ot only of the
same cross, but coadjutors, comforters, helpers, at all times, upon all
occasions: as they did in the primitive church, Acts the 5. they sold their
patrimonies, and laid them at the apostles' feet, and many such memorable
examples of mutual love we have had under the ten general persecutions,
many since. Examples on the other side of discord none like, as our Saviour
saith, he came therefore into the world to set father against son, &c. In
imitation of whom the devil belike ([6484]_nam superstitio irrepsit verae
religionis imitatrix_, superstition is still religion's ape, as in all
other things, so in this) doth so combine and glue together his
superstitious followers in love and affection, that they will live and die
together: and what an innate hatred hath he still inspired to any other
superstition opposite? How those old Romans were affected, those ten
persecutions may be a witness, and that cruel executioner in Eusebius, _aut
lita aut morere_, sacrifice or die. No greater hate, more continuate,
bitter faction, wars, persecution in all ages, than for matters of
religion, no such feral opposition, father against son, mother against
daughter, husband against wife, city against city, kingdom against kingdom:
as of old at Tentira and Combos:

[6485] "Immortale odium, et nunquam sanabile vulnus,
Inde furor vulgo, quod numina vicinorum
Odit uterque locus, quum solos credit habendos
Esse deos quos ipse colat."------

"Immortal hate it breeds, a wound past cure,
And fury to the commons still to endure:
Because one city t' other's gods as vain
Deride, and his alone as good maintain."

The Turks at this day count no better of us than of dogs, so they commonly
call us giaours, infidels, miscreants, make that their main quarrel and
cause of Christian persecution. If he will turn Turk, he shall be
entertained as a brother, and had in good esteem, a Mussulman or a
believer, which is a greater tie to them than any affinity or
consanguinity. The Jews stick together like so many burrs; but as for the
rest, whom they call Gentiles, they do hate and abhor, they cannot endure
their Messiah should be a common saviour to us all, and rather, as
[6486]Luther writes, "than they that now scoff at them, curse them,
persecute and revile them, shall be coheirs and brethren with them, or have
any part or fellowship with their Messiah, they would crucify their Messiah
ten t