_Direct._ XLI. Let the proud themselves, who will regard no higher motives, remember how fame and history will represent them to posterity when they are dead. There is no man that desireth his name should stink and be odious to future generations: there is nothing that an ambitious man desireth more, than a great surviving name. And will you knowingly and wilfully then expose it to perpetual contempt and hatred? Read over what history you please, and find out the name of one persecutor if you can, that is not now a word of ignominy, and doth not rot, as God hath threatened! If you say, that it is only in the esteem of such as I, or the persecuted party; neither your opinion shall be judge nor mine; but the opinion and language of historians, and of the wisest men, who are the masters of fame. Certainly that report of holy Scripture and history which hath prevailed, will still prevail; and while there are wise, and good, and merciful men in the world, the names and manners of the foolish, and wicked, and cruel will be odious, as they continue at this day. I have wrote these directions to discharge my duty, for those that are willing to escape the guilt of so desperate a sin; but not with any expectation at all, that it should do much good with any considerable number of persecutors; for they will not read such things as these; and God seldom giveth professed christians over to this sin, till they have very grievously blinded their minds, and hardened their hearts, and by malignity and obstinacy are prepared for his sorest judgments; and I know that whoever will live godly in Christ Jesus (it is not said, "who professeth to believe in Christ Jesus," but, "to live godly") shall suffer persecution, and that the cross must still be the passage to the crown.[134] [125] Dæmones ex hominibus fieri quidam opinati sunt, perpetua criminum licentia, &c. Quod ut forte tolerabiliter dictum sit, malarum voluntatem similitudo efficit, qua homo malus atque in malis obstinatus pene dæmonem æquat. Petrarch. de Injusto Domin. [126] 1 Kings xxii. 8, 27; xiii. 2, 4. [127] 2 Chron. xvi. 10. [128] John xix. 12. [129] Matt. ii. 16-18; xiv. 6-9; Mark vi. 19, 21, 22; Acts i. 2-4. [130] See my "Treatise of a True Catholic, and Catholic Church." [131] See Vincent. Lirinens. [132] Rom. viii. 7, 8; Gen. iii. 15. [133] Exod. xix. 5; 1 Pet. ii. 9; Tit. ii. 14; 2 Cor. vi. 16-18; Mal. iii. 17, 18; Eph. iii. 17; 1 Cor. iii. 16; 2 Tim. i. 14; 1 John iv. 15, 16. [134] 2 Tim. iii. 11, 12; Matt. v. 11, 12; Luke xiv. 26, 33. CHAPTER XII. DIRECTIONS AGAINST SCANDAL AS GIVEN.