the source rise and conduct of the Rulers procedour against you and their barbarous câ—uelty give you not onely confidence to pour out your heart befoâ—e him and present your câ—sâ— and cause in this General for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughtâ—r But more particularly when you can sist your selves bâ—fore him and sob out your sorrowes in these words of a truth Lord against thy Holy Châ—ld Iâ—sus whom thou hâ—st anoâ—nâ—ed are all thâ—se gathered together and it is for our owning of him as thy anointed and râ—fuseing to be on that conspiracy that we ore thus used I know not vvhat can give ground of gladenesse in a mans life or vvhat can be cause of gloriation in death if resisting unto blood upon such a quarrell and not loving a mans life unto death in such a cause will not give ground for it Beloved Friends and much honourâ—d sufferers for Christ you know since you are taught of God that the way to overcome all trouble here and to carry as becometh Saints under it is to look above it and beyond it above it to the high and supreme hand that sends it and disposeth of it so as it may subserve your great Interest for in despight of the malice and madnesse of all inferior agents all these dire and dreadful things shall together with him who worketh mightily in his people and for them work together for your â—ood and beyond it and above it to the end of it and the recompence of reward following after it This is the way to profite by pressures to be gainers in all losses This is the ground of sweet peace and serenitie of mind amidst all trouble and the solid foundation for patience of Spirit For he is only in a capacitiâ— to possesse his spirit in patience whose spirit hath received these impressions without which the soul will be still disquieted Trouble will still tosse it as a ball in a large place and it will prove unstable as water I suppose since you are Saints and so must have some impressions of the absolute Soveraignitie of God that though in your searchings you could not finde out or fixe upon the cause of his contendiug with you thus yet you would either be silent or say it is the Lord let him doe unto us what seemeth hâ—m good And if he have no pleasure in our liveiâ—g and dwelling in our little huts and houses Bnt will drive us thence the will of the Loâ—d be done But not to insist on this which yet you will grant to be infinitly rational for who hath enjoyned him his wayâ— or who may say unto him what doest thou there is sufficient to keep you and me aâ—d the Christians of this generation from frâ—tingâ— and saying while in the fire and while the rod of the wicked rest upon your lot and these plowers plow upon your back and make their furrowes longer and deeper than all these plowersâ— which went before them did O when will God Loose the plough by cutting asunder the cords of the wicked and confouâ—ding turning them all back that hate you He is the Lord who will hasten it in his time to shew that he is righteous Let us weep for what we have done And wait in hope for what he will do why are we thus Surely a sight of our sin would make us wonder that we are not worse yea admire his goodnesse who will be at all this pains about us to heal us of these mortal diseases whereof our immortal souls are sick even unto death I am sure that the crimson dye of our crying iniquities would curb our impatience and cure us of that evil of quarrelling with him because of our suffâ—rings Consider therefore however you suffer very unjustly from men against whom you have done nothing justly to procure their indignation yet if you look within you and lift up your eyes above you and consider how the cry of your transgâ—essions is come up into his eare you will be constrained not onely to justifie him in this seeming severiâ—ie but to confesse from clearnesse and conviction you are punished lesse then your iniquities desâ—rve And that it is of the Lords mercâ— you are not consumed because his compassions fail not Hence is it thaâ— when the Apostle Peter hath been speaking of the fiery trial 1 Pet. 4â—12 13 14 15 16. which this day in our case and hath been encouraging and comforting them to a paâ—â—ent endâ—reinâ— while schorâ—hed with these flames by many noble arguments yet when he looks upâ—n thes heavie afflictions as coming from God he calls them verâ— 17 judgements intimaâ—ing thereby that his precious and peculiar people how upright and innocent soever as to men yet they are guiltie before God the righteous judge and that they muâ—â— acknowledge when â—hey â—ist thâ—mseâ—ves in his sight that what ever they suffeâ— is the fruit of their own doings and that by their provocations they have procured these things and rewarded all these evils unto their own soul by not walking worthy of him nor befoâ—e him to all pleasing If his people by their multiplied and manifold sins did not extort if I may say so strokes our of his hand he who doth not aâ—â—lict willingly nor grieve the Children of men but hath pleasure in the prosperitie of this people would not so often take the rod in his hand or would soon cast it into the â—ire for he doth not love to lash beyond necessitie and therefore when he hath performed his whole work upon mount zion he casts the rod into the fire and punisheth the fruit of the stout heart of his and his peoples enemies and the glory of their high looks The saints you know Brethren how graciows and grown so ever they are but Children and therefore must be under Chastisment The best of them are given to many Childish toyes and not a few of them in whom the root of the matter may be yea will be found are so far from abideing witâ— God in their callings and from adorning the Doctrine of God the Saviour that so men by seing their good works may glorifie their Father which is in heaven that there is a groffnesse in their way their iniquitie is ofâ—en found upon the skirts of their garmenâ—s and their spots are so unlike the spots of the people of God and Persons made partakers of the divine nature that because of these mouths of enemies are opened to blaspheme the name of God and reproach the blessed Profession But seting thsee aside Alas how doe they who escape such grosse pollutions yet often trifle in the matter of communion with God How formal and luke-warme in their addresses So that he who seeks the heart and will be worshiped in Spirit and Truth misseth their soul in their service How seldome arâ— they in Heaven How little dwelling upon the thoughts of Jesus Christ and the great sâ—lvation purchased by him on purpose
purity to posterity to protect these very persons whom they persecute and persecute for persisting in those wayes wherein they themselves have give it under their hand to God they would walk Now we are not to think strange concerning this fiery trial for whosoever would be the Disciple of Christ must take up his crosse daily and follow him it must be such an one as he pleases to lay on and what he wil have it to be he must not fansy to himself a fools Paradise in Christs company nay thâ— crosse is the necessare concomitant of a Christian and sharp conflictiâ—g must goe before the obtaining of the conquerours crown we must not only resolve to meet with such fiery trials as will consume into ashes our darling Idols for there is a necessity that some hand be made use of to pluck out that right eye and cut of that right hand ' which hath caused us to offend` that so we may enter into life but we must and may exspect to meet with â—he saddest trouble and the most unsufferably sharpe trials out of that airth whence we did not feare nor could we rationally foresee the storme should blow these Persons and thingsâ— which should be most comfortable to the people of God do often prove the source of their calamitie and the Instruments Whereby they are afflicted We need not goe to Ionah's gourd nor Iob's Friends we need goe to Zechariah slain betwixt the Porch and the Altar by Ioash whom he was endeavouring to rescue out of the hands of the living God by admonishing him to keep the commandement of the Lord and his Covenant and Coronation-oath 2. Chron. 23 16. compared vvith C. 24.20 seq for though he vvas the Son of Iehojadah vvho had made him King and stain the Usurper yet he not onely for gote that kindenesse buâ— slevv the Son vvho vvas desiring yea vvhile endeavouring to keep that crown upon his head by dissuading him to venture upon God-provoking courses or to enter the list of opposition to God Almighty contrary to all the Objective and Subjective Obligations under vvhich he vvas to him for having set him upon the Throne vvho could as easily and vvonderfully bring him dovvn as he had set him up vvhich his Father had set upon it But God forgote neither his foresaking of the Covenant nor his breach of his Coronation-oath nor his forgetting of Iehojadah's kindenesse but put Ioash in remembrance of all he had forgotten and of all he had done and made him know he had heard the words of dying Zechariah I need neither tell you how nor by what Monitors he brought these things to his remembrance nor how plaâ—n a parallel it is to our case onely Ioash did not kill Iehojadah himseâ—f who had been the Instrument of his setlement in the Government I say we need not search to recoâ—ds of former Generations except it be to finde some of the Saints and some of the Churches of Christ to whom we may turne That we may learn at them and be beholding the end of the Lord know how to carry and acquit ourselves though we may long turne over the records of former times ere we finde a parallel to the iniquitie of ours for examples when these very men with whom we ourselves did once take sweet councel together and with whom we walked to the house of God in company are become such cruel and keen enemies as it is impossible to describe their rage and cruelty for a naked representation of matter of fact would â—ertainly passe with such as were not witnesses to what is done for a meditat and malicious representation of Persons Actions but I need not tell you stories what you finde beyond my tellings yea beyond your own expressings O the crimson iniquitie of our times when such as did but the other day cry Grace Grace unto it are this day throwing down what they had built and are crying raze it raze it even to the foundation When these who not long ago did cry up and commend loyalty to Jesus Christ are now crying Crucifie him let us burst his bonds assundâ—r and Cast away his cords from us Let us casse and rescinde our Covenant made to serve him and be subject to him and let us set up a New Lord and let this be the New Law that who ever will not doe according as we have done and decreed may die But Alas have these men forgotten that this Insurrection against him is recorded in Heaven and that this their rage against his follovvers upon vvhom â—hey run vvith open mouth and against vvhom they prepare themselves vvithout their fault being chargeable vvith no guilt abstracting from obedience to their God is come in remembrance before him and that the cry of these oppressed ones is come up unto the eare of the Lord God of Sabaoâ—h and vvill bring him dovvn to execute judgement for the oppressed but let us not stumble nor start aside for all this for hovv astonishing so ever it may be in it self to upright men yet let the innocent stirr up themselves against those who have dealt thus hypocritically with God and let the righteous still hold on their way and such as have clean hands wax stronger and stronger it is a weaknesse unworthy of saints not to carry as those who have laid their account with the crosse a reckoning which flesh and blood alwayes inculcating that carnal Doctrine spare thy sâ—lf is very unwilling to make We still think there is a way because we would have it so and often make a way where he hath made none to shift these hard sayings and shun these heavy things and yet come at Heaven We fansie a Possiblitie to passe thorow the world with the worlds good will and be religious too But this is to be wise above what is written The Devil must first cease to lie and murther and way-lay them that are going to Heaven and the enmitie between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent must first be done away or changed into perfect amitie which shall never be before that day dawn that the traveller to Heaven needs not lay his reckoning to meet with trouble in the way But passing the general account that the wickeds hatred agâ—inst God is so perfect as they hate his Image and Picture in his Children yea they like not the godlâ—nesse If I may cal it so of a hypocrit but hate it which they doe what ever they pretend not for the evil that is under iâ— but for the good that appeares in it As Lions are said to have so perfect a hatred at man as they wil teare the picture because of the resemblance it hath to a living man neither shall I inâ—ist upon this cause oâ— hatred against the Students of holinesse that there is a light in a Christians life who walks as a Child of light which discovers the spots of the profane world about him and with that light there
is a heat also which scorches and troubles their Conscience and therefore they cannot endure themâ— but take all opportunites to deale with them as Persons come to torment them before the time by their shineing and burning Besides these general and unâ—ailing Considerations which ought to fortify us in a resolution to make ready for the worse the world can doe there is somewhat peculiar in our lot which should make us resolve and determine not onely to suffer but to have a mixture of gall and wormâ—wood in our cup. wherewith Saints are but at some special times exercised There is a must be now for all who will live Godly in Christ Iesus to suffer persecution and it were a madnesse to entertain other thoughts since our time is a time of Defection and shameful Apostasy which hath ever been found a â—ime of hot persecution This hath been ever observed to be the practice of Apostats to hate as hell and to handle as the worst of men such as stand fast fixed in owning that cause of Godâ— which they have relinquished a man who resolves to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God must take his life in his hand and be â—n readinesse to part with it when his lot is to live in a time and place where there is power in their hand who have made shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience For as Apostasy is the special sin of Devils and as Satan the great Apostat hates all who set their face heaven â—aâ—d and are Servants of that God and seekers of that blessednesse from which he for his â—postasy is everlastingly banished so whomsoever he withdrawes from the wayes of the Lord and drawes with him into the guilt of Apostasy he drives them on also to the same sin of persecuâ—ing those who hold on their way and who adhere to those precious truths which they have foâ—saken and are followers of God as deare Children and these â—wo have so neer and native a connexion together as he doth not onely drive without any difficultie those over whom for their Apostasie he hath obtained a sole soveraignity and dominion into these desperat and damnable courses of persecuting the truth which they have foresaken and the Professors â—here of who hold faâ—â— his name Bâ—t which is more strange and sad and should alarum every man into a watchfulnesse against the very first and smallest-like degrees oâ— defection from the good old wayes of Godâ—r It is observed that let a man though sound in the main slip from one degree of his zeal ond integrity thougâ— it werâ— but in omission to stand-up for the defence of the Gospel when the assaultings of Adversaries makes it duty much more if there be a doing of any thing which will give the enemies of the work of God the least advantage he forth with slides also ere he be aware into a censuring despising contemning if it stop here and go no further it is well of his Brethren whom he cannot carry alongs with him and becomes frequently more active and indnstrious to draw them whom he hath in so far lâ—ft his length then he is observed to be active in strengthening the things that remaine and are ready to die amongst a people in a declining time Now these things are so plain in our case as it were supeâ—fluous for me to make them more plaine Need I tell you in whose hand the power is or of what spirit and principles these men are after all the desolation they have made amongst you Neither are they yet at an end and therefore you would be preparing for new assaults and laying in provision against the evil day O blessed shall the man be who in this dismal day shall not be offended in him but shall endure to the end Lay your account therefore with the worst that violence and enmity armed with power enflamed to the height of revenge can make you suffer for withstanding this course of iniquity now carried on by all means methods in the Nation This fore-sight providence will be our wisdom for when we have done so we will not be amazed when that comes to passe we had resolved before hand to meet with or put out of our postour when these things do emerge with which we had laid our reckoning But deare Friends for fixing yourselves into a firmenesse of resolution to hold out and hold on though it should come to a resisting unto blood after you are robbed and spoiled of your goods Consider that there is nothing in all these fires and waters you have to passe thorow in all these dangers and deaths which are before you in all these trials in all these hazards nay in all these hells that are betwixt you and heaven whch can prevail with a soul that knowes in whom he hath beleeved or perswade him to cast the blessed bargan or go back from his Master and walke no more with him Whither shall we go from thee for thou hast the words of eternal life was the disciples deliberat and warme answer to that heart-moving question will you also leave me Leave thee Lord Leave thee who will we are for ever tied to an attendance upon thee and continuance with thee both by choice and by the chaine of our own advantage that eternal life which is in thee and is to be had by abiding with thee arrests us with a pleasant violence to wait upon thee while we must foresake all in following â—hee and be foresaken of all But secondly let us exercise spiritual reason and reckon right we will perceive there is much of present real advantage to be found in and reaped from the worlds hatred and the greatest heat of persecution who is he that will harme you if ye be followers of that which is good is a question that puts it out of question they cannot be harmed even when hurt and therefore it is immediatly added 1 Pet. 3 14. But and if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake happy aâ—e ye c. It is true there are none to whom moe injurâ—es are done then to the poor persecuted people of God for as men they are not only borne to trouble but as Christians they are borne againe unto trouble and appointed thereunto But it is as true that there are none who are so little iniured by injuries for they get meat out of the â—ater all these things work together for their good For first hereby the Saints are keept in a right temper towards the world and the things thereof whereas iâ— they meet with kinde usage in it and from it they would take too well with it and sit down short of heaven and forget to say arise let us go hence for this is not the place of our rest there remains an unrenewed part in the saints which would agree too well and comply with the courses and customes of the world and therefore it is their speciall adavntage to be driven off from it
great goodnesse to them who went before you you need not in order to your establishment run so far backward as to the records and experiences of former generations but I may say as you have heard so have you seen in the Ciâ—ie of our God Call to remembrance what you have been witnesses to what not a few of you have seen with joy and all of you have heard with gladnesse yea your enemies have beheld it with confusion of â—ace shame griefe and astonishment to wit that singular heart solacing and shining presence of God under which these your martyred Brethren were at their death It was evident he did not so much leave them into the hands of them who hated them to take away their lives as because he was so well pleased with their zealous fervour their fidelitie and fixednesse in his way which made them in Testimony of their love to him not to love their lives unto the death he therefore brought them forth to Crown them in the sight of these who killed them and in that Crucified their Master againe while they with a keen crueltie killed he crowned with loving kindnesse and kissed their souls out of them kepped them as they fell carried them off the scaffold in embraces to present them to his Father and set the Martyrs Crown upon their head I â—eed noâ— insist in a matter so manifest as it is beyond the hidings or denyings of those who put them to death and hath also caused so many thanksgiving unto God amongst the Saints so that I may aske you what do you feare Do you feare fruition Do you feare that they who cast you in the fiery furnace shall see the Son of God walking with you in the midst of the flames Do you feare to be seen made more then Conquerours through him who hath loved you Do you feare that when the incensed world hath yoked a fiery Chariot for you to cary out of the world that the world who hate you and hurry you thus off the stage shall see the King come and pave the bottome thereof for you with love Do you feare that while they stretch out their hand against you to take away your life he manifest his love in putting his left hand under your head and in embracing you with his right do you feare that while your blood is shed he give convincing significations to all that look on of his she ding abroad his love in your heart and that your blood is precious in his sight Are these things to be feared which have been the ambition of many righteous men yea and a piece of so great honour as they durst scarce even themselves to a sharing in it Or hath he deserted one of all the sufferers see if you can say it why then are you daunted with danger why do you doubt but he who hath glorified his name in others will glorifie it again in you Nay did he not most signally defeat the expectation of advâ—rsaries and out-do the hope of his poor servants by the remarkablenesse of his assistances given to some who were looked upon as such weake wriglings as they could noâ— stand it out but how by standing by them and strengthning them did he still the enemy and avenger and how did he by the marvellous supporting of his Grace perfect praise out of the mouth of such babes and sucklings I may appeale to the conscience of any present at these executions who savoure the things of God and saw under what a shining presence and with what joy uâ—speakeable and full of glory these dying men went out of the world and these murthered martyrs mounted their triumphant charriot if they would not at that time upon assuâ—ance to be carried off the stage under the same sun-shine and sweetnesse have left all they had in this world and gone with gladenesse in their company in to the other world If any one of all that now glorified company had been deserted you might be discouraged and shrink away and say what is our strength that we should hope But since everlasting armes underneath have been so visibly seen supporting every one whom he called to suffer it saith nothing if it say not this â—eare none of those things which you shall suffer For my grace shall be sufficient for yâ—u And my strength shall be made perfect in your weakenesse Therefore be not affraid but approach your duetie with humble confidence and courage even when death it self is in the way and you shall â—inde it with you as it was with the Priests beâ—ore whom Jordan recoiled not till their feet were within the brink Waite for your assistances and supports in the hour of conflâ—ct and in that very hourâ— it shall be given you and you put in case to say when we are weake â—hen are we strong And to compleat this account and make it appeare that the most daring and desperat enemy cannot ease his own soul by giving one instance to the contrair I can not here passe the death of Mr Miâ—chel which the Lord hath so excellently ordered both as to time and circumstances for whereas they who put him to death did hope to give thereby a daâ—h to the people oâ— God at this time and by their severitie exercised upon him to make them shrink into a fearefull compliance with their iniquous Contrivances but the supporting presence of God with him was such as no man needs for feare to forsake the way of the Lord because of what befell him I mentione not here the cause but leave the world to the account himself hath given thereof with what his Advocats had to plead on his behalfe And shall onely without making a parallel or instituting a comparison between the two allude to Samson's death in this execution Not that I mâ—y take occasion to tell the world that he who was aimed at may passe any day in the yeer for a Lord amongst the uncircumcised Philistims For that is no newes nay the world may judge I do these Lords wrong and him too in not associating him with But First Sampson was a rackel and rough-handed saint ready to peâ—t the Philistims upon all occasions yet secondly the Holy Ghost for all the faults that followed him hath recorded his name and enrolled him in thâ— number even while the names of many other are left out of these eminent worthies Hâ—b 11. And so he hath made the name of Mr Mitchell savovrie and as he tooke many Testimonies from him at all his appearances to the cause so he owned him in the end and honoâ—red him to die witnessing a good confession which will be on record to posâ—eritieâ— Thirdly as Sampson did more mischeâ—fe to the enemies of the people of God at his death than in all his life for when they sent for him to make themselves mirry with a sight of his misery the Lord helped him to spil â—heir sport so I judge it is beyond question with every sober man