law of Charity to give a testimony to the truth for his Neighbour when his estate or his life is concerned or any thing of his interest and every Subject taketh himself more highly concerned to give his testimony to the truth on the behalf of his Prince or on the behalf of his Master because there is a relation betwixt the Prince and the Subject and betwixt the Master and the Servant certainly there must needs lie an obligation upon every Christian who owneth Christ as his Soveraign Lord and Master to give a testimony unto Christ it is a testimony for the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth for him whom we call our Father whom we own as our Master every Testimony to the Gospel and the truth of the Gospel is a testimony to Christ every testimony for Christ is a testimony for him who is our Lord and whom we own and avow to be our Lord. 3. This obligation ariseth from that gratitude which we all owe to the Lord Jesus Christ every one looketh upon himself indebted unto him who hath done him good and there is nothing more usual in that case then to promise a requital and to express a trouble that we know not how to make him or her amends and to express our willingness to it the testimony of our Lord is the testimony of him who left his Fathers Throne and came down upon the Earth and clothed himself with our nature and died in our stead that we might not perish for ever ever he ascending up into Heaven hath left us in charge with his truth Philip. 1.27 striving together for the faith of the Gospel Jude v. 3. that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Now which of you if you had but an ordinary friend like your selves who had done you some great and eminent kindness and left you in charge but to give a testimony unto him and for him should not think your selves under an obligation to it Oh! how great is the obligation which lieth upon every Christian that liveth in the world to bear his testimony for Christ if he doth but consider what Jesus Christ hath done for him shall Christ come and die for us love not his life unto death and shall we be ashamed to give a testimony unto him or to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel of our dearest Lord this ought not to be if the kindness of a man layeth an obligation upon us to do what in us lieth to serve him surely the kindness of the Lord our Saviour layeth a much higher obligation upon us 4. Another thing from whence this obligation doth arise is from the duty incumbent upon us to be conformable unto the Lord Jesus Christ we ought to study a conformity to him in his life and in his death in his life he commandeth us to be holy as he is holy in his death thus the Apostle prayeth for a fellowship of his sufferings For this cause was I born and for this cause did I come into the world that I might bear witness unto the truth and it is particularly said of him that before Pontius Pilate he witnessed a good confession 1 Tim. 6.13 He endured affliction in the first publication of the Gospel what was the testimony Christ gave but this that there were a people in the world who were very dear to him chosen unto eternal life for him though he was the eternal Son of God thought fit to cloath himself with flesh and to die upon the Cross that he might redeem this people unto himself now it is our duty to be conformable to Christ conformable to this testimony not being ashamed of this testimonony conformable also in not being ashamed of Affliction this yet is advantaged by another consideration that we are to fill up the Afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ The sufferings of Christ are either those things which he suffered in his own person Now concerning them he said all is finished the Papists vainly dream of the filling up of those sufferings or else those sufferings which every good Christian shall suffer in his Mystical Body to the end of the World and there is much behind of the sufferings of Christ which we are to fill up and filling them up we act both in a conformity unto Christ who is our Head and also unto the multitude of the Churches that have gone before us who have tasted of this Cup and drank a little of it but there is much more of these that is yet to be filled up 5. The Obligation ariseth upon Christians from the nature of the Gospel and the truths of it to which we give our Testimony I have told you before in this Discourse that every Man and Woman is a Debtor to truth no Man ought to decline a Testimony unto truth but now by how much any truths are of greater moment of greater weight and importance by so much we are the greater Debtors to them you have the substance of the Gospel in that one Text 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners He said true who said that Christians could better want the Sun in the Firmament than that one piece of the Gospel the truths of the Gospel are of that high importance that the comfort and peace of all the Souls of the People of God in this Life and the eternal Salvation of the Souls of all People in the Life to come doth depend upon the stability of them if the truths of the Gospel did not stand firm and fixed the Souls of Christians are undone to all eternity there is no foundation of peace for them in this Life there is no hope of an eternal Salvation for them in that Life which is to come We stand therefore highly concerned to give a Testimony to these truths and to be partakers of afflictions in giving a Testimony to those truths and to that Gospel upon which so much of our eternal interest and concern doth lye there is no truth but we owe a Testimony to it but there are some Propositions of Truth that are not of that moment that we should endure affliction for the justification of them but the truths of the Gospel are of that nature that no Testimony we can give to them can be too high no affliction we can suffer for them can be too great 6. A Sixth Obligation that lyeth upon Christians is from the station they take up in the World I shall here inlarge upon Three things 1. They are God's Witnesses 2. They are God's Soldiers 3. They are God's Children and Servants and Christ's Members 1. Every Christian is the Child of God the Servant of God the Member of Christ now should a Child be ashamed to attest the truth for
fight and indeed in this piece of it was more a Conquerour then I ever knew any who was so long ingaged in it and at last died the ordinary death of men quietly in his Bed surrendring his Soul into the hands of him that gave it 2 For the finishing of his course how he walked in and out before you I need not tell you you knew the man and observed his conversation For the duties of his Relation as a Minister while he had a publick liberty he was no indiligent Preacher when he was restrained as to that you were also some witnesses of his readiness to that work For his Domestick Relations let his Widow rise up and call him blessed let his Daughter praise him He spent no small proportion of time in opening Scripture and praying with his Family and other exercises of Religion proper to a Family He rather erred by excess then by a defect in those exercises 3. As to his keeping the faith As he was known to all that conversed with him to be sound in the Doctrine of faith So two things spake the exercise of the habit of that Grace in him 1. He was much in prayer It was almost his whole work for some years before he died he did little else but read and pray When he could no longer Pray himself he would continually be solliciting others to the performance of it and when he hardly regarded either Wife or Child coming to him yet he was so regardful of this that he missed Prayer if at any time any of us had come to him and gone away having not prayed with him 2. Much holiness speaketh faith His scrupulosity in his actions lest he should by any of them sin against God was such as indeed was a great part of his Affliction Indeed the latter part of his life being very Melancholick and that disposing him to too many fears and God having for some weeks before he died allowed him but a very incertain use of his reason and much deprived him also of a liberty of speech we had not that lightsome evidence of his desire to be dissolved which we might have expected from such a conversation But his quiet bearing Gods severe hand upon him his free submission to his will without any murmuring or repining added to the former spending of his life in a constant preparation for death may satisfy us that he was one who loved the appearance of our Lord Jesus Now I say if we have a sufficient evidence to hope that he was indeed one who fought the good fight who had finished his course who kept the faith and who loved the appearance of our Lord Jesus what reason have we to mourn Nay if we consider what a man of griefs and sorrows he was in his latter time what an ill habit of body he had contracted what a variety of diseases he was incumbred with and how improbable it was that by the use of any art his body should be recovered to a state of comfort to himself or usefulness to others We have great cause to rejoice in hope That he is crowned with that Crown of Righteousness which the Righteous God hath prepared laid up and will give out to those who love his appearance In ordinary cases where there is no cause of sorrow from a reflection upon the eternal state of the deceased yet there may be some cause of sorrow upon the account of the Churches loss and never was there a greater cause of mourning for Godly Ministers then at this day We have cause upon all such losses to cry out as Psal 12.1 Help Lord for the Godly man ceaseth and the faithful fail from the children of men But in the present case we have not that cause God by his Providence had made him dead to us before he died and except in a miraculous way we could not reasonably have expected a Resurrection a recovery I mean to any degree of usefulness So then if there remaineth no cause of mourning either from the consideration of our friends eternal state or our own loss What remains but that we should lay our hands upon our mouths or if we will open them bless God who hath granted us to see him after so long a scuffle with the great Enemy of Mankind depart in peace that he might see the Lords Salvation and be ever with the Lord as the Apostle expresseth the state of those that sleep in Jesus in another life I shall conclude as the Apostle doth that Chapter wherefore comfort yourselves with these words SERMON III. Deuteronomy 8.18 For it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth THis fifth Book of Moses is called Deuteronomy qu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second law because it for the most part containeth a repetition of the law of God formerly given unto this people by Moses Moses having in the former Chapter given them an account of some precepts that God formerly delivered to them he here presseth them to obedience and to make reflections upon what God had done for them he declareth a great tenderness for this people who had been brought up by him and lived upon his hand and an exceeding jealousy lest when they came into the land of Canaan they should forget the great God who had done so much for them and lest they should say in their hearts my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth but saith he in the words I have read unto you Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth The Doctrines of the Text are two Doct. 1. That it is the Lord who giveth unto people a power to get wealth Doct. 2. That the consideration of this should oblige men when they have gotten estates not to forget but to remember the Lord their God Prop. That it is the Lord who giveth unto a people a power to get wealth There is nothing in the Doctrine that needeth any explication we all know what is meant by wealth my whole business will lie upon the demonstration of this truth that it is the Lord that giveth men power to get wealth and to shew what influence God hath upon men as to their gaining of outward estates 1 Sam. 2.7 The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich Eccl. 6.2 A man to whom God hath given riches wealth and honour chap. 9.11 the race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong 2. By way of Application to shew what influence this meditation should have upon us I shall spend all my time in answering these two Questions Qu. 1. What influence hath God upon men as to their gaining or keeping their outward estate All wealth and outward estate cometh to a man by inheritance or marriage or by gift or by labour let me shew you a little the influence God hath upon all these I will joyn the two first together 1. It is the Lord that maketh Heirs and
who maketh Matches we have two Proverbs in this case which are very true we use to say God maketh Heirs and Matches are made in heaven both are true the Woman marrieth the Husband and the Husband marrieth that Wife which God hath created for him and that man inheriteth the estate which God had created for him Let us consider the influence the Lord hath upon Heirs and this will easily be confessed by whosoever acknowledgeth that the issues of life and death are from the Lord the fruit of the Womb is from the Lord and the issues of life and death are in the hand of the Lord you shall find an expression to this purpose Mic. 1.15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee Oh inhabitant of Mareshah Maresha was a City in Judah it is mentioned also Josh 15.44 Abraham told God Gen. 15.3 One born in his house was his heir God tells him v. 4. This shall not be thine heir one born of thy bowels shall be thy heir Psal 30.22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth Sometimes a handmaid is heir to her Mistress which is one of the three things for which the earth groaned and which it could not bear saith Solomon Prov. 34.23 One may be heir to his enemy by natural death oftentimes it so happeneth at what a distance doth God sometimes throw an estate both in a direct line and in a collateral line who would have said that Mephibosheth should have been heir to his Grandfather Saul as 2 Sam. 9.7 And David said unto him fear not for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy Fathers sake and will restore thee all the Land of Saul thy Father or who would have thought the Israelites should have been heirs unto the Canaanites It is the Lord that thus giveth a power to get wealth the influence of God upon conjugal affection is also as strange I know nothing wherein the strange power and providence of God is more seen then in uniting the affections of that man and woman together whom he hath ordained each for other a man or woman shall bestow their Estates upon persons whom they never knew never heard of nay possibly upon those against whom they were prejudiced who would have thought Esther a person of mean and obscure extraction should have been Ahasuerus his Queen or that Ruth should have Married Boaz. 2. It is the Lord who raiseth up friends this is another fountain head of riches he it was that gave the Israelites favour in the sight of the Aegyptians Exod. 11.3 And the Lord gave the People favour in the sight of the Aegyptians He gave Joseph favour in the sight of Pharaoh Acts 7.10 and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh King of Egypt Dan. 1.9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love whoso lightly observeth the course of the world will find this verified every day you may see friends raised up of strangers yea of enemies even to the amazement of them who behold them but there is yet another fountain of wealth and that is labour and industry Pro. 10.4 the hand of the diligent maketh rich But you must take in another Text. v. 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and to this purpose let us consider what influence God hath upon that In the third place therefore 3. It is the Lord that enclineth our minds unto business and to that particular employment which bringeth in our estate I say it is the Lord that enclineth the mind to business and directeth the mind in business 1. I say he enclineth the mind to business you see some men are of dull sluggish and lazy spirits fit for no business nor do they mind any but others are men of activity they are never well but when their hands are full of employment who is it that hath made this difference in the spirits of men have they not all Souls of the same species have they not all bodies though not of the same strength yet of the same mould this is the Lord. 2. It is the Lord that directeth a mans mind and inclination to this or that particular imployment there are some ways of employment in the world that are of more gain advantage then others some trades that are poorer some richer some that bring in great some smaller returns whence cometh it that this man is directed to choose a meaner poorer trade that bringeth in little return another to a trade that bringeth in greater is it not from the Lord That hath this influence upon the heart of man and disposeth it which way soever he will 3. It is the Lord that giveth dexterity in business you observe in the world that some men are more dexterous and happy in their employment by far then others are they can do more in their business they can do it to better advantages whence is this see but one instance Exo. 31.2 See I have called by name Bezaleel the Son of Uri the Son of Hur of the tribe of Judah v. 3. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship v. 4. To Devise cunning works to work in Gold and Silver and in Brass So add v. 6. In the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom again Exod. 35.35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work Hence you may observe in almost all employments a fagacity given to one which he cannot communicate to another so that the power and influence of God is evidently seen you may observe that a power to get wealth doth very much depend not only upon the kind of the employment wherein a man is engaged but upon the wisdom and cunning of the man upon his dexterity and sagacity in his employment now all this is from the Lord. 4. It is the Lord who giveth success in business there is nothing more ordinary in the world then to find two men whose profession trade and way of living possibly is the same whose industry and diligence is as much as can be imagined equal whose wisdom and cunning also is not much unlike yet the one thriveth and groweth rich the other doth not the one vendeth his commodities and maketh safe and great returns the other cannot vend his commodities he cannot secure his return whence is this but from the Lord It is the Lord who maketh our way prosperous Deut. 2.7 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand It is God that blesseth in the city and blesseth in the field Deut. 28.3 Thou hast blessed the work of his hands saith the Devil to Job ch 1.10 Hence the Psalmist teacheth us to pray unto God to prosper the works of our hands unto us 5. Lastly It is the Lord who keepeth off those things from us which would make us poor Riches are subject to
desire of more than we have it is something strange but an old observation that the most of men the more they have the more greedy they are to have more the Apostle telleth us the love of mony is the root of all evil none are under greater temptations to love it then those that have the most considerable portions of it there is a kind of bewitching quality in the good things of this life and our heart naturally cleaveth to them and in regard that when we have a competent portion we have the better foundation and are at better advantages to get more commonly as our estates encrease so our love to things of this life doth more increase and covetousness is so great an evil that the Apostle calleth it Idolatry 4. Beware of Luxury Luxury is an excess in meat drink or apparel buildings houshold-stuff or any thing of that nature an affectation of an undue use of them the poor man hath no temptation to it being exercised sufficiently in getting his dayly bread they are only men of estates that are exposed to and ordinarily brought under the power of this temptation this is that which the Apostle often cautioneth us against that we should beware of Chambering and Wantonness that we should not mind high things c. Our Saviour pressing Christians duty to watch and pray expoundeth it by a taking heed we be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness 5 Beware of Cowardliness in the cause of God it is an usual Observation that Cities though never so populous yet if full of riches seldom make any good defence against an enemy their love of riches prevailing against the love of their liberties and they are very rarely men of great estates that will venture themselves in the cause of God though this be to prefer the love of riches before the love of Christ which whoso doth our Saviour saith is not worthy of him these are those ordinary temptations to sin to which men of great estates are exposed and by which many often fall I shall only say unto you let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 2. If you look upon your selves as Stewards of these good things and make use of them to the end for which God hath given them to you God hath betrusted him that is rich with many talents not to be hid up in a Napkin but to be laid out 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in incertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate This is the best acknowledgment that we can make unto God that by his power we have gotten our wealth when we are willing to lay it out at his command when we are ready to do good and distribute for with such sacrifice the Lord is well pleased and certainly if the Heathen who knew nothing of the mind and will of God yet thought themselves concerned to look upon their estates as given them for other uses then meerly their own Christians that have so many directions from God in the case should know much more SERMON IV. Luke 12.15 For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth THE words are the words of our Saviour brought by him as an argument against Covetousness you have the exhortation take heed and beware of Covetousness these words are the reason For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The whole discourse as you may see cometh in upon occasion of one that came to our Saviour desiring him to divide his inheritance as v. 13. Or to speak to his Brother to divide his inheritance with him which our Saviour refused v. 14. As having no call from God to be a Civil Magistrate a Ruler or a Judge from whence we may learn two things 1. That the business of meum and tuum of dividing and setling inheritances is the work of Rulers not of the Ministers of Christ they may have commission from men for such employments but they have no commission from God it is a work that belongeth unto the Ruler 2. That the Disciples of Christ should be afraid of medling with things out of their callings it hath pleased the Lord to establish an order in the world as an order in Creatures that they do not enter into one anothers station and works so an order amongst men appointing unto every man what his work is and he ought to keep to that and not to turn aside from it but this impertinent solliciting of our Saviour to this eccentrick work giveth him a fair opportunity to press a spiritual exhortation upon them and that is to beware of covetousness the reason is in the Text for a mans life lieth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth I shall need no other Doctrine then the words of the Text. Doct. A mans life doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth This Doctrine will need 1. Explication 2. Confirmation I will open it in two things 1. The continuance and preservation of a mans life doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth In this sense life is taken Gen. 45.5 For God did send me before you to preserve life Gen. 42.2 and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die And so often in Scripture life signifieth the preservation and continuance of life the continuance of the life of man doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth abundance is not necessary to preserve life the greatest abundance that we have will not lengthen out our lives beyond the bounds God hath set Natura paucis contenta we see the lives of those preserved to whom God hath not given such an abundance in this life and preserved to as great an advantage as they who have the most Daniel fareth as well with pulse as those that did eat of the Kings meat 2. Oftentimes we see it that those who have the greatest abundance of the things of this life do not only die as it is appointed for all men but also they die sooner and preserve their lives but a little while the continuance of this life doth not lie in the abundance of that which a man possesseth 2. Life sometimes signifieth happiness because the most of men count their great happiness to lie in this life therefore you shall find frequently in Scripture life is taken for a state of felicity Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 6.23 Reproofs and instruction are the way of life Prov. 16.15 In the light of the Kings countenance is life that Text is to be understood of happiness for to understand it strictly of life it is not true Prov. 18.21 Death and life are in the power of
the tongue Ezek. 33.15 That walk in the Statutes of life Thus in Scripture sense a man is said to live with whom it is well I take much of the sense to lie here for a mans life lieth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The happiness of a man doth not lie in the abundance that he possesseth In the abundance it cannot be denied but something of a mans happiness as to this lies in some possession by what we have we are kept from those anxieties from those labours which would make our lives uncomfortable but it doth not lie in the abundance of that which he possesseth thus you see I have dispatched the Proposition in two things 1. An abundance of this life is not necessary to the maintenance of it it hath been proved to you by a double proof 1. Shewing you that those who have but little yet may injoy much in this life 2. That those who have much are often shorter lived and more incumbred then others who have but little 2. That the felicity of a mans life the chief felicity of this life doth not lie in the abundance that he possesseth this is that which I shall endeavour as briefly as I can to demonstrate unto you the demonstration of it will appear upon a due consideration wherein the happiness of a man lieth wherein the happiness of a mans life lieth Reason sheweth that happiness must needs lie in the greatest immunity from evil and in the freest enjoyment of the best good whether we take happiness relating to this life or to that which is to come the nature of happiness lieth in a fruition of good and a freedom from evil and according to the degree of the good we enjoy or of the evil we are freed from so is our happiness now good and evil is judged according to the differing lives that men live there is a natural life and there is a spiritual life the greatest good of a natural life is comfort and satisfaction of mind a contented frame of spirit the greatest good of a spiritual life is the enjoyment of God so that take it in which sense you will it will easily be demonstrated to you that a mans life the comfort and happiness of it doth not lie in the abundance he possesseth I remember a story I have read of Pyrrhus a great Prin. who going to Italy to fight against the Romans Rainoldi Orat. p. 35. Cneus Thessalus had a mind to dissuade him he telleth him my Lord the Romans are Valiant and Warlike but if we should overcome what shall we do then what shall we do saith Pyrrhus then we will conquer all Greece and all other Nations will yield to us well saith Cneus and what then then saith Pyrrhus we will go and conquer Sicily a rich Country that is well saith he but what shall we do then then saith he we will fall upon Africa and Carthage saith he but what shall we do then Hilaritati nos trademus facetis colloquiis nos oblectabimur saith he Cneus replieth but may we not let all these things alone which will cost much blood and be happy without them 1. The abundance that a man possesseth will not give him any quiet and satisfaction in his mind Prov. 14.14 a good man shall be satisfied from himself The satisfaction of a mans mind is from nothing without himself it is in the internal content and acquiescence of his mind this is a matter of every days demonstration it is plain that no man is happy that wanteth content and satisfaction Haman is a man advanced to great honour yet he is not satisfied so long as Mordecai sitteth in the Kings Gate so long as the desires of a man are not filled so long a man is not happy now a man may have abundance and yet be ambitious and yet be covetous and looking after and getting more and crying still give give hence it is that even in this world you shall see a poor man that hath little or nothing to live upon yet live a more sweet a more comfortable life then he who hath a great estate 2. A man may possess abundance as to the things of this life and yet enjoy nothing of God the happiness of a natural life lieth in the satisfaction of the mind in a moderate enjoyment of the things of this life but the happiness of a spiritual life lieth not here it is possible that a man may be filled with wind satisfied with that which ought not to give him any satisfaction though the appearing happiness of a man lieth in this and his sensible happiness be in the rest and acquiescing of his mind in what he hath yet the true happiness of the mind lieth higher in the enjoyment of that good which commensurate and adequate to the necessities of the Soul now nothing of good is commensurate to the necessity of the Soul but God alone the reason of this lieth because a man is created under an Ordination to an eternal existence in a life which is beyond this life and a man cannot be said to be truly and perfectly happy till he be either secured in his hope or in his possession of this the possession of this is referred to another life but the securing of this is in this life by a lively hope and by an assurance now every one seeth that the happiness of a mans life as to this cannot lie in the abundance of the things which he possesseth a man may possess abundance here and yet come short of Heaven yea saith the Scripture Not many rich not many noble There are not many to whom the Lord giveth a portion here and hereafter too Son saith Abraham to Dives remember thou hadst thy good things in thy life-time some indeed in this world are the Lords Benjamins he serveth them with a double mess they have much of the Creature and much of the Creator too but I say this is the portion of but very few but this is enough to have spoken as to the opening of the point and proving it shewing you that the happiness of a mans life doth not lie in the abundance which he possesseth I come now to apply it and the great use of this point shall be that which our Saviour maketh of it Use 1. Take heed-therefore and beware of Covetousness It is an exhortation that is much pressed upon Christians in Scripture Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness Eph. 5.3 let it not be once named amongst you Col. 3.5 and covetousness which is Idolatry Psal 10.3 the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth You shall find it joined with the vilest sins Rom. 1.29 Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperens Prov. 28.16 he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days Ephes 5.5 For this you know that no Whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an
to an old Age and go down to their Graves in an external peace having no bands in their death Their sins shall follow after them after their lives to judgment for Jude assureth us that the Lord will come with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungoldly aâ—ongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him But if mens rage break out openly God ordinarily is more quick with them There are some of those blood-thirsty and deceitful men which he hath said shall not live out half their days It is seldom that God le ts pass acts of eminent injustice and cruelty But that he in this life meeteth with the actors of it and with the same measure which they mete unto others it is meted to them again But now persecution is the highest species of injustice for in it there is not only a wrong done to another that which is not due is given to him but God is immediately concerned in the case the wrong is done to him for Gods sake he is abused imprisoned his estate is taken from him he is imprisoned tormented put to death for Gods sake because he will own his truths walk in his ways do what he commandeth him It is the sin that fills up the measure of iniquity to and in a Soul Matth. 23.32 Fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers Nay more then this see v. 35. there That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zecharias the Son of Barachias It draweth upon men the sins of the same kind committed by their forefathers and not reckoned for it sheweth that if they had lived in the days of their forefathers they would have done what they did they inherit their Spirit Hence you shall observe that although in ecclesiastical story we read of persecutions that lasted a long time yet we read of very few particular persons that were eminent persecutors that lasted long When this Cancer hath broke out they seldom live long Gods patience often extends to Drunkards and Whoremongers and Swearers and Cursers and they often die in the times of other men and after the manner of other men they do injury to few but themselves they shew indeed a contempt of God and a disobedience to God but they do not shew a rage and malice against God their sins do not tend to blot out the remembrance of Christ and to root out the name of God from the Earth But he is not so patient with this blackest sort of sinners they do harm to others yea to those of whom God hath said He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine Eye They are for rooting out the name and mention of God from the Earth God will not bear with these there shall be something remarkable in their death either they shall dye in their youth whiles yet their bones are full of marrow or they shall not dye the ordinary deaths of men They shall not come into the grave as a shock of corn in its season but be weeded out and cut up before the harvest If I durst wish evil to to him that hated me I would curse him in the name of the Lord I would say let him be a persecutor of others for Christs name sake Make but your own observation if you have known or do or shall know any such So that this sin where-ever the guilt of it doth stick is an evident token not only of eternal perdition to the adversaries of Christ and his Gospel but an ordinary token of a destruction in this life Thus I have shewed how the sufferings of Gods people turn unto them for a Testimony on Gods part let me shew you in the next place how they turn unto them for a Testimony on their part towards God I will open that in five particulars 1. They are a Testimony of their Discipleship This is a part of the sense that Stella giveth of it Eveniet vobis in signum attestationem quod vere discipuli mei fidelissimi estis All those that follow a teacher under a shew or pretence of learning from him are in common phrase and way of speaking called his disciples so it was with Christ while he was on Earth he had some that followed him for the lâ—â—ves some that believed on him but he committed not himself unto them because he knew all men Joh. 2.24 These were disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an outward appearance they looked like disciples but indeed were not He hath others who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his disciples indeed None is a Disciple indeed to another who doth not really and actually learn of him either from his words or from his example in his life and conversation What saith our Saviour Matth. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Observe it Take up his Cross It is a great Testimony that a man is Christs Disciple not in name and outward profession only but in reality when he can take up his Cross It is reported of Ignatius that after all his sufferings he said Now begin I to be a Disciple 2. It will be a Testimony of their Membership with Christ and conformity to him The Apostle tells us Rom. 8.29 That we are predestinated that we might be conformed to the Image of his Son There is the Image of a living Christ and the Image of a dying Christ The Image of a living Christ is in Holiness and Righteousness Ephes 4.23 Col. 3.10 Thus the holy man is conformed to the Image of Christ but then there is the Image of a dying Christ We are conformed to that Image of Christ only by suffering The Apostle prayeth Phil. 3.10 That he might know the fellowship of Christs sufferings and be made conformable unto his death It is true we are made conformable to the death of Christ in a measure when we die unto sin as he died for sin so we die to sin this is an inward spiritual conformity which we come to by mortification but there is also a more external obvious conformity to the death of Christ and that is as he suffered striving against sin and bearing a witness to the Truth so we also suffer bearing a Testimony to Truth and striving against sin this we never arrive at till we come to be sufferers and our suffering upon these single accounts turn to us for a Testimony of such our conformity to Christ Yea it is a Testimony of our Membership in and with Christ Christ is the Head of the Church which is the Body and we are said to be Members of Christ and Members also one of another You have a notable expression Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up