4lò (lOEp.19. ei4n £xpofitieeen upon the Tooluf J o B. Verf. done and doe, oppofing the truth againft their light ; But they doe is according co their light. There are very few but as they perfecute the Conlcien_ces ofothers, fo they perfecute upon the did-ace of their owne Confcience; and thinke they have done a worke acceptable to God, while they thus rejeet and re- probate their Brethren ; yea, they glorie in it and put it among their molt meritorious ads, as having'dcfigned the glorie of God, and being carried on with zeale ( fuch as it is ) for his glo- ry. Thefe are defcribcd.by the Prophet ( Ifa.66. 5, ) Tourbre- threw that caf%you outfor my Namefake, (as there aremany per- fecuting enemies, fo there are fome brethren perfecuters) Your brethren that calf j4, ,,etfor my Namefare, Paid ; Let the Lordbe glorified. This was their ayme , they did it to glorifie God : Thus they licked themfelves whole, when they wounded their brethren ; theydid no offence, but fervice. So ( ver. 5o. 7. ) All they that found them have devoured them , and their adverfaries ¡t!, n,e lendnot, bccaufe they have Tinaagainff theLord, the ha- bitation of 7uflice, even the Lord the hope of theirfathers. Chrift is expreffe in this poynt (7oh. 16. 2. ) The time cometh, that avhofoever killeth you will thinke that he lothGodfervice. This was once Pauli cafe (ti zl 26.9.) Iverily thought that Iought to doe many things again fi the Nemeof 7efue, I was bound in confci- ence, I could not fuffer thefe men, and thefewayes in peace, un- lelfe I would breake my owne peace. He fpeakes as if his owne Confcience would have troubled him , unleffe hehad troubled others for that which was, indeed, their confcience. lobs friends were farre enough from owning the name or tide of perfecu- ters , and yet they did the thing, and fpake the words which were very fwords. Many love to perfecute , but all hate to be called perfecuters. As many hate venue and goodnes, who yet are proud to hecalled good and vertuous : So many love, evill ac`,ts, which theydifdaine to be denominated by. fob advifeth his friends, who efteemed themfelves nothing leffe then perfe- euters, to befpeake their owne foules, affd fay, Why perfecute wehim t Seeing the root ofthe matter isfound in me. 74. was affured (it feemes) that the roote ofthe matter was found in him , but itisnot cafie.to finde what this roote ofthe matter
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=