Chapter 5: The Reasons of the afflicted estate of God's people, from the malice of the Devil and wicked men

BUt what are the reasons why it must needs be, that the estate of Gods people must be an afflicted estate?

First, as long as there is a Devil in the world it must needs be; he in his instruments is that red Dragon, red with fury and rage; he is that old Serpent, full of poyson and deadly malice. Pliny speaks of the Scorpion, that there is not one minute, in which it does not put forth the sting, as being unwilling to lose any opportunity of doing mischief. He is called Satan, an adversary, the destroyer, roaring Lyon, he infinitely hates God, and sins that sin, that is the sin against the holy Ghost, every moment: he hates the holiness of God, and the glory of God, (which especially shines in his Saints) with deadly hatred: he is cast out himself, and therefore envies and vexes at the Salvation of any: as one that had committed the sin against the holy Ghost said, he wished that his wife, and children, and all the world might be damned together with him: hence he is resolved, that if any be saved, it shall be with as great difficulty as he can procure.

Secondly, the poyson of this old Serpent, ungodly men have sucked up, they swell with it, and by it are enraged against godliness. It is reported of Tygers, that they enter into a rage upon the scent of fragrant spices; so do ungodly men at the blessed savor of godliness. I have read of some barbarous Nations, who when the Sun shines hot upon them, they shoot up their arrows against it; so do wicked men at the light and heat of godliness. There is a natural antipathy between the spirits of godly men, and the wicked; Gen. 3:15 I will put enmity between your seed, and her seed; Prov. 29:27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just, and he that is upright in the way, is an abomination to the wicked. Now the contrariety of antipathy is:

First, deep rooted, in the very natures of the things: a contrariety of act is not so much, as a contrariety of nature; two sheep may oppose one another, but there is not that opposition between them, as between a wolf and a sheep.

Secondly, it is an active opposition, that will presently stir at the first appearance; the wicked will presently discern a godly man, and their hearts do quickly rise up against him.

Thirdly, it is a strong vehement opposition.

For first, it breaks all bonds of nature, the bond between father and childe, between brother and brother; and all bonds of love and kindeness: we have a remarkable example for this, Numb. 22. 3, 4. Moab was irked because of Israel, or did fret and vex, so the words; the same with that, Exod. 1:12 There was no cause for the Moabites thus to fret, they were allyed to Israel, for Moab was of Lot, to whom Abraham was Uncle: Israel passed by them in peace, and by the slaughter of the Amorites they had freed them from evil Neighbors, which had before taken away part of their Land, and were likely in time to take away more; yet being of a different Religion, malice breaks all these bonds. The like ver. 4. of the Midianites, who came of Abraham, Gen. 25. 1, 2. The Israelites had freed them from Sihons yoak, and yet they conspire against them, and seek their ruine.

Secondly, it is mighty bitter where it is: Psalm 7:13 it is said, that God has ordained his arrows against the persecutors; the word signifies, such as burn in danger and malice against the godly; and the word translated ordained, signifies God has wrought his arrows: he does not shoot them at random, but he works them against the wicked. Illiricus has a story, which may be a Commentary upon this Text, in both the parts of it. One Felix Earl of Wartenburg, one of the Captains of the Emperor Charls the fifth, swore in the presence of divers at supper, that before he dyed, he would ride up to the spurs in the blood of the Lutherans; here was one that burnt in malice, but behold how God works his arrows against him: that very night the hand of God so struck him, that he was strangled and choaked in his own blood; so he rode not, but bathed himself, not up to the spurs, but up to the throat, not in the blood of the Lutherans, but in his own blood before he dyed. Saint Paul, Acts 26:11 says of himself before his conversion, that he was exceeding mad against the Saints of God; this bitter malice that is in the hearts of wicked men, against the godly, puts them upon ways of opposition against all reason and common sence. After John Huss was burnt, his adversaries got his heart, which was left untouched by the fire, and beat it with their staves. St. Paul in 2 Thess. 3:2 desires the brethren to pray, That they might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; the word is, absurdmen. The malice of wicked mens hearts against the godly, makes them break all bounds of humanity, and go against Laws or any thing, in way of opposition against the servants of God. In the History of the persecution of the Merindolians, we read of the Bishop of Aix, being full of rage against them, when the President Cassaneus would have allayed it a little, telling him that the arrest of Merindol was not definitive, and that the Laws and Statutes of the Realm did not permit the execution thereof without further process; then said the Bishop, If there be either Law or Statute that do hinder or let you, we carry in our sleeves to dispense therewithal: the President answered, It were a great sin to shed innocent blood; then said the Bishop, The blood of them of Merindol be upon us, and upon our successors; then said the President, I am very well assured, that if the arrest of Merindol be put in execution, the King will not be well pleased to have such destruction made of his Subjects: the Bishop answered, Although the King at the first do think it evil done, we will so bring it to pass, that within a short space, he shall think it well enough, for we have the Cardinals on our side, and especially the most reverend Cardinal of Tournon. We read likewise of the unreasonableness of the malice of wicked men against Gods servants, in the History of the Waldenses: they petitioning, that seeing it was permitted to the Turks, Saracens, and Jews, (who are mortal enemies to Christ) to dwell peaceably in the fairest Cities of Christendom, that pity and compassion might be showed to them, who have their whole Religion founded upon the Gospel, and worshipping the Lord Jesus; and that they might be suffered to live quietly in desolate Mountains, and desarts, and valleys, protesting that they would live in all fear and reverence of God, with all due subjection and obedience to their Lord and Prince, and to his Lieutenants and Officers; and yet this Petition could not be granted. We read likewise, that when that worthy Servant of God, John Frith, who was a learned and godly Minister, was burnt at the stake, together with one Andrew Hewet; that one Doctor Cook a Parson in London, openly admonished all the people, that they should in no wise pray for them, no more then they would for a dog. O what bitterness and rage is there in the hearts of wicked men, against Gods servants! No marvel then, seeing they live amongst them, they suffer so much affliction as they do. The Lord tells Ezekiel, that he lived amongst bryars and thorns, and that he dwelt amongst scorpions. Thus all Gods people, living with the men of the world, may be said to live amongst bryars and thorns, and to dwell amongst Scorpions; no marvel then though they be so torn and stung as they are; some have only snarling, wrangling, railing spirits, and there is all they can do; the worst is but to prick and tear the flesh, as a bryar and thorn; but others are scorpions, able to do a great deal more mischief.

Fourthly, this opposition of wicked men against the godly, is an universal opposition.

As first, opposing all that do belong unto the ways of godliness: as Luke 9:53 it is said of the Samaritans, that they would not receive Christ, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem; their hearts were against any inclination, against any thing that tended that way.

Secondly, if they can have advantage against any one, who makes any show of Religion, they let flye against all, they rage against all, as Haman against the whole people of the Jews, when he was provoked against Mordecai.

Yea thirdly, they even hate their children after them, they shall fare something the worse for the forwardness of their Parents.

Fifthly, it is a secret opposition, for so Antipathies are, there can be no reason given for it, but as he said, This only can I say, I do not love you, but I cannot say therefore: they are convinced that they are better then themselves, in their most serious thoughts, they wish to dye their death, to be in their condition, and yet their hearts do rise against them: as they were wont to say of Caius Seius, he was a good man, but he was a Christian. But it may be said, there is a reason for our opposition, we do not oppose them for their goodness, but because they oppose Laws, and we would see the Laws to be obeyed; we do not oppose them for their godliness, but for their hypocrisie. For answer, the Devil never opposed Religion, but under some color. Pharaoh cryes out of the people of Israel that they were idle. Haman says, that it was not for the Kings profit to suffer the Jews. Tobiah and Sanballat cryes out of them, that they were enemies to Kings and Government. Saint Paul was accused of sedition. But surely it is not for the execution of Laws, that mens hearts do so rise against such as are forward in the ways of Religion, for in other things they count men too busie, when they seek the execution of Law. It was Tertullians appology in the behalf of the Christians against the Gentiles, who objected the same thing against them; O says he, there are other Laws more for the good of the Commonwealth, that you do not execute; as he instanceth in Laws that were made to restrain men from sumptuousness in feastings, and in apparel, and housholdstuff, and in their excessive costs about their Shows and Games, yea, and many ancient Laws about Religion they regarded not. And as for that plea of hypocrisie, take this one evidence, that it is not that which is opposed, but Religion it self: if it were hypocrisie that were opposed, then the better they did grow when they were in their most serious moods, the more they would oppose it; for that which is evil must needs be so much the more opposed, by how much the more any grows better; but it is apparent, that howsoever men in the heat of their pride and lusts, set themselves against the servants of God, under that name of hypocrisie, by which they blinde their own consciences; yet when at any time they are in any serious mood, and their hearts grow into any better disposition, then they are not so set against them as before; whereas if it were evil that they hate them for upon their sick beds, and death-beds, they would hate them most of all; but we know it is not so.

Sixthly and lastly, the opposition that comes from Antipathy, is an irreconcileable opposition; it may be curbed and restrained a little, and for a time, but reconciliation can never be made, except one of the natures be changed; no arguments, no persuasions, no means can do any good here, it is only change of nature that can help. Now then seeing that there is such an antipathy between the people of God, and the men of the world, with whom they live, how is it possible but that while they live with them, they must needs be afflicted by them?