Armor of Proof 2, Chapter 13 – Chapter 15
CHAP. XIII.
FOurthly In ſuch as are not regenerate, nor were ever diſciplin'd in the ſchool of Christ. The ignobleneſſe of their diſpoſitions and breeding, may be a ſufficient ground: For baſeneſſe, what it cannot attain to, it will vilicate and deprave. As no wonder if a Carter cenſure a Scholler, or a Clown a Courtier; ſo none can think it ſtrange that brutiſh ſenſualiſts, ſhould cenſure the Saints for ſullen, ſhallow, cenſorious, proud, diſſembling, &c. That they ſhould miſtake the way to Heaven for the moſt melancholy walk, when all that are born of God, and taught by his Spirit, know them the moſt merry, wiſe, charitable, humble and plain dealing people.
Indeed time and experience will alter their judgements be they never ſo brutiſh and baſe: as it univerſally fared with the old world, Gen. 6. and 7. chapters, who for one hundred and twenty years together, harboured many baſe thoughts of Noah: thinking him half mad, to beſtow ſo much labour and coſt in building ſo vaſt a veſſel as the Ark was: but in proceſſe of time, when they ſtood upon the tops of the mountains, expecting within a minute to be drowned in thoſe waters: they beheld him ſecure to their greater vexation: and acknowledged themſelves ſtark mad for not timely beleeving him.
Fiftly, Guiltineſſe is another main reaſon: for commonly ſuſpition proceeds from a ſelf-defect: and a bad conſtruction from a bad minde.
Deceit…ull, over will miſtruſtfull be: But no miſtruſt, is found in honeſty.
Naturall men, moſtly meaſure others by their own buſhel; and ſo form their opinions and cenſures of us according to the mold of wickedneſſe that is in their own hearts: and doing all their own good in hipocriſie, they cannot think us better then themſelves.
And yet it is a rule which ſeldom fails: That as Cham was worſe then Noah whom he derided: and Iſhmael worſe then Iſaac whom he mocked: and Saul worſe then David whom he perſecuted: and Iezabel worſe then Naboth whom ſhe defamed and murthered: and Herod worſe then Iohn Baptiſt whom he beheaded. So they which are wont to cenſure and ſlander others, have greater faults themſelves, and cauſe to be cenſured and condemned of others: which faults they cannot tell how to cover, but by diſgracing of others. And the cenſured in Scripture, are alwayes more precious in Gods ſight then the cenſurer: as in the Phariſee and Publican, Luk. 18. and in thoſe Barbarians and Paul, Acts 28.3, 4.
Sixtly, Pride is no ſmall cauſe: for a proud man is wont to admire his own actions, but to abate the valu, and derogate from the eſteem of others; every whit as baſely to vilifie other mens doings, as he over highly prizeth his own. I (ſaith the proud Phariſee) am not as this Publican, Luk. 18.11. Neither was he if you mark it: for the Publican condemning himſelf was juſtified and ſaved: he juſtifying himſelf was everlaſtingly condemned.
Again, They know their glory and credit with the world, is greatly eclipſed by ſuch as excell in vertue: Their vicious lives are plainly reproved, and their perſons moſt grievouſly ſhamed by the holy converſation of good men. And this makes them ſmut the face that is fairer: blemiſh honeſt mens fame by their cenſuring and aſperſions; that they may mitigate their own ſhame with others diſcredit; like Potiphars wife, they pretend we are guilty, that themſelves may be taken for innocent.
Seventhly, Another cauſe is prejudice or miſpriſion; for this like a painted pair of Spectacles, caſteth a falſe colour upon the beſt actions. As we ſee in Ahab and Iezabel, touching Eliah and Micaiah.
CHAP. XIV.
EIghtly, They ſuppoſe we are not as we ſeem, ergo we are Puritants, Hypocrits, &c. A reaſon of great force with States men and Polititians: Herod thinks Chriſt comes to dethrone him; therefore to make ſure work, ke murthers all the males in Bethlem. Cambyſes dreames overnight, that his brother ſhould be King of Perſia, therefore he puts him to death the next morning. Saul ſuppoſes David a traytor, therefore know ye not that the ſonne of Ieſſe hath conspired againſt me? But it were as good an argument to reaſon thus: All the Apoſtles were impoſters, and the Goſpel it ſelf a fable; for ſo thought the Scribes and Phariſees. A man ſhall do God good ſervice, in perſecuting of his faithfull ſervants; for ſo thought the Prelates (as themſelves have confeſt upon their examination.) Or laſtly, there is no God, for ſo the fool hath ſaid in his heart, Pſal. 14.1. and 53.1.
Ninethly, They envy the godly, either firſt, becauſe they do better, as Cain did Abel; or ſecondly, becauſe they fare better, as Eſau did Iacob: or thirdly, becauſe they are better eſteemed, as Saul did David. And this i… another cauſe, for ill will never ſpeaks well; and envy is ſick if her neighbour be well. The ones ſucceſſe is the others vexation, the envious emulate what they cannot imitate. Whence ariſes all their cenſuring and miſconſtruing their perſons, actions and intentions. For whom they cannot reach by imitation, they will endeavour to do by detraction: and becauſe they cannot ſeduce us, they will if they can traduce us; if we will not partake with them in their ſins, we ſhall in their ſhame; if Ioſeph will not be lewd with his miſtreſs, he ſhall be thought as guilty, and ſuffer as much as if he were.
Tenthly, Sometimes they cenſure and ſlander us out of ſelf-love; either that they may gain, or at leaſt not loſe of their honours, pleaſures, profits: Sauls flatterers will ſooth him up in his evil ſurmiſes againſt David; ſaying The ſonne of Ieſſe hath conſpired againſt thee; that they may have fields and Vineyards given them; be made Captains over thouſands, and Captains over hundreds. And this tempted Balaam againſt his conſcience, even to curſe where he ſhould bleſse: he ſaw how his curſing and curſed counſel might pleaſe Balack, and bleſſe himſelf with a gainfull and gallant promotion. And the like in Demetrius, for as Paul ſubſtracts from Demetrius his profit, ſo Demetrius detracts from Pauls credit.
Which was many a mans caſe within theſe few years: for ſome have climed up to preferment by envaying againſt the Puritans: and others been ruined and diſgraced by preaching againſt the Prelates.
Eleventhly, By depraving all good men themſelves, (though ſwearers, drunkards, whoremongers,) ſhall be judged indifferent honeſt men: for were all the world ugly, deformity would be no monſter. Yea, a baſe perſon may come to preferment, if none be thought better then himſelf. He that hath but one eye, may be King amongſt the blinde. Whereupon, to have themſelves thought as good as any other, they will not have any thought good that dwells near them.
CHAP. XV.
TWelfthly, Their paſſions and affections make them ſo exceeding partiall, that they will more deeply cenſure our fearing of God, then their own blaſpheming him; and hold it a more hainous crime for us to be ſober, then for themſelves to be drunk.
You may think it a big word for want of acquaintance with ſuch: But Drunkards and Swearers know I ſpeak truth. And I the more confidently beleeve my own ears, when I conſider the Sodomites quarrell with Lot… and many the like in Scripture. As how did the paſſion of Anger, rob Haman of his reaſon, when he thought Mordecais not bowing the knee to him, a more hainous offence, then his own murthering of thouſands▪ And Jezabels who thought it a greater ſin in Eliah to kill Baals Prieſts then in her ſelf, to ſlay all the Prophets if the Lord.
But no wonder, for as the Eye only looks to things without. And a… they that are vertiginous think all things turn round, all erre; when the errour is only in their own brains: ſo fares it with ſenſuall men, tranſported by paſſion, and given up to their luſts. They put their own faults in that part of the Wallet which is behinde them; but ours, in the other part or end which is before them. Indeed ſelf-examination would make their judgements more charitable.
Thirteenthly, The perſons cenſuring and cenſured, are as contrary in their natures as are Heaven and Hell, Light and Darkneſſe, God and the Devil, the one being Satans ſeed, and born after the Fleſh: the other being Chriſts members, and born after the ſpirit, John 3.8. to 15. And this makes the one hate, what the other loves. A wicked man ſaith Solomon, is abomination to the just, and he that is upright in his way, is abomination to the wicked. Prov. 29.27. even our waies, which God commands us to walk in, as well as our perſons, are abomination to them.
Yea, we ſee by experience, that there is a curſed Zeal in theſe men to malign the good Zeal of all men. And that uſually they are pleaſed beſt with that which angers God moſt: No marvell then if they cenſure and ſlander ſuch as he lovesbeſt.
Fourteenthly, They delight in cenſuring and ſlandering us: becauſe Satan (who is their God, 2 Cor. 4.4. and their Prince, Job. 14.30. and works in them his pleaſure, Eph. 2.2. 2 Tim. 2.26.) is ever prompting them thereunto, Act. 5.3. Rev. 12.10. For it is Satan that ſpeaks in and by them, as once he did by the Serpent: It is his minde in their mouth, his heart in their lips, Matth. 16.23.
And they being his Sons, Servants and Subjects, thirſt to do him what honour and ſervice they can. Nor can they pleaſure him more, it being the hopefulleſt way to diſcourage men in the way to heaven, quench the good motions of Gods ſpirit, kill the buds and beginnings of grace, draw them back to the world, and ſo by conſequence damn their ſouls, that can be, to ſee that whatſoever they do or ſpeak; baſe conſtructions are made thereof. Whereas if they medled not with repentance, nor troubled themſelves about religion: the world nor the devil would not meddle with them, nor once trouble or moleſt them.
Beſides their cenſures, and falſe aſperſions, cauſe jealouſies where there are none, encreaſeth thoſe thot are, mightily diſables ſome from diſcerning the truth, and much hinders others from beleeving it.