stoned, some crucified, some beheaded, some thrust thorow with spears, some burnt with fire, some broiled, some brained; with many the like, and worse kinds of death: for we read of no lesse then twenty nine several deaths they were put unto. But to clear your sight, Ile give you some particular instances of the se∣veral wayes that the best of Gods people have suffered before you.
First, You shall finde, that it hath been the manner of wicked men, out of this enmity, to envy the vertuous and good estate of the godly: as Cain envied Ab••l, Gen. 4.5. Secondly, To contemn their supposed mean estate, as San∣ballat, Tobiah, and Gershom, with the rest of that crue contemned Nehemiah and the Iewes, Nehem. 4.1, 2, 3. Thirdly, To rejoyce at their supposed evill estate, as the Princes of the Philistins did at Sampsons blindness and bondage, Judg. 16.25. Fourthly, To hate them, as all carnal men hate the members of Christ, Matth. 10.22. Fiftly, To murmure against them, as the Israelites mur∣mured against Moses and Aaron, Numb. 11.1 and 14▪ 2, 3. Sixthly, To cen∣sure their actions, and misconster their intentions, as Eliab did Davids zeal for Gods glory, in fighting with Goliah, 1 Sam. 17.28. and those wicked ones, his fasting and mourning, Psal. 35.13, to 17. Seventhly, By carrying tales of them unto others, as Doeg did to Saul of David and Ahimeleck, 1 Sam. 22.9, 10. and the Ziphims, 1 Sam. 23.19, 20. and 26▪ 1. Eightly, To perswade and give divelish counsel to others like themselves to persecute them; as the Princes and Rulers did to Zedekiah the King against Ieremiah, Jer. 38.4. Ninthly, To scoff at them, as Ishmael scoft at Isaac, Gen. 21.9. Tenthly, To nick-name them, as the Iews did Paul, Acts 24.14. and all the Disciples, 1 Cor. 4.9, 10. Eleventhly, To revile and rail on them, as the Iews did upon Paul and Bar∣nabas, Acts 13.45. Twelfthly, To raise slanders of them, as those wicked men slandered Naboth, confirming the same with an Oath, 1 Kings 21. Thir∣teenthly, To curse them, as Goliah cursed David, 1 Sam. 17.43. and also She∣mei, 2 Sam. 16.7, to 15. Fourteenthly, To threaten them, as all the men of Sodom did Lot, Gen. 19.9. Fifteenthly, By subtilty to undermine them in talk, that they might betray them; as the false Prophets and other enemies of the truth undermined Ieremiah, seeking every way to destroy him, Ier. 18. 18 &c. Sixteenthly, By using scornful and disdainful gestures to despight them; as Goliah against David, 1 Sam. 17.42. and also those wicked ones, Psal. 22.7.13. and 35.16. and 109.25. Seventeenthly, To withstand and contrary the doctrine which they are commanded by God to deliver. As Elymas the Socerer withstood Paul and Barnabas in their preaching, Acts 13. 8. Eighteenthly, To combine themselves together and lay divellish plot; to destroy them; as Demetrius with the rest of the Craftsmen conspired the death of Pauls companions, Acts 19. and likewise more then forty of the Iews which bound themselves by a curse, not to eat nor drink till they had killed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in which conspiracy the chief Priests were likewise assistants, Acts 23.12, 14. Nineteenthly, To imprison them, as the malicious Priests did 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Jer. 36.5. Twentieth, To strike them as Zedekiah the false Prophe•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Micaiah 1 Kings 22 24. Twenty one, To hurt and maim them 〈…〉〈…〉 of Antiochia and Iconium did Paul, Acts 14.19. Twenty two and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 slay them, as Iezabel did all the Prophets of the Lord 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1 Kings 18.4.