Scandatosu profeffors hurt Religion. 597 makes profellion ofReligion, and gives jufl occafion of revi- ling, he doth more hurt to Religion then all the Revilers of the world ; and there is this realer: for it, Perfecutors doe but make men afraid to profeffe Religion,they doe not make them to be out of love with Religion, but thofe that walke fcanda- lòully they prevaile upon m:ns confciences,fo as to make men háte religion. Now is not this a greater mischief,; fo: to mike Men hare it, then to. make men afraid to profetfe ir, therefore looke to your felves, that if men (peak any evill of you, that they may fpeak it falfely, but if they fpeak it on jufl occafion, then you cannot make your meane to.God you are cut off from that priviledge, but being reviled falfely, then you can enjoy that priviledge ; as you may read in the i 5 Chap. of Jeremiah. It is the priviledge of the Saints, that when any men fpeak e- vill of them, and their confciences tells them that it is falfely, they can then goe to God. --Then when they fjieakevill of you falfely for my fare . Be not otfen(ive unto others in any matters that concerne man and man, if you fuller do nor fuffer as evill doers, but ful£er for the fake of Chrift, fuffer in the matter of God. As it is faid in the 6 Chap. of Daniet 5 verfe, Then faid theft men, we fhall not find any occafion againf this Daniel, ex- cept we find it againft him concerning the Law of his God. Their. confciences were convinced, that in all matters between ,man and man, there was nothing to doe with him ; but let us watch . him between the matters of the Lord his God : the Lord de- liver us from fuch kind of fpirits ; fo to :ig as Chriflians walke fo that let the world prie , and in all their converfe between man and man they can find no fault, onely in the matters of the Lord their God, onely for Chrifls caufe , and the matters of. the Gofpe!. Yo't fhall have many fly of their neighbour, the neighbour that lives by me he is an hon_fl neighbour as any can live by me, but he is thus and thus, and hath.taken up fuch an opinion, and is aria in the matters of God; and fo of fer- vants and wife, bleffed are ye when all that.prie into your. wayes And lives, have nothing elfe in it,all t 'you fuffer it is for the fake of the Lord your God. Certai;'if'fo be you (hall fuffer only for his fake, then it`muft be let on his fco -,
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