ZeCH. XIV. 9.] MEAT OUT OF THE EATER. 393
that I shall further say is this, that to leap out of one way into another, either out of base aims or without due shame and sense of former mis- carriages, will but make our own station the more questionable, for, certainly, self-respects have no majesty with them ; and though we be in the right, yet having a wrong heart, God recompenseth into our own bosoms the very measure of our dealing with others. We now have found the great occasion of the spreading of those evils amongst us which were hatched under the iniquity of the former times, and possibly let alone as the last reserve against endeavours of reformation, and now meeting with a people capable of such impressions, who love to wander, Jer. xiv. 10, they are the more easily diffused and propagated. Some are ensnared by their own pride and foolish singularity ; others by discontent, base aims, unworthy reflections upon their honour, profits, &c. ; most by a spirit of opposition against the ministry : God hath set us out to be men of contention to the whole earth, Jer. xv. 10. Those that are censores morum, whose office is to tax public abuses, will be looked upon as men of strife. We might justly suspect ourselves if this were not the portion of our cup. This spirit certainly acteth many : enemies will snarl when the great voice biddeth the witnesses come up hither, Rev. xi. 12. Surely some do behold their late ascen- sion and glory with envy and indignation, others possibly may be led by a desire of being somebody in the world. Simon Magus would be tU fi€<ya(;, Acts viii. 9 ; there is a natural itch and desire after mastership in Israel. James checketh it, James iii. 1, ' My brethren, be not many masters :' we naturally affect the honour of this chair : some bottles will burst if they have not vent. Job xxxii. 19. TertuUian observeth that this was the reason why divers went over to the Gnostics and the opposite parties in his time : ^ young men, and men otherwise unfit, presently commenced into some esteem and mastership. Thus you see different menaced by different spirits, and all one way or another increasing the distractions of the times, which, being thus occasioned and diffused, are supported and kept up by factions and parties, men severally prosecuting their cross designs without any regard to the truth and advantage of religion ; and if any party be opposed and discountenanced, their delusion is the more strong by a supposal of persecution ; for, by comparing their state with the state of the people of God, who suffered under the fury of former times, their prejudices are increased, and they think it can be no less than religion, and truth of zeal for the glory of God, to expose themselves to so many hazards ; and they do the more confidently believe it, because God's witnesses have mostly prophesied in sackcloth ; and hitherto Christ hath appeared for the most part against the worship and customs of nations. John saith Christ came into the world, 1 John iii. 8, 'iva avoKvarj, to unravel Satan's webs : he hath been indeed acting the demolishing rather than the adstructive part ; but therefore they go away with erroneous mistakes, as if he would never build, establish, and set up, and as if the kings of the earth should never bring in their
^ ' Nusquam citius preficitur qnam in castria rebellium, nunc neophytos collocant, nunc eaeculo obstrictos, nunc apostatas nostros, ut gloria eos obligent quos veritate non possuut.' — Tertul. lib. dc Preacrip. Adversvs Hareticog, cap, xli.
394 MEAT OUT OF THE EATER. [ZeCH. XIY. 9.
glory to tliG church, and martyrs were made so more by the blood and suffering than by the cause.^
Thus I have touched upon the causes and state of the present distem- pers. Much more might be said upon this subject, but now I was only willing to point at the heads of things. But you will say, Then what hopes ? I answer — Our wound is grievous, but not incurable ; many things there are to encourage us to keep silence, and wait upon God till he ordain better things for us. Let me speak a word or two on this matter. Consider, then, errors usually are not long-lived ; the next age declareth the folly of them : 1 Cor. iii. 13, ' The day shall declare it.' Time will show what is stubble and hay, though men have high thoughts of it for the present. We raise so much dust by the heat of our contentions that our eyes are blinded, the glory of truth darkened ; but things will clear up again : we wonder at the contests of former ages, and so will tliey at ours. ' When God cometh into his holy temple, all the earth will keep silence,' Hab. ii. 20. The nearer we approach to Antichrist's ruin, God will give out more light, Kev. xviii. Babylon fell when the earth was enlightened with the angel's glory. Light will increase towards the perfect day ; and as light increaseth, so doth love ; that great unity, spoken of before, is when there shall be more knowledge, for that is the reason rendered, Isa. xi. 9, ' For the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the world as the waters cover the sea.' And then, again, the devil usually overacts himself by appearing in some odious delusion, no longer as an angel of light, but as a foul fiend, in such direct opposition to Christ that all good men loathe him. Usually when God maketli any great change, things come to an extremity and excess of corruption. The Arians prevailed for a long time, but being so detestably vicious and insolently cruel, they ruined their own cause. Or else Satan runneth himself out of breath in some civil commotions.