4. The command of the Superiour doth not excuse the inferiour agent from the guilt of persecution nor yet deprive the sufferer from the blessing of him that is persecuted If a person be pursued for righteousness sake for the Kingdom of Heavens sake for doing that which God obligeth him to do the persecution is as well persecution in the inferiour agents as in the first causes and the more superiour agents the Jews accused the Lord Jesus Christ they brought him before Pilate Pilate condemned him the Jews nailed him to the Cross did not they who nailed him to the Cross persecute him Paul was but an inferiour agent against the Church of God Act. 9. the Letters were from the Magistrate and the Chief Priests of Damascus the guilt lieth in the act in the inflicting of punishment upon such as ought to be really freed from punishment it is true he that commandeth he that counselleth and adviseth is not excused but much less the next immediate actor and this is the most reasonable thing in the World doth not the Law of man thus deal with offenders Nay when it excuseth the principal agent it thinketh it justice to punish severely the inferiour Minister for were there no Minister in wickedness Superiours could do no hurt and therefore if any be so vain as to think they are excused because they are but Ministers and do but execute the Will or Sentence of others they are mistaken Pauls holding the clothes when Stephen was stoned brought him into the guilt of his death 5. They are not only persecuted who resist sin unto Blood and choose Death rather than sin but they who are reviled and reproached our Saviour you see putteth all together blessed are you when you are reviled and persecuted and when they shall speak all manner of evil of you for my names sake Gal. 4.29 He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit If you look into the story of Isaac and Ishmael it is said Ishmael mocked him thus Paul complaineth Rom. 8.39 for thy sake we are killed all the day long all kind of suffering to avoid sin is persecution and those that make them to suffer are persecutors those that are sufferers are so persecuted it is true there are degrees both of this and of other sins but he that smiteth with the Sword of the Tongue persecuteth as well as he that smiteth with a Sword that is made of Iron and he who is so smitten is in the Eye of God persecuted as well as he whose Life is taken from him Now I say this hath been the lot of the people of God of the Disciples of Christ in all Ages to suffer persecution to be pursued by wicked and malicious men both with their Tongues reviling them and with their hands endeavouring to do them mischief either spoiling them of their goods or depriving them of their lives and that because they will not sin against God 2. I come now to the second thing How this doth appear to have been the portion of the people of God It appears by the whole story of the Scripture and also all Ecclesiastical story Take Adam's Family immediately after the fall Abel was persecuted by Cain indeed he did not suffer because he would not sin but because he was more righteous and had offered up a better Sacrifice consider Abrahams Family of that the Apostle speaketh Gal. 4.29 He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit Acts 7.52 Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted But if you come unto the New Testament and consider the Church of God in that state you shall find it was persecuted at all hands First by the Jews then by the Heathens then by false and pretended Christians as is evident in the example of Christ in the example of Stephen the Proto-Martyr and of Christians ever since First by the Jews of which you read in the Acts of the Apostles then by the Heathens which persecution lasted 300 hundred years till Constantine the Great then by false Christians the Papists and others those that were born after the flesh always persecuted them who were born after the spirit It may therefore be worth the while rather to fathom the bottom of this to understand the reason why the people of God in all Ages have been the Mark and But of the Worlds envy Reas 1. The original cause must be fetched from that Text Gen. 3.15 where God saith I will put enmity betwixt thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed that Text giveth you an account of the reason of a three-fold antipathy or enmity which you find in the World 1. You see there is a natural antipathy between the nature of Man and a Serpent though we have little experience of it in England In Egypt and Africa they are mortal enemies unto Men and though we have no such exceedingly mischievous Serpents yet we see men generally averse to them and shunning them and seeking to destroy them 2. There is an antipathy betwixt the Devil and us you see by daily experience that the Devil is the destroyer though men serve him yet he destroyeth them Witches are the worst of people they are his slaves he is their ruine and destroyer at last and for the people of God he is continually molesting them Here is the reason 3. There is an antipathy betwixt the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent who was the Womans seed but Jesus Christ Who are the seed of the Devil but wicked men You are of your Father the Devil saith Christ John 8.44 for his works you do But although this be the first and more remote cause yet there are other proximate and immediate causes and some of them I shall endeavour to give you an account of 2. The next cause is that Innate hatred of God and the Image of God which is in every man since the fall Rom. 1.30 The Apostle telleth us of the Heathen that they were backbiters haters of God This is a fruit of the fall when Man lost the Image of God in which he was created No Man hath a natural love for God or for the Image of God as they say of the Basilisk that it hath such a hatred to a man that it will fly upon the Picture of a man so it is true that every Man and Woman by nature are Basilisks they fly upon God and the Image of God where ever they see it Now persecution is but the daughter of hatred and though every one hath not the like rough and harsh nature so that he is not so furious as some men are yet it is most certain that no man naturally loveth yea every man naturally hateth God and the Image of God hence the more any one hath of the Image of God upon his Soul the more he is the object of hatred and the reason of this hatred lieth in
as much discredit so as it fareth with the strict Professors of it as it did with the Gospel at first Acts 28.22 For as concerning this Sect we know that every where it is spoken against Now is the time for a Man to try himself whether he will be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ we have seen it in the very times that we have lived in the Gospel and the Profession of it hath been a credit unto Men it hath been Mens greatest honour to profess the Gospel with the greatest strictness God hath turned the Tables upon us and we now live in a time when as the Prophet saith Isa 59.14 15. Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for truth is fallen in the street and equity will not enter And he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey when it is a reproach to be a godly man now if at such a time as this a Man thinketh it beneath him to stand up for the truths or Christ to own the Ministers of Christ and give a Testimony for Christ this Maâ— is ashamed of the Testimony of Christ 〈◊〉 hinted to you before there is a differenâ—â— betwixt being afraid and being ashamed 〈◊〉 good Christian may be sometimes afraid 〈◊〉 a day of great temptation but he is never ashamed but when a Man is ashamed that he thinketh it beneath him to profess the truth or to own the Professors of it this Man is ashamed of the Gospel but if a Christian at such a time findeâ—â— his Heart cleaveth to the interest of God and to the true Servants of God though he may be under some temptation of fear and 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 so much as another it is a great infirmity but it is not a being ashamed of Christs Testimony 2. When no temptation can prevail upon as to live a Conversation contrary to the Gospel Every Man is obliged to give a double Testimony to the Lord a vocal Testimony and a real Testimony we give a real Testimony unto Christ when we dare practically live up to the avowed truths of the Gospel in the vilest and worst of times it is true we are obliged to a vocal as well as a real Testimony and a good Christian doth not discharge his duty in giving testimony to the Gospel by a meer living up to the Rules of it there is something more required of a Christian than this But it is as true that neither doth a Christian give a Testimony to the Gospel that openly professeth and owneth it in the face of its enemies unless he liveth up to the rules of it nay indeed that Man who talketh for the Gospel and liveth not up to the rule of it giveth a Testimony against the Lord instead of giving a Testimony for him what hath any Man to do to take the Word of God into his mouth when he hateth to be reformed and casteth the Law of the Gospel behind his back But that Man or Woman who truly liveth up to the rule of the Gospel in Apostatizing and declining times is not ashamed of his Testimony though perhaps some fear of temptation may not make him so bold for God as another yea as some hypocritical and false Professors 3. When a Man is truly afflicted for the sufferings of others who suffer for the Profession of the Gospel 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not When a good Christian can say of himself and say it in truth what Minister what good Christian what companion of Christ is afflicted and persecuted and I am not afflicted for them I burn not in their Fires Now this Sympathy with our Fellow-members when it is in truth will discover it self many ways 1. It is first discernable a Man 's own Heart When no circumstance of a Man's felicity or prosperity can ballance his sense of the afflictions of others you have a notable instance of this in Nehemiah Chap. 2. v. 1. He was Cup-bearer to the King and had not used before to be sad in his presence v. 2. The King said unto me why is thy countenance sad seeing thou art not sick This is nothing else but sorrow of heart He answered v. 3. Why should not my countenance be sad when the City the place of my Fathers Sepulchres lieth waste and the Gates thereof are consumed with Fire It is said Esther 3.15 The King and Haman sat down to drink but the City Shiâ—â—â—â— was perplexed That Man is not a partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel that can so down to drink that can be merry as at other times when the interest of Religion is under-foot but that Man is a true partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel whose Heart burneth for the afflictions of others who suffer for the truths and Gospel of Christ 2. Our being a partaker of the afflictions of others is evident When we do what in 〈◊〉 lieth to relieve them Communicating with their afflictions and to their afflictions helping to bear one anothers Burdens and so fulfilling the Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 So then it is the Law of Christ for Christians to bear one anothers Burdens They should bear them upon their own Spirits having great sorrow of heart and affliction They should bear them before the Lord when ever we go to God as the High-Priest carried upon his Breast the Names of all the Children of Israel so we should carry the Names of all the true Professors and in the first place the Names of all those who suffer for the Name of Christ and we should help and bear them with our hands too Remembring those who are bound as if we were bound with them forasmuch as we are in the Body Use 3. In the last place Let me perswade with you a little for this duty of not being ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of any of his Prisoners and being partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel 1 Not to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord Now in speaking to this branch of Application I will enquire 1. To what of Christ this Testimony is due whether to all Propositions concerning Christ or to some only 2. What kind of Testimony it must be that it may be accepted of the Lord 3. What Arguments ought to prevail with us to partake of the afflictions of the Gospel 4. What directions may be useful in the case Qu. 1. To what of Christ is this Testimony due The proper Object of a Testimony is a Proposition or a Fact the truth of one or the other Now the Propositions that relate unto Christ are of several natures of different natures and of different moment Some concern the Doctrine of Faith some concern the Worship of God some concern the Kingly Office of the Lord Jesus Christ some concern the Rule of a Christians Life I know no Proposition of the Gospel but a Christian is a debter to and ought to bear a Testimony unto
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
Sometimes taking the wise in their own craftiness Job 5.12 13. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot find their interprise he taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the Counsel of the froward is carried head-long Thus the Jews experienced the presence of God in the case of Hamans conspiracy to destroy them all Infinite instances might be given of this in all ages 2 Sometimes he will fit his people sufficiently to deal with them Luke 21.15 I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your Enemies shall be able to resist This was verified as to Stephen Acts 6.20 Of whom it is said Acts 6.20 That his adversaries were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake Hence Christ commanded his first disciples that when their enemies should deliver them up they should take no thought how or what they should speak for it should be given them in that same hour what they should speak For saith our Saviour it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Matth. 10.19 20. This was eminently made good to the first and most famous Ministers of the Gospel and hath in its measure been since made good in all succeeding ages so as plain illiterate ignorant creatures have been able to put to silence the wisest and most learned of their proud and cruel adversaries 3. Sometimes the presence of God is seen with his people in giving them a great liberty and freedom of Spirit so as they have not been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straitned in their own bowels they have been straitned as to room for their bodies shut up in close prisons but their Spirits have been at perfect liberty This liberty of our Spirits is seen in a Well pleasedness a satisfaction and contentment with the will of God concerning us So as we are never less in prison then when we are in prison and the Truth is a prison is nothing to him who hath his Soul and spirit at liberty Those who have read any Martyrologies have found instances enough of this how many Servants of God have found in prisons and under their great variety of sufferings the greatest freedom of their Spirit both for doing and suffering and from slavish fears imaginable 4. Sometimes they experience the presence of God with them giving them courage This was that boldness which the Sanhedrim took notice of in Peter and John Acts 4.13 which made them marvel and it is said that they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus God sometimes will not let his people see his power in delivering them from an evil nor his wisdom in countermining their Adversaries but they shall experience him making them couragious and valiant in the spiritual fight so as they shall not be afraid at what man can do unto them Nothing destroyeth a man in sufferings but slavish fears and dejections whiles the Spirit of a man holds he can bear his infirmity he may be cast down but he cannot be destroyed You shall observe it in reading the History of the Church as recorded in holy writ or in other Books that it hath pleased God sometimes to pick out some persons to be his witnesses to some Truths with these now the presence of God hath not been to cover them and preserve them from their Enemies nor yet to deliver them once faln into their hands but giving them a mighty Spirit and courage to go thorough their sufferings For this was the Apostles prayer Acts 4.29 And now Lord behold their threatnings and grant unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word This was Paul's declar'd expectation and hope Phil. 1.20 That in nothing he should be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now Christ should be magnified in his body whether by life or death Such is reported to have been the courage of Cyprian when he heard the Sentence of condemnation published against him He thanked God for it and when the Proconsul would have had him to have deliberated upon it he presently and boldly replied In re tam justâ nulla est deliberatio there was no need of deliberation in so just and righteous a Cause Such was the Spirit of Basil when the Emperour Valens threatned him with punishment and banishment Pueris illa terriculamenta propone saith he Scare Children with those Bugbears you may take my life from me but the confession of the Truth you cannot take from me 5. Lastly To name no more sometimes God 's not forsaking his people when they are persecuted appeareth in consolatory influences The consolations of God in such an hour are not small with them Stephen saw the glory of God and Christ sitting at the right hand of God when the stones were flying about him to take away his life Infinite almost are the stories that might be produced out of Ecclesiastical History to this purpose One when the fire was put to the wood under him to burning crying out Methinks you strew Roses under my feet That of Mr. Samuel who is reported to have had the day before his death one in white appearing to him and bidding him be of good comfort after that day he should never hunger nor thirst more And that of Robert Glover who is reported to have cried out to his Fellow-Martyr O Austin he is come he is come And that of Ridley to Latimer Be of good comfort said he God will either moderate the flames or strengthen us under them But these stories are endless and every where occurring in Ecclesiastical History Q. But will some say May one that feareth God build upon this and exercise a Faith in this experience of Paul as having in it the force of a promise Are there no instances of the Servants of God who have been sufferers for his Name sake and for Righteousness sake who have despaired and been forsaken Sol. 1. I answer When we speak of exercising Faith we must find some Word of God to be the object of that Faith for tho God be the object of our Faith yet we know nothing of God of this nature but in the Revelation of his Word So as tho God be the primary and remote object yet the promise is the proximate object Secondly There are general promises of God's presence with his people in danger such as that Isa 43.1 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Now these are the objects of peoples Faith and every Child of God may repose a sure trust and confidence in God that they shall as to him be made good and prove Yea and Amen Thirdly For particular promises of preserving from dangers or deliverance out of dangers or comfort or courage it is enough if they be made
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
side in despair when he is perplexed in a great measure forsaken when he is persecuted and may be destroyed when he is cast down but it must be for some guilt upon his Soul for some treading awry from the path of the Gospel for some defects and failures as to his walking with God Azariah the Prophet told Asa and the men of Judah and Benjamin 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you if you be with him if you seek him he will be found of you but if you forsake him he will forsake you God hath no where obliged himself for his presence with the best of men where they do humanum pati behave themselves not as his Servants but as the sinful Sons and Daughters of men the best of men in some particular acts of their lives may forsake God and if they do so they may expect that God will forsake them VSE 6. I shall put up this discourse with two words of Exhortation 1. The first to all in general To perswade them to get into such a state 2. To those who are in such a state So to walk so to behave themselves that they may be made partakers of so great a blessing 1. To all What an argument is here now to those as are yet walking in the flesh running on in courses of neglect and contempt of God that they would turn out of their roads of sin and wickedness in hither and be invited by these things which God hath prepared for them that love him no rational man can expect to live in the World without trouble which way it shall come or of what kind or nature it shall be we cannot tell but trouble waiteth for every man that lives in the World some meet with more some with less some with trouble of one sort others with troubles of another sort all with some No man No man must look to live without perplexity at one time or other Natural wisdom teacheth all to provide for the worst you say the best will provide for it self There is no such provision as the getting an interest in God and in Christ Christ gathers his people as the hen gathers her chickens under her wings Not only to cherish them and keep them warm but to protect them when the kite cometh the chickens run under the hens wings The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous shall flee unto it and be at rest Prov. 18.10 Let those that are at rest and ease in a wise prospect of possible yea certain future troubles turn into God and get under his shadow God is seldom a refuge and a tower to those who have not chosen him to be so Let those that are in trouble and perplexity yet at last be wise It is not often that it is so but happy is he whom trouble brings home to God as it did Manasses Better late then never and our merciful God doth sometimes extend his favour to those who come late in to beg and to receive it Let the happiness of Gods people invite you to become sharers with them consider with your selves what but a God above can remain to a Man or Woman when troubles are on every side 2. But to conclude This speaketh to the people of God so to live that this may be their portion This is not so much the inseparable priviledge of a good man but he may be without it In answering the objection before I came to the application of this discourse I hinted to you that it is possible that some particular persons who belong to God may not find this Text verified in them in a day of trouble but they ordinarily are such as have been guilty of some loose walking with God and Azariah told Asa though a very holy man that if he forsook God God would forsake him Let me therefore advise some few things and so shut up this discourse 1. Take heed that you pull not trouble upon your selves We never have any great comfort in such troubles This we may do I mean pull troubles upon our selves either by a sinful walking or by an imprudent and indiscreet behaviour Peter chargeth those to whom he wrote that they should not suffer as evil doers 1 Pet. 4.15 As Murderers or Thieves or Evil doers or busy bodies in other mens matters A Prince protects and upholds his Servants in what they do by his commission direction or order but not in things they do without it much less quite contrary to it And I pray observe the Apostle amongst other evil-doers reckoneth busy bodies in other mens matters Mens sufferings for actions done out of their place their sphere calling are always very uncomfortable sufferings God hath fixed the World in an order all things though in themselves just good yet are not so in the hands of all persons several men have their several matters ordered them by the wise ordination of God he that meddles in the matters of another is a busy body men by Gods law are to keep their order and to look after their own Province Troubles also may be brought upon our selves by our Imprudence in language or behaviour 2. Secondly Let not your eye be upon any particular manifestation of Gods Presence with you in your troubles He is always present with you by his essential presence Which is inseparably attended with power and goodness sufficient to help and to relieve you but how he will exert his power and goodness for and towards you whether by delivering you from your troubles or taking the wise in their own craftiness or giving you an inward freedom and liberty of Spirit strength or courage or comfort this is according to his will and will be determined by the Divine wisdom Say no more in your troubles then Bishop Ridley God will either asswage the heat of the fire or give us strength and courage to bear it 3. Lastly Be not wanting either in the exercises of your Faith or in your Sollicitings of him by Prayer these are the acts to be performed on our parts in order to the obtaining of these and all other promises for the promises exclude not nor give any Supersedeas from the use of all just and lawful means for the obtaining of the thing promised but suppose the use of such means whether Rational or Spiritual Wait upon the Lord and keep his way use lawful and none but lawful means and you shall find God will fulfil his word and what hath been the portion of Gods people before you shall also be your portion SERM. 13. Luke 21.13 And it shall turn to you for a Testimony IN the 19th Chapter you shall find our Saviour having now almost finished his course going up to Hierusalem to the last Passover that he was at in ch 20. you read of several things he did there in the Temple In the fifth verse of this chapter you shall find that some of his Disciples were taken with the brave structure and
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