Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

Indeed it is the best and strongest Christians that have most of the hatred both of the Unbelieving and the Hypocritical world. And for my own part I must confess, that the very observation of the universal implacable enmity, which is undeniably seen throughout the world, between the woman's and the serpents seed (being such as is not found among any other sorts of men on other occasions) doth not a little confirm my belief of the holy ⟨p. 174⟩Scriptures, and seemeth to be an argument not well to be answered by any enemy of the Christian cause. That it should begin between the two first Brothers that ever were born into the world, and stop in nothing lower than shedding the righteous blood of Abel for no other cause, but because the works of Cain were evil, and his Brothers righteous, 1 Joh. 3.12, 13. And that it should go down to the Prophets, and Christ, and the Apostles, and Primitive Saints, and continue to this day throughout the earth: and that the profession of the same Religion doth not alter it, but rather enrage the enmity of Hypocrites against all that are serious and sincere in the Religion which they themselves profess: These are things that no good account can be given of, save only from the predictions and verities of the word of God.

Indeed it is the best and strongest Christians that have most of the hatred both of the Vnbelieving and the Hypocritical world. And for my own part I must confess, that the very observation of the universal implacable enmity, which is undeniably seen throughout the world, between the womans and the serpents seed (being such as is not found among any other sorts of men on other occasions) doth not a little confirm my belief of the holy ⟨p. 174⟩Scriptures, and seemeth to be an argument not well to be answered by any enemy of the Christian cause. That it should begin between the two first Brothers that ever were born into the world, and stop in nothing lower than shedding the righteous blood of Abel for no other cause, but because the works of Cain were evil, and his Brothers righteous, 1 Joh. 3.12, 13. And that it should go down to the Prophets, and Christ, and the Apostles, and Primitive Saints, and continue to this day throughout the earth: and that the profession of the same Religion doth not alter it, but rather enrage the enmity of Hypocrites against all that are serious and sincere in the Religion which they themselves profess: These are things that no good account can be given of, save only from the predictions and verities of the word of God.