he must provide him a ladder and climb alone to heaven we must go to heaven some other way than the Saints have done of old except we resolve of going thither through much tribulation Act. 14. 22. Thirdly That no person or persons on earth may sinfully shift off sufferings or avoid sufferings there being infinitely more evil in the least sin than there can be in the greatest sufferings that can befall us in this world 't is best 't is safest to chuse suffering rather than sinning as Moses did so Daniel chose rather to be Dan. 6. cast among Lions than that his Conscience should be a Lyon within him and the three Children or Champions rather who were cap. 3. holily wilful chose rather to burn in the fiery furnace than to bow to the Image that the King had set up He that values peace Juâ—as and Spira will rather sin than suffer but whoever suffered more on this â—ide hell than they suffered with God and peace with Conscience and the honour of God and the credit of Religion the silencing of sinners and the rejoycing of the Saints must chuse to suffer rather than to sin when storms arise and troubles and dangers approach many begin to consult not how they may glorifie God by suffering but how they may provide for their own safety by sinning Plato knew much of God but as Josephus shews durst not set it down for fear of the people And Lactantius charges the same upon Tully Thou darest not saith he undertake the Patrenage of the truth for fear of the prison of Socrates And Augustine De Ci 〈…〉 lib. 6. cap. 10. doth as much for Seneca he spends a whole Chapter in shewing how he held the truth in unrighteousness telling us how he reverenced that which he reproved did that which he condemned and worshipped that which he found fault with Though these wise men saw the vanity of the Heathenish Deities and the worship that was given to them and looked upon them as utterly unworthy of respect from wise and sober men nay secretly scorned and derided them yet would they not openly declare against them and that for fear of the people who so much doted upon them But Daniel's three young Worthies were men of that heavenly gallantâ—y that they peremptorily resolved upon this that though they should not be delivered by their God yet they would not sin against their God nor so much as demur deliberate or take time to consider whether they should suffer or sin 't was past dispute with them brave and noble souls that they were It is observable that when Paul speaks of his afflictions 2 Cor. 4. 17. his sufferings he calls them light but when he speaks of his sin he speaks of it as a burden that prest him down and made him cry out O wretched man that I am and to cry out again we groan being burthened Moses his choice is famous and celebrated Rom. 7. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 2 4. all the world over for 't was not made when he was a child but when he came to forty years of age then he preferred Heb. 11. 25 26 27 suffering not only before sinning but before all the Honours Riches and Pleasures of Egypt accounting the worst of Christ viz. Reproaches better than the best of the world When Eleazar was promised to be saved from torments and death if he would but make shew of yielding he couragiously answered It 2 Mac. 6. 24. becometh not our age in any wise to dissemble whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar being four score and ten years old were now gone to a strange Religion Thus also one of the seven Brethren in the name of the rest We are ready to cap. 7. 2. die rather than transgress the laws of our fathers meaning such Laws as God of old had given to their Fathers to be observed by them and by their Posterity Age after Age. Polycarpus Eccl. l. 4. c. 15. when the Governour promised to let him go free if he would deny Christ answered I have served him four score and six years and he never hurt me in any thing how shall I curse him who hath saved me And the Governour adding one while promises another while threatnings Polycarpus thus cuts oâ—l all why dost thou make delays inflict what thou lists So Galea 〈…〉 Gentleman of great Estate who suffered Martyrdom at S 〈…〉 t-ang 〈…〉 a Italy being much pressed by his friends to recant and save his life he replied that death was much more tweet to him with the Testimony of Verity than life with the least denyâ— of truth Hooper desired rather to be discharged of his Bishoprick than yield to certain Ceremonies A man were better dispâ—â—ase all his Friends all his Relations yea all the world than to displease his God and displease his own Conscience So Cyprian when Augustine relates the story the Emperour as he was going to execu 〈…〉 told him that he would give him space to consider whether 〈…〉 re not Letter cast in a grain into the fire than be so miserably 〈…〉 in to which he replyed In re tam sancta deliberation 〈…〉 There needs no deliberation in this case The lik◠〈…〉 e History of France in the year 1572. presently after 〈…〉 and persidious slaughter and massacre of so man 〈…〉 of Protestants by treacherous bloody Papists Charles th 〈…〉 of France called the Prince of Conde and prop 〈…〉 his c 〈…〉 ce either to go to Mass or to die presently or to 〈…〉 r per 〈…〉 al imprisonment To which he returned this notâ—e answer that by God's help he would never chuse the first and for eitheâ— of the two latter he left it to the King's pleasure and God's Providence Thus you see that the people of God have when put to it chose rather to suffer than to sin But Fourthly That they shall be sure to suffer with a witness that refuse to suffer or are afraid to suffer when Christ calls them to a suffering state No men can suffer so much for Christ as they shall be sure to suffer from Christ if through weakness or wickedness they either disdain or refuse to suffer for Christ Mark 8. 35. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever There is no loss but gain in losing for Christ shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it 'T is a very dangerous thing for men to prefer the safety of their natural lives before the Glory of Christ the cause of Christ the Gospel of Christ and the Profession of his name 'T is certain that the Glory of Christ ought to be more dear and precious to us than our very lives Christ for our Redemption and Salvation freely and readily lays down his life I lay down my life for Joh. 10. 15. my sheep and shall we stand with him for ours when our call is clear to
the light of your consciences and maintain and keep up a constant tenderness in your consciences a tender conscience is a mercy more worth than a world Conscience is Gods spye in our bosoms keep this clear and Acts 21. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 12. tender and than all is well Act nothing against the dictates of conscience rebel not against the light of conscience You were better that all the world should upbraid you and reproach you than that your consciences should upbraid you and reproach you Beware of stifling Job 27. 5 6. conscience and of suppressing the warnings of conscience lest a warning conscience prove a gnawing conscience a tormenting conscience The blind Man Mark 8. in the Gospel newly recovering his sight imagined Trees to be Men And the Burgundians as Comines reports expecting a Battel supposed long Thistles to be Lances thus men under guilt are apt to conceit every Thistle a Tree and every Tree a Man and every Man a Devil Take heed of tongue-tyed consciences for when God shall unty these strings and unmuzle your consciences conscience will then be heard and ten consorts of Musick shall not drown her clamourous cryes Hearken to the voice of conscience obey the voice of conscience and when conscience shall whisper you in the ear and tell you there is this and that amiss in the house in the habit in the heart in the life in the closet don't say to conscience conscience be quiet be Acts â—â— 24 25. still make no noise now I will hear thee in a more convenient season The Heathen Oratour could say A recia conscientia ne latum quidem unguem discedendum 〈…〉 in Offiâ— A man may not depart a hairs breadth all his life long from the dictates of a good conscience Will not this Heathen one day rise in judgment against those who daily crucifie the light of their own consciences But The sixth word of advice and counsel is this Makâ— it the great business of your lives to make sure such See my Treatise on Assurance there you will find how you may secure something that will go with you beyond the grave things as will go with you beyond the grave Richeâ— and honours and offices and all worldly grandure won't go with us beyond the grave Saladin a Turkish Emperour he was the first of that Nation that conquered Jerusalem lying at the point of death after many glorious victories commanded that a white sheet should be born before him to his grave upon the point of a Spear with this proclamation These are the rich spoils which Saladin carrieth away with him of all his triumphs and victories of all his Riches and Realms that he had now nothing at all is left for him to carry with him but this sheet It is with us in this world as it was in the Jewish fields and vineyards pluck and eaâ— they might what they would while they were there but they might not pocket nor put up ought to carry with them Death as a Porter stands at the gate and Deut. 23. 24. 25. strips men of all their worldly wealth and glory Athenaeus speaks of one that at the hour of death devoured many pieces of gold and sewed the rest in his coat commanding that they should be buried with him Hermocrates being loath that any man should enjoy his goods after him made himself by Will Heir of his own goods These muck-worms would fain live still on this side Jordan having made their gold their God they cannot think of parting with it they would if possible carry the world out of the world But what saith the Apostle We brought nothing with us into this world 1 Timoth. 6. 7. and it is certain see how he assevereth and assureth it as if some rich wretches made question of it we can carry nothing out nothing but a winding sheet O how should this alarm us to make sure our calling and election 2 Pet. 1. 1â— 2 Cor. 5. 17. 2 Saâ— 23. 5. 1 Thess 5 â—3 2 Cor. 1. 12. to make sure our interest in Christ to make sure our Covenant-relation to make sure a work of grace in power upon our souls to make sure the testimony of a good conscience to make sure our Son-ship Gal. 4. 5 6 7. Rom. 8. 15 16. our Saint-ship our Heir-ship c. for these are the only things that will go with us into another world In the Marian persecution there was a Woman who being convened before Bonner then Bishop of London upon 〈◊〉 Acts and Monuments the trial of Religion he threatned her that he would take away her Husband from her Saith she Christ is my Husband I will take away thy Child Christ saith she is better to me than ten sons I will strip thee saith he of all thy outward comfort Yea but Christ is mine saith she and you cannot strip me of him Assurance that Christ was hers and that he would go with her beyond the grave bore her heart up above the threats Heb. 10. 34. of being spoiled of all When a great Lord had shewed a sober serious knowing Christian his Riches his stately Habitation his pleasant Gardens his delightful Walks his rich Grounds and his various sorts of pleasure the serious Christian turning himself to this great Lord said My Lord you had need to make sure Christ and Heaven you had need make sure something that will go with you beyond the grave for else when you die you will be a very great loser O my Friends I must tell you it highly concerns you to make sure something that will go with you beyond the grave or else you will be very great losers when you come to die God having given you an abundance of the good things and of the great things of this world beyond what he has given to many thousands of others But The seventh word of advice and counsel is this Look upon all the things of this world and value all the things of this world now as you will certainly look upon 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. them and value them when you come to lye upon a sick bed a dying bed when a man is sick in good earnest and when death knocks at the door in good carnest O with what a disdainful eye with what a weaned eye with what a scornful eye does a man then look upon the honours riches dignities and glories of this world If men could but thus look upon them now it would keep them from being fond of them from trusting in them from doting upon them from being proud of them and from venturing a damning either in getting or in keeping of them But The eight word of advice and counsel is this In all places and companies carry your soul-preservatives still about you viz. A holy care a holy fear a holy jealousie Prov. 4. 23. Cap. 28. 14. Genes 6. 9. Cap. 39. 9 10. Psalm 17. 4. Psalm 18. 23.
prisons they cast to dogs setting Watch-men night and day lest any of them should be buried And such remainders as were left both of Beasts and Fire in part torn and in part burnt together with the heads and bodies of others they cast out in like manner unburied and committed them some days to the custody of Soldiers Thus the Barbarous Cruelty of Sceâ—my Beauty of Holiness pag. 413 414 415. Persecutors extended it self as far as it could beyond the temporal lives of the Martyrs Ecclesiastical Histories tell us that all the Apostles died violent deaths Peter was crucified with his heels upwards Christ was crucified with his head upwards but Peter thought this was too great an honour for him to be crucified as his Lord and therefore he chose to be crucified with his heels upward And Andrew was crucified by Egeus King of Edessa And James the Son of Zebedec was slain by Herod with the Act 12. 2. Sword And Philip was crucified at Hierapolis in Asta And while Bartholomew was preaching the glad Tydings of Salvation multitudes sell upon him and beat him down with staves and then crucified him and after all this his skin was fleaed off and he beheaded Thomas was slain with a dart at Calununa in India And Matthew was slain with a Spear say some others say he was run through with a Sword And James the Son of Alpheus who was called the Just was thrown down from off a pinacle of the Temple and yet having some life left in him he was brained with a Fuller's club Lebbeus was slain by Agbarus King of â—dessa And Paul was beheaded at Rome by Nero. And Simon the Canaanite was crucified in Egypt say some others say that he and Jude were slain in a tumult of the people And Mattkias Rev. â— 9. was stoned to death And John was banished into Patmos and afterwards as some Histories tell us he was by that cruel Tyrant Domitian cast into a tub of scalding oyl and yet delivered by a Miracle Thus all these Worthies of whom this world was not Heb. 11. 38. worthy except John died violent deaths and so through sufferings entred into Glory To conclude Lactantius saith not Lact. l. 5. c. 13. only the men among the Christians and those of stronger years and hearts but even our Women and little Children saith he have endured all torments and been too hard for their tormentors No rack no fire could fetch so much as a groan from them which the stoutest Thieves and Malefactors among their Persecutors could not undergo but they would roar and cry out through impatience and disability to endure them I suppose that more cruel torments cannot be invented than of old have been inflicted on Christians Persecutors have acknowledged that they were Eâ—sâ—b Eccl. Hist l. 5. cap. 1. overcome and had no more to inflict Such Toâ—tures and Torments so couragiously and manfully have sundry Christians in all Ages suffered as to them who only heard thereof they seemed incredible and to many who were eye-witnesses thereof they seemed so strange and beyond admiration as they thought the Martyrs to be mad witless and senseless But the Martyrs had peace and rest and quiet within and the favourable Presence of God so shining upon their souls that they were encouraged and enabled with a holy and heavenly bravery of Spirit to bid defyance to their most cruel Persecutors Now Christians if you compare your most cruel Sufferings with the Sufferings of the Saints of old how easie and light will they be found to be What are mole-hills to mountains scratches upon the hand to slabs at the heart no more are your greatest Sufferings to those that the Saints have met with in former Ages And therefore though men frown upon you and threaten you with censures Imprisonment Banishment Confiscation and all the evil Humane might and cruelty can do unto you yet be not moved but account your selves happy that you have any 1 Pet. 4. 14 15. opportunity to do or suffer any thing whereby you may testifie that Christ and his Concerns doe lie near your hearts and whereby you may further his opposed Interest and bear witness to his despised truth But Ninthly Consider that the Saints and Martyrs of old have made little reckoning or account of their Lives Liberties Relations or Estates when they stood in competition with Christ or his Truth Worship Ways Ordinances Interest or with their Profession of the Christian Faith witness that glorious Testimony Heb. 11. 35. vide Ejtius that the Apostle gives of them They would not accept deliverance he means deliverance from death or preservation of life this though offered they would not accept namely on Persecutors terms or conditions wich was to deny the Truth of God or renounce their Faith in him They scorned deliverance upon base terms and would rather die than deny Christ or his Truth This phrase not accepting deliverance presupposeth that deliverance was offered to them otherwise they could not have rejected it for their not accepting was a rejecting Their Persecutors offered them deliverance upon their compliance with their Wills Lusts Ways Worship c. This is evident by that which Nebuchadnezzar said to Daniel's three Champions when they were accused for not worshipping his Idol which was this If ye be ready to fall down and worship the Image he thereby implies Dan. 3. 15. that they should be spared for he addeth if you worship not you shall be cast into a fiery sin nace And this is further evident in those to whom the Apostle hath reference viz. the Maccabees 2 Mac. 6. 18 to 31 And this was the common practice of the persecuting Emperours in the Ten Persecutions and after them with the Antichristian Persecutors and more particularly with the high Persecutors in Qucen Mary's days But the Christians in those several Ages had such a mighty presence of God with them that they chose rather to suffer the worst of deaths than to preserve their lives by complying with the Wills Lusts Ways and Worship of their Persecutors For ever remember this that thâ— envy and malice of Persecutors is more against the glorious Truth the Saints profess than it is against their persons for let but Christians relinquish the Truth deny the Truth reproach the Truth or oppose the Truth and presently they shall be white Boys great Favourites good Sons of the Church and what not That the envy and malice of Persecutors is more against the Truth than the Professors of it is most evident in that they persecute strangers whom they never knew before It is said of Paul that if he found any such he brought them bound All was Acts 9. 2. fish that was caught in his net If Father or Mother Brother or Sister Child or Cousin profess the Truth plead for the Truth stand up for the Truth men of persecuting Spirits will prosecute and persecute them to the death The Brother shall deliver
said he Bishop Ridley as the breath is in my body I will never deny my Lord Christ and his known Truth Another used such a speech to one that advised Father Latimer him to spare himself as Christ did to Peter on the like occasion Get thee behind me Satan There are a world of other Instances of the like nature but enough is as good as a Feast By all these Instances you may see that Blessed Word verified They loved not their lives unto the death They were willing to Rev. 12. 11. lay down their lives for the Glory of Christ and for the Truth of Christ So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They loved not is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they neglected or contemned their life as Brightman hath well observed They slighted yea despised their lives and rather exposed them to hazard and loss than to deny Christ or their holy Profession It is a Paraphrase of the constancy of their Faith even unto Martyrdom for the name of Christ But Tenthly Consider That God puts a great deal of honour Phil. 1. 29. upon suffering Saints To suffer for Christ is honourable God will not put this honour upon every one he puts this honour only upon those that are Vessels of Honour by Grace God makes men 2 Tim. 2. 20 21. Vessels of Silver and Vessels of Gold and then casts them into the fire to melt and suffer for his name and a higher Glory he cannot put upon them on this side Glory The Crown of Martyrdom is a Crown that the Blessed Angels those Princes of Glory are not capable of winning or wearing And O who art thou and what art thou O man that God should set this Crown upon thy head Mark at what a rate Peter speaks If ye â—e reproached 1 Pet. 4. 1 〈…〉 for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of â—lory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he iâ— glorified The very suffering condition of the people of God is at the present a glorious condition For the spirit of Glory rests upon them and therefore they must needs be glorious yea very glorious upon whom the spirit of Glory falls Rom. 8. 9 11. Dan. 3. and in whom the Spirit of Glory dwells What a Glorious Mold and Mettal were the three Children made up of that were cast into the fiery Furnace and what a deal of honour and glory did God put upon them in the eyes of all the world The Apostles all along accounted their own sufferings and the sufferings of the Saints for Christ to be the highest honour and glory that God could put upon them in this world as will be evident by our comparing Heb. 11. 36 37 38 2 Cor. 11. 23 to 28 Heb. 10. 32 to 26. the Scriptures in the Margin together To suffer for Christ is the greatest honour and promotion that God gives in this world said old Father Latimer and therefore when sentence was pronounced against him he cryed out I thank God most heartily for this great honour So Saunders I am the unmeetest man for Act. and Mâ—n 1361. Ibid. 1744. this high Office that ever was appointed to it So Careless the Martyr this is such an honour said he as the greatest Angel in Heaven is not permitted to have God forgive me mine unthankfulness c. John Nâ—yâ—s took up a Faggot at the fire and kissed John Nâ—yâ—s it Saying Blessed be the time that ever I was born to come to this preferment So when they had fastned Alice Driver with a Alice Driver chain to the stake to be burnt Never said she did Neck-kerchief become me so well as this Chain So Balilus the Martyr when Balilus he was to die requested this favour of his Persecutors 〈◊〉 That he might have his chains b 〈…〉 ed with him as the Ensigns of his honour What are we poor worms full of vanities and lies Calvin said Calvin that we should be called to be maintainers of the Truth for Suâ—â—erings for Christ are the Ensigns of Heavenly Nobility To die for Christ is the greatest promotion that God Philpot. can bring any in this Vale of Misery unto said Mr. Philpot the Martyr A French Soldier for his zealous Profession of the reformed Thuan. Hist l. 11. Anno 1553. Religion was condemned to the fire with others only he should have the favour of going to the Stâ—ke without a Wyth but he desired that he might wear such a Chain as his fellows did esteeming this rebuke of Christ more glorious than the Ensigns of St Michael's Order 'T was an excellent saying of Prudentius Prudentius Their names saith he that are written in red letters of Blood in the Churches Calendar are written in Golden Letters in Christ's Register the Book of Life The Passion-days of the Martyrs were anciently called the Natalitia salutis the Birth-days of Salvation the Day-break of Eternal Brightness We count it a great honour Isa 9 6 7. Dan. 3. 24 25. Isa 43. 2. cap. 63. 9. to have Princes to be our Companions Christ the Prince of Peace and the Angels those Princes of Glory are our Companions in all our Sufferings Such is the honour that God puts upon his Suffering Saints that nothing shall hinder him from being their Companion in all their Sufferings in all their afflictions in all their Temptations and this believe it is no small honour I have read how that in the Primitive times when some Euseb Eccles Hist l. 5. good people came to comfort some of the Martyrs that were in Prison and ready to suffer they called them blessed Martyrs O no said they we are not worthy of the name of Martyrs These holy humble hearts thought Martyrdom too high an honour for them And Luther writing to those which were condemned to death saith the Lord will not do me that honour after all that bustle I have made in the world In the Primitive times they were wont to call Martyrdom by the name of Corona Martyrii the Crown of Martyrdom We read of a Woman-martyr who having her Child in her hand gave it to another and offered her self to Martyrdom Crowns said she are to be dealt out this day and I mean to have one You see what high and honourable thoughts the Saints had of their Sufferings in those days and O that all suffering Saints would labour to write after that noble Copy that they have left upon Record But Eleventhly Consider that suffering Saints do put a great deal of Honour and Glory upon God Christ Religion and upon God's Truth Worship and Ways What a spreading Fame and Glory of God did the Sufferings of the three Worthies scatter all the world over God is acknowledged and adored by Nebuchadnezzar a Decree is made That Every People Nation and Language Dan. 3. 28 29. which speak amiss against the God of
Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a Dunghill c. Here God's Glory wonderfully shines out of their Sufferings Here this poor blind Idolatrous Heathen Prince is forced to confess that there is no God like Israel's God Basil and Tertullian do well observe of the Primitive Martyrs that divers of the Heathen seeing their zeal courage and constancy glorified God and turned Christians Religion is that Phoenix which hath always revived and flourished in the ashes of holy men and Truth hath never been so honoured and gloriously dispersed as when it hath been sealed by the blood of the Saints This made Julian to forbear to persecute non ex clementia sed invidia not out of piety but envy because the Church grew so fast and multiplied as Nazianzen well observes We read that some times the Sufferings of one Saint have begot many to the love of the Truth We read that Cicilia a poor Captive Virgin by her gracious behaviour in her Martyrdom was the means of converting four hundred to Christ Justine Martyr was also converted by observing the chearful and gracious Carriage of the Saints in their Sufferings And so Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer readily and joyfully such grievous torments asked why they would endure such misery when they might by retracting free themselves Upon which one of them cited that Text Eye hath not 1. Cor. 2. 9. seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Upon the naming of this Scripture and seeing of them suffer so willingly chearfully and resolutely such a Divine Power took hold of his heart that he was converted and afterwards became a Martyr Now God and Christ and Truth and Religion are never more honoured than when poor souls are soundly converted Surely the Crown of Martyrdom is a Glorious Crown and every soul won over to God by a dying Martyr will be as an Orient Pearl and Precious Diamond in his Crown of far more value than that Adamant found about Charles Duke of Burgundy slain by the Switzers at the Battel of Nantz sold for twenty thousand Duckets and placed as it is said in the Pope's Tripple Crown O A 7. 55 56 57. what foreâ—asts of Glory what ravishments of Soul have many of the Blessed Martyrs had in their sufferings for Christ Holy Lord stay thy hand I can bear no more said one of the Martyrs like weak eyes that cannot bear too great a light Is it not a high honour to a King to have such Captains and Champions as will not yield to their Sovereign's enemies but stand it out to the uttermost till they get the Victory though it cost them their lives to get it yet no mortal King can as Christ doth put spirit courage and strength into a Subject only we may well conceive and conclude that such Valourous Soldiers as are ready to hazard their lives for their Sovereign serve a good Master Thus do suffering Christians and Martyrs give Persecutors to understand that they serve a good Master and that they highly prize him who hath done more and suffered more for them than their dearest Blood is worth and who enables them with courage constancy and comfort to endure whatsoever for his names sake can be Rom. 8. 37. inflicted on them and therein to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More than Conquerors or above Conquerors How can that be can a man get more than the Victory The meaning is we do over overcome super superanus that is triumph or overcome before we fight we are famous and renowned Conquerors we easily conquer we 2 Cor. 2. 14. conquer by those things which are used to conquer us we beat our enemies with their own Swords as Julian sometime said being confuted by Heathen Learning Martyr and Piscator expound it thus we do more than overcome that is we obtain a Noble a famous Victory And is not this a great honour to Christ the Heb. 2. 10. Captain of our Salvation The invincible courage of suffering Christians puts life and spirit into others In an Army valorous Leaders much animate the rest of the Soldiers and embolden them to follow their Leaders Now you know the Church is an Army with Banners and suffering Ministers and suffering Saints Cant. 6. 4. are as Leaders they couragiously and victoriously make the onset and other Christians by their pious examples are pricked on to follow them so far as they are followers of the Lamb. But Twelfthly Consider That all the Sufferings and Persecutions that you meet with on earth shall advance your Glory in Heaven Quisquis volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae saith Augustine The more we suffer with and for Christ the more Glory we shall have with and from Christ Rom. 2. 6. the more Saints are persecuted on earth the greater shall be their reward in heaven Look as Persecutions do encrease a Christian's Grace so they do advance a Christian's Glory in Heaven the Martyrs shall have the highest Degree of Glory for though God doth not reward men simply for their Works namely for the merit of them yet he rewards according to their Works and proportions the degree or measure thereof according to the kind of work which on earth is done and according to the measure of Grace whereby he enables men to do it Now Martyrdom is the most difficult the most honourable and the most acceptable Work that on earth can be done and therefore in heaven Martyrdom shall be crowned with the highest degree of Glory on this ground they who set down the different degrees of Celestial Glory by the different Fruits which the good Ground brought forth some thirty some sixty and some a hundred Mat. 13. 8. fold apply the hundred fold which is the highest and Mat. 19. 27 28 29 Keep your eye upon the recompence of reward as Moses did Heb. 11. 26. and as Christ did cap. 12 2. as Paul did Rom. 8. 18. This will work you 1. To walk more holily humbly thankfully 2. To live more chearfully and comfortably 3. To suffer more patiently freely resolutely 4. To fight against the world the flesh and the devil more stoutly and valiantly 5. To withstand Temptations more stedfastly strongly 6. To be contented with a little 7. To leave the world Relations and friends more willingly 8. And to embrace death more joyfully greatest Degree of Glory to Martyrdom Doubtless God's suffering Servants and amongst them especially his Martyrs shall sit down in the chiefest Mansions and in the highest Rooms in the Kingdom of Glory According to the Degrees of our sufferings for Christ will be the degrees of our Glory What shall we have says Peter that have suffered so many great and grievoâ—◠〈…〉 ngs for thy name that have forsaken all and followed thee Veriâ—y says our Saviour every one that hath forsaken
that the many weaknesses that hang upon you and the decays of Nature that dayly do attend you seem to point out an approaching dissolution I shall at this time give you this one word of Counsel viz. That every day you would look upon Death in a Scripture-glass in a Scripture-dress or under a Scripture-notion That is First Look upon death as that which is best for a believer Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—c Christus nec caelum patitur hyperbolen saith one here it is hâ—rd to hyperbolice a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better The Greek is very significant far far the better or far much better or much more better 't is a most transcendent expression Eccles 7. 1. Better is the day of death than the day of ones birth A Saint's dying day is the day-break of Eternal Righteousness In respect of pleasure peace safety company glory a Believer's dying day is his best day I have read of one Trophonius that when he had built and dedicated that stately Temple at Delphos he asked of Apollo for his recompence that thing which was best for man The Oracle wished him to go home and within three days he should have it and within that time he died It was an excellent saying of one of the Ancients That is not a death but life which joyns the dying man to Christ and that is not a life but death which separates a living man from Christ But Secondly Look upon Death as a remedy as a cure Death will perfectly cure you of all corporal and spiritual Vltimus morborum medicus mors diseases at once the crazy body and the defiled soul the aking head and the unbelieving heart Death will cure you of all your ails aches diseases and distempers At Stratford-bow in Queen Mary's days there was burnt Act. and Mon. Fol. 1733. a lame man and a blind man at one stake the lame man after he was chained casting away his crutch bad the blind man be of good comfort for death saith he will cure us both thee of thy blindness and me of my lameness And as Death will cure all your bodily diseases so it will cure all your soul distempers also Death is not Mors hominis but Mors peccati not the death of the man but the death of his sin Death will work such a cure as all your Duties Graces Experiences Ordinances Assurances could never do for it will at once free you fully perfectly and perpetually from all sin yea from all possibility of ever sinning more Sin was the Midwife that Peccâ—tum erat obstetrix mortis c. mors sepuâ—chrum pec aâ—i Ambrose de bono mortis c. 4 brought death into the World and death shall be the grave to bury sin and why then should a Christian be afraid to die or unwilling to die seeing Death gives him a Writ of ease from infirmities and weaknesses from all aches and pains griefs and gripings distempers and diseases both of body and soul When Sampson died the Philistines also died together with him so when a Saint dies his sins die with him Death came in by sin and sin goeth out by death as the worm kills the worm that bred it so death kills sin that bred it But Thirdly Look upon death as a rest a full rest a believer's dying day is his resting day It is a resting day Rev. 14. 13. Job 3. 13 to 17. 2 Thes 1. 7. Micah 2. 10. Jer. 50. 6. from sin sorrow afflictions temptations desertions dissentions vexations oppositions and persecutions This world was never made to be the Saints rest Arise for this is not your resting place they are like Noah's Dove they can rest no where but in the Ark and in the Grave In the grave saith Job the weary are at rest Upon this very ground some of the most refined Heathens have accounted Mortality to be a mercy for they brought their friends into the World with mournful Obsequies but carried them out of the world with all joyful sports and pastimes because then they conceived they were at rest and out of Gun-shot Death brings the Saints to a full-rest to a pleasant rest to a matchless rest to an eternal rest But Fourthly Look upon your dying day as a reaping day Now you shall reap the fruit of all the prayers 2 Cor. 9. 2. Gal. 6. 7 8 9. Isa 38. 3. Mat. 25. 31 to 41. that ever you have made and of all the tears that ever you have shed and of all the sighs and groans that ever you have fetched and of all the good words that ever you have spoke and of all the good works that ever you have done and of all the great things that ever you have suffered When Mortality shall put on Immortality Eccles 11. 1. 6. you shall then reap a plentiful Crop a glorious Crop as the fruit of that good seed that for a time hath seemed to be buried and lost As Christ hath a tender heart and a soft hand so he hath an Iron memory he punctually Mat. 10. 24 25. remembers all the sorrows and all the services and all the sufferings of his people to reward them and crown them Rev. 22. 12. But Fifthly Look upon your dying day as a gainful day there is no gain to that which comes in by death Phil 1. Eccles 7. 1. Phil. 1. 23. 21. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain A Christian gets more by death than he doth by life to be in Christ is very good but to be with Christ is best of all 'T was a mighty blessing for Christ to be with Paul on earth but 't was the top of Blessings for Paul to be with Christ in heaven Seriously consider of a few things First That by death you shall gain incomparable Crowns 1. A Crown of Life Rev. 2. 10. Jam. 1. 12. 2. A Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. 3. An Incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. 4. A Crown of Glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. Now there are no Crowns to these Crowns as I have fully discovered in my discourse on The Divine Presence to which I refer you But Secondly You shall gain a Glorious Kingdom Luk. 12. 32. It is your father's pleasure to give you a Kingdom But death is the young Prophet that anointeth them to it and giveth them actual possession of it They must put off their rags of Mortality that they may put on their robes of Glory Israel must first die in Egypt before he can be carried into Canaan There is no entring into Paradise but under the flaming sword of this Angel Death that standeth at the Gate Death is the dirty Lane through which the Saint passeth to a Kingdom to a great Kingdom to a glorious Kingdom Heb. 12. 28. Dan. 2 44. cap. â— 3. Rev. 19 7. to a quiet Kingdom to an
unshaken Kingdom to a durable Kingdom to a lasting Kingdom yea to an everlasting Kingdom Death is a dark short way through which the Saints pass to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb. But Thirdly You shall gain a safe and honourable Convoy into that other world Luk. 16. 22. Oh in what pomp and triumph did Lazarus ride to heaven on the wings of Angels The Angels conduct the Saints at death through the Air the Devil's Region every gracious soul is carried into Christ's Presence by these heavenly Courtiers Oh what a sudden change does death make behold he that even now was scorned by men is all on a sudden carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom But Fourthly You shall gain a glorious welcome a joyful Rev. 4. 8 to 11. Luk. 15. 7 10. Heb. 12. 23. welcome a wonderful welcome into heaven By general consent of all Antiquity the holy Angels and blessed Trinity rejoyce at the sinner's Conversion but oh what inexpressible what transcendent joy is there when a Saint is landed upon the Shore of Eternity God and Christ Angels and Arch-angels all stand ready to welcome the Believer as soon as his feet are upon the threshold of Glory God the Father welcomes the Saints as his elect and chosen ones Jesus Christ welcomes them as his redeemed and purchased ones and the Holy Spirit welcomes them as his sanctified and renewed ones and the Blessed Angels welcome them as those they have Heb. 1. ult guarded and attended on When the Saints enter upon the Suburbs of Glory the glorious Angels welcome them with harps in their hands and ditties in their mouths But Fifthly You shall gain full freedom and liberty from all your enemies within and without viz. Sin Satan Luk. 1. 70 71 74 75. and the World 1. Death will free you from the indwelling power of sin In heaven there is no complaints Rom. 7. 23. as in hell there is nothing but wickedness so in heaven there is nothing but holiness 2. Death will free Gal. 5. 17. you from the power and prevalency of sin Here sin plays the Tyrant but in heaven there is no Tyranny but perfect felicity 3. Death will free you from all provocations temptations and suggestions to sin Now you shall be above all Satan's batteries Now God will make Rom. 16. 20. good the promise of treading Satan under your feet Some say Serpents will not live in Ireland The old Serpent Rev. 12. 8 9. cap. 21. ult is cast out and shall be for ever kept out of the new Jerusalem above 4. Death will free you from all the effects and consequents of sin viz. losses crosses sicknesses diseases disgraces sufferings c. when the cause is taken away the effect ceases when the fountain of sin is dried up the streams of afflictions of sufferings must be dryed up the fuel being taken away the fire will go out of it self Sin and sorrow were born together do live together and shall die together To open this fourth Particular a little more fully to you consider these four things First That death will free you from all reproach and ignominy on your names Now Elijah is accounted the 1 King 18. 17. Nâ—hem 6. 6. Psal 69. 12. Jer. 15. 10. Troubler of Israel Nehemiah a Rebel against his King and David the song of the Drunkards and Jeremiah a man of contention and Paul a pestilent fellow Heaven Act. 24. 10. wipes away all blots as well as all tears as no sins so no blots are to be found in that upper world The names of all the Saints in a state of Glory are written as I may say in Characters of Gold But Secondly Death will free you from all bodily infirmities and diseases we carry about in our bodies the matter of a thousand deaths and may die a thousand several Above all things let us every day think 〈◊〉 our last day 〈◊〉 〈…〉 naus ways each several hour As many senses as many members nay as many pores as there are in the body so many windows there are for death to enter in at death needs not spend all its arrows upon us a worm a gnat a fly a hair the stone of a raisin the kirnel of a grape the fall of a horse the stumbling of a foot the prick of a pin the pairing of a nail the cutting of a corn all these have been to others and any one of them may be to us the means of our death within the space of a few days nay of a few hours Here Job had his Botches and Job 2. 6 7. Isâ— 37 21. 〈◊〉 â—8 5. 〈◊〉 20. Maâ— 9. 20. Hezekiah had his Boil and David his Wounds and Lazarus his Sores and the poor Widow her Issue of Blood Now the Feaver burns up some and the Dropsie drowns others and the Vapours stifle others one dies of an Appoplexy in the head another of a Struma in the neck a third of a Squinancy in the throat and a fourth of a Cough and Consumption of the lungs others of Obstructions Inflamations Plurisies Gouts c. We are commonly full of complaints one complains of this distemper and another of that one of this disease and another of that but death will cure us of all diseases and distempers at once But Thirdly Death will free you from all your sorrows whether inward or outward whether for your own sins Psal 38. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Psal 119 136. Nehem. 1. 3 4. or the sins of others whether for your own sufferings or the sufferings of others Now it may be one shall seldom find you but with tears in your eyes or sorrow in your heart O but now death will be the funeral of all your sorrows death will wipe all tears from your eyes and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Isa 51. 11. But Fourthly Death will free you from all those troubles calamities miseries mischiefs and desolations that are Isa 57 1. Mâ—â—h 7. 1 to 7. a coming upon the earth or upon this place or that A year after Methuselah's death the Flood came and carried away the old world Augustine died a little before the sacking of Hippo Luther observes that all the Apostles died before the destruction of Jerusalem And Luther himself died a little before the Wars brake forth in Germany Dear Lady death shall do that for you which all your Physicians could never do for you which all your Relations could never do for you which all Ordinances could never do for you nor which all your faithful Ministers could never do for you it shall both instantly and perfectly cure you of all sorts of Maladies and weaknesses both inward and outward or that respects either your body or your soul or both Oh my dear friend is it not better to die and be rid of all sin to die and be rid of all temptations and desertions to die and be rid of all sorts of miseries than to live and still carry about with
but two famous Covenants that we must abide by in one of them all men and women in the world must of necessity be found either in the Covenant of grace or in the Covenant of works The Covenant of works is a witness of God's holiness and perfection the Covenant of grace is a witness of God's goodness and commisâ—ration the Covenant of works is a standing evidence of man's guiltiness the Covenant of grace is the standing evidence of God's righteousness the Covenant of works is the lasting monument of man's impotency and changeableness the Covenant of grace is the everlasting monument of God's omnipotency and immutability Now no man can be under both these Covenants at once if he be under a Covenant of works he is not under a Covenant of grace and if he be under a Covenant of grace he cannot be under a Covenant of works Such as are under a Covenant of works they have the breach of that Covenant to count for they being the Sâ—rpentine brood of a transgressing stock but such as are under a Covenant of grace shall never be tryed by the Law of works because Christ their surety hath fulfilled it for them Acts 13. 38 39. Rom. 8. 2 3 4. Gal. 4. 4 5 6. But let me open my self more fully thus That all unbelievers all Christless graceless persons are under a Covenant of works which they are never able safely to live under should they live and die under a Covenant of works they were surely lost and destroyed for ever for the Covenant of works condemns and curses the sinner Cursed is every one that continueth not in all Gal. 3. 10. things which are written in the book of the law to do them neither hath the sinner any way to escape that curse of the Law nor the wrath of God reveiled against all unrighteousness and ungodlyness but in the Covenant of grace Rom. 1. 18. this Covenant of works the Apostle calls The law of Rom. 3. 27. Gen. 2. 16 17. works This is the Covenant which God made with man in the state of innocency before the fall In this Covenant God promised to Adam for himself and his posterity life and happiness upon the condition of perfect personal and perpetual obedience and it is summed up by the Apostle Do this and live God having created man upright Gal. 3. 12. Eâ—clâ—â— 7. 29. Gen. 1. 26. 27. after his own image and so having furnished him with all abilities sufficient for obedience thereupon he made a Covenant with him for life upon the condition of obedience I say he made such a Covenant with Adam as a publick person as the head of the Covenant and as he promised life to him and his posterity in case of obedience so he threatned death and a curse unto him and his posterity in case of disobedience In the day thou eatest Gen. 2. 1â— Gal. 3. 10. Not only the Covenant of Grace but the Covenant of works also is an et 〈…〉 Coâ—â—nant and therefore the curse of the Covenant remains upon meâ— unto Eternity There is an eternal obligation upon the creature he being bound to God by an eternal Law and the transgression of that â—aw carries with it an eternal guilt which eternal guilt brings sinners under an eternal curse thereof thou shalt surely die or dying thou shalt die God in this Covenant of works did deal with Adam and his posterity in a way of supremacy and righteousness and therefore there is mention made only of the threatnings In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death And it is further observable that in this Covenant that God made with Adam and his posterity he did promise unto them eternal life and happiness in heaven and not eternal life in this world only as some would have it for Hell was threatned in these words In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and therefore heaven and happiness salvation and glory was promised on the contrary we must necessarily conclude that the promise was as ample large and full as the threatning was yet this must be remembred that when God did at first enter into Covenant with us and did promise us heaven and salvation it was upon condition of our personal perfect and perpetual obedience and therefore called a Covenant of works Do this and live was not only a Command but a Covenant with a promise of eternal happiness upon perfect and perpetual obedience All that are under a Covenant of works are under the curse of the Covevenant and they are all bound over unto eternal wrath But the Lord Christ has put an end to this Covenant and abolished it unto all that are in him being himself made under it and satisfying the precept and the curse of it and so he did cancel it As a hand-writing against us nailing Col. 2. 14. it unto his cross So that all they that are in Christ are freed from the Law as a Covenant but unto all other men it remains a Covenant still and they remain under the curse of it for ever and the wrath of God abides upon John 3. 36. them Though the Covenant of works as it is a Covenant for life ceaseth unto believers yet it stands in force against all unbelievers Now oh how sad is it for a man to be under a Covenant of works For First The Covenant of works in the nature of it requires perfect personal and perpetual obedience under pain of the curse and death according to that of the Apostle As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Gal. 3. 10. curse presupposing man's fall and consequently his inablility to keep it For it is written cursed is every one that Deut. 27. 26. continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them The Covenant of works therefore affords no mercy to the transgressors of it but inflicts death and curse for the least delinquency For whosoever James 2. 10. shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all The whole Law is but one copulative He that breaketh one commandment habitually breaketh all A dispensatory conscience keeps not any commandment when the disposition of the heart is qualified to break every command then a man breaks every command in the account of God every one sin contains vertually all sin in it He that dares contemn the Law-giver in any one command he dares contemn the Law-giver in every command He that allows himself in any one known sin in any course way or trade of sin he sâ—â—s himselâ— under that curse which is threatned against the transgressors of the Law They that are under this Covenant of works must of necessity perish The case stands thus Adam did break this Covenant and so brought the curse of it both upon himself and all his seed to the end of the world in his sin all men sinned Now if
applicable to the person of Christ He that by his office is to be Emmanuel God with us he must in regard of his person be Emanuel also that is God-man in one person He that by office is to make peace between God and man he must be God-man he that by office is to stand and minister between God and men he must be God and Heb. 2. 17 18. cap. 4. 15 16. man that so he might not be only zealously faithful towards God's justice but also tenderly merciful towards men's errours Look as he must be more than man that he may be able so to suffer that his sufferings may be meritorious that he may go through-stitch with the work of Redemption and triumph over death Devils difficulties discouragements curse hell wrath c. All which Christ could never have done had he been but a mere man So it was requisite that he should be man that he might be in a capacity to suffer die and obey for these are not works for one who is only God A God only cannot suffer a man only cannot merit God cannot obey man is bound to obey wherefore Christ that he might obey and suffer he was man and that he might merit by his obedience and suffering he was God-man now such a person and only such a person did the work of Redemption call for That is a mighty Scripture Phil. 2. 6 7. Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God here 's Christ's pre-existing in the nature of the Godhead and then after comes his manhood But made hiâ—self of no reputation Greek he emptied Isa 53. 6. 9. himself as it were of his divine dignity and majesty he did disrobe himself of his glory and became a sinner both by imputation and reputation for our sakes for our salvation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men All this Christ did upon his father's prescription and in pursuit of the great work of Redemption The blessed spirit fitted the man Christ Jesus to be a meet Mediatour and Redeemer for poor sinners The spirit formed the nature of man Luk. 1. 35. Gal. 4. 4. of the substance of the Virgin after an extraordinary manner for the service of the Lord Christ he sanctined the humane nature which Christ assumed after such a perfect manner that it was free from all sin in the very Luk. 1. 35. moment of conception he united this pure humane nature with the divine in the same person the person of the Heb. 10. 5. son of God that he might be a fit head Mediatour and Redeemer for us But The Eighth Proposition is this viz. That there were commandments from the father to the son which he must obey and submit to God the father did put forth his paternal authority and lay his commands upon his son to engage in this great work of redeeming and saving poor sinners souls he had a command from the father what to teach his people as the Prophet of the Church For I have not spoken of my self saith Christ but the father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and Joh. 12. 49. what I should speak Christ declares that he had received a Commission from the father who sent him concerning his Doctrine and what to say and speak and that he was perswaded that this Doctrine delivered to him by the father points out the true way to eternal life and that he had exactly followed this Commission in preaching both for matter and mannor The two words of saying Between saying and speaking there is this difference saith à Lapide that to say is to teach and publish a thing gravely to speak is familiararly to utter a thing and speaking may be taken comprehensively pointing out all the ways of delivering his commission by set and solemn preaching or occasional conferences and the whole subject matter of his preaching in precepts promises and threatnings and so it will 〈…〉 port that his commission from the father was full both for matter and manner and his discharge thereof answerable Christ is a true Prophet who speaks neither more or less in the Doctrine of the Gospel than what was the father's will should be delivered to us For whatsoever I speak even as the father said unto me so I speak Christ keeps close to his Commission without adding or diminishing and herein Christ's practice should be every faithful minister's patternâ— Again Christ had a command to lay down his life for those that were giu 〈…〉 No man taketh it from Joâ— 1â— 18. me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this commundment have I received of my father The father is so well pleased with the reconciliation of lost sinners that he loveth Christ for the undertaking thereof and is fully satisfied with his suffering for attaining that end in both these respects it holds good Therefore doth my father love me because I lay down my life vers 17. The father is pleased with him that he undertook this service and is content with his death as a sufficient ransom Christ having laid down his life for the Redemption of lost man did take it again as a testimony that the father was satisfied with his sufferings Now the way of the accomplishment of our Redemption was agreed on betwixt the father and the son before the accomplishment thereof Therefore saith he this commandment have I received of my father which Psal 40. 6 7. with Heb. 10. 6 7 8. makes it clear that he came into the world fully instructed about carrying on the work of Redemption It pleased Christ to suffer death not only voluntarily but in a way of subjection to his father's command that so the merit thereof might every way be full and acceptable to the father for this commandment have I received he was content to be a servant by paction that so his sufferings might be accepted for his people And so when Christ was going to die he saith That the world may know that I love the Joh. 14. 31. father and as the father gave me commandment even so I do arise let us go hence As if he had said power is permitted to Satan and his accomplices to persecute me to death that dying for man's Redemption the world may see the obedience and love I bear to the father who hath thus determined All that Christ suffered for the Redemption of sinners was by the order and at the command of the father who did covenant with him concerning this work For as the father gave me a commandment even so do I In this Scripture as in a crystal-glass you may see that Christ did enter the lists in his sufferings with much willingness and alacrity with much courage and resolution that so he might commend his love to us and encourage