N00255:44
A sermon wherein is showed that the church of God is sometimes a subject…A sermon wherein is shewed that the church of God is sometimes a subject…
A sermon wherein is showed that the church of God is sometimes a subject of great persecution; preached on a public fast at Boston in New-England: occasioned by the tidings of a great persecution raised against the Protestants in France. / By Increase Mather, teacher to a church of Christ. ; [Eight lines of quotations]A sermon wherein is shewed that the church of God is sometimes a subject of great persecution; preached on a publick fast at Boston in New-England: occasioned by the tidings of a great persecution raised against the Protestants in France. / By Increase Mather, teacher to a church of Christ. ; [Eight lines of quotations]
printed for Samuel Sewall, 1682
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. There is the persecution of the Heart: when men do secretly hate the Image of God in His servants; and therefore malign them, and wish evil to them: It is said, Ps. 129. 5. Let them all be confounded, & turned back, that Hate Zion. Here persecution begins: There is an Hatred of Zion, which is no better than persecution. Joseph was persecuted by his Brethren, when they Hated him for his godliness, Gen. 37. 2, 4: Micajah was persecuted by Ahab; when he said, I Hate him, 1 K. 22. 8. And thus, the Lords people are always the subjects of great persecution: being much hated in the world, because they cannot comply with the evil manners of it. The world hateth you, Joh. 15. 18, 19. And, Ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake, Luc. 21. 17. Says our Lord Jesus to His Disciples. & This Now is persecution, yea, bloody persecution in the sight of God: For, whosoever Hateth his Brother, is a Murderer, 1 Joh. 3. 15. If the Lord did not wonderfully restrain them, the wicked would serve the godly, as Cain did Abel. Inasmuch as they hate them, they would destroy them: For hatred doth not rest, but in the destruction of the thing hated.
1. There is the persecution of the Heart: when men do secretly hate the Image of God in His servants; and therefore malign them, and wish evil to them: It is said, Ps. 129. 5. Let them all be confounded, & turned back, that Hate Zion. Here persecution begins: There is an Hatred of Zion, which is no better than persecution. Joseph was persecuted by his Brethren, when they Hated him for his godliness, Gen. 37. 2, 4: Micajah was persecuted by Ahab; when he said, I Hate him, 1 K. 22. 8. And thus, the Lords people are alwayes the subjects of great persecution: being much hated in the world, because they cannot comply with the evil manners of it. The world hateth you,