But to take off all cavils, let us see how it appeareth that this hatred is the effect of their abhorrence of that which is good and holy.
1. This is some discovery of it ; because the servants of God have been hated most, and troubled by the worst men ; which is a shrewd presumption that the proper reason of this hatred is because they are so evil and the other so good. So David concludeth from the ill conditions of his enemies, their bad nature, violence, and ingratitude : Ps. xxxviii. 20, ' They also that render evil for good are mine enemies, because I follow the thing that good is.' In Nero's time, about the 70th year of Christ, Nero made a law, Quisquis cliristianum se pro- fitetur, tanquam generis humani convicius hostis, sine uUerior'i sui defeciione capita plectetur. Trajan moderated it, Id genus hominum non inquiri, repertos autempuniri oportere. So usually it falleth out that the worst and most virulent enemies to religious, men are the vicious and debauched ; those that are infamous for other crimes, atheists, whoremongers, and pot-companions ; these have the greatest pique against them, because they cannot endure the brightness of God's image in them.
2. Because the best of men, who have the least alloy of corruptions, and are most eminent for strict and exemplary conversation, are most hated and maligned : Ps. Ixiv. 5, ' They shoot their arrows at the per- fect;' 2 Tim. iii. 12, 'All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.' Morality doth not exasperate ; it shineth with a faint beam, and is not so troublesome to the sore eyes of the world ; and they that have but the form and outward skin of godliness escape better than they that have the life and power of it. A wolf doth not worry a painted sheep. But when any are holy indeed, and of a strict innocency, they are hated, and contradicted, and spoken against.
3. Because when religion is accompanied with other things that a man would think should assuage malice and allay the heat and rage of men against them, yet it escapeth not. As for instance, godly
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meek men, that are guilty of nothing bat worshipping God in sincerity, and desiring to go to heaven with all their hearts, are persecuted. If this hatred did only light upon busy intermeddlers, that did trouble men's lusts and interests, it were another matter. Oditur in liominibus iniiocuis nomen innocuum. The primitive christians were quiet and harmless, their weapons were prayers and tears ; and they prayed for the health of their emperors, though they could not drink their healths. Coj'us Sejus vir honus, nisi quod christicmus ; yet he was hated for being a christian. John the disciple of love, was ban- ished into Patmos. Moses, the meekest upon earth, had those that spoke against him. Chrysostom observeth of those holy men, Heb. xi. .38, ' They wandered about in deserts and mountains, and caves and dens of the earth,' ahXa koI eKet 6vTe<i ecfieujov, they v/ould not allow them the recess and retirement of a cave, or den, and obscure grot, where they were far enough from troubling the world ; but they were hunted up and down like a partridge upon the mountains ; and they were driven out of their obscure refuges, where they desired to worship God in silence. Though there are many excellences which are wont to deserve respect ; as nobility of birth ; there were many noble martyrs ; Isaiah, of the blood royal, yet sawed asunder, as they report : elo- quence and learning ; the men of Lystra called Paul Mercurius, Acts xiv. 12, the god of eloquence, yet stoned him, ver. 19 ; philosophy and other learning, as Justin that is called Martyr, a learned man, and yet suffered. Mere Christianity and godliness is the mark and butt of spite and rage.
4. It appeareth by their invention of lies and ridiculous crimes to palliate their hatred ; as against the primitive christians their wor- shipping of an ass's head, their drinking the blood of a child in their meetings. These are a testimony to their consciences that they could find nothing against them ' but in the matter of their God,' Dan. vi. 5. They have no real matter against them, and therefore feign and suppose these crimes to justify their opposition, for they devise crimes because they find none.
5. Because, if a man be strict and conscientious, mortified, sober of life and behaviour, the world is apt to judge him one of such a hated party. As if any named the name of God with reverence, they sus- pected them for heretics if they said. If the Lord will. And we read in the story of the French martyrs, when Sanpanlius reproved a man for swearing, he was presently suspected to be a Huguenot, and so condemned. As if it were said, in the language of the damsel to Peter, * Thou art one of them, for thy speech bewrayeth thee.' If any were humble, mortified, serious, the world suspecteth them.
6. The consciences of wicked men are as a thousand witnesses. Non amo te Sahedi, &c. Ask conscience what is the matter ; they cannot look upon them without fear and shame. Their heart riseth against them ; and what is the reason ? All regular affection may be justified; the cause is bad, and men are loath to render it.