Graphautarkeia, or, The Scriptures sufficiency practically demonstrated wherein whatsoever is contain'd in Scripture, respecting doctrine, worship or manners is reduced to its proper head, weighty cases resolved, truths confirmed, difficult texts illustrated and explained by others more plain.

Secondly, From men, by persecutions of various kinds: Gal. 4. 20.

1st, From men openly wicked: Heathens, Infidels.

Joseph, because he refused to sin with Potiphars wife, was by her means im∣prisoned in Egypt, Gen. 39. 7, 8, 9, to the 21.

When Israel began to increase in Egypt, the king said, Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply: and it come to pass, when there fall out any war, &c. Therefore did they set over them task-masters, to afflict them with their burthens, &c. They made them serve with rigour: and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, &c. ordered the Midwives to kill the male-chil∣dren, Exod. 1. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Afterwards they laid the burthen heavier, allowing them no straw, and yet required the tale of brick, Exod. 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 11.

Pharaoh pursued after Israel, with a great army unto the red-sea, Exod. 14. 7, 8, 9, 10.

The adversaries of Israel and Judah troubled them in their building, and hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose, &c. Afterwards Rehum the Chancellor wrote to the king, &c. The Jews are building the rebellious and bad City, &c. If this City be builded, and the walls set up again, then will not they pay toll, tribute, &c. and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings: now because we have maintenance from the kings palace, it was not meet for us to see the kings dishonour, &c. This City is a rebellious City, and hurt∣ful unto kings, &c. and that they have moved sedition within the same of old, &c. If this City be built; &c. by this means thou shalt have no portions on this side the river, &c. So they hasted to Jerusalem, and by force stayed the work, Ezra 4. 1, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24.

When Sanballat and others heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, &c. they were very wroth, and conspired all of them together to come to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it, &c. Nehem. 4. 2, 3, 7, 8.

When Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence: then was Haman full of wrath, &c. wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, &c. said unto the king, There is a certain people, &c. and their laws are divers from all people, neither keep they the kings laws: therefore it is not for the kings profit to suffer them. Let it please the king that it may be written, that they may be destroyed: and I will pay, &c. The king grants his desire, &c. Esther 3. 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Many say of my soul, There is no help for him in his God. Selah. Psal. 3. 12.

The wicked in pride doth persecute the poor, Psal. 10. 2.

All they who see me, laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, seeing (or, if) he delights in him, Psal. 22. 7, 8.

They devise deceitful matters against them who are quiet in the land, &c.

They have said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen, &c. so would we have it, Psal. 35. 20, 21, 25.

The wicked plotteth (or, practiseth) against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth, &c. The wicked have drawn out their sword, &c. to cast down the poor and needy, to slay such as be of upright conversation, Psal. 37. 12, 14.

They also who seek after my life, lay snares: and they who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long, &c. when my foot slippeth, they magnifie themselves against me, &c. They also who render evil for good, are my adversaries, because I follow that which is good, Psal. 38. 12, 16, 19, 20.

For thy sake are we killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter, Psal. 44. 22.

Have the workers of iniquity no knowledg, who eat up my people as they eat bread? Psal. 53. 4.

Man would swallow me up: he fighting daily oppresseth me: my enemies would daily swallow me up, for they be many who fight against me, &c. every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil, Psal. 56. 1, 2, 5.

The mighty are gathered against me, not for my transgression, nor my sin: O Lord, they run and prepare themselves without my fault, &c. Psal. 59. 3, 4, 7.

The workers of iniquity, who whet their tongues like a sword, &c. bitter words: that they may shoot in secret at the perfect, &c. Psal. 64. 2, 3, 4, 5.

They who hate me without a cause, are more than the hairs of mine head, Psal. 69. 4.

They who hate thee, have lifted up the head: they have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones: They have said, Come, and let us cut them off, &c. Psal. 38. 2, 3, 4, 5.

How long shall the wicked triumph? shall they utter and speak hard things, &c. they break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heri∣tage, &c? Who frame mischief by a law: they gather themselves together a∣gainst the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood, Psal. 94. 3, 4, 5, 20, 21.

We are exceedingly filled with contempt: our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud, Psal. 123. 3, 4.

All that pass by the way, clap their hands at thee: they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the City, &c? we have swal∣lowed up: certainly this is the day we looked for: We have found, &c. Lam. 2. 15, 16.

There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the provinces, &c. These men, O King, have not regarded thee; they serve not thy gods, nor wor∣ship golden-images, &c. and they cast them into the fiery-furnace, Dan. 3. 9, 12, 20, 21.

The Princes and the Presidents sought to find occasion against Daniel, con∣cerning the kingdom; but they could find none, &c. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him in the law of his God, &c. They procure a law, that none should ask of any god or man, but the king, &c. watch Daniel, accuse him, and cast him into the lions den, Dan. 6. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, to the 17.

Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias sake, &c. for John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her, &c. and he sent and beheaded John in the Prison, Matth. 14. 3, 4, 9, 10.

Because you are not of the world, &c. therefore the world hateth you, John 15. 19.

They disputed with Stephen: and they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake: then they stirred up the people, &c. and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the Council, and set up false witnesses, Acts 6. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

Herod the king stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church, and he killed James the brother of John with the sword: and because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take Peter, and imprison him, &c. Acts 12. 1, 2, 3, 4.

They caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market-place unto the rulers, and brought them to the Magistrates, saying, These men being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our City, and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans, &c. they beat them, put them into prison, Acts 16. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. ch. 19. 9.

The Philosophers, &c. say unto Paul, What will this babler (or, base fellow) say? Acts 17. 18.

There arose no small stir about that way: for a certain man, &c. who made silver shrines for Diana, &c. complained against Paul, made a great uproar, laid hold of Pauls companions, Acts 19. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29.

We would not have you ignorant of our trouble, which came to us in Asia, 2 Cor. 1. 8, 9.

I suffer trouble unto bonds, 2 Tim. 2. 9.

Ye endured a great fight of afflictions: partly whiles ye were made a gazing-stock, both by reproaches, and afflictions, &c. Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, &c. Heb. 10. 32, 33, 34.

Others were tortured, &c. Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings: yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonments, &c. of whom the world was not wor∣thy, Heb. 11. 35, 36, 37, 38.

Ye have condemned and killed the just: and he doth not resist you, James 5. 6.

They speak evil of you, as of evil doers, &c. 1 Pet. 3. 16. chap. 4. 4.

Marvel not my brethren, if the world hate you, 1 John 3. 13.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 John, &c. was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the Testimony of Christ Jesus, Rev. 1. 9.