A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

Now the means to remove the former impediments, are manifold. The first is, to consider, that it hath always, from the beginning of the world, been the lot of Gods children, to be persecuted of the wicked; in which regard it is unto us a notable and comfortable evidence, that we love God, and are beloved of him, when the wicked world maligneth and pursueth us with all rage and cruelty, for righteousness sake. For thus Cain persecuted Abel, because his service was accepted of God. Thus Pharaoh and the Egyptians raged against the Israelites, when they did but make mention of going into the Wilderness to offer sacrifice. Thus the wicked Kings, and more wicked Priests, persecuted Gods true Prophets; the Scribes and Pharisees, the Apostles of Jesus Christ; the idolatrous Emperors, the Christians of the Primitive Church; and the limbs of Antichrist, the holy Martyrs, because they professed Gods true Religion, and brought forth the fruits of it in their holy practice. More particularly, David often professeth, that he was maligned by his wicked enemies without cause, only because he did that which was good, and sought in all his courses to be approved of God. And the Apostle Paul in many ¹words setteth down the grievous persecutions which he often suffered at their hands, who were enemies to Gods truth. But as these holy Saints of God were not by all these persecutions discouraged in their course of godliness; but the more boisterously the storms of malicious rage blowed against them, the more firmly and constantly they held the cloak of their Christian profession and holy practice; according to that of David; Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from