Armor of Proof 2, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
NOr is this of theirs an ordinary hatred, but the moſt bitter, exorbitant unlimited and implacable of all others. No ſuch concord, no ſuch diſcord, ſaith one of the Learned, as that which proceeds from Religion. My name, ſayes Luther, is more odious to them, then any thiefe or murtherer; as Chriſt was more deteſtable to the Jews, then Barabas. And it was evident enough; for the Pope was ſo buſie and hot againſt Luther, that he neglected to look to all Chriſtendom againſt the Turk: which declared that he would eaſier diſgeſt Mahometiſme then Lutheraniſme. The caſe of two many in our daies, in oppoſing the reformation. Behold, ſaith David, mine enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with a cruell hatred, Pſal. 25.19. yea ſo cruell, that it makes their teeth gnaſh, and their hearts burſt again, as it fared with thoſe that ſtoned Steven, Acts 7.54. This made the truths adverſaries, give St Paul ſtripes above meaſure, 2 Cor. 11.23. And the Heathen Emperours, to deviſe ſuch cruell tortures, for all thoſe that but profeſt themſelve; Christians. This made Ahab ſo hate Eliah, that there was not one Kingdom or Nation, where he had not ſent to take away his life, 1 King. 18.10. And this made the Papiſts dig many of our choice Miniſters out of their graves, that they might the better curſe them, with bell, bock and candle. Yea ask 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.
Neither does this hatred extend it ſelf to this or that perſon alone, but to the whole generation of the godly; as is well expreſt, Pſal. 83. Come let us cut them off from being a Nation, and let the Name of Iſrael be no more in remembrance, ver. 4, 12. And the like we ſee in Haman, whoſe hatred to Mordecai was ſo deadly, that he thought it too little to lay hands on him only, except he deſtroyed all the Jews his people, that were throughout the whole Kingdom of Ahaſhueroſh, Eſth. 3.5, 6. For the effecting whereof he offered ten thouſand tallents of ſilver into the Kings treaſury, ver. 9, 13. And of his minde was Herodias, who preferred the head of John Baptiſt before the half of Herods Kingdom. And ſuch another was cruell Arundale Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who ſwore he would not leave a ſlip of profeſſors in this Land.
And the world is no changeling, for this age hath but too many ſuch Hamans and Arundales, who ſo hate the children of God, that they wiſh as Caligula once did of the Romanes, that they had all but one neck, that ſo they might cut it off at a blow, were it in their power. As why are not our Sanctuaries turned into ſhambles? and our Beds made to ſwim with our blouds? but that the God of Iſrael hath croſſed the confederacy of Balack, and their wickedneſſe doth not proſper. For their ſtudies are the plots of our ruine; and the beſt they intend, is the deſtruction and overthrow of Religion, or the religious, or both, Matth. 24.9. Joh. 16.2. Yea their enmity and hatred is ſo virulent and bitter, that were their power anſwerable to their wils and malice, the brother would betray the brother to death, the father the ſonne, and the children would riſe up againſt their parents, and cauſe them to die; the kinſman againſt the kinſman, and the friend againſt the friend; only for profeſſing Chriſts Name and being religious, as himſelf affirms, Matth. 10.34, 35, 36. Luk. 21.16, 17. Neither is it ſtrange, for this was one of the ends of Chriſts coming into the world, as appears Matth. 10.34, 35. where himſelf ſaith, Think not that I am come to ſend peace but the ſword: meaning between the ſeed of the ſerpent, and the ſeed of the woman: for I am come to ſet a man at variance againſt his father, the daughter in law angainst the mother in law, and a mans enemies ſhall be they of his own houſhold, Luk. 12.51, 52, 53.
Neither want we preſidents of this: For by whom was upright Abel perſecuted and ſlaine, but by his own brother Cain? who ſcoft at righteous Noah, but his own ſon Cham? by whom was that vertuous and religious Lady Barbara put to death, for imbracing the Chriſtian faith, but by her own father Dioſcorus? who made Serena the Empreſſe a Martyr, for her faith in Chriſt, but her own husband Diocleſian? who helped to burn Bradford but Bourne, whoſe life he had formerly ſaved? And laſtly, By whom was our Saviour Christ betrayed, but by his own Diſciple Judas?