to be the sufferer so the persons who are appointed to be the rod and sword thereby to afflict withal Thus far therefore the will of God is it that ordereth and disposeth of us and of our sufferings Seventhly As all these pass thorough the hand of God and come not to us but by his will So how long is also as really determined as any of them all 'T is not in man but God to set the time how long the rod of the wicked shall rest upon the lot of the righteous Abraham must be informed of this Abraham says God know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years Gen. 15.13 So the thraldom of Israel in Babylon was not only in the general appointed but the time prefixt how long Jer. 25.11.12 chap. 29.10 The time of the Beasts Reign and of the witnesses walking in sackcloth are punctually fixed and that beyond which they cannot go Revel 11 12 13. chapters I know these are generals and respect the Church in the bulk of it and not particular persons But as was hinted afore we must argue from the greater to the lesser that is from four hundred years to ten days from ten days to three and so from the Church in general to each particular member and to the time and nature of their sufferings Revel 2.10 Hos. 6.2 Acts 23.11 And thus in a word or two I have finished the first two parts of the Text and shewed you what there is in Peter's counsel and advice and shewed you also to whom his advice is given in which last as you see I have shewed you both what the will of God is and what to suffer according to it And particularly I have in a few words handled this last to shew you that our sufferings are ordered and disposed by him that you might always when you come into trouble for his Name not stagger nor be at a loss but be stayed composed and setled in your minds and say the will of the Lord be done Acts 21.14 I will also say unto you this by the way that the will of God doth greatly work even to order and dispose of the spirits of Christians in order to a willingness disposedness readiness and resignation of our selves to the mind of God For with respect to this were those words last recited spoken Paul saw that he had a call to go up to Jerusalem there to bear his testimony for Christ and his Gospel but those unto whom he made known his purpose entreated him with much earnestness not to go up thither for that as they believed it would indanger his life But he answereth what mean ye to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus And when he would not be perswaded says Luke we ceased saying The will of the Lord be done From what has been thus discoursed many things will follow as first that the rod as well as the child is Gods persecutors as well as the persecuted are his and he has his own designs upon both He has raised them up and he has ordered them for himself and for that work that he has for them to do Hence Habakkuk speaking of the Churches enemies saith Thou hast ordained them for judgement O mighty God thou hast established them for correction Hab. 1.12 And therefore they are in other places called the rod of Gods anger his staff his hand his sword Isa. 10.5 Psal. 17.13 14. Indeed to be thus disposed of is a sad Lot the lot is not fallen to them in pleasant places they have not the goodly heritage but the judgments of God are a great deep The thing formed may not say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus To be appointed to be ordained to be established to be a persecutor and a troubler of Gods Church O tremendous judgment O amazing anger Three things the people of God should learn from hence First Learn to pity and bewail the condition of the enemy I know thou canst not alter the counsel of God appointed they are established they are for their work and do it they must and shall But yet it becomes them that see their state and that their day is coming to pity and bewail their condition yea and to pray for them too For who knows whether it is determined that they should remain implacable to the end as Herod or whether they may thorough grace obtain repentance for their doings with Saul And I say again if thy prayer should have a casting hand in the conversion of any of them it would be sweet to thy thoughts when the scene is over Secondly Never grudge them their present advantages Fret not thy self because of evil men neither be thou envious at the workers of iniquity Prov. 23.19 Fret not though they spoil thy resting-place 'T is God that has bidden them do it to try thy faith and patience thereby Wish them no ill with what they get of thine 't is their wages for their work and it will appear to them ere long that they have earned it dearly Their time is to rejoyce but as in a moment in what thus is gotten by them and then they not repenting are to perish for ever like their own dung Job 20.5 6 7. Poor man thou that hast thy time to be afflicted by them that thy golden graces may shine the more thou art in the fire and they blow the bellows but wouldest thou change places with them wouldest thou fit upon their place of ease dost thou desire to be with them Prov. 24.1 O rest thy self contented in thy patience possess thy Soul and pity and bewail them in the condition in which they are Thirdly Bless God that thy lot did fall on the other side Namely to be one that should know the truth profess it suffer for it and have grace to bear thee up there under to Gods glory and thy eternal comfort This honour have not all his Saints all are not counted worthy thus to suffer shame for his Name Do this I say though they get all and leave thee nothing but the shirt on thy back the skin on thy bones or an hole in the ground to be put in Heb. 11.23 24 25 26. Fourthly Labour to be patient under this mighty hand of God and be not hasty to say when will the rod be laid aside mind thou thy duty which is to let patience have its perfect work and bear the indignation of the Lord because thou hast sinned against him until he please to awake to arise and to execute judgment for thee Mich. 7. But to pass this Secondly Are things thus ordered then this should teach us that there is a cause The rod is not gathered without a cause the rod is fore determined because the sin of Gods
for evil-doing and therefore let Christians beware 't is possible for Christians to be brought to publick Justice for their faults and therefore let Christians beware 'T is possible for Christians to suffer justly by the hand of the Magistrate and therefore let Christians beware This also is insinuated in the Text it self and therefore let Christians beware The causes of this are many some of which I shall now briefly touch upon 1. Sin is in the best of men and as long as it is so without great watchfulness and humble walking with God we may be exposed to shame and suffering for it What sin is it that a child of God is not liable to commit excepting that which is the sin unpardonable Nor have we a promise of being kept from any other sin but on condition that we do watch and pray Mat. 26.41 2. 'T is possible for a Christian to have anerroneous conscience in some things yea in such things as if God by his grace prevents not may bring us to publick justice and shame Abishai tho' a good man would have kill'd the King and that of conscience to God and love to his Master 1 Sam. 26.7.8 And had David delivered him up to Saul for his attempt he had in all likelihood died as a Traitor Peter drew his Sword and would have fought therewith a thing for which he was blamed of his Master and bid with a threatning to put it up again Mat. 26.52 Besides Oppression makes a wise man mad and when a man is mad what evils will he not do Further The Devil who is the great enemy of the Christians can send forth such Spirits into the World as shall not only disturb Men but Nations Kings and Kingdoms in raising divisions distractions and rebellions And can so manage matters that the looser sort of Christians may be also dipt and concerned therein In Absaloms conspiracy against his Father there were two hundred men called out of Jerusalem to follow him and they went in their simplicity not knowing any thing 2 Sam. 15.10.11 I thank God I know of no such men nor thing but my judgment tells me that if Christians may be drawn into Fornication Adultery Murder Theft Blasphemy or the like as they may why should it be thought impossible for them to be drawn in here Wherefore I say again watch and pray fear God reverence his word approve of his appointments that you may be delivered from every evil work and way I said afore that the will of God may be that a Christian should suffer as an evil doer but then it is because he keepeth not within the bounds of that which is also called the will of God The will of God is that sin should be punished tho' committed by the Christians punished according to the quality of transgressions and therefore it is that he hath ordained Magistrates Magistrates to punish sin tho' it be the sin of Christians They are the Ministers of God revengers to execute wrath the wrath of God upon them that do evil Rom. 13. Wherefore tho' the Christian as a Christian is the only man at liberty as called thereunto of God yet his liberty is limited to things that are good he is not licensed thereby to indulge the flesh Holiness and liberty are joyned together yea our call to liberty is a call to holiness See and you shall find that a quiet and peaceable life in our respective places under the Government is that which we should pray for to wit that we may without molestation if it were the will of God spend our days in all godliness and honesty among our neighbours See 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15 16 17. I would improve this a little and First to Christians as Christians Beware the cautions that are here presented to you be not neglected by you The evils are burning hot as hot as a red hot Iron It is the greatest blemish that can be to a Christian to suffer as an evil doer To say nothing of the reproach that such do bring to the name of Christ their Lord to his Law their rule and to the Christian profession which should be their glory the guilt and shame that evil actions will load the conscience with at such a time can hardly be stood under The man that suffereth as an evil doer and yet weareth the name of a Christian what stumbling blocks doth he lay in the way of the ignorant in a Kingdom The Devil told them before that a Christian was a mischievous man and to suffer for evil-doing confirms them in that belief Consider also the difficulties that surely such must meet with in the last minutes of their life For can it be imagined but that such an one must have combats and conflicts at the last who carry in their consciences the guilt and condemnation that is due to their deeds to the place which Magistrates have appointed for them to receive the reward of their works at Such an one bereaves not only his own Soul of peace and his name of credit but himself of life his friends of all cause of rejoycing and casteth reproach upon Religion as he is stepping out of the world What shall I say Christians as Christians have other things to do than to concern themselves in evil things or to meddle in other mens matters Let us mind our own business and leave the Magistrate to his work Office and Calling among men also I speak now to them that are not by the King called to that imploy A Christian as such has enough to do at home in his Heart in his House in his Shop and the like But if thou must needs be medling consider what place Office calling or relation God has put thee in and busie thy self by the rule of the word to a consciencious performance of that Nor shalt thou want Dignity tho' thou art but a private Christian. Every Christian man is made a King by Christ. Revel 5.9 10. But then his dominion as such doth reach no further than to himself He has not dominion over anothers faith 2 Cor. 1.24 His Office is to govern and bridle and keep under himself to watch over himself and to bring his body into subjection to the will of God The weapons that he has for this purpose are not carnal but spiritual and mighty thorough God Let him govern then if he will be a Governour his whole man by the word Let him bring down if he must be bringing down his own high imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God If he must be a Warrior let him levy War against his own unruly passions and let him fight against those lusts that war against his Soul 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. Gal. 5.17 James 3.4 5 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 2.11 I say therefore if thou wilt needs be a Ruler thou hast a tongue ruâ—e that Lusts rule them Affections govern them yea
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
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
thy self by his word and providence and as for this or that mans judgment refer thy case to the judgment of God 3. Obj. But if I be taken and suffer my cause is like to be clothed with scandals slanders reproaches and all manner of false and evil speakings what must I do Answ. Saul charged David with Rebellion 1 Sam. 22.8.13 Amos was charged with conspiring against the King Amos 7.10 Daniel was charged with despising the King and so also were the three children Dan. 6.13 chap. 3.12 Jesus Christ himself was accused of perverting the nation of forbidding to give tribute to Caesar and of saying that himself was Christ a King Luk. 23.2 These things therefore have been But 1. Canst thou after a due examination of thy self say that as to these things thou art innocent and clear I say will thy conscience justifie thee here Hast thou made it thy business to give unto God the things that are Gods and unto Caesar the things that are his according as God has commanded If so matter not what men shall say nor with what lies and reproaches they slander thee but for these things count thy self happy Blessed are you when men shall revile you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely lying for my name sake saith Christ. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you Mat. 5.11 12. Comfort thy self therefore in the innocency of thy Soul and say I am counted a Rebel and yet am Loyal I am counted a deceiver and yet am true 1 Sam. 24.8 9 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 6.8 Also refer thy cause to the day of judgment for if thou canst rejoyce at the thoughts that thou shalt be cleared of all slanders and evil speakings then that will bear up thy heart as to what thou maiest suffer now The answer of a good conscience will carry a man thorough Hell to Heaven Count these slanders part of thy sufferings and those for which God will give thee a reward because thou art innocent and for that they are laid upon thee for thy professions sake But if thou be guilty look to thy self I am no comforter of such I come now to speak to the third and last part of the Text Namely of the good effect that will certainly follow to those that after a due manner shall take the advice afore given Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Two things from the last clause of the Text lie yet before us And they are they by which will be shown what good effect will follow to those that suffer according to the will of God and that commit their Souls to his keeping 1. Such will find him to themselves a Creator 2. They will find him a faithful Creator Let them commit the keeping of their Souls to him as unto a faithful Creator In this phrase a faithful Creator behold the wisdom of the holy Ghost how fitly and to the purpose he speaketh King is a great Title and God is sometimes called a King but he is not set forth by this Title here but by the Title of a Creator for it is not always in the power of a King to succour and relieve his Subjects that are suffering for his Crown and Dignity Father is a sweet Title a Title that carrieth in it an intimation of a great deal of bowels and compassion and God is often set forth also by this Title in the holy Scriptures But so he is not here but rather as a Creator For a Father a compassionate Father cannot always help succour or relieve his Children though he knows they are under affliction Oh but a Creator can Wherefore I say he is set forth here under the Title of a Creator First a Creator nothing can die under a Creators hands A Creator can sustain all A Creator can as a Creator do what he pleases The Lord the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not nor is weary Isa. 40.28 The cause of God for which his people suffer had been dead and buried a thousand years a go had it not been in the hand of a Creator The people that have stood by his cause had been out of both as to persons name and remembrance had they not been in the hand of a Creator Who could have hoped when Israel was going in even into the mouth of the red Sea that ever his cause or that people should have revived again A huge host of the Egyptians were behind them and nothing but death before and on every hand of them but they lived they flourished they out-lived their enemies for they were in the hand of a Creator Who could have hoped that Israel should have returned again from the land from the hand and from under the Tyranny of the King of Babylon They could not deliver themselves from going thither they could not preserve themselves from being diminished when they came there their power was gone they were in captivity their distance from home was far their enemies possest their Land their City of defence was ruined and their houses burned down to the ground and yet they come home again there is nothing impossible to a Creator Who could have thought that the three Children could have lived in a fiery furnace that Daniel could have been safe among the Lyons that Jonah could have come home to his Countrey when he was in the Whales belly or that our Lord should have risen again from the dead but what is impossible to a Creator This therefore is a rare consideration for those to let their hearts be acquainted with that suffer according to the will of God and that have committed the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing They have a Creator to maintain and uphold their cause a Creator to oppose its opposers And hence it is said all that burden themselves with Jerusalem shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it Zech. 12.3 Secondly A Creator A Creator can not only support a dying cause but also fainting spirits For as he fainteth not nor is is weary So he gives power to the faint and to those that have no might he increaseth strength Isa. 4.29 He is the God of the spirits of all flesh and has the life of the spirit of his people in his own hand Spirits have their being from him he is the Father of Spirits Spirits are made strong by him nor can any crush that spirit that God the Creator will uhpold Is it not a thing amazing to see one poor inconsiderable man in a Spirit of faith and patience overcome all the threatnings cruelties afflictions and sorrows that a whole World can lay upon him None can quail him none can crush him none can bend down his spirit None can make
hearts and shews it self in their lives a thing which the Devil and the World can by no means abide He that is born after the flesh persecuteth him that is born after the spirit Gal. 4. For they cannot agree in Religion the godly are so devout and the other are so profane that they cannot do Not but that Gods People as they are commanded are willing to let them alone but the other they cannot bear that they should serve God as they have said Mat. 15.14 And hence ariseth persecution The World also would have the Religion of the godly to be counted false a thing that the others can by no means endure but will stand by and maintain yet in all peaceable manner their own ways before them whatever it costs The Christian and the carnal professor are like those two Harlots that you read of in the Book of Kings who strove for the living child whose it should be whose contest could not be decided until it came to the sword of the King 1 Kings 3. O but when the sword was drawn under a shew as if the living Child must now be cut in two then the true mother was known from the false For her bowels yearned upon her Son ver 26.27 The World what shew soever they have for Religion and however they urge it that the truth is with them have no yearning of bowels for it Let it be neither mine nor thine said she but divide it but the woman whose the living child was had not an heart to say so Religion may lie and die in a ditch for all those that are given to their sins nor doth their zeal appear except when they are griping of the godly for his faith towards God Bowels yearning of Bowels over Gods condemned Religion is only found in the Souls of those who own God has made it Secondly Is it so are Gods people a suffering people Then this should inform them that will be Religious to prepare themselves for what is like to attend them for their Religion To prepare I say not with carnal weapons but with the graces of the spirit of God that will help them with meekness and patience to endure Sit down then I say and count up the cost before for Religion thou engagest too far lest thou take upon thee to meddle with that which thou wilt not know what to do with in the end Prov. 25.8 Luke 14.25 26 27 28 29 30. Many there be that are faulty here they have taken upon them to profess not considering what what they have taken in hand may cost them Wherefore when troubles come indeed then they start and cry This they like not because they looked not for it and if this be the way to heaven let who will go on in it for them Thus they take offence and leave Christs cause and people to shift for themselves in the World Mat. 13.20 21. Thirdly But let Gods people think never the worse of Religion because of the course entertainment it meeteth with in the World 'T is better to chuse God and affliction than the World and sin and carnal peace 'T is necessary that we should suffer because that we have sinned And if God will have us suffer a little white here for his word instead of suffering for our sins in Hell let 's be content and count it a mercy with thankfulness The wicked are reserved to the day of destruction they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath Job 21.30 How kindly therefore doth God deal with us when he chuses to afflict us but for a little that with everlasting kindness he may have mercy upon us Isa. 54.7 8. And 't is better if the will of God be so that we suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing 1 Pet. 3. â—7 Fourthly Look not therefore upon the sufferings of Gods people for their Religion to be tokens of Gods great anger 'T is to be sure as our heavenly Father orders it rather a token of his love for suffering for the Gospel and for the sincere profession of it is indeed a dignity put upon us a dignity that all men are not counted worthy of Count it therefore a favour that God has bestowed upon thee his truth and graces to enable thee to profess it though thou be made to suffer for it Acts 5.41 Thou mightest have been a sufferer for thy sins in Hell but thou art not but contrariwise art perhaps suffering for conscience to God this is a dignity for that thou dost thus by vertue of an heavenly gift on the behalf of Christ for the Gospel sake and according to the will of God This is a dignity that a persecutor shall not be counted worthy of until he first convert to Christ Philip. 1.29 Fifthly take thy affliction with meekness and patience though thou endurest grief wrongfully For this is thank worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully 1 Pet. 2. Lay thy hand then upon thy mouth and speak not a word of ill against him that doth thee wrong leave thy cause and thy enemy to God yea rather pray that his sin may not be laid to his charge wherefore as I said before now shew thy self a good man by loving pitying praying for and by doing good as thou art commanded to them that dispitefully use thee Mat. 5.44 I know thy flesh will be apt to huff and to be angry and to wish would thou mightest revenge thy self But this is base carnal sensual devilish cast therefore such thoughts from thee as thoughts that are not fit for a Christians breast and betake thee to those weapons that are not carnal For the Artillery of a Christian is the word faith and prayer and in our patience we must possess our Souls 2 Cor. 10.5 Luke 21.16 17 18 19. Sixthly Be much in the consideration of the All-sufficience of thy Father whose cause thou hast espoused whose word thou hast chosen for thy heritage and whose paths thou delightest to walk in I say be much in considering how all the World is sustained by him and that all life and breath is in his hand to continue or diminish as he pleases Think with thy self also how able he is to rescue thee from all affliction or to uphold thee in it with a quiet mind Go to him continually as to a fountain of life that is open for the supply of the needy Remember also if he comes not at thy call and comforteth thee not so soon as thou desirest it is not of want of love or compassion to thy Soul but to try thy graces and to shew to the fallen Angels that thou wilt serve God for nought rather than give out Also if it seemeth to thee as if God took no care of thee to help thee but that he hath rather turned thee over to the ungodly count this also as a sign that he delights to see thee hold fast his name though thou art laid under the greatest of