The second reason whereby the formal hypocrite is moved to think his state to be good, and the way of his life to be right, is a prejudice which he conceives from the imputations which the world layeth upon the children of God: such as are Pride, Hypocrisy, Singularity, Melancholy, ⟨p. 41⟩Simplicity and the like. But before I descend to these particulars, give me leave to propose unto you the fountain and ground of them, which I take to be, that great and eternal▪ opposition which is naturally betwixt light and darkness, the life of grace, and a death in sin, sincerity and profaneness, the children of God and the wicked. Gods children, you know, in this world live as sheep amongst wolves. In the stormy times of the Church their persecutors are indeed even wolves in the evening, for their insatiable cruelty and unquenchable thirst in drinking up the blood of the Saints: And in the Halcyon days and fairest times of the Church, yet they have those which will be pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides. If they cannot vex them in a higher degree, yet they will be sure to lay on load with base indignities, disgraces, slanders and lying imputations. And their hatred is of that strange nature and quality, that it is discharged even against the goodness of the godly, their zeal, their forwardness in religion, their faithfulness in their calling and the like, as against it proper object.1 This is plain in Jeremiah: Jeremiah neither borrowed on usury, nor lent on usury, he was free from all colour of giving offence or doing wrong: Nay, his gracious heart was so wholly melted in compassion, that he wished that his head were full of water, and his eyes a fountain of tears, that he might weep day and night for the destructions of his people. And yet of that people every one contended against him, there was not a man but he cursed him. The only reason was, because whatsoever the Lord said, that he faithfully spoke, and kept nothing back, but showed them all the counsel of God. It is yet more plain in David, Psal. 38.20. They also that reward evil for Good, are mine adversaries, because I follow goodness. The word there in the original insinuateth such an extreme and deadly hatred,2 that from thence comes the devils name, Satan.
The second reason whereby the formall hypocrite is moued to thinke his state to be good, and the way of his life to be right, is a preiudice which he conceiues from the imputations which the world layeth vpon the children of God: such as are Pride, Hypocrisie, Singularity, Melancholie, ⟨p. 41⟩Simplicitie and the like. But before I descend to these particulars, giue me leaue to propose vnto you the fountaine and ground of them, which I take to bee, that great and eternall▪ opposition which is naturally betwixt light and darkenesse, the life of grace, and a death in sinne, sincerity and prophanenesse, the children of God and the wicked. Gods children, you know, in this world liue as sheepe amongst wolues. In the stormie times of the Church their persecutors are indeed euen wolues in the euening, for their insatiable crueltie and vnquenchable thirst in drinking vp the blood of the Saints: And in the Halcyon daies and fairest times of the Church, yet they haue those which will bee pricks in their eyes, and thornes in their sides. If they cannot vexe them in a higher degree, yet they will bee sure to lay on loade with base indignities, disgraces, slanders and lying imputations. And their hatred is of that strange nature and quality, that it is discharged euen against the goodnesse of the godly, their zeale, their forwardnesse in religion, their faithfulnesse in their calling and the like, as against it proper obiect.1 This is plaine in Ieremie: Ieremie neither borrowed on vsurie, nor lent on vsurie, hee was free from all colour of giuing offence or doing wrong: Nay, his gratious heart was so wholly melted in compassion, that he wished that his head were full of water, and his eyes a fountaine of teares, that he might weepe day and night for the destructions of his people. And yet of that people euery one contended against him, there was not a man but hee cursed him. The onely reason was, because whatsoeuer the Lord said, that he faithfully spoke, and kept nothing backe, but shewed them all the counsell of God. It is yet more plaine in Dauid, Psal. 38.20. They also that reward euill for Good, are mine aduersaries, because I follow goodnesse. The word there in the originall insinuateth such an extreme and deadly hatred,2 that from thence comes the diuels name, Satan.
- 1Chap. 15.10.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉
