CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

We have handled the danger of being in this world, as it is tempting and seducing to sin.

We have handled the danger of being in this world, as it is tempting and seducing to sinne.

Now let us consider it as it is an hating and opposing world of those that fear God, as it is an Egypt; Before we handled it as it was a Sodom; We considered the honey of it, now the sting; The world fawning, now the world fighting; As it was a glistering Serpent, now as a roaring Lyon; So that the Subject we intend to pursue is, That the Godly are in this world as Daniel thrown amongst Lyons, as Sheep among Wolves; As the Disciples in the Ship, that were tossed up and down ready to sink every moment; This is so sore a Temptation that our Saviour doth often forewarn them of it, that they may be forearmed, Joh. 15.18, 19. There he foretells their Portion to be hated of the world: Hatred is the highest degree of a mans enmity, it's circa speciem, not individua; It's not enough to destroy one Disciple, one Godly man,¹ but they would raze the whole kind out of the Earth; Expect no mercy from any wicked man, he hateth thee; and did not God restrain him, he would utterly undo thee; That every godly man is not devoured by the wicked is as great a Miracle as that the waters should stand still and not overflow the Israelites; It's not for want of malice and a will, only God who chained up the devil their Master, that he could not hurt Job any further then he was permitted, doth also confine his Children and Instruments; Our Saviour gives the reason why they will hate them, for it might seem strange why the Godly should be so opposed, they wrong none, they defraud none, they injure none; Oh but saith our Saviour, You are none of the worlds, you are not of them; Would you drink, swear, run into the same excess as they do, then it ⟨p. 284⟩would love you and embrace you, Likewise