honour and respect unto those that were but deputy Kings and heathen Magistrates will greatly appear if you do but read his Trials before them in the Book called the Acts of the Apostles And what a charge both he and Peter have lest behind them to the Churches to do so too may be found to conviction if we read their Epistles 5. Wouldest thou not suffer for evil-doing then take heed of being offended with Magistrates because by their Sate-Acts they may cross thy inclinations 'T is given to them to bear the Sword and a command is to thee if thy heart cannot acquiesce with all things with meekness and patience to suffer Discontent in the mind sometimes puts discontent into the mouth and discontent in the mouth doth sometimes also put a halter about the neck For as a man by speaking a word in jest may for that be hanged in earnest so he that speaks in discontent may die for it in sober sadness Adonijah's discontent put him upon doing that which cost him his life 1 King 2 13-23 Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them for they are subjected to the will and foot of God 6. But above all get thy conscience possessed yet more with this that the Magistrate is God's ordinance and is ordered of God as such that he is the Minister of God to thee for good and that it is thy duty to fear him and pray for him to give thanks to God for him and to be subject to him as both Paul and Peter admonish us and that not only for wrath but for conscience sake Rom. 13. For all other arguments come short of binding the Soul where this argument is wanting until we believe that of God we are bound thereto I speak not these things as knowing any that are dissaffected to the Government for I love to be alone if not with godly men in things that are convenient But because I appear thus in publick and know not into whose hands these lines may come therefore thus I write I speak it also to shew my Loyalty to the King and my love to my fellow Subjects and my desire that all Christians should walk in ways of peace and truth I come now to the second thing propounded to be spoken to as to suffering which is this That there have been and yet may be a people in the world that have and may suffer in the sence of the Apostle here according to the will of God or for righteousness sake That there have been such a people in the world I think no body will deny because many of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles thus suffered Besides since the Scriptures were written all Nations can witness to this whose Histories tell at large of the patience and goodness of the sufferers and of the cruelty of those that did destroy them And that the thing will yet happen or come to pass again both Scripture and reason affirm First for Scripture The Text tells us that God hath put enmity betwixt the woman and her seed and the Serpent and his Gen. 3.15 This enmity put is so fixed that none can remove it so but that it still will remain in the world These two seeds have always had and will have that which is essentially opposite to one another and they are the spirit of truth and the Spirit of error sin and righteousness light and darkness 1 John 4.6 chap. 3.7 8. 1 Thes. 5.5 Hence an unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked Prov. 29.27 So that unless you could sanctifie and regenerate all men or cause that no more wicked men should any where be in Power for ever you cannot prevent but that sometimes still there must be sufferers for righteousness sake Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 To prove this by reason is easie The Devil is not yet shut up in the bottomless pit Antichrist is yet alive The Government in all Kingdoms is not yet managed with such light and goodness of mind as to let the Saints serve God as he has said what ever it is in some And until then there will be in some places tho' for my part I cannot predict where a people that will yet suffer for well-doing or for righteousness sake In order to a right handling of this matter I shall divide this head into these two parts 1. Shew you what it is to suffer for well-doing or for righteousness 2. Shew you what it is to suffer for righteousness sake I put this distinction because I find that it is one thing to suffer for righteousness and another to suffer for righteousness sake To begin with the first namely to shew you what it is to suffer for righteousness Now that maybe done either passively or actively 1. Passively as when any suffer for righteousness without their own will or consent thereto Thus the little children at Bethlehem suffered by the hands of bloody Herod when they died for or in the room and stead of Jesus Christ Mat. 2.16 Every one of those children died for righteousness if Christ is righteousness for they died upon his account as being supposed to be he himself Thus also the children of Israels little ones that were murdered with their Parents or otherwise because of the Religion of them that begat and bare them died for righteousness The same may be said concerning those of them that suffered in the Land of the Chaldeans upon the same account I might here also bring in those poor Infants that in Ireland Piedmont Paris and other places have had their throats cut and their brains dasht against the walls for none other cause but for the Religion of their Fathers Many many have suffered for rightetousness after this manner Their will nor consent has been in the suffering yet they have suffered for Religion for righteousness And as this hath been so it may be again for if men may yet suffer for righteousness even so for ought I know even in this sence may their children also Now although this is not the chief matter of my Text yet a few words here may do no harm The children that thus suffer tho' their own will and consent be not in what they undergo may yet for all that be accepted as an offering unto the Lord. Their cause is good 't is for Religion and righteousness Their hearts do not recoile against the cause for which they suffer and although they are children God can deal with them as with John the Baptist cause them in a moment to leap for Joy of Christ or else can save them by his Grace as he saveth other his elect infants and thus comprehend them though they cannot apprehend him yea why may they not only be saved but in some sence be called Martyrs of Jesus Christ and those that have suffered for Gods cause
in the world God comforted Rachel concerning her children that Herod murdered in the stead and upon the account of Christ. He bids her refrain her self from tears by this promise that her children should come again from the land of the enemy from death And again saith he Thy children shall come again to their own border which I think if it be meant in a Gospel sence must be to the heavenly inheritance compare Jer. 31.15 with Matt. 2.18 And methinks this should be mentioned not only for her and their sakes but to comfort all those that either have had or yet may have their children thus suffer for righteousness None of these things as shall be further shewed anon happen without the determinate counsel of God He has ordered the sufferings of little children as well as that of persons more in years And 't is easie to think that God can as well foresee which of his elect shall suffer by violent hands in their Infancy as which of them shall then die a natural death He has Saints small in age as well as in esteem or otherwise and sometimes the least member of the body suffereth violence as well as the head or other chief parts And although I desire not to see these days again yet me thinks it will please me to see those little ones that thus have already suffered for Jesus to stand in their white Robes with the elders of the people before the throne to sing unto the Lamb. But to pass this and to come to that which is more directly intended to be spoken to namely to shew you who doth actively suffer for righteousness And 1. 'T is he that chuseth by his own will and consent to suffer for it All suffering that can be called active suffering must be by the consent of the will and that is done when a man shall have sin and suffering set before him and shall chuse suffering rather than sin He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and again They did not accept of deliverance that is of base and unworthy terms that they might obtain a better resurrection Heb. 11.25 ver 35. Indeed no man can force a Christian to suffer as a Christian without his own consent All Christians are sufferers of will and consent Hence 't is said they must take up their cross by which taking up an act of their will is intended So again take my yoke upon you which also intends an act of the will Mat. 10.38 Chap. 16.24 Chap. 11.29 This therefore is the first thing that I would present you with Not that an act of the will is enough to declare a man a sufferer for righteousness it standing alone for a man thorough the strength of delusion and the power of an erroneous conscience may be willing to suffer for the grossest opinions in the world But I bring it to shew that actual suffering for righteousness must also be by the consent of the will the mind of the man must be in it Secondly He that suffereth for righteousness thus must also have a good cause A good cause is that which is essential to suffering for righteousness A good cause what is that Why verily It is the truth of God either in the whole of it as contained in the Scriptures of truth or in the parts of it as set before me to believe or do by any part of that holy word This may be called the matter for which one suffereth or as it is called in another place the word of righteousness Heb. 5.13 It may also be called the form of sound Doctrine or the like Because without this word the Matter and nature of Gods truths cannot be known Pilate's question what is truth will still abide a question to those that have not or regard not the word the rule of righteousness John 18.38 See then that thy cause be good thou that wouldest know what it is to suffer for righteousness Step not an hairs breadth without the bounds of the word of truth also take heed of misunderstanding or of wringing out of its Place any thing that is there Let the words of the upright stand upright warp them not to the end they may comply in shew with any crooked notion And to prevent this take these three words as a guide in this matter to thee They shew men their sins and how to close with a Saviour they enjoyn men to be holy and humble they command men to submit themselves to authority And what ever is cross to these comes from ignorance of or from a wresting the rule of righteousness out of its place But more particularly the word of righteousness thy cause within the bounds of which thou must keep if thou wilt suffer for righteousness is to be divided into two parts 1. It containeth a revelation of moral righteousness 2. It containeth a revelation of evangelical righteousness As for moral righteousness men seldom suffer only for that Because that is the righteousness of the World and that simply as such that sets it self up in every mans conscience and has a testimony for it self even in the light of nature Besides there is nothing that maketh head against that but that which every man is ashamed by words to plead for and that is immorality And this is that which Peter intends when he saith And if ye be followers of that which is good who will harm you 1 Pet. 3.13 If ye be followers of moral goodness But if it should so happen for the case is rare that any man should make you sufferers because you love God and do good to your neighbour happy are ye Though I do not think that the Apostles conclusion terminates there But more of these things anon For let a man be a good neighbour in morals let him feed the hungry cloath the naked give freely out of his purse to the poor and do that which he would another should do to him and stop there and not meddle with the name of Christ and he shall have but few enemies in the World For 't is not the Law but Christ that is the stumbling block and the rock of offence to men Isaiah 8.14 15. Rom. 9.31 32 33. Wherefore there is in Gods word a revelation of another righteousness a righteousness which is not so visible to yea and that suteth not so with the reason of man as that moral righteousness doth Wherefore this righteousness makes men righteous in principle and practise so as is foreign to natural men Hence 't is said to be foolishness to them And again Its praise is not of men Rom. 2.29 1 Cor. 2.14 This righteousness is also revealed in the Scriptures but the blind cannot see it It is the work of the holy Ghost in the heart and is therefore called the fruits of the spirit and the grace which in the head and fulness of it is only to be found in
is set upon an Hill upon a Stage as in a Theater to play a part for God in the World And you know when men are to play their parts upon a Stage they count themselves if possible more bound to circumspection and that for the credit of their Master the credit of their Art and the credit of themselves For then the eyes of every body are fixed they gape and stare upon them Ps. 22.17 and a trip here is as bad as a fall in another place Also now God himself looks on Yea he laugheth as being pleased to see a good behaviour attending the tryal of the innocent 1. He that suffereth for righteousness sake suffereth for his goodness and he is now to labour by works and ways to convince the world that he suffereth as such an one 2. He that suffereth for righteousness sake has many that are weak to strengthen by his sweet carriages under the Cross wherefore he had need to exceed in vertue 3. He also is by well-doing to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men he had need be curious and circumspect in all his actions 4. He is to come in and to be a Judge and to condemn by his faith and patience in his sufferings the World with his Lord and fellows at the appearing of Jesus Christ he had need be holy himself 1 Cor. 6.1 2 3 4 5. Heb. 11.7 2 Thessal 1.5 6. 1 Pet. 4.3 4 5. This therefore is the fit sign of suffering for righteousness sake Sixthly He that suffereth not only for righteousness but also for righteousness sake will not exchange his cause though for it in a Gaol for all the ease and pleasure in the world They that suffered for righteousness sake of old were tempted before they were sawn asunder Heb. 11. Tempted that is allured to come out of their present sufferings and leave their faith and profession in irons behind them Tempted with promises of promotion of ease of friendship of favour with men As the Devil said to Christ so persecutors of old did use to make great promises to sufferers if they would fall down and worship But this is alone as if they should say Butcher make away with your righteousness and a good conscience and you shall find the friendship of the World For there is no way to kill a mans righteousness but by his own consent This Jobs wife knew full well hence she tempted him to lay violent hands upon his own integrity Job 2.9 The Devil nor men of the World can kill thy righteousness or love to it but by thy own hand or separate that and thee asunder without thine own act Nor will he that doth indeed suffer for the sake of it or of love he bears thereto be tempted to exchange it for the good of all the World 'T is a sad sight to see a man that has been suffering for righteousness restored to his former estate while the righteousness for which he suffered remains under locks and irons and is exposed to the scorn contempt reproach of the World and troden under the foot of men 'T is better said Paul for me to dye than that any man should make my glorying void And it had been a hundred times better for that man if he had never known the way of righteousness than after he has known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto him The striving is in persecution for righteousness to wit whether it shall be set up or pull'd down The sufferer he is for setting up and the persecutors are for pulling down Thus they strive for the mastery Now of a man stands by his righteousness and holds fast his good profession then is righteousness set up nor can it so long be pulled down Hence so long a man is said to overcome And overcome he doth though he be killed for his profession But if he starts back gives place submits recants or denyeth any longer to own that good thing that he professed and exposed himself to suffering for then he betrays his cause his profession his conscience his righteousness his Soul and all for he has delivered up his profession to be murdered before his face And is fallen down before the wicked like a corrupt fountain and a troubled spring Prov. 25.26 But this I hope will not he do that loveth righteousness and that suffereth for righteousness sake I do not say but that a man may slip here with Peter Origen Hierom Cranmer Baynham Ormis and other good folk but be he one of the right kind a lover of righteousness indeed he will return and take revenge upon himself in a godly way for so ungodly a fact Seventhly He that suffereth not only for righteousness but also for righteousness sake is not so wedded to his own notions as to slight or overlook the good that is in his neighbour But righteousness he loves where-ever he finds it though it be in him that smiteth him Psal. 141.5 Yea he will own and acknowledge it for the only thing that is of beauty and glory in the World With the excellent in the earth is all such a mans delight Wherefore I put a difference betwixt suffering for an opinion and suffering for righteousness as I put a difference betwixt suffering for righteousness and suffering for righteousness sake If righteousness if the stamp of God if Divine authority is not found upon that thing which I hold let men never suffer for it under the notion of righteousness If sin if Superstition if Idolatry if derogation from the wisdom of Christ and the authority and perfection of his word be not found in nor joined to that thing that I disown in worship let me never open my mouth against it I had rather fall in with and be an associate of a righteous man that has no true grace than with a professor that has no righteousness 'T is said of the young man though he went away from Christ that he looked upon him and loved him Mar. 10.17 18 19 20 21. But 't is not said that ever he loved Judas I know that the righteousness for which a good man suffereth is not then imbraced of the world for that at such a time it is under a cloud But yet there is righteousness also in the World and where-ever I see it 't is of an high esteem with me David acknowledged some of his enemies to be more righteous than he acknowledged some of his servants to be 2 Sam. 4.9 10 11. chap. 3 3â— 32 33 34 35. 'T is a brave thing to have righteousness as righteousness to be the top piece in mine affections The reason why Christ was anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows was because he loved righteousness and hated iniquity more than they Heb. 1.9 Love to righteousness flows from golden graces and is that and that only that can make a man capable of suffering in our sence for righteousness sake Eighthly He that suffereth not only for righteousness but
there appears to be no more with the man but only the notion of things For though the notion of things are those that of God are made the means of conveying of grace into the heart yet grace is not always with the notion of things the word oft-times standeth in mans understanding alone and remaineth there as not being accompanied with such grace as can make it the power of God to salvation Now when it is thus with the Soul the danger is as great as ever because there is a presumption now begotten in the heart that the man is in a saved condition A presumption I say instead of faith which puffeth up instead of enabling the Soul after a godly manner to depend upon God for mercy through Christ. This is called the word of them that are puffed up the word only because not accompanied with saving grace 1 Cor. 4.19 Chap. 8.1 1 Thessal 1.5 This the Christian also sees and says it is too weak to conduct the Soul to Glory And this indeed he says because he would not that his neighbour should come short home But neither can this be born but here again the natural man with his notion of things is offended and takes pett against his Friend because he tells him the truth and would that he so should digest the truth that it may prove unto him eternal life Wherefore he now begins to fall out again for as yet the enmity is not removed He therefore counts him an unmercifull man one that condemneth all to Hell but himself and as to his singularity in things those he counteth for dreams for Enthusiasms for Allegorical whimsies vain Revelations and the effects of an erroneous Judgment For the Lord has put such darkness betwixt Egypt and Israel as will not suffer them to come together But this is not all For 't is possible for these carnal men to be so much delighted in the notion of things as to addict themselves to some kind of worship of Christ whose notions of truth have by them been received And because their love is yet but carnal and because the flesh is swelling and is pleased with pomp and sumptuousness therefore to shew how great an esteem such have for Christ whom they are now about to worship They will first count his Testament though good a thing defective and not of fulness sufficient to give in all particular things direction how they should to their own content perform their glorious Doctrine For here and there and in another place cry they there is something wanting Here say they is nothing said of those places vestures gestures shews and outward greatness that we think seemly to be found in and with those that worship Jesus Here wants sumptuous ceremonies glorious ornaments new fashion'd carriages all which are necessary to adorn worship withall But now here again the truly godly as he comes to see the evil of things maketh his objections and findeth fault and counts them unprofitable and vain Isa. 29. Mat. 15. Mark 7. But they again seeing the things they have made are the very excellencies of humane invention and things added as a supplement to make up what and wherein as they think the man that was faithful over his own house as a Son was defective are resolved to stand upon their points and not to budge an inch from the things that are so laudable so necessary so convenient and so comely the things that have been judged good by so many wise learned pious holy reverend and good men Nay if this were all the godly would make a good shift But their zeal is so great for what they have invented and their spirits so hot to make others couch and bend thereto that none must be suffered to their power to live and breath that refuseth to conform thereto This has been proved too true both in France Spain Germany Italy and other places and upon this account it is that persecution has been kept alive so many hundred years in some places against the Church of God From what has been said as to these things this I collect as the summ First That man by nature is in a state of wrath and condemnation Ephes. 2.1 2 3 4. John 3.18 Secondly that the natural man by all his natural abilities is not able to recover himself from this his condemned condition John 6.44 Ephes. 1.19 20. Thirdly that a man may have right notions of Gospel things that hath no grace in his heart 1 Cor. 13.2 3. Fourthly That to add human inventions to Christs institutions and to make them of the same force and necessity of the same authority and efficacy is nought and not to be subjected to Isa. 29.13 Mat. 15.8 9. Mark 7.6 7. So then he that saith these things saith true for the Scriptures say the same This then is a good cause to suffer for if men will that I shall suffer for saying so because it is that which is founded upon the word of God and the word is the ground and foundation of all true Doctrine Let him then that believeth what is here discoursed and that liveth soberly and peaceably in this belief among his neighbours stand by what he hath received and rejoyce that he hath found the truth And if any shall afflict or trouble him for holding of these things they afflict or trouble him for holding to good things and he suffereth at their hands because his cause is good And such an one may with boldness as to this make his appeal to the Bible which is the foundation of his principles and to God the author of that foundation if what he holds is not good He may say Lord I have said that man by nature is in a state of condemnation and they make me suffer for that Lord I have asserted that man by all his natural abilities is not able to recover himself from this his condemned state and they make me suffer for that Lord I have said that a natural man may have right notions of the Gospel and yet be without the saving grace thereof and they make me suffer for that Lord I cannot consent that human inventions and Doctrines of men should be joyned with thy institutions as matters of worship and imposed upon my conscience as such and they make me suffer for that Lord I own the Government pray for my Superiors live quietly among my Neighbours give to all their dues feed the hungry cloath the naked relieve the afflicted and shew my self by my faith and life to be a true Christian man and yet my neighbours will not let me alone True I cannot comply withal that some men would have me comply with no more did Daniel no more did Paul and yet Daniel said that he had to the King done no hurt and Paul said neither against the Law of the Jews neither against the Temple nor yet against Caesar have I offendeed any thing at all Dan. 6.22 Acts 25.8 For he that keeps within the
compass of Gods word hurts no man gives just offence to no man Though he complyeth not with all that are modes and ways of worship in the World Nor can this appeal be judged injurious if it be not attended with intercessions against them that hate us But we will pass this and come to a second thing Secondly As he that suffereth for righteousness must have a good cause So he that suffereth for righteousness must have a good call A man though his cause be good ought not by undue ways to run himself into suffering for it nature teaches the contrary and so doth the Law of God Suffering for a truth ought to be cautiously took in hand and as warily performed I know that there are some men that are more concerned here than some the Preacher of the word is by Gods command made the more obnoxious man for he must come off with a wo if he preaches not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 He therefore I say doth and ought more to expose himself than other Christians are called to do Yet it behoveth him also to beware because that Christ has said to him Behold I send you forth as Sheep or Lambs in the midst of Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Mat. 10.16 Luk. 10.3 A man is not bound by the Law of his Lord to put himself into the mouth of his enemy Christ withdrew himself Paul escaped the Governours hands by being let down in a basket over the wall of the city 2 Cor. 11.32.33 And Christ hath said If they persecute you in one City flie ye to an other If they will not let me preach here I will take up my Bible and be gone Perhaps this is because I must preach in some other place A Minister can quickly pack up and carry his Religion with him and offer what he knows of his God to another people Acts 13.44 45 46 47. Nor should a Minister strive I think with the Magistrate for place or time But let him hearken to hear what God shall say by such opposition Perhaps the Magistrate must drive thee out of this place because the Soul is in another place that is to be converted or helped by thy Sermon to day We must also in all things shew our selves to be such as by our profession we would that men should believe we are to wit meek gentle not strivers but take our Lord and our Brethren the Prophets for our examples But I will not here presume to give instructions to Ministers but will speak a few words in the general about what I think may be a sufficient call to a man to suffer for righteousness First Every Christian man is bound by Gods word to hold to or stand by his profession his profession of Faith and to joyn to that profession an holy godly life because the Apostle and high Priest of his profession is no lâ—ss a one than Christ Jesus Heb. 3.1 chap. 10.23 This by Christ himself is expressed thus Let your light so shine No man lighteth a Candle to put it under a bushel Let your loyns be girded about and your lights burning And Paul bids the Philippians hold forth the word of life Mat. 5.16 Luk. 12.35 Philip. 2.16 And more particularly by all this this is intended that we should hide our faith in Christ from no man but should rather make a discovery of it by a life that will do so For our profession thus managed is the badge and the Lords livery by which we are distinguished from other men So then if while I profess the truth of Christ and so walk as to make my profession of it more apparent I be made a sufferer for it my call is good and I may be bold in God and in my profession This Peter intends when he saith But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear 1 Pet. 3.14 15. Here then is a call not to meddle with the other but to mind our own business to walk in our Christian profession and to adorn it with all good works and if any man will meddle with me and ask me a reason of the hope that I have to give it him with meekness and fear whatever follows thereupon This Peter should have done himself there where he denied his Master thrice The reason is for that Christianity is so harmless a thing that be it never so openly professed it hurts no man I believe that Christ will save me what hurt is this to my Neighbour I love Christ because he will save me what hurt is this to any I will for this worship Christ as he has bid me what hurt is this to any body I will also tell my neighbours what a loving one my Christ is and that he is willing to be good to them as he has been good to me and what hurt is this to the Governour of a Kingdom But and if any man will afflict me for this my cause is good and also my call to stand full godly to my profession Secondly There is sometimes a call to suffer for righteousness even from the voice of necessity That is either when by my silence the truth must fall to the ground or when by my shrinking the Souls of other men are in danger This I say is a call to suffer even by the voice of necessity The case may be when Gods ways may be trodden under foot Yea his Word and Ways and Name and People and all Thus Goliah did do for several days togetoger 1 Sam. 17. and vaunted in his doing and there was not a man no not in Israel that durst answer him a word And now was the spirit of David stirred in him and he would put his life in his hand and give this man an answer and he saw there was reason for it necessity gave him a call Is there not a cause saith he lies bleeding upon the ground and no man of heart or spirit to put a check to the bold Blasphemer I will go fight with him I will put my life in my hand if I die I die Consider also what Daniel did when the Law was gone out to forbid for thirty days petitioning any God or man save the King only At that time also not a man of Israel â—eeped Dan. 6.7 Now neâ—â—â—sity walks about the streets crying who is on the Lords side who c. And Daniel answers I am by opening of his window and praying as at other times three times a day with his face towards Jerusalem verse 10. He heard this voice of necessity and put his life in his hand and complyed with it to the hazzard of being torn in pieces by the Lyons Much like this was that of the three
righteousness For many in the first three hundred years persecution when no body knew what they were would boldly come up to the face of their enemies and tell what they were and suffer for what they professed the death I remember also the Woman who when her Friends were gone before to suffer how she came running and panting after for fear she should not come thither time enough to suffer for Jesus Christ. But I will give you an instance of later times even in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign of an Hartfordshire man that went as far as Rome to bear his testimony for God against the wickedness of that place This man when he was arrived there and had told them wherefore he was come they took and condemned him to death to wit to be burned for an Heretick Now he was to ride from the prison to the place of execution upon an Ass with his face to the beasts tail and was to be stript from the shoulders to the waste that he might be tormented all the way he went with burning torches continually thrust to his sides But he nothing at all afraid spake in his exhortation to the people to fly from their sin and Idolatry he would also catch hold of the Forces and put them to his sides to shew how little he esteemed the worst that they could do Also when he was come to the place of execution he suffered there such cruelty with so unconcern'd a mind and with such burning zeal for Gods truth testified against them while he could speak That all amazed his enemies cried he could not have suffered as he did but by the help of the Devil His name I have now forgot but you will find it with the story at large in the Third Volum of Acts and Monuments at the 1022. page But we will pass this and come to our second particular Namely to shew when it may be said a man doth not only suffer for righteousness but also for righteousness sake To suffer for righteousness sake must be either with the intention of the persecutor or else of the persecuted The persecutor what ever the person suffering is if he afflicteth this person for a supposed good that he thinketh he hath or professeth he makes him suffer for righteousness sake So that in this sence a man that hath no grace may not only suffer for righteousness but also for righteousness sake But this I intend not because the Text is not concerned with it The thing therefore now intended to be spoken to is this namely when a man may be said to suffer what he suffereth upon a religious account of love to or for the sake of that good that he finds in the truths of God or because his heart is joyned and espoused to the good of the truths that he professeth not that there is any thing in any truth of God that is not good but a man may profess truth not for the sake of the goodness that is in it but upon a remote account Judas professed truth not of love to the truth but of love to the bag and to the money that was put therein Men may profess for a wife for a trade for friendship or because profession is at such a time or in such a place in fashion I wish that there were no cause to say this Now there is not any of these that profess the truth for the truth's sake that profess the truth of love to it nor shall they should they suffer as professors never so long never so much never so greviously be counted of God among them that suffer for righteousness sake that is of unfeigned love to righteousness Wherefore that I may shew you who may be said to suffer for righteousness sake I will propound and speak to several things First then He that suffereth in the Apostles sence for well doing or for righteousness sake sets his face against nothing but sin in He resisteth unto blood striving against sin â—â— sin is the object of his indignation because 't is an enemy to God and to his righteous cause is the World Heb. 12.4 Sin I say is that which such a man singleth out as his opposite as his antagonist and that against which his heart is set 'T is a rare thing to suffer a right and to have my spirit in my suffering bent only against Gods enemy sin Sin in Doctrine sin in Worship sin in Life sin in Conversation Now then he that suffereth for righteousness sake has singled out sin to pursue it to death long before he comes to the cross 'T is sin alas and his hatred to it that have brought him into this condition He fell out with sin at home in his own house in his own heart before he fell out with sin in the world or with sin in publick worship For he that can let sin go free and uncontrouled at home within let him suffer while he will he shall not suffer for righteousness sake And the reason is because a righteous Soul as the Phrase is 2 Pet. 2.8 has the greater antipathy against that sin that is most ready to defile it and that is as David calls it ones own iniquity or the sin that dwelleth in ones own flesh I have kept me says he from mine iniquity from mine own sin People that are afraid of fire are concerned most with that that burneth in their own chimney they have the most watchful eye against that that is like to burn down their own house first He also that suffereth for righteousness sake doth it also because he would not that sin should cleave to the worship of God and indeed this is mostly the cause of the sufferings of the godly They will not have to do with that worship that hath sinful traditions commixed with Gods appointments because they know that God is jealous of his worship and has given a strict charge that all things be done according to the pattern shewed to us in the Mount He knows also that God will not be with that worship and those worshippers that have not regard to worship by the rule of the Testament of Christ. He is also against the sin that is apt to cleave to himself while he standeth in the presence of God I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compass thine altar O Lord. This man also chuses to be in the practical parts of worship if possible for he knows that to have to do about holy things sincerely is the way to be at the remotest distance from sin He chuses also to be with those holy Ones that are of the same mind with him against sin For he knows that two are better than one and that a threefold Cord is not easily broken Wherefore look to your selves you that do or may be called to suffer for Religion if you bend not your selves against sin if to be revenged of sin be not the cause of your suffering you cannot be said
thou hast excellent Graces manage them cherish strengthen and replenish them according to the mind of that great one who has bestowed such power to rule upon thee Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry Colos. 3.5 Nor do I think that murmuring shrinking whinching complaining and the like when men Governours lay a yoke upon our necks flows from any thing else but love to our flesh and distrust of the faithfulness of God to manage men things and actions for his Church The powers that be are ordered as well as ordained of God They are also always in Gods hand as his rod or staff for the good and benefit of his people Wherefore we ought with all meekness and humbleness of mind to accept of what our God by them shall please to lay upon us 1 Pet. 5.6 By what I now say I do not forbid groaning and crying to God under affliction I speak against striving to deliver our selves from the affliction And since men are as I said the rod staff or sword in Gods hand we should apply our selves unto him in faith in a way of Prayer Intercession Supplication and giving of thanks for Governours For since they are sent of God they must needs come with some good in their hand for us also our prayers may make them more profitable to us And this we ought to do without wrath and doubting for this is that which is good and acceptable unto God 1 Tim. 2. Besides 't is a sign that we forget our selves when we complain for the punishment of our sins If we look into our selves and wayes we shall see cause of more heavy stripes than yet God by men has laid upon us What sin has yet been suppressed by all that has happened to us Are Pride Covetousness Loosness Treacherous dealing Schisms and other things redressed by all the affliction that we have had Yea do we not grow worse and worse Wherefore then should we complain Where is Repentance Reformation and amendment of life amongst us Why then do we shrink and whinch For my part I have oft-times stood amazed both at the mercy of God and the favour of the Prince towards us and can give thanks to God for both and do make it my Prayer to God for the King and that God will help me with meekness and patience to bear what ever shall befall me for my professed subjection to Christ by men We are bid as I said afore to give thanks to God for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority Because as I said there is no man with whom we have to do we doing as we should but he bringeth some good thing to us or doth some good thing for us We will now descend from them that are supreme in authority and will come to inferior men And suppose some of them to act beyond measure cruelly What Can no good thing come to us out of this Do not even such things as are most bitter to the flesh tend to awaken Christians to Faith and Prayer to a sight of the emptiness of this World and the fadingness of the best it yields Doth not God by these things oft-times call our sins to remembrance and provoke us to amendment of life how then can we be offended at things by which we reap so much good and at things that God makes so profitable for us Doth not God oft-times even take occasions by the hardest of things that come upon us to visit our Souls with the comforts of his Spirit to lead us into the glory of his word and to cause us to favour that love that he has had for us even from before the world began till now A nest of Bees and honey did Sampson find even in the belly of that Lion that roared upon him And is all this no good or can we be without such holy appointments of God Let these things be considered by us and let us learn like Christians to kiss the Rod and love it I have thought again my brethren since it is required of us that we give thanks to God for all these men it follows that we do with quietness submit our selves under what God shall do to us by them For it seems a Paradox to me to give thanks to God for them that yet I am not willing should abide in that place that God has set them in for me I will then love them bless them pray for them and do them good I speak now of the men that hurt me as was hinted afore And I will do thus because it is good so to do because they do me good by hurting of me because I am cal-called to inherit a blessing and because I would be like my heavenly Father Therefore if mine enemy hunger let me feed him if he thirst let me give him drink Mat. 5.43 44 45 46 47 48. 1 Pet. 3.9 Rom. 12.17 20 1. We must see good in that in which other men can see none 2. We must pass by those injuries that other men would revenge 3. We must shew we have grace and that we are made to bear what other men are not acquainted with 4. Many of our graces are kept alive by those very things that are the death of other mens Souls Where can the excellency of our Patience of our meekness of our long-suffering of our love and of our Faith appear if it be not under Tryals and in those things that run cross to our flesh The Devil they say is good when he is pleased But Christ and his Saints when displeased Let us therefore covet to imitate Christ and the Scripture Saints Let us shew out of a good conversation our works with meekness of wisdom Let us take heed of admitting the least thought in our minds of evil against God the King or them that are under him in imploy because the cup the King all men and things are in the hand of God Psal. 75.8 Pro. 8.15 Chap. 21.1 Lam. 3.37 and he can make them better to us than if they were as our flesh desireth they should I have often thought that the best Christians are found in the worst of times and I have thought again that one reason why we are no better is because God purges us no more Joh. 15 I know these things are against the grain of the flesh but they are not against the graces of the spirit Noah and Lot who so holy as they in the day of their affliction Noah and Lot who so idle as they in the day of their prosperity I might have put in David too who while he was afflicted had ways of serving God that were special but when he was more enlarged he had ways that were not so good Wherefore the first wayes of David are the ways that God has commended but the rest of his wayes such as had not preheminence 2 Chro. 17.3 We have
that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die Isa. 51.12 God says the wise man hath set the one against the other the day of adversity and the day of prosperity to the end that man should find nothing after him to complain of For as certainly as there is a time to mourn so certainly there is a time to rejoyce set I say for them that suffer for Gods cause according to Gods will Eccles. 7.14 chap. 3.4 There are several degrees of suffering for righteousness there is the scourge of the tongue The ruin of an estate the loss of liberty a Gaol a Gibbet a Stake a Dagger Now answerable to these are the comforts of the holy Ghost prepared like to like part proportioned to part only the consolations are said to abound 2 Cor. 1. But the lighter the sufferings are the more difficult it is to judge of the comforts of the spirit of God for 't is common for a man to be comfortable under sufferings when he suffereth but little and knows also that his enemy can touch his flesh his estate or the like but little I say 't is common for such a man to be comfortable in his sufferings from the consideration that his enemies can touch him no further And this may be the joy of the flesh the result of reason and may be very much if not altogether without a mixture of the joy of the holy Ghost therewith The more deep therefore and the more dreadful the sufferings are the more clearly are seen the comforts of the spirit when a man has comfort where the flesh is dead stirreth not and can do nothing When a man can be comfortable at the loss of all when he is under the sentence of death or at the place of execution When a mans cause a mans conscience the promise and the holy Ghost have all one comfortable voice and do all together with their Trumpets make one sound in the Soul then the comforts are good of the right kind of God and his spirit I told you before that there are several degrees of sufferings wherefore it is not to be expected that he that suffers but little should partake of the comforts that are prepared for them that suffer much He that has only the scourge of the tongue knows not what are the comforts that are prepared for him that meets with the scourge of the whip And how should a man know what manner of comforts the holy Ghost doth use to give at the Gaol and the Gibbet when himself for righteousness never was there But whether this or the other Christian knows it God has his consolations for his suffering people and those too such as are proportioned to the nature or degree of their sufferings The which shall assuredly be made appear to them that shall after a godly manner stick to his truth and trust him with their Souls Joseph was cast into Prison but God was with him John was banished into the Isle called Patmos for the word of God But what revelations of God had he there even such as he was a stranger to all his life before this therefore is to be well heeded For it is a demonstration of the faithfulness of God to those that suffering according to his will do commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Fourthly He will also be faithful to us in this He will not let the sharpness nor keenness nor venom of the arrows of the enemies of his people reach so far as to destroy both body and Soul at once but he will preserve them when what can be done is done to his eternal Kingdom and Glory Thus being preserved to his eternal Kingdom and glory is a mâ—rvellous thing But it must be so because God has called them to it Wherefore after Peter had told them that the Devil their adversary sought to devour them and had bidden them resist him stedfast in the faith he saith But the God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal Kingdom and glory by Christ Jesus after ye have suffered a while make you perfect strengthen stablish settle you 1 Pet. 5.8 9 10. The truth is persecution of the godly was of God never intended for their destruction but for their Glory and to make them shine the more when they are beyond this valley of the shadow of death Indeed we oft-times when we are perscuted do feel the terrors of our adversaries in our minds But 't is not because they can shoot them thither nor because they of themselves have power to reach so far but we like fools by our ignorance and unbelief do admit them thither No suffering nor inflicter of suffering can reach the peace of the sufferer without his own consent This is provision of Gods making Yea and if thorow our folly their terror is admitted to touch us yet since we are not our own but are bought with a price we are not so at our own dispose but that God will have the butting and bounding of their rage as also a power to uphold and support our spirits When I said my foot slipped thy mercy O Lord held me up And the reason why by Gods ordinance the spirit is not to be touched in suffering is because that is it that is to sustain the infirmity of the sufferer therefore God will have the spirit of his servants kept sound and in good health Prov. 18.14 Isaiah 57.16 The room therefore and the ground that the enemy has to play upon is the body and outward substance of the people of God but the spirit is reserved for the reason hinted before and also that it might be capable of maintaining of communion with God And how else could they obey that command that bids them rejoyce in tribulation and glorifie God in the fires as it is Rom. 12 and Isaiah 24.15 But I say if they have not power to touch much less to destroy body and Soul for ever The body is Gods and he gives that to them to destroy the spirit is Gods and he keeps that to himself to shew that he has both power to do with us what he pleases and that he will recover our body also out of their hand for if the spirit lives so must the body when men have done what they can therewith This is the argument of our Lord Jesus Christ himself Luke 20.37.38 Therefore the faithfulness of God not only is but also will be seen by them that dare trust him till the next World to his glory and their eternal comfort We will now conclude with a short word by way of use you see how I have opened the Text and what hath naturally followed thereupon from the whole of which may be gathered First that the people of God are a suffering people a people subject to trouble for their faith and profession The reason is besides what hath been said already because the power of truth is in their
Gods commandments 1. How can he be a victor over himself that is led up and down by the nose by his own passions there is no man a Christian victor but he that conquers himself but he that beats down and keeps under his body his lusts his passions in the first place Is he that is led away with divers lusts a victor is he that is a servant to corruption a victor And if he that is captivated by his anger wrath passion discontent prejudice c. be not led away by them I am under a mistake So then to quarrel with Superiours or with any that are troublesome to thee for thy faith and thy profession bespeaks thee over-mastered and a Captive rather than a Master and a Conquerer 2. The same may be said upon the second head He keepeth not the Commandments of God For those teach him other things as I have also shewed The great Gospel-Commands terminate in self-denial but if self revenge is self denyal I am besides the Book Christ in the Book of the Revelations sets him that keeps the commandments of God a great way off from him that taketh and smiteth with the Sword He that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword Here is the patience and faith of the Saints that is in that they forbear to do thus and quietly suffer under those that thus take it and afflâ—ct the godly with it Again Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Revel 13.10 chap. 14.12 A patient continuing in well-doing and if suffering for righteousness be well-doing then a patient continuing in that as in other things is the way to keep Gods commandments Rom. 2.7 So that I say he keepeth not Gods commandments that is angry with his enemies and that seeks to be revenged of him that doth him ill You know the subject I am upon The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God James 1.20 Wherefore professors beware and take heed to your spirits and see that you let not out your selves under your sufferings in such extravagancies of spirit against your enemies as is no way seemly nor convenient Sixthly Men that are unquiet and discontented and that seek revenge upon them that persecute them for their profession do by so doing also put themselves upon the brink of those ruins that others are further from These men are like the flie that cannot let the candle alone until she hath burned her self in the flame Magistrates and men in Power have fortified themselves from being attacqued with turbulent and unruly Spirits by many and wholsome Laws And indeed should they not do so one or other perhaps would be quickly tempted to seek to disturb them in the due exercise of their authority Now the angry man he is the flie that must be tripping and running himself upon the point of these Laws His angry spirit puts him upon quarrelling with his Superiors and his quarrelling brings him by words spoke in heat within the reach of the net and that with the help of a few more brings his neck to the halter Nor is this what ever men think but by the just judgment of God Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resest shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 Esth. 2.21 22 23. Wherefore let the angry man take heed let the discontented man take heed He that has a profession and has not grace to know in this matter to manage it is like to bring his profession to shame Wherefore I say let such take heed And the graces aforementioned and the due exercise of them are they and that which can keep us out of all such dangers Seventhly And what comfort can such a man have who has by his discontent and unruly carriages brought himself in this manner to his end He has brought himself to shame his profession to shame his friends to shame and his name to contempt and scorn Bad men rejoyce at his fall good men cannot own him weak men stumble at him Besides his cause will not bear him out his heart will be clogged with guilt innocency and boldness will take wings and fly from him Though he talketh of Religion upon the stage or ladder that will blush to hear its name mentioned by them that suffer for evil-doing Wherefore my brethren my Friends my enemies and all men what Religion Profession or Opinion so ever you hold Fear God honour the King and do that duty to both which is required of you by the Word and Law of Christ and then to say no more you shall not suffer by the Power for evil doing FINIS
to suffer for righteousness sake Take heed therefore that some thing else be not an inducement to thee to suffer A man may suffer to save what he has There is credit also and an applause there is shame to conform there is carnal stoutness of spirit there is hatred of persecutors and scorn to submit there is fear of contempt and of the reproach of the people c. These may be motives and arguments to a suffering state and may really be the ground of a mans being in the Gaol though he cries out in the mean while of Popery of Superstition and Idolatry and of the Errors that attend the common modes of the Religions of the World I charge no man as though I knew any such thing by any But I suggest these things as things that are possible and mention them because I would have sufferers have a care of themselves and watch and pray because no man can be upright here that is not holy that cannot pray and watch and deny himself for the love that he has to righteousness I said it before and will say it again 't is a rare thing to be set in down-rightness of heart against sin Secondly Is it for the sake of righousness that thou sufferest Then it is because thou wouldest have righteousness promoted set up and established in the world also thou art afflicted at those advantages that iniquity gets upon men upon things and against thy self I beheld said David the transgressors and was grieved because men kept not thy Law Psal. 119. And again these are they that mourn for the abominations that are done among men Ezek. 9. There is a great deal of talk about Religion a great deal of pleading for Religion namely as to the formalities of this and the other way But to chuse to be Religions that I might be possessed with holiness and to chuse that Religion that is most apt to possess me with it if I suffer for this I suffer for righteousness sake Wherefore say thus to thy Soul thou that art like to suffer for righteousness How is it with the most inward parts of my Soul what is there what designs desires and teachings out are there Why do I pray Why do I read Why do I hear Why do I haunt and frequent places and ordinances appointed for worship is it because I love holiness would promote righteousness because I love to see godliness shew it self in others and because I would feel more of the power of it in my self if so and if thou sufferest for thy profession thou sufferest not only for righteousness but also for righteousness sake Dost thou thus practise because thou wouldest be taught to do outward acts of righteousness and because thou wouldest provoke others to do so too Dost thou shew to others how thou lovest righteousness by taking opportunities to do righteousness How is it dost thou shew most mercy to thy Dog or to thine enemy to thy Swine or to the poor whose naked body hast thou clothed whose hungry belly hast thou fed Hast thou taken delight in being defrauded and beguiled hast thou willingly sat down by the loss with quietness and been as if thou hadst not known when thou hast been wronged defamed abused and all because thou wast not willing that black mouthed men should vilifie and reproach Religion upon thy account 1 Cor. 6.7 He that loveth righteousness will do thus yea and do it as unto God and of tenderness to the word of God which he professeth And he that thinks to make seeing men believe that when he suffereth he suffereth for righteousness sake and yet is void in his life of moral goodness and that has no heart to suffer and bear and put up and pass by injuries in his conversation among his enemies at home is deceived There are some Scriptures that are as if they were out of date amoâ—â— some professors specially such as can for actual holiness and acts of self denyal for God but it will be found at the day of judgment that they only are the peculiar people that are zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 God help us 't is hard now to perswade professors to come up to negative holiness that is to leave undone that which is bad and yet this of it self comes far short of ones being found in practical goodness But this is the man that suffereth when he suffereth for righteousness sake that makes it his business by all lawful means according to the capacity that God has put him in to promote set up and establish righteousness in the World I say this is the man that suffereth for righteousness sake that suffereth for so doing and I am sure that a life that is moral when joyned to the profession of the faith of the things that are of the spirit of God is absolutely necessary to the promoting of righteousness in the World Hence Peter tells them that suffer for righteousness sake that they must have a good conscience a good conscience towards God towards men towards friends towards enemies 1 Pet. 3.14 15 16. Acts 24.16 chap. 23.1 They must have a good conscience in all things being willing ready desirous to live honestly godly and righteously in this world or else they cannot though they may suffer for the best doctrine under heaven sâ—ffer for righteousness sake Heb. 13.18 Wherefore Thirdly Is it for righteousness sake that thou sufferest then thy design is the ruin of sin this depends upon what was said before for he that strives against sin that seeks to promote righteousness he designs the ruin of sin Be not said Paul to the suffering Romans overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Rom. 12.21 To overcome evil with good is an hard task To rail it down to cry it down to pray Kings and Parliaments and men in authority to put it down this is easier than to use my endeavour to overcome it with good with doing of good as I said before And sin must be overcome with good at home before thy good can get forth of doors to overcome evil abroad Abraham overcame evil with good when he quieted the discontent of Lot and his Herdsmen with allowing of them to feed their Cattel in the best of what God had given him Gen. 13.7 8. David overcame evil with good when he saved the life of his bloudy enemy that was fallen into his hand also when he grieved that any hurt should come to them that sought nothing so much as his destruction They rewarded me saith he evil for good to the spoiling of my Soul But as for me when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth I humbled my Soul with fasting I behaved my self as if he had been my Friend or Brother I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother This is to overcome evil with good Psal. 35.11 12 13 14. Job saith concerning his enemy that he did not rejoyce when evil found him neither have I said he suffered