The cause and cure of ignorance, error, enmity, atheisme, prophanesse, &c., or, A most hopefull and speedy way to grace and salvation, by plucking up impediments by the roote reduced to explication, confirmation, application, tending to illumination, sanctification, devotion / by R. Younge ...

SECT. 43.

7 ANd lastly,* 1.1 It is their manner out of Enmity to slay the godly, as Doeg slew Ahimeleck and the re••t of the Prie••s, even fourscore and five persons, and Nob the City of Priests, whom he smote with the edge of the sword, both man and woman, child and suckling, at Sauls command, 1 Sam. 22.19. Thus Iezabel slew all the Prophets of the Lord she could finde, 1 Kings 18.4. And Herod, all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and al the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, that hee might make sure worke with Christ, Matth. 2.16. And thus the Inhabitants of Ierusalem, Gods owne people, chosen out of all the World, used to make such havock of their own Prophets, that out Savi∣our bemoaning her case, cryeth out, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, which killest the Pro∣phets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, &c. Matth. 23.37.

And thus it fares with the Saints & servants of God at this day,* 1.2 in such places where wicked men may have

their wills. Whereas those Romish Doctors are appointed for the saving of many, they are all for distruction: like rash Empiricks, they can cure no way; but by letting of blood; and hereupon they turn their Massing into massacring; the School into a Camp; Arguments, into Armes; teaching all their Proselytes dismall conclusions: as it hath been no rare thing, for some of their Priests in Queen Maries reign, when in arguments they have found the weaknesse of their pens, to fall to their pen-knives: In••••ead of arguments they take up armes; and instead of zeale and the spirituall word, they use fire and the sword; yea, treasons, are their best reasons; the Spanish Inqui∣sition, is their Grammer; fire and fa∣got their Rheitorick; Fleete and fet∣ters, their Log••ck; The Canons roar, their Musick; poysoning, their phy∣sick; Yea, their very building of the Church, is by blowing up of com∣mon-wealths; and instead of fighting for God, they fight against God and his Leivtenant.* 1.3

And if at this day they catch but a Protestant in their net, it is a miracle

if ever he escapes death, without mak∣ing shipwracke of faith and a good conscience. For if we will not obey them rather then God, they have a Law by which men ought to dye, a Law like Draco's, written with blood, and sealed with death. Of which their savage proceeding, there are many rea∣sons to be rendered.

First,* 1.4 they must doe the workes of their father the Devil: he is a murtherer, and so his children are given to blood, Iohn 8.44.* 1.5

Secondly,* 1.6 that their deeds of dark∣nesse may not come to light Vriah must be put to death, least Davids a∣dultery bee discovered, and himselfe disgraced. A living Curre you know, will doe more harme then a dead Li∣on: and it is a sure rule, that of Egges fried in the Pan come no ill Chickens.* 1.7

Thirdly, the wicked through malice seek by all meanes to cut off the god∣ly, because their sinfull and wicked lives are reproved by their godly con∣versation: neither can they follow their sinnes so freely as they would, nor so quietly, without detection or check. Now if Abels good works re∣prove

Caines evill deeds, let Caine but take away the cause, kill Abel, and the effect shall not follow.

* 1.8Fourthly, whereas the godly are too hard for them in disputing: take Steven for an instance: they will be e∣ven with him, by casting of stones, stop his mouth with brick-bats, fetch arguments from the Shambles; and this they are sure will doe, when all other hopes and helps fayle. So they make their party good, if not with arguments of reason, yet with argu∣ments of steele, and Iron. But this is a very hard way of confuting.

* 1.9Fifthly, their glory and credit with the World is ecclipsed, by suffering these which excell in vertue, This made Adrian and Nero to kill all such as ecclipsed their glory by any deme∣rit: and Mercine, you know, was mur∣thered of her fellowes, because she did excell the rest in beauty. Thus Herod, thought he could not be King, if Christ should reigne. Yea, as though hee had beene of the race of the Ottamans, he thought hee could not reigne, ex∣cept the first thing hee d••d, hee killed all the males in Bethlehe,m from two

yeares old and under: and the Phari∣sees that they should be despised, if Christ were regarded.

And so much of the actual properties of this Enmity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  22 usuall with them to mur∣ther the Saints.
• * 1.2

  Instead of arguments they take up armes.
• * 1.3

  They are savage and bloody.
• * 1.4

  Of which five rea∣sons.
• * 1.5

  1 Reaso••.
• * 1.6

  2 Reason.
• * 1.7

  3 Reason.
• * 1.8

  4 Reason.
• * 1.9

  5 Reason.