Chap. r g. tiro expofttion upon the Book of j o B. Verf. 28. To perfecute him that walketh in holínes, or holds the truth, is to perfecuteChrift himfelfe,who is The HolyOne and The true. Perfecution oppofeth him whom all fhould adore, even Jefus Chrift. Saul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou me ?'Chrift was perfecu- ted in perfonwhile he was onearth and he is perfecuted in his members and fervants now he is inheaven. As to fufferperfe- cution for righteoufnitife fake, is one of the higheft acts of grace : fo to perfecute the righteous, is oneofthe higheft as of wickednes, Peeing this oppofeth not onely the Saints, but him, who is infinitely better and more excellent then all the Saints, TheApoftle ( Rom. i. 3z. ) dlcribing the extreame finfull- nes of the Gentiles, gives it thus ; They /mowing the judgement of God, that they that commit fuch things are worthy ofdeath,not one- ly, doe thefame, but have pleasure in them that doe it. He. makes it the blackeft part of their finfulnes that they had pleafure in thofe that did evil'. On the other fide, we may fay it is the blackeft part of fin to oppofe thofe that doe good : not onely not to have pleafure in them that doe good, but to be vexedat and vexe them that doe it , is the fulleft difcovery of an evill heart. Moft wicked men take pleafure inthofe that doe wicked- ly, but theyare moil wicked who refill thole that doe good. As to love truth and goodnes is better then to know them , fo to hate truth or goodnes is farre worfe, then to be ignorant of or to negleet them. Sixtly, ?obs friends thought they were upon their dutie e or that they were employed in a great fervice for God , while theydealt thus rigidly with this diftreffed man. Hence note; Some perfecute others, sndyet thinke they doe God andmangood fervice. There are two forts of perfecutors. Firít Such as oppofe Confcience , or pe fecute others for their Confcience fake. Secondly , Such as perfecute others for their owne Confcience fake, they doe (in their owne opinion) confcientioufly ; they thinke that a dutie which upon tryall will be found their finne. They doe not perfecute, as the blondie Heathens did, to fatif- fie their xruell lulls , or as forne blondie Chriftians (in name) G g g have 409
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