of suffering shall turn to God's people for a Testimony I shall open this under these two Heads 1. It shall turn to a Testimony on God's part towards them 2. It shall be a Testimony on their part towards God I shall open both these in several particulars 1. It shall be a Testimony on God's part to them 1. Of a great honour which God putteth upon them this the Apostles understood tho our sense understandeth it not therefore it is said that they went away from the Councel rejoycing that they were thought worthy to suffer shame for his Name Acts 5.41 When the Persian Emperour asked Haman his Favourite What should be done to the man whom the King delighted to honour If a man maketh answer Esther 6.8 Let the Royal Apparel be brought which the King useth to wear and the Horse the King rideth upon and the Crown Royal which is set upon his head and let this Apparel and Horse be delivered to the hand of one of the Kings most Noble Princes that they may array the man withal whom the King delighteth to honour and bring him on horseback through the Streets of the City and proclaim before him Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour And the King said to Haman make haste and take the Apparel and the Horse and do even so to Mordecai the Jew But God takes a quiâ—e contrary method Is there a man whom the King of Kings hath a mind to honour Let saith he the Crown of Thorns be brought forth which my only begotten Son wore when he walked in humane flesh and let that be set on his head and let the Scarlet Robe be brought forth which they put upon my Son in derision a little before his suffering and let that be upon him and let him be scourged with the Whip with which he was scourged and the Gall and Vinegar that was given him to drink and let a company of miscreants deride and scoff him let the hands that buffeted my Son buffet him and proclaim this before him Thus shall it be done to the man whom the God of Heaven delighteth to honour Paul was one whom God delighted to honour Thou shalt saith he be a Witness unto all men A Minister and a Witness It is true as Ministers men are Witnesses but a sufferer is an eminent Witness he is not a meer verbal Witness Hence the Antients were wont to call suffering The Crown of Martyrdom and some say that Stephen had his name predictive of this We read in our Martyrologies of a Female Martyr who having a Child in her arms seeing some Martyrs suffering in haste gave it to another and offer'd her self to be a Martyr saying Crowns are not to be distributed every day Amongst men he counteth himself mightily honoured whom the King will make choice of to be his Champion Every sufferer for Christ is his Champion What shall we think of that man whom God picks out of a whole Parish a whole City to be a Champion for him It is said of Luther that great Instrument of God that in a Letter to some persons condemned to die he thus preferred them before himself I have made saith he a great deal of bustle in the World and done a great deal of work for God but God hath not yet done me the honour to suffer for him It is an honour to be chosen as a Second to Christ in incountring the World It is not only a Testimony that God loveth and favoureth such a man but it is a Testimony that God hath put an honour upon him and made him one of his first threes such honour have not all his Saints but those that have it are honoured by it 2. It is a Testimony of great Influences of grace and favour with which God hath blessed and will bless them 1. I say of great Influences of Grace with which God hath blessed them God doth not use to cull out young Souldiers to this Combate they are usually veterani he will not put new Wine into old Bottles lest they break he will not have thoâ—e who are weak in Faith receiv'd to doubtful disputations much less those that are weak in Faith and Love doth he call out to sharp Trials and Sufferings the honour of God is mightily concerned in the Victory of every Christian Combatant He therefore usually chuseth some to whom he hath given strength enough for the Battel There is no Soul more jealous of it self than that Christian who is most sincere When God calleth such a one out to suffer for his Name it is a sign that he hath more Faith more Courage than he judged himself to have 2. It is also a further Sign or Testimony to them of some further Influences of grace with which God designeth them God's prisoners use not to live upon their own charge As great and Noble Princes use to maintain their prisoners with Bread and Water so the great God maintains those that are in sufferings for his sake with Divine Influences proportioned to their wants What these Influences are I have heretofore shewed you upon another Text. One shall have Wisdom which the Adversaries shall not be able to resist another shall have an inward Strength and Courage a third shall have the Consolations of the Spirit of Grace and that which may confirm us in this is not only the promise of God as never to leave nor forsake his people so more especially to be with them when they pass through the Waters and through the Fires so as the Waters shall not drown them nor the Fires kindle upon them but also the concernment of the honour and glory of God in the case It is not for God's honour that his Combatants should fail No man goeth to Battel at his own charge is eminently true of the good fight of those that fight the Lord's Battels not with fleshly weapons but such as are spiritual such as God armeth the Soul with in its strivings against sin So that as a Child of God may at all times build upon that sure promise I will never leave you nor forsake you and upon the credit of it have its conversation at all times without covetousness so he may especially build upon it at a time when God calleth him out to suffer for his Names sake 3. This suffering is a Testimony on Gods part towards them of a great reward which they shall receive from God eithâ—â— in this life or in that which is to come Matth. 19.27 28 29. Behold saith Peter we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore And Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto thee that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or
Archangel and with the trump of God 1 Thessal 4.26 with ten thousands of his Saints Jud. 14. This is by the Apostle called a glorious appearance as 1 Pet. 1.7 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Whether his first or second appearing be here meant I doubt If it be understood of the first the sense is much the same with that Rejoicing in Christ Jesus in opposition to an having a confidence in the flesh mentioned 3 Philip. 3. In this sense the loving his appearing is the loving of him as God manifested in the flesh the accepting and receiving of him as our Saviour and the Mediator betwixt God and man a breathing after him and delighting in him if we understand it of the latter that appearing of Christ which is yet to come we shall further open the duty by opening the 2d thing 2. What this is to love his appearing Love is nothing else but a pleasant motion of the Soul of man towards an Object by which discerning some goodness and excellency in it it takes a secret complacency in the meditations and speculations of it By desire moves toward it if it hath not obtained a full fruition and enjoyment of it and rejoyceth and delighteth in it if it have A love towards the second appearing of Jesus Christ cannot at present discover it self in the imbraces of joy and delight by which love in a Soul discovers it self to an object to which it is united but only 1. In desires after it while the Soul crieth out I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ or rather come Lord Jesus come quickly 2. In a joy and delight arising from the certain belief speculation and contemplation of a thing yet future There is a rejoycing of hope as well as of fruition for hope especially that hope which is the daughter of that faith which is the evidence of things not seen giveth the Soul an union though of the lowest degree with its object and so is productive of a proportionable joy Now my text saith that for all those who thus fight the good fight finish their course keep the faith and love the appearance of Christ there is laid up a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will in that day give out In that day there is another little question what that day is 1. In the day of death Paul indeed had been speaking in the verse before of the time of his departure which he had told us was at hand and it is certain that at the day of death the Souls of believers do immediately pass into glory but yet this seemeth not to be the day here mentioned 2. Rather the day of Christs second appearing Emphatically called that day because there never was nor ever will be any day like unto that day the People of God shall in the day of their departure be taken into glory that is their Souls shall but their bodies rest in their graves until that day so as the glory of the Saints before that day the day of Christs coming to Judgment shall be imperfect but in that day they shall be Crowned If any man asketh from whence this shall be the text gives us a double account of it 1. In saying it shall be given it is not the price of our combate but it is the consequent of it from the free grace and gift of God The gift of God is eternal life Rom. 6. Fear not little flock saith our Saviour it is your Fathers will to give you a kingdom My sheep faith he hear my voice and follow me and I give unto them eternal life The Lord hath given Christ power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to whomsoever he pleased Joh. 17.2 2. The text calls it a Crown of Righteousness and saith the righteous judge will give it God in all his acts of grace hath a care to declare his righteousness In the justification of a sinner he so declareth his grace that he also declares his righteousness Rom. 3.25.26 speaking of Christ whom saith he God hath set forth to be a propitiation through his blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his Righteousness that he might be just and the Justifier of him who believeth in Jesus So in the glorifying of Souls God will not act only as a gracious God rich in mercy communicating his goodness to his creatures but he will also act as a righteous judge in his giving out of the Crowns of glory he hath so ordered things that they are also crowns as of glory and favour so of Righteousness 1. Of Christs Righteousness being the price and purchase and of the Fathers Righteousness as it is but a just and righteous thing that he should satisfy the Covenant of Redemption and fulfil the eternal contract made with the Son of his love and it is also a righteous thing that God should fulfil his promises of life made to them who believe in him whom God hath sent and be obedient to his Commandments 1. The reasonableness and Righteousness of God in giving out of this crown then appears from Gods designation Covenant and promise The Crown of Righteousness is Christs to give he hath purchased it the Father hath given it to his disposal and he hath so willed that those who have it should first fight for it first run the race and course which he hath in his word lined out for them The promises of the new name the white stone the hidden manna are all made unto those who overcome those who will obtain must run 1 Cor. 9.24 2. There is a great relation between a fight a conquest and a crown I observed to you before that the promises of Heaven are made to such as overcome Rev. 2.17 ch 3.12 ch 3.21 Rev. 21.7 There is a relation also betwixt running in a race and getting of the prize Gal. 2.2 Gal. 5.7 1 Cor. 9.24 Again there is always a relation betwixt the means and the end The means in this case must not be natural but instituted now these are the means which as I have shewed you God hath appointed in order to the obtaining of this blessed end But I have spoken enough Doctrinally and shall now come to the application of this discourse This as indeed all other Gospel Propositions Use 1 leads us to the consideration of the transcendent Love of God to poor Creatures 1. In providing for us a Crown 2. Making it a Crown of Righteousness 3. Laying it up for us 4. Giving it to us 1. In his providing for us a Crown God in Scripture is said to have prepared for us Mansions Rest a better Country a more induring Substance but this is not all he hath also prepared for us a Crown If those who are tickled with honour and so inamoured with dignity
to God such was this name Timothy some think Timothy was born at Lystra a place in Asia there Paul found him Acts 16.1.2 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra and behold a certain Disciple was there named Timotheus the Son of a certain Woman which was a Jewess and believed but his Father was a Greek Which was well reported of by the Brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium chap. 14.6 They were awâ—re of it and fled unto Lystra and Derbe Cities of Lycaonia His Father was a Greek his Mother was a Jew Acts 16.1 Her name was Eunice her Mother Lois they brought him up from a Child in the knowledge of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 1.5 When I call to mind the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois and thy Mother Eunice and I am persuaded that in thee also chap. 3.41 15. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them And that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus His Father being a Greek he was not circumcised at his birth but afterwards Acts 16.1 2 3. After which Paul took him about with him in his Travels and made great use of him sometimes he was sent as a Messenger 1 Tim. 5.11 Sometimes as a Preacher and he had many bodily weaknesses so as he was glad to drink a little wine for his stomach sake but he abounded with excellent graces faith wisdom temperance he was at last ordained a Minister with the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands the Apostle telleth us he had none like minded to him Phil. 2.19.20 21 22. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state V. 20. For I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state For all seek their own V. 21. not the things which are Jesus Christs V. 22. But you know the proof of him that as a Son with the Father he hath served with me in the Gospel he calls him his Brother his Beloved Son faithful in the Lord his natural Son in the faith the Minister of God his fellow helper he joineth him with himself At last he leaveth him at Ephesus but he seemeth not to have been there when he wrote this Epistle 2 Tim. 4.12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus This Epistle seemeth to have been written the last of the Epistles and a little before Pauls death 2 Tim. 4.6 For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand Paul died as is said in the 37th year after Christ in the 14th year of the reign of Nero. This Epistle as the rest consisteth of a Preface wherein is shewed the substance of the Gospel the Preface is in the five first verses The substance of the Epistle is hortatory consolatory and minatory he exhorteth Timothy v. 6. To stir up the gift of God that was in him and this he presseth by some arguments v. 6.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind in the verse where the text is he exhorteth him not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ nor of him though a prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel which he presseth by several arguments to the end of the 12th verse This verse is made up of an Exhortation and the Argument the Exhortation is in three branches 1. Not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord Jesus 2. Not to be ashamed of St. Paul who was at this time a prisoner 3. To partake of the afflictions of the Gospel the Propositions of the text are these Prop. 1. That Ministers and Christians have a testimony to give unto our Lord Jesus Christ in the giving of which they are not to decline a Prison Prop. 2. That it is the duty of faithful Ministers and People not to be ashamed to give this testimony nor of others when they do give it Prop. 3. There are Afflictions that are proper to the Gospel Prop. 4. That both Ministers and People ought to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel Prop. 5. It must be through the power of God that any one is inabled to partake of the afflictions of the Gospel According to the power of God It is the third of these only that I intend to make the subject of my discourse the others will fall in in the handling of that Prop. That it is the duty both of Gospel Ministers and Christians owning the Gospel not to be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus Christ nor of the afflictions of the Gospel but to be partakers of them In the handling of this Proposition there are these Questions which I shall speak unto in their order Qu. 1. What is meant by the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ Qu. 2. What afflictions are they which are said to be the afflictions of the Gospel Qu 3. When may men be said to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord and how far are we bound not to be so Qu. 4. Why are we bound not to be ashamed of the testimony of Christ and why ought we not to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel Qu. 1. What is meant by the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ A Testimony is an attestation which any one giveth concerning any person or concerning any thing In every testimony there is to be considered three things 1. The Person who giveth the Testimony 2. The Thing to which the Testimony is given 3. The Way by which the Testimony is given As to the present Testimony of which we are speaking the Persons that give it are the Ministers of the Gospel such a one was Timothy but they are not all so Rev. 6.9 St. John saith I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held every Minister is a special witness and to bear his Testimony and every good Christian is also to be a witness It is said of Christ 1 Tim. 6.13 who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession every Christian ought in this to be conformable unto Christ 2. Another thing which is to be considered in a Testimony is the thing or person to which it relateth for the term Testimony is a Relative word and the proper Correlate to it is Truth which relates again either to a Proposition or to a matter of fact no person can be under any obligation to give Testimony to a lie but now truth relateth either to a Proposition or
his Father or should a Servant be ashamed to attest the truth for his Master or should a Member be ashamed to attest the truth for its Head should the Tongue be ashamed to speak for the Head Which of you that are Parents if you had a Child that should be ashamed if called to speak the truth for you would not disown such a Child There is never a Christian but is the Son or the Daughter of God the Child of God and his relation to God doth oblige him not to be ashamed of this Testimony 2. We stand in the Relation of Witnesses 1 Pet. 5. Ch. v. 1. Paul calleth himself a Witness of the sufferings of Christ Acts 1.8 Christ when he left the Earth told his Disciples You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost be come upon you and you shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the Earth Indeed good Christians ought some to be special Witnesses Acts 10.41 Not to all the People but unto Witnesses chosen before of God But every Child of God is the Lord's Witness though there lieth an eminent Obligation upon some especially the Ministers of the Gospel yet every Child of God is to be the Lord's Witness and to give his Testimony for God 3. Every Christian standeth in the Notion of a Soldier hence the Apostle speaketh to Timothy to endure hardship as a good Soldier of Christ all Christians are required to fight the good Fight and our Life upon Earth is but a Warfare wherein we are to fight the good Fight and shall a Soldier decline the Fight and refuse to be partaker of the Battel How shall we discharge either the relation of Children to our Father or Servants to our Lord or Members to our Head or Witnesses or Soldiers if we shall either be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ or afraid to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel 7. Another Obligation that is upon us is from those private Laws that we have laid upon our selves and that two ways 1. By our Baptism 2. By our Profession We are all Baptized and the Apostle saith we are Baptized into Christ one part of the sense of which is that we are Baptized into the profession of Christ no person is Baptized but he taketh a Vow upon him to be the Lord's Servant besides our profession is another private Law that we have laid upon our selves the name of a Christian is an Obligation upon us to act for Christ and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ the Press-mony you know obligeth the Subject to fight for his Prince there is no Christian but besides the general Laws that are laid upon him hath layed a private Law upon himself both by his Vow and Promise in Baptism and by his taking upon him the name of a Christian how doth he deserve the name of a Christian that is ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ how doth he answer his Vow in Baptism that refuseth to fight under the Lords Banner and to give a Testimony unto Christ when he is called thereunto 8. There lyeth a great Obligation upon us from our duty of conformity to our Fellow-members we are not only the Members of Christ but are also Members one of another Ephes 4.25 For we are Members one of another The Church of Christ from the beginning of the World unto the end of it will be but one and we ought to be as Members like one another so that the example of the Saints and Servants of God in all Ages who have stood up in testimony of the Gospel or who have been partakers of the Afflictions of the Gospel layeth an Obligation upon us to go and do likewise that as we might have a fellowship with Christ in his Death and in his Testimony and his Afflictions so that we might be conformable unto those Saints and Servants of God which have been before us and to their Testimony John glorieth in this and putteth into his Titles Rev. 1.2 Who bare record of the word of God and of the Testimony of Jesus Christ He calleth himself v. 9. Their Brother and Companion in tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ For the word of God and for the Testimony of Christ Rev. 6.9 The Angel saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the Testimony which they held And the seed of the Woman with whom the Dragon was wroth are described to be such as keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ Rev. 19.10 The Angel telleth John I am thy fellow Servant and of thy Brethren that have the Testimony of Jesus 9. A Ninth Obligation that is upon us not to be ashamed of this Testimony of our Lord is the reward that such shall have who shall not be ashamed and the danger they run that are ashamed I will put both these together because the proof of them lieth in the same Texts Mark 8.38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the Holy Angels Matth. 10.33 But whosoever shall deny me before Men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven Luke 12.8 Whosoever shall confess me before Men him shall the Son of Man also confess before the Angels of God The danger lieth here that if we be ashamed of Christ he will be ashamed of us if we deny him he will deny us 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also reign with him if we deny him he will also deny us The reward you see is if we suffer with him we shall reign with him Rom. 8.17 If so be we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together If we confess him he will also own confess and acknowledge us before his Father which is in Heaven this I take to be what every one will grant that by the very Law of Nature every one is bound to decline that which will bring evil upon him and to do that which will bring him any valuable and considerable good so that let us but consider the danger of Christ's disowning us and the good of Christs owning us at the day of Judgment and we shall easily understand what Obligation lieth upon us not to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord and to be ready to give our Testimony to him and to the Gospel but may some say who are those whom Christ will own or disown at the last day and how will Christ disown Men in the day of Judgment I suppose you may understand it from some Texts Math. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven
held 5. Lastly Consider you shall overcome by your Testimony Rev. 12.11 John saw the Devil overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony Magna est veritas Truth is a great thing and it will prevail look back upon the former Ages of the Church the Witnesses which God raised up to his Truth in the beginning of the Gospel were very few the persons seemed contemptible yet God overcame the whole World by them and brought the whole World into some professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ often before the Church had degenerated many errors prevailed at last Popery prevailed then stood up Luther in Germany those that look upon that Story would have thought it impossible that Luther's Doctrine should have prevailed in the World but they overcame by the word of their Testimony and to that Victory they held doth the Protestant Religion owe it self Now this should greatly encourage us not to be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ it hath ever been victorious and shall be to the last it is by the Faith and patience of the Saints and Servants of God who stood close to their opposers and managed their spiritual fight that the Gospel hath obtained and they ought still to hold fast for they are sure of victory so long as Christ remaineth King in Sion I shall add but a few words more and that is to direct Christians what they should do that they may not be ashamed of their Testimony 1. Look that you be rooted and grounded in truth a Tree that is not well rooted you know is very easily shaken Col. 1.23 If saith the Apostle you continue in the Faith grounded and settled The truth is to make a Christian that he should not be ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord he had need of a double ground he had need be grounded in Faith according to that Text Col. 1.23 And he had need be rooted and grounded in love according to that Text Eph. 3.17 that you being rooted and grounded in love Col. 2.7 Rooted and built up in him and established in the Faith Christians look to this every Witness ought to understand the cause well to which he is to give his testimony many a poor Creature beareth a testimony to they know not what labour to be rooted in the Faith rooted in love and rooted in Christ that Soul that is filled with the knowledge of truth and warmed with the love of truth never faileth in an hour of testimony that Soul that is either ignorant of the ground of that truth which he pretendeth to own and defend or that wanteth a love for God never holdeth longer than till he meeteth with a contradiction 2. Look up to the power of God for your assistance I told you these words in the Text according to the power of God might be taken as an Argument to perswade Christians not to be ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord because the power of the Lord shall be manifested for them but they may also be interpreted as signifying that which we ought to have an Eye to in our Testimony and in our suffering affliction we have no spiritual enemy we can prevail against in our own strength our enemies you know are the World the Flesh and the Devil for the Flesh the Apostle saith Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body you shall live Never yet was lust mortified by meer moral Arguments and for the Devil we are bid to take upon us the whole Armour of God to resist him strong in the Faith and it is the same for the World Our help is in the name of the Lord and therefore it hath been observed that none in an hour of Testimony have come off worse than those who have been most confident our Book of Martyrs telleth us of two that were in prison together the one was very confident and couragious and told the other that his fat should fry in the fire next day the other was very timorous and fearful the first recanted and denied the truth the second was burnt at the Stake David might possibly mean it of his external enemies but he repeateth it thrice My enemies compassed me about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them they compass me about yea they compassed me about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them they compassed me about like Bees they are quenched as the fire of Thorns for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them It must be so as to our spiritual enemies we shall never prevail but in the name of the Lord. 3. Remember in your Testimony There is more with you than there is against you While we bear Testimony to Christ God is with us Christ is with us the Spirit is with us all the Holy Martyrs are with us there is none but sinful men against us Christ the faithful and true Witness is with you Rev. 1.5 From Jesus Christ who is the faithful Witness He was the first Witness The Apostle St. John saith 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost What did the Father witness This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased This is the Lord our righteousness What did Christ witness He witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate he owned himself to be the Son of God the Saviour of the World that they that believe on him should not be ashamed he owned himself to be the object of our Faith to be the Lord our righteousness the Spirit testified the same thing and the Spirit beareth witness for us and in us 4. Fourthly Would you not be ashamed of your Testimony love not the World nor the things thereof nor the persons therein take heed of being swallowed up in the love of creature comforts and enjoyments How dwelleth the love of the Father in him that doteth on the World The World taketh off Christs witnesses both the Men of the World and the things of the World you must be fond of none of these 5. Take upon you the whole Armour of God of which you read Eph. 6.14 Stand therefore having your Loins girt about with truth and having on the Breast-plate of righteousness and your Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace taking the shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit Finally pray always with all Prayer and Supplication in Spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance SERM. 8 9 10 11. Matthew 5.10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven v. 11. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake v. 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you THe Evangelist
of Christians in a time of persecution to stand to it to endure it until the Lord openeth some door by which they may go out without sinning against God either deserting the interest of his honour and glory or their own duty to them to whom the Lord hath set them in near Relation We may fly if God openeth us a door but we must not break our selves a Gap we must see God going before us and guiding of us as to what we do this is to be a good Soldier of Christ 2. It is doubtless the great duty of Christians in such a time to live as winning and obliging a conversation as possibly we can that we may not by any Indiscretion pull down any suffering or trial upon our selves We ought always to remember we are Factors for God and to walk so as to win others but especially at such times when the worlds passions are in a great fermentation 3. It is unquestionably a great duty of Christians in a time of persecution to study a charitable frame of spirit Math. 5.44 But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you You see this in the practice of our Saviour Father forgive them they know not what they do And Stephen praying when he was dying Lord lay not this sin unto their charge 1 Pet. 2.21 For hereunto were you called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps Our hearts are very prone to revenge and the more causelesly we suffer from any the more our anger riseth and the more we are prone to study revenge therefore the mortification of anger in the checking of our passion is highly necessary to us in such an hour 4. We ought not to be solicitous either what to say or what to do Be you only careful of your duty that you do not bring your selves into trials that you do not suffer as evil-doers either with respect to the cause for which you suffer or to any circumstances relating to it see that you strive and strive lawfully Mark 13.11 When they shall lead you and deliver you up take no thought before what you shall speak neither do you premeditate but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour that speak you for it is not you that speak but the Holy Ghost You may be assured that God never calleth you to any work but he will stand by you you know who was in the fiery Furnace Dan. 6.22 My God hath sent his Angels saith Daniel and hath shut the Lions mouths that they have not hurt me 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me v. 17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me You have heard of the profession of the Martyrs burning at the stake they felt no more pain than if they were in a Bed of Roses study nothing more than how you may be able to glorify God in the fires 5. Then if ever it is your duty not to be seeking great things for your selves in this life Jer. 45.5 Seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not A Christian should order his Conversation in Conformity to Gods dispensation he should not be clothing himself with Ornaments when God is stripping of him he should not then be furnishing his house with fine things when Gods providence is stripping of him naked he should not then be perfuming himself with sweet smells when the Lord is sending him a stench and rents 6. Then if ever a Christian stands most highly concerned to fill his thoughts with spiritual objects to be thinking of the pleasures at Gods right hand thinking of that substance that shall endure of that better Country which God hâ—th prepared for his people 7. A Christian ought in an hour of trial to be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in him to every one thâ—â— asketh with meekness and with fear If you observe that Text 1 Pet. 3.15 It is mixed with the Apostles directions to Christians how to behave themselves under persecution a Christian is not bound to bring himself into trouble but if the Lord hath spread his Net over him that he cannot escape if the Lord hath hedged up his way with Thorns he ought to be ready to give an account of his Faith and of his hope to them that ask him Peter failed in this who denied that he knew the man of whom the Maid spake but I pray observe there is a difference to be put betwixt a Confession of our Faith and a Confession of a Fact I do not think that in a matter of Fact a Christian is bound to betray himself When Pilate asked our Saviour Math. 27.11 Art thou the King of the Jews Jesus said unto him Thou sayest But this is not all we are not only to be ready to give a reason of our Faith or of our hope but we must do it with meekness and with fear in an humble manner with that due reverence which is due unto those whom the Lord hath set in a station above us 8. We are not to be ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ and of his words Mark 8.38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Luke 12.8 Whosoever shall confess me before men him shall the Son of man also câ—â—sess before the Angels of God And you may find the same thing Math. 10.32 The Apostle observeth of our Lord 1 Tim. 6.13 That he before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession Upon which account he adjureth Timothy that according to his example he also should fight the good fight and keep the Faith Here ariseth a Question Quest What is to be determined in this case when the Magistrate commandeth that which he ought to command or which at least he thinketh he may command and the Christian doth not obey because he thinketh that in obeying he should sin against God whether in this case is the Superiours Act Persecution and the Inferiour persecuted yea or no 1. I answer it unquestionably dependeth not upon the Judgment of men whether the thing commanded be lawful or unlawful that issue must be determined by God for God alone is Judge of truth and falsehood of what is lawful or unlawful and such pursuits must be determined at the Bar of God whether they be persecution or not 2. It is most certain men may persecute others for righteousness sake and yet think they do that which they ought to do Acts 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth John 16.2 Whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service And it is as certain
good to any particular Souls supposing the promise for deliverance one way or other in one method or another to hold sure we may well leave it to the good providence and wisdom of God how he will fulfil it and make it good to us 4. Lastly It is not possible that the same Servants of God should every way experience the presence of God with them If he manifesteth his presence to his people in a way of power or wisdom preserving them from dangers or delivering them out of their Enemies hand how should he manifest his presence in giving them a liberty of spirit while they are in their custody or in giving them courage or ballancing their afflictions with the consolations of his Spirit Bishop Ridley exercised Faith no further than saying Either God will asswage the flame or strengthen us to bear it All the people of God cannot exercise a particular Faith in God as to this or that manifestation of his presence but as to some influence which may amount to a deliverance of them from the evil or from the Evil of the Evil they may Fifthly Nor is it impossible but there may be some particular instances of God's people but those very rare whom God for the punishment of their sins may have let fall and abide into and in their Enemies hands and may not have found these manifestations of the Divine presence either in the freedom of their spirits or in a boldness or courage nor yet in the consolations of his Spirit but if they go to Heaven as all such shall tho' it be as thorow fire they shall there certainly have his presence and in it joy and fulness of joy and that for evermore I come now to make some practical application of the preceeding discourse VSE 1. I shall begin with that of the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.12 Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you The things that have been are and shall be and there is nothing new under the Sun You cannot be the first who have been troubled on every side perplexed persecuted cast down It is no new thing There hath no temptation of this nature there can no temptation befall you but such as is common to man 1 Cor 10.13 Ever since Cain rose up against Abel and slew him because he was more righteous then he and offered up to God a more excellent Sacrifice nay ever since God put an Enmity between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 this hath been in the World So persecuted they the Prophets which were before you saith our Saviour Matth. 5.12 Trouble distress persecution are things so far from being such as Gods people are exempted from that they are almost entailed to the preaching and profession of the Gospel If you indure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what Son is he whom the Father chasteneth not at least with the rod of the wicked But and if you be without chastening whereof all are partakers then are you Bastards and not Sons Heb. 12.8 9. Seeing then you have but neighbours fare and indure no temptations but what are common to men seeing you have but Godly mens fare that the Prophets have been thus treated before you seeing you have but Christians fare for so they dealt with Christ his Apostles seeing you have but the fare of the People and Children of God Why should you think it strange if any such thing should happen to you and not rather rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy 1 Pet. 4.13 Wherein are you better or how can you challenge a further priviledge to your selves then Paul then the Apostles then the Saints and Servants of God in all ages of the World VSE 2. Secondly Learn hence That Persons are to be judged not from their straits and sufferings but from the having or wanting the presence of God in or under their Sufferings Indeed there is another more certain way of judgment because more evident to others that is the cause of mens sufferings But upon this doth the presence of God in mens sufferings depend for though men may pretend to comforts and make a shew of courage and talk of a liberty of Spirit in their Sufferings as evil doers yet they are but bravadoes there can indeed no such thing be God never incouraged any in a sinful act by one single promise nor by one single act of providence except barely permissive which is an incouragement taken by a naughty heart never given by an holy God VSE 3. See here the vast difference betwixt a Child of God and another man in an hour of trial Man as man is born to trouble as naturally as sparks fly upward And though indeed there be some afflictions that are proper to the Gospel such as suffering for the owning of the great Truths of it or adhering to the Righteous ways prescribed and directed in it yet troubles do not bubble up only from this fountain but from the generally debauch'd and corrupt Nature of man which renders hominem homini Lupum every man an Enemy to his neighbour and makes men like the Fish of the Sea where the greater devour the less or like Birds and Beasts which we see pecking and butting one at another though no cause be given But that which this Text prompts us to observe is the difference betwixt the Child of God and another man in the hour of trouble Both are troubled on every side or may be so Sometimes perplexed hunted and pursued by their Neighbours or their Enemies cast down sometimes Where is the difference Hitherto all things fall alike to all men Here 's the difference others when they are troubled on every side are distressed when they are perplexed they are in despair when they are hunted and pursued they are forsaken also when they are cast down they are destroyed the Child of God is not so Let us see it in an instance let us take that of Saul and David There was a time when Saul was in trouble and distress enough You have the story 1 Sam. 28.15 where you find him representing his own case to the Devil raised up by the Witch in the likeness of Samuel What saith he I am saith he sore distressed for the Philistines make war against me and God is departed from me and answereth me no more neither by Prophets nor by Dreams He was troubled on every side Before him were the Philistines and round about him Saul seeth them v. 5. He was afraid and his heart greatly trembled he was not troubled only but distressed Perplexed he was enough he would never else have gone to a Witch when v. 9. he had before cut off them who had familiar Spirits and the Wizards out of the Land but he was in despair The
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