoever will be a friend of the World maketh himſelfe the enemy of God? James 4.4. A wicked man (ſaith Solomon) is abomination to the Juſt, and he that is upright in his way, is abomination to the wicked, Pro. 29.27.

There is a naturall Enmity, and a ſpirituall Antipathy betweene the men of the World and the Children of God; whence it is, that the holy Ghoſt (who can give moſt congruous Names to Natures) uſeth in the Scripture, Gods Dictionary, not onelyonly to call wicked men, Adders, Aſpes, Gockatrices, Serpents, Dragons, Lyons, Tygers, &c. Pſal. 10.9. & 74.13 & 80.13. & 140.3. Eſay 14.29. Dan. 7. Zeph. 3. Matth. 23.33. which are the mortalleſt enemies to mankind that live; but moſt frequently Wolves, and the godly Sheep; Behold (ſaith our Saviour to his Apoſtles) I ſend you forth as Sheep in the midſt of Wolves, Mat. 10.16. between whom there is a ſtrange contrariety and antipathy living, and dead, as both Naturaliſts and Lutiniſts obſerve.

It is an everlaſting rule of the Apoſtles, He that is born after the Fleſh will perſecute him that is born after the Spirit, Gal. 4.29. not becauſe he is evil, but becauſe he is ſo much better then himſelf. 1 John. 3.12. becauſe his life is not like other mens; his wayes are of another faſhion, Wiſ. 2.15. for therefore ſpeake they evill of you, becauſe yee will no longer run with them to the ſame exceſſe of ryot, 1 Pet. 4 4.

Queſt. But are not many diſcouraged, and others beaten off from being Religious, through p. 3the daily ſcoffes and reproaches, which in every place the godly meete withall, for refuſing to doe as others doe with whom they are converſant?

Anſw. Yea millions, there being no ſuch rub in the way to Heaven as that generall contempt which the Devill and the World have caſt upon Religion and the practiſers of Piety; which makes our Saviour pronounce that man bleſſed that is not offended in him, Matth. 11.6. For hereby it is growne to that, that men feare nothing more then to have a name that they feare God, and are more aſhamed to bee holy then prophane, becauſe holineſſe is worſe intreated then prophaneneſſe: with Peter we are apt to deny our Religion, when we come in company with Chriſts enemies: and with David, to diſſemble our Faith, when we are amongſt Philiſtims. Like thoſe white-liverd Rulers, John 12 42. who loved the praiſe of Men, more than the praiſe of God, wee chooſe to conceale our knowledge of, and love to Chriſt, leſt we ſhould be mockt, have ſo many frownes, and frumps, and cenſures, and ſcoffes, be branded with that odious and ſtigmaticall name of an Hypocrite, &c.

True, with Nicodemus, we owe God ſome good will, but we dare not ſhew it, becauſe of this, we would pleaſe him, yet ſo as we might not diſpleaſe others, nor our ſelves. Like the young man in the Goſpell, we will follow Chriſt, ſo Chriſt propound no other conditions, then what wee like of: but what will be the iſſue, our Saviour ſaith expreſly. That he will be aſhamed of ſuch at the latter day, who are now aſhamed for his ſake, to beare a few ſcoffes p. 4and reproaches from the World, Mark 8.38.

But ſecondly, it ſo foreſtalleth (ſuch as are without) with Prejudice againſt goodneſſe and circumſpect walking, that they reſolve never to be Religious ſo long as they live: As how many not onelyonly ſtumble at Chriſt, the living and chiefe corner ſtone, elect of God, and preclous, but quite fal as at a Rocke of offence; yea, utterly diſallow of the things that are excellent, onelyonly through the contempt which is caſt upon Religion? 1 Pet. 2.7, 8.

What ſuch mens thoughts are we may heare from the damned in Hell, We fooles thought their lives madneſſe, &c. Wiſd. 5.3, 4. And experience ſhewes, that they will hate a man to the death, though he have nothing to condemne him, but his being holy.

Yea, where Satan hath once ſet this his porter of Prej…dice, though Chriſt himſelfe were on earth, that ſou…e would ſtumble and bee offended at his very beſt actions; as we ſee in the Scribes and Phariſees, who made an evill conſtruction of whatſoever he did or ſpake: For when he wrought Miracles, hee was a Sorcerer: When he caſt out Devils, it was by the power of Devils: When hee reproved ſinners, he was a ſeducer: When he received ſinners, he was their favourer: When he healed the ſick, he was a breaker of the Sabbath, &c. John 8.

Nor can the higheſt eloquence of the beſt Preacher ever reclaime ſuch. For firſt, words are vagabonds where the Admoniſhed hath an evill opinion of the Admoniſher. Secondly, they are reſolved againſt yeelding▪ Thirdly, let them be convinc't by ſtrength of argument, the thought of thoſe things preſently paſſes away like the ſound of a Bell that is rung. O this is a difficult Devill to be caſt out, even like that p. 5which we read of, Math. 17.16. For as all the Diſciples could not caſt out that Devill, no more can all the Preachers this: for the Cure of Prejudice alone in one man, is more then to cure the ſeaven deadly ſinnes (as the Papiſts tearme them) in another. Nay (if I may ſpeake it with reverence) what meanes can God uſe that ſhall be able to convert ſuch an one? The nine plagues ſhall not prevaile with Pharaoh; the graves opening, the dead ariſing, the vayle of the Temple renting, the light of the Sunne fayling, the Centurion confeſſing, &c. will doe no good uppon the Scribes and Phariſees; Yea, though Ahab be told from the Lord, that if he goe to Warre hee ſhall periſh; yet he goeth and ſpeeds accordingly.

Queſt. But how ſhould weake Chriſtians know the myſtery of this iniquity, 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, James 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 Jeſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution, 2 Tim. 3.12. Not ſome, but all; and what all, but even all that will live godly? Now, me thinkes, if there were no other p. 6texts 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, Yee ſhall be hated of all men and Nations (ſaith our Saviour) for my Names ſake, Matth. 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 Countryes 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, 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 owne country-men drave him out, and caſt him downe headlong, Luke 4.29. Yea, who was his greateſt enemy but his greateſt friend, even one of his houſhold-Chaplains? And who but Jeremies familiars watched for his haulting?

Againe (faith our Saviour) The Servant is not above his Maſter, John 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 wiſedome, innocency, and holineſſe, ſence him from theſe ſcornes, and can thine fence thee? Beſides, that ancient prediction muſt be fulfilled, I will put enmity betweene the ſeed of the Serpent, and the ſeed of the Woman, Gen. 3.15. But, if there be no warre betweene the men of the World, and the children of God; if they ſhould not hate and perſecure us, this Prediction were not fulfilled: Yea, all the former predictions of Chriſt, and many, p. 7that I omit, ſhould bee falſe; which were blaſphemy once to thinke.

Wherefore marvell not, my brethren, though the World hate you, as Saint John ſpeakes, 1 John 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.

Againe, ſearch the whole Bible over, and you ſhall not finde one holy man mentioned, without mention of ſomething h…e ſuffered from ungodly men; as it were eaſie to inſtance, how Abel, Lot, Noah, Righteous men, Abraham the Father of the Faithfull, Iſaac, Jacob, Joſeph, Patriarches and Fathers of the Church, meek Moſes, upright Samuel, holy David, wiſe Solomon, all the Lords Prieſts, Prophets, Apoſtles; yea, the harmeleſſe Babes, and our Saviour Chriſt himſelfe, did ſeverally ſuffer from wicked and ungodly men: Yea, never man came to Heaven, but firſt he paſt thorow 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 Jewes of the falſe Prophets, Luke 6.26. Whereas he pronounceth them bleſſed, which heare ill for well doing, Matth. 5.11. Which leads me to the ſecond point.

Secondly, For Scriptures to confirme, comfort, and ſtrengthen weake Chriſtians againſt the Worlds hatred and calumny, theſe would be applyed which follow.

Bleſſed are they (ſaith our Saviour) which ſuffer perſecution for righteouſneſſe ſake, for theirs is the Kingdome p. 8of Heaven, Matth. 5.10. And againe, Bleſſed are yee when men ſhall revile you, and perſecute you, and ſay all manner of evill againſt you falſly for my ſake, rejoyce and be 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, ye may be glad alſo with exceeding joy, for if ye be reproached for the Name of Chriſt, happy are ye, for the ſpirit of glory and of God reſteth upon you; Which on their part is evill ſpoken off, but on your part is glorified, 1 Pet. 4.12, 13, 14. Loe, here is reward enough for all that men or devils can doe againſt us: And what will not men undergoe, ſo their reward may be anſwerable?

But yet further, What ſaith Saint Paul? In nothing feare your adverſaries, whoſe malice is to them a token of perdition, but to you of ſalvation, and that of God, Phil. 1.28. Yea, in the ſame Chapter, verſ. 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. Examine theſe Scriptures againe and againe, for every word of them is ponderous, and conſider of whom, and by whom they were ſpoken: then certainely thou wilt confeſſe, that if there be any Nectar in this life, 'tis in ſorrowes wee endure for Righteouſneſſe. And methinkes, when I heare goodneſſe calumniated, I beare it the eaſier, becauſe the ſervants of vice doe it.

Queſt. What is the Originall ground of the Worlds hatred?

p. 9Anſw. That proclamation which God himſelfe made in Paradiſe, Gen. 3.15. where he ſaith unto the Serpent, I will put enmity betweene thee, and the woman, and betweene thy ſeed, and her ſeed: be, or, it ſhall bruiſe thine head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heele.

Queſt. What is meant here by Enmity?

Anſw. A bitter, immoderate, inveterate, irreconciliable and endleſſe hatred and diviſion, oppoſite to that amity and familiarity which formerly had been betweene the Woman and the Serpent.

Queſt. Betweene whom was this Enmity proclaimed?

Anſw. Betweene the Serpent and his ſeed, on the one ſide; and the Woman and her ſeed, on the other.

Queſt. What is meant by the Serpent and his Seed?

Anſw. Firſt, by the Serpent we are to underſtand Satan, who opened the Serpents mouth, and cauſed it to ſpeake with mans voice; as the Lord by an Angell opened the mouth of Balaams Aſſe, Numbers 22.

Secondly, By the Serpents ſeed is meant the whole generation of wicked men, as all Interpreters conclude, and other Scriptures make cleare, calling them Serpents, Generation of Vipers, and Children of the Devill, Matth. 23.33. John 8.44. 1 John 3.10.

Queſt. What is meant by the Woman and her Seed?

Anſw. By the woman is meant Eve; by her ſeed we are to underſtand firſt and chiefly Chriſt, the ſingular Seed, who was ſo the Seed of the Woman, p. 10as that he was not of the Man, Gal. 4.4. being borne of a Virgin, Iſaiah 7.14.

Secondly, It imployeth all his members, the Elect, when once regenerate, who are not onelyonly Eves ſeed as ſhe was the Mother of all living by nature, but by faith alſo; as elſe where they are called the ſeed, or children of Abraham, Gal. 3.29.

Queſt. What occaſioned the Lord to proclaime this enmity?

Anſw. Adams ſinne, in eating the forbidden fruit, and Satans malice, in moving and ſeducing him thereunto was the meritorious cauſe: the originall of this diſcord is from Originall ſin.

Queſt. What Inſtruction affords this?

Anſw. Firſt, That to be without reproaches and perſecutions wee may rather wiſh then hope. For what peace can we looke for betweene the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent, ſeeing God himſelfe, from the beginning, hath ſet them at enmity? Yea, once to expect it were an effect of frenzy, not of hope.

Secondly, If the Lord hath put this enmity between us and the wicked, here is comfort in ſuffering, warrant in oppoſing.

Thirdly, If the Seed of the Woman fight on Chriſts ſide, and they have Gods Word for their warrant, they are ſure to have him aſſiſt them, and prevent their enemies. And is not that God we fight for, able enough to vindicate all our wrongs?

Queſt. Doth that hatred and enmity continue to this day?

Anſw. Yes, the words are ſet downe indefinitely without limitation, and ſo ſignifie that it ſhall be p. 11perpetuall, from the beginning of time to the end of all time. When time (ſaith one) began, this malice firſt began, nor will it end but with the lateſt man: it is an everlaſting Act of Parliament, like a Statute in Magna Charta.

Queſt. To proceed from Explication to Confirmation, and ſo to Application. How prove you, That there hath beene in all ages paſt, is now, and ever ſhall bee betweene the wicked and the godly a perpetuall Warre, enmity and ſtrife, according to the Lords Prediction, or Proclamation?

Anſw. For proofe I could produce teſtimonies and examples innumerable, there being ſcarce a page in the Bible, which doth not expreſſe, or imply ſomewhat touching this enmity. Yea, as if the Scriptures contained nothing elſe, the Holy Ghoſt ſignificantly calls them the Booke of the Battles of the Lord, Numb. 21.14. as Rupertus well obſerves. But I will confine my ſelfe, and onelyonly mention three examples in every age.

1. To begin with the firſt age, Viz. the old World before the Flood. We reade of this war, enmity and ſtrife betweene Caine and Abel, 1 John 3.12. Between L…mech and the holy Seed, Gen. 4.23, 24. and between thoſe wicked Gyants, which Moſes ſpeakes of, and the ſonnes of God, Gen. 6.2. to 12. Yea, thoſe Gyants bade battle to Heaven, as our Mythologiſts add, to ver. 4.

2. After the Flood, before the Law, betweene all the men of Sodome and righteous Let, Gen. 19.4▪ 9.11. 2 Pet. 2.8. Betweene Hagar and Iſhmael, the Bondwoman and her ſonne, and Sarah and Iſaac the p. 12Free-woman, and her ſon, Gen. 21.9, 10. Gal. 4 29. And between Eſau and Jacob: firſt in the wombe, the more plainely to ſhadow out this enmity, Gen. 25.22, 23. and after they were borne, Gen. 27.41.

3. After the Law, before Chriſt, betweene Doeg and the eighty five Prieſts, which he ſlew with the edge of the ſword, 1 Sam. 22.18, 19. Betweene Jezabell and all the Prophets of the Lord, which ſhe deſtroyed, 1 Kings 18.13, 14. And betweene the Heads in Iſrael in Micahs time, and all that were good, Micah 3.2.

4. Since the Goſpell, in the time of Chriſt and his Apoſtles this enmity ſo manifeſted it ſelfe, not onelyonly in the Gentiles, but in the Jewes, Gods owne people, who firſt moved thoſe perſecutions againſt Chriſt and his Members, that having beheaded John Baptiſt his Harbinger, and crucified himſelfe the Lord of life, we read, that of all the Twelve, none dyed a naturall death ſave onelyonly Saint John, and he alſo was baniſhed by Domitian to Pathmos; and at another time thruſt into a Tun of ſeething oyle at Rome, as Tertullian and Saint Hierom doe report: See Acts 7.51. to 60. & 12.1. to 5. Rom. 8.36. Iohn. 21.18, 19.

Now all theſe, beſides many other of his Diſciples, ſuffered martyrdome meerely for profeſſing the faith of Chriſt; whereof ſome were ſtoned, ſome crucified, ſome beheaded, ſome thruſt thorow with Speares, ſome burnt with fire, with a multitude of other Beleevers, for Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory makes mention of two thouſand which ſuffered the ſame day with Nicanor, Acts and Monuments, page 32. which makes Saint P…ul cry out, I thinke that God hath ſet forth us the laſt Apoſtles, as men appointed to death, 1 Corin…h. 4.9.

p. 135. After the Apoſtles, if we conſider the reſidue of the ten Perſecutions, rayſed by the Romans againſt the Chriſtians, which was for three hundred yeares, till the comming of godly Conſtantine, we find that there was ſuch an innumerable company of innocent Chriſtians put to death and tormented, that Saint Hierome (in his Epiſtle to Chromatius and He…odorus) ſaith, There is no one day in the whole yeare unto which the number of five thouſand Martyrs might not be aſcribed, except onelyonly the firſt day of Ianuary, who were put to the moſt exquiſite deaths and torments that ever the wit or malice of men, or Devils could invent to inflict: we reade of no leſſe then twenty nine ſeverall deaths that they were put unto, if no other be omitted.

6. From the Primitive times and infancy of the Church hitherto the Turke and the Pope have acted their parts, in ſhedding the blood of the Saints, as well as the Jewes and Roman Emperours: touching which, for brevities ſake, I referre you to the Booke of Acts and Monuments. Yet becauſe a taſte may pleaſe ſome, I will inſert what the Holy Ghoſt hath foretold in the Revelation, touching the Pope, who cals himſelfe Chriſts Vicar and ſupreame Head of the Church: the Angell, ſpeaking of the Whore of Babylon, ſaith, She was drunke with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jeſus, Revel. 17.6. Which in part was fulfilled in England, under the raigne of Queene Mary, when in one yeare, a hundred ſeventy ſix perſons of good quality were burnt for Religion, with many of the common ſort: and in France, for before theſe late bloody Maſſacres, there were more then two hundred thouſand which ſuffered Martyrdome about Tranſubſtantiation: For the p. 14chiefe perſecutors of Chriſt and his followers, are not Atheiſts, or Turks, or Jewes, but ſuch as hold great place in the Church, Antichriſtians and Pſeudochriſtians; which makes our Saviour ſay they ſhall excommunicate you, that is, they ſhall blot out your names from among Gods people, or caſt you out from the viſible outward communion of the Saints.

And indeed, vertue hath ever ſuffered moſt from thoſe, which ſhould, and ſeeme to uphold her: and intruders upon other mens right can indure any man, how bad ſoever, rather to live by them, then the ſervants of him whom they intrude upon, as you may ſee, Mat. 21.33. to 39. where thoſe Farmers of the Vineyard killed the ſervants, who came to receive their M…ſters rent: they did not kill the Theeves, and Robbers, and Spoylers of the Vineyard, but the ſervants; yea, and the ſonne too, and the end of all was, that they might take the Inheritance.

Yea, the godly have ever ſuffered moſt from ſuch as profeſſe the ſame Faith and Religion with them. It hath been the complaint almoſt of all the Fathers and Saints of God, which have written, that the faithfull, in their ſeverall times, were hated, traduced, calumniated, ſlandered, reproached, accuſed, perſecuted and condemned of ſuch as profeſſe the ſame Religion with them, though under other pretences, yet onelyonly for their auſtere and holy lives, that they ſtuck cloſe to the truth, made conſcience of their wayes, and would not ruſh ſo boldly into ſin as others, Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory. lib. 6. Chap. 4.5.16.

7. To come unto theſe preſent times wherein we 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 p. 15World, the older the more vicious; that the conſummation of times and ſinnes were not met together upon us. But as commonly in a diſeaſed body all the humours fall downe 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, Philip. 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 knowes he hath but a ſhort time, Revel. 12.12. To ſpeake onelyonly of the entertainment which piety findes among ſuch as would bee counted (not onelyonly Chriſtians, but) Proteſtants, which principally I intend. Is it poſſible for a man to live a conſcionable and unreproveable 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, calumniated, 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 then his. If a man walke with God, he is too preciſe: if he will be more then almoſt a Chriſtian, he is curious, phantaſticall, 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 ful 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 p. 16honeſt. O the deplorable condition of theſe times! Even the Devill himſelfe 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 ſinnes, O God, be mercifull to the contempt of thy Servants.

True, bleſſed be God, and our gracious Soveraigne the very breath of our noſtrils, 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, John 16.2.33. and Mat. 24.9.

Yea, their enmity and hatred would be ſo virulent and bitter, that the brother would betray the brother to death, the father the ſonne, 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, onelyonly for profeſſing Chriſts Name, and being religious, as himſelfe affirmes, Matth. 10.34, 35, 36. Luke 21.16, 17. Neither is it ſtrange, for this was one of the ends of Chriſts comming into the World, as appeares, Mat. 10.34, 35. where himſelfe ſaith, Thinke not that I am come to ſend peace, but the ſword; meaning betweene the Seed of the Serpent and 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 p. 17was upright Abel perſecuted and ſlain, but by his own brother Caine? Who ſcoffed at righteous Noah, but his owne ſonne Cham? By whom was that vertuous and religious Lady Barbara put to death, for imbracing the Chriſtian Faith, but by her owne Father Dioſcorus? And laſtly, by whom was our Saviour Chriſt betrayed, but by his owne Diſciple Judas?

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 onelyonly Lord, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; And being fleſhly, not having the Spirit, they ſhall ſpeake evill of the things which they know not; And whatſoever things they know naturally as brute 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 Jannes and Jambres withſtood Moſes; ſo theſe alſo ſhall reſiſt the truth, being men of corrupt mandes, 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.

p. 18Now to wind up with a word of Application: If it be ſo, that all the godly that have gone before us ha… beene envyed, hated, traduced, nicknamed, and perſecuted by wicked men, and all that come aft…r us ſhall be; let no particular member of the Church looke to fare 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 doe we looke 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 his Majeſty, to whom, next under God, we owe the thanks: Yea, if our Fore-fathers ſo willingly underwent thoſe fiery tryals, let none for ſhame ſhrinke under the burthen of an aiery tryall onelyonly.

2. If the brother perſecute the brother, the ſon the F…ther, the Parent his Childe, the Diſciple his Lord, thinke it not ſtrange to be perſecuted of any; for lightly they which are not perſecuted, are perſecutors themſelves.

Qu. Having proved the Continuance of this Enmity in all ages, now tell us what be the Signes and Properties of it.

Anſ. They are either

Mentall,

Verball,

or Actual.

The firſt whereof are inward and ſecret, the two later outward and manifeſt.

p. 19Qu. What are the mentall properties, which you call inward and ſecret.

Anſ. They are foure in number.

Firſt, it is the manner of wicked men, out of Enmity, to envy the vertuous and good eſtate of 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 ſeven deadly ſinnes) becauſe it was the eldeſt and firſt borne ſinne 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 Paradiſe; which makes Saint Auſtin therefore call it (as by a kind of excellency) the Devils 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 fore eyes doe to looke upon the Sunne. How contrary are good Angels and evill men? The Angels rejoyce at that, whereat theſe powre and ſtomack; they are ready to cry and burſt for anger, at that which makes muſicke in Heaven. 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, p. 20Iudges 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 tha… 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. Matth. 8.11.12. but how juſt is it with God, that this fire of envy ſhould be puniſhed with the fire of Hell!

2. 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 Epiourean 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 growes on a dunghill, and from the rankneſſe p. 21of 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, alaſſe, 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.

3 Thirdly, it is their manner, to rejoyce at the ſuppoſed evill eſtate of the godly, 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 p. 22Lord, 1 S…m. 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 feede 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.

And not ſo onelyonly; for we have a generation, whoſe onelyonly rejoycing is, Cham-like, to ſee another fall into ſome groſſe ſinne, or infirmity: Yea, as Luther ſpeakes, 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 Hogs, 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 care 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 ſpring 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 himſelfe merry, with that which angers God.

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 Kings 22.8. Yea, ſo inveterately, that there was p. 23not one Kingdome or Nation, where he had not ſent to take away his life, 1 Kings 18.10. and Haman Mordecai, which was ſo deadly, that he thought it too little to lay hands on Mordecai on…ly, wherefore he ſought to deſtroy all the Iewes, the people of Mordecai, that were throughout the whole Kingdome of Ahaſuerus, Heſter 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, Heſter 3.9, 13. And ſuch another was cruell Arundel, ſometime Archbiſhop 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 out them off from being a Nation, and let the name of Iſrael be no more in remembrance, Let us take for our poſſeſſions the habitations of God, Pſalme 83 4, 12.

And the World is no changeling; for this age wants not many ſuch Hamans and Arundels, who ſo hate the Children of God, that they wiſh, as Caligula once did of the Romans, That they had all but one … that ſo they might cut it off at a blow, were it in … power, Micah. 3.2. Pſal. 83.4.

But our comfort is, they have not ſo much a… rity as malice; reſembling the Serpent Porp… which abounds with poyſon, but can hurt non… … want of teeth: Though their puniſhment ſha… … never the leſſe. For as the will to doe God acce… ble ſervice, is accepted, as if it were ſervice inde… ſo the in…ent and offer of wrong, ſhall be judge… … wrong, in that Court of Juſtice. Good and … p. 24thoughts and deſires, in Gods account are good and evill workes: And ſo much touching the Mentall properties of this enmity.

Qu. What are their Verball properties?

An. They are Eleven in number. Firſt, ungodly men verbally manifeſt their enmity by murmuring againſt the Children of God: as Labans ſonnes murmured againſt Iacob, Geneſis 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, Numb. 11.1. & 14.2, 3. And laſtly, the labourers in the Vineyard againſt the Maſter of the houſe, and their fellowes, Mat. 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 g…dly, even for no other cauſe, but that they alone ſhould be 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 erect the faylings of holy men very high, like Saint Pauls, for …he gaze of all; whereas they hide their good parts under ground, like Saint Faiths, that none may ….

Where… … another diſ…dvantage, that cannot … …lped. The multitude will ſo…ner beleeve them, then our ſolves. Affi…mations being apter to p. 25win beleife, then Negatives are to uncredit them: whereby it fals out, that Piety is every where puſht at, and the religious murmured at, and clamoured againſt in all places.

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 he (ſaith the Holy Ghoſt) that ſmiteth his neighbour ſecretly; and let all the people ſay, Amen. Deut. 27.24.

2. By Cenſuring their actions, and miſconſtruing 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 Hypocrifie, Pſalm. 35.13. to 17. Thus Jobs friends condemned him for an Hypocrite, Job 4.6. to 11. And the Jewes, 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) onelyonly becauſe their workes are good.

Prejudice caſteth a falſe colour upon the beſt actions: and Baſeneſſe, what it cannot attaine 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 Jezahell, doe ill and be flattered.

The Accuſer of the Brethren makes choyce of wicked men to traduce thoſe whom he cannot ſeduce p. 26as he deſireth; as wee may plainely 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 hee) 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?

Thus they 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.

Bad natures, whom they cannot reach by imitation, they will by detraction: like the Fox, what they cannot attaine to, they will depreſſe and ſeeme to deſpiſe: their cunning is to condemne others, that themſeves may be juſtified. As Caligula tooke off the heads from the Images of the gods, to ſet up his own. Or as Merchants, who to raiſe the price of their own commodities, beate down the prices of others.

And have they not reaſon thus to doe? Yes, for how is a vicious perſon diſcredited and made contemptible, by the vertuous life of an holy man? We know ſtraight lines helpe to ſhew the crooked. And it is eaſie to gueſſe, that Pharaohs fat Kine made the leane ones more ilfavoured. A ſwarthy and hard featured viſage, loves not the company of cleare beauties.

Againe, 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 an hard thing (ſaith p. 27he) for one to ſuſpect another to be evill, 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 moſt fowle libidiniſts, becauſe himſelfe was ſuch an one.

3. Wicked men manifeſt their enmity againſt the religious, by carrying tales of them unto others: as Cham carryed tales to his brethren of Noahs nakedneſſe: his tongue was the trumpet, to ſound forth his Fathers ſhame, Gen. 9.22. thus Doeg carryed tales to Saul of David, and Abimelech, 1 Sam. 22.9, 10. and the Ziphins two ſeverall times brought tydings to Saul, where David had hid himſelfe, to the end Saul might ſlay him, 1 Sam. 23.19, 20. & 26.1. And thoſe Libertines, with other ſuborned men againſt Steven, to the Councell of Prieſts, Acts 6.8. to 15.

And of this burthen many amongſt us are in continuall travell. For how frequently doe debauched drunkards, and incorrigible ſinners (reſembling their father the Devill, who both by name, Revel. 12.10. and by nature, Job 1.7, 8, 9. is a continuall Accuſer of the brethren) carry tales to their fellowes, of ſuch as will not conſorte with them? Yea, of their faithfull Miniſters, eſpecially if hee thunders in his doctrine, and lightens in his converſation, as Gregory Nazianzen ſpeakes of Baſil? Yea, and thinke they doe as good ſervice in it, as Secretaries, and eſpialls of Princes, doe to the State, when they bring in bills of Intelligence?

But doe they, as they ought, with an upright minde tell both our vertues and vices impartially, as Suetonius writeth of the twelve Caeſars, and ſo leave the p. 28upſhot to collection? No, but rather, as the Jewes did by Paul, Acts 24. charge us with many things, as that we are peſtilent fellowes, movers of ſedition, and maintaienrs of ſchiſme, but proving nothing, verſe 13. And indeed, how ſhould they, when every word they ſpeak is a ſlander? Or if otherwiſe, they look on our infirmities, they looke not on our graces, on our repentance? No theſe Flyes skip over all a mans ſound parts, I meane his excellencies; to faſten on a ſcab, or ulcer; reſembling our Prognoſticators, that are more diligent to make mention of foule weather, then of fayre; ſtormes and thunder they much harp upon, but calme and ſerene dayes paſſe them unobſerved: whereas an ingenuous nature would paſſe over the evill, where he findes more good; conſidering, we are full of faults by nature; good, not without our care and induſtry; for a minde well qualified, is often beholding to the induſtry of the owner: and Vlyſſes, as Homer relates, was ſo applauded for the acuteneſſe of an ingenious mind, that men ſpared to object unto him the deformity of his body.

But theſe contrarily, for want of matter to except againſt, will coyne it of their owne heads. And that they may deliver themſelves with the greater Emphaſis will affirme as that Gymnoſophiſt in Plutarch did, of thoſe Orators to Alexander, That every one of them doth exceed his fellowes, and ſware that the matter is ſo cleare and manifeſt, that all the Towne ings of him (meaning the good fellowes of the towne) and to ſpeake truth, the parties faults are ſo cleare and evident, that you may ſee them as well in the darke, as with a candle, as appeares by the ſequell. For, are there not ſome godly and faithful, both Chriſtians and Preachers, that have beene often (I ſay not ninety p. 29five times) accuſed by them, as Ariſtophanes was by the Athenians, and every time found innocent? Though no thankes to their accuſers, for they endeavour all they can to corrupt ſuch as heare them, and foreſtall their judgements againſt the good and goodneſſe.

O that men were ſo wiſe, as to heare the tale-bearer with indignation, examine before they truſt, beleeve his reports, if infallibly true, with unwillingneſſe, acknowledge it with griefe, hide our neighbours faults with honeſt excuſes, and bury them in ſilence: for commonly it fares with the firſt relator, as it doth with a ſtone throwne into the water, which of it ſelfe makes but one circle, but that one begets an hundred, and ſo both offends and infects many others, but alwayes proves himſelfe to be uncharitable. It were good for other men, if tale-bearers would conſider this, but better for themſelves.

True, the wiſe and honeſt are able, as ſo many Angels of God, to diſcerne truth from ſlander; though to the griefe of many good hearts, no muſick can be ſo ſweet to the eares of others, as to heare well of themſelves, ill of the religious.

And theſe, as they often ſet the former on worke, ſo they are reſolutely opinionated in beleeving o… lyes (as Saint Auſtin ſpeakes of the Priſcillianiſts) whereby they ſupererogate of Satan.

But what is the end of theſe tale-bearers, and informers againſt good men? Follow them to their ends, and you ſhall ſee, that if ever the Lord open their eyes to ſee this their fact, they are even in this life rewarded with the ſtrappadoes of an humane ſoule, rackt in conſcience, and tortured with the very flaſhes of Hell fire, and not ſeldome forced to lay violent p. 30hands upon themſelves, being never well, nor in their owne place, till they bee in Hell, Acts 1.25.

4. It is their manner to perſwade and give devilliſh counſell to others, like themſelves, to perſecute the godly, as Balaam gave wicked counſell to Balack againſt the Children of Iſrael, when he could not be ſuffered to curſe them, Revel. 2.14. Thus the Princes and Rulers did to Zedekiah the King againſt Jeremiah, ſaying, We beſeech you, let this man be put to death, for thus he we…kneth the hands of the men of Warre, &c. Jer. 38.4. and the Jewes of Theſſalonica to the people of Berea againſt Paul, Acts 17.13.

That the enemies of the Croſſe of Chriſt, are ſtill accuſtomed to deale after this manner with the religious, I need not demonſtrate; plaine things, which our ſelves are dayly witneſſes of, need no proofe, OnelyOnly note their matchleſſe malice herein, who that they may be ſure to prevaile, firſt dazell their friends eyes with falſe accuſations againſt us, as true and certaine, as that Naboth did blaſpheme God and the King; and their aſſociates are as ſure of it, as Darius was, that the Idoll Bell did eate and drinke every day forty Sheepe, twelve Kakes, and ſix great pots of Wine, becauſe threeſcore and ten of the Prieſts gave it out ſo; And that their mortall enmity may be taken for a zeale of the Churches good, as Judas would have his covetouſneſſe taken for Charity, John 12.6. And the Phariſees their Cruelty thought Piety, Matth. 23.14. All the reproaches that the Devill and theſe his ſcavengers can rake out of the Channels of Hell ſhall be flung in our faces, the worſt language that hath ever been dipt in the forge, or tipt at the fire of Hell, ſhall be beſtowed upon us; wherein they reſemble p. 31thoſe ancient enemies of the Goſpell, who clad the Martyrs in the skins of wild Beaſts, to animate the dogs to teare them.

Though perhaps this is more then needs, for not ſeldome the counſelled are more ready to yeeld their ayde, then they are to aske it; being of Maximinus his humor, who ſeeing none offer themſelves, ſet on worke certaine vile perſons to accuſe the Chriſtians of haynous crimes, that ſo he might perſecute them with more ſhew of reaſon; for that one may ſupply the others defects, the firſt finds an head, the ſecond a tongue, the third hands: As Ʋlyſſes may contrive, but Diomedes, muſt thorow with it: ſo altogether deale with the poore Miniſter, or Chriſtian, as the ſouldiers did with Chriſt, firſt blind him, then ſtrike him, and laſt aske him, Who is it that ſmote thee? And he may anſwer the beſt man of them, It was thou, O mine enemy, thou waſt an Achitophell, in the one; a Doeg in the other; a Beliall in both. And let ſuch men know, that this their inſtigation will end at laſt either in anguiſh, or confuſion, teares or torment will become their recompence.

5. It is the manner and cuſtome of wicked men to ſcoffe at the righteous, as Iſhmael ſcoft at Iſaac, Gen. 21.9. Rabſhakeh at Hezekiah, and his people, 2 Kings 18.27. And the Philoſophers at Paul, Acts 17.18. to 21.

And to this day the World is too full of ſcoffing Atheiſts, and mockers of Piety. Michal was barren, yet ſhe hath too many Children, that ſcorne holy excerciſes: every houſhold almoſt hath ſome in it, if not many, of the brood of Cham and Iſhmael: ſo that if any one refraine from impiety, refuſe to doe as the reſt in all exceſſe of ryot, he is made both their prey p. 32and laughingſtock: Yea, if he be ſo bold as to Preach righteouſneſſe to them, by voyce or by example, there is inſtantly ſome Tobiah, or Sanballat ſteps up to flout him. They ſo hate righteouſneſſe, that they will hate a man for it, and ſay of good living, as Feſtus did of great learning, it makes a man mad. But they cannot know who are ſober, that are mad themſelves: Achiſh and his Courtiers thought David mad, yet he was the wiſeſt man amongſt them. Yea, as old men anſwer young men, You thinke us fooles, but wee know you are not wiſe: ſo anſwer wee theſe, You thinke us madde that are ſo hot againſt ſinnes, but wee know you madde, that are ſo cold for your ſoules.

Dogs will barke at the Moone: and what all men commend, you have ſome Therſites take delight to blaſt. Lot vexed himſelfe, becauſe he ſaw men bad; theſe, becau…e …en are good: not becauſe Gods Law is broken, but becauſe others keepe it better then themſelves. But theſe are briniſh and ill made candles, which ſo ſparkle and ſpit at others: it is a curſed zeale in theſe men, to maligne the good zeale of all men.

But let them alone, they need no helpe to be miſerable; for as they ſcoffe at us, ſo God laughes at them, He that fitteth in the Heavens ſhall laugh, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion, Pſal. 2.4. yea, Judgments are prepared for theſe ſcorners, and ſtripes for the backs of theſ… fooles, Prov. 19.29.

If t…ey ſmart not here, as Cham did, whoſe ſcoffing on…ly brought his Fathers Curſe, and Gods upon tha…: And the two and forty little children, who were devoured of wild Beares, for ſcoffing at Eliſhas bald head, 2 King. 2.24. And Foelix, who for one malicious p. 33ſcoffe, did nothing day and night but vomit blood, till his unhappy ſoule was fetcht from his wretched carkaſſe: And Pherecydes, who was conſumed by wormes alive, for giving Religion but a nickname; a ſmall matter, if thou mayſt bee made Judge: And Lucian, who for barking againſt Religion, like a Dog, was by a juſt judgement of God devoured of dogs.

For this let me tell them, what ever the Devill blinding them they thinke, there cannot be a greater argument of a foule ſoule, then the deriding of religious ſervices: Y… to be a ſcoffer is the depth of ſinne: ſuch an one is upon the very threſhold of Hell, as being ſet downe in a reſolute contempt of all goodneſſe.

6. It is their manner and property to nickname the godly as Ahab nicknamed Eliah, the troubler of Iſrael, 1 Kings 18.17. The wicked, Job and David Hypocrites, Pſalm. 35.13, 14. Job 4.6. to 11. The Courtiers, Ieremiah an enemy to the Common-wealth of Iſrael. The Iewes, Paul a factious and ſeditious fellow, Acts 24.14. Yea, they tearmed all the Diſciples, Sectaries, Schiſmaticks, ſubverters of the State, &c. 1 Cor. 4.9.10.

And the ſame Devill, who ſpake in Ahab and thoſe wicked ones of old, now ſpeakes in our looſe Libertines, who nickname the conſcionable, Puritans, and ſeditious perſons, for doe but examine who they be which caſt theſe aſperſions upon the godly, and you ſhall find, that the hand of Ioab, I meane the Devill, is in this buſineſſe. Alaſſe, poore ſoules, they are but ſet on by that ſubtill Serpent, as Zebede was by her ſounes, Mat. 20.20. Mark 10.35. it is but his heart in their lips.

p. 34And Satan hath ever found it infinitely ſucceſſefull, to give every vice a title, and every vertue a diſgrace; for ſtill he hath found, that the rude and unſtable multitude onelyonly looke upon the vizard and outſide of things, which he pleaſeth to put upon them, and ſo judge according to appearance, not righteous judgement.

Neither doth the Devill onelyonly gaine by faſtning reproachfull nicknames upon the religious, but his ſervants gaine too: much like the theef, who meeting with a full purſe, not onel… takes it away, but returnes a ſtab: for in making …rtue contemptible, and in depraving the godly, they are at leaſt upon even pround with them, if they have not the better: for were all the World ugly, deformity would be no monſter. Among the Myconians baldneſſe is no unſeemly thing, becauſe all there are borne bald: and hereupon infamous perſons love to mitigate their owne ſhame, with others diſcredit. As Aeſops Fox, when ſhe had loſt her tayle, would have redeemed her ſhame, by perſwading all her fellow foxes to cut off theirs; yea, by depreſſing the good, they may poſſibly get the ſtart of them. Even Heliogabulus, that beaſtly monſter, thought to make himſelfe the ſole god, and be onelyonly worſhipped, by baniſhing all other religions out of the World.

But let theſe depravers take heed, leſt imitating the fact of Cenſor Fulvius, who untiled Iuno's Temple to cover his owne houſe, they partake of the like judgement, run mad, and dye deſpayring.

7. It is their manner to revile and rayle on them, as Goliah reviled and rayled on the Hoſt of Iſrael, and their God, 1 Sam. 17.45. Shimei, upon David, calling him murtherer, and wicked man, 2 Sam. 16.7. p. 35And likewiſe the mighty men, Pſal. 31.13. And the Jewes upon Paul and Barnabas, Acts 13.45.

Calumny is every good mans Lackey, which followes him whereſoever he goes; for the Devill hath his ſervants in every corner; and rotten Lungs can never ſend forth ſweet breath. If the Law bind their hands, yet they will be ſmiting with their tongues: and if the Law keep them in awe for ſmiting on the mouth yet they will doe what they dare, they will ſmite with the mouth.

It is with theſe men, as it was with Zoilus that common ſlanderer, who being demanded why hee ſpake evill of ſuch and ſuch, anſwered, becauſe I cannot doe them evill: or elfe, like another Pariſian Vigils, we ſhould feele their ſwords, before we heard their alarums. When the Devils hands are bound, he vomits a flood of reproaches with his tongue, Revel. 12.15. What ſay they? Since we cannot attaine to their vertues, let us revenge our ſelves with rayling againſt them.

It is not for nothing, that wicked men are ſo often in Scripture called Dogs, as Pſalm. 59.6. Deliver my ſoule, or my darling, from the power of the Dog: and They make a noyſe like a Dog, and goe round about the City. Beware of Dogges, ſaith Saint Paul, Phil. 3.2. which either grin with malice, or barke with reproaches, or bite with miſchiefe.

But bleſſed be God, although ſome of theſe Dogs have teeth like ſwords, and jawes like knives, as Solomon ſpeakes, Prov. 30.14. And ſmite cruelly, as Jeremy complaines, Chap. 18.18. which deſerve, like Shepheards Curres, to have their teeth beaten out, to prevent their biting; yea, and their chaps muzled, for feare of opening; yet moſt of them are tooth-leſſe p. 36Curres, which though they barke, yet they cannot bite; and cowardly Curres, for if you note ſuch an one, he ſeldome unbuttons his tumoured breſt, but when he finds none to oppoſe the bignes of his looks and tongue.

And for ſuch our onelyonly way is, either to ſlight them, as King Philip did Nicanor, in the like caſe, who being told by Smitichus of his evill reports and raylings, anſwered, Nicanor is not eſteemed by the worſt in Macedonia.

Or elſe ſtop their mouths with ſome good turne, as Aeneas, in the fiction, caſt Cerberus the hell-hound a ſweet morſell, that he might not barke againſt him. The doore, when it hath been oyled, leaves creaking: and this is good policy: for barking Curres ofttimes great maſtiffs wake.

But as if the tearme of Dogge, were of too narrow extent, the Scripture elſewhere cals them Devils. Saint Paul, 2 Tim. 3.3. (as Biſhop Andrewes obſerves from the Originall) foretels, that in the latter dayes there ſhall be men Devils, foule mouthed men, evill ſpeakers, and 1 Tim. 3.11. he ſpeaketh of women-devils, whoſe ſpeeches are calumnious. And wherefore is the Devill called by that name, but by reaſon of his foule mouth in defaming? Yea, A Calumny, ſaith one of the Fathers, is the Devils minde in the mouth of a man, his arrow ſhot by mans bow; he lendeth him his lyes and malice, and borroweth his tongue to utter them, becauſe the Devill wants a tongue.

I cloſe up this point with thoſe words of the Prophet, either convert the perſons or confound the lying lips, O God, that ſpeake againſt the righteous.

8. It is their manner to raiſe ſlanders of the godly, p. 37as thoſe wicked men ſlandered Naboth, ſaying, he hath blaſphemed God and the King, confirming the ſame with an oath, 1 Kings 21. Thus the wicked ſlandered David, Pſam. 57.4. And the multitude John Baptiſt, ſaying he had a Devill, Matth. 11.18.

It is Satans policy (becauſe report both makes jealouſies, where there are none, and increaſeth thoſe that are) to abuſe our eares in hearing, our tongues in ſpeaking, and our hearts in beleeving lyes, to diſable us from diſcerning the truth.

Yea, this ſtratagem of raiſing ſlanders upon good men, like a huge and mighty Polypheme, hath done ſuch ſervice to the uncircumciſed, that examples thereof in Scripture are like moates in the Sunne: and it were eaſie to parallell former ages with this of ours, for well may we take up thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt, The wicked bend their bow, and make ready their arrowes upon the ſtring, that they may ſecretly ſhoote at them which are upright in heart, Pſalmes 11.2.

Innocency is no ſhelter againſt evill tongues. Malice never regards how true any accuſation is, but how ſpitefull.

And great wits are not more ready, with the high Prieſts and Elders, Matth. 28.12, 13. to raiſe theſe ſlanders, then the common ſort are apt to beleeve the ſame; as we ſee by our Saviours example, ver. 15. And how many particular perſons know, to their ſmart, that a ſlander once raiſed will ſcarce ever dye: for comming once into the mouth of the vulgar, true or falfe, like wild-fire it can never be quenched; for even death it ſelfe, which delivereth a man from all other enemies, is not able to deliver him from this of the tongue. Whereas Truth hath p. 38much adoe to be beleeved, a lye runs farre before it can be ſtayed.

However, a man once wounded in his good name, is not cured without ſcarres of ſuſpition. Yea, commonly, as a little ball rowled in the ſnow gathers it ſelfe to a great lumpe: ſo the report that is but a little ſparke at firſt, proves a great flame, by that it hath paſt through many mouthes.

But did not mens owne wickedneſſe blinde them, were they not abſolutely turned fooles, they would thus argue: Not he that is accuſed, but he that is convicted is guilty, as Lactantius hath it. In the Chancery are many accuſations they never meane to prove: Neither doth any Law condemne a man, till he comes to his anſwer. Vpright Cato was fifty times undeſervedly indited and accuſed by his fellow Citizens, yet was every time acquitted and found innocent.

The Orator Tertullus, when he would pleade againſt Paul, ſayes, We have found this man a peſtilent fellow, Acts 24.5. But, if you marke it, this fooliſh Tertullus miſtooke the antidote for the poyſon, the remedy for the diſeaſe: Indeed, he had ſome wit in his anger, and ſo have his followers in ſlandering ſuch as excell in vertue: for whereas formerly the ſplendor of the others vertues hath obſcured the meanneſſe of their credit, as the leſſer light of a candle is obſcured by the greater light of the Sun: ſo now by clouding and depraving him and all his fellowes, himſelfe ſhall bee judged vertuous very cheape, accounted a man of honeſty and honour, though a Paricide or a ſacrilegious perſon.

And is it not good policy, for a ſwiniſh drunkard, or a beaſtly liver to fling durt in a holy mans p. 39face, when, firſt, any colour ſeemes the fairer, when as black is by? Secondly, when (being conſcious of their owne defects) by this meanes they draw away mens thoughts, and conſideration of the beholders, from climing up into their faults, while they are fixed and buſied upon a new object. One colour we know, being laid upon another, doth away the former, and remaines it ſelfe. A Cut-purſe in a throng, when he hath committed the fact, will cry out, my Maſters, take heed of your purſes; and he that is purſued will cry, ſtop theefe, that by this meanes he may eſcape unattached.

9. It is uſuall with them to Curſe the godly, as Goliah curſed Dauid, 1 Sam. 17.43. And alſo Shimei, 2 Sam. 16.7. to 15. Thus the Heathen curſed Iſrael, Zach. 8.13. And thus the wicked in all ages ſhall be ſo drunke with malice, that they ſhall ſpew out curſing and ſlander againſt the godly, as our Saviour hath foretold, Mat. 5.44.

And experience proves, that not a few amongſt us doe ſteep their words in hate and curſes againſt the good, carrying this deadly poyſon, theſe arrowes, ſwords, knives, razors in their mouthes, wherewith to interlace their diſcourſe, whether in reviling the preſent, or backbiting the abſent.

There is a generation (pity they ſhould be called Chriſtians) all whoſe Prayers are Curſes, and all their relations lyes: Or if ſometimes they lend the truth their voice, they are but falſe witneſſes in ſpeaking of it; for their hearts are of another judgement. As let them ſay with their mouthes, I beleeve in God, or Our Father which art in Heaven, or God ſpake theſe words, &c. even in this they lye, for in their hearts they thinke there is no God at all: or if with their hearts they p. 40beleeve, and with their tongues confeſſe that there is a God, at leaſt by their workes they deny him, and the power of his word. So that all the difference betweene them, and very Infidels, is onelyonly this, the one are infidels in their hearts, the other are infidels in their lives, as Auguſtine pithily.

And whats the reaſon they curſe us, but this? They are the Devils beſt ſchollers, and of his higheſt Forme; the language of Hell is ſo familiar unto them, that they ſpeake not a word of our countrey language: And indeed, how ſhould they ſpeake the language of Canaan, to whom blaſphemy is become the mother tongue?

Secondly, they curſe us becauſe they cannot be ſuffered to kill us; for in heart and Gods account they are no better then murtherers; nor will it be any rare thing at the day of Judgement, for Curſers to be indited of murther: they would kill us, if they durſt: they doe kill, ſo farre as they can. I would be loath to truſt his hands, that bannes me with his tongue. It is eaſie to gueſſe how they would deale with us, if we were at their mercy. He that ſiniled on David in his throne, curſeth him in his flight: Now his unſound and treacherous heart diſcovers it ſelfe in a tongue full of venome, a hand full of ſtones; and had not David been yet too ſtrong for his impotent Subject, hee had then breathed his laſt.

Proſperous ſucceſſe hides many a falſe heart, as a drift of Snow covers a heape of dung: but when that white mantle melts, the filthy rottenneſſe will ſoone appeare.

Neither is it any ſinne we commit, or offence we give them, that they Curſe us. Who could have leſſe p. 41deſerved thoſe curſes, thoſe aſperſions, thoſe ſtones, then David? Had Shimei been other then a dog, he had never ſo rudely barked at ſo harmeles a paſſenger. That head deſerved to be tongueleſſe, that body to be headleſſe, that thus blaſphemed an Innocent, though he had been leſſe then the Lords Anoynted.

Againe, Why would they kill our bodies, but becauſe they could not ſlay our ſoules? For it is ſoule-blood which the Serpent and his Seed thirſt after, as I ſhall ſhew afterward.

But alaſſe, if all their Curſes and threats, all their aſperſions and Antichriſtian ſlanders, could flout us out of the integrity of our devotion, when our forefathers feared not the flames, wee were fearefull cowards.

As for their banning of us, we have learnt from Solomon, That the cauſeleſſe curſe ſhall not come, Prov. 26.2. or at leaſt, it ſhall not come where the curſer meant it. Yea, the Pſalmiſt tels us plainely, That though they curſe, yet God will bleſſe, Pſalm, 109.28. And his bleſſing ſhall doe us good, while their curſes hurt none but themſelves: for what ſaith the Holy Ghoſt in the ſame Pſalme, ſpeaking of the deſperately wicked, whoſe brand is, that they love curſing. The words are theſe, As hee loved curſing, ſo ſhall it come unto him; and as he loved not bleſſing, ſo ſhall it be farre from him. As he cloathed himſelfe with curſing, as with a rayment: ſo ſhall it come into his bowels like water, and like oyle into his bones. Let it be unto him, as a garment to cover him, and for a girdle, wherewith he ſhall be alwayes girded, ver. 17, 18, 19.

Heare this all yee whoſe tongues run ſo faſt on the Devils errand, Yee loved curſing, you ſhall have it, both upon you, about you, and in you, and p. 42that everlaſtingly, if you perſevere and goe on. For if Chriſtians be charged to bleſſe their enemies; What will be their caſe, that curſe their friends? Yea, if he which but curſeth Satan, curſeth his owne ſoule, as it is, Eccleſ. 21.27. What doth he, that curſeth the Saints and deare children of God? Surely, their curſes ſhall bound back into their owne breſts, as the ſtones which Shimei threw at David did rebound upon Shimei, and ſplit his heart; yea, and at laſt knockt out his braines.

Curſing mouthes are like ill made Peeces, which while men diſcharge at others, recoile in ſplinters upon their owne faces. Their words and wiſhes be but whirle-windes, which being breathen forth, returne againe to the ſame place; Curſed be hee that curſeth thee, Gen. 27.29. Yea, hee ſhall be curſed with a witneſſe, for even Chriſt, which came to ſave the World, ſhall ſay unto them at the laſt day, Depart yee curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels, Matth. 25.41. Where they ſhall doe nothing but curſe for evermore, Revel. 16.11.21. And indeed, Who ſhould goe to Hell, if curſers ſhould be left out? Wherefore let all thoſe learne to bleſſe, that looke to be heires of the Bleſſing.

10. It is their uſe to threaten the religious, as all the men of Sodome threatned juſt Lot, that they would deale worſe with him then with the Angels, Gen. 19.9. Jehoram, Eliſha, ſaying, God doe ſo to me, and more alſo if the head of Eliſha ſhall ſtand on him this day, 2 Kings 6.31. And thus Paul, before his converſion, breathed out threatnings and ſlaughter againſt the Diſciples, Acts 9.1, 2.

It were no living for godly men, if their hands were allowed to be as bloody as their hearts. But p. 43men and Devils are under the reſtraint of the Almighty.

Neither are their words more ſwelling, or their deſignes more laviſh, then their atchievements be vaine, and their execution ſhort. Benhadad ſends great words unto the King of Iſrael, as if it were nothing to conquer him: but ſtay the proofe, Benhadad flyes, and Iſrael perſues. Commonly they that leaſt can doe, beſt cavill, can and make the greateſt flouriſh.

However, it is well for the innocent, that wicked men cannot keep their owne counſels as God fetcheth their thoughts out of their owne mouthes, many times, even againſt their wils, for the good of his Children; as we may ſee in Eſau, when he purpoſed the death of Jacob; and in Saul, touching David; and in Jezabell, touching Eliſha; whoſe threats did preſerve them, whom they meant to kill. The wiſedome and power of God could have found evaſions for his Prophets, with their enemies greateſt ſecrecy: but now they need no other meanes of reſcue, then their owne lips. And it is a mercy (deſerving thanks) from God, that the lightning of anger in a cruell mans eyes, gives us warning of the thunderbolt in his hand.

But this concernes us onelyonly, when we are threatned by the potent: in other caſes, our beſt way will be to ſtand it out: for many a foe hath ſpoken bravely, who in the puſh hath made more uſe of his heeles, then of his hands: their threats being but like a boyes ſquib, that onelyonly flaſhes, and cracks, and ſtinks, but is nothing.

11. It is their manner by ſubtlety to undermine the godly in talke, that they may betray them, as Saul p. 44cauſed his ſervants to undermine David by flattery, thereby to worke his confuſion, 1 Sam. 18.17. And againe, verſ. 21.25. thus thoſe falſe Prophets, and other enemies of the truth undermined Jeremiah, ſeeking every way to deſtroy him, Jer. 18.18. to the end of the Chap. And thus certaine of the Synagogue ſought to undermine Steven, that ſo they might have matter whereby to informe the Councell againſt him, Acts 6.9, 10.

Their chiefe Principle is that of Lyſanders, Where the Lyons skinne will not ſuffice, we muſt add a ſcantling of the Foxes. Whereupon, as intelligencers for States-men, mingle themſelves with all companies, but uſe their beſt art to keep themſelves concealed: ſo doe theſe, you may travell with ſuch an one as farre as the Indies; and yet finde the way into his heart a farther journey. For as High-way-men, lighting into true meaning company by the way, can talke of ſincere dealing, and uprightneſſe, againſt robbery and oppreſſion, to take off ſuſpition, till they ſpy their opportunity: ſo will they have ſemblances of religion, pretend great love; yea, perhaps doe you a reall curteſie; but with the ſame intent that Saul gave Michall to David, which was onelyonly to enſnare him.

Like Fowlers and Anglers, when they meane to catch and ſnare us, they hide their nets, and cover their hookes with the pleaſing baites of flattery, ſetting a ſunſhine countenance upon cloudy thoughts: Yea, when they intend to murther, then ſpeake they faireſt; when deadly malice dives deepeſt into their hearts, then the ſmootheſt words floate in their mouthes, as no faces looke lovelyer then the painted.

p. 45Now this kind of undermining they have borrowed from Satan, that old Serpent, and arch-politician, who in the beginning uſeth this complement to our firſt Parents, Yee ſhall be as gods: when his drift was, to have them devils, Gen. 3.5. Yea, he ſets them on worke, who never ceaſeth, either by himſelfe or by his ſervants to tempt and undermine the people of God, 1 Pet. 5.8. eſpecially at ſuch times, as they are, or ſhould be addreſſing themſelves to ſome notable workes in performing the will of God, as we may ſee, Jeremiah 1.6. Ezek. 3.14, 15. Nehem. 2.19. & 4.8. & 6.5, 6, 7, 10. Acts 6.9, 10. Matth. 4.1.

But beware we truſt them not, for theſe Hypocrites never wound ſo deadly, as when they ſtroake us with a ſilken hand; being like the miſtaken lanthorne in Eighty eight; for under pretence of guiding, they will draw us into hazzard and loſſe among our enemies; and whoſoever puts confidence in their words, ſhall finde them to reſemble ſinking floores, which will then fayle us, when our weight is on them. And ſo much of the Verball properties of this enmity.

Qu. In the laſt place what are the Actuall Properties?

Anſw. Theirdly, wicked men actually manifeſt their enmity againſt the Religious in ſeven particulars.

Firſt, by geſture, as Goliah againſt David, when he looked upon him with a diſdainefull countenance, 1 Sam. 17.42. Which is a kind of brow-beating; and other wicked ones, who made mowes, and nodded the head at him, Pſalm. 22.7. Gaped upon him with their mouthes, as ramping and roaring Lyons, verſ. 13. Guaſhed p. 46ſhaked their heads at him, Pſal. 109.25. Thus Job complaines, That his enemies opened their mouthes againſt him, Job. 16.10. And Iſaiah, that the ſcoffing Idolaters gaped and thruſt out their tongues againſt the godly, in his time, Iſay 57.3, 4. And the Labourers in the Parable are ſaid to have an evilleye againſt the Maſter of the Vineyard, becauſe he was good, Matth. 20.15. Many will ſpeak, that dare not ſtrike; and ſome will make mouthes, that feare to ſpeak.

Now this of geſture is a ſilent foe; yet upon inquiſition made, I find none more guilty of the Serpents enmity, then he, who ſpeakes with his brow, and ſtriketh with his eyes; who becauſe his tongue cannot juſtly condemne a man, he will leave him ſuſpected of ill by ſilence, or ſome diſdainefull geſture: For, as his Majeſty ſaid moſt aptly and elegantly, As the tongue ſpeaketh to the eare; ſo the geſture ſpeaketh to the eye. And though ſuch an one be ſilent for want of words, yet he is not ſo for want of malice, even ſcoffes and nicknames, ſlander and curſing ſticks in his teeth, and onelyonly dares not freely come forth, becauſe he is guilty of his owne faultineſſe: and were he not a monſtrous coward, not daring to ſpeake or act for feare of Juſtice, there would be no dealing with him: Yet bad as he is, being dumbe, I finde him uncapable of a verdict, and ſo diſmiſſe him to leade the Van, which is both a puniſhment to himſelfe and thoſe that follow.

2. It is their manner to withſtand and contrary the doctrine which they are commanded by God to deliver. Thus Zidkiah the falſe Prophet withſtood and contraried Michaiaes doctrine, 1 Kings 22.24. The Prieſts, Prophets, and all the people, Jeremiahs, ſaying, Why haſt thou propheſied in the name of the Lord, p. 47that this houſe ſhall be like Shilo, and this City ſhall be deſolate, and without an inhabitant? Jer. 26.8, 9. And thus Elimas the Sorcerer withſtood and contraried Paul and Barnabas in their preaching, Acts 13.8.

And this is ſtill the manner of wicked men (being better acquainted with wrangling then reaſoning, and deeper in love with ſtrife then truth) even to cavill againſt the good word of God, and oppoſe the meſſenger, and what they cannot maintaine by reaſon, a feminine teſtineſſe ſhall outwrangle.

Theſe night-birds know right well, that where the Sunne ſhines, there is ſmall place for them to appeare: whence the Miniſters preaching is as great a vexation to them, as their converſation is to him: and in caſe he hath a fire in his tongne kindled with a coale from the Altar, they have a ſea of water in their hearts to quench it.

But if ſome one be more ſpecially gifted in convincing of ſinne, he is ſure to have treble oppoſition, if he moleſt Satan, and diſpoſſeſſe him of his ſtrong holds, Satan will moleſt him with a powder; all the drunkards in that Pariſh ſhall fall about ſuch a Miniſters eares; Yea, perhaps ſome neighbour Miniſters that pretend gravity and good will to God, ſhall more then ſet them on: for vertue fares hardeſt oftentimes from ſuch as ſhould uphold her.

Thus Satan and his inſtruments deale like our Pirats, who will ſet upon rich laden ſhips, but paſſe by thoſe that are empty.

Nor are they to be appeaſed after they have once begun, for that which raſhneſſe and folly have brought forth, pride afterwards and contumacy ſhall maintaine to the laſt gaſpe. Vſually an ill cauſe once undertaken, ſhall be maintained, though with blood. p. 48Nay, rather then want cauſe, they will now hate ſuch a Miniſter, becauſe they have formerly hurt him: as many husbands hate their wives, onelyonly becauſe themſelves have wronged them, or at leaſt love them the leſſe for their owne faults: all which they will defend with their tongues, though they condemne it with their conſciences.

Which men are like thoſe wicked Jewes, Acts 13.45. who would neither beleeve the doctrine which Paul preacht, nor abide that the Gentiles ſhould bee brought to the Faith of Chriſt: For they not only forbeare to heare ſuch a Miniſter themſelves, but will dehort all their familiars: In imitation of the high Prieſts, Scribes, and Phariſees, who in their owne opinion were too good, too wiſe, too holy to receive Chriſt into their company; and, not content to ſequeſter themſelves from Chriſt, they diſdained alſo that he ſhould be converſant with Publicans and ſinners.

Pride was ever envious and contumelious, thinking ſhe adds ſo much to her owne reputation, as ſhe detracts from others: and indeede the twinckling ſtarres at the approach of the Sunne loſe their light, and after regaine it not, untill darkeneſſe be upon the deepe: Yea, the whiter the Swan is, the more black is the Crow thats by her.

3. They will combine themſelves together, and ſay devillſh plots to deſtroy the godly, as the new King of Aegypt 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 Governors combined together to worke Daniels overthrow Dan. 6. And thus Demetrius the Silver-ſmith, and the reſt of the craftſmen, which made gaine by the p. 49ſilver Temples of Diana, combined themſelves together, to conſpire the death of Pauls campanions, Acts 19. And when Paul was reſcued by Lyſias, the next day there were more then forty of the Jewes, which bound themſelves by a curſe, ſaying, They would neither eate nor drinke, till they had killed Paul; in which conſpiracy, the chiefe Prieſts and Elders were likewiſe aſſiſtants, Act. 23.10.14.

The Apoſtle ſaith, If God be on our ſide, who can be againſt us? But S^t. Chryſoſtom, 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 counſell againſt them, ſaying, come, let us rout them out, &c. Pſal. 83.3.4, 5.

How wicked men agree in perſecuting the truth, and profeſſors thereof, we may ſee, Acts 4.26, 27. and Mark 14. where even old Annas, and that wicked bench of gray-headed Scribes and Elders, 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 booke of Wiſdome, 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 cleane contrary to our doings: bee upbradeth us with our offending the Law: hee was made to reprove our thoughts; it grieveth us alſo to looke 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 p. 50death. And then gives the reaſon: Such things do they imagine, for their owne wickedneſſe hath blinded them, and they doe not underſtand the myſteries of God, neither hope for the reward of righteouſneſſe, nor can diſcerne the honour of the ſoules which are faultleſse, Wiſd. 2.12. to 23.

Qu. I, But what have they whereupon to ground their accuſations? For the religious mans life is commonly like Pauls, Philip. 3.6. unrebukeable, and he walketh in all the commandements and ordinances of the Law, without reproofe, as Zachary and Elizabeth did, Luke 1.6.

Anſw. He that ſtudies quarrels will eaſily find occaſion. When the Governours were reſolved that Daniel ſhould die, they ſoone found pretences: As ſuppoſe it be a private Chriſtian, they will lie in wait to finde faults in him, and turne good into evill, and are of ſo prying an obſervation, that they will looke farther into his actions, then the beſt man would willingly have them ſearch.

But being diſappointed of their hopes, heare what they ſay, We ſhall not find 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 ſticking cloſe to the Word of truth, ſhall ſerve for a need.

Or ſecondly, If he be a Miniſter, they will aſſemble together to heare him pray and preach, that ſo they may catch ſomething out of his mouth, whereof they may accuſe him, as the Scribes and Phariſees dealth with our Saviour, Luke 11.54. And thoſe Gòvernours with Daniel, wherein he ſhall not be able to ſpeake ſo warily, but they will finde matter enough to inſnare him, as the words ſhall be wreſted, p. 51though indeed, to have a great audience onelyonly ſhall be made crime enough: you know when the Jewes ſaw that a great company were at Pauls Sermon, they were filled with envy, and fell to contradiction and blaſphemy: Acts 13.45. And the high Prieſts and Phariſees, when our Saviour was ſo flockt after ſayd among themſelves: perceive yee not, behold the World goeth after him, and if we let him thus alone, all men will beleeve in him, John 11.48. & 12.19. they were like the dog in the manger, that will neither eate 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 coyne that for a reaſon, which others will not aſſent unto: Yea, what is truth to theſe men, is error to others more wiſe.

And when once he is queſtioned, every one, like Jael to Sizera, will drive a nayle, to keep him from riſing againe.

O the wicked mindes that many goe to Church withall, and the great dangers that Miniſters are lyable 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.

But what ſaith David? Though they have conceived miſcheife, and doe travell 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. 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 p. 52is a true rule, that of evill premiſes doth not follow a good concluſion, but from evill ſeeds come evill plants.

4. They are very proane to impriſon the godly, cauſe or no cauſe, As Ahab commanded Michaiah to be put into the priſon houſe, and fed with the bread of affliction and with the water of affliction, 1 Kings 22.27. Thus the malicious Prieſts procured Jeremiah to be ſhut up in priſon, Jer. 36.5. And thus our Saviour ſhewing what entertainement the faithfull ſhould find 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 John Baptiſt, Peter, Paul, and many other of the Apoſtles, were put into the common priſon by Herod, and the Synod of Prieſts, when they preacht in Chriſts Name, Acts 5.18. & 12.4 & 4.3. & 22.25. & 28.17. And 2 Cor. 11.23: And Ile warrant you, the common people were more glad of the Churches loſſe herein, then they would have been of their owne gaine.

But why into priſon? Why not unto death? No thankes to Satan, nor his ſeede, they would deſtroy all. Yea, Why are not our Sanctuaries turned into Shambles, and our beds made to ſwimme with our bloods, but that the God of Iſrael hath croſſed the confederacy of Balaak, and there wickedneſſe doth not proſper, their ſtudies are the pl…ts of our ruine, and the beſt they intend, is the deſtructions and overthrough of Religion, or the religious, or both.

Againe, Why theſe, and a thouſand more in all ages ſhut up in priſon? What was their delinquency? Even this, They were too good, too holy to be endured. What was it but Joſephs goodneſſe, that p. 53brought him to the ſtocks and Irons? And ſo of Michaiah, Jeremiah, the Apoſtles, and all the Saints in ſucceding ages.

And to ſpeake truly, this is a deepe point of pollicy in our adverſaries: for when all their arguments faile, by this meanes they get the better, and withall prevent further diſpute. In the midſt of their anger they this diſcretion, Stand not to argue, leſt thou be overcome, and let the accuſed plead what hee can for his own innocencie: the Wolfe would anſwer the Lamb, Indeed thy cauſe is better then mine, but my teeth are better then thine, I will devoure thee: So the Devill puts off the Fox, and puts on the Lyon.

Againe, we know the M…one hath ſo much the leſſe light, by how much it is neer…r the Sunne; yea, ſo long as the Sunne 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 Julian the Apoſtate did by our Saviour, who tooke downe his Image in contempt, that he might ſet up his owne in the ſame place, and have the people worſhip it, which hee knew they would never doe, ſo long as the other was reverenc'd.

5. They often manifeſt their enmity againſt the religious by ſtriking them, as Zidkiah, the falſe Prophet, ſtrooke Michayah on the cheeke, 1 King. 22.24. thus Paſher ſtrooke Jeremiah, Ier. 20.2. And the Princes alſo, Chap. 37.15. And thus Ananias the high Prieſt cauſed p. 54Paul 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.

When Politiſians Rhetorick failes, Carters Logick muſt doe the fear. Their arguments are all Steele and Iron, they ſpeake daggers points: As Ioab diſcourſed with Amaza in the 5^th 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 Achilles, who is fained to eate his owne heart, becauſe he might not be ſuffered to fight.

6. It is uſuall with them to hurt and 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 Canaan, 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, Indg. 16.21. and thus the Iewes of Antiochia and Iconium hurt Paul, when they ſtoned 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 rayling failed, have p. 55they come to plow-mans Logick, Gunpowder 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 men beaſts and fooles. How many have been knowne, like him in Aeſop, who willingly loſt one eye, that his fellow might looſe both?

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 ſtocks and ſtones: for hearing but their ſinnes layd open, and the judgement due thereunto, they become ſo ſtupid and inſenſible 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.

7. And laſtly, It is their manner out of Enmity to ſlay the godly, as Doeg ſlew Ahimeleck and the reſt of the Prieſts, 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 Jezabell ſlew all the Prophets of the Lord ſhe could find, 1 Kings 18.4. And Herod, all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and all the coaſts thereof, from two yeares old and under, that he might make ſure worke with Chriſt, Mat. 2.16. And thus the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, Gods owne people choſen out of all the World, uſed to make ſuch havock of their owne Prophets, that our Saviour bemoaning her caſe, cryeth out, O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, which killeſt the Prophets, and ſtoneſt them which are ſent unto thee, &c. Matthew 23.37.

p. 56And thus it fares with the Saints and ſervants of God at this day, in ſuch places where wicked men may have their wils. Whereas thoſe Romiſh Doctors are appointed for the ſaving of many, they are all for deſtruction: like raſh Empiricks, they can cure no way, but by letting of blood; and hereupon they turne their Maſſing into maſſacring; the Schoole into a Camp; Arguments, into Armes; teaching all their Proſelites diſmall concluſions: as it hath been no rare thing, for ſome of their Prieſts in Queene Maries raigne, when in arguments they have found the weakneſſe of their pens to fall to their penknives: In ſtead of arguments, they take up armes; and in ſtead 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 rhetoricke; Fleete and fetters, their Logicke; the Canons roare, their muſick; poyſoning, their phyſick; Yea, their very building of the Church, is by blowing up of common-wealths; and in ſtead of fighting for God, they fight againſt God and his Leivetenant.

And if at this day they catch but a Proteſtant in their net, it is a miracle if ever he ſcapes death, without making ſhipwrack 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 rendred.

Firſt, they muſt doe the workes of their Father the Devill: he is a murtherer, and ſo his children are given to blood, John 8.44.

Secondly, that their deeds of darkneſſe may not p. 57come to light. Ʋriah muſt be put to death, leaſt Davids adultry bee diſcovered, and himſelfe diſgraced. A living Curre you know, will doe more harme then a dead Lyon: And it is a ſure rule, that of Egges fryed in the pan come no ill Chickens.

Thirdly, the wicked through malice ſeeke 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 Abell, and the effect ſhall not follow.

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 brickbats, 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 argumēts of ſteel, and Iron. But this is a very hard way of conſuting.

Fifthly, their glory and credit with the World is eclipſed, by ſuffering theſe which excell in vertue. This made Adrian and Nero to kill all ſuch as eclipſed their glory by any demerit: and Mercine, you know, was murthered of her fellowes, becauſe ſhee did excell the reſt in beauty. Thus Herod, thought he could not be King, if Chriſt ſhould raigne. Yea, as though he had beene of the race of the Ottomans, he thought he could not raigne, except the firſt thing he did, he killed all the males in Bethlehem, from two yeares old and under: And the Phariſees that they ſhould be deſpiſed, if Chriſt were regarded.

And ſo much of the Actuall properties of this Enmity.

p. 58Qu. In how many of theſe kindes did our Saviour himſelfe ſuffer (whoſe example hitherto you have omitted) in his owne perſon of the Jews, his Countrey men and kinſfolke; yea, of the chiefe Prieſts, Scribes and Phariſees, who were teachers and expounders of the Law, and which ſate in Moſes Chaire?

An. In every one of the 22. for as touching the Mentall Properties.

1 They Envyed him, Matth. 26.15.

2 They Contemned him, Matth. 12.24. & 13.55.

3 They Rejoyced at him in his miſery and deſtreſſe, Mat. 27.29.

4 They Hated him, Iohn 7.7.

2. Touching the Verball.

1 They Murmured againſt him, Luke 15.2.

2 They Miſconſtrued his actions & intentions, Mat. 11.…9.

3 They Carryed tales of him, Mat. 12.14.

4 They Gave divelliſh counſell againſt him, Mat. 27.20.

5 They Scoft at him, Matth. 27.42.

6 They Nicknamed him, Matth. 13.55.

7 They Rayled on him, Luke 23.39.

8 They Slandered him, Matth. 28.13.

9 They Curſed him, Gal. 3.13.

10 They Threatned him, Iohn 11.53.

11 They Vndermined him in talke, that they might accuſe him, Matth. 22.15.

3. Touching the Actuall.

1 They Vſed diſdainful geſtures before him, Mat. 27.29.39

2 They VVithſtood and contraryed his Doctrine, Luke 5.21. Mat. 9.34.

3 They Combined together and layd Plots to deſtroy him, Mat. 12.14.

4 They Tooke him priſoner, Mat. 26.57.

5 They Smote him, Luke 22.64.

6 They Hurt and wounded him, Mat. 27.29. Iohn 19 34.

7 They Put him to death, even that curſed death of the p. 59Croſſe, Matth. 27.35. That the Scriptures might be fulfilled which ſaith, And thou ſhalt bruiſe his heele; for all that he ſuffered was but in his Humanity, and ſo no more then the bruiſing of his heele.

And why all this? Not for any evill they found in him; for their owne words are, He hath done all things well, Mark 7.37. He hath done, ſuch was his power; all things, ſuch was his wiſedome; well, ſuch was his goodneſſe: and yet crucified, and abuſed every way he muſt be. It was indeed for his zeale, purity and holineſſe, and becauſe his life and practice was cleane contrary to theirs, his Doctrine too powerfull and pure for ſuch carnall hearts to imbrace or endure. So that it is plaine, and all men may ſee, who are not dead in ſenſe, how it would fare with us, might our enemies, the ſame Seede of the Serpent have their wils.

Qu. What uſes may this ſerve for, which hath been ſpoken touching the properties of this enmity, and our Saviours ſuffering?

An. Firſt, by this taſte of its fruits learne we to deteſt them all.

Secondly, it may ſerve to informe every man, whether he be of the Serpents ſeed, a child of the Devill, as he came into the world, or regenerate, and ſo become of the womans Seed, a child 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 Devill, By theſe 22. fruits of enmity you ſhall know them, aſwell as you ſhall know the life by breathing, or the day by its light. Wherefore all ye that read, reflect and caſt your eyes on theſe examples, which p. 60are ſuch lively emblemes and repreſentations of your ſelves, if you be the Sepents ſeed, and yet in your ſins. Yea, let it make you tremble; for know aſſuredly, that if this ſpawne of enmity, formerly ſpoken of, remaine in you; if any of theſe wayes you perſecure Chriſt in his members, or but hate the good, becauſe they will not be ſo evill as you are, you have not caſt off this ſerpentine quallity, which you drew from the loynes of old Adam; but it is an infallible ſigne, that you are of the Serpents ſeed, children of the Devill, enemies to God, and all goodneſſe, the brethren of Cayne, yea, Cayne himſelfe in another perſon, and without repentance, your portion ſhall be with Cayne, and the reſt of that curſed crue.

On the other ſide, doth any conſcionable Chriſtian find himſelfe hated and perſecuted by ungodly men for weldoing, for Chriſts ſake, for Religion and for 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 child of God, a member of Chriſts myſticall body, and an heire of eternall life.

Thirdly, theſe examples being written to admoniſh us, upon whom the ends of the world are come, may inform the godly what they are to expect from the world: Shall any hope to be free from ſuffering, or thinke it a ſtrange thing, when he doth ſuffer for well doing, when our Saviour-Chriſt himſelfe ſuffered ſo much as he did, being the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, full of grace and truth? No, the Diſciple is not above his Maſter, nor the ſervant above his Lord: If they have perſecuted Chriſt, they will perſecute you alſo, John 15.20. If they have called the Maſter of the houſe Beelzebub, how much more them of his houſhold? Mat. 10.25. Yea, ſenſleſſe were it once to p. 61thinke, that the ſame enmity which ſpared not to ſtrike at the Head, will forbeare the weakeſt and remoteſt limbe.

Wherefore arme thou us, O God, with an expectation of that evill which we cannot avoyd, yea, make thou us as ſtrong as Satan and his inſtruments are malicious, and then let them doe their worſt.

And ſo much of the kinds and properties of his enmity.