If any ask how this fight should grow: I answer: First, it is manifest the devil is the enemy of all goodness, and will cross the Gospel what he can: Besides, the flesh both in Ministers and people will lust and strive against the spirit; a Minister should have something to do to beat down his own fleshf. And in the Apostles times Tyrants with their civill or rather uncivil sword did fight against the truth: so did heretics with the tares and poison of their infectious doctrine: so did the Infidels also with slanders and outrages. And though these cease, yet opposition will rise from other sorts of men: for in general all men of wicked life will be contrary to sound doctrineg; and particularly both worldlings and epicures do in all places discover their dislike of the faithful and diligent preaching of the Gospel, in as much as the word would restrain the excess of their pleasures and cares of life; yea the civill honest men of the world, though they give heaven good words, and can be long more quiet then the former, yet let once their inward corruption be ransacked, or their special evils powerfully unmasked, they will become like horses and mules, they will strike at all that crosseth the praise of their quiet estate. And for temporizers, it is wonderful evident, that in all places they hold it a point of their care, to see that sound preaching be disgraced. For howsoever by Gods singular mercy amongst us in this Nation, by the laws of the Kingdom, preaching is both established and protected with honour, yet because in practise people of all degrees tend to liberty, and many great ones like not that preaching that should discover or restrain the grievous excesses of the time: hence it is that such as serve the humours of men, and run in the current or profaneness, do every where take all advantages to disgrace painful and godly Preachers and preaching. Besides, such is the hellish spite and rage of Papists and popish persons in all places, that in imitation of their ⟨p. 3⟩holy father, who is noted to oppose and exalt himselfh, they, especially the locusts among them are as horses prepared to the battlei, as soon as the Gospel begins in any place to be sincerely taught.
If any aske how this fight should grow: I answer: First, it is manifest the deuill is the enemie of all goodnesse, and will crosse the Gospell what he can: Besides, the flesh both in Ministers and people will lust and striue against the spirit; a Minister should haue something to doe to beate downe his owne fleshf. And in the Apostles times Tyrants with their ciuill or rather vnciuill sword did fight against the truth: so did heretickes with the tares and poison of their infectious doctrine: so did the Infidels also with slanders and outrages. And though these cease, yet opposition will rise from other sorts of men: for in generall all men of wicked life will be contrarie to sound doctrineg; and particularly both worldlings and epicures doe in all places discouer their dislike of the faithfull and diligent preaching of the Gospell, in as much as the word would restraine the excesse of their pleasures and cares of life; yea the ciuill honest men of the world, though they giue heauen good words, and can be long more quiet then the former, yet let once their inward corruption bee ransacked, or their speciall euils powerfully vnmasked, they will become like horses and mules, they wil strike at all that crosseth the praise of their quiet estate. And for temporizers, it is wonderfull euident, that in all places they hold it a point of their care, to se that sound preaching be disgraced. For howsoeuer by Gods singular mercie amongst vs in this Nation, by the lawes of the Kingdome, preaching is both established and protected with honour, yet because in practise people of all degrees tend to libertie, and many greate ones like not that preaching that should discouer or restraine the greeuous excesses of the time: hence it is that such as serue the humours of men, and run in the current or prophanenesse, doe euery where take all aduantages to disgrace painfull and godly Preachers and preaching. Besides, such is the hellish spight and rage of Papists and popish persons in all places, that in imitation of their ⟨p. 3⟩holy father, who is noted to oppose and exalt himselfeh, they, especially the locusts among them are as horses prepared to the battlei, as soone as the Gospell begins in any place to be sincerely taught.
- f1 Cor. 9.27.
- g1 Tim. 1.10.
- h2 Thess. 2.4.
- iRevel. 9.Reuel. 9.
