The Cure of Prejudice, Part

The Cure of Prejudice · Part

p. 61The Cauſes.

Qu. What are the Cauſes why wicked and ungodly men thus hate and perſecute the religious?

Anſw. They are ſo many, that the time would be too ſhort, or this Treatiſe too long, if I ſhould ſpeake of every one, yea, or relate halfe of what is requiſite to to be ſpoken of each; for they require whole Volumes, beſides inſtructions, if they exceed, are wont, as nailes to drive out one another.

Qu. Then ſelect out the principall, I meane, ſuch as in regard of our edification, are moſt behoovefull for us to know. And leſt the pages ſhould ſtill grow, as fiſh, into a multitude, garble your notions, and give us onelyonly the marrow of the matter.

Anſw. The Cauſes beſt deſerving our diſcovery, and the worlds notice, I take to be Eleaven:

Firſt, a maine Cauſe why wicked men hate and perſecute the godly, is the contrariety of their natures.

Qu. How contrary are they?

Anſw. As contrary and oppoſite one to the other, as are God and the Devill: for the one are Children of God, 2 Cor. 6.18. Gal. 3.26. Joh. 1.12. And partake of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Being begotten, Iames 1.18. p. 62And borne a new of God, Joh. 1.13. 1 Joh. 3.9. by the immortall ſeed of the word, Iames 1.18. And the ſpirits powerfull working with it, Ioh. 3.5.8. whereby they are become like God in holineſſe, 1 Pet. 1.15. And not children onelyonly, but heires alſo, even the heires of God, and heires annexed with Chriſt, Rom. 8.17▪ being his brethren, Rom. 8.29. Members of his body, 1 Cor. 12.27. Bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh, Epheſ. 5.30. having his Spirit dwelling in them, Rom. 8.9. to witneſſe with their ſpirits, that they are the children of God, verſ. 16. And being Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 6.19.

And the other are the Seed of the Serpent, and children of the Devill, and ſo partake of his nature, 1 Ioh. 3.8.10.12.14. Act. 13.10. Ioh. 6.70. and 8.44. and 14.30. and 16.11. Matth. 13.38.39. 2 Cor. 4.4. 2 Tim. 1.26. Gen. 3.15. and 5.3. Epheſ. 2.1. to the end, and 5.14. 1 Cor. 15.22. Rom. 5.12.18. Titus 3.3. to 8. 1 Pet. 2.9.10.25. Joh. 3.3.5.6. which being ſo, they muſt needs be very contrary, and if contrary, no marvell they ſhould ſo ill agree, although God had not proclaimed an enmity between them.

For there can be no amity, where there is no ſympathy; No reconciling of the Wolfe and the Lambe; the winds and the ſea; No neighbourhood, no aliance, no conjunction is able to make the curſed ſeed of the Serpent, and the bleſſed ſeed of the Women ever agree: For fire and water, light and darkneſſe, heaven and hell are not more contrary.

One blood, one belly, one houſe, one education could never make Cayne and Abel accord, Iacob and Eſau, Iſack and Iſhmael at one. Yea, though they be man and wife, parent and childe, yet if they be not like, they will not like, 2 Cor. 6.14.15. And indeed, what is the corporall ſympathy to the ſpirituall antipathy? Can there p. 63be ſuch a parity betweene the parent and the child, the husband and the wife, as there is a diſparity betweene God and Satan? No certainly.

A wicked man can agree with all that are wicked, be they Papiſts, or Turkes, or Atheiſts, prophane and looſe perſons, civill or morall men, for all theſe agree with him in blindneſſe and darkneſſe: as who feeles the ſmart of their tongues, or hands? not the Idolator or vile perſon, not the profeſſed Atheiſt, the Canker fretting Arminian, or ſtate betraying Jeſuite: For with all theſe they are haile fellow well met. But with ſincere Chriſtians and Practicers of piety, he can never agree: the religious ſhall be ſure of oppoſition, becauſe their light is contrary to his darkneſſe; grace in the one is a ſecret diſgrace to the other.

Yea, let wicked men be at never ſo much odds one with another, yet they will concurre and joyne againſt the godly. As for example, Edom and Iſhmael, Moab and the H…garens, Gebal and Ammon, Ammaleck and the Philiſtims, the men of Tyre and Aſsur had each ſeverall gods; yet all conſpired againſt the true God, Pſal. 83.5. to 9. Manaſſes againſt Ephraim, and Ephraim againſt Manaſses; but both againſt Juda. Herod and Pilate two enemies, will agree, ſo it be againſt Chriſt: they will fall in one with another, to fall out with God. The Saduces, Phariſees, and Heredians were Sectaries of divers and adverſe factions, all differing one from another; and yet all theſe joyne together againſt our Saviour, Matth. 22. The Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrions, Cilicians and Aſians, differ they never ſo much, will joyne in diſpute againſt Steeven, Acts 6.9. Herod neither loved the Jews, nor the Jewes Herod; yet both are agreed to vex the Church.

p. 64I cannot thinke of a fitter embleme of a naturall man, then Lime, which agreeth well with all things that are dry and of it's owne nature; but meeting with water, a thing directly oppoſite, it breaks, burnes, ſwels, ſmokes, crackles, skips and ſcatters: ſo nature will give a man leave to be any thing, ſave a ſound Chriſtian, and agree with all others, be their conditions never ſo contrary, provided they agree in the maine, are all ſeed of the ſame Serpent. But let the naturall man meet with one that is ſpirituall, they agree like heate and cold; if one ſtayes, the other flies; or if both ſtay, they agree like two poyſons in one ſtomacke, the one being ever ſicke of the other, be they never ſo neer alyed. As how many a wife is ſo much the more hated, becauſe a zelous wife? How many a child leſſe beloved, becauſe a religious child? How many a ſervant leſſe reſpected, becauſe a godly ſervant? And no marvell; for though they dwell in the ſame houſe, yet they belong to two ſeverall kingdomes; and albeit they both remaine on earth, yet they are governed by two ſeverall lawes, the ones burguſhip being in Heaven, Phil. 3.20. And the other, being a denizon, belonging to Hell: as Iriſh-men are dwellers in Ireland, but denizons of England; and governed by the Statutes of this kingdome.

Neither is this of theirs an ordinary hatred, but the moſt bitter, exorbitant, unlimited, & unplacable of all others. No ſuch concord, no ſuch diſcord, ſaith one of the learned, as that which proceeds from Religion. My name, ſaith Luther, is more odious unto them, then any thief, or murtherer: as Chriſt was more deteſtable to the Iewes then Barrabas. Behold, ſaith David, mine enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with a cruell batred, Pſal. 25.19. yea, ſo cruell, that it makes their teeth gnaſh, and their hearts burſt againe, Act. 7.54. which made the Truths adverſaties p. 65give Saint Paul ſtripes above meaſure, 2 Cor, 11.2, 3. And the Heathen Emperours to deviſe ſuch cruell tortures, for all thoſe which but profeſt themſelves Chriſtians.

Yea, agreement in ſome points, when there are differences in the maine, does but advance hatred the more: Witneſſe the Reigne of Queene Mary, and the Butchery over all France of above two hundred thouſand Proteſtants; beſides the many thouſands of late yeares: Yea, aske from Eaſt to Weſt, from one Pole to the other; ſearch all Records under Heaven, if ever there was the like of the intended Powder-Plot.

You cannot anger a wicked man worſe, than to doe well: Ye, hee hates you more b…tterly for this, and the cred…t you gaine thereby, than if you had cheated him of his Patrimony, with your owne diſcredit. But that there is no hatred ſo virulent and bitter, as that which is occaſioned by vertuous living, and profeſſing of CHRISTS Name, our Saviour Himſelfe proves copiouſly, Matthew 10. Luke 21.

Queſt. Wherein conſists their unlikeneſſe and contrariety?

Anſw. Chiefly in foure particulars; thou hindeed there bee more differences betweene the Children of God and the children of the Devill, than there are betweene men and beaſts.

Firſt, they exceedingly differ in their judgments touching Wifedom, 1 Cor. 1.18.20, 23. and …, 14. and 4.10. Luke 6.27. to 36. Acts 26.24. Wiſd. 5.4. Gen. 41.8. Iob 5.13. Proverbs 28.11. Ierem. 4.22. 1 Cor. 3.19. Exodus 1.10. Ioſhua 9.4. Titus 3.9. Proverbs 10. verſe 18. Rom. 16. ver. 19.

Happineſſe, Luke 6.26. and 8.13. Iames 4.4. Marke 16, 16. Iohn 3.16, 18. and 8.34, 36. Romans 6.16, 18.22. Pſal. 2.3, 4. and 10.3. and 12.4. 2 Tim. 2.26. Mal. 3.15. Revel. 3.17. 1 Theſ. 5.3.

Fortitude, Prov. 28.1, 2. Rev. 13.6, 7. and 12, 13, 17. Mar. 13.9. Acts 7.52. Matth. 10.28. Galathians 4.29. Iohn 16.2.

p. 66Sinne, Luke 16.15. Prov. 13.19. Marke 7.5, 11, 12.13. Luke 7.33, 34. Matth. 7.14. 1 Peter 4.18. Pſalm. 35.13.16

Holines, Acts 26.9. Exo. 8 26. 1 Cor. 4.10. and 2.14 Pro. 13.19. Pſal. 14.1. Ier. 44.16. to 1…. Yea, they are of a reprobate judgment touching actions and perſons, ſay 5.20. and ſo ſpeake, thinks and doe all by contraries, like Helioga… who wore ſhooes of Gold, and Rings of Leather, or the Blackmoores who judge of beautie by contraries. Wherefore reade their words as Schollers do Hebrew, backward, and you have the meaning: for inſtance doe they call thee Puritan as nothing more frequent in their mouthes, underſtand by it Saint for a Chriſtian indeed (as thou art) is a Puritan in the devils language and a Chriſtian in name only (as ſuch an one is) is an Atheiſt in Gods language.

Secondly, They no leſſe differ in their Paſſion… and affections of Love, Pſal. 119.57, 72. and 17, 14.

Feare, Prov. 28.1, 2. 1 Tim. 4.1. Rom. 2.14 15.

Anger, Acts 7.52. to 60. and 5.30. to 34. Prov. 12.10. Rev. 18.19, 20.

Ioy, 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. Ioh 3.15. Matth. 11.19. And the like, which for brevities ſake I forbeare.

Thirdly, they differ no leſſe in Practice, and this breeds many quarrels: as what more common, than for all ſorts and kinds of men to hate, ſcorne, perſecute, reproach, revile, accuſe ſlander and condemne the Religious, becauſe their owne workes are evill and wicked, and the others good, holy, and righteous. Wherefore ſlew Caine his brother, ſaith Saint Iohn, but becauſe his owne Workes were ev…ll, and his brothe…s good? 1 Iohn 3.12. Why was Joſeph accuſed of h…s Miſtreffe for an Adulterer, and thereupon committed to priſon, but becauſe hee would not be an Adulterer like her? Geneſis 39. Yea, it was his particoloured Coate, compoſed of all kindes of graces and bleſſings that formerly procured his Brethrens hate. And what is it that Jobs Wife expoſtulates with him about, but p. 67his integrity? As if ſhe tooke it ill, that he tooke it no worſe: his patience made her impatient. Wherefore was holy David, as himſelfe complaines, almoſt in every Pſalme, Had in deriſion, hated, ſlandered, reviled, contemned and made a proverbe and ſong of the drunkards, and other wicked men which ſate in the gate, but becauſe he follewed the things which were good and pleaſing unto God, and in him put his truſt? Pſal. 11.2. and 22.6, 7, 8. and 37.14. and 69.10, 11, 12. And laſtly (for I might be endleſſe in the proſecution of this) Why were all the juſt, in Solomons time, had in abhominations and mockt of the wicked, but becauſe they were upright in their way, and holy in their converſation, Prov, 29.27. Or thoſe numberleſſe Martyrs, whoſe ſoules Saint Iohn ſaw under the Altar (Revel. 6.9.) killed, but for the Word of God, and for the teſtimony which they maintained? And the Maſter himſelfe, not for any evill as themſelves are forced to confeſſe, Marke 7.37. which examples ſufficiently prove; that all wicked men are like the women of Lemnos, who when they had every one ſlaine their husbands and kinſmen, exiled Hypſipyle the Kings daughter, for that ſhe alone ſaved her Father alive. That great Dragon the Devill, and theſe his Subjects, make warre and are wroth with none but the Woman, and the remnant of her Seed, which keep the Commandements of God and have the teſtimony of Ieſus Chriſt, Revel. 12.17.

But to apply this to our ſelves. I would faine know, whether the power of godlineſſe, the ſincere profeſſion of the name of Chriſt, according to the Vow which we made in Baptiſme, all kind of purity and holineſſe, doth not live in perſecution amongſt us, as Proteſtants doe in Spaine? Is it not a capitall crime to be vertuous? Is not the name of an honeſt man, who p. 68makes conſcience of his wayes, growne odious? Is not circumſpect walking, the zeale of Gods glory in promoting the beſt things, frequent hearing of Sermons, ſinging of Pſalmes, holy conference, brotherly admonition, &c. counted a vice, and that vice called Puritaniſme? And muſt not he who is called a Puritan, be derided, hated, perſecuted, ſlandered and laught to ſcorne? how many may complaine with Ieremy, that becauſe they live a godly life themſelves, and call upon others to doe the ſame, they are curſed of every one, and counted contentious? Ier. 15.10. Yea, let but a ſparke of fervent devotion breake cut in a Family, all the reſt are up in clamors; as when Bels ring diſorderly, every man is ready with his bucket to quench the fire; diſgraced he muſt be for a Puritan, but onelyonly by Laodiceans. Indifferency ſtrives to daſh zeale out of countenance, The reaſon is, whereſoever Chriſt comes, there will be oppoſition. When Chriſt was borne, all Ieruſalem was troubled, and Herod cut the throats of all the children in Bethlehem: ſo when Chriſt is borne in any man, the ſoule is in an uproare, and Satan with his iuſtruments are ready to kil in him every good motion, though it bee never ſo little a Babe.

That which the Ancients did chiefly admire (goodneſse) we doe moſt of all contemne: for is not the godly man more deſpiſed for his godlineſſe, then the wicked for his wickedneſſe? Are not the members of Chriſt more hated, and worſe intreated by us, then the limbes of the Devill? What ſuppreſſing and diſgracing is there of Hels, and Romes chiefeſt adverſaries, under the aſperſion and pretence of Puritaniſme.

Whereas if the ſame men, would but bare them p. 69company in their ſinnes, be drunke, ſweare, temporiſe, contemne holineſſe, miſpend their time, haunt Playhouſes and Tavernes, play the good fellowes, and doe as the reſt doe, they ſhould have the approbation and good word of the greateſt number; yea, if they would not be preciſe in their actions, nor reprove others for their evill courſes; if they would not ſpeake againſt pluralities, Non-reſidents, lazy and good-fellow Paſtors, who either ſtarve or quite neglect, or elſe miſlead their flockes; if they would but be prophane and wicked, and make no bones of ſinne, their malice would ceaſe, and we ſhould not have a Puritane in all the world.

As let me appeale from th ir tongues to their hearts, and from their mouthes to their conſciences, whether this be not the greateſt cauſe of their quarrell, We refuſe to pledg them in their wicked cuſtomes. For may not all ſee (ſaving ſuch as the Prince of darkneſſe hath blind…d) that thoſe, for the moſt part, whom the world ſpeakes ſo baſely of, are b…fore men, in reſpect of any ſcandalous offences or open crimes, unblameable, and may ſay with the Lamb, whom they follow, Which of you can rebuke me of ſinne, though with Paul, 1 Tim, 1.15. they thinke themſelves the worſt of ſinners? And doe not their adverſaries know, that the men whom they terme Puritanes, are honeſter men, and more righteous then themſelves, as Pharaoh was forc'd to confeſſe touching Moſes? Exod. 10.16, 17. And Saul touching David? 1 Sam. 26.21. yea, I know they are perſwaded well of them, even when they ſpeake moſt to the contrary, though I expect not they ſhould uſe them thereafter. We know Pilate judged Chriſt guiltleſſe, but yet he put him to death. And Feſtus acknowledged that Paul was without crime, yet he left him in priſon. I p. 70dare ſay Tertullus knew that he lyed, when he called Paul a peſtilent fellow: his conſcience could not chooſe but anſwer him, Thou lyeſt in thy throat Tertullus, Paul is an honeſter man then thy ſelfe. And muſt not theſe mens conſcinces tell them, that the ſame they accuſe ſo, are in their lives the moſt unreproveable of the land? Yea, I will appeale to their greateſt adverſaries, whether the Proteſtant at large, or thoſe who are called Puritanes, be of the pureſt religion, and moſt reformed to the Primitive Church? …or not ſeldome are wicked mens judgements forced to yeeld unto that truth, againſt which their affections maintaine a rebeilion: And yet, as if they would ſtamp Gods Image on the Divels droſſe, and the Divels image on Gods ſilver, they juſtifie thoſe actions and perſons, which God condemnes, and condemne thoſe which he juſtifies.

True, theſe enemies to holineſſe ſpare not to caſt aſperſions on us; elſe how ſhould they worke their wills? How ſhould Naboth be cleanly put to death, if he be not firſt accuſed of blaſphemy? 1 King. 21.13. and the like of Joſeph, Eliah, Jeremiah, Suſanna, Paul, Steeven, and our Saviour Chriſt himſelfe. But if you marke it, they are as guilty of the crimes whereof they be accuſed, as Ioſeph was, in forcing of his Miſtris, or as Naboth and the reſt were, of thoſe things which were laid to their charge.

I ſpeake not of thoſe monſters, thoſe white devills, who make Religion a ſtalking horſe to villany. I know too many diſhonour God, by wearing of his livery. But what was Satan to the children of God, Iob 1.6. though he thruſt himſelfe into their company? Or what wiſe man will tax all the Apoſtles, becauſe one was a Iudas. To argue, becauſe ſome are ſo and ſo, therefore the reſt are alike, is a ſapleſſe reaſon, only becomming a foole.

p. 71Yet moſt men are ſuch fooles, or rather brute beaſts, led with ſenſualitty, and made to be taken and deſtroyed, as Saint Peter ſpeakes, who becauſe they love to ſpeake evill of the way of truth, 2 Pet. 2.2.12. If they ſee but an hypocrite diſcover himſelfe, they not onelyonly harden themſelves in their ſinnes, and, as it were, breake their owne necks at this ſtumbling blocke, being Satans trap, ſet on purpoſe to catch their blind ſoules in, but condemne all the reſt of his profeſſion to be ſuch as hee is, ſave that they diſſemble their hypocriſie more cloſly & cunningly; which is as equal and juſt, as it was for Simeon and Levi to murther all the Sechemites for the offence only of Hamors Son. But as all are not thievs that dogs bark at; ſo all are not hypocrites which they terme ſo.

Indeed, as all our enemies are not alike witty, ſo they are not alike malicious; for ſome tranſcend this way, as Doeg did the reſt of Sauls ſervants another way, you ſhall know ſuch an one by theſe few markes; his hatred is ſo inveterate and univerſall, that he ſpends all his wit in frothy ſcoffes, and invectives againſt the whole people of God? and as if the doore were not wide enough except he ſet open all the windows, and brake downe the walls to let in this infectious ayre, his tongue ſcrues ſomething againſt the religious into all diſcourſes; and when his owne invention failes, it ſhall be ſupplyed with what he hath heard: for as the Papiſts never found any error ſpued out by the Ancients, but they have licked it up, ſuperſtitiouſly to abuſe the ſame: ſo he never heares of any ſcoffe, ſlander, or divelliſh invective formerly deviſed, but he licks it up, that he may ſpit it out againe in the face of ſome profeſſor, or on the other fide poyſon thoſe with whom he doth converſe; being to his company like a mad dog, that ſo biteth every one he meets, that p. 72they become mad too, and as apt to bite others as himſelfe; or in caſe he meets with another like himſelfe in wit and malice, it may be ſaid of them, as Diogenes ſpake of two ill conditioned women, when hee ſaw them talking, See how the Viper and the Aſpe are changing poyſon. And nothing ſo ticles the ſpleene, or glads the heart of ſuch, as that diſcourſe which may moſt ſhame profeſſion, diſgrace Religion, and diſhonour God. But, O that ever thoſe tongues, which dare call God Father, ſhould ſuffer themſelves thus to be moved and poſſeſſed by that uncleane ſpirit! Or that ever the Church ſhould owne ſuch for her children. In the Primitive times, the Church would have denied her bleſſing to ſuch a Sonne, that ſhou…d have thought himſelfe diſparaged by ſerving Chriſt and wearing of his livory, although he had not ſcoft at others: yet this man flatters himſelfe that he is a Chriſtian; yea, you cannot beat him from it, but that he is as good a Chriſtian as the preciſeſt, and ſhall goe to heaven as ſoone. But let him that reads, conſider whether it be not a fearefull thing, to lend to Satan the heart for deviſing, the tongue for uttering, and the eare for hearing of calumnies, and all this to diſgrace the grace of God in his children, and make it frutleſſe to themſelves and others. O impiety to be abhorred: Such ſport on earth is only ſport for the fiends in hell, and let them looke to it, for ſuch joyes may chance to coſt them eternall mourning; yea, certainly, if the infernall Tophet be not for them (in caſe they repent not) it can challenge no gueſts; for I may well ſay unto ſuch an one, Many ſinners have done wickedly, but thou ſurpaſſeſt them all; thine is ſuch a ſuperlative, ſuch a ſoule-murthering ſinne, that no other ſinne can parallell it.

But thou haſt plenty of excuſes to pacify thy blinded p. 73and benummed conſcience: Yea, thou wanteſt not ſome carnall reaſons to make it good, as an eaſie invention may put falſe matters into true Sylogiſmes: And amongſt the reſt, thou wouldeſt not have men ſingular: wherefore that they may have leſſe zeale and more temper, thou ſeek…ſt to alay their heate with frumps and ſcoffs, and taunts, and jeeres; as how often doe we heare remiſſe profeſſors ſtrive to choake all forward holineſſe and zeale by commending the golden meane? For carnall men (who cleave as cloſe to cuſtome, and example of the greateſt number, as clay to a Cart wheele) thinke every one exorbitant, that walketh not after their rule, 1 Pet. 4.4. As the Sodomites thought of Lot, Gen. 19.9. the hundred and twenty Governours of Daniel, Dan. 6.11. and the Caldeans of Shadrach, Meſhech, and Abednego, Dan. 3 8. to 30. Daniel of all Darius his ſervants was ſo bold as to pray three times a day, not in contempt of the King of Babylons decree, but in zeale and obedience to the God of Heavens command: the Governours ſtranging at it, accuſe him, and ſay, this Daniel which is of the captivity, regardeth not thee O King, nor the decree which thou haſt ſigned; but doth ſo and ſo: wherefore command we pray thee, that he be caſt into the Lyons den, for no decree, nor ſtatute which the King eſtabliſheth may be altered, Dan. 6. Againe what diſorder is this that I heare of you, ſaith Nebuchadnezzar to Shadrach, Meſhech, and Ahednego: will not you ſerve my gods, nor worſhip the golden Image that I have ſet up, Dan. 3.14. who anſwer no, be it knowne unto thee O King, we are not carefull to anſwer thee in this matter: they were all as ſtiffe as if they had eaten a ſtake, and they could not bow to an Idoll: as the godly have beene in all ages, not being p. 74able to wheele with the times. Yea, they that truely feare God are uſually as immoveable as the Sun in its courſe, becauſe they thinke, and ſpeake, and live by rule, and not by example, and hold themſelves as faſt tyed, as if they had the oath given them, which the Aegyptian Kings ſolemnly preſented to their Judges, not to ſwerve from their conſciences, what command ſoever they ſhould receive from rhemſelves to the contrary. Which ſtrictneſſe is a great eye-ſore to carnall men: who hate ſingularity, almoſt as they doe ſanctity, which makes them to cry it downe.

Now this imputation of ſingularity, and their extolling the meane, is a cunning diſcouragement, but it is the Devils Sophiſtry; for the meane of vertue, is betweene two kindes, not betweene two degrees: it is a meane grace, that loves a meane degree of grace.

Yet this is the onelyonly ſtaffe, with which the World beates all that are better then themſelves. What will you be ſingular? Or are you wiſer then all? Or what is this but want of diſcretion? And to ſpeake truth, that which worldly men call diſcretion, eates up all true wiſedome: There diſcretion and moderate ſtayedneſſe, devoures all true honeſty, and goodneſſe. But ſhall Lot leave his righteouſneſſe for ſuch an imputation of ſingularity? Or ſhall he not depart Sodom, becauſe the whole City thinkes it better to ſtay there ſtill? Shall Noah leave building the Arke, and ſo himſelfe, and his houſhold periſh, becauſe all the World elſe, thinkes him haire-brayned? Or muſt the name of a Puritan, diſhearten us from the ſervice of God? No, but as Saint Paul ſaid in his Apollogie, Acts 24.14. after the way which they call Herefie, ſo worſhip I the God of my Fathers: ſo we in this caſe, After the way p. 75which prophane men call Puritaniſme, let my ſoule deſire to ſerve Ieſus Chriſt.

Ob. I grant (will the more moderate worldling ſay) in ſuch caſes wherein the word of God is expreſſe, ſingularity is not lawfull onelyonly, but laudable: But (which makes my ſpleene riſe) they will not conforme to things indifferent.

An. A ſeduced heart deceives thee in ſo ſaying, why elſe doſt thou caſt the ſame aſperſions, upon ſuch as are conformable.

But admit they onelyonly are thornes in thine Eyes, doſt thou well to hate all that are not of thy owne judgement, or that have tenderer conſciences then thy ſelfe? No, for honeſt and good men may differ in opinion, not onelyonly in things trivyall, but in matters of great moment; provided, they agree in the fundamentall articles of the Catholique faith, and yet may, and ought to continue brotherly love and communion, as members of the ſame myſticall body: as many examples witneſſe, both of eminent Chriſtians, and Fathers of the Church: as alſo our Saviours words, who ſpeaking of the fundamentall poynts, penneth the league thus, He that is not with us, is againſt us, but of poynts not fundamentall thus, He that is not againſt us, is with us. Whereas theſe differ from thee (if thou beeſt a true Proteſtant as thou wouldeſt be thought to be) in nothing materiall, for there is a vaſt difference, betweene another diſcipline, and another doctrine: and they little differ, that agree in matter. OnelyOnly their conſciences are not ſo large as thine: and thou thinkeſt thoſe things indifferent, which they cannot aſſent unto; though they take more paines to ſatisfie and informe themſelves then thou doſt. But admit they be p. 76things of an indifferent nature, even actions of indifferency, when once they are felt to trench upon the conſcience, lay deep obligations upon the ſoul, even whiles they are moſt ſlighted by careleſſe hearts: there being no leſſe difference in conſciences, then ſtomacks, of which ſome will digeſt the hardeſt meates, and turne over ſubſtances not in their nature edible, whiles others ſurfeite of the lighteſt food, and complaine even of dainties.

And indeed, every gracious heart is in ſome meaſure ſcrupelous, and finds more ſafety in feare, then in preſumption: And certainely in caſes of a doubtfull and queſtionable nature, it is ever good to take the ſureſt ſide, and which drawes neereſt to probability. Many things are of ſo queſtionable a nature, that much may be ſaid on either ſide: Now if I chooſe that ſide on which I am ſure I ſhall not ſin, I deſerve to be excuſed, rather then cenſured; if I uſe them it is poſſible I may ſinne, it may be they are not ſinnefull; yet I am not ſo ſure of it that I ſhall not ſinne if I uſe them, as I am ſure I ſhall not ſinne, nor breake any of Gods commandements if I doe not uſe them. This I may be bold to build upon, He that ſayles amongſt Rocks, it is poſſible he may eſcape ſplitting, but he is not ſo ſure to keep his Veſsell ſafe, and whole, as he that ſayles in a cleare Sea, where no Rocks are at all.

Qu. But to ſpeake really, and as the truth is, Why doe they uſe all theſe diſcouragements?

An. Their onelyonly aime is, to make us ſquare our lives according to their Rule; as that Gyant did proportion the bodies of all his gueſts, to the bed of his Harlot; Yea, if they would give their tongues liberty to acquaint us with their hearts and conſciences, they muſt needs confeſſe, that they uſe that odious nickname p. 77(deviſed by Satan himſelfe) for no other end, but to flout men out of their faith and holy profeſſion, and to bring the very truth of Religion, and power of godlineſſe into contempt and ſcorne.

And indeed, whom not heroicall in fortitude (the caſe ſtanding as it doth) would it not diſcourage and beat backe to the world? But thankes be given to God, his Spirit herein ſo hardeneth and ſteeleth his ſervants, that their faces are like flint, and themſelves like brazen walls, and defenced Cities, though otherwiſe ſoft in affection, and true profeſſors of meekneſſe.

Yea, undoubtedly he muſt be more then man (that is, more ſpirit then fleſh) that can contentedly make himſelfe contemptible to follow Chriſt, be pointed at for ſingularity, endure ſo many baſe and vile nicknames, as are every where caſt upon the conſcionable (for there is ſcarce a houſe, but is haunted with theſe kind of ſpirits, familiars, viſible and carnall Devils, ſoule-murtherers) have his religion judged Hypocriſie; his Chriſtian prudence, craft and policy; his godly ſimplicity, ſillineſſe; his zeale, madneſſe; his punctuall obedience to Gods Lawes, rebellion to Princes, his contempt of the world, ignorance; his godly ſorrow, dumpiſhneſſe, &c. For theſe and the like, asunſeaſonable froſts, nip all gracious offers and beginnings in the bud, and as much as in them lyeth, with Herod labour to kill Chriſt in young profeſſors. Yea, the cenſures and ſcoffes of theſe Atheiſts and Worldlings, like the blaſts of Rams-hornes before the wals of lerico, lay all the ſtrength of a young beginners vertues leavell at one utterance: yea, it is the onelyonly Remora and greateſt cauſe of arreſt, if any looke heaven-ward, that makes them recoyle.

True, a wiſe man will not be ſcoft out of his money, p. 78nor a juſt man be flouted out of his faith; Yea, like Iohn Baptiſt, he will hold his profeſſion, though hee looſe his head for it. If Chriſt have but once poſſeſt the affections, there is no diſpoſſeſſing him againe. The league that Heaven hath made, Hell wants power to breake. If the ſweet doctrine of Chriſt be once gotten into the heart, it cannot be got out againe by all the torments which wit and cruelty can deviſe, as we ſee in the Martyrs.

Neither would he ever endure a blow, who cannot concoct a foule word. Hee that is diſcouraged and made returne with an Iſhmaelitiſh perſecution of the tongue: how would he endure a Spaniſh Inquiſitian, or thoſe Marian times? He that is ſo frighted with a ſquib, how would he endure the mouth of a Cannon? But to proceed.

For a man to be ſcoft out of his goodneſſe, by thoſe that are lewd, is all one, as if a man that ſeeth ſhould blind-fold himſelfe, or put out his eyes, becauſe ſome blind wretches revile and ſcoffe at him for ſeeing: or as if one that is ſound of limbes, ſhould limpe, or maime himſelfe, to pleaſe the Criple, and avoid his taunts. For my part, I had rather live hated of all men for goodneſſe, then be beloved of all for vice; and rather pleaſe one good man, then content a thouſand bad ones; his ſingle authority being ſufficient to countervayle the diſdaine of a whole Parriſh of ſenſualiſts.

Yet experience ſhewes, That divers are content to be miſled with the multitude, rather then be an object of their ſcorne and diriſion. Yea, thouſands hold it the beſt and ſafeſt way, in differences of religion, without further queſtion, to take the ſtronger part; that ſo doing as the moſt doe, they may have the feweſt to finde p. 79fault with them, and all through baſe cowardlineſſe, which baſhfull devil never leaves a great many, ſo long as they live; whereby with the rich man, Luke 16. they never thinke of heaven, till tormented in the flames of hell.

Whereas Satan formerly aſſaulted the Church by violence, now he doth it by deceit: and certainly the devill gets more by ſuch diſcouragements, and the reproaches that are caſt upon religion, then hee did formerly by fiere and Faggot; for then the blood of the Martyrs was found to be the ſeed of the Church, others (Phenix-like) ſpringing out of their aſhes, whereas now multitudes of ſoules are ſcoft out of their Religion by wicked men. But I grieve to ſee how they wrong themſelves, in thus wronging others: for in that wicked men doe ſo mocke and deride ſuch as are in love with heavenly things, it is hard to ſay whether they doe moſt offend in hindering the honour of God thereby, or their neighbours welfare, or their owne ſalvation.

Alas, ſome men will better abide a ſtake, then ſome others can a mocke. Zedikiah was willing to harken to the Prophets, counſell, but that this lay in his way, the Chaldeans would mocke him, Ier. 38.10. it was death to him to be mock'd. A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue, than with the hand: yea, above hell there is not a greater puniſhment, then to become a Sannio, a ſubject of ſcorne, as Sampſon, I doubt not, found. Alcibiades did profeſſe, That neither the proſcription of his goods, nor his baniſhment, nor the wounds received in his body, were ſo grievous to him as one ſcornfull word of his enemy Cteſiphon.

Thou thinkeſt not tongue-taunts to be perſecution, but thou ſhalt once heare it ſo pronounced in thy bill of p. 80inditement. Iſhmael did but flout Iſaak, yet S^t. Paul ſaith, he perſecuted him, Gal. 4.29. God calls the ſcorning of his ſervants by no better a name, then perſecution. And what ever thou conceiveſt of it, let this fault be as far from my ſoule, as my ſoule from hell.

And thus you ſee, That nothing but goodneſſe is the whetſtone of their malice; which being ſo, are not wee heatheniſh Chriſtians? What honour of Chriſt is there amongſt us, where Religion makes one contemptible? Is this Chriſtian-like? Such men may be Chriſtians in ſhew, or name, but they are divels indeed (however they flatter themſelves) reſembling the high Prieſts, Scribes, and Phariſees, who called themſelves the Church, while they went about to kill the head of the Church: who the ſame night that Chriſt inſtituted the Sacrament, and conſulted how to ſave them, did conſult how they might deſtroy him; yea, let any indifferent ſtander by, judge whether thou beeſt not bottomleſſely ill, who doeſt malice goodneſſe in others, who art diſpleaſed with us, becauſe we pleaſe God, and murmureſt like the Scribes and Phariſees at the ſame things, whereat the Angels rejoyce: For none but a Cayne, or a Divell in condition, will envie, becauſe his owne workes are evill, and his brothers good. They are deſperately wicked, that cannot endure ſo much as the ſight of godlineſſe: as hee was fearefully idle, that Seneca ſpeakes of, whoſe ſides would ach to ſee another worke: Neither couldeſt thou doe ſo, if the divell were not in thine heart. And ſo much touching the third difference betweene the ſeed of the Serpent, and the Seed of the woman.

4. Fourthly, as they hate and perſecute the godly, becauſe they doe wel: ſo likewiſe, becauſe they fare well, and are accepted before them. As why was Cayne wroth with his brother Abel, and after ſlew him, as p. 81affirmeth the holy Ghoſt, but becauſe, The Lord had reſpect unto Abel, and to his offering: but unto Cain and his offering, he had no reſpect? Gen. 4.4, 5. Why did Eſau hate Iacob, and purpoſe to kill him, but becauſe of the bleſſing wherewith his father bleſſed him? Gen. 27.41. Iſaacs bleſſing bred Eſaus hate. Again, Wherefore did the Philiſtines and Abimelek envie Iſaac, ſtop up his wels, and baniſh him from them, but becauſe the Lord ſo abundantly bleſſed Iſaac, as appears, Gen. 26.12. to 18 Wherefore did Ioſephs brethren hate him, not being able to ſpeak peaceably unto him, and after ſell him into Aegypt, but becauſe his father more favoured him, and they feared he ſhould reigne over them? Gen. 37.4. If Ioſeph be his fathers darling, he is his brethrens eye-ſore. Wherefore did Saul perſecute David, and purſue after him from place to place to take away his life, but becauſe he was ſo praiſed and preferred of the people before himſelf, and, The Lord was with David, and proſpered him in every thing he took in hand, 1 Sam. 18.12, 13, 28, 29. Davids ſucceſſe is Sauls vexation: yea, he findes not ſo much pleaſure in his king dome, as vexation in the proſperiof David. And laſtly, (for I paſſe by the elder brothers envie in the Parable againſt his younger brother, when his father ſo royally entertained him at his return, Lu. 15.28. which is meant of the Iewes envying the Gentiles converſion; and many the like inſtances) Why was Eliah wroth with his younger brother, 1 Sam. 17.28. but becauſe he ſhould be more exalted? And I doubt me, whether Davids brethren were more glad, that Goliah was ſlain, or angry that he was ſlain by their brother: for envie is ſick, if her neighbour be well; and the good mans honour, is the envious p. 82mans torment; as it fared between Haman and Mordecai: as hereafter the glory of Chriſt ſhall adde to theſe reprobates confuſion, when they are driven to confeſſe, This is he, whom we once had in deriſion.

But to apply what hath been collected out of the Word. See whether theſe examples ſure not with ſome, and not a few in our times. As,

Firſt, why do a ſort of miniſters (none of the beſt) I meane ſuch as live ill and viciouſly, or preach ill and unprofitably, or both live ill, and preach ill, maligne, hate and traduce, yea, promote againſt ſuch as preach more faithfully and powerfully, and live more holily and unblameably, but becauſe God honours their miniſtery with the converſion of ſoules, and their words are with ſuch power, that the people flock after them, as they were wont after Chriſt; while in the meane time them ſelves are neglected and diſ-eſteemed, being as they ſuppoſe far greater ſcholers (for if a miniſter preach profitably, they will give it out he is no ſcholer, neither can they do Satan a greater pleaſure) and their Sermons more elaborate for they will be as long in the conſeption and breeding of them, as an Elephant is of her young; which being borne-onelyonly amazeth the hearers, and makes them at there wits end with admiration, their own boſoms will tell them, that I ſpeak truth.

Again, why do theſe men enveigh and preach againſt preaching? As, what needes ſo much preaching, ſay they (and all ſtupified ſenſualiſts) it was never a good world, ſince ſo many Lectures were ſet up: their was more love, and charity, and plain dealing among our fore-fathers (they mean in time of Popery) who were onelyonly verſt in the Lords Prayer, Creed, and ten Commandments; one Sermon well remembred, and put in p. 83practiſe, is better then ten; yea, quoth a Miniſter in the pulpit, that preacht (himſelf) once in ſix weekes, that he might ſilence his Pariſhoners, who complained for want of their daily food, you will finde this Sermon more then you will be able to practiſe this two months; and no queſtion, ſpake out of feeling; for he having lived already above five ages, could never yet put thoſe five wordes of his text into practiſe viz. Repent, and beleeve the Goſpel. But the reaſon of this their murmuring is eaſie: Carnall worldlings cry up practiſe, to cry down knowledge, as you may ſee by their own practiſe: even as cunning Papiſts will extoll Saint Iames, onelyonly to diſparage Saint Paul.

This point would be further applyed, but let conſcience do it; for it is a ſore that will not endure rubbing: onelyonly this, if any man be vexed at his brother, becauſe he fares better, and is better accepted, becauſe he is favoured and reſpected of God and goodmen, while himſelf is neglected and diſ-eſteemed of both; much more, if he belch out his ſpleene againſt the religious, becauſe they are praiſed and preferred before himſelf; let him know, that this could not be if he were not full of the venome of the ſerpent, Pſal. 112.10. Pro. 14.30.

Secondly, this may be applied to people of the looſer ſort. As, why do all drunkards and vicious livers hate the religious, and ſo belch out their enmitie and ſpleen againſt them, in raiſing and ſpreading of ſlanders as they doe; but although, partly to reſcue themſelves from contempt, and procure a contrary eſteem, by putting a foule and ugly vizard upon vertue, and decking up vice in a gorgeous and comely attire; yet chiefly, becauſe they are precious in Gods ſight, his peculiar, and choſen people out of all the world, the children p. 84of God, and members of Chriſt, temples of the holy Ghoſt: yea, chiefly, becauſe they partake of the Divine Nature, and are one with the Father and the Sonne? Iohn 17.14, 21, 22. 2 Cor. 6.18.

This is the eye-ſore of our enemies, and let envie look her ſelfe blinde.

And ſo much of the firſt Cauſe.

Queſt. What is the ſecond Cauſe, why ungodly men hate and perſecute the religious?

Anſw. Their ignorance of God, of Chriſt, and the Scriptures.

Queſt. How is that proved?

Anſw. By Teſtimonies, Examples, Reaſon, and our own Experience.

1. Firſt, by Teſtimonies: They ſhall hate and perſecute you, yea, they ſhall excommunicate and kill you for my Names ſake, ſaith our Saviour to his Diſciples, becauſe they have not known the Father, nor me, Iohn. 16.2.3. & 15.21. And again they are an offence unto us, becauſe they underſtand not the things which are of God, but the things which are of men, Matth. 16.23. And are deceived, becauſe they know not the ſcriptures, neither the power of God, Matth. 22.29. Luke 19.42.

2. Secondly, by Examples & Reaſon. This the Apoſtle confeſſeth to have been the cauſe of his perſecuting the Church, 1. Tim. 1.13. Who ſo ſoon as he was inlightned with the ſaving knowledge of the truth, changed his note, with his name, and preached that faith, which before he perſecuted, Its worth the noting, how he was no ſooner informed, but he was reformed. Now if we look upon him as Saul, we ſhall ſee what we are by generation; if we look upon him as Paul, we ſhall ſee what we are, or ſhould be, by regeneration. p. 85Neither is it ſtrange, that the men of the world through ignorance, ſhould hate and perſecute the members of Chriſt: for upon the ſame ground, they even crucified Chriſt himſelf, Father forgive them, ſaith he of his murtherers, for they know not what they do. And why have the kings of the earth, in all ages banded themſelves together againſt the Lord, and againſt his Chriſt, Pſal. 2.2. But becauſe they knew him not. John 15.21. For if the Princes of this world had known, they would not have cruciſied the Lord of glory, as the holy Ghoſt ſpeakes, 1. Cor. 2.8.

Yea, if we conſider it rightly, we ſhall finde, that ignorance is the cauſe of all ſin. Sin indeed at the firſt was the cauſe of ignorance, but now ignorance is the cauſe of ſin: Swearing, and lying, and killing, and ſtealing, and whoring abound, ſaith the Prophet, becauſe there is no knowledge of God in the land, Hoſ. 4.1.2. It is a people that do erre in their hearts, ſaith God, why? becauſe they have not known my wayes, Pſal. 95.10.

3. Thirdly, Experience proves, that none are ſo far tranſported with a mad & ſuperſtitious zeal againſt the religious, as the rude rabble who can yeeld no other reaſon, or confeſſion of their faith, if they be asked, than this, that they are no puritanes, or that they hate a Puritane from their ſoules; when as the devill himſelf, who hates the Puritane they meane moſt of any, can make as good a confeſſion of his faith as this. For who are the greateſt cenſurers, and the violenteſt oppoſers of goodneſſe, are not the ignorant fry, who have more rage then reaſon? and the more ſottiſh ſtill the more inſolent.

As, reprove one of them for ſwearing, or drunkenneſſe, or uniuſt dealing, or for prophaning the Lords day, for Atheiſme, and the like, you are ſure to be branded p. 86with the odious title of Puritane, yea you are factious and ſchiſmaticall, if ye will not be drunk, and every whit as lewd as they are.

It is worth a large ſmile, to obſerve what a clamour the blundering rabble will make againſt the people of God, if one in their company but mention the word Puritane, or tell them how ſcrupulous & preciſe ſuch an one is. O what a number of ſharp and deadly arrows will each of them ſhoot, both at the good and goodneſſe, maugre all admonition! For each being ſtung with the Gad-flie of miſ-governed zeal, as Paul was before he knew Christ, they preſume to affirm with incredible impudence, accompanied with invincible ignorance, that there are not worſe men in the world then the religious.

Wherein it is hard to ſay, whether ignorance or malice do more abound: whether it be more out of the ſtrength of will, or weakneſſe of judgement.

It is the nature of ignorant and carnall men (that walk after the fleſh in the luſts of uncleanneſſe, whom Saint Peter calls brute beaſts, led with ſenſuallity) to ſpeak evill of the things which they underſtand not, 2 Pet. 2.12. Eſpecially in judging acts of zeal and piety, their opinion ſtill lights upon the worſt ſenſe, like them in the ſecond of the Acts, who mocked the Apoſtles when they were filled with the holy Ghoſt, and hearing them ſpeak languages, which they underſtood not, cried out, Theſe men are drunk with new wine.

Untill we be born again, we are like Nicodemus, who knew not what it was to be born again, Iohn 3.4. Untill we become zealous our ſelves, we are like Feſtus, who thought zeale madneſſe, Acts 26.24. Untill we be humble our ſelves, we are like Michal, who p. 87mocked David for his humility, and thought him a foole, for dancing before the Arke, 2 Sam. 6.16. Yea, to ſuch as ſhall periſh, or are for the preſent in a periſhing condition, all religion ſeemes fooliſhneſſe, 1 Cor. 1.18.

And thus you ſee in groſſe, that Ignorance is a main cauſe of hatred and perſecution. We ſhall more clearly diſcerne how it comes to be ſo, if we note The

Root, Ignorance,

Stem, Suſpition, or Iealouſie,

Sap, Hatred,

Fruit, Perſecution,

ſeverally, and apart; for ignorance cauſeth Suſpition; and Suſpition, Hatred; and Hatred, Perſecution. But I cannot ſtand upon theſe.

Que. If Ignorance be ſuch a generall cauſe of hatred and perſecution, as you have ſhewne, What is the reaſon, that ſo many great Scholers and wiſemen do alſo hate and perſecute the godly?

Anſ. Great ſcholers they may be, and wiſe men alſo, in the worlds eſteem, but in the maine, and in Gods account they are nothing ſo: for admit they have inlightned heads, ſufficient to leave them without excuſe, yet becauſe they withhold the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, and do not glorifie God with there knowledge, neither are thankfull, but become vain in their imaginations, their fooliſh hearts are darkned; and ſo while they profeſſe themſelves to be wiſe, in changing the truth of God into a lie, they become fooles, and expreſſe it, by thus hating God and his children, Romans 1.18.21.22.25.30. So that Ignorance is the cauſe even in them alſo.

p. 88And indeed if they were wiſe, they would foreſee the torments of hell, and prevent them, as Bernard ſpeaks. Or if they knew God, they would keep his commandments, for herby, ſaith Saint Iohn, is it known that we know god, if we keep his Commandments, 1. John 2.3. but he that ſaith I know him, and yet keepeth not his Commandments, is a lyar, and there is no truth in him, Ver. 4. Yea, theſe have ſworne to keep the commandments, and to deny the world, and yet are not content with there own diſobedience, unleſſe they caſt aſperſions upon them that obey.

Again thirdly, if they knew Chriſt, they could not but love him; and loving him, they muſt needes love his members, not perſecute them; for it is the very firſt part of our converſion, to love them that love God, 1 Joh. 3.14. & 4.7.8 and Ioh 13.35. But ſo many as are enemies to the Croſſe of Chriſt, ſhew that they never knew God in Chriſt.

As for their wiſdom and learning; you muſt know that men may be exquiſitely wiſe, and incomparably learned in the worlds opinion, and yet very fooles in Gods account, 1 Cor. 3.19. As ſharp-eyed as Eagles in the things of the earth, and yet as blinde as Beetles in the matters of heaven. And knowledge conſiſteth not ſo much in the quantity, as in the quality: not in the greatneſſe, but in the goodneſſe of it. For as a little precious ſtone is of more worth then many other ſtones of greater bulk: ſo one drop of wiſdom guided by the fear of God, is more worth then all humane learning. One ſparke of ſpirituall, experimentiall and ſaving knowledge, is worth a whole flame of ſecular wiſdom and learning. One ſcruple of holineſſe, one dram of faith, one grain of grace, is more worth then many pounds of naturall parts.

p. 89But learning and grace do not alwayes keep company together. Yea, O Lord, how many are there, that have a depth of knowledge, yet are not ſoul-wiſe! That have a Library of Divinity in there heads, and not ſo much as the leaſt Chatechiſme in their conſciences? no rare thing for men to abound in ſpeculation, and be barren in devotion: to have full braines, and empty hearts; clear judgements, and defiled affections; fluent tongues; and lame hands: Yea, you ſhall here a flood in the tongue, when ye cannot ſee one drop in the life.

For example, I might inſtance in Balaam, whom the holy Ghoſt ſtiles a fool, 2 Peter 2.16. And Iudas Mat. 27.3.4.5. And Paul, before his converſion, who (even while he was a perſecuter like theſe men) was eminent among the Phariſees for wit and learning, but a very Iddiot among the Aſtoſtles. And laſtly the Prieſts, Scribes and Phariſees, who were matchleſſe for their wiſdom and learning, as wanting nothing, that either nature or Art could inrich them withall: yea, and they were cheifly learned in the Scripture, Gods Oracles, which will make a man wiſe, or nothing: and yet our Saviour (who could not be deceived) calles them four times in one Chapter blinde, and twice fools, Mat. 23.16.17.19.24.26. Becauſe they wanted faith and holineſſe, which are the ſinewes and nerves, yea the ſould of ſaving knowledge, inlivening, feeding and ſtrengthening the ſame; for in the dialect of the ſcipture a fool is a naturall man, and a wiſe man a man ſanctified.

Alas! God regards not lip-learning, and tongue-wiſdom, and braine knowledge, except it ceaze upon the heart alſo, and lead captive the affections to the government of the Goſpel, whereby we are changed p. 90and transformed into new men, after the image of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2.12. Ephe. 4.20 to 25. Col. 3.10. except we digeſt our knowledge into practiſe, and imploy our wiſdom to his glory that gave it, our neighbours good, and the furthering of our own ſalvation: For with him wickednes is folly and the greateſt ſinner is the greateſt fool: and he moſt wiſe, that is moſt religious, and that offends leaſt, Prov. 1.7. Ioh. 28.28. Pro. 9.10, 12. and 11.3. Deut. 4.6. Hoſea 14.9. Iames 3.13.17. 2 Tim. 3.15. And he that is truly wiſe, thinks that to be wiſdom and folly which God thinks ſo.

Neither is that worth the name of knowledge which may be heard onelyonly, and not ſeen. Good diſcourſe is but the froth of wiſdom; the pure and ſolid ſubſtance of it, is in well framed actions. What ſaith the Scripture? Keep the Commandements of God, and do them, for this is your wiſdom and underſtanding before God and men, Deut. 4.6. And again, He that is a wiſe man and indued with knowledge, will ſhew it by his converſation in good works, Iames 3.13. For,

Rightly, a man knows no more then he practiſeth. It is ſaid of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.21. that he knew no ſin, becauſe he did no ſin: in which ſenſe, he knows no good, that doth no good. And certainly, they who wander in the by-paths of ſin and errour, declare themſelves ignorant of the right way of ſalvation, Rom. 3.17.

Saving knowledge of the truth works a love of the truth known; it is an uniform conſent of knowledge and action, Ioh 28.28. He onelyonly is wiſe, ſaith Solomon, that is wiſe for himſelfe, Pro. 9.12. He whoſe conſcience pulleth all he hears and reads to his heart, and his heart to God; who turneth his knowledge to faith, his faith to feeling, and all to walk worthy of his Redeemer; he that ſubdues his ſenſuall deſires and appetite p. 91to the more noble faculties of the ſoul, Reaſon, and Underſtanding, and makes that underſtanding of his ſerve him, by whom it is, and doth underſtand; he that ſubdues his luſt to his will; ſubmits his will to reaſon, his reaſon to faith; his faith, his reaſon, his will, himſelfe, to the will of God, this is practicall, experimentall, and ſaving knowledge, to which the other is but a bare name or title. For, what is the notionall ſweetneſſe of honey, to the experimentall taſte of it? It is one thing to know what riches are, and where they be; and another thing to be maſter of them. It is not the knowing, but the poſſeſſing of them, that makes rich. What ſaith one? No more then the knowledge of goodneſſe, maketh one to be named a good man; no more doth the knowledge of wiſdom only, cauſe any perſon properly to be called a wiſe man. And certainly, that wiſdom and learning is little worth, which nothing profits the owner of it, either to vertue, or happineſſe. Theſe things if ye know, happie are ye if ye do them, Iohn 13.17. So that he is the beſt Scholer, that learnes of Chriſt obedience, humilitie, &c. He the beſt Arithmetician, that can adde grace to grace. He the beſt learned, that knows how to be ſaved. Yea, all the Arts in the world are Artleſſe Arts to this.

But alas! Naturall men are ſo far from being thus learned, that not one of them doth really, and by his own experience know the chiefe Points of Chriſtian Religion; ſuch as are, Faith, Repentance, Regeneration, the Love of God, the Preſence of the Spirit, the Remiſſion of ſins, the Efuſion of Grace, the Poſſeſſion of heavenly Comforts; he knows not what the peace of Conſcience, and joy in the holy Ghoſt is, nor what the communion of Saints means; he knows not what p. 92it is to have a certain and experimentall feeling, with a continuall proofe of Gods favour, in the whole paſſage of a mans life, and practiſe, &c. Pro. 24.7. when every of theſe are eaſie and familiar to the meaneſt and ſimpleſt beleever.

Object. But the Word of God in divers places calls worldly men wiſe men; yea, aſcribes the greateſt wiſdom and knowledge to the wicked.

Anſw Its true, but in what ſenſe? Do ye not perceive, that God either ſpeaks it in a holy deriſion? as, Gen. 3.22. is to be underſtood: Or elſe he ſpeaks it in the perſon of the wicked, calling it wiſdom, becauſe worldly men deem it ſo: as in another place, he calls preaching, the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, becauſe wicked eſteem preaching but fooliſhneſſe: and as Christ calls the Phariſees just, be…auſe they juſtified themſelves, Luke 15.7. Or thirdly, he means the wiſdom of the fleſh, or of the world; and that is as much, as if he had ſaid in other words, fooliſhneſſe, for the wiſdom of the world is fooliſhnes with God, and no leſſe then twelve times infatuated by the wiſdom of God in one Chapter, 1 Cor. 2.

But to make it more plain, that no naturall man is a wiſe man, we muſt know that there is a ſpeculative knowledge in the brain, common to hypocrites with Gods children, Heb. 6.4. And there is a ſpirituall and heavenly wiſdom, a practicall, experimentall and ſaving knowledge in the heart, which keepes a man from every evill way, Pro. 2.12. peculiar to the godly alone, Epheſ. 4.8. and 5.8. The naturall man, ſaith Paul, perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe unto him: but the ſpirituall, who have the minde of Christ, underſtand all things, even the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14, 15, 16. And again, We p. 93ſpeak the wiſdom of God in a myſtery; even the hed wiſdom, which none of the princes of this world have known, 1 Cor. 2.7, 8. See Theſſ. 5.4 5. W…ence it is, that naturall men are ſaid to be in darkneſſe, Ephe. 5.8. Matth. 4.16. whereas the regenerate are called, Children of the light, and of the day, 1 Theſſ. 5.4, 5. Luke 1.79.

Which compariſon is very emphaticall. For as the Soule, is the lamp of the body; and Reaſon, of the Soule; and Religion, of Reaſon; and Faith of Religion: ſo Christ is the light and life of faith. Whence i… follows, that as meer ſenſe is uncapable of the r…les of reaſon: ſo reaſon is no leſſe uncapable of the things which are ſupernaturall. And as to ſpeak, is only proper to men: ſo to know the ſecrets of the kingdom of heaven, is onelyonly proper to beleevers. Senſe is a meer beaſts, reaſon, a meer mans; Divine knowledge is only the Chriſtians.

Now if it be askt, Why a naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God? Saint Paul, in the place before quoted, anſwers; He cannot know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. For if they be ſpiritually diſcerned, how ſhould they diſcern them, that have not the Spirit? For as no man can ſee the Sun, but by the light of the Sun: ſo no man can know the ſecrets of God, but by the revelation of God, 1 Cor. 12.8. Matt. 16.17. To know the myſteries of the kingdom of heaven, we muſt have hearts, eyes and cars ſanctified from above, Deut. 29.2, 3, 4. Pſal. 111.10. Luke 24.45. Iohn 15.15. Rom. 8.14, 15.

Neither is ſpirituall and heavenly wiſdom the fruit of time and ſtudy, as the naturall is. It is not eloquence, nor Logicall demonſtrations, that can make us capable of it. We cannot attain to ſupernaturall and celeſtiall knowledge, by any naturall and terreſtriall p. 94means. No learning, nor experience will ſerve to know that great myſterie of godlineſſe, and hid wiſdom, ſpoken of, 1 Cor. 2.6, 7, 8, 10, &c. to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints, to know the love of Christ, which paſſeth knowledge, &c. Epheſ. 1.17, 18. and 3.19. Becauſe this wiſdom deſcendeth from above, Iames 3.17.

2. Secondly, As none can attain to this precious grace of ſaving knowledge, except it be given them from above: ſo it is a jewell of ſuch worth, that God gives it to none but his children the godly, and ſuch as he knows will improve their knowledge to his glory. The ſervant (ſaith Christ, meaning the ungodly man) knoweth not his maſters will, but I have called you friends (ſpeaking to his Apoſtles, and in them to all that are converted) for all things that I have heard of my Father, have I made known unto you, Iohn 15.15. Surely, ſaith Solomon, to a man that is good in his fight, God giveth wiſdom and knowledge, Eccles. 2.26. intimating, that he doth not ſo to the evill man. The wiſe, that is, the godly, ſaith Daniel, ſhall underſtand, but none of the wicked ſhall have underſtanding, Dan. 12.10. A ſcorner ſeeketh wiſdom, & findeth it not; but knowledge is eaſie to him that will underſtand, Pro. 14.6. that is, to him that will be bettered by his underſtanding. Wicked men underſtand not judgement, but they that ſeek the Lord, underſtand all things, Prov. 28.5. and 3.32. They which obſerve the Commandements, have a good underſtanding, ſaith David, Pſal. 111.10. the reſt have an ill underſtanding, and a vain; an underſtanding, like that of the Scribes and Phariſees, which was enough to condemne them, but not to ſave them.

Thus as no man can ſee God, and live: ſo no man can ſee Chriſt, who is God, ſitting at the right hand of his p. 95Father in heaven, ſo long as he lives a meer naturall man, 1 Cor. 2.14. God will not powre new wine, but into new veſſels, Matth. 9.17. Christ is ſaid to have expounded all things to his Diſciples apart, to ſhew, that if we will have Christ to teach us, we muſt go apart from the world. If any will do Gods will, ſaith our Saviour, he ſhall know the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or no, Iohn 7.17. So that no man can learn this doctrine, but he that doth it: as no man could learn the Virgins ſong, but they that ſang it, Revel. 14.3. Yea, if the fear of the Lord, as Solomon ſpeaks, is the beginning of wiſdom, how ſhould they have wiſdom, that have not the fear of the Lord? All unrepentant ſinners are enemies to God, ſervants to Satan: now we men, do not tell our ſecrets to enemies; neither will an Artificer teach another mans ſervants his trade: but the righteous are Chriſts friends, and brethren, and fiſters, and father, and mother, between whom there is a kinde of familiarity, ſo that he makes them of his counſell; His ſecrets, ſaith Solomon, are with the righteous, Pro. 3.32. And again, Pſal. 25.14. The ſecrets of the Lord are revealed to them that fear him, and his Covenant is to give them underſtanding.

See this in Abrahams example, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? ſaith God, Gen. 18.17. As if this were an offence in God, if he ſhould tell the righteous no more then he tells the wicked.

Beſides, What ſhould he do with a talent, that will not improve it? And let a wicked man know never ſo much, he is reſolved to be never the better man. And they that are unwilling to obey, God thinks unworthy to know: which is but equity.

Indeed, if they will put off concerning their former converſation the old man, with his corruptions, and p. 96deceiveable luſts, and be changed, by the renewing of there mindes, and by putting on the new man, which after God, is created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, Ephe. 4.20. to 25. Col. 3.10. 2 Cor. 5.17. 1 Iohn. 4.7. Then they ſhall ſee what the good and acceptable, and perfect will of God is, as Saint Paul, and our Saviour Chriſt ſhewes, Rom. 12.2. Matth. 5.8. For God in the perſon of wiſdom hath made a generall promiſe to all that will ſerve him, Pro. 1. If thou wilt turn, ſaith God, at my correction, I will power out my heart unto thee, and make thee underſtand my words, Verſe 23. But elſe, they ſhall blindly go on in perſecuting Chriſt and his members, perhaps to the killing of his prophets, and thinke alſo that they do God good ſervice, Iohn 16.2, 3. For as they like not to retain God in their knowledge, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſo God ſhall give them over to vile affections, and to a reprobate minde, Rom. 1.28. And becauſe they will not teceaue the truth in love, that they might be ſaved; therefore God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions, that they might beleeve lies: that all they might be damned, which beleeve not the truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſſe, 2 Theſ. 2.10.11.12.

And is it not juſt with God, to ſay, they would none of Chriſt, let them welcome Sathan and Antichriſt?

Queſt. What inſtruction from the premiſſes?

Anſ. As it ought to ſtop all wicked mens mouthes: ſo it may both ſerve for direction and comfort to the godly, and to informe all.

Firſt, If it be ſo, that all naturall men are uncapable of divine and ſupernaturall knowledge, that they are blinde touching ſpirituall things: let not any carnall wretch hereafter dare to ſpeak evill of the things, actions and perſons, which are out of the reach of his capaſity, but ſilently ſuſpend his judgement, untill he is better p. 97informed. For as it pertaineth not to the ruſticke to judge of Letters: ſo it belongeth not to naturall men to judge of ſpirituall things. And in matters of cenſure, nothing but a certaine knowledge ſhould make us give a certaine judgement; and in the meane time, confeſſe, that Ioſeph may know his brethren, although they know not him. Hee which is ſpirituall, diſcerneth all things; yet he himſelfe is Iudged of no man, 1 Cor. 2.14. that is, of no naturall man.

2. Let thoſe that have uſed to ſpeake evill of the way of truth, learne to kicke no more againſt the pricks, leſt they bring the ſame curſe upon themſelves, that thoſe did, which brought up an evill report of the holy Land, viz. that, As they never entred into the terreſtriall Canaan: So theſe never enter into the Celeſtiall. Yea, put caſe they ſhall thinke to doe God good ſervice in it: for there is a way, ſaith Salomon, that ſeemeth right to a man, but the iſſues thereof are the wayes of death, Pro. 14 12.

3. If all who deride and perſecute the godly, are ignorant perſons, as hath beene proved; then let not Gods Children be diſcouraged, maugre all ſlander and oppoſition; nor thinke the worſe of themſelves, if ſuch reproach them never ſo. The Corinthians exceedingly ſlighted Paul, he was this, and he was that; But what ſaith Paul? With mee it is a very ſmall thing, that I ſhould be judged of you, 1 Cor. 4.3, 4. Alaſſe! the beſt of them ſaw no more than St. Paul soutſide; the grace of his heart, the raptures of his ſoule, the raviſhing delights of the inward man, and the like ſpirituall priviledges, more glorious than the ſtates of Kingdomes, were to theſe ſenſualiſts as a covered meſſe. And indeed, naturall men are as fit to judge of ſpirituall matters, as blind men are fit to judge of colours. We know little Children p. 98will often laugh at wiſe men, when they are about ſerious and neceſſary affaires and buſineſſe; which notwithſtanding is not an argument of the unworthineſſe of the things they laugh at, but of the folly of them which laugh. Will the Merchant be diſcouraged, becauſe his Wine pleaſeth not a ſicke mans palat; when thoſe that are in health commend it, and himſelfe knowes it to be good? Much leſſe cauſe have we to be diſcouraged, having more certainety to rely upon. Our enemies have Senſe, Reaſon, and Experience to confirme their judgements; but wee have them, with an advantage of three infallible witneſſes, Gods Word, and Spirit, and Faith. Wherefore henceforward let us take our Saviours Counſell, and ſeeke to juſtifie our judgements to the children of Wiſdome, of whom ſhe is juſtified; and not to fooles, by whom ſhe is daily crucified. Neither let any thinke the better of ſuch whom they extoll, for the blinde eate many a flye.

4. This ſhewes that they ſuſpect much, becauſe they know little, as Children in the darke ſuppoſe they ſee, what they ſee not. They complaine, like the Owle, of the glory of the Sunne, when the fault is in their owne eyes. They are blinde, yet the miſery is, they ſee not that they are blinde; and therefore believing that they ſee, they accuſe others of ſchiſme, when indeed themſelves are only guilty of prejudice; as a blind man running againſt one that ſeeth, calls him blinde that did not ſhunne him. They are like Harpaſt, a blinde woman in Seneca's family, who would not be perſwaded that ſhee was blinde; but found fault with the houſe wherein ſhe was, as being over darke.

5. If none are truely wiſe, but ſuch as have paſt the ſecond birth, it gives us to underſtand that the regenerate (for the moſt part) ſleepe nigh halfe their time in ignorance, p. 99that the wicked are never awake. And if this Wiſedome commeth downe from the Father of lights, and that wee cannot have it, except God vouchſafe to give it us; It may teach us to bee bumble, Iob 42.6. And not like the Ape, that is proud of his Maſters Iacket. Heavenly notions grow not in us, we ſpin them not out of our owne breſts: And thankfull; for if they be given, let us not forget the giver.

6. If all naturall men, are like blind Sampſon without his guide, not able without the Holy Ghoſts direction to finde out the pillars of the houſe, the principles of faith, let us not wonder that they ſwarve ſo much from the godly, in their judgements and practice. Is it any ſtrange thing, to ſee a blinde man ſtumble and fall? Yea, let us condole all their diſaſters, and drop ſome teares, in pity and compaſſion for their great and grievous miſery.

7. And laſtly, If with God one ſparke of ſpirituall experimentall and ſaving knowledge be of more worth than all ſecular Wiſdome, and Learning; then ſtrive we for that knowledge which will make the knower bleſſed. Let us ſo be learned; that we may be ſaved. Let us not in our hearing, and reading, and communication, doe as little children, that looke only upon the Babyes in a booke, without regard to the matter therein contained: but like men in yeares have more reſpect to the pith and ſolidity of the matter, than to the phraſe; and to the profit of our ſoules, than the pleaſing of our ſenſes. And ſo much of the ſecond cauſe.

Queſt. What is the third cauſe, why ungodly men hate and perſecute the Religious?

Anſw. Their infidelity and unbeliefe.

Queſt. How doth that appeare?

p. 100Anſw. I will demonſtrate it beyond denyall.

Why doe the Heathen rage, ſaith David, and the people murmure, the Kings of the Earth band themſelves, and the Rulers take counſell together, against the Lord, and againſt his Annointed, ſaying, Let us breake their bands, &c. Pſalm. 2.1. to 4. but this they thinke all wayes, there is no God, God is not in all their thoughts, Pſalm. 10.4. And againe, They breake in peeces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage, &c. the reaſon followes, they ſay the Lord ſhall not ſee, neither ſhall the God of Iacob regard it, Pſalm. 94.5, 6, 7. And what ſaith our Saviour to the Iewes, Yee ſeeke to kill me, becauſe my Word hath no place in you, Iohn 8.37. that is, they beleeved not what he ſpake, nor the Scriptures which teſtified of him.

If yee will ſee it in Examples, looke 2 King. 18.35. Dan. 3 15. Exod. 5.2.

Or if in the New Teſtament, ſee Acts 17. where the Holy Ghoſt makes a deciſion betweene ſuch as did, and ſuch as did not beleeve, Paul, when in the Synagogue he diſputed with them, by the Scriptures, opening and alleaging that Chriſt muſt have ſuffered, riſen againe, &c. for faith the Text, So many of the Iewes as beleeved and of the Grecians and chiefe women as feared God, joyned themſelves in company with Paul and Silas. But thoſe that beleeved not, mooved with envie, tooke unto them certaine Vagabonds, and wicked fellowes, with the multitude, and made a tumult in the Citie, and aſſaulted the houſe of Iaſon, drawing out him, and as many of the brethren as they could find, and brought them before the people, and the heads of the City, crying; Theſe are they which have ſubverted the State of the world, and they all doe againſt the decrees of Caeſar, &c. And laſtly, look but 1 Tim. 1. you ſhall heare Saint Paul moſt ingenuouſly p. 101confeſſing, I was a blaſphemer, a perſecuter, and an oppoſer of Chriſt; and his members; but I did it ignorantly, through unbeliefe, v. 13.

Now they which thinke, all whatſoever is written in Scripture of God, of Chriſt, and of His Kingdome of Grace here, and glory hereafter, to bee but a fable: as that impious Pope did, who was not aſhamed blaſphemouſly to boaſt what he had gained by Fabula de Chriſto: And all Matchivillian Atheiſts, who think Religion to bee but a Politicke device, to keepe men in awe, …oe, whoſe number is greater than is ſuppoſed. Theſe, I ſay, muſt needes thinke them madde and fooliſh, who loſe thereby either profit, or pleaſure, and uſe them accordingly.

True, this might ſeeme an abſurd poſition, if I ſhould preſume upon an Appeale to their owne blinded conſciences; for they thinke, they beleeve in God, and the Scriptures, as well as the preciſeſt: and ſo did thoſe Jewes, Iohn 5. which perſecuted Jeſus, and ſought to ſlay him, think they beleeved Moſes writings: but it is plaine, they did not, by Chriſt's anſwer to them, who knew their hearts better than themſelves: his words are, Had yee beleeved Moſes, yee would have beleeved me, for he wrote of mee: but if yee beleeve not his wrightings, how ſhould yee beleeve my words? verſe 46 47. And againe, Yee have not my Fathers word abiding in you, for whom he hath ſent, him yee beleeve not, Ver. 38.39. So bring theſe, that perſecute any of Gods Children for well doing, to the tryall, and their owne conſcienc…s ſhall teſtifie before God, that they neither beleeve the Old Teſtament nor the New.

For did they beleeve that the godly are unto God as the Signet upon his right hand, Jer. 22.24. Zach. 2.24. Yea, as the Apple of his owne eye, Zach. 2.8. and that p. 102whatſoever wrongs and contumelies are done to his Children, he accounts as done to himſelfe, Pſalme 44.22. and 69.7, and 74 4, 10, 18, 22, 23. and 83, 2, 5, 6. and 89.50, 51. and 139, 20. Prov. 19.3. Rom. 1.30. and 9.20. Matth. 10.22. and 25.45. Luk. 21.17. 1 Sam. 17.45. Eſay 37.4.22, 23, 28. and 45.9. and 54, 17. Acts 5.39. and 9.4, 5 Iob 9 4. 1 Theſſ. 4.8. Iohn 15.18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25. Numbers 16.11. 1 Samuel 8.7. They durſt not hate, revile, ſlander, deride, nicke-name and perſecute them, as they doe.

More particularly, did they really and indeed beleeve God, when he ſaith in his Word, that whoſoever ſhall offend one of thoſe little ones, that beleeve in him, it were better for him, rather that a Milſtone were hung about his necke, and that hee were caſt into the Sea, Mark. 9.42. That he will deſtroy them for ever, and roote them out of the Land of the living, whoſe tongues imagine miſchiefe, and are like a ſharpe Razor, that cutteth deceitfully, loving to ſpeake evill, more than good, Pſalm. 52.2. to 5. That hee will confound ſuch as perſecute his Children, and deſtroy them with a double deſtruction, Ier. 17.18. Yea, that he will render unto there enemies ſeaven fold into their boſome, their reproach, wherewith they have reproached the Lord, Pſalm. 79.12. In fine, that he will rayne upon them ſnares of fire, and brimſtone, with ſtormes, and tempests, Pſalme 11.6. and after all, caſt them into a furnace of fire, where ſhall bee wayling and gnaſhing of teeth, for evermore: when the juſt, whom they now deſpiſe, ſhall ſhine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father: They durſt not doe as they doe to the godly. Yea, if they did beleeve but that one place, 2 King. 2.24. Where God cauſed two and fortie little Children to be devoured of wild Beares, onelyonly for p. 103nick-naming Eliſha, they durſt not nick-name the religious as they doe.

But, alaſſe! they are ſo farre from beleeving what God threatens in His Word, againſt theſe ſinnes; that they bleſſe themſelves in their hearts, ſaying, wee ſhall have peace, we ſhall ſpeed as well as the beſt, although wee walke according to the ſtubbornneſſe of our owne wills; ſo adding drunkenneſſe to thirſt, Deut. 29.19. Yea, they preferre their condition before other mens, who are ſo abſtemious, and make Conſcience of their wayes; even thinking, that their God deceiveth them with needleſſe feares and ſcruples, as onc… Rabſhakeb would have perſwaded the Jewes, touching their truſt and confidence, 2 King. 18.22, 25, 30, 32, 33, 35.

Yea, how i'ſt poſſible, that any wicked man ſhould beleeve what is written of God in the Scripture, eſpecially touching his juſtice, and ſeverity in puniſhing ſinne, with eternall deſtruction of body and ſoule? For did they really and indeed beleeve God, when he ſaith, that his curſe ſhall never depart from the houſe of the ſwearer, Zac. 5. They durſt not ſweare, yea and forſweare as they doe; much leſſe durſt they take a pride in oathing of it, reſembling Ballio the baud in Plautus, who was not aſhamed, but even proud of Carting. Yea, which is worſe, reprove a ſwearer, and he will ſweare the more to ſpite you: Which were not poſſible, if believing God, they did not, what in them lyes, give themſelves over to the Devill.

Againe, did they believe, that neither fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor murtherers, nor drunkards, nor ſwearers, nor raylours, nor lyers, nor covetous perſons, nor extortioners, nor unbeleevers nor no unrighteous men ſhall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven; but ſhall have their part in that lake which p. 104burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the ſecond death, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Revel. 21 8. they durſt not continue in the practice of theſe ſinnes, without feare, or remorſe, or care of amendment. Did they beleeve, that except their righteouſneſſe doe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees, they ſhall in no caſe enter into the kingdome of Heaven, Matth. 5.20. And that without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. 12 14. with many the like, it were impoſſible they ſhould live as they doe. Yea, if they did in good earneſt beleeve, that there is either God, or Devill, Heaven, or Hell, or that they have immortall ſoules, which ſhall everlaſtingly live in bliſſe, or woe, and receive according to that they have done in their bodies, whether it bee good, or evill, 2 Cor. 5.10 they could not but live thereafter, and make it their principall care, how to be ſaved.

But, alaſſe! they beleeve what they ſee, and feele, and know; they beleeve the Lawes o… the Land, that there are places and kindes of puniſhment here below, and that they have bodyes to ſuffer temporall ſmart, if they tranſgreſſe; and this makes them abſtaine from murther, felony, and the like: but they beleeve not things inviſible, and to come; for if they did, they would as well, yea, much more, feare him that hath power to caſt both body and ſoule into bell, as they doe the temporall Magiſtrate, that hath onelyonly power to kill the body: They would thinke it a very hard bargaine to win the whole world, and loſe there owne ſoules, Luk 9.25.

But, alaſſe! if viſible powers, were not more feared than the inviſible GOD, and the halter more than Hell, (naturall men being like beaſts, that are more ſenſible of the flaſh of Powder, than of the Bullet) the World would bee over-runne with outrage: p. 105Whereas now, even the worſt of the Serpents Seede, by reaſon of Authority, are kept in a meane betweene Devills and Chriſtians; ſo living like beaſts, becauſe they thinke they ſhall dye like beaſts, without any anſwer for ought they have either acted, or left undone.

True, they doe not alwayes, nor at any time altogether, think there is no GOD, or judgment to come. Not alwayes, for though at preſent they thinke their villany is unſeene, becauſe it is unpuniſhed, according to that in the Pſalmes, The wicked thinketh there is no GOD, and the reaſon followes, his wayes alway proſper, Pſalme 10.4, 5. yet none, as Plato ſpeakes, are ſo confirm…d in Atheiſme, but ſome great danger will make them flye to the ayde of a Divine power. Extremity of diſtreſſe will ſend the prophaneſt to God: as the drowning man ſtretcheth out his hand to that bough, which hee contemned whiles hee ſtood ſafe on ſhore: Even Sardanapalus, who for all his bould denying of God, at every hearing of thunder was wont to hide his head in a hole.

Yea, in their greateſt jollity, even the moſt ſecure heart in the world hath ſome flaſhes of feare, that ſeaze on them like an Arreſt of Treaſon; for conſcience cannot but ſomtimes look out of it ſelfe, and ſee what it would not.

At leaſt, on their death beds they would give all the world to bee ſure what the Scripture ſpeakes of Hell were not true; though all their life they ſuppoſed it but a fable. How oft doe thoſe ruffians, that deny God at the Tap-houſe, preach him, at the Gallowes, and confeſſe that in ſobriety of ſpirit, which they oppugned in wantonneſſe. And not ſeldome are the moſt lethargized conſciences ſo awakened ere they go to hell, that, Spira-like, they depart deſolate & deſperate in & into helliſh horrors.

p. 106Proſperity doth ſo tympanize mens ſoules, and entranſe them from themſelves, that they forget they hada Maker. Who is God? ſaith Pharaoh. There is no God, ſaith Nabuchadnezar. What God can deliver out of my hand? ſaith Rabſhakeh. I am God, ſayes Alexander. But Nabuchadnezar found there was a God. Pharaoh found what that God was. Rabſhakeh found, to his coſt, that there was an Almighty God, able to deliver in the Valleys, as well as on the hills. Alexander found hee was not as he ſuppoſed, and confeſt that he knew himſelfe mortall by two things, viz. Sleepe and Luſt. And ſo it ſhall fare with theſe in the end. They that would ſtultizare in culpa, ſhall be forced ſapere in poena. Vengance ſhall make them wiſe, whom ſinne hath made, and left fooliſh.

At leaſt, in hell they ſhall know there is a righteous Iudge, that will reward every man according to his deeds; and confeſſe, that what they once vainely imagined, was but imagined. There may be Atheiſts on earth, were are none in hell.

A Pope of Rome being on his death bed, ſaid, Now comes three things to tryall, which all my life I have made doubt of, Whether there bee a God, a Devill, and whether the ſoule be immortall: it was not long ere he was fully reſolved with a vengance. And ſo ſhall you, ô ye fooles, when that houre comes, though ye flatter your ſelves for the preſent, like that deſperate Pirate, who when (ranſacking and rifling a Bottom) he was told by the Maſter, that though no Law could touch him for the preſent, hee ſhould anſwer it at the day of judgement; replyed, Nay, If I may ſtay ſo long ere J come to it, J will take thee, and thy Veſſell too. Nothing more cartaine than death. Amongſt Lawes, ſome are antiquated, as that of divorce: ſome changed, as that of p. 107Circumciſion: ſome diſpenſed withall, as that of the Sabboth (in caſes of neceſſitie, Matth 12.1. to 14.) but this ſtatutum eſt, that all ſhall dye, and come to judgement, it is neither antiquated, nor changed, nor diſpenſed withall.

And as nothing is more certaine than death: ſo nothing more uncertaine than the houre thereof: thy pulſe may leave beating, before thou canſt fetch thy breath.

Wherefore thinke not, as Lot's Sons-in-Law, that we ſpeak in jeſt, leaſt you feele the fire and wrath of God in earneſt.

2. Secondly, nor at any time doe they altogether thinke there is no God, &c. For as the beſt faith is but like the twilight, mixed with ſome degree of darkneſſe and infidelity: ſo the moſt grounded Atheiſme, is mixed with ſome degree, either of beliefe or doubting. What ſaith David, The foole hath ſaid in his heart there is no God: in his heart he hath ſaid it, but in his heart he never beleeved it: No foole ever thought it peremptorily; hee would faine have it ſo, he cannot beleeve it ſo: it is an opinion which he ſuggeſts to his heart, not which his heart ſuggeſts to him: and this makes him fearefull to dye, and to dye fearefully.

Tully ſpeaking of Metrodorus, an Atheiſt in his time, ſaith, Nec quemquam vidi, qui magis ea timeret, qua timenda eſſe negaret. They that make a flout of hell, Affirmant mihi & tibi, non ſibi; noctu, non interdiu; their mouthes tell us ſo, their hearts doe not tell their mouths ſo. No hell, I dare ſay, if there were a generall collection made throughout the whole world, that there might bee no Iudgement day, theſe men would bee none of the backewardeſt. Yea, if they had as many Provinces, as Ahaſuerus had, they would give an hundred and ſix and twenty of them to be ſure of it. The p. 108conſciences even of wicked men can never bee ſo charmed, or over ruled, either by arguments, or the temptations of Sathan, that they can let goe the ſenſe of a God-head. We are all borne Idolaters, and chooſe rather to adore the Sunne, the Moone, yea the meaneſt of all creatures, rather than not acknowledge a Deity. You may ſooner get a Conſcience to believe all the fables in the Popiſh legend, or Turkiſh Alcarou, than that this univerſall frame is without a minde,

—Prima eſt haec ultio, quòd, ſe

Judice nemo nocens abſolvitur.—

So that to ſay truely, they doe not, and yet they doe believe there is a God, and a Hell: for when they admit Conſcience into their counſell, they doe believe: but becauſe they would rather not beleeve it, they ſtifle Conſcience, ſtop their owne eares, and flatter their hearts with the contrary opinion: Like as it fared with the Philiſtims of Aſhdod, 1 Sam. 6. who when they had ſtood out that fore judgement ſeven moneths, and brought upon their god DAGON, and the whole Countrey, a very great deſtruction, and perceived, that all which were guilty of keeping and prophaning the Arke, ſuffered in the judgement, and onelyonly they; at laſt could bring forth this concluſion, Peradventure it is GOD'S hand that ſmote us; yet, it may bee, it is but a chance that hath hapned unto us, Verſe 9.

Wherein it is evident, they did halfe beleeve, and no more; Their Conſciences told their hearts there was a powerfull GOD, to revenge the prophaning of his Arke; but their hearts were very loth to give aſſent thereunto: and ſo fares it with theſe, when they wrong and perſecute his Children. Or they may bee p. 109likened to thoſe untoward Iſraelites, Exod. 16. Who did in part beleeve GOD, when hee told them, If they reſerved of the Manna untill morning, it ſhould ſtinke; and that if they went to gather it on the Sabboth, they ſhould finde none, who would have thought it foule ſcorne, if one ſhould have told them, they beleeved no ſuch thing: for all they had ſeene ſo many Miracles, yet tis apparent, they did but halfe beleeve him: for what elſe made them try whether hee ſpake true or no, after they were flatly forbidden? ver. 20. or,

Laſtly, they are like the unbelieving Iewes, who conſidering the Oracles that CHRIST ſpake, and the Miracles which hee wrought, were forced to teſtifie both theſe of him (for all they hated him) never man ſpake as this man doth; and Wee never ſaw it on this faſhion: yet this have yee ſeene, and beleeve not, ſaith Our SAVIOVR, Iohn 6.36 They ſaw, they heard, they wondered, they were convinced, yet they beleeved not: therefore their owne eyes, in ſeeing; their owne eares, in heareing; their owne hearts, in wondring; their owne convicted reaſons ſhall but witneſſe againſt their unbeliefe, Ioh. 16 9.

And indeed, if they did not in ſome part beleeve a Iudgement to come, they ſhould bee worſe than the very Devills themſelves: there is no Hell, Quis Daemonum hoc aſſeret? What Devill will ſo affirme? They know it, and feele it, Why (ſay the Legion to Chriſt) art thou come to torment us. before the time, Matthew 8.29.. And ſhall not men tremble to deny, what the Devils confeſſe? ſayes Chryſoſtome.

p. 110Wherefore beleeve it peremptorily, ô yee fooles and madde men; yea believe it, and avoyd it, and by believing to purpoſe, ye ſhall avoyd it: otherwiſe, if ye will give more credit to your deceitfull hearts, than to what the Word ſpeakes, as Eve beleeved the word of the Serpent, Adam the word of Eve, both, before the Word of GOD; God will leave you to bee confuted by fire and brimſtone; if you will not beleeve what is written, you ſhall feele what is written.

Object. But here it will be objected, That the wickedeſt man that lives, preſumes upon GODS mercy in Chriſt, and thinkes he ſhall be ſaved, as well as the thiefe upon the Croſſe; yea, hee will prove by Scripture, that at what time ſoever he repents, his ſinnes ſhall be pardoned, Ezek. 18.21, 22. Yea, there is ſcarce a man on earth, but he thinkes to goe to Heaven.

Anſw. True, the fleſh propheſies proſperity to ſinne; yea life, and ſalvation, as the Pope promiſed the Powder Traytors; and to this the Devill ſets his ſeale: whereupon while proſperity laſteth, they can turne the grace of God into wantonneſſe, and even apply Chriſt's Paſſion, as a warrant for their licenciouſneſſe; and take his death, as a licence to ſin; his Croſſe, as a Letters Pattent to do miſchiefe.

Yea, the Devill and ſinne ſo infatuates and beſots them, that they thinke to have part in that merit, which in every part they have ſo abuſed; to bee purged by that bloud, which now they take all occaſions to diſgrace; to be ſaved by the ſame wounds, w^ch they ſweare by, and ſo often ſweare away to have Chriſt an Advocate for them in the next life, when they are Advocates againſt Chriſt in this; and that Heaven will meete them at their laſt houre, when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten road toward hell.

p. 111The Devill makes large promiſes; and perſwades his, they ſhall have what they deſire; yet ever diſappoints them of their hopes, as he did our firſt Parents: Diabelus menti…ur, ut fallet; vitam pollicetur, ut peri…at, ſaith Saint Cyprian.

But all one, their carnall hearts ſhall bee flint unto God, wax to the Devill, who blowes this preſumption into them; whereby they believe the promiſes, let goe the threatnings: you ſhall dye, ſaith God, is heard, but you ſhall not dye, ſaith the Devill, is believed, as it fared with Eve, when ſhe eate the forbidden fruit. Yea, they believe the promiſes, that they ſhall have them; but they beleeve not the precepts, to doe them; nor the threatnings, that they ſhall ſuffer them, for their not beleeving and diſobedience; which ſhewes, that they truely beleeve neither. Yea, this makes it plaine, that either they beleeve there is no God at all, or elſe that God is not juſt, and true, nor ſpeakes as he meanes in his words; which is worſe: or if they doe beleeve that he is a juſt and true God, they beleeve alſo that they ſhall be puniſhed (as he threatens) for their provoking of him; and they provoke him, that they may be puniſhed; which is worſt of all. So that take them in the beſt ſenſe, they are but like David's foole, which ſaith in his heart there is no God, and lives thereafter: which is never a whit ſtrange, for it is uſuall with them to think there is no God, for whom it would make that there were none: What we would have to be, we are apt to beleeve.

I confeſſe, it is hard for men to beleeve their owne unliefe in this caſe: they that bee moſt dangerouſly ſicke, are leaſt ſenſible of their owne ſickneſſe: much more hard to make them confeſſe it; for he whoſe heart ſpeakes Atheiſme, will confeſſe with his tongue, that he beleeves there is a God, and that he is juſt, and true, and that every p. 112tittle of his Word is equally true: which being granted, this muſt neceſſarily follow, that God will as well puniſh the diſobedient, as reward the obedient; which in another fit they are apt enough; yea too forward to beleeve.

For it is Satans method, firſt to make men ſo ſenſeleſſe, as not to feele their ſinnes at all; and then ſo deſperate, that they feele them too much: in the firſt fit men live as if there were no hell: in the laſt they dye as if there were no Heaven; for wicked men are altogether in extremes: at firſt they make queſtion whether this, or that be a ſinne; at laſt they apprehend it ſuch a ſinne, that they make queſtion whether it can be forgiven: either God is ſo mercifull, that they may live how they liſt; or ſo juſt, that hee will not pardon them upon their repentance.

But to prevent after claps, let this point be argued in the Court of thy Conſcience: ſay, whether thou art guilty, or not guilty. He that beleeves the promiſes of God, to be true, beleeves alſo the commands and threatnings, and thereupon feares God, and makes conſcience of ſinne: otherwiſe, if thou beeſt as it were a dead man, continuing under the burthen of notorious crimes, without ſorrow, or feare or remorſe, or care of amendment, Epheſians 2.1. If thou art of a reprobate judgement touching actions, and perſons, eſteeming good evill, and evill good, if the Devill hath ſo bewit…d thee, that thou preferreſt Hell to Heaven, and blameſt thoſe that doe otherwiſe: it, Iſhmael-like, thou mockeſt; or, Cham-like, thou ſcoffeſt at the religious, or uſeſt bitter jeſts againſt them, Pſalme 1.1. Epheſ. 5.4. If thou rayſeſt ſlanders of them, or furthereſt them being raiſed, Pſalme 4.2. and 31.18. and 35, 20. As the Red Dragon, Revel. 12. caſt a floud of water out of his mouth, p. 113after the Woman, when he could not reach her with his clawes, verſe 15. Or any way oppoſeſt them; for the oppoſition of goodneſſe, gives thee the title of wickedneſſe, which alone is the enemy thereof, and ſhewes that thou art a Souldier of th… great Dragon, who goes out to make Warre with that bleſſed Seede, which keepe the Commandements of God, Revelations 12.17. theſe or any one of theſe, ſhew that thou haſt neither part, nor fellowſhip in the Chriſtian beliefe; that thou art an Infidell, yea, an Atheiſt, which is a higher degree of infidelity, and that thou doeſt no way differ from an Heathen, but only in the ſaying of a Paternoſter, a Creed, and, it may be the ten Commandements: Neither haſt thou any more of a conſcience, than feare, which feare alſo ariſes more from the power of the Magiſtrate, than from the omnipotency of a God.

But to make thy ſelfe confeſſe this, examine thy beleife by thy life; for infidelity is the bitter root of all wickednes, and a lively ſaith the true Mother of all goodneſſe: Indeed if pride, ſwearing, prophaneing of the Lords Day, drunkenneſſe, adultery, contempt of Religion and all goodneſſe were fruites of Faith, then the world were full of Believers; but Faith purifieth the Heart, Acts 15.9. and worketh by Love, Gall. 5.6. Conſumes our naturall unnaturall corruptions, and ſanctifieth the whole man throughout 1 Theſſ. 5.23. Acts. 26.18. So that our faith to G… is ſeene in our faithfullneſſe to men: Shew me thy faith by thy works, ſaith S. Iames, that is, thy inviſible beleife, by thy viſible life: for the hand is the beſt commentary of the heart. What a man does, I am ſure he thinkes, not alwayes what he ſpeakes: men may ſay they beleeve the word, but certainely they would never ſpeake as they ſpeake, think as they think, do as they do, if they thought that their thoughts, words, and deeds, ſhould come to Iudgement.

p. 114If men beleeved that heaven were ſo ſweet, and hell ſo intolerable, as the word makes them, they would be more obedient upon earth; the voluptuous would not ſay, with Eſau, give me the pottage of pleaſure, take who will the birth-right of grace here, and glory hereafter; the Covetous would not ſay, Take you heaven, let us have mony. Ile cleare it by a ſimilitude.

If a Phyſitian ſhould ſay unto his Patient, here ſtands a Cordiall, which if you take will cure you; but touch not this other Viall, for that is deadly poyſon, and he refuſeth the Cordiall, to take the poyſon; in this caſe, who can choſe but conclude, that either he beleeved not his Phyſitian, or preferred death before life? But go on.

If men but beleeved, that God alwayes beholds them, they durſt not ſin. No theife was ever ſo impudent, as to ſteale in the very face of the Iudge. O God, let me ſee my ſelfe ſeene by thee, and I ſhall not dare to offend thee. Againe, if men beleeved, that there is a place of darkneſſe, they would feare the works of darkneſſe. If Lots Sonnes-in-law had beleeved their father, when he tould them the City ſhould ſuddenly be deſtroyed with fire and brimſtone, and that by flying they might eſcape it, they would have obeyed his counſell. If the old world had beleeved, that God would indeed, and in good earneſt bring ſuch a flood upon them, as he threatned, they would not have neglected the opportunity of entring the Arke, before it was ſhut, and the windowes of heaven opened; much leſſe would they have ſcoft and flouted at Noah, while he was building it: ſo if you did firmely beleeve what the Scripture ſpeakes of hell, you would need noe intreaties to avoid it: yea, caſt but your eyes upon that fiery gulfe with a full perſwaſion of it, and ſin if you dare. You love your ſelves well enough to avoid a knowne paine, we know that there are ſtocks p. 115and Bridewells, and Ioales, and dungeons, and Racks, and Gibbets for malefactors, and our very feare keeps us innocent: were your hearts equally aſſured of thoſe helliſh torments, yee could not, yee durſt not continue in thoſe ſinnes, for which they are prepared: yea, if you did truly beleeve a hell, there would be more danger of your deſpaire, than of your ſecurity.

Yea, had you but ſo much of an hiſtoricall faith, as to beleeve the Scriptures, touching what God hath already inflicted upon ſinners; as, upon the Angells, the old world, Sodome and Gomorrah, Pharoah and the Egyptians, Nadab and Abihu, Chora, Dathan, and Abyram, with their 250 Captaines, and many thouſands of the Children of Iſrael, together with the whole Nation of the Iewes, Hammon and Balaam, Saul and Doeg, Abſolon and Achitophell, Ahab and Ieſabell, Senacherib and Nebuchadnezar, the 2 Captaines and their fifties, Herod and Judas, Annanias & Saphirah, with a world of others.

Much more, if you did beleeve how ſeverely he hath dealt with his owne Children, when they ſinned againſt him. vizt. with Moſes, and Aaron, and Ely, which were in ſingular favour with him; yea, with David, a man after his owne heart, and that after his ſin was remitted; it were impoſſible but thou wouldeſt feare to offend ſo Iealous a God: for thus thou wouldeſt argue, If God be ſo juſt and ſevere to his owne children, who were ſo good and gracious; how ſhall I, a wicked & ungracious ſervant, that never did him a peece of good ſervice all my dayes, look to be diſpenſed withall? If the godly ſuffer ſo many, and grievous afflictions here; what ſhall his adverſaries ſuffer in hell? If Sampſon be thus puniſhed, ſhall the Philiſtims eſcape? If the righteous ſhall ſcarcely be ſaved, where ſhall the ungodly and ſinner appeare? as the Scripture ſpeakes: 1 Pet. 4.18: For thou p. 116canſt not Imagine, that he will deale after a new and extraordinary way with thee, and ſo breake the Courſe of his ſo Iuſt, and ſo long continued proceedings.

Wherefore dally no longer with your owne ſoules. Are yee Chriſtians in earneſt? Do yee beleeve the word? or doe you not? If you doe not, yee are worſe than the Devill; for the Devills beleeve and tremble; they have both faith and feare, where as thou haſt neither feare nor faith. If you be Chriſtians, there is an hell in your Creed: if there bee an hell, How dare you tare Heaven with your blaſphemies, and bandie the dreadfull Name of God in your impure mouthes, by your bloudy oathes and execrations? How dare you exerciſe your ſaucy wits in prophane ſcoffs at religion, and diſgrace that bloud, whereof hereafter you would give a thouſand worlds for one drop? It is no light or ſlight offence, to contemne the brethren of the Son of God: but thou fighteſt againſt the very graces of Gods Spirit, wherever they appeare: and notwithſtanding thou didſt vow in thy baptiſme, to fight under Chriſts banner, againſt the world, the fleſh and the Devill, and to continue his faithfull ſouldier and ſervant unto thy lives end, as good reaſon, ſince he laid downe his life to redeeme thee, and hath ever ſince protected and provided for thee; for a very Dog will fight for his maſter that feeds him: thou contrarily takeſt part with the world, the fleſh and the Devill, his mortall enimies, and takeſt up armes to fight againſt Chriſt.

Againe, if there be an hell, and but a tithe of …hem Chriſtians, who call themſelves ſo; what meanes our grinding of faces, like edged tooles, and our ſpilling of blood, like water? What meanes our racking of rents, our detention of wages, our incredible cruelty to ſervants, our incloſing of Commons, ingroſſing of commodities, our griping exactions, with ſtreining the advantages p. 117of greatnes, our inequall levies of legall payments, our ſpightfull ſuites, griping uſury, our bouzing and quaffing, our bribery, perjury, partiallity, our ſacriledge, ſimoniacall contracts, and ſoule murther, our ſcurrill prophanneſſe, coſoning in bargaines, breaking of promiſes, perfidious underminings, pride, luxury, wantonneſſe, contempt of Gods Meſſengers, neglect of his Ordinances, violation of his dayes, &c? when if the Word of God be true, we need no other ground of our laſt and heavieſt doom, than ye have not given, ye have not viſited, &c. Mat 25, 41. to 46. Certainely, if the tythe of us be Chriſtians, which call our ſelves ſo, there are abundance of Chriſtians in hell: For what eyes can but runne over, to ſee for the moſt part, what lives men leade? There was a woman much ſpoken of in ſome parts of this Land, that lived in a profeſſed doubt of the Deity, yea, even after Illumination and Repentance, ſhe could hardly be comforted; ſhe often proteſted, that the vicious and offencive life of a great learned man, in the Towne where ſhe dwelt, did occaſion thoſe damned doubts in her minde. And wee reade that Linacre reading upon the New Teſtament the 5.6. and 7^th. Chapters of Saint Matthews Goſpell, and comparing thoſe rules with Chriſtians lives, hee threw downe the book, and burſt forth into this proteſtation, Either this is not God's Goſpell, or we are not Chriſtians. Let any man looke upon the lives of moſt men, and then ſay, whether the argument be not without all exceptions.

It is the abſtract of Religion, to imitate him whom we worſhip: neither are wee worthy to be called Chriſtians, except wee be like him in workes: Wee are not like Chriſt, except wee doe whatſoever God commands, and ſuffer whatſoever hee inflicts: Now we are naught at doing, but when it comes to ſuffering, we are gone: it is the happineſſe of theſe cold times, that wee p. 118are not put to the hot fire, for tryall of our faith and love: if the Wheele ſhould turne, which the mercy of God forbid, how many would turne from Chriſt, rather than burne for him? Alaſſe! the greateſt number are like Orbilius the Grammarian, who not only forgot the Letters of his Booke, but even his own name: for they not only forget what is written in Chriſt's Goſpell, but they forget alſo that they are Chriſtians, and can be of any religion, for a neede; which ſhewes their hearts are truely of none. True, Gods ſeed is ſowne, but the Devils fruit comes up: and, like the Iewes, we bring Chriſt Vinegar, when hee thirſts for Wine. But what a ſhame? What a prodigie is this? We are bound to praiſe GOD above any Nation whatſoever, (for what Nation under Heaven injoyes ſo much light, or ſo many bleſſings as we?) above any Creature, for all the creatures were ordained for our ſakes: and yet Heaven, Earth, and Sea, all the Elements, all the Creatures obey the Word of God; only men, for whom they were all made, ingratefully rebell againſt it.

The which, as it mightily aggravates our unthankfulneſſe; ſo when time comes, it will gall our Conſciences to death. Yea, when we ſhall conſider, that Chriſt hath removed ſo many evills from us, and conferred ſo many good things upon us, that they are beyond thought, or imagination; and that our recompence of his love, hath been only to doe that which he hates, and hate thoſe whom he loves, it will make us ſpeechleſſe (like him in the Goſpell, who wanted his wedding Garment) as neither expecting mercy, or daring to aske it: for know this, that thy own conſcience will once ſting thee, like an Adder, to think what Chriſt hath given, and what he would have forgiven thee, if thou wouldſt but have repented: to thinke how often thou haſt beene invited to Heaven, p. 119how eaſily thou mighteſt have eſcaped hell, how often Chriſt by his Embaſſadors offered thee remiſſion of ſins, and the Kingdome of Heaven freely, if thou wouldeſt but beleeve and repent, and how eaſily thou mighteſt have obtained mercy in thoſe dayes, how neere thou waſt many times to have repented, and yet diddeſt ſuffer the Devill and the World to keepe thee ſtill impenitent, and how the day of mercy is then paſt, and will never dawn againe.

For the ſame Devill that now ſhuts your eyes, and labours to keepe you blinde, during the preſumption of your life, will open them in the deſperation, that ſhall wait on you at death, or in hell: As it fared with the rich man, who when he was in hell, lift up his eyes to Heaven; but never before, Luke 16.23. Thoſe ſcorching flames opened them to propoſe: Sin ſhuts up mens eyes, but puniſhment opens them.

But I hope I have ſaid enough, and that thou art convinc'd in thine own Conſcience, that hitherto thou haſt beene a meere Atheiſt, and that through Atheiſme, thou haſt hated, reviled and perſecuted the godly: If not, truth is as much truth, when it is not acknowledged, as when it is.

Now if thou doſt confidently, and without peradventure beleeve what the Scripture ſpeakes of God, Heaven, hell, &c. If thou beleeveſt the threatnings and precepts, as well as the promiſes, and if thou beareſt any love to thine own ſoule, Breake off thy ſinnes by repentance, and oppoſe the good no longer, give no credit to the fleſh, or the Devill, which propheſy proſperity to ſinne; but beleeve God and the Scripture, which manifeſtly proves, that every man ſhall bee judged according to his workes, Revel. 12.13. and 22, 12. Make not Chriſt a boulſter for ſinne, nor Gods mercy a warrant for thy continuing p. 120in an evill courſe. Be not therefore evill, becauſe hee is good, leaſt like the fooliſh builder, thou commeſt ſhort of thy reconning; for Chriſt came to deſtroy the works of the Devill, John 3.3.8, 9, 10. And not to be a Patron of ſinne; and there is mercy with God that he might be feared, not that he might be deſpiſed, blaſphemed, &c. Pſal. 130.4. Yea, know this and write it in the Table booke of thy memory, and on the table of thine heart, that if God's bountifulneſſe and long ſuffering towards thee does not leade thee to repentance, it will double thy doome, and increaſe the pile of thy torments: for every day, which does not abate of thy reckoning, will increaſe it, Qui numer at dotes, numer at dren; and thou by thy hardneſſe and impenitencie, ſhalt but treaſure up unto thy ſelfe wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the declaration of the juſt judgment of God, Rom. 2.4, 5, 6.

And ſo much of the third cauſe.

Q…eſt. What other Cauſes are there, why they thus hate and perſecute us?

Anſw. Other maine Cauſes (as they make them) are theſe Eight,

1. Speaking of Truth. 1 Kings 12.8, 17, 23, 24, 26, 27. Ier. 11.19. and 26.8, 9, 11. and 36, 23, 26. and 38.4, 5, 6. Amos 5.10. Mark. 6.16. to 29. Acts 16, 19. to 25. and 17.5, 6, 7, 13. and 18, 11, 12, 13, and 19, 26. to 34. and 21: 27, 28, 30, 31. and 22, 22, 23. and 23 1, 2, 12, 13, 14. Gal 4.16.

2. Miſpriſion, Acts 24.14. and 26, 9, 10, 11, 24. 1 Kings 18.17, 18. Pſal. 14.1. Jer. 44.17, 18, 19. Wiſ. 5.4. Mat. 7 14. and 13.55, 56, 57. and 28, 15. Mar. 5.39, 40. and 7.5, 8, 9. John 2.19, 20, 21. and 3, 3, 4. and 7.15, 23, 24. and 8.15, 57, 58, 59. and 9.16. and 16, 2. Acts 2.13. 2 Theſ. 2.10.11, 12. Rom. 8.5, 6, 7, 8 p. 1211 Cor. 1.18. to 29. and 2.7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. and 3.18, 19, 20. 2 Tim. 2.26. 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. Rev. 3.17,

3. Example of the multitude, Gen. 19 4. to 12. Num. 14.2.3, 10. and 16.1. to 4. Mat. 27.20, 25, 27, 39, 49. Acts 19.24, to 30.

4. Separation, Gen. 39.12. to 21. Pſal. 26.4, 5. and 101.7. and 119, 63, 115. Prov. 5.8. and 23, 20. Ier. 15.19. Wiſd. 2.16. Iohn 15.19. 1 Cor. 5.11. 2 Cor. 6.17. Epheſ. 5.7. 2 Theſ. 3.6, 14. 1 Pet. 4.4. Rev. 18.4.

5. The preaching of ſome Miniſters, Ier. 5.31. and 8.11. and 23, 13.14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 26, 27, 31, 32. Eze. 22.25, 26, 28. Mat 9.34. Mark. 13.22. Ioh. 5.43. Act. 13.8 and 20, 29, 30. Rom. 16, 17, 18. 2 Cor. 2.17. and 11.13, 14, 15. 1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3. 2 Tim. 3.8. 2 Pet. 2. ch. and 3.3.

6. The ſcandalous lives of ſome profeſſors, Gen. 9.21, 22. and 12, 18, 19. and 19.33, 35, 36. and 20.2, 12, 16. and 34, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 26. to 31. 1 Sam. 2.12. to 18. 2 Sam. 12, 14. Mat. 7.15. and 18, 7. and 23, 3, 14, 23, 24.25.27. and 26, 14, 15, 16, 70, 72, 74. and 27.5.

7. Flocking after Sermons, Ioh. 11.48. and 12, 19, 6, 2. and Acts 13.45. Matth. 4.24, 25. and 15, 30. Mar. 3.10. and 8.1. and 10, 1, 2. Luke 5.15. and 6, 17, 18, 19.

8. The finall cauſe is, that they may have more company here in ſin, and hereafter in torment, Pſal. 35.4 7, 12 and 40.14. and 5.6, 6. and 59, 2, 3. Matth. 23.13, 15. Luke 11.52. Iohn 11.48. and 12, 10.11. and 15.19. Act. 26.11. 1 Pet. 4.4. Revel. 12.17. and 13, 15.

But they are all ſo prolix, and yet ſo unmeete to bee abbreviated, that if I ſhould handle them, and make of all but one Volume, they would ſo ſwell the heapè, that not a few would be deprived of the whole. He will buy a Manuall, or Enchiridion, that will not buy a Commentary: and he will reade a Curranto, that will not reade p. 122a Chronicle Hiſtory. Yea, it may happen to meet with Patients ſo deſperate, that although they acknowledge it is of abſolute neceſſity for them to be informed touching theſe things, yet having Queſie ſtomacks, if they ſee their Potion bigge, aſwell as bitter, will reſolve to ſuffer, yea to dye rather than take it. That will bee ſwallowed by morſells, and eaſily digeſted, which being taken all at once, will not onelyonly cloy, but ſurfet. Wherefore I will reſerve the reſt, untill I ſee what returne this will make: And the rather, for that there are three Treatiſes already publiſht of this very ſubject,

viz.

Sinne ſtigmatized.

The Victory of Patience, laſt Edition.

The miſchiefe and miſery of Scandalls.

The end of the firſt Part.

Imprimatur,

Tho. Wykes.

End of the text · Richard Younge, The Cure of Prejudice (1641)