he only takes a cursory view of the Four Gospels that the whole Life of our Blessed Saviour from the vile Manger to the Bloody Cross was one continued Scene of Sufferings and Afflictions The things which Men generally most esteem are nobleness of Birth Honour Riches and a fair Reputation But which of all these was the portion of our dearest Redeemer 'T is true indeed that the ever Blessed Jesus according to the flesh descended from the Royal Line of David both by Joseph His supposed Father and by Mary His true Mother as St. Mat. Chap. 1. and Luke Chap. 3. do attest in their Genealogies But besides that this is not allow'd by the latter Jewish Rabbi's wherein consisted that Pomp and Splendour that usually appears at the Birth of Princes We know 't is true that a Star appear'd to the Wisemen in the East Mat. 2.1 29. about the time of Jesus's Birth by which they were directed to go to Bethlehem to Worship Him and that a Quire of Angels Luk. 2.8 c. proclaim'd Him to the Shepherds A Saviour Christ the Lord. And one might reasonably have expected that the whole Jewish Nation should have been ready to accommodate their Messiah with every thing answerable to his Character but on the direct contrary not so much as a Lodging room can be procur'd for Him no He must be content with a Manger instead of a Bed or a Cradle and instead of a good Fire to nourish His tender Body and to defend it from cold He shall feel no other heat than what is emitted from the breath and dung of Beasts Honours and Riches and a plentiful Substistence were but the just due of so welcome a Guest to the World But instead of these Christ himself tells us that He had not so much as a resting place of His own The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head St. Matth. 8.20 And yet as poor and miserable as He was the Tax-gatherers demanded Tribute of Him at Capernaum for the use of the Temple and force Him to work a Miracle to pay it St. Matth. 17.24 c. A fair and unspotted Reputation lastly Christ might well have expected from his own Country-men among whom He went continually about doing good but instead of more deserv'd Eulogies they contemptibly call'd Him the Carpenter's Son a Galilean a Gluttonous Man and a Wine-biber and a friend of Publicans and Sinners But besides that bitter portion of hunger and cold poverty and disgrace which the innocent Son of God shared what Snares were there laid for His Life How many Stones were taken up to throw at Him for only telling the Jews necessary and seasonable Truths What Sorrows and Agonies did He feel in the Garden What unspeakable Torments lastly did He undergo on the Cross If these were not Afflictions I 'm certain there is then no such thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in humane Nature and if the Captain of our Salvation suffered so much from a froward and perplexing World must the Souldiers listed under Him expect no Scars in His Quarrel No no His Apostles and Evangelisâ—s met with much the same usage as He met with for besides that contempt and hatred those Stripes and Imprisonments they were constantly expos'd to One was Stoned to death another was Beheaded a third was Crucified with his Head downward some died one Death others another and all of 'em St. John only excepted as the Ecclesiastical Historians relate were barbarously murdered for adhering to their Master's Doctrine Not that St. John ended his days in an exemption from Persecutions for besides that he was banish'd into Patmos as he says of himself Rev. 1.9 for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ Tertullian vouches that before his Banishment he was accus'd to Domitian and by his Proconsul in Asia sent to Rome where at the Emperour's Command he was cast into a Caldron of boyling Oyle from which notwithstanding he escap'd as unhurt as those Servants of God who were cast into the Fiery Furnace Dan. 3d. Ch. Of this I think we may be very certain that only St. John of all the Apostles had that favour of God maugre all the Spite of Men and Devils that he died without violence in a good Old Age when he had lived about 72 Years after Christs Ascension into Heaven Nor did Persecution find a period with the Death of the Apostles but rather it might then be said to begin to bear date For about five Years after St. John's peaceable Exit as if that devilish Spirit of Malice would have an ample Satisfaction for the escape of one Apostle out of its hands that truly Apostolical man St. Ignatius Bp. of Antioch was condemn'd by the Emperor Trajan to the Lions and being sent to Rome was there torn to pieces by Brutes less Savage than the Spectatours in the Amphitheatre And that very venerable Man St. Polycarp Bp. of Smyrna was condemned to the Flames to such Flames I speak it by the Testimony of Eye-witnesses as rather sought to guard than to consume his Body insomuch that the Executioner was forc'd to dispatch him with his Sword when but half burned To these two I might add Justin-Martyr Origen and St. Cyprian Bp. of Carthage who all were put to Death for the Cause of Christ Nay I might fill A Sermon with a bare recital of the single Sufferings of the great Athanasius Bp. of Alexandria only because he would not strike Sail to the Arians and betray the Catholick-Faith but that I intend not a Martyrology What then shall I say more The time would fail me to give you but a short Abstract of the frequent Banishments the strange Tortures and the various Deaths that were inflicted not on the Fathers of the Church only but on Thousands of private Christians during Ten bloody Persecutions Thus much only I shall here add that what the Author to the Hebrews says of the Patriarchs Judges of Israel and of the Prophets Heb. 11.35 c. was literally true of the primitive Christian Martyrs They were tortur'd not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection And others had trials of cruel Mockings and Scourgings yea moreover of Bonds and Imprisonment They were Stoned they were Sawn asunder were Tempted were slain with the Sword they wandred about in Sheepshins and Goat skins being destitute afflicted tormented they wandred in Desarts and in Mountains and in Dens and Caves of the Earth All this they contentedly endur'd for the sake of their most excellent Religion and for that warrantable Zeal which they shew'd in asserting and holding fast the Heavenly Doctrine of God their Saviour By this time I suppose I have produc'd Examples enough to shew that Afflictions are to be expected in a zealous Profession and earnest Practice of Christianity I proceed now Thirdly to clear this Point yet further by shewing the Reason and Nature of
and inoffensive than the best of Men either now are or ever were and yet nothing but calamity and affliction contempt and scorn disgrace and calumny were the Rewards of His Goodness and Charity And if He who was Lord and King of both Worlds was willing for our sakes to endure all this without one Murmuring word or Repining thought shall we that are sinful dust and ashes complain and rail and be at our wits end meerly because we suffer some petty short-liv'd evils Better will it become us all in prudence to hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering and patiently and submissively to demean our selves under all the calamities of mind that shall befal us For if we do this willingly we have our reward we shall find such a calmness sedateness and composure in our Brests as Words cannot aptly describe and we shall hereafter be carried up to Heaven where we shall be fill'd with such wonder and joy as are only competible with our then enlarg'd faculties and be compleatly blessed in those Mansions of our God which Jesus Christ by His Death has purchas'd and is now going to prepare for all His faithful and obedient Servants THe Inference from what has been said in this Discourse is in general This That no person ought to forbear a vigorous prosecution of his Duty upon the score of that calumny and disgrace that malice and hatred those afflictions and persecutions that the profligate and wicked are always ready to load him with I have before suggested that the whole Host of Christian Martyrs might have liv'd and died in peace in the peace of this World I mean for I doubt not but that in their Lives they had daily inward Peace of Mind and in their Death Comfort if they would have been as some in those early Days and others both in Queen Mary's and in a later Reign were Proditores and have tamely delivered up their Bibles to be burn'd and cowardly forsaken the Religion of the Gospel But contrariwise they considered themselves as Souldiers and Voluntiers listed and engag'd to fight under the Banner of Christ they remembred at once His Sufferings and His Victory in the end they daily saw their Bishops and Pastors suffer Martyrdom with an inflexible Courage and Constancy and by their brave Example were animated to endure the loss of all things rather than draw back unto Perdition And Oh that we who are as Firebrands pluck'd out of the Fire and have not many Years since escap'd by a wonderful Deliverance could be influenc'd by the Carriage of such Christian Heroes to seek for true Peace with God and with our own Consciences But how shall this Peace be obtain'd Be not startled at what I say This Peace cannot humanely speaking be found but in a continual warfare with the Devil the World and the Flesh in a perpetual resistance of all Temptations and in a constant abstinence from all worldly and carnal Lusts These are those our deadly and implacable Enemies which if we use not our whole stock of Grace and Industry to destroy will never leave the Field till they have lest us none remaining and have carried away both us and our standards to Hell But if we be careful as it infinitely concerns us to be to steer our Lives by the Compass of God's Law if we couragiously set upon and go through with the works of Righteousness and true Holiness and if we will be perswaded to exercise such a Zeal for the Honour of God and for the depress'd Cause of Religion and Virtue as has Christian Prudence and Knowledge for its inseparable Associates we may reasonably expect an happy Voyage to the Haven of Rest and Peace And what if it should happen that the frowns of the Wicked that the utmost rage and fury of Men and Devils should constantly attend and pursue us in this our Conflict Shall these things move us to leave labouring in our Master's Vineyard Heaven avert such sloth and cowardice Can we forget that by the help of our God we shall be able to leap over all these Walls Or can we imagin that if we do our parts manfully the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will be wanting to enable us to keep our Ground Only amidst all the trials and temptations we lie under let us often and earnestly seek in prayer for God's Assistance and Direction and frequently remember that Jesus Christ of the Seed of David was raised from the Dead and let this single Consideration inspire us with patience and fortitude in our extreamest Sufferings And then we shall not fail of that Crown of Glory which Jesus our Lord and our God has in store for all His Victorious Souldiers and Servants which He bought for us with the price of His own most precious Blood Which He has assur'd us of by His Resurrection from Death and the Grave and which He Ascended up into Heaven to put on our Heads with His own Hands If these comfortable Promises are not true and just and certainly to be relied on I do not only say that Christians are of all Men most miserable but then also I say that the Sacred Scripture is as it has been often phras'd by some inconsiderate Men among us of unfound and Heterodox Principles an insignificant and dead Letter and then by necessary consequence both our Preaching is vain and your Faith is vain Thus much I thought fit to offer in the general by way of Application to all People as being that in which every Christian living is concerned But I have other and more particular things to say of and to you for whose sakes more especially this Discourse was made not more through your earnest solicitation than a chearful compliance on my part You have declar'd your selves sensible of the dishonour done to God by the open profaneness of many dissolute and lewd Persons professing Christianity which indeed is so great that I cannot but wonder that some otherwise discerning People should not be able to see that we hasten what we can to make our selves and the Nation too ripe for destruction I wish I might say truly that these short-sighted Folks did not wink hard and affect blindness It cannot be denied that we have many good Laws now in force against Immorality and Profaneness and such as if duly and impartially executed would force all open Vice especially to pull in its horns But on the other hand it cannot and therefore ought not to be dissembled that the supineness and remissness of those Persons which should put these wholsom Statutes in execution and make 'em living Laws is shameful and abominable This is the repeated Language of our Parliament in their Addresses and of our King in his Proclamations and these were the Thoughts and in the Orders of our late most Gracious Queen of blessed Memory who first incourag'd and promis'd to protect the Societies for Reformation of Manners and with so good and honourable Company I trust
the thing it self The Religion of a Christian is establish'd upon Principles that are very contrary to the corrupted Inclinations of Mankind Men sometimes feel in themselves such impetuous Desires after sensual Enjoyments and Nature eggs 'em on so fast to a compliance with its Dictates that they no sooner yield than they 're tempted to think that That Religion had not God for its Author which so directly gain-says their Passions and denies 'em the fruition of their strongest Longings Hence is it that a Man cannot venture to reprove Men for their Vices or with the most friend-like Essays endeavour to convince 'em of their Mistakes takes but immediatly he 'l find an Insurrection of their malignant Spirits and a strange Alteration in their very looks and though they may then play the Sycophant so far as to thank him for his kindness yet they shall it may be ever after greedily catch at every opportunity of venting their rancor and hatred by a studious misrepresentation of all that he says or does and the highest pitch of their Charity shall be found to center in his continual Defamation Every serious and considering Christian must needs attest this Truth on a too frequent Experience and both Sacred and Church-Histories furnish us with too many instances of the same Nature St. John Baptist might have kept his head on his shoulders if he would but have let Herod alone and not have reprov'd him for his Incest so likewise might the Apostles have died in their Beds if they could have sate down contented to see Judaism rampant and the Worship of Idols prevalent But no sooner do they pursue their truest Interest in a faithful Execution of their Commission than they are persecuted for it by Stripes Stonings Imprisonments and Death And from the Transactions of those several Occurrences in all Ages of Christianity down to this present time we may reasonably conclude that the same game is to be play'd to the World's end For the Reason of the Thing continuing for ever the same and the Opposition that impious wretches will always make to Lectures and Examples of Piety and Vertue standing upon one bottom we may certainly infer without a Spirit of Prophecy that as the state of Christianity has ever been and in our Age is a state of Afflictions so that it will never cease to be so till time is swallowed up by Eternity Having thus at large prov'd 1. From express Texts of Scripture 2. From many Examples of persecuted Christians 3. From the Reason and Nature of the Thing I. That a state of Afflictions is very consistent with a zealous and vigorous discharge of the Duties of Christianity II. I proceed now to my 2d General Head which was to shew That a frequent Remembrance of and a serious Meditation upon the Resurrection of our Blessed Saviour is the best Preservative against the prevalency of those Afflictions that are entail'd upon a Christian state I need not be tedious in an Argument of this nature after St. Paul himself has press'd it home in the Words of my Text. I shall therefore only inforce the Apostle's Memorandum by these Two Observations following And First We may observe that Men are generally so devoted to this World and their Souls are so strongly bent towards sensible Objects that so long especially as their Sails are crowded with a prosperous Gale they very rarely will afford one thought to the things that may or shall hereafter happen The present time is what they are for and they thence resolve as they falsly estimate things to lose none of it but with the blind Watchmen whom the Prophet inveigheth against Isa 56.12 they solace themselves Come ye say they I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with Strong drink and to Morrow shall be as this Day and much more abundant But now if God shall please to send a slight Affliction upon these Men there 's an immediate damp upon their Spirits they 're quite at their wits end and they complain as much at a little Head-ach as if they were losing their Limbs or their Lives The Reason is manifest they don't think of Afflictions till they feel their weight and then having made no provision against the Evil Day by a regular Devotion and Meditation they fret they murmur and repine and are still at a loss how to be easy under the load that oppresseth them Whereas on the contrary if Men would but allow one Hour in a Day for thinking and spend that very little part of their Youth and Health in a serious Reflection upon those many Evils and Disappointments which the most Righteous and Innocent Son of God met with what a scanty portion of worldly goods He enjoyed what Hardships He encountred and what Severities He was all His Life expos'd to But that after all His Sufferings even unto Death He gloriously arose from the Prison of the Grave after Three Days Burial and Triumphantly Ascended into Heaven and Sate on the Right Hand of God If I say Men would often and seriously meditate on these things this would most effectually quell their peevish and impatient Desires after the good Things of this Life this would teach 'em to know themselves to be but Men this lastly would both prepare 'em for Sufferings and make 'em contentedly undergo a few momentary Afflictions that so they might at last partake of the same joyful Resurrection to eternal Pleasures and Delights of which their great Forerunner and Author of their Faith has already been partaker Secondly We may observe That not only disappointments crosses and losses in things relating to the Body but even Afflictions of an higher nature such as are peculiar to the Mind of Man would sit more easy by frequently remembring that Jesus Christ of the Seed of David was raised from the Dead How angry and churlish do some Men grow when they fail of that respect which they think to be their due A Rich Man with a proud Heart and towring Thoughts believes that every one affronts him that does not pay him all the reverence which is claim'd only by the Nobility c. it may be by Princes of the Blood Royal Nay even a Man in narrow circumstances who has made it his great care to do his Duty to God and to his Neighbour thinks it no small hardship to be expos'd to want and distress he is inclin'd to think that Divine providence neglects him and possibly is tempted to forsake or to grow more remiss in his Christian Duty by his best discharge of which he meets with oppression instead of encouragement and instead of the love he gains only the ill-will and hatred of his Neighbours In both these Instances to which most other Cases may be easily reduc'd The best method for the afflicted Man to take will be to consider the exemplary Humility Patience and Resignation of Mind which appear'd so eminently in Christ our Head Our ever Blessed Redeemer was infinitely more innocent