righteousness For many in the first three hundred years persecution when no body knew what they were would boldly come up to the face of their enemies and tell what they were and suffer for what they professed the death I remember also the Woman who when her Friends were gone before to suffer how she came running and panting after for fear she should not come thither time enough to suffer for Jesus Christ. But I will give you an instance of later times even in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign of an Hartfordshire man that went as far as Rome to bear his testimony for God against the wickedness of that place This man when he was arrived there and had told them wherefore he was come they took and condemned him to death to wit to be burned for an Heretick Now he was to ride from the prison to the place of execution upon an Ass with his face to the beasts tail and was to be stript from the shoulders to the waste that he might be tormented all the way he went with burning torches continually thrust to his sides But he nothing at all afraid spake in his exhortation to the people to fly from their sin and Idolatry he would also catch hold of the Forces and put them to his sides to shew how little he esteemed the worst that they could do Also when he was come to the place of execution he suffered there such cruelty with so unconcern'd a mind and with such burning zeal for Gods truth testified against them while he could speak That all amazed his enemies cried he could not have suffered as he did but by the help of the Devil His name I have now forgot but you will find it with the story at large in the Third Volum of Acts and Monuments at the 1022. page But we will pass this and come to our second particular Namely to shew when it may be said a man doth not only suffer for righteousness but also for righteousness sake To suffer for righteousness sake must be either with the intention of the persecutor or else of the persecuted The persecutor what ever the person suffering is if he afflicteth this person for a supposed good that he thinketh he hath or professeth he makes him suffer for righteousness sake So that in this sence a man that hath no grace may not only suffer for righteousness but also for righteousness sake But this I intend not because the Text is not concerned with it The thing therefore now intended to be spoken to is this namely when a man may be said to suffer what he suffereth upon a religious account of love to or for the sake of that good that he finds in the truths of God or because his heart is joyned and espoused to the good of the truths that he professeth not that there is any thing in any truth of God that is not good but a man may profess truth not for the sake of the goodness that is in it but upon a remote account Judas professed truth not of love to the truth but of love to the bag and to the money that was put therein Men may profess for a wife for a trade for friendship or because profession is at such a time or in such a place in fashion I wish that there were no cause to say this Now there is not any of these that profess the truth for the truth's sake that profess the truth of love to it nor shall they should they suffer as professors never so long never so much never so greviously be counted of God among them that suffer for righteousness sake that is of unfeigned love to righteousness Wherefore that I may shew you who may be said to suffer for righteousness sake I will propound and speak to several things First then He that suffereth in the Apostles sence for well doing or for righteousness sake sets his face against nothing but sin in He resisteth unto blood striving against sin â—â— sin is the object of his indignation because 't is an enemy to God and to his righteous cause is the World Heb. 12.4 Sin I say is that which such a man singleth out as his opposite as his antagonist and that against which his heart is set 'T is a rare thing to suffer a right and to have my spirit in my suffering bent only against Gods enemy sin Sin in Doctrine sin in Worship sin in Life sin in Conversation Now then he that suffereth for righteousness sake has singled out sin to pursue it to death long before he comes to the cross 'T is sin alas and his hatred to it that have brought him into this condition He fell out with sin at home in his own house in his own heart before he fell out with sin in the world or with sin in publick worship For he that can let sin go free and uncontrouled at home within let him suffer while he will he shall not suffer for righteousness sake And the reason is because a righteous Soul as the Phrase is 2 Pet. 2.8 has the greater antipathy against that sin that is most ready to defile it and that is as David calls it ones own iniquity or the sin that dwelleth in ones own flesh I have kept me says he from mine iniquity from mine own sin People that are afraid of fire are concerned most with that that burneth in their own chimney they have the most watchful eye against that that is like to burn down their own house first He also that suffereth for righteousness sake doth it also because he would not that sin should cleave to the worship of God and indeed this is mostly the cause of the sufferings of the godly They will not have to do with that worship that hath sinful traditions commixed with Gods appointments because they know that God is jealous of his worship and has given a strict charge that all things be done according to the pattern shewed to us in the Mount He knows also that God will not be with that worship and those worshippers that have not regard to worship by the rule of the Testament of Christ. He is also against the sin that is apt to cleave to himself while he standeth in the presence of God I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compass thine altar O Lord. This man also chuses to be in the practical parts of worship if possible for he knows that to have to do about holy things sincerely is the way to be at the remotest distance from sin He chuses also to be with those holy Ones that are of the same mind with him against sin For he knows that two are better than one and that a threefold Cord is not easily broken Wherefore look to your selves you that do or may be called to suffer for Religion if you bend not your selves against sin if to be revenged of sin be not the cause of your suffering you cannot be said
hearts and shews it self in their lives a thing which the Devil and the World can by no means abide He that is born after the flesh persecuteth him that is born after the spirit Gal. 4. For they cannot agree in Religion the godly are so devout and the other are so profane that they cannot do Not but that Gods People as they are commanded are willing to let them alone but the other they cannot bear that they should serve God as they have said Mat. 15.14 And hence ariseth persecution The World also would have the Religion of the godly to be counted false a thing that the others can by no means endure but will stand by and maintain yet in all peaceable manner their own ways before them whatever it costs The Christian and the carnal professor are like those two Harlots that you read of in the Book of Kings who strove for the living child whose it should be whose contest could not be decided until it came to the sword of the King 1 Kings 3. O but when the sword was drawn under a shew as if the living Child must now be cut in two then the true mother was known from the false For her bowels yearned upon her Son ver 26.27 The World what shew soever they have for Religion and however they urge it that the truth is with them have no yearning of bowels for it Let it be neither mine nor thine said she but divide it but the woman whose the living child was had not an heart to say so Religion may lie and die in a ditch for all those that are given to their sins nor doth their zeal appear except when they are griping of the godly for his faith towards God Bowels yearning of Bowels over Gods condemned Religion is only found in the Souls of those who own God has made it Secondly Is it so are Gods people a suffering people Then this should inform them that will be Religious to prepare themselves for what is like to attend them for their Religion To prepare I say not with carnal weapons but with the graces of the spirit of God that will help them with meekness and patience to endure Sit down then I say and count up the cost before for Religion thou engagest too far lest thou take upon thee to meddle with that which thou wilt not know what to do with in the end Prov. 25.8 Luke 14.25 26 27 28 29 30. Many there be that are faulty here they have taken upon them to profess not considering what what they have taken in hand may cost them Wherefore when troubles come indeed then they start and cry This they like not because they looked not for it and if this be the way to heaven let who will go on in it for them Thus they take offence and leave Christs cause and people to shift for themselves in the World Mat. 13.20 21. Thirdly But let Gods people think never the worse of Religion because of the course entertainment it meeteth with in the World 'T is better to chuse God and affliction than the World and sin and carnal peace 'T is necessary that we should suffer because that we have sinned And if God will have us suffer a little white here for his word instead of suffering for our sins in Hell let 's be content and count it a mercy with thankfulness The wicked are reserved to the day of destruction they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath Job 21.30 How kindly therefore doth God deal with us when he chuses to afflict us but for a little that with everlasting kindness he may have mercy upon us Isa. 54.7 8. And 't is better if the will of God be so that we suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing 1 Pet. 3. â—7 Fourthly Look not therefore upon the sufferings of Gods people for their Religion to be tokens of Gods great anger 'T is to be sure as our heavenly Father orders it rather a token of his love for suffering for the Gospel and for the sincere profession of it is indeed a dignity put upon us a dignity that all men are not counted worthy of Count it therefore a favour that God has bestowed upon thee his truth and graces to enable thee to profess it though thou be made to suffer for it Acts 5.41 Thou mightest have been a sufferer for thy sins in Hell but thou art not but contrariwise art perhaps suffering for conscience to God this is a dignity for that thou dost thus by vertue of an heavenly gift on the behalf of Christ for the Gospel sake and according to the will of God This is a dignity that a persecutor shall not be counted worthy of until he first convert to Christ Philip. 1.29 Fifthly take thy affliction with meekness and patience though thou endurest grief wrongfully For this is thank worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully 1 Pet. 2. Lay thy hand then upon thy mouth and speak not a word of ill against him that doth thee wrong leave thy cause and thy enemy to God yea rather pray that his sin may not be laid to his charge wherefore as I said before now shew thy self a good man by loving pitying praying for and by doing good as thou art commanded to them that dispitefully use thee Mat. 5.44 I know thy flesh will be apt to huff and to be angry and to wish would thou mightest revenge thy self But this is base carnal sensual devilish cast therefore such thoughts from thee as thoughts that are not fit for a Christians breast and betake thee to those weapons that are not carnal For the Artillery of a Christian is the word faith and prayer and in our patience we must possess our Souls 2 Cor. 10.5 Luke 21.16 17 18 19. Sixthly Be much in the consideration of the All-sufficience of thy Father whose cause thou hast espoused whose word thou hast chosen for thy heritage and whose paths thou delightest to walk in I say be much in considering how all the World is sustained by him and that all life and breath is in his hand to continue or diminish as he pleases Think with thy self also how able he is to rescue thee from all affliction or to uphold thee in it with a quiet mind Go to him continually as to a fountain of life that is open for the supply of the needy Remember also if he comes not at thy call and comforteth thee not so soon as thou desirest it is not of want of love or compassion to thy Soul but to try thy graces and to shew to the fallen Angels that thou wilt serve God for nought rather than give out Also if it seemeth to thee as if God took no care of thee to help thee but that he hath rather turned thee over to the ungodly count this also as a sign that he delights to see thee hold fast his name though thou art laid under the greatest of
of their souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator THis Epistle was written to Saints in affliction specially those of the Circumcision for whom this Peter was an Apostle And it was written to them to counsel and comfort them in their affliction To counsel them as to the cause for which they were in afflictions and as to the right management of themselves and their cause under their affliction To comfort them also both with respect to their present help from God and also with reference to the reward that they faithfully continuing to the end should of God be bestowed upon them all which we shall have occasion more distinctly to handle in this following discourse The Text is a conclusion drawn from the Counsel and comfort which the Apostle had afore given them in their suffering state As who should say my Brethren as you are now afflicted so sufferings are needful for you and therefore profitable and advantagious Wherefore be content to bear them And that you may indeed bear them with such Christian contentedness and patience as becomes you commit the keeping of your souls to your God as unto a faithful Creator Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls unto him as unto a faithful Creator In this conclusion therefore we have three things very fit for sufferers to concern themselves with 1. A direction to a duty of absolute necessity 2. A description of the persons who are unto this so necessary a duty directed 3. An insinuation of the good effect that will certainly follow to those that after a due manner shall take this blessed advice The duty so absolutely necessary is that sufferers commit the keeping of their souls to God The sufferers here intended are those that suffer according to the will of God The good insinuated that will be the effect of our true doing of this is we shall find God a faithful Creator We will first begin with the duty that sufferers are here directed to namely the committing of their souls to God Let them commit the keeping of their soul to him in well doing And I find two things in it that first call for explaining before I proceed 1. What we must here understand by the Soul 2. What by committing the soul to God For the First The soul here is to be taken for that most excellent part of man that dwelleth in the body that immortal spiritual substance that is and will be capable of life and motion of sense and reason yea that will abide a rational being when the body is returned to the dust as it was This is that great thing that our Lord Jesus intends when he bids his Disciples in a day of Tryal fear him that can destroy both body and soul in Hell Luk. 12.5 That great thing I say that he there cautions them to take care of According to Peter here Let them commit the keeping of their soul to him in well-doing Secondly Now to commit this soul to God is to carry it to him to lift it to him upon my bended knees and to pray him for the Lord Jesus Christs sake to take it into his holy care and to let it be under his keeping Also that he will please to deliver it from all those snares that are laid for it 'twixt this and the next world and that he will see that it be forth coming safe and sound at the Great and Terrible judgment notwithstanding so many have ingaged themselves against it Thus David committed his soul to God when he said Arise O Lord disappoint him cast him down deliver my soul O Lord from the wicked which is thy Sword And again Be pleased O Lord to deliver me O Lord make hast to help me let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it Psal. 17.13 Psal. 40.13 14. Thus I have shewed you what the soul is and what it is to commit the soul to God This then is the duty that the Apostle here exhorteth the sufferers to namely to carry their soul to God and leave it with him while they ingage for his name in the World Now from the Apostles Exhortation to this great duty I will draw these following conclusions First That when persecution is raised against a people there is a design laid for the ruin of that peoples souls This I say doth naturally follow from the exhortation Why else need they to commit the keeping of their souls to God For by this word unto God to keep them is suggested there is that would destroy them and that therefore persecution is raised against them I am not so uncharitable as to think that persecuting men design this But I verily believe that the Devil doth design this when he stirs them up to so sorry a work In times of Tryal says Peter The Devil your adversary goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8.9 Alas men in their acts of this nature have designs that are lower and of a more inferior rank Some of them look no higher than revenge upon the carcass than the spoiling of their neighbour of his Estate Liberty or Life than the greatening of themselves in this world by the ruins of those that they have power to spoil Their possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say blessed be the Lord for I am rich Zech. 11.4 5. Ay! But Satan will not be put off thus 't is not a bag of Money or the punishing of the carcass of such a people that will please or satisfie him 'T is the soul that he aims at the ruin of the precious soul that he hath bent himself to bring to pass 'T is this therefore that Peter here hath his heart concerned with As who should say my Brethren are you troubled and persecuted for your Faith look to it the hand of Satan is in this thing and what ever men drive at by doing as they do the Devil designs no less than the damnation of your Souls Ware Hawk saith the Falconer when the Dogs are coming near her specially if she be too much minding of her belly and too forgetful of what the nature of the Dog is Beware Christian take heed Christian the Devil is desirous to have thee And who could better give this exhortation than could Peter himself Who for not taking heed as to this very thing had like by the Devil to have been swallowed up alive as is manifest to them that heedfully read and consider how far he was gone when that persecution was raised against his Master Luk. 22 31-56 57 58 59 60 61 62. When a Tyrant goes to dispossess a neighbouring Prince of what is lawfully his own the men that he imployeth at Arms to overcome and get the Land They fight for Half-Crowns and the like and are content with their wages But the Tyrant is for the Kingdom nothing will
perishing for ever When the Jews went to stone Stephen they laid their clothes down at a distance from the place at a young mans feet whose name was Saul that they might not be a cumber or a trouble to them as to their intended work So we when we go about to drive sin out of the world in a way of suffering for Gods truth against it we should lay down our souls at the feet of God to care for that we may not be cumbered with the care of them our selves also that our care of Gods truth may not be weakned by such sudden and strong doubts as will cause us faintingly to say but what will become of my soul When Paul had told his Son Timothy that he had been before that Lyon Nero and that he was at present delivered out of his mouth he adds And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom He shall and will here is a man at liberty here are no cumbersome fears But how came the Apostle by this confidence of his well-being and of his share in another world Why he had committed the keeping of his soul to God compare 2 Tim. 1.12 with chap. 4.18 For to commit the keeping of the soul to God if it be done in faith and prayer it leaves or rather brings this holy boldness and confidence into the soul. Suppose a man in the Country were necessitated to go to London and had a great charge of money to pay in there Suppose also that the way thither was become exceeding dangerous because of the high-way-men that continually abide therein what now must this man do to go on his Journey chearfully Why let him pay in his money to such a one in the Country as will be sure to return it for him at London safely Why this is the case thou art bound for Heaven but the way thither is dangerous It is beset every where with evil Angels who would rob thee of thy Soul What now Why if thou wouldest go chearfully on in thy dangerous Journey commit thy treasure thy Soul to God to keep And then thou mayest say with comfort well that care is over For whatever I meet with in my way thither my Soul is safe enough the Thieves if they meet me can't come at that I know to whom I have committed my Soul and I am perswaded that he will keep that to my joy and everlasting comfort against the great day This therefore is one reason why we should that suffer for Christ commit the keeping of our Souls to God because a doubt about the well-being of that will be a clog a burden and an affliction to our spirit Yea the greatest of afflictions whilest we are taking up our Cross and bearing it after Christ. The joy of the Lord is our strength and the fear of perishing is that which will be weakning to us in the way Secondly we should commit the keeping of our Souls to God because the final conclusion that merciless men do sometimes make with the servants of God is all on a sudden They give no warning before they strike We shall not need here to call you to mind about the Massacres that were in Ireland Paris Piedmont and other places where the godly in the night before they were well awake had some of them their heart blood running on the ground The savage Monsters crying out kill kill from one end of a street or a place to the other This was sudden and he that had not committed his Soul to God to keep it was surely very hard put to it now but he that had done so was ready for such sudden work Sometimes indeed the Ax and Halter or the Faggot is shewed first but sometimes again it is without that warning Vp said Saul to Doeg the Edomite and slay the priests of the Lord 1 Sam. 22 11-19 Here was sudden work fall on said Saul and Doeg fell upon them and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linnen Ephod Nob also the ciâ—y of the Priests he smote with the edge of the sword both men and women children and sucklings c. Here was but a word and a blow Thinkest thou not who readest these lines that all of these who had before committed their Soul to God to keep were the fittest folk to die And immedately the King sent an Executioner and commanded his head to be brought Mark 6.27 The story is concerning Herod and John the Baptist Herod's dancing girl had begged John Baptist's head and nothing but his head must serve her turn well girl thou shalt have it Have it I but it will be long first No thou shalt have it now just now immediately And immediately he sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought Here is sudden work for sufferers here is no intimation before hand The executioner comes to John now whether he was at dinner or asleep or whatever he was about the bloody man bolts in upon him and the first word he salutes him with is Sir strip lay down your neck For I come to take away your head But hold stay wherefore pray let me commit my Soul to God No I must not stay I am in hast slap says his sword and off falls the good mans head This is sudden work work that stays for no man work that must be done by and by immediately or 't is not worth a rush I will said she that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. Yea she came in hast and as hastily the commandment went forth and immediately his head was brought Thirdly Unless a man commits the keeping of his Soul to God it is a question whether he can hold out and stand his ground and wrestle with all temptations This is the victory even your Faith and who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth c. And what incouragement has a man to suffer for Christ whose heart cannot believe and whose Soul he cannot commit to God to keep it And our Lord Jesus intimates as much when he saith Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life Wherefore saith he thus but to encourage those that suffer for his truth in the world to commit the keeping of their Souls to him and to believe that he hath taken the charge and care of them Paul's wisdom was that he was ready to die before his enemies were ready to kill him I am now ready saith he to be offered up and the time of my departure is at hand 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. This is therefore a thing of high concern to wit the committing of the Soul to God to keep it 'T is I say of concern to do it now just now quickly whether thou art yet engaged or no for it is a good preparatory too as well as profitable in a time of persecution consider it
honour and respect unto those that were but deputy Kings and heathen Magistrates will greatly appear if you do but read his Trials before them in the Book called the Acts of the Apostles And what a charge both he and Peter have lest behind them to the Churches to do so too may be found to conviction if we read their Epistles 5. Wouldest thou not suffer for evil-doing then take heed of being offended with Magistrates because by their Sate-Acts they may cross thy inclinations 'T is given to them to bear the Sword and a command is to thee if thy heart cannot acquiesce with all things with meekness and patience to suffer Discontent in the mind sometimes puts discontent into the mouth and discontent in the mouth doth sometimes also put a halter about the neck For as a man by speaking a word in jest may for that be hanged in earnest so he that speaks in discontent may die for it in sober sadness Adonijah's discontent put him upon doing that which cost him his life 1 King 2 13-23 Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them for they are subjected to the will and foot of God 6. But above all get thy conscience possessed yet more with this that the Magistrate is God's ordinance and is ordered of God as such that he is the Minister of God to thee for good and that it is thy duty to fear him and pray for him to give thanks to God for him and to be subject to him as both Paul and Peter admonish us and that not only for wrath but for conscience sake Rom. 13. For all other arguments come short of binding the Soul where this argument is wanting until we believe that of God we are bound thereto I speak not these things as knowing any that are dissaffected to the Government for I love to be alone if not with godly men in things that are convenient But because I appear thus in publick and know not into whose hands these lines may come therefore thus I write I speak it also to shew my Loyalty to the King and my love to my fellow Subjects and my desire that all Christians should walk in ways of peace and truth I come now to the second thing propounded to be spoken to as to suffering which is this That there have been and yet may be a people in the world that have and may suffer in the sence of the Apostle here according to the will of God or for righteousness sake That there have been such a people in the world I think no body will deny because many of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles thus suffered Besides since the Scriptures were written all Nations can witness to this whose Histories tell at large of the patience and goodness of the sufferers and of the cruelty of those that did destroy them And that the thing will yet happen or come to pass again both Scripture and reason affirm First for Scripture The Text tells us that God hath put enmity betwixt the woman and her seed and the Serpent and his Gen. 3.15 This enmity put is so fixed that none can remove it so but that it still will remain in the world These two seeds have always had and will have that which is essentially opposite to one another and they are the spirit of truth and the Spirit of error sin and righteousness light and darkness 1 John 4.6 chap. 3.7 8. 1 Thes. 5.5 Hence an unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked Prov. 29.27 So that unless you could sanctifie and regenerate all men or cause that no more wicked men should any where be in Power for ever you cannot prevent but that sometimes still there must be sufferers for righteousness sake Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 To prove this by reason is easie The Devil is not yet shut up in the bottomless pit Antichrist is yet alive The Government in all Kingdoms is not yet managed with such light and goodness of mind as to let the Saints serve God as he has said what ever it is in some And until then there will be in some places tho' for my part I cannot predict where a people that will yet suffer for well-doing or for righteousness sake In order to a right handling of this matter I shall divide this head into these two parts 1. Shew you what it is to suffer for well-doing or for righteousness 2. Shew you what it is to suffer for righteousness sake I put this distinction because I find that it is one thing to suffer for righteousness and another to suffer for righteousness sake To begin with the first namely to shew you what it is to suffer for righteousness Now that maybe done either passively or actively 1. Passively as when any suffer for righteousness without their own will or consent thereto Thus the little children at Bethlehem suffered by the hands of bloody Herod when they died for or in the room and stead of Jesus Christ Mat. 2.16 Every one of those children died for righteousness if Christ is righteousness for they died upon his account as being supposed to be he himself Thus also the children of Israels little ones that were murdered with their Parents or otherwise because of the Religion of them that begat and bare them died for righteousness The same may be said concerning those of them that suffered in the Land of the Chaldeans upon the same account I might here also bring in those poor Infants that in Ireland Piedmont Paris and other places have had their throats cut and their brains dasht against the walls for none other cause but for the Religion of their Fathers Many many have suffered for rightetousness after this manner Their will nor consent has been in the suffering yet they have suffered for Religion for righteousness And as this hath been so it may be again for if men may yet suffer for righteousness even so for ought I know even in this sence may their children also Now although this is not the chief matter of my Text yet a few words here may do no harm The children that thus suffer tho' their own will and consent be not in what they undergo may yet for all that be accepted as an offering unto the Lord. Their cause is good 't is for Religion and righteousness Their hearts do not recoile against the cause for which they suffer and although they are children God can deal with them as with John the Baptist cause them in a moment to leap for Joy of Christ or else can save them by his Grace as he saveth other his elect infants and thus comprehend them though they cannot apprehend him yea why may they not only be saved but in some sence be called Martyrs of Jesus Christ and those that have suffered for Gods cause