Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

Gods ends, and mans ends, as to the persecution of his Church, the vast difference betwixt them. [ 1254]

A Physician letteth a man blood,* 1.1 by the application of Leeches, and they suck much blood from him; but the Physicians ends are one thing, and the Leeches ends are another thing; the Leech draweth blood from the man, onely to satis∣fie it self; but the Physi••ian letteth the man blood, to cure his distemper. Such is the difference between Gods ends, and wicked mens ends, in the persecution of his own people; God, by suffering his own Church and People to be persecuted, it is for to purge a way their evill distempers of sin and security, or whatsoever it is that may offend, that thereby he may make his people better by their af∣flictions; but wicked and ungodly men, by troubling the Church, it is for to de∣stroy them, and root them out, that they may be no more a People, to accom∣plish their own wicked designes, and to satisfie their rage and malice upon them,

in their utter ruine and overthrow. These are their ends,* 1.2 but God hath other ends; as Ioseph said to his brethren, You did intend me hurt, but God did intend me good;* 1.3 so it may be said concerning all ungodly wicked men, they do intend evill against the Church and people of God,* 1.4 but God intends his People's good; they intend to persecute and destroy, but he intends (maugre all their contri••ments whatsoever) to preserve,* 1.5 keep, and continue his Church, to the end of the world. Let the Church's enemies plow never so deeply, and make furrowes on the backs of Gods people never so long; yet Gods ends are grace, and mercy, and peace, to do them good in the latter end.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Jer. Whitaker Ser. at Westm. 1647.
• * 1.2

  Saepe tulit lassis uccut amaru•• opem. Ovid.
• * 1.3

  Amor.
• * 1.4

  Gen. 45.
• * 1.5

  Magne est veri∣tas & praeval••∣bit.