Armor of Proof 2, Chapter 21 – Chapter 22
CHAP. XXI.
INdeed if there were any ſpeaking to ſuch, I would wiſh them to beware of this ſin of all other ſins in the world. For the godly are unto God as the ſignet upon his right hand, Jer. 22.24. yea, as the apple of his own eye, Zech. 2.8. And whatſoever wrongs and contumelies are done to them, he accounteth as done to himſelf, as they may ſee Pſa. 44.22. and 69.7. and 74.4, 10, 18, 22, 23. and 83.2, 5, 6. and 89.50, 51. and 139.20. Pro. 19.3. Rom. 1.30. and 9.20. Mat. 10.22. and 25.45. Luke 21.17. 1 Sam. 17.45. Iſa. 37.4.22, 23.28. and Act. 5.39. and 9.4, 5. Job 9.4. 1 Theſſ. 4.8. Iohn 15.18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25. Numb. 16.11. 1 Sam. 8.7.
Yea, thirdly, God hath expreſly told them, that whoſoever ſhall offend one of thoſe little ones that beleeve in him, it were better for him that a millſtone were hung about his neck, and that he were caſt into the Sea, Mat. 18.6. And that he will deſtroy them for ever, and root them out of the Land of the living, whoſe tongues imagine miſchief, and are like a ſharp razor that cutteth deceitfully, loving to speak evil more then good, Pſa. 52.2. to 8. That he will confound ſuch as perſecute his children, and deſtroy them with a double deſtruction, Jer. 17.18. yea, That he will render unto their enemies ſevenfold into their boſome, their reproach wherewith they have reproached the Lord, Pſal. 79.12. In fine, That he will reign upon them ſnares of fire and brimſtome, with ſtorms and tempeſts, Pſa. 11.6. And after all caſt them into a Furnace of fire, where ſhall be wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth for evermore: When the juſt whom they now deſpiſe ſhall ſhine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Many are apt to think, that becauſe they uſe their tongues only they are no perſecutors: but they ſhall hereafter hear themſelves ſtiled ſo in their Bill of Inditement, Iſhmael did but flowt Iſaac, yet St Paul ſaith, he perſecuted him, Gal. 4.29. God cals the ſcorning of his ſervants by no better a name then perſecution; and will thereafter reward it, perhaps in this life, as it fared with thoſe two and fourty little children, 2 Kin. 2.24. who were devoured of wilde bears, only for nicknaming Eliſha: Or as it did with Felix who for one malicious ſcoff did nothing day and night but vomit bloud, till his unhappy ſoul was fetcht from his wretched carcaſſe. And Pherecydes who was conſumed by worms alive for giving Religion but a nickname, a ſmall matter if thou maiſt be made judge. Or as it did with Lucian, who for barking againſt Religion like a dog, was by the juſt judgement of God devoured of dogs. Or as it did with Nightingale Parſon of Crondall in Kent, who was ſtruck dead in the Pulpit while he was belching out his ſpleen againſt Religion and zealous profeſſors of the Goſpel. Or as it did with Steven Gerdiner who would not ſit down to dinner till the news came of the good Biſhops burnt at Oxford, but then came out rejoycing, and ſaying to the Duke of Norfolk, now let us go to dinner; but it was the laſt that ever he eat for it. Or as it fared with Arundell Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and Steven Gardiner Biſhop of Wincheſter, who putting to ſilence both the Word of God and thoſe that purely preach it, were themſelves put to ſilence, and ſo ſmitten in their tongues, that they could not ſwallow their meat, nor ſpeak for a good ſpace before they died. The time would be too ſhort to tell of Cham whoſe ſcoffing only brought his Fathers curſe, and Gods upon that. Of the Spies that brought a ſcandall upon the Land of Canaan (as theſe do upon the way of truth) and made all the people to murmure againſt Moſes: who died by a plague from the Lord, and were not permitted to enter into it, Numb. 14.37. And the like, which God hath inflicted upon men even in this life: though I count it a m…rcy to ſmart here (if they die penitent) rather then be reſerved to thoſe flames which are eaſeleſſe and endleſſe.
Beſides, it is frivolous to ſay they only uſe their tongues. It is not ſo materiall what thou doſt as what thou deſireſt; the very purpoſe of treaſon (though the fact be hindred) is treaſon, not the outward action but the inward affection is all in all with God, who meaſures the work by the will, as men meaſure the will by the work.
CHAP. XXII.
NOw the reaſon why Chriſt takes what is done to his members as if it were done to himſelf; and why he will ſo ſeverely puniſh; 'tis, for that their ſpight and malice is principally againſt God and Chriſt himſelf: For thy ſake (ſaith holy David) are we killed all the day long, and counted as ſheep for the ſlaughter, Pſalm 44.22. True, they are ſo blinde that they think they love God, or at leaſt do not hate him: but Chriſt himſelf ſaith expreſly, They have hated both me and my Father, John 15.23, 24. where he repeats the words twice. Nor will they ſpare when vengeance ſhall ſeize upon them; openly, and expreſly to blaſpheme the God of Heaven to his face, as the holy Ghoſt twice affirmeth, Rev. 16.9, 11. Common eyes may be cheated with eaſie pretences, but he that looks through the heart at the face, knows that the foundation of all their hatred and enmity to us, is their hatred againſt God and Chriſt the chief of the Womans ſeed, even as when Satan ſlew Iobs ſervants, his malice was againſt Job: Or as when Saul darted a ſpear at Jonathan, his ſpight was againſt David, 1 Sam. 20.33. He that loves not the members was never a friend to the head, He that wrongs the wife is no friend to the Huſband: he loves neither that vilifies either; yea, they that hate and revile the godly becauſe they are godly, as theſe do; (for they could love our perſons well enough if we were not conſcionable:) hate and revile God himſelf; and they that fight againſt the grace of the ſpirit, fight againſt the ſpirit, whoſe grace it is: and whatſoever wrong is done to one of Chriſts little ones, is done unto him, Mat. 25.45. Saul, Saul, ſaith Chriſt, ſeeing him make havock of the Church, why perſecuteſt thou me: Acts 9.4, 5. It is an idle miſpriſion to ſever the ſence of an injury done to any of the members from the head, ſee Rev. 12. It contents the dog to gnaw the ſtone, when he cannot reach the thrower. It was well-pleaſing to Saul, ſince he could not catch David, that he might have the bloud of Ahimelech, who uſed him ſo friendly, and releeved him in his great diſtreſſe, 1 Sam. 21. So though theſe men cannot wreak their malice upon God, he being out of their power and reach: yet that they may do him all the miſchief they can, have at his Image; they will wreak it upon his children in whom his ſpirit dwells. As the Panther will fiercely aſſault the picture, for the inveterate and deadly hatred which he beareth to man. It being as true of malice as it is of love; that it will creep where it cannot go. And ſo much for the clearing of your judgement: I come now to the uſe and application of the whole. And,