.Againft PeifectUion. which in thcrnftlves are tollerable. If any would Preach agiinft rhe Articles of rhc Creed, the Pt.titiom at the Lords Pr<~yc:r, or any of the Ten Commandments, he is not to be futf..:rc:d ; And if at;y that is Onhodox do in their fc:puared meetings, m'lke ic their' bufinefs to revile at others and detlroy mens Charity, or to fiir men up to rebellion or fcdition or contempt of M<~.gitlro.cy ~ none of this fh\1uld be endured. §. 62. A<Ior thole Libertines that qnde~ the name of Liberty of Confcience do plead for a li– berty of lU.ch virious praa:ices, and in ·order thereto ·would prove that the M Jgifln.te hath no~ thing to do in matcers of Religion, I have Preached and wrote fo much againH them, whilc:H that Errour raigned, and I find it fa unfeafoqaQle, now the confiitution of things looks anothn way, that 1 will not weary my fdf and the Reader wirh fo unneceff.uy a task as ro confure them. Only I A-l<~ll fay, that Rom. 13• tcl~eth us that Rulers are a terrour to them that do evil : and that Hcreticks and turbulent hrtbrands do evil : therefore Rulers lhould be a tcrrour to them: And that if all things are to he done ro the Glory of God, and his interd\ is to be fet highefi in the world, then M<~gifiratcs and ?overnmem are for the f:..me end : And if no action which we do is of fo bafe a nature, as ulumately to be terminated in the concernrnenrs o£ the f1. 1 {h, much lefs is Government fovile a thing, when Rulers .are in Scripture called Gods, as being rhe Officers of God. . §· 63· Dir.ect. 40. Remember De~tb, and live. together as m.m tb.Jt are n~er dJ:in~, and. muft live Direct. 40• togetbtr in another world. The foohlh expeCbtton of profpenty and long hfc, IS Jt whtch fetreth men together by the ears : When Ridley and Hooper were both in Prifon, and preparing for the flames their contentions were foon ended, and Ridlty repented of his perfecuring W4f• If the perfec~tors and peifccutcd wer~ thu~ up together in one houfe that bath th~ Phgue, in the timeof this lamentable Contagtan, n>s two to one but they would be n:concJled. When men fee that they arc going into another World;it takes off the edge of their bitterncfs and violence, and the apprehenfions of the righteous judgement of God, dorh awe them inro a patience and forbearance with ,&ach other : Can you perfecure tlut man on Earth, wirh whom you look to dwell in Heaven ? ( Bur to rcfirain a man from damning fouls, by Herdie or turbu1encie or any fuch courCe, m,y Confcience would not forbid it me if 1 were dying.) §• 6 4 . Dina. 4•· L'et the Prtmd themfeJves who will regard no higher motives, r~memb~r how DireC!o 4 I• f..Jme and Hiftory will rcprcfcnt them to pofierity when they arc dead. 'Fhere is no man that defiteth his name {hould Hink and be odious to future Generations : T here is nothing that an ' ambitious man defireth more, than a great furviving name. And will you knowingly and wilfully then expofe it, to perpetua! contempt and hatred ? Read over what Hittory you pleafe, and find out the name of one Perf(cutor if you can, that is not now a word of ignominy, and doth not rort, as God harh threatened ? If you fay, that it is only in the tfieem of fuch as I, or the perfccuted puty ; neither your opinion {hall be judge nor mine ; but the opinion and language of Hillorians, and of the wi{ett men, who are ,the rv.all_crs of fame. Certainly that report of HolY Scripture and Hrfiory which hath prev..ilcd ~ ~ will fi.ill prevail : And white there are Wife, and Good, and Merciful men in the World, the N 4mes and M.~..nners of the FooliCh, and WiCked, and Cruel will be odious ; as they c(mrinuc at this day. ~- 65. I have wrote thcfo Directions to difcharge my duty, for thofe that are willing ro cfcap' the guilt of fo dtfperate a lin : But not with any expcaation at all, that it (hould do much good with any confiderable number of perftcutors ; For they will not read fuch {hings as thefc: ; And God fddom givcth profcffed Chrifiians <WCr to this fin, till they have very grievoufly blinded their minds, and hardened their hearts, and by mangni~y and obftinacy are prepared fOr his 2 Tim. ~· tr,. forcfi judgements : And I know that whoever wiU Jive Godly in Chrijt Jefus (le is not faid, • r 2 • whoprofrffitb to believe in Cbrijt JefjH; but to Jive Godly ) Jh~U fuffer perflcution, ~nd thlt ti}C t~~.i~:~~',;;: Crofs mufi ftill be the palf•ge to the Crown. Lllllll2 CHAP.
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