Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A29936
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St. Paul's triumph in his sufferings for Christ with some directions how a Christian ought to behave himself under, and may reap advantage by, his sufferings / by Matthew Bryan.
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Bryan, Matthew, d. 1699.
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1692
(1692)
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Wing B5248; ESTC R36322
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14,899
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34
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and upon beds of Roses which lead to the Precipice to the horrid Abyss of Destruction Better to suffer affliction for a Season which will end in Eternal Joy than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a Season which will end in Eternal Pain When sin and suffering come in competition 't is better to choose to suffer than to sin Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin Alas what are the pleasures of Sin They are vain and empty and short they are but for a Season 3dly Instead of declining or repining at suffering when our Master by his Providence calls us to it let us rejoyce that he accounts worthy to suffer for his sake So did St. Paul Act. 16. and his Companion Silas who were fellow-Prisoners at Philippi where they are so overjoy'd with the honour of suffering for Christ that after their hard and cruel usage by the Magistrates who rent off their clothes and caus'd them to be beaten and laid many stripes upon them and then thrust 'em into the inner Prison the dark and nasty Dungeon and made their feet fast in the Stocks a cold comfortless lodging an uneasie Seat for sore wounded Men yet I say they were so transported with Joy though in that pitiful plight those lamentable Circumstances that they sang at Midnight with the loudest Notes which alarm'd and awaken'd the Prisoners They pray'd and sang Praises unto God they found greater comfort and mirth and joy and peace in their Prison than their Persecutors did in their Palaces So blessed and joyful a thing it is to suffer for Christ as he himself assures us Mat. 5.10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven 4thly That we may not lose the Reward of our sufferings let us be sure that our sufferings are sufferings for Christ And to that end let us look to three things 1st That we suffer for a good Cause 2dly That our suffering proceeds from a right Principle 3dly That it be directed to a right End 1st We must be sure that we suffer for a Good Cause All suffering is not suffering for Christ There is a suffering Adversity which accidentally befalls men which they cannot avoid as losses and crosses and poverty and wounds and sickness c. There is suffering as an Evil doer for breaking the Laws of God and Man by Theft Murder Treason Rebellion c. This is not suffering for Christ tho' perhaps there are some so harden'd as to think so who think killing and murder and Rebellion and Resistance and Regicide to play the Devil for God sake is to do God service But suffering for Christ suffering as a Christian as St. Peter speaks is a suffering which we may avoid by violating our Duty and renouncing our Vertue and Integrity If we choose to suffer rather than to sin and depart from our plain known Duty to God revealed in his Word and written in his Law with the Pen of a Diamond this is to suffer for Christ and with Christ this is to suffer as a Christian For 't is not the Punishment but the Cause that makes the Martyr 2dly Our suffering must proceed from a right Principle viz. the Love of God and his Laws the love of Vertue and a hatred of Vice For he that has a secret Love for any Vice yea that has not an universal hatred and abhorrence of all sin because a Violation of the Law of God his suffering whatsoever it be is not a suffering for Christ He that suffers for his constant and resolute adherence to any one Article of Faith or Principle of Religion or Doctrine of our Church or any particular Law of God and yet allows himself in gross and notorious sins does not suffer as a Christian For there must be no commuting in Religion The performance of one Duty cannot expiate for the neglect or violation of another Thus for instance he that suffers for his Allegiance to his King and yet will violate his Allegiance to his God who is King of Kings suffers as a Fool. If he dies in his Prince's quarrel and sacrifices his Life for his sake he does but offer the sacrifice of Fools His suffering is not thank worthy in God's account 't is not a suffering for Christ or as a Christian though in defence of a Christian Principle Such a Martyr 't is to be fear'd will dwell in the same hotter Region will go to the same place where the Soul of his Persecutor does For alas what will it avail a man that he will not swear falsly if he will swear rashly and blaspheme his Maker and Redeemer what will it avail a Man that he will not rebel against his Temporal Prince and yet will daily rebel against his God that he will not resist the lawful Higher Powers and yet will always resist the Holy Ghost and grieve the good Spirit of God which is sent to seal him to the day of Redemption what will it avail a Man to be a good Subject and a bad Christian if that be not a contradiction a Friend to the King and an Enemy to God to drink a Health to his Prince and Damnation to his Soul by his rioting and excess and prodigious debauchery What will it avail a Man to believe rightly all the Articles of the Christian Faith and yet be a Stranger to good Works to believe in God and yet not keep his Commandments What will it avail a man to dispute against or suffer for not believing Transubstantiation when he is guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord which he receives unworthily tramples under foot the Son of God crucifies him a fresh and puts him to an open shame He that suffers for one Principle and violates his duty to the rest suffers rather for his Humour than for Christ rather as an obstinate man than a resolute humble conscientious pious Christian who with David can assure himself that he shall not be ashamed but have his sure reward having respect unto all the Commandments or rather in the Language of the Apostle here walking worthy of the Vocation wherewith he is called 3dly and Lastly That we may not lose the Reward of our sufferings they must be directed to a right end viz. God's Glory It must not be for Ostentation sake to be accounted a stout couragious Champion for Christ a valorous Christian Hero This will defile the Sacrifice and make it stink in the Nostrils of God Not unto us not unto us O Lord but to thy Name be the Glory whether we do or suffer for thee must be the Language of the Church and every Member of it And this will perfume the Sacrifice and make it ascend like the smoking Incense into God's Holy Temple where the Celestial Chorus of Angels and Saints and Martyrs continually do sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Rev. 4.8 V. 2.11 which was and is and is to come Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power C. 7.12 Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen FINIS