I say, doe not deceive your selves in this: for as they rejected Christ under the person of a counterfeit, and of a wine-bibber, so thou maist persecute Christ under the person of an hypo∣crite. Paul; you know, hee thought hee did God good service in persecuting those whom he per∣secuted, yet though hee did it ignorantly, he con∣fessed of himselfe that he was a blasphemer, and a persecuter: So I say, though you doe it igno∣rantly, under the person of an hypocrite, yet that is the judgement, and the censure that will be up∣on you, that in so doing you are persecuters.
And if you shall say, that if the Lord himselfe lived amongst us, if Iesus Christ were here, I hope I should shew that I doe not hate him.
You shall see what the Lord himselfe saith, In that you have done it to these, you have done it to mee. As he speakes there in the matter of giving, so may I say to you concerning this case, in that you have despised those that feare his name, in that you have spoken against such as are his, you have done it against the Lord: in this thing you have shewed your hatred against him. Examine your hearts therefore seriously by this marke.
Againe, fourthly, wee will bring you to that expostulation which is grounded on 1 Ioh. 2.15. Love not the world, nor ••he things of the world; for if you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. Now question with your own hearts about this, whether you love the world, and the things of the world; for if you doe, the words are cleare, The Love of the Father is not in you.