should refuse to suffer with Christ We are ready to suffer Martyrdom for him to dye for him to burn at a stake rather than deny him or renounce our Religion in which we were baptiz'd and educated 'T is well resolv'd indeed but 't is sooner said than done There are divers sorts of sufferings for Christ There is a sort of Martyrdom besides burning at a Stake The Christian that resolves to suffer rather than sin is a Martyr in Will And that chooses actually to suffer rather than sin is a Martyr in deed Now examine the sincerity of your Resolution in lesser Instances which are below the greater Martyrdom suffering death for the sake of Christ He that is poor and to help himself will steal refuses to suffer with Christ He that to avoid the loss of a little trival Profit or to secure his Estate when he is threatned with the loss of it will do unlawful things will lye and swear or forswear and act against his Conscience and the word of God and his own words too he denys Christ and refuses to suffer with him and consequently cannot expect to be glorified together He refuses to fight under the Banner of Christ notwithstanding his Vow but is a perfidious base Deserter and runs over to the Enemies Camp and therefore cannot expect to be rewarded by his own General to whom he has sworn Fidelity but on the contrary when he falls into his hands must expect the fate of base Deserters That 's the second Reason of St. Paul's choice of this Character The Prisoner of the Lord. He herein gives an Instance of his being conformed to the Captain of our Salvation of his being made partaker of the sufferings of Christ. Which must mightily recommend him to the good Opinion and Affections of all good Christians 3ly Herein he shews his resemblance to the noble Army of Martyrs the early Sufferers before the Incarnation Whose Martyrology whose renowned sufferings are compendiously historified in the 11th to the Hebrews which tells us that by Faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a Season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endur'd as seeing him who is invisible Others were tortur'd not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection And others had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of Bonds and Imprisonment They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the Sword they wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Of whom says the Historian the World was not worthy They wandred in Deserts and in Mountains and in Dens and Caves of the Earth These were the Proto Martyrs the early Sufferers before the Incarnation To whom our Apostle shews his resemblance by this Character of the Prisoner of the Lord. 4ly Hereby he gives an evidence of his fellowship with the suffering Saints and Martyrs since the Incarnation and Crucifixion of Christ Hereby he declares his fellowship with that bold couragious Sufferer St. John the Baptist who was a Prisoner and a Martyr in his confinement With St. Stephen the glorious Proto Martyr after the Ascension of our Lord to whose death St. Paul was not only a Witness but an Assistant too consenting unto his death with all those sufferings Christians whom he himself had persecuted breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord and being exceedingly mad against them caused them to blaspheme making havock of the Church halling Men and Women committed them to Prison where he himself is now their joyful Companion 5ly 'T is a Presumption if not a Demonstration of the Truth of that Doctrine which he taught and delivered There are two ways of confirming any Revelation from Heaven Miracles and Suffering Now by both these our Saviour confirm'd his Doctrine especially by the former and the Apostles more especially by the latter who therefore were call'd Martyrs that is witnesses to the Truth of the Gospel by their sufferings Which gain'd mighty Credit and Reputation to it which drew on multitudes of Disciples brought in sholes of Proselytes according to the old Observation that the Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church He that dares suffer for his Religion that can suffer Bonds and Imprisonment and death for Christ that can suffer the loss of his Goods and Estate his Livelihood and his Life for the Doctrine he delivers gives a Presumption that it is true and that he believes it to be so But if when he is call'd to suffer he starts aside like a broken Bow and will rather deny his Doctrine or Religion than suffer in the defence of it it exposes the Credit of it gives a ground of suspition that it is not true at least 't is an Argument that he himself does not believe it Our Saviour tells us of some St. Luk. 8.13 that are like the stony Ground who receive the word with joy but in time of temptation fall away The time of Persecution is the time of Temptation the time of Tryal which like the cold frosty Air meliorates and is advantagious to sound but pernitious to sickly unhealthy Bodies which makes 'em languish and die away or rather like the stronger Wind which ventilates and fans and cleanses the solid Grain but drives the Chaff and the empty lighter Corns a way Mat. 3.12 So John the Baptist uses the Similitude concerning Christ Whose Fan says he is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his Floor c. There is a time when Christ the Master and Owner of the great Threshing Floor the Church takes his Fan in his Hand and by the Wind of Persecution does purge his Floor the Chaff flies away which lay mingled amongst the Wheat but it fans and cleanses and discovers the purer solid Grain which he gathers into his Garner but will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire The Apostles and their suffering Brethren were this purer Wheat that could endure the blowing and fanning and cleansing of the Wind whilst many others like Chaff were too light for the Discipline of the Wind could not endure the violent Breath but were instantly blown away Blessed is the Man says St. James that endureth Temptation i. e. the time of Tryal He is an Honour to the Gospel a Comfort to himself and a Bulwark to Religion Who will believe that Man that does not believe himself And how does that Man believe himself that dares not suffer in defence of that Doctrine which he has taught and deliver'd But he that can say and suffer that dares do and die in pursuance and defence of his Doctrine and Religion why the Beholders of his resolute constancy and
set in a truer and better Light and learnt to prize and value what before he despised of whose worth he had not skill enough to make a true Judgement and Estimate No wonder then that he makes choice and that wisely enough as I hope I shall convince you before I have done of this Character here the Prisoner of the Lord. And this he does I conceive for these following Reasons 1st He looks upon this Character not as matter of disgrace but as the greatest as the highest honour 2dly Herein he gives an instance of his being conformed to the Captain of our Salvation of his being made partaker of the sufferings of Christ 3dly Herein he shews his resemblance to the noble Army of Martyrs the early sufferers before the Incarnation 4ly Hereby he gives an evidence of his fellowship with the suffering Saints and Martyrs since the Incarnation and Crucifixion of Christ 5ly 'T is a Presumption if not a Demonstration of the Truth of that Doctrine which he taught and deliver'd 6ly Suffering is the Touch-stone of Vertue and the Tryal of Sincerity 1st He looks upon this Character not as matter of disgrace but as the greatest as the highest Honour The Prisoner of the Lord or for the Lord or for the Lord's sake What greater Honour can there be To be a Prisoner for his sake who is the Beloved of the Father who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is exalted far above Principalities and Powers and every name that is named to whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth do how and obey to be a Prisoner in his quarrel and to suffer for him what greater Honour can there be to suffer for him who has suffer'd for all and is the great Redeemer and Saviour of Mankind and who shall come to Judge the World whose Word shall give Law to the Universe and determine the everlasting State both of Men and Devils from which there is no Appeal for ever at whose command and direction rewards and punishments shall be variously distributed to the many thousands and millions of the Sons and Daughters of Adam to suffer for him and in his quarrel what greater Honour can there be To be the Prisoner of the Lord St. Paul esteems as a more honourable worthier Title than that of a learned Jew or a precise Pharisee a Disciple a Scholar of Gamaliel's or a Doctor yea an Apostle of the Gentiles yea than the Son of a King an Heir to an Empire or a mighty Potentate whose Scepters and Chains of Gold he lookt upon to be less beautiful than his Fetters of Iron Every Link in his Chain was more ornamental than the Jewels in the Diadems in the Crowns of Princes Rom. 1.16 I am not asham'd says he of the Gospel of Christ We glory in Tribulations I am not asham'd of this Chain 5.3 Gal. 6.14 God forbid says he that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake as it is in the 2 Cor. 12 10. He esteems it as a piece of Honour a Royal Grant and Priviledge to suffer for Christ Vnto you it is given says he to the Philippians in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him Phil. 1.19 but also to suffer for his sake having the same conflict which ye saw in me and now here to be in me He exults and rejoyces and blesses God that he is counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name But that which others counted shame he counted Glory So far was he from startling at sufferings at the Name of Prison and Confinement or being asham'd of the Character of Prisoner for the sake of Christ that he breaks out into a vehement Passion and holy Anger with those who out of an unseasonable ill-timed Charity and Pity and deep concern for his Temporal Interest which they passionately advis'd him to consult like Peter of Old Master pity thy self disswaded him from going up to Jerusalem for fear of those Bonds and Imprisonment which the Prophet Agabus said did await him there What mean ye says he to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Act. 21.13 2ly Herein he gives an Instance of his being conformed to the Captain of our Salvation of his being made partaker of the sufferings of Christ who is stil'd Heb. 2.10 The Captain of our Salvation who was made perfect by sufferings Now the Souldier must be conformable to his Captain He must engage in the same War he must enter the same bloody Field and fight the same Battles and against the same Enemies he must run the same danger and undergo the same hardships that his Captain does or else he is unworthy of the Name or Title or relation of a Souldier and instead of being rewarded deserves to be punished Now St. Paul was a Souldier yea a great Officer and Commander under the Captain-General of the Spiritual Forces And he tells us Phil. 3.10 that he desir'd nothing more than to have fellowship with him in his sufferings and to be made conformable unto his death And every Christian is bound according to his measure and capacity to do the same thing Every Christian is a Spiritual Souldier and has oblig'd and engag'd himself to fight manfully under the Banner of Christ The Apostle makes suffering to be antecedaneous to glorification nay to be the condition of inheriting Glory Rom. 8.17 observe the Gradation there At the 16th Verse the Apostle says The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God And if Children then Heirs Heirs with God and joynt Heirs with Christ It follows if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together 'T is an undoubted Truth that the Christian that refuses to suffer with Christ shall not be glorified with him 'T is true a Christian is not bound to seek to court suffering to run himself into the Fire If he is persecuted in one place he is permitted to fly to another But if he cannot escape if he cannot fly he must suffer If the Cross be not only offer'd to but laid upon his Shoulder he must not basely cast it off If the Crown of Thorns be platted for and put upon his Head he must not refuse to wear it If a Christian is brought to that streight with Peter that either he must take up the Cross or deny his Master either suffer or sin it is easie to determine which side to take and what to do In this case a Christian is indispensibly bound to suffer and he that declines it refuses to suffer with Christ and consequently cannot expect to be glorified together with him But perhaps you 'll say God forbid that we
passive valour will conclude that there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some spark of Divinity in this that there is somewhat extraordinary some beams of Truth here which naturally bespeak Credit and Esteem The Devil has observ'd long ago that Skin for Skin Job 2.4 and all that a Man hath will he give for his Life But he that dares part not only with his Livelihood but his Life too in defence of his Doctrine and Religion convincingly perswades Mankind to believe the Truth of it and that the Sufferer believes it too in defence of which he will venture so great a Stake pay down so large a Praemium in lieu of which certainly he is assur'd of somewhat that is far better of a much more abundant Recompence He certainty most firmly believes the Doctrine of the Gospel and of future rewards and punishments who dares suffer rather than sin against the Revealer and Dispenser of them St. Paul dares suffer Imprisonment and the loss of Liberty and Estate and Life whilst Impostors and Cheats and Pseudo-Apostles boast and talk but dare not suffer or die but are guilty of base Tergiversation turning their backs upon the Truth which they renounce and deny when they are put to the Test to the severe Tryal and critical point of suffering That 's the fifth Reason of St. Paul's choice of this Character to recommend himself by and enforce his following Exhortation The Prisoner of the Lord Which is a Presumption if not a Demonstration of the Truth of that Doctrine which he taught and deliver'd 6ly and Lastly Suffering is the Touch-stone of Vertue and the Tryal of Sincerity This he very well knew who knows the Heart and the workings of it and therefore was pleas'd to put his Servant Job into the School of Affliction and to try him with Adversity Not that he wanted a discovery himself but to silence the Calumnies and Reproaches of the Devil and his Instruments who were ready to object against the Character and Elogy which God gave of him Doth Job fear God for naught as we read in that famous Dialogue between God and the Devil in the first Chapter of the Book of Job at the 6th Verse Now there was a day when the Sons of God i. e. the Angels came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan the Arch-Devil the President of the black Society came also among them And the Lord said unto Satan whence comest thou Then Satan answer'd from going too and fro in the Earth and from walking up and down in it And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou consider'd my Servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright Man one that feareth God and escheweth Evil Then Satan answer'd the Lord and said Doth Job fear God for nought Hast not thou made an Hedge about him and about his House and about all that he hath on every side thou hast blessed the Work of his Hands and his substance is increased in the Land But put forth thy Hand and touch all that he hath and he will curse thee to thy Face And the Lord said unto Satan behold all that he hath is in thy Power only upon himself put not forth thine Hand Which leave no sooner given but he improves it to the utmost the Commission granted wanted not a sharp and speedy Execution So Satan says the Text went forth from the Presence of the Lord to vex and afflict the Saint and play'd the Devil indeed stirring up the Sabeans and Caldeans the Fire and the Winds against him opening the Treasury the Magazines of the Air of which he is emphatically call'd the Prince discharging the Artillery of Heaven against him making sore and lamentable havock in his Estate in his Goods and his Children leaving him in a manner as naked as the World receiv'd him Well but what effect had this upon Job Did he curse God to his face as the Devil said he would No but he behav'd himself with meekness and humility and resignation to the Sovereign Will exercising Faith and Patience and Trust in God He arose and rent his Mantle a token of Sorrow being a Stranger to the Stoical Apathy and shaved his Head and fell down upon the Ground and worshipped and said naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return thither It follows In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly But tho the Devil was foil'd and deceived here shamefully baffled and disappointed as to his expectation yet he makes another Effort resolves to try once more And to that end presents himself before the Lord upon a solemn Day amongst the Angels chap. 2. And the Lord said unto him v. 3. Hast thou consider'd my Servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright Man one that feareth God and escheweth Evil and still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause And Satan answer'd the Lord and said Skin for Skin yea all that a Man hath will he give for his life But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and flesh and he will curse thee to thy face And the Lord said behold he is in thine hand but save his Life So Satan went forth from the pesence of the Lord and smote Job with sore Boils from the Sole of his Foot unto his Crown And fearing that he was not Devil enough with all his Dragon-like violence to prevail with Job to curse God he employs an Incarnate Devil stirr'd up his Wife against him his Bosom Companion hoping that her Perswasions and Temptations would be as charming and prevalent as those of Eve were on her Husband Adam Then said his Wife unto him dost thou still retain thine integrity curse God and dye But he said unto her Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women speaketh What shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive Evil It follows In all this Job did not sin with his Lips but still exercis'd Faith and Patience and Trust and Affiance in God Though he kill me says he yet will I trust in him Vertue in a good Man shines the brighter for being clouded with Adversity of which Job was an illustrious Instance and Example Adversity was ever esteem'd amongst the ancient Philosophers to be the Touch stone of Vertue Magnum Exemplum nisi mala fortuna non invenit Sen. de Prov. c. 3. and the Tryal of Sincerity No very Exemplary Vertue they thought could well appear otherwise than in notable misfortune 'T was so in the Opinion of Socrates Plato Diogenes Seneca Cicero and other ancient Philosophers who did not shrink at Adversity but shew'd a greatness and presence of Mind sutable to their sufferings Their Vertue did not flag or wither or fall by those blustring Winds Adversity is like a tempestuous Wind which trys the strength of Trees those which are rotten at the