and persecuting Ages Were not those times a continual and vast increase of fresh Converts And were not those Converts of much better and more Christian Lives under this Discipline of Persecutions than others use to be in times of Peace and secular Advantages And on the other hand to abate the advantage of worldly Peace and Possessions are not they too liable to carnalize and corrupt the Spirits of men Do not the worldly Possessions which were design'd to encourage men in the way and ministry of Religion too oft steal their hearts away from it and then when a Persecution comes for any necessary Truth or Duties sake instead of being a friend and support are not they an Enemy within the Walls to betray and deliver it up The sad experience of such general and shameful Defections from religious Truths to hold their worldly Possessions made Faustinus and Marcellinus in their Book of Prayers to the Emperors to call them Perniciosissimas possessiones most pernicious Possessions yea to wish that the Church had never been possessed of them that living after the manner of the Apostles it might still have more inviolably possessed the integrity of the Faith I know there are many great and valuable Advantages by worldly Possessions for which the Church has great cause to be thankful to God and all its Benefactors but these in trying times are advantages only to wise men who have raised Affections and retain a true spirituality of mind and contempt of the World in the midst of all secular enjoyments being on such occasions the greatest snare and bane to all others So that the advantage pleadable from these is only to those who can let them go for Religion and love God and their Duty above them And when God sends Persecution it is both the School wherein to shew forth this raised temper of mind and wherein to improve and perfect it 'T is not for us therefore to say it is better for Religion but only for Flesh and Blood whilst they profess Religion to be out of Persecution For when God sees fit to send it upon his Church as he always doth when they cannot shun it without Sin he designs and will undoubtedly effect it to purge and purifie to perfect and promote true and acceptable Religion and Godliness thereby And all that loses is only mixt and mongrel Professors and our own worldly and carnal selves Such is the real importance of Persecution to Religion and the Church It gets more thereby than it loses It is deprived of nominal mixt Professors but augmented with better Christians Tho it should shew fewer Professors yet can it at such times produce more and more perfect Saints and Heirs of eternal Happiness It takes from its faithful Followers worldly things not spiritual present not future So that it destroys or lessens it only in the opinion of worldly minds or fleshly prudence who look only at what is kept or lost of this Worlds goods and advantages but advances confirms and multiplies it in the Opinion of the spiritually minded and according to the estimate of true Christian Prudence Like to this of others Force not making us lose Religion is another Observation of others Force not hindring the effect of our Ministry This is wont to be one Plea at such times For as the People are ready to say they take Arms against their persecuting Prince that they may not be deprived of the benefit of their Ministers so among the Ministers themselves are some tempted to stretch and go greater lengths in complyance therewith than they think their duty allows on pretence of serving God and keeping in to do good in their places If we stick at this say some what will become of our Ministry and the exercise thereof and what way can we have to do God service in our stations Now If this has any force at all it seems to be against Gods own ordering as if in this disposal of Providence he had called us from a better way to a worse and in debarring and discharging us from our former Stations as he doth when we can no longer hold them without sin had summoned us to a less useful Post to serve him in But a mind that truly and sincerely seeks to serve God and not under an hypocritical pretence thereof to serve its worldly interests will easily give him leave when he sees fit to change the scene of our service and to chalk out and call us as he pleases to the place where and the Station in which he will be served And besides the external force tho it drive us out of our Stations will not take us away at such times from doing him service For besides what we have opportunity then to do for him we may serve him more by suffering in a good way than we ever should be able to do by keeping our Stations through a bad one Nay our sufferings for a good Cause may be like to be of more real use and influence than all our Preaching up the same Cause might be without suffering There is a Witness in the Blood as I observed and a persuasiveness in the sufferings of Martyrs and Confessors which affects and convinces more than any words or Sermons they could use Let us then on such occasions take care to suffer Christianly and leave it to Gods care to supply any want of us in our Stations and to serve himself by our sufferings more than it were possible for us to serve him by any other ways And as others Force can never make us lose Religion so neither Secondly When Force and Persecution comes upon Religion especially from our Governors in the Eye of Spiritual Wisdom is our armed Resistance or encountring Force by Force a way to defend and preserve Religion If our Force be a way to preserve any thing at such times it is the worldly appendages of Religion viz. our Secular Profits Civil Liberties Powers Honors and other Advantages which the Laws have conferred and settled in favor of the Truth and given the Professors thereof a Title to What it can have any pretence to is to guard worldy things possessed by Religious Men as they are Members of this World as well as Professors of Religion And if it come in to guard worldly things it is on the score of worldly Prudence and is made use of by the Religious not as Religious but as worldly wise Tho as to Publick Force for redress of Publick Grievances however to the aggrieved before they have tryed it may seem otherwise I think it is a most unwise course and instead of preserving what part of those worldly things was endangered it brings all into much greater danger and to secure one part throws away several Adding only this for our Recompence that instead of losing and suffering a little against the grain of our angry Passions it throws us into the suffering of a great deal more but in the pleasure and pursuit of them
and light Corn from the good Wheat the nominal from the real the Christians of this World from those of a better But it takes off no Right Christians who are not Right so long as any thing can make them desert their Saviour or any Duty of his Religion when they are call'd by him to own and stick to them If any man love Father or Mother or his own Life more than me he is not worthy of me Mat. x. 37.39 Luc. xiv 26 If he take not his Cross and follow me he is not worthy of me Mat. x. 38 If he doth not bear his Cross and come after me he cannot be my Disciple Luk. xiv 27 As for those who are right true Christians Persecution perfects them It takes them off from fleshly delights and cures their inordinate love and complacence in or hankerings after this World It makes them sit loose to it and have a generous contempt thereof It heightens their pious Resolutions instead of abating them it doth not stop their Carier in duty but enliven it It begets in them a triumphant disdain of the Injuries or Reproaches that are thrown upon them for doing a good thing and a complacence in the Cross instead of a displeasure with themselves when it meets them in a good Cause For in these Sufferings having the support of God's Promises the comfort of his Spirit and the applause of a good Conscience they are not only patient under their Lot but satisfied with it they do not only bear their Burden but glory and rejoyce therein Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you for righteousness sake Rejoyce then and be exceeding glad says our Lord Mat. v. 10 11 12. Luc. vi 22 23. Count it not strange but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that ye may be also of his glory Under such Sufferings happy are ye for the spirit of God rests upon you says S. Peter 1 Pet. iv 12 13 14. Accordingly says S. Paul I take pleasure in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake 2 Cor. xii 10 and the Hebrews took joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing they had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance Heb. x. 34 A state of Persecution is the most advantageous time for a Christian to appear perfect in and passive Virtues are the best Ornament and most compleat Dress wherein he can shew and recommend himself He is never so good so glorious and great as when he is bravely and undauntedly doing his Duty and confessing under the Cross of Christ. Nay put the worst that can come that such a religious man be cut off and dye for his Religion yet even then must no man prophanely ask What is become of Religion For that is then become which should become of it viz. to carry the Professors thereof to be everlastingly happy in Heaven And by their dying for it which is more no hurt but good will come to Religion among those that survive For Persecution as it perfects so it spreads and propagates truly religious men If Religion thereby loses out-side Professors it gets sincere and faithful Followers The Church loses not so much by the Sufferings as it gets by the Examples of the holy and blessed Martyrs For these strangely affect and strike upon the Spirits of men Their Faith and Patience and other noble Virtues shew men the power and excite their curiosity and mightily dispose them to hearken and inquire into the truth of what they suffer for So that Semen est sanguis Christianorum the blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church as Tertullian says they found by experience in the Sufferings of the ancient Church These influenced not only the weak but the wisest persons bringing in such as Justin that renown'd Philosopher and Martyr to see and receive the Truth the great occasion of his Conversion as he himself relates being that Constancy and religious Bravery the Martyrs shew'd in their Sufferings There is a witness in the blood of Saints that begets Faith in Beholders and therefore among the Three that bear Witness to Christ on Earth S. John reckons the blood for one the Spirit the Water and the Blood meaning thereby their Sufferings in his Cause 1 Jo. v. 8 And S. Paul noting the signs of an Apostle who was to persuade and get belief in others tells the Corinthians they were wrought among them in all patience 2 Cor. xii 12 Their Sufferings were one proof of their being Gods Ministers In all things saith he approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions necessities distresses and Persecutions of every sort as well as by the word of truth and by the gifts of Miracles or the power of God 2 Cor. vi 4 5 7. The Patterns and the Prayers the passive Graces and Sufferings of the primitive Saints and Martyrs as well as their Preaching and miraculous powers were a cause that spread Religion so strangely under the primitive Persecutions instead of cutting off it was really a Widener and a true prolifick Principle and Seed of the Church Thus doth God turn this great rule of worldly Wisdom into mere Folly In this he absolutely confounds the wisdom of the Wise and takes the fleshly Wise as the Scripture says in their own craftiness and demonstrates how the Wisdom of this World is Foolishness with God 1 Cor. iii. 19 20. When Persecutions go to destroy the Religious they do not pull down but propagate and advance Religion When they destroy and cut off some they drive in more and Religion gets new ones in their room It loses none but out-side or insincere Professors but increases in the number of hearty and upright Followers who are the true honor of Religion and ornament of the Church From this I observe how we must not say with worldly wise men that worldly ease and immunities are best for Religion Indeed outward Peace and Privileges are things very valuable and acceptable to its Professors as their place of professing it is here in this World and whilst they bear about them fleshly Natures But as we must thankfully value and improve it when we have it so must we consider too that Religion it self and the Spirit tho the Flesh be of another mind may be bettered by the want thereof And therefore that is but fit in this case to leave God to take his own way and chuse for us And if at any time he is bringing Persecution on 't is not for us to step out of his way to keep it off and excuse our selves by saying it is better for Religion For when was it ever better for the Church than in the first Ages when they run thro the most and forest Persecutions Is not that best for the Church which makes the most and the best good Christians And when were they more or better in the places where Christianity prevail'd than in those first
for Publick Good i.e. when they see it Expedient for they must judge of it Is not this to set Subjects loose when they see Cause And if they are Arbitrary Governors who in Ruling are left to Discretion are not they also as Arbitrary Subjects who in Obeying are left to Discretion Now to Cure Arbitrary Power by Arbitrary Obedience is to Cure Tyrannical Government by no Government which is as bad nay abundantly worse The very worst of Tyrants are the Ministers of God for good in comparison of no Government One Tyrant's Lust cannot Rifle all Virgins nor his Avarice devour all Estates nor his Revenge reach all Persons nor his Cruelty cut off the Common Wealth But under no Government the Rabble will Govern all And that will be branched out into many thousand Tyrants who Persecute without Pity as well as Justice and pull down and spoil without any Relentings and have no Generosity to spare or greatness of Soul to neglect or leave any thing but think the meanest Plunder a desireable Prey and sweep all before them A Poor Man that oppresseth the Poor is like a sweeping Rain says Solomon Prov. xxviii 3 And I think the Experience we have had of late in these three Realms of the Rabbles Ruling is enough to convince all Considerate Men that a few months of their Expedition is much more full of illegal Violence Injustice and Inhumanity and a great deal more formidable than a Tyrants whole Reign FINIS * Tit. iii. 1 †1 Pet. ii 13 ‖ Rom. xiii 1 * Mat. x. 38 Luk. ix 23 Mat. xvi 24 Luk. xiv 27 †Rom. xiii 2 ‖ Inquiry into the measures of submission to the Supreme Authority Art 9.12 Discourse about the Justice of the Gentlemens undertaking at York Nov. 1688. p. 4 5 6 7. passim Julian the Apostate c. 9. p. 74.92 And the Answer to Jovian p. 160. And several others †Jo. iii. 3 and 2 Cor. â— 17. †In primis Deo digna ut ita dixerim necessaria ad Probationem scilicet Servorum ejus sive reprobationem Tertull de fug in Perfec c. 1. ‖ Pala illa quae nunc Dominicam aream purgat ecclesiam scilicet confusum acervum fidelium eventilans frumentum Martyrum paleas Negatorum ib. †Apol. â— ult Justin. Mart. ad Diognet p. 498 499 Dial. cum Tryph. p. 337. Lact. l. 5. c. 13. * Apol. 1. p. 50. * Libell Precum p. 8. †Quas utinam nunquam possedisset ecclesia ut Apostolico more vivens fidem integram inviolabiliter possideret ib. p. 2. Ed. Ox. †Adv. Marc. l. 4. c. 39. †Homil. 34. in Mat. in c. x.16 Be ye wise as Serpents c. †Ibid. ‖ Vid. Edwards Gangraena part 1. Ep. Dedicat. ‖ See the Authors cited p. 2. * Geog. l. 17. sub fin †Lib. 53. ‖ ib. l. 53. * Sed quod principi placuit Legis habet vigorem quum Lege Regia quae de ejus imperio lata est populus ei in eum omne imperium suum potestatem concedat Instit. l. 1. tit 2.6 †Faedusve cum quibus volet facere liceat utique ei senatum habere relationem facere c. Utique quaecunque ex usu reipublicae Majestate Divinarum humanarum publicarum privatarumque rerum esse censebit ei agere facere jus potestasque sit ita ut Divo Augusto Tiberio c. fuit ‖ Apud Jan. Gruterum Inscript Antiqu. p. 242. Inscript de Caesar. Suetonio Annexis Ed. Ox. sub Vespas nu 10. * Annal. l. 4. p. 190 191. Ed. Gryphii †In Tiber. c. 30. ‖ Dio l. 53. †c. 31. vid. c. 32. * Principem quem vos tanta ac tam Libera potestate instruxistis Senatui servire debere c. 29. * L. 66. †Harm of New Test. ad An. Ner. 11. Christi 65. ‖ Joseph de Bell. l. 2. c. 24. ‖ P. II. * Dec. 1. l. 2. †Vid. Paulum Manut. de Leg. Ro. p. 37 38. †Apol. p. 6. c. 13. ‖ Utique quos Magistratum Potestatem imperium Curationemve cujus rei petentes Senatui populoque Ro. commendaverit quibusque Suffragationem suam dederit promiserit eorum Commitiis quibusque extra ordinem ratio habeatur Inscript Tab Lateran †Tum primum è campo comitia ad Patres translata sunt Nam ad câ—m diem etsâ— potissima arbitrio Principis quaedam tamen studiis tribuum fiebant Tacit. An. l. 1. p. 29. Ed. Gryph ‖ In Calig c. 16. ‖ Lib. 53. †Suet. in Aug. c. 53. ‖ Id. in Tib. c. 27. †In Calig c. 22. ‖ Digna vox est Majestate Regnantis Legibus alligatum se Principem profiteri Cod. l. 1 Tit. 14. De Legibus c. l. 4 †Nihil tam proprium Imperii est quam Legibus vivere Cod. lib. 6. Tit. 23. de Testam l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soc. Hist. Eccl. lib. 1. c. 2. †Hoc imperium cujus ministri estis Civilis non Tyrannica Dominato est Apol c. 2. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dio l. 53. p. 581 582. †Ut Populo praesunt magistratus ita Magistratibus Leges Cic. de Legib. lib. 3. initio ‖ Ipsi Legibus teneantur id Orat. 8. quae est in Verrem l. 3. in fine †Judice qui ex Lege jurati judicatis Legibus obcemperare Debetis l. 1. De Inventione §. 60. so called juratorum hominum Orat. 5. because jurare in Legem judicaturi solebant Gothofred Not. in loc ‖ Haec sunt fundamenta firmissima nostrae Libertatis sui quemque juris retinendi Dimittendi esse Dominum Orat. 35. pro Cornel. Balbo ‡ Hoc nobis esse à majoribus traditum hoc esse denique proprium Liberae civitatis ut nihil de capite civis aut de bonis sine judicio senatus aut populi aut eorum qui de quaque re constituti judices sint deâ—rabi possit Id. Orat. 29. Pro Domo sua ad Pontif. * Lib. 53. p. 582. †Ibid. †Dec. 1. l. 2. * Sacrosanctum-sanctione poenae cum caput ejus qui contra facit consecratur Cicero pro Cornel. Balbo Orat. 35. †Ibid. lib. 2. ‖ Vid. Macrob. Sat. l. 3 c. 7. p. 319 320. ‡ ib. p. 582. †Digest lib. 1. tit 3. l. 31. * Utique quibus Legibus Plebeive scitis scriptum fuit ne Divus Augustus c. tenâ—rentur iis Legibus plebisque scitis Imp. Caes. Vespasianus solutus sit Quaeque ex quaque Lege Rogatione Divum Augustum c. facere oportuit ea omnia Imp. Caes. Vespasiano facere liceat * Princeps Legibus solutus est Augusta autem licet legibus soluta non est Principes tamen eadem illi Privilegia tribuâ—nt quae ipsi habent Lib. 1. Dig. Tit. 3. l. 31. †Experiar quid concedatur in illos Quorum Flaminia tegieux cinis atque Latina Juv.