“If they would but keep their religion to themselves, it would be tolerable. But it is this spreading their errors, this infecting so many others, which is not to be endured. They do so much mischief in the world, that they ought to be tolerated no longer. It is true, the men do some things well enough; they relieve some of the poor. But this too, is only done to gain the more to their party; and so, in effect, to do the more mischief.” Thus the men of the world sincerely think and speak. And the more the kingdom of God prevails, the more the peace-makers are enabled to propagate lowliness, meekness, and all other divine tempers; the more mischief is done, in their account. Consequently, the more are they enraged, against the authors of this, and the more vehemently will they persecute them.
4. Let us, thirdly, enquire, who are they that persecute them? St. _Paul_ answers, _He that is born after the flesh_; every one who is not _born of the Spirit_, or at least, desirous so to be: all that do not, at least, labour to _live godly in Christ Jesus_: all that are not _passed from death unto life_, and consequently cannot _love the brethren: the world_, that is according to our Saviour’s account, _they who know not him that sent me_: they who know not God, even the loving, pardoning God, by the teaching of his own Spirit.
The reason is plain. The spirit which is in the world is directly opposite to the Spirit which is of God. It must therefore needs be, that those who are of the world, will be opposite to those who are of God. There is the utmost contrariety between them, in all their opinions, their desires, designs, and tempers. And hitherto _the leopard and the kid_, cannot _lie down_ in peace _together_. The proud, because he is proud, cannot but persecute the lowly; the light and airy, those that mourn: and so in every other kind; the unlikeness of disposition, (were there no other) being a perpetual ground of enmity, therefore (were it only on this account) all the servants of the devil, will persecute the children of God.
5. *Should it be inquired, fourthly, how they will persecute them? It may be answered in general, just in that manner and measure which the wise Disposer of all, sees will be most for his glory; will tend most to his children’s growth in grace, and the enlargement of his own kingdom. There is no one branch of God’s government of the world, which is more to be admired than this. His ear is never heavy to the threatnings of the persecutor, or the cry of the persecuted. His eye is ever open, and his hand stretched out, to direct every the minutest circumstance. When the storm shall begin, how high it shall rise, which way it shall point its course, when and how it shall end, are all determined by his unerring wisdom. The ungodly are only a sword of his: an instrument which he uses, as it pleaseth him, and which itself, when the gracious ends of his providence are answered, is cast into the fire.
At some rare times, as when Christianity was planted first, and while it was taking root in the earth; as also when the pure doctrine of _Christ_ began to be planted again in our nation: God permitted the storm to rise high, and his children were called to resist unto blood. There was a peculiar reason why he suffered this with regard to the apostles, that their evidence might be the more unexceptionable. But from the annals of the church, we learn another, and a far different reason, why he suffered the heavy persecutions which arose in the second and third centuries: namely, because the mystery of iniquity did so strongly work, because of the monstrous corruptions which even then reigned in the church: these God chastised, and at the same time strove to heal, by those severe but necessary visitations.
Perhaps the same observation may be made, with regard to the grand persecution in our own land. God had dealt very graciously with our nation; he had poured out various blessings upon us. He had given us peace abroad and at home; and a king wise and good, beyond his years. And above all, he had caused the pure light of his gospel, to arise and shine amongst us. But what return did he find? _He looked for righteousness. But behold a cry!_ A cry of oppression and wrong, of ambition and injustice, of malice and fraud and covetousness. Yea, the cry of those who even then expired in the flames, entered into the ears of the Lord of sabbaoth. It was then God arose to maintain his own cause, against those that held the truth in unrighteousness. Then he sold them into the hands of their persecutors, by a judgment mixt with mercy: an affliction to punish and yet a medicine to heal the ♦grievous backslidings of his people.