Ver,14. the 17th Chapter of St. J OH N:, 199 infamous for other Crimes, Atheilts, Whoremongers, and Pot-companions; thefe have the greateft pike againft them, becaufe they cannot endure the brightnefs Of God's Image in them. . 2. Becaufe the belt of Men, who have the leaft alloy of Corruptions, and are aloft eminent for aria and exemplary Converfation, are molt hated and maligned. PO. 64. 5. They flsoot their Arrows at the Perfef1. a Tim, 3: r 2.. 411 that will live godly in Chrifi 7efus, muff fear Perfecution. Morality doth not exafperate; it lhineth with a faint Beam,and is not fo troublefom to the fore Eyes Of the World ; and they that have but theFornì and outward Skin of Godlinefs,efcape better than they that have the Life and Power of it ; A Wolf doth not worry a painted Sheep. But when any are Holy indeed, and of a ftri& Innoeency, they are hated, and contradiaed, and fpoken againft. 3. Becaufe when Religion is accompanied with other things, that a Man would think Ihould affwage Malice, and allay the heat and ragé of Men againft them, yet it ef$ap- eth not. As for inflance ; Godly meek Men, that are guilty of nothing but worlhip- ping God in fincerity, and delring to go tò Heaven with all their Hearts, are perfecu- ted. If this hatred did only light upon bufy Intermedlers, that did trouble Mens Lulls and Interefts, it were another matter. Oditur in hominibus innocuer nomen tnnocuunt. The Primitive Chriflians were quiet and harmlefs, their Weapons were Prayers and Tears ; and they prayed for the Health of their Emperors, tho they could not drink their Healths. Cajus Seim Mr bonus; nits quad Chriffianua yet he was hated for being a Chriftian. jphn, the Difeiple of Love, was banifhed into Patmos. Mofes, the meekeft upon Earth, had thole that fpoke againft him. Chryii om obferveth of thofe Holy Men, Heb. i a. 38. They wandred about in Deferts, and Mountains, and Caves, and Dens of the Earth, O Mà u;, bee Swss Ëcpeuryov, they would not allow them the recels and retirement of a Cave, or Den, and obfcure Grot, where they were far enough front troubling the World ; but they were hunted up and down like.a. Partridg upon the Mountains; and they were driven out of their obfcure Refuges, where they defired to worship God in filence. Tho there are many Excellencies which are wont to de- ferve refpe&, as Nobility of Birth : There were many noble Martyrs-i Ifaiah of the Blood Royal, yet fäwed afunder, as they report : Eloquence and Learning; The Men of Ly(fra called Paul, Mercurius, Ads 14. 52. the God of Eloquence, yet ftoned him, Verf. rg. Philofophy, and other Learning, as Min that is called Martyr, a learned Man, and yet (uttered. Meer Chriflianity and Gannets, is the Mark and Butt of Spight and Rage. 4. It appeareth by their invention of Lies, and ridiculous Crimes, to palliate their Hatred ; as again(] the Primitive Chriflians, their worfhipping of an Affes Head, their drinking the Blood of a Child in their Meetings. Thefe are a teftìmony to their Con - fciences, that they could find nothing againft them, but in the matter of their God, Dan. 6. 5. They have no real matter againft them, and therefore feign and fuppofe theta Crimes to juftify their Oppofition ; for they devife Crimes, becaufe they find none. 5. Becaufe if a Man be Stria and Confcientious, Mortified; fober of Life and Beha- viour, the World is apt to judg him one of fuch an hated Party. As ifany named the Name of God with reverence, they fufpeded them for Hereticks, if they laid, if the Lord mill. And we read in the Story of the French Martyrs, when Sanpanlius repro- ved a Man for Swearing, he was prefently fufpeaed to be a Hugonot, and fo condem- ned. As if it were laid, in the Language of the Damfel to Peter, Than art one of them, for thy Speech bewrayeth thee. If any were humble, mortified, ferious, the World fu- fpe teth them. 6. The Confciences of Wicked Men are as a thoufand Witneffes. Non amo to Sa, bedi, &c. Ask Confcience, what is the matter they cannot look upon them without fear and Ihame ? Their Heart rifeth againft them, and what is the Reafon ? All regular Affections may be juftified, the Caule is bad, and Men are loth to render it. 7. It appears by the Joy that Wicked Men take, when they have any thing offered to jufl:ify their Oppofition 5 as fuppofe, by the Scandals of any that profefs the Ways of God ; as the Heathens took an advantage, from the impurity of the Grofficks, tà defame all Chriftians. Regular Zeal is accompanied with Compaffion, and flyeth not from the Perlons to the Caule, from the Faulty to the Innocent, to the whole Gene- ration of the Juft. It is Hatred, 7re5s 'tai ysys, as Haman thought fcorn to lay hands upon Mordecai alone, but fought to root dltt the whole Seed of the yews, Either 3.6. SERM,
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