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1. Albeit this Author will not give glory unto God in fulfilling his promises, yet wee see, that others are not so ingrate: as Act. 9.31. Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee and Samaria: and in other times we finde, that the Christians had their halcyonian dayes twixt these ten great persecutions, and afterwards in the dayes of Christian Emperours and godly Kings.
2. Neither doe the Prophets, or Revelation speaking of these times say, There shall never be hurt nor shall ever any man destroy one another: but rather the propertie of the Church in this world is to be militant, and ne∣verthelesse Wolves and Lyons forsake their crueltie in the person of many converts, and therefore these hyberbolicall complaints might well been spared.
3. It doth puzzle the Author, that Esay saith, chap. 11.9. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, and therefore fan∣cieth a private conceit for exponing these words, of which he gives no rea∣son: but we have given sufficient reasons for the allegoricall interpretati∣on, which is confirmed by these words, to wit, that the abundance of the knowledge of the Lord is the cause, why wicked men leave their wicked∣nesse, and adjoyne themselves unto the meek of the earth: as our Saviour saith, Matth. 10.16. I will send you as sheep among Wolves. Of whom certainly many became sheep of Christs fold, which is a more proper effect of knowledge, then the changing of beasts affections.
1. We thinke that God is best pleased with us, and most glori∣fied by us, when we confesse the truth, albeit against our selves: and therefore as wee are not so ingrate to denie, that God hath gi∣ven particular Churches rest, not onely from foraigne enemies but homebred also; not onely from heathenish persecutors, but from hereticall too; so we are not so ungodly to denie our owne unrighteousnesse, and unthankfulnesse towards God notwithstan∣ding such mercy conferred upon us. For even when these Churches have had such rest, then have they provok't God afresh, by more then heathenish impieties and oppressions; so that rest from per∣secution hath been the very seed-time in which the tares of all impi∣etie and injustice, of all manner of misgovernment and misbeliefe have been sow'd afresh amongst us; and the spring-tide, in which that cursed and numerous brood of the flesh, which St. Paul reckons