SERMON I, II.

HE who speaketh these words, is the great Apostle of the Gentiles, one who had been in deaths often, who had been for Christ's sake killed all the day long (as he speaks,) Rom. 8.36. who died daily (as he else­where tells us) yet was not wearied out of his life) and was willing to be dying still; so that Christ might be magnified in his body by life or death. Phil. 1.20. And though he desired to be dis­solved, yet it was upon better motives than the taedium or burden of his dying life, that he might be with Christ, which was best of all. v. 23. Not [Page 2] that he might be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life (as he speaks, 2 Cor. 5.4.) nor was he so fond of glory, but he preferreth his service to Christ before a present entrance into it; and was willing to wait God's time. I am, saith he, in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better; never­theless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know I shall abide, and continue with you all. But a time must come when Israel must die. Do our Prophets live for ever? And it pleaseth God to give some of his People notices of this time. Paul's time was now come. He tells Timothy in the verse before the Text, I am now ready to be offered, the words in the Greek are, I am now already offered. Paul was ready, as that term in our Language signifies prepared, but the Greek word is [...], which rather signifies already than prepared (into which sense it cannot be interpreted) the next words interpret it, The time of my departure is at hand. Nor certainly doth the Apostle speak this meerly upon the prospect that all Christian Prisoners (especially Teachers amongst them) might reasonably have of their fate, under such a Pagan Ty­rant and Butcher as Nero (under whose Go­vernment and Power he was at this time) was, but upon some more special and parti­cular notice which God had given him, that his time was at hand. He speaks of it with­out trembling, and faith not to Death, (tho it was to be violent) Hast thou found me O mine [Page 3] Enemy! but with confidence & chearfulness he entertaineth the thoughts and prospect of it. This Text tells you the grounds of his chear­fulness. 1. His work was done. 2. He had wages to take. The first he openeth by 3 phrases. 1. I have fought a good fight, [...], that ex­cellent fight (as Beza well translates it.) 2. I have finished my course. 3. I have kept the Faith. 2. He had wages to take, which he could not re­ceive upon Earth. And now is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, &c. I shall only turn the Text into a Proposition, concluding from Paul's work, and confidence, the duty of all.

Prop. Those who would at death have the Crown of Righteousness, which is laid up for, and which God the Righteous Judge will one day give out unto some persons, must fight the good fight, finish their course, keep the faith, and love the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ; and those who do these things may know that there is such a Crown of Righteousness laid up for them, which the Righteous Judge will give out to them.

Here are two Propositions put together.

1. That there is a Crown of Righteousness, which God hath laid up, and will one day give out as a Righteous Judge to some amongst the Sons of men.

2. That it shall be given out to such, and such only, as fight the good fight, finish their course, keep the faith, and love the Appearance of Christ.

I shall discourse them severally, then apply them together.

1. There is a Crown of Righteousness, which is [Page 4] laid up, and God as a Righteous Judge will one day give out to some amongst the Sons of men.

1. That this Crown of Righteousness, is no other than the Crown of glory, Eternal life and happiness, is out of doubt, the Blessed state of the Saints in Heaven is set out in Scripture unto us under a variety of Metaphors, im­porting the satisfaction of the whole Soul there, and all the powers and faculties of it. It is sometimes set out under the Notion of a Feast, 1 Pet. 5.4. a Banquet, sometimes under the Notion of seeing God, [...] 1.12. sometimes under the Notion of an Inheritance, immortal, incorruptible, &c. some­times under the Notion of a Kingdom, a Crown, sometimes under Notions of profit, the riches of glory, sometimes under Notions of plea­sure; here it is called a Crown. So 1 Pet. 5.4. it is called a Crown of glory, and a Crown of life, Jam. 1.12. But 1. Why a Crown? 2. Why is it called a Crown of Righteousness. 3. How is it laid up? 4. How doth, or shall God shew him­self a Righteous Judge in giving it out?

1. Possibly it is called a Crown with reference to the Combatants in the Roman Games, in which the Victors had not only Prizes for which they ran, but also Crowns of Bays, or Lawrel, or some green things. If a man strive for Maste­ries, saith the Apostle, 2 Tim. 2.5. he is not crowned except he strive lawfully. As the Con­querours were enriched with a [...] a prize for which they ran, or wrestled, or fought, so they were honoured with a [...], a Crown which was set on their heads; and thus it lets us know, 1. That Heaven will be a [Page 5] place of great honour and dignity. 2. That those who obtain it, must strive, fight, wrestle, and that lawfully (as the Apostle speaks) yea and they must conquer. None but the Conquerours in those Games were crowned. The consideration of Heaven as a Crown, ought to mind us of our duty, to strive, and fight. It is not com­pared to an ordinary King's Crown, which it may be comes to him by Election, or Inheri­tance, but a Combatants Crown, which is never put on his head till he be declared Victor.

2. Secondly, This Notion is expressive of the high reward of the Saints in Heaven. A Crown is the highest dignity; hence it is cal­led also a Kingdom; Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you. Thus the Metaphor is used, I am. 5.16. The Crown is fallen from our heads (that is) we have lost our greatest honour and dignity. Such shall be the honour of all the Saints, it shall not be only a Penny, a reward of their labour, but it shall be a Crown, the highest and grea­test reward, such a one as no Eye hath seen, no Ear hath heard, neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive; we can fancy no higher honour and dignity, than that of a Crown, and therefore it is expressed by that, but it will be no ordinary Crown, but a Crown of Life, a Crown of Glory.

3. Possibly it may be thus expressed, to signifie the fulness of the Saints happiness in Hea­ven. The figure of a Crown lets you know that it incompasseth the whole head, not a part of it only. Psa. 16.11. At thy right hand (saith the Psal­mist) [Page 6] there are pleasures, and a fulness of plea­sures, and that for evermore. The glory of the Saints in Heaven shall incompass them as a Crown doth the head. God in this life in­compasseth his People with favour, as a shield (as the Psalmist speaketh) in the life to come he will incompass them with glory as with a Crown. In this life we have our good things but in part. Nemo est ex omni parte beatus, there is scarce any to be found, who is every way happy. One hath an head at ease, but an aking heart; another hath an heart at ease, but an aking head; but in Heaven the Saints shall be crowned, perfectly happy, on all sides blessed.

2. Qu. But why is this called a Crown of Righ­teousness, not only a Crown of life, and a Crown of Glory but a Crown of Righteousness?

1. I answer, Not because it is the merit of our Righteousness. Our Righteousness is all a rag, a filthy Rag. The next words are enough to Satisfy us as to this, Which the Lord, the Rig [...] teous Judge, will give, to them who love his appearance, if it be a guilt it is not paid for; nor can it be thought that the love of Christs ap­pearance should be judged a proportionable price to a Crown. A Crown is a thing above a Purchase.

2. But it may be called so with reference to Christs Righteousness. By his Righteousness (saith the Prophet) or, By his knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justify many, Isa. 53.11. Rom. 8.30. for he shall bear their iniquities, and whom he justifyed them he also glorifyed (saith the Apostle:) The [Page 7] Heavens were to be Sprinkled with his blood before we could have any entrance into them. He dyed as well as ascended, that he might prepare a place for us in those blessed Man­sions. The Saints Crowns are the Purchase of Christs Righteousness.

3. Thirdly, It may be so called with re­ference to Gods Righteousness, and that whether we take Righteousness as signifying Justice, or Truth and faithfulness. If we take Righteousness, as signifying Justice: If (saith the Apostle) we confess our sins, he is faithful, and just, 1 Joh. 1.9. to for­give us our sins. God is just to give his Son, the Travel of his Soul: The fruit of his purchase. If we take it as signifying Truth or faithfulness: So also the glory of Heaven is a Crown of Righteousness, as it is a promised reward, what the truth of God in many promises stands in­gaged for.

4. Lastly, It is also a Crown of our Righteous­ness. That is, the noble, and ample reward of our Righteousness. The reward not of debt, but of grace, Estius would have it called the Crown of Righteousness because purchased or merited by our works, or our Righteousness, but that place, Psal. 103.4. much troubleth him; Psal. 103.4. Who crowneth thee with loving kindness, he pre­tendeth some answer to it, but that is the least we have to say against the merit of works, God useth not to Crown menstruous Cloaths, or filthy Raggs. He useth not to Crown our works, but his own works in us, yea he himself is the Crown of his people, Isaiah 28.5. The Lord himself shall be a Crown [Page 8] of glory, and a diadem of beauty for the residue of his people.

3. Qu. How is this Crown said to be laid up? [...].

The same word is used to the same Sense, Colos. 1.5. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven. Criticks observe, That it is used to express such a laying aside, or laying up: as when a thing is laid up for a future use or a fu­ture provision, as when men lay up for their Children: So we shall find it used in Mat. 25. in the parable of the Talents, to express the action of him who having but one Talent laid it up in a napkin. Once in Scripture, I find it used in another sense, Heb. 9.27. [...] It is appointed for all men once to dye, and that (by the way) giveth some further light into this Text, the Crown of Righteousness is laid up for the Saints in the Eternal Counsels of God; in this sense it is called, The Kingdom prepared for them, Matth. 25.34. before the foundation of the world. The word importeth,

1. The Preparation, or designation of something for the use of some particular person.

2. The Reservation of it or the safe keeping of it for those persons for whom it is so designed and prepared. There is a Crown of Righteousness, designed by God for some, laid up in Gods decree, and eternal thoughts for them from before the foundation of the World, and laid up, that is, safely reserved and kept for them, secured by the immutability of Gods will and counsel, for he is not as man that he should lye, nor as the Son of man that he should repent.

I have now done with the first Proposition. I pass to the second.

Prop. 2. That those to whom the Righteous Judge will give this Crown must be such who have fought the good fight, Finished their course, kept the faith, and who love the appearance of our Lord Jesus.

We must inquire into the meaning of all these.

Q. 1. What is this to fight the good fight?

Here are two things.

• 1. What is this good fight?
• 2. What fighting is here meant?

1. The calling of it the good fight, imports that there are some bad fights.

1. There is a fighting against God. This is a bad fight in all senses. It is that Rebellion which Samuel said is as the sin of Witchcraft. It is the Rebellion of the Creature against the Creator, of the Clay against the Potter, of the Child against the Father. It is a bad fight in the nature of it, and it is alwaies bad in the issue of it. It is a setting of briars and thorns against God in battel, a kicking against the pricks, (as our Lord told Paul, Acts 9.) yet the world was alwaies full of Hectors, hardy enough to engage in this fight; there are such as are fighters against God, and indeed all sinners are such in heart, though they some of them keep their hands in their pockets; but such Persecutors, and such as set themselves in opposition to the Gospel, and the Interest of God in the world, in opposition to the Truth, and True Worship and Ordinances [Page 10] of God; such as set themselves against a Gospel-Ministry, and against Holiness; these are all fighters against God. This now is the bad fight, materially bad, and what will be found so Eventually.

2. There is also a fighting against men on ci­vil accounts, which is a bad fight; indeed most Wars are so (at least on one side.) Wars are State Physick, and when they are so used and made they are good, otherwise they are bad. In all Wars, one Army is made up of Mur­derers: Both sides cannot be right. We are commanded to seek Peace, and insue it, as much as in us lieth to have peace with all men. Wars are not to be used as sports. The word which is here translated good, signifieth fair, wholesom, noble, excellent. Thus you read of the Tree that bringeth forth good fruit, Mat. 7.17. And Christ saith, that the woman which had spent her box of Ointment upon him, had done [...], a good work, Mat. 26.10. that is, an excellent, noble, praise-worthy work, as our Saviour in the next words expounds himself, saying, That where­soever the Gospel should be preached, that which she had done should be told for a memorial of her. But what is this good fight which Paul saith he had fought? He expoundeth himself, 1 Tim. 6.12. Fight the good fight of faith. Faith is the com­batant grace, it is that by which we get the Victory. But who are the Enemies with which this good fight is to be fought? Who can they be but the three great Enemies of our Souls the World, the Flesh, and the Devil? Paul [Page 11] fought them all, and so must every one fight them all, who will put in his claim to the Crown of Righteousness.

1. He must manage his good fight against the World; the men of it, and the things of it. Paul had fought this good fight, 1 Cor. 15.32. he fought with Beasts at Ephesus after the man­ner of men, and he telleth us, 1 Cor. 11.24. he had had stripes above measure, he had been in Prisons frequent, in deaths often; five times he had of the Jews received forty stripes save one; thrice he was beaten with Rods; once he was stoned; all this in maintenance and defence of the Gospel. Thus must every Christian duly of God called to it, do in defence of the holy Truths and Waies of the Lord Jesus Christ. The World, the Men of the World were al­waies peevish to God's holy ones. Our Saviour giveth us the reason, Joh. 15.19. because they are not of the world, but God hath chosen them out of the world. Wisdom was never justified in the world of any more than her Children. Now those who ever hope to come in the Kingdom of Heaven, must look to manage this part of the good fight, not fearing those who can kill the body, and when they have done that; can do no more, but fearing him alone, who can cast body and soul into Hell fire; taking up their Cross, and following of Christ, bearing up against all the opposition the world can give or make against them, walking according to the holy Command­ment.

2. But this good fight is not onely to be [Page 12] managed against the men of the world, setting themselves in opposition to the Truths and Waies of God; but also against the things of the world, the deceitfulness of pleasures, riches, ho­nours, whatsoever may be to us a bait alluring us to sin against God. Moses by Faith did fight the World in this manner, refusing the pleasures of Pharaoh's Court, and chusing rather to suffer with the People of God, Heb. 11.25, 26. than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; and esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt. But indeed this rather belongs to the second piece of the good fight which is to be managed.

2. Against our own Lusts. By lusts we un­derstand those motions, and inclinations, to sin which are from our fleshly part, for Lusts are nothing but unlawful desires in our Souls. Paul fought this part of the good fight, he tells us, Rom. 7.23 That he saw a law in his members warring against the law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to th [...] law of sin which is in his mem­bers. Gal. 5.17. And again, That the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for those two are contrary. Paul fought this part of the good fight, 1 Cor. 9.27. I keep under my body and bring it unto Subjection. This is, that Mortifying of our members, mentioned, Ccl. 3.5. Mortifying the deeds of the body through the Spirit mention­ed, Rom. 8.13. The Apostle Peter tells us that Fleshly lusts war against the Soul, 1 Pet. 2.11. and James tells us that Lust war in our members, James 4.1. Paul fought this part of the good fight, and overcame; I thank God (saith he) through Jesus Christ our Lord. In­deed [Page 13] this is the hardest battel that a Christian hath to fight the Enemy is within, those of his own house and all the advantage which either the World, or the Devil hath against us is from that party of lusts which are in our own hearts. Though the Prince of the World came against Christ, yet finding no­thing of this nature in our blessed Lord he could do nothing against him.

3. Our third great adversary is the Devil. For we (faith the Apostle,) Eph. 6.12. Do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against Principalities, and powers, and the Rulers of the darkness of this World. The Devil is called the adversary and the Apostle telleth us, that he goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour, and calleth upon us to Resist him. He fighteth us sometimes by his com­manders, and under-officers, those are the sinful men of the World; sometimes he fights us in person, by his more immediate impressions and Suggestions, 2 Cor. 12.7. Paul had a messen­ger of Satan sent to buffet him, for which thing he prayed thrice, v. 8.

4. A Christian hath yet a fourth Enemy; That is Death. I should not have called Death an Enemy, but that I find the Apostle so cal­ling it, 1 Cor. 15.26. The last Enemy that is to be destroyed is Death. And indeed our flesh saith both concerning death, and Trials of afflictions leading to it; All these things are a­gainst us. There is a victorious Song which eve­ry good Christian must learn to sing, O Death where is thy sting? O hell where is thy Victory? [Page 14] Thus now I have shewed you the Enemies to be fought in this good fight.

The word translated fight is a very Empha­tical word [...] It is the same word which is used, Luk. 13.24. strive to enter in at the stra [...]t gate, and Col. 4.12. Where we tran­slate it Labouring fervently, we translate it striving in Col. 1.29. fighting, John 18.36. and 1 Tim. 6.12. The word seemeth to signify four things, 1. A labouring against opposition. A man cannot fight unless he hath an Enemy to fight against. What these Enemies are I have shewed you. 2. A strong vehement, earnest la­bour, where all the strength, and power of a man is put out, as is usual in all combates, and fightings, 3. An inward labour, from this word comes our English word Agony which we use to signify the conflict of the mind, and signifi­eth more then the Scuffling of the hands and more exterior members: Thus it signifieth, Col. 4.12. Labouring fervently for you in Prayer. 4. It signifieth a strife for mastery, such as were the strifes in the Roman games, where the strife was who should overcome, and have the Victory. It is observed by Aquinas that the fight is called a good fight because it is for good things, and in a good manner and because it is difficult and the Apostle telleth us, that he who striveth is not crowned except he strive lawfully. Thus I have opened the first thing requisite for him who would have the Crown of Righteousness; he must fight the good fight.

2. The Second condition required of those, who expect this Crown of Righteous­ness [Page 15] to be given them is their finishing their course. I have saith the Apostle finished my course, or my race. There is nothing more or­dinary in Scripture, then for a series or course of actions to be called a way. Thus we read of the way of God, the way of the wicked and the way of the righteous. Holiness is called a way, the way of God's Commandments, and the exercises of Holiness are a Christian's walking or running in this way in the lan­guage of holy Writ. John fulfilled his course, Acts. 13.25. Neither (saith our Apostle) do I count my life dear to me so that I may finish my course with joy. It is the same with that of our Saviour, John 17. I have finished the work which thou hast given me to do. This course must not be only entred, and some Progress made in it, but it must be finished and brought to an end. If any mans soul draw back Gods soul will have no pleasure in him. We must not only begin to run well, but we must take heed that nothing hindereth us, or turneth us back; it is he who indureth to the end, that shall be saved: He that draweth back doth it to destruction. Every Christian hath a double course, both must be finished.

1. The first is his more general course, com­mon to him with all Christians; this lieth in the discharge of those duties which concern him as a Creature, with reference to God as his Creator, or as a Christian, with reference to Christ as his Redeemer. There is a great deal of such common duty, which belongeth to eve­ry one under these circumstances. Thus [Page 16] every one is obliged to the Commandments of God respecting all his creatures; the Com­mands of Christ respecting them as bought with a price. This is that course which David promiseth God to run, when God should inlarge his heart; and we are commanded to run, so as we may obtain, This St. Paul ran not incertainly, not as one that did beat the Air. This, to note the certainty and steadiness of our indeavours, is compared to a walk, to denote the alacrity, and chearfulness, and readiness of our spirits to it, is compared to a Race; we are not to sit still and take our rest, nor to move slowly, but to run, making hast, and not delaying (as David speaks) to keep God's Precepts; pressing hard after God, as he in another place expresseth it; forgetting what is behind, and pressing forward to what is before, as Paul speaketh to his Philip­pians.

2. The Second is a Christians more particu­lar course, which comprehendeth those actions of a man which are by the law of God his duty, as fixed in such, or such an Orb, and clothed with such or such circumstan­ces. Thus Pauls course was his duty as an Apostle, and a Minister of Jesus Christ. Another mans course is his duty as a Magistrate or in any degree of Superiority to others, for there is no Relation but hath a particular duty an­nexed to it, and he must finish his course with reference to that. Paul here speaketh with re­ference to both, both his duties as a Christian and his duty as an Apostle The Christians reward in heaven is sometimes compared to [Page 17] a Crown, and a Victory, to let us know that we must fight for it, sometimes to a rest, to teach us that we must labour for it, Heb. 4.11. some­times to a mark, a goal a prize, to let us know that we must run if we will obtain, and so run that we may obtain, striving after Perfection (as the Apostle speaketh, Heb. 6.1.) the finishing of our course signify the two things. 1. That we must do the whole work which God hath given us to do. 2. That we must not give over until it be all done, we must not be weary of well doing, the promise of Victory is to him who overcometh, the promise of reaping is to him that is not weary, that fainteth not. Thus I have opened the 2d thing.

3. Qu. What is meant hy keeping the faith?

The third thing is keeping the faith. I have (saith the Apostle) kept the faith. The term faith signifies several things in holy Writ. But there are three more famous, and usual acceptions of it.

1. Sometimes it is of the same import with faithfulness, Rom. 3.3. shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect? That is, the faithfulness of God. Gods truth to his word, his faithfulness to his promise; so Matth. 23.23. where Christ chargeth the Pharisees for omit­ting the great things of the law Judgment Mercy, and Faith, while they were strict as to little things, but I shall not inlarge on this which I do not take to be any part of the sense of this Text.

2. Faith in Scripture doth very often sig­nify the Doctrine of faith. Thus you read, Acts [Page 18] 6.7. Acts 6.7. a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith: That is, to the Doctrine of the Gospel, the Doctrine of faith. so Rom. 12.6. Rom. 12.6. Let us Prophecy, according to the Proportion of faith, that is, of our knowledge of the Doctrine of faith. I take this to be a great part of the sense of these words; Paul elsewhere speaketh of the Gospel as of a thing committed to his trust, now saith he, I have kept the faith. He had kept his own heart from erring, or warping as to it, and he had kept it so as he had not suffered corruptions as to it to break in, and prevail upon those Churches, which he had planted, or which had been under his watering, he had kept it personally, so that in his own Judg­ment he had not warped from it, and he had kept it ministerially, keeping others in the faith of the Gospel. This was a piece of his good fight and a piece of his course as a Minister. And this must be the business of a Christian, contend­ing earnestly for the faith, Jude 3. which was once delive­red to the Saints.

3. Faith sometimes signifieth the habit, and grace of faith: That power of the Soul by which it either giveth a fixed, and steady assent to the Proposition of the Gospel: or receiveth, committeth it self unto, resteth upon the Person of the Mediator, which in Scripture is called a believing in him, and in his name. Thus the Apostle often useth it, Ro. 5.1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God, and so in a multitude of other texts in holy Writ. This that Christian that hopes for the Crown of righteousness must also keep, he must dye in [Page 19] the faith, not only steadily assenting to the Do­ctrine of the Gospel, but in a steady affiance and recumbency upon the Lord Jesus Christ. This is now the third condition annexed to the ob­taining of the Crown of righteousness. The 4th is a loving of Christs appearing. Here arise two Questions.

• 1. What appearing is here meant?
• 2. What is this to love the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ?

The Orginal word here translated appearing, is [...], it signifieth a bright, and glorious appearance, it is used to express Christs first coming into the world, his manifestation in the flesh,— But is now made manifest by the appear­ing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. 1.10. That first coming of his was attended with a great deal of glory, proclaimed by Angels, ushered in by a Messenger, sent as an harbinger before his face to prepare his way, declared by a new Star conducting the wise men from the east to Hierusalem, and then to Bethlehem, to inquire for him. But the glory of his first appearing was not like the glory which shall attend his second coming, when he shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an Archan­gel and with the trump of God, 1 Thessal. 4.26. with ten thousands of his Saints, Jud. 14. This is by the Apostle called a glorious appearance as, 1 Pet. 1.7. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of our Lord, and Saviour Jesus Christ. Whether his first or second ap­pearing be here meant I doubt. If it be un­derstood of the first, the sense is much the same [Page 20] with that, Rejoicing in Christ Jesus in opposition to an having a confidence in the flesh, mentioned 3 Philip. 3. In this sense the loving his appear­ing, is the loving of him, as God manifested in the flesh, the accepting, and receiving of him, as our Saviour and the Mediator betwixt God and man, a breathing after him, and delight­ing in him: if we understand it of the latter, that appearing of Christ which is yet to come, we shall further open the duty by opening the 2d thing.

2. What this is to love his appearing.

Love is nothing else but a pleasant moti­on of the Soul of man towards an Object, by which discerning some goodness and excel­lency in it, it takes a secret complacency in the meditations, and speculations of it: By desire moves toward it, if it hath not obtained a full fruiti­on, and enjoyment of it, and rejoyceth, and delighteth in it if it have. A love towards the second appearing of Jesus Christ cannot at present discover it self in the imbraces of joy, and delight by which love in a Soul, discovers it self to an object to which it is united, but only. 1. In desires after it while the Soul crieth out, I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ! or rather come Lord Jesus, come quickly. 2. In a joy and delight arising from the certain belief, spe­culation, and contemplation of a thing yet fu­ture. There is a rejoycing of hope as well as of fruition, for hope (especially that hope which is the daughter of that faith which is the evi­dence of things not seen) giveth the Soul an union (though of the lowest degree) with its ob­ject, [Page 21] and so is productive of a proportionable joy. Now my text saith, that for all those who thus fight the good fight, finish their course, keep the faith, and love the appearance of Christ, there is laid up a Crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will in that day give out. In that day; there is another little questi­on what that day is.

1. In the day of death. Paul indeed had been speaking in the verse before of the time of his departure, which he had told us was at hand, and it is certain that at the day of death the Souls of believers do immediately pass into glory but yet this seemeth not to be the day here mentioned.

2. Rather the day of Christs second appearing, Emphatically called that day, because there ne­ver was nor ever will be any day like unto that day, the People of God shall in the day of their departure, be taken into glory, that is, their Souls shall, but their bodies rest in their graves until that day, so as the glory of the Saints before that day, the day of Christs coming to Judgment, shall be imper­fect, but in that day they shall be Crown­ed.

If any man asketh from whence this shall be, the text gives us a double account of it.

1. In saying it shall be given, it is not the price of our combate, but it is the consequent of it from the free grace and gift of God. The gift of God is eternal life, Rom. 6. Fear not little flock (saith our Saviour) it is your Fa­thers will to give you a kingdom. My sheep faith [Page 22] he, hear my voice, and follow me, and I give unto them eternal life. The Lord hath given Christ power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to whomsoever he pleased, Joh. 17.2.

2. The text calls it a Crown of Righteousness, and saith the righteous judge will give it. God in all his acts of grace hath a care to declare his righteousness. In the justification of a sin­ner, he so declareth his grace that he also de­clares his righteousness, Rom. 3.25.26, speak­ing of Christ whom (saith he) God hath set forth to be a propitiation through his blood, to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God: To declare, I say, at this time his Righteousness, that he might be just, and the Justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. So in the glorifying of Souls God will not act only as a gracious God, rich in mercy, communicating his goodness to his creatures, but he will also act as a righteous judge, in his giving out of the Crowns of glory he hath so ordered things that they are also crowns, as of glory, and favour, so of Righteousness. 1. Of Christs Righteousness being the price, and pur­chase, and of the Fathers Righteousness as it is but a just and righteous thing, that he should sa­tisfy the Covenant of Redemption and fulfil the eternal contract made with the Son of his love, and it is also a righteous thing that God should fulfil his promises of life, made to them who believe in him whom God hath sent, and be obedient to his Commandments.

1. The reasonableness and Righteousness [Page 23] of God in giving out of this crown then ap­pears, from Gods designation, Covenant, and pro­mise. The Crown of Righteousness is Christs to give, he hath purchased it, the Father hath given it to his disposal; and he hath so willed, that those who have it should first fight for it, first run the race and course which he hath in his word lined out for them. The promises of the new name, the white stone, the hidden manna are all made unto those who over­come, those who will obtain must run, 1 Cor. 9.24.

2. There is a great relation between a fight, a conquest, and a crown; I observed to you before that the promises of Heaven are made to such as overcome, Rev. 2.17. ch. 3.12. ch. 3.21. Rev. 21.7. There is a relation also betwixt running in a race, and getting of the prize, Gal. 2.2. Gal. 5.7. 1 Cor. 9.24. Again, there is always a relation betwixt the means, and the end. The means in this case must not be natural but instituted, now these are the means which (as I have shewed you) God hath ap­pointed in order to the obtaining of this bles­sed end. But I have spoken enough Doctrinal­ly and shall now come to the application of this discourse.

This (as indeed all other Gospel Proposi­tions) Use. 1 leads us to the consideration of the transcen­dent Love of God, to poor Creatures. 1. In provi­ding for us a Crown. 2. Making it a Crown of Righteousness. 3. Laying it up for us. 4. Giving it to us.

1. In his providing for us a Crown. God in [Page 24] Scripture is said to have prepared for us Man­sions, Rest, a better Country, a more induring Sub­stance, but this is not all, he hath also prepared for us a Crown. If those who are tickled with honour, and so inamoured with dignity, and preferment, as some men are, that they will go over hedge, and ditch, go through thick, and thin for it, had but faith as a grain of mu­stard seed to believe this notion of Heaven, the Kingdom of Heaven would again suffer vio­lence, 1 Joh. 2.27. and the violent would storm it. The head of the meanest Saint in the day of Judgment, will be a Crowned Head. They have an anointing now, they will be crowned then, when they dye they shall enter into rest, but in the Resurrection they shall be crown­ed. O the Love of God to the Sons & Daugh­ters of men! There is love in the providing a reward, so high, so great, so full a reward, and there is love in the proposing of this re­ward under this notion, as a bait to allure us who are tickled with honour, and prone to seek great things for our selves, to invite us first to seek the Kingdom of God, and the Righ­teousness thereof. Who would labour for dust, and pebles, when he may labour for pearls, and those of great price? Who would sweat for a peny when he may for a little sweat­ing have a crown? How should this notion of our future blessed state, send us all home this day with David, to sit down in our houses before the Lord and say, 2 Sam. 7.18. Who are we O Lord God, that thou hast brought us hitherto? And this was yet a small thing. 1 John 2.2. Beloved! (saith the [Page 25] Apostle) now we are the Sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be. In this day the Saints are called with an holy calling, they are justified, adopted, in that day they shall be crowned, that the Lord should not only speak of a reward for us, but of a Crown, such, so great, so noble a reward; nor is it an earthly Crown which is clogged with care, incumbred with thorns, but a Crown of life, a Crown of glory. Surely a less thing then a Crown might have been enough for the worms of the earth, for all the homage they do or can pay, all the duty they do or can do, for all they can suffer for Christ. This God must give as a King, the reward is too great for us to conceive, too great for us to receive, only it is not too great for God to give, which of us can think any more of merit when he hear­eth the reward of Heaven called a Crown? The notion of a Crown sets it above the Pro­portion of merit.

2. That the Lord should not only provide a Crown for us, but also make it a Crown of Righteousness, thereby giving us the greatest security imaginable for our receiving of it. Had it been only a Crown of grace and favour we might have doubted concerning it, whe­ther it should have been ours or no. But it being a Crown of Righteousness we cannot doubt our one day wearing of it without call­ing the truth, and Righteousness of God in question.

3. It is a Crown laid up, prepared for us, saith our Saviour, Math. 25. Laid up for us (saith [Page 26] our Apostle) a Crown not in our own keeping, laid up in the inalterable Counsels of God, laid up in the promises of the Gospel, laid up in the hands of Christ. Gods People are kept by faith through the power of God for this Crown, and the Crown is in safe keeping for them, John 10.27, 28. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. God hath blessed them and they shall be blessed.

4. And lastly to put us out of all doubt by reason of the disproportion of our works, when we have done our most to this reward it is said, The righteous judge shall give it. Af­ter all our fighting the good fight, running the race, keeping the faith, there is yet a room for a gift in the disposal of this Crown to the Saints; where there is no purchase nor any natural claim, what can give us a title to Hea­ven save only gift and Righteousness? If it be righteous for God to give it, because Christ hath purchased, and God hath promised, yet God was free as to the promise, and free in gi­ving to us the purchase of another. It is a Crown of gift, free gift, though at the same time also it is but a Crown of Righteousness upon other considerations.

Use 2 Secondly, this discourse will inform us, How vain the expectations of this Crown of Righteousness a great many nourish, nothing more discovereth a mans weakness, then vain, and ungrounded hopes, and expectations, building castles in the air (as we say) yet [Page 27] admitting the truth of the latter Proposition that the Crown of Righteousness shall be given to none but such as fight the good fight, such as finish their course, as keep the faith, as love the appearance of Christ; How vain must the hopes of the greatest number of expectants of this nature be? Would the generality of men and women in our Parishes admit us to come so near them, as to ask them, sufficiently posses­sed of this that they must dye, what they think will become of their Souls at death? And of their bodies & souls in the resurrection from the dead. Their reasonable nature will not suf­fer them to think of an annihilation in death; they cannot think that their souls melt into air, & abhor the thoughts of an eternal misery, so as certainly their answer would be, We hope to be saved, we hope for a Crown of glory, of life, and immortality, which God will give us; but can a rush grow up without mire? Or a flag without water, saith Job? He is a righteous judge, that giveth out this Crown, and the Crown it self must be a Crown of Righteousness as well as a Crown of life, glory and immortality. It is given out as a Crown of Christs Righteousness to those who are clothed with it; what is this to Souls out of Christ? To Souls that have not be­lieved, that so his Righteousness might be im­puted to them for Righteousness, to those who are not by faith united to Christ? Ad­mit it to be the Crown that is the free reward of mans Righteousness, his holy, and pure and sincere, though not perfect conversation, what claim can they lay to it, that live im­pure, [Page 28] unholy, filthy and unrighteous conver­sations? How shall the Crown (which is the Crown of Righteousness) be given to him that is unrighteous? Admit it to be the Crown of Gods Righteousness (that is, his faithfulness to his word, and promise) how shall it be given to those, to whom God hath in his whole book not made so much as one promise of any such thing, nay against whom he hath de­nounced many threatnings as to the contrary (as to the fulfilling of which his truth is as much concerned as it is as to his promises? He hath promised it, and his word is a sure word, he cannot as to it lie, he cannot repent, but this promise is to those that fight the good fight, that finish their course, that keep the faith, &c.

Ah how many are there that fight indeed, but is it the good fight? They are fighters against God, opposers of his interest, they would (if possible) root the very name of of God, and profession of Godliness out of the world. They have such an antipathy to piety, that (as they say of the Basilisk) it hath such an emnity to man that it will fly upon his picture: so they have such an enmity to Christ, and holiness that they fly upon any Persons, or things who have any thing of Christs Image and Superscription upon them: others are fighters, great disturbers of humane societies with their quarrels. But now for the good fight which is to be managed against our passi­ons & exorbitant affections, and all the motions of the Soul, that are contrary to the will of God, how few of those are to be found that fight [Page 29] this fight? How few are those that will ma­nage an opposition for the glory of God against the temptations of the world? How few are there that can glory in this, that they have finished either their more general course as Christians, or more particular Course as Christians under such or such circumstances. How full is the world of those who have yet their first step to take in the way of Gods Commandments, their life is a meer walking in the counsels, and Imaginations of their own hearts, a meer gratification of their sensitive appetite, not only as moving contrary to the law of Christ, but to the very law of reason? Living beneath the better sort of heathens. How many more, whose only business is to heap up gold as dust, and silver as thick clay, but the way of Religion and holiness they have not known? How few are there that mind the duties of their particular relati­on, but as they use their own Souls as if they were the meer condiment of their bodies, so they behave themselves to their Wives, Hus­bands, and Children, as if they had no trust of their Souls committed to them. How many that have lost the faith first delivered to the Saints, and are fallen into per­nicious and damnable heresies, making Ship­wrack both of faith, and a good conscience? Can these men possibly love the appearan [...]e of Jesus Christ?

But leaving others, let us take the advan­tage Use. 3 of this discourse to enter into our own Souls and to commune with our own hearts, [Page 30] inquiring whether we be such Persons as when we shall be ready to dye, & shall by any Providence of God be made apprehensive that the time of our departure is at hand, shall be able to say that henceforth there is laid up for us a Crown of Righteousness, which the righte­ous Judge shall in that day give out to all such, as love the appearance of our Lord, and Saviour Je­sus Christ. To satisfy us as to these things, we have heard in the explication of this text that we have several things to inquire upon, they may be reduced to six or seven heads.

1. What opposition we have made to the car­nal desires and motions of our own hearts contrary to the revealed will of God. You shall observe, that a sinful walking in holy Writ is very or­dinarily expressed by a walking according to the counsels, and imaginations of our own hearts; so contrary are the natural desires, counsels, and imaginations of the heart of man to the revealed will of God, there is no surer sign of a wicked man, then for him to walk after his own imaginations or for him (to use Jobs expression) to suffer his heart to walk after his Eyes. Hence self-denial is by our Saviour made the condition, and character, of being one of his disciples, and we are often in Scripture Commanded to mortify our members, and the deeds of our bodies. This kind of conversation, which lyeth in the gratifying of our sensitive appetites, is the broad way, in which many walk, but it is the high way to eternal de­struction.

2. What opposition we have made to the world, ei­ther [Page 31] the men of the world, or the things of it, attemp­ing either to frown, or flatter us out of the duty which we owe unto God. He who is at the worlds beck cannot be at the Command of Christ. If we be the Servants of men we cannot be the Servants of God. As Christ pleased not himself, so neither did he please the men of the age wherein he lived in their oppositions to the will of his Father. It is most certain that the generality of the men of the world love no Child of God as such, they are two different seeds betwixt which there ever was, and ever will be an emnity. If they take us by the chin, and kiss us, it is but that they may have the better opportunity to smite us under the fifth rib. The truth is their open war is better than their dissembled amity, but that also requires in us wisdom, when to oppose so as not to suffer as evil doers, and courage and resolution that we may be able to stand.

3. How we walk as to our more general con­versation. It is certainly a true saying, grande est Christianum esse, non dici. It is a great thing, not to be called, but to be a Christian, and in Christianity, Tantum es, quantum agis, a man is just so much as he acteth in an uniform obedience, having a regard to all the Com­mandments of God. He that wilfully break­eth any of Gods Commadments is guilty of all, for there is the same reverence due to God as to one Precept as unto another. We have also further to enquire,

4. How we discharge the duties of our particu­lar [Page 32] Relations. Not only how we run that race, which we have to run in Common with others, but that particular course which God hath set us, how we have managed our du­ties as parents, Children, Husbands, Wives, Masters, Servants, Magistrates or Subjects, Ministers or People, &c.

5. What steadiness wee keep as to the faith once delivered to the Saints, It is true every warp­ing in opinion from the truth is not damna­ble, but we must take heed of warping in such points as a warping in is inconsistent with the exercise of repentance and faith. I will not undertake punctually to determine what things are to be believed upon pain of damna­tion, but I am sure every one that doth not repent and believe in, or close with the Lord Jesus Christ is in an ill condition, and from thence it follows, that such opinions drank in, as hinder the exercise of repentance or faith, must needs be pernicious unto Souls.

6. What particular faith and dependance we keep up in God, and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are so full of texts giving testimo­ny to the necessity of faith in Christ in order to eternal salvation, that I need not instance in many, see John 3.18, 36. the Scripture saith expresly, that he that believeth not shall be damned, God hath made an inseparable con­nexion betwixt faith in the Mediator, in him whom God hath sent, and eternal life and sal­vation; this indeed cannot be without obedi­ence, but faith and obedience are two things, and must neither be separated, nor confound­ed.

[Page 33]7. Lastly, What love have we to the appea­rance of our Lord Jesus Christ? How Christs se­cond appearance is the object of our love, and wherein our love to it is discernable, I have already opened.

Fourthly, This notion affords a great deal Use 4 of consolation to every good Christian, and that in two cases.

1. Concerning all the labours, & difficulties, & pres­sures of this life. The good Christian you have described in the text. He is one who fighteth the good fight, who not only runneth but finisheth his course, who not only receiveth but keeps the faith, &c. The labours of such persons, their difficulties, their pressures are usually not a few, not light, but yet they are not such but a Crown, a Crown of life, and glory, will compensate. Let them therefore keep their Eye upon the recompense of reward, Jacobs pro­spect of a Rachel made his fourteen years hard service seem to him but as a few days. What should the prospect of this mighty reward, this glorious crown do? The Apostle hav­ing his thoughts upon the exceeding weight of glory, calls the afflictions of this life light and momentany. Let this crown promised in the text alleviate all our troubles, if we suffer from God, or for God, how little must it be to him that considers he shall also be glorify­ed with Christ?

Secondly, It relieveth us against all our doubts, and fears, about our eternal state, the promise is made to, pious affections and actions, not to Spiritual enjoyments; a man may love both the [Page 34] first, and second appearance of Christ, he may fight the good fight, finish his course, keep the faith, and yet walk in the dark and see no light, but be troubled with his own dark, and melan­cholick thoughts, molested with Satans temp­tations, want the witnessings of the Spirit with his Spirit. The promise is not made to those who here enjoy much of God, but to those who love God, to those, who do, and suffer much for God. We have therefore to uphold our hopes nothing to inquire upon, but the faithful discharge of our duty, and then to believe that he is faithful who hath promised.

Use 5 Fifthly, Let this ingage us all to the duty of the text. Let others be ingaged in the bad fights of the world, let them if they will be found fighters against God, against his truths, ways, ordinances, people, his interest and whole concern in the world, let others be finishing their courses of sin and wickedness till their sins being finished shall bring forth death. Let others be ingaged in the feuds, and quarrels of the world. This Sirs is not your fight, this is not the good fight, this is not your course, it is not that for which God sent you into the world for, not the work which he hath given you to do, let others who have begun well in all appearance, be weary, & faint, & turn back with the dog to the vomit, & the swine to the wallowing again in the mire, remember you that God hath promised you shall reap if you faint not.

1. Let me speak first to such as are stran­gers to God, and hold up this Crown (this [Page 35] glorious Crown) to reasonable Souls, while I sound a retreat to them from that bad fight wherein they are ingaged, did ever any man fight against God and prosper? How happy might you be if you would be persuaded to understand your true enemies, and to ingage against the world, the flesh and the Devil, if you that are fighting for your lusts, and for the Devil, would turn and fight against those lusts which war against the Soul; will all the victo­ries which you can get over the people and and interest of God in the world, or over your Brethren, bring you to this Crown of Righteousness? Will your eager pursuit of the world, and out running of others in world­ly business and concerns (think you) bring you to it? If not, cease that race, and turn in­to the right path as of Gods Commandments, run that race the winning of which will bring you to this prize, why should you spend your strength for nought, and your time for that which will not profit you in your latter end?

2. Let what you have heard ingage you who have begun well to go on. If the Righteous man for­sake his Righteousness, & Commit iniquity his righte­ousness shall never be remembred, but he shall dye in the iniquity which he hath committed. O let not your hands be weary with holding up the Spiritual weapons, nor your feet be weary of running the spiritual race, & do not forget your particular course; you can hardly be good Christians if you in some tolerable measure answer not the duties of your particular Relation. God hath set all of us in some particular Relation [Page 36] or other, scarce any amongst us but have more then the charge of our own Souls upon us, some of us are set in Conjugal Relations, some in Parental Relations, some in a Despotick Relation as Governours of Servants. O let us be all able to say, As to these we have finished our course, we have done the work which (as to them) God hath given us to do, we shall find it an hard matter cheerfully to look up­on the day of our departure as at hand, or to love, or cheerfully think upon the appear­ance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, till this be done.

Use 6. In the last place, This notion affords us a great deal of Consolation to those who are mourners for their near and dearest Relations; and are not mourners without hope; I must confess there are some mourners, to whom some­thing may be said to satisfy them, from the Revelation of the good, and irresistible will of God, and such other Topicks, but little to comfort them concerning those that are gone. But if any have lost an Husband, a Wife, a Parent, a Child, a Friend of whom they can judge that while they were alive, They fought the good fight, and finished their course, and kept the faith, and loved the appearance of our blessed Lord. We have no reason to mourn, there is a Crown of Righteousness, which the Righteous Lord hath in part already set upon their heads (their Souls are in Abrahams Bosom) and with which he will further incompass their heads, dignify both their Souls and Bodies in that day, that glorious day, in the ex­pectation [Page 37] of which we live, when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and this leadeth me to a more particular discourse for the end, for which I have this day turned out of the common road of my discourse to take notice of Gods Providence to us in ta­king from us a Servant of his in the great work of the Gospel: Who hath left a Wi­dow without an Husband, a Child without a Parent, alas! that I cannot also say a particu­lar flock without a Pastor, but the whole flock of Christ I can say he hath left depri­ved of one labourer more, and that in a time, when the Harvest truly is great, and the la­bourers too too few. But it is no part of love for our own good to envy the more exceed­ing good, & happiness of our friends, & our sorrow for him as a publick loss, is much alle­viated, by that useless condition (as to pub­lick service) into which the wisdom of the Divine Providence had brought him for some years, before it pleased God to take him to himself.

His conversation from his youth was bet­ter known to many of you then to my self, he being born, and bred up amongst you, I shall limit my discourse concerning him by my Text, having nothing in further design then to shew you, that we who believe that there is a Crown of Righteousness laid up for some, which the Righteous Judge will one day give out to all such as love his appearance, have no reason for any dissatisfaction at this dispensa­tion of Divine Providence, because we have [Page 38] reason to hope that he was one of those who fought the good fight, who finished his course, who kept the faith, who loved the appearance of our Lord Jesus.

1. For fighting the good fight: It respecteth the World, the Flesh, or the Devil; as to the World, there was none who knew him, who can accuse him of any pursuit of it, none who saw not his neglect of it, he con­tented himself with a competency of it, and could not be tempted to mend his commons in it, by a compliance in any thing which he judged sinful, he was no man of pleasure, none of those who sought great things for himself. He did not neglect the work of the Ministry while he had a liberty to exercise it, and withal to exercise (what he judged) a good conscience, but when he saw he could not do that, the profits of such service was no temptation to him, he rather chose to live upon the little God had given him, and occasionally to preach the Gospel where he had an opportunity offered for near twenty years before God took him from us (though indeed for 5 or 6 of those years) he was not fit for any publick service of that nature. The good fight with the flesh is a more secret com­bate, of which we can make no judgment, but from a mortified conversation to sensible satisfactions, as to which I need say nothing to you, you know how he walked in, and out before you, dying daily to the contentments of this life, and bringing his body under, and keeping it in subjection. But it was his [Page 39] managery of this good fight with the Grand Adversary that was to us (to me at least) the most perspicuous, and as to which I was the most competent witness, in regard of my fre­quent converse with him. It was in the year 1673. (if I remember right) when it plea­sed God to take from him his only Son, a Child in which he much delighted, and whose life (probably by giving him some diversi­on) kept him from those depths of Melan­choly, into which he soon after fell, and c [...]n­tinued to his dying day, though under some different circumstances. It were infinite to recount all his doubts and fears, some respect­ing his Spiritual and Eternal State: Some, with reference to the Actions of his life, so as there was not the most lawful action of his life, which he was not at one time, or other questi­oning the lawfulness of. He had the assist­ance of Divines, whose success with him, was but what is usual in those cases, they could easily silence him, and answer the Ob­jections he made against himself, and give him a little relief at present, but his trouble­some thoughts would return again, and re­new upon him; yet we observed God bles­sing our indeavours so far, as to drive the Ene­my from one Post to another. But still there came on new supply from those Principalities, with which he was ingaged, and this con­tinued so long, that his life grew a burden to him, and he seemed weary of it, not desi­rous to live alwaies, when in living he did not live. His Adversary brought forth all [Page 40] those usual fiery Darts, which he commonly throweth at persons under his circumstances. Temptations to Blasphemous thoughts, Despair, Self-Murder; as to the first and second, it so far pleased God to bless our Brotherly assistan­ces to him, advantaged by his own knowledge of the things of God, and acquaintance with the Covenant of Grace, (which he was obser­ved almost always to make the subject of his Sermons in later years) that he was not ma­ny months in those combates; but under the latter he laboured some years, indeed so long, as in the whole course of my Minist­ry, I never knew any who was infested with those Temptations, but was overthrown by them (if they continued) in much shorter times. He hath often affrighted his nearest Relation, and my self, with telling us. He must put an end to his days, he was not able to bear the impetus of the Temptation. Both my self and others would speak what we judged proper in the cause, and for a time were successful to divert him, but the Tempter came on again, and that with that violence as I scarce ever knew, I learned in my daily converse with this good man, the great advantage which true faith in any gives a Minister of the Gos­pel in such an hour of temptation: over what he hath towards one who hath no such root of Grace. In my discourses with him, I u­sed a much different method from what o­thers would have thought proper in the case, and in the midst of these Paroxysms, commonly made the eternal misery of damned [Page 41] Souls, and the desperate state of persons dying in the commission of known sins the subjects of my dis­course; Knowing that if God would bless my discourses, to revive his faith in such Revela­tions of Holy Writ, I should countermine his adversary, whose design was to blow up his Soul, by the hopes of a freedom from a tem­porary affliction and misery. In the mean time, many prayers were put up to God for him, many were made to God with him, and himself (if out of his bed) was almost al­ways alone upon his knees, such was his con­dition, that his friends durst not have trusted him the twentieth part of that time alone, but they knew he was not alone while he was with God, and they found that he was safe, because in his company. After the spending of some years in this degree of deep affliction, it pleased God in a great de­gree to rebuke the Tempter, that although his bodily distemper yet continued, and by this time it had bred more, yet his mind was much more free from these desperate Temp­tations, and impetuous assaults, that if at all any thing of them returned at any time, yet they were not a continual dropping upon his Soul; thus he fought the good fight, and indeed in this piece of it was more a Conquerour then I ever knew any who was so long inga­ged in it, and at last died the ordinary death of men, quietly in his Bed, surrendring his Soul into the hands of him that gave it.

2 For the finishing of his course; how he walked in, and out before you, I need not [Page 42] tell you, you knew the man, and observed his conversation. For the duties of his Re­lation, as a Minister, while he had a publick li­berty, he was no indiligent Preacher; when he was restrained as to that, you were also some witnesses of his readiness to that work. For his Domestick Relations, let his Widow rise up and call him blessed, let his Daughter praise him. He spent no small proportion of time in opening Scripture, and praying with his Family, and other exercises of Re­ligion proper to a Family. He rather erred by excess, then by a defect in those exercises.

3. As to his keeping the faith. As he was known to all that conversed with him to be sound in the Doctrine of faith. So two things spake the exercise of the habit of that Grace in him.

1. He was much in prayer. It was almost his whole work, for some years before he died, he did little else but read and pray. When he could no longer Pray himself, he would continually be solliciting others to the perfor­mance of it, and when he hardly regarded either Wife or Child coming to him, yet he was so regardful of this, that he missed Pray­er, if at any time any of us had come to him, and gone away, having not prayed with him.

2. Much holiness speaketh faith. His scru­pulosity in his actions, lest he should by any of them sin against God, was such as indeed was a great part of his Affliction. Indeed the latter part of his life being very Melan­cholick, [Page 43] and that disposing him to too many fears, and God having for some weeks before he died, allowed him but a very incertain use of his reason, and much deprived him also of a liberty of speech, we had not that lightsome evidence of his desire to be dissol­ved, which we might have expected from such a conversation. But his quiet bearing Gods severe hand upon him, his free submis­sion to his will without any murmuring, or repining, added to the former spending of his life in a constant preparation for death, may satisfy us, that he was one who loved the appea­rance of our Lord Jesus. Now I say, if we have a sufficient evidence to hope, that he was indeed one who fought the good fight, who had finished his course, who kept the faith, and who loved the appearance of our Lord Jesus; what reason have we to mourn? Nay, if we consider what a man of griefs and sorrows he was in his latter time, what an ill habit of body he had contracted, what a variety of diseases he was incumbred with, and how improbable it was that by the use of any art, his body should be recovered to a state of comfort to himself, or usefulness to others. We have great cause to rejoice in hope. That he is crowned with that Crown of Righ­teousness, which the Righteous God hath pre­pared, laid up, and will give out to those who love his appearance.

In ordinary cases where there is no cause of sorrow from a reflection upon the eter­nal state of the deceased, yet there may be [Page 44] some cause of sorrow upon the account of the Churches loss; and never was there a greater cause of mourning for Godly Ministers, then at this day. We have cause upon all such losses, to cry out, as Psal. 12.1. Help Lord! for the Godly man ceaseth, and the faithful fail from the children of men: But in the present case we have not that cause. God by his Pro­vidence had made him dead to us, before he died, and except in a miraculous way, we could not reasonably have expected a Resur­rection, (a recovery I mean to any degree of usefulness.)

So then if there remaineth no cause of mourning, either from the consideration of our friends eternal state, or our own loss. What remains but that we should lay our hands upon our mouths, or if we will open them, bless God who hath granted us to see him (after so long a scuffle with the great Ene­my of Mankind) depart in peace; that he might see the Lords Salvation, and be ever with the Lord, as the Apostle expresseth the state of those that sleep in Jesus in another life. I shall conclude, as the Apostle doth that Chapter, wherefore comfort yourselves with these words.

SERMON V. VI, VII, VIII.

MY Text you see is in the Epistle of Paul to Timothy, the second Epistle that he wrote to him. Who this Timothy was, the Scripture abundantly telleth us, the name sig­nifieth one that feareth God; it was the usual course of Parents in those days to give their Children names, that might either express their sense of the mercy that God had given them, as Samuel [begged of God] Reuben [see a Son,] Simeon [hearing] Levi [joi­ned] Judah [praise;] or such as might ex­press the Childrens duty to God; such was this name Timothy; some think Timothy was born at Lystra, a place in Asia; there Paul found him, Acts 16.1.2. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra; and behold a certain Disci­ple [Page 80] was there, named Timotheus, the Son of a certain Woman, which was a Jewess, and belie­ved; but his Father was a Greek. Which was well reported of by the Brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. chap. 14.6. They were aw [...]re of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, Cities of Lycaonia—His Father was a Greek, his Mother was a Jew, Acts 16.1. Her name was Eunice, her Mother Lois, they brought him up from a Child in the knowledge of the Scriptures, 2 Tim. 1.5. When I call to mind the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois, and thy Mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also, chap. 3.41, 15. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise un­to Salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus. His Father being a Greek, he was not circumcised at his birth, but afterwards, Acts 16.1, 2, 3. After which, Paul took him about with him in his Travels, and made great use of him; sometimes he was sent as a Messenger, 1 Tim. 5.11. Sometimes as a Preacher, and he had many bodily weaknesses, so as he was glad to drink a little wine for his stomach sake, but he abounded with excellent graces, faith, wisdom, temperance, he was at last ordained a Minister with the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery, 2 Tim. 1.6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee, by the putting on of my [Page 81] hands, the Apostle telleth us he had none like minded to him, Phil. 2.19.20, 21, 22. But I trust in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothe­us shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. V. 20. For I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, V. 21. not the things which are Jesus Christs. V. 22. But you know the proof of him, that as a Son with the Father, he hath served with me in the Gospel; he calls him his Brother, his Beloved Son, faithful in the Lord, his natural Son in the faith, the Minister of God, his fellow helper, he joineth him with him­self. At last he leaveth him at Ephesus, but he seemeth not to have been there when he wrote this Epistle, 2 Tim. 4.12. And Tychi­cus have I sent to Ephesus. This Epistle see­meth to have been written the last of the E­pistles, and a little before Pauls death, 2 Tim. 4.6. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. Paul died (as is said) in the 37th year after Christ, in the 14th year of the reign of Nero.

This Epistle, as the rest, consisteth of a Pre­face, wherein is shewed the substance of the Gospel, the Preface is in the five first verses.

The substance of the Epistle is hortatory, consolatory, and minatory; he exhorteth Timo­thy, v. 6. To stir up the gift of God that was in him— and this he presseth by some argu­ments. v. 6.7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind; in the verse where the text is, he exhorteth him, not to be ashamed of the testi­mony [Page 82] of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor of him, though a prisoner, but be thou partaker of the af­flictions of the Gospel, which he presseth by se­veral arguments, to the end of the 12th verse.

This verse is made up of an Exhortation, and the Argument, the Exhortation is in three branches.

1. Not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord Jesus.

2. Not to be ashamed of St. Paul, who was at this time a prisoner.

3. To partake of the afflictions of the Gospel; the Propositions of the text are these.

Prop. 1. That Ministers and Christians have a testimony to give unto our Lord Jesus Christ, in the giving of which, they are not to de­cline a Prison.

Prop. 2. That it is the duty of faithful Mi­nisters and People not to be ashamed to give this testimony, nor of others when they do give it.

Prop. 3. There are Afflictions that are pro­per to the Gospel.

Prop. 4. That both Ministers and People ought to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gos­pel.

Prop. 5. It must be through the power of God, that any one is inabled to partake of the afflictions of the Gospel. According to the power of God. It is the third of these only that I intend to make the subject of my discourse, the others will fall in in the handling of that.

Prop. That it is the duty both of Gospel Mi­nisters, and Christians owning the Gospel, not to [Page 83] be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus Christ, nor of the afflictions of the Gospel, but to be parta­kers of them.

In the handling of this Proposition there are these Questions, which I shall speak unto in their order.

Qu. 1. What is meant by the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Qu. 2. What afflictions are they, which are said to be the afflictions of the Gospel?

Qu, 3. When may men be said to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord, and how far are we bound not to be so?

Qu. 4. Why are we bound not to be ashamed of the testimony of Christ, and why ought we not to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel?

Qu. 1. What is meant by the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ?

A Testimony is an attestation which any one giveth concerning any person, or concerning any thing; In every testimony there is to be considered three things.

1. The Person, who giveth the Testimony.

2. The Thing, to which the Testimony is given.

3. The Way, by which the Testimony is given. As to the present Testimony of which we are speaking, the Persons that give it, are the Ministers of the Gospel, such a one was Timothy, but they are not all so, Rev. 6.9. St. John saith, — I saw under the Altar, the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held; eve­ry [Page 84] Minister is a special witness, and to bear his Testimony, and every good Christian is also to be a witness. It is said of Christ, 1 Tim. 6.13. — who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; every Christi­an ought in this to be conformable unto Christ.

2. Another thing which is to be conside­red in a Testimony, is the thing or person to which it relateth, for the term Testimony is a Relative word, and the proper Correlate to it is Truth, which relates again either to a Propo­sition, or to a matter of fact; no person can be under any obligation to give Testimony to a lie, but now truth relateth either to a Propo­sition, or to a fact; every man is a debtor to the truth, and is bound as a man to bear Testimony. Christ telleth Pilate, John 18.37. — to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth— but when I speak of the testimo­ny that every good Christian is bound to give, I understand it not thus largely; for though it be that every good man is under an obli­gation to testifie the truth in any cause, yet the Ministers of the Gospel, and every good Christian is under a more special obligation to give testimony to some truths, and these are the truths of the Gospel, the truths that relate to Jesus Christ; this is that the text calleth, the Testimony of our Lord, which may be taken in a double sense.

[Page 85]1. Either for that Testimony which our Lord bare of himself.

2. Or the Testimony which every good Chri­stian is bound to give to the truths of the Gospel. Christ bare a Testimony of himself; he testified that he was the son of God, that he was the King of Zion, that he was the true Messiah; but I understand it yet larger; eve­ry Minister of the Gospel, and every good Christian is obliged to bear a Testimony to the great truths of the Gospel, which relate to Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Saviour; there is a Testimony which he ought to bear to those Propositions of truth, and to those matters of fact, which the Gospel containeth and relateth concerning Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world.

3. The third thing which is considerable in a Testimony, is the way of giving it; the proper giving a Testimony, is by the words of our mouth; either with an oath, or without an oath; it is one thing for a man to believe a Proposition, and another thing for him to give Testimony to a Proposition; he believeth a Proposition, that hearing it, doth in heart con­sent and agree to it, that the Predicate is well fitted to the Subject, whether he speaketh a word, yea, or no; but he testifieth, that with his words owneth and declareth his faith, Rom. 10.10. For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation. It is not enough for a Christian secretly in his heart to agree to the truths of the Gospel, but he is bound to give [Page 86] a Testimony; If thou shalt therefore confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and shalt be­lieve in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. You may ob­serve, there are two things made necessary to to Salvation.

1. A heart believing the Proposition of the Gospel.

2. An external confession or profession.

There is a double confession, a Christians duty.

1. A confession of sin.

2. A confession of truth.

Either confession is an open acknowledg­ment with our lips, thus you read in Scripture frequently of confessing of Christ, only it may be there is this difference betwixt a Testimony and confession; any open, asser­ting, vindicating, and defending Christ and his Gospel, is giving a Testimony, but when it is done in the face of Enemies, in despight of opposition, this is confession, Matth. 10.32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven, Luke 12.8. — whosoever shall con­fess me before men— thus, John 12.42. Many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him. So that the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ signifieth, that open acknowledgment of Christ, and profession of the truths of the Gospel, relating to Christ, which is the duty of every good Christian.

Qu. 2. What is here meant by the afflictions of the Gospel.

The Original doth something differ, [...], suffer thou evils toge­ther with the Gospel; where the Gospel is brought in as if it were a Person by a figure; a Person that is subject to evils. Timothy is exhorted to suffer evil with the Gospel; this leads me to the consideration what those af­flictions are, what those evils are to which the Gospel is subjected; there are several e­vils to which the Gospel is subjected, or ra­ther evils from three sorts of persons.

1. From the true Professors of it; such as own Christ in truth and sincerity.

2. From the false and seeming Professors of it.

3. From the professed enemies of it.

The afflictions of the Gospel are the af­flictions which men are subjected to, from their owning and professing of the Gospel, and these I say are from 3 sorts of Persons.

1. From such as are the true and sincere pro­fessors of it, they may bite and devour one a­nother, and be thorns and goads in one ano­thers sides. These commonly are so from one of these two heads.

1. From an overheated zeal for the maintain­ing of different apprehensions in some matters of truth.

2. From such corruptions as do attend Gods people, considered as men, made up of flesh and blood.

1. From an immoderate zeal for the maintain­ing [Page 88] of different apprehensions in some matters of truth; truth is an uniform thing, and is but one; two contradictory Propositions cannot be true; but since the fall of man none have the same apprehensions, there are different apprehensions concerning truth; it is true, we have the promise of the Spirit of truth to guide us, and to lead us into all truth; but the sense of the promise must not be extended so far, that because all Christians have the spirit of God, therefore they shall all be gui­ded, that they shall not have misapprehensi­ons in a Proposition of truth, they shall be guided into all necessary truth, they shall not miscarry in any apprehension of truth, upon which the salvation of their Souls depend; but they may be mistaken as to a multitude of particular Propositions, one may judge one thing, and another another thing, yet they all hold the foundation the fundamental truths of the Gospel; but they may have very diffe­rent apprehensions as to some particular truths: now through an over-weaning opini­on of our own apprehensions, there are very great differences, and also hard censurings and condemnings of one another, and these are great afflictions, but such as have attended the Gospel from the very beginning; they were such different apprehensions that caused the first Christian Synod. Acts 15.1, Some came and taught the necessity of circumcision— such differences there were, Rom. 14.2. For one be­lieveth he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs; hence they judged, despised, con­demned [Page 89] and censured one another, and the Apostle persuadeth to a friendly carriage one towards another, a mutual forbearance one of another, in these different apprehensions in matters of truth of a lighter nature; mens immoderate zeal for their own opinions, have in all times begot great heats, and have caused great afflictions to the Ministers of the Gospel, and to the Professors of it, and have been a great root of bitterness amongst Gods own people, we have seen enough of it in the age, and in this part of the Church, where­in the Lord hath cast our lot.

2. Another root of this bitterness hath been, Those passions that the best of men have been subject to. Elijah was a great man of God, yet, Jam 5.17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are— and the Apostle writing to the Corinthians, telleth them, 1 Cor. 3.3. — Whereas there is among you envying and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal? the Apostle telleth us, Jam. 4.5. — that the Spirit that is in us lusteth to envy. Envy is a peevish passion, it maketh us to repine at the good of another, and though it ought to be rooted out of the heart of Gods people, and is in a great mea­sure, yet something of it remaineth, and it is very often seen, that when some Ministers of the Gospel excel others in Parts, or in Grace, or private Christians so exceed; through this lust of envy which is in the hearts of others, they are exposed to censures, and to be evil spoken of, others grudging at them; which are all fruits of the old man which are in us, [Page 90] strife, and contention, Acts 15.39. And the contention was so sharp betwixt them, that they departed asunder, one from the other, the diffe­rence betwixt Paul and Barnabas was so ve­ry small, that it was onely whether they should carry John with them, yea, or no, but it wax­ed so hot, that Paul and Barnabas upon it left one another, Paul went one way, and Barna­bas went another way, these are some of the afflictions of the Gospel, not caused by the Gospel, but incident to them who promote the Gospel.

2. But a second sort of men that raise up afflictions to the Ministers and Professors of the Gospel, are false Brethren; men who have received the truth, but not in the love of it, who from some lusts would pervert the Gos­pel of Christ, and become great enemies to the sincere Professors of it, and that chiefly two ways.

1. By broaching and publishing some Doctrines that are contrary to the truths of the Gospel, the Apostle experienced some of these in the first beginning of the Gospel; no sooner was the Gospel preached in Galatia, but there a­rose some that troubled them, and would per­vert the Doctrine of Christ; upon this account it is, that the Apostle to the Philippians calleth the Jews those of the concision, St. John tel­leth you of many Antichrists that arose in his time, so as you read something of this in al­most every Epistle of the Apostles, these things have constantly given a great deal of trouble to the faithful Ministers of the Gos­pel, [Page 91] and also them who have been the sin­cere Professors of it.

2. By aspersing the faithful Ministers and Professors of the Gospel, to lessen their repu­tation, and make them odious unto people, sometimes affixing crimes to them that they never designed in their hearts, sometimes by aspersing them as weak & unlearned men; you shall see this was a great art they used against St. Paul, as you will observe by reading over the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, and his Epistles to the Corinthians, this maketh him speak so much in his own defence, and in the commendation and magnifying of his Office, nay, they speak of him as if he were a reprobate, they sought a proof of Christ in him, 2 Cor. 13.3. which caused him to say, Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak— & v. 4. — for we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God; he saith, v. 6. But I trust you shall know we are not reprobates. v. 7. — I pray to God that you do no evil— but that you should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. These are a sort and kind of af­flictions which the Gospel of Christ hath al­ways met with in the true Professors of it; now the root of this is nothing but wrath, and malice, and envy, lust liveth and reigneth in the hearts of such, who though they have made a profession of the truth, yet they ne­ver received it in the love of it.

3. The afflictions of the Gospel are those afflictions which are brought upon the faithful [Page 92] Ministers and Professors of the Gospel for their Profession, from the open and professed enemies of it; now these are to be considered in their kinds, and in their causes; In their kinds; In short, they are all sorts of external afflictions, man can kill the body, and hurt the outward man, but he can do no more; but so far as they can, they will go; reproaches and ca­lumnies respecting men in their honour and reputation, rifling their estates, casting them into Prisons, taking away their lives; in short, whatsoever can be afflictive to the outward man, for there are no sort of external afflicti­ons, but we shall find that the true and sin­cere Professors of the Gospel have met with, James was killed with the Sword, Stephen was stoned to death; the Apostles were often im­prisoned, others, as the Apostle saith, had tri­al of cruel mockings, and scourgings, yea, of bonds and imprisonments, they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the Sword, they wandered about in Sheep-skins, and in Goat-skins, being tormented, of whom the world was not worthy; the story of Scripture, and the story of the several Martyrs doth sufficiently tell us what the af­flictions of the Gospel are, but why the Gos­pel should suffer such things, or men should suffer such things for the publishing, owning, and professing the Gospel, may seem a little wonderful, and deserveth a further enquiry; for if we consider the nature of the Gospel, the very import of the word is no other then a good message, or good tidings; the Angel [Page 93] gave the Gospel its true name; when he pro­claimed, Luke 2.10. — behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. So as there is nothing in the whole systeme of the Gospel, that can deserve any hatred of it, the Gospel is nothing else but that good saying, that, Jesus Christ is come into the world to save Sinners; —That God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoe­ver believeth on him should have everlasting life; what hath Christ done? or what is there in the Gospel that should provoke the lusts and passions of men to give any opposition, that there should be any affliction entailed to the Gospel?

1. I answer, the true root of this lieth in that enmity which God hath set betwixt the Wo­man and her seed, and the Serpent and his seed, you have it, Gen. 3.15. And I will put enmi­ty betwixt thee and the Woman, and betwixt thy seed and her seed— the Womans seed was Christ, the Serpents seed are vile, wicked, and ungodly men, there is an enmity, an im­placable enmity betwixt these two, and so long as the world endureth, this enmity will abide, and the Devil will be managing a de­sign to drive Christ, and the Gospel of Christ out of the world; all the reproaches of Ministers and Godly Christians, all their bonds and imprisonments which they suffer for the Gospel, they are but the fruits and pro­duct of this enmity, this hatred and antipathy which is betwixt Christ and the Devil, and the seed of Christ, and the seed of the Devil.

[Page 94]2. Another reason of it lieth in the nature of the Propositions of the Gospel, as to the Doct­rine of faith, and as to the precepts of the Gos­pel, so far as it concerneth holiness, the subli­mity of the first, and the purity of the latter, and its exceeding strictness. The sublimeness of the Doctrine of faith, raiseth it two sorts of enemies.

1. The ignorant persons of the world.

2. Those men who have idolized their own reason, and are determined to believe nothing but what they can fathom by their own rea­son.

1. For the first, ignorant Persons; the A­postle telleth us of some who speak evil of what they know not, there is nothing more unwor­thy of a man then this, yet there is nothing more ordinary, especially when men appre­hend the ways and persons that they speak e­vil of, are enemies to their lusts and corrup­tions, the Apostle telleth us, 1 Cor. 2.7, 8. — we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, e­ven the hidden wisdom which God ordained, be­fore the world unto our glory. Which none of the Princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glo­ry. The wisdom of God signifieth the Gos­pel of Christ, and the Apostle saith, the Princes of this world did not know it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. The most ignorant persons, if they be also loose in their lives, are enemies to the Gospel of Christ.

2. Men that have idolized their own reason, [Page 95] and entertained a fancy that they should compre­hend the highest mysteries of the Kingdom of God, that which maketh them enemies to the Gospel of Christ, is their zeal; they are puff'd up in their own opinion of their own reason, and are certain enemies to whatever they cannot comprehend with it; now the Doctrines of the Gospel being of that na­ture, that sublime nature, that ignorant per­sons cannot comprehend them, and men of reason cannot fathom them with their own reason, they become enemies unto them, and to the true Professors of them; hence it was that the Philosophers of old were such enemies to the Gospel of Christ.

2. As the sublimity of the Propositions of the Gospel is one great reason of the opposi­tion which it meeteth with in the world; so the exceeding purity and holiness of the precepts of the Gospel is another reason; take the Gos­pel, as it bringeth news of a Saviour who died for sinners, it pleaseth them well enough; but look upon it as it containeth a systeme of precepts, an obedience to which, must be gi­ven in order to the obtaining of that salvati­on, so it quite crosseth the grain of flesh and blood, as it teacheth us that no Drunkard, no Fornicator, no Swearer shall come into the King­dom of God, thus they cannot approve of it; and this maketh them enemies, as to the Doct­rine of the Gospel, so to the Ministers and Professors of it; for though they have so much lust as will not suffer them to comply with the Doctrine of the Gospel, yet they [Page 96] have also so much pride, that they cannot en­dure themselves to be contradicted, and out­done by the Professors of it; but this is e­nough to shew you what the afflictions of the Gospel are, of which the Apostle would have Timothy content to be a partaker; and what that testimony of Christ is, of which he would not have him to be ashamed; I come now to the next Question.

Qu. 3. When men may be said to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord; and what the meaning is, to be partakers of the affli­ctions of the Gospel?

To be ashamed of the testimony of Christ, I conceive signifieth two things.

1. To be ashamed, or afraid to give a testi­mony unto Christ, and to the truth of the Gospel, to be afraid to give a testimony of Christ, be­cause of the opposition of men is a great sin; it is contrary to the precept. Fear not them who can kill the body, and can do no more, but fear him that is able to cast Body and Soul into Hell-fire— but to be ashamed of this testi­mony, is a greater sin; because the temptation is higher under the former, then under the latter; to be ashamed of the testimony of Christ, is to decline, to own, and profess Je­sus Christ; when there is no great danger that threatneth us in such a Profession, we have an High-Priest that can have compassion upon our infirmities— but when no such danger threat­neth a man, only he may suffer a little in his honour and repute amongst men, and they may not have so good an opinion of him, & for [Page 97] this to decline the publick owning and professing of Christ, it must needs be a very great sin; it is a dreadful Text, Mark. 8.38. Who­soever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the ho­ly Angels. For a man to be afraid to own Christ and his Gospel, and the profession of it, when utmost danger threatneth him, is sin enough; it arguing that the fear of man pre­vaileth in him above the fear of God; but for a man, when no such danger threatneth him, to be ashamed, and to think it beneath him to own the Gospel, and to love the honour that is from men, before the honour that com­eth from God, is a very dreadful transgression.

2. That man is ashamed of the testimony of Christ, That is ashamed of others, for the testimony which they bear to Jesus Christ; I must confess, I think this is that which the Apo­stle here chiefly intendeth, Paul was now a Prisoner, and at Rome, the condition of Priso­ners you know, is a low and contemptible condition, now for a person to be ashamed to be a friend, or companion, or to own the rela­tion to, and acquaintance with any, because they are giving a testimony to Christ, and for that testimony are hated, maligned, and per­secuted, is to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, It is reported of that famous Emperor Constantine the Great, that he would often kiss the hole of Paphnutius's eye, that was bored out for the profession of the Gospel.

What is the meaning of the phrase, [...]— Be thou partaker of the af­flictions of the Gospel—

1. Negatively; it doth not imply that it is the will of God, that any man should throw himself into the afflictions of the Gospel, the best of afflictions are trials and temptations, no man ought to pull trials upon himself, we read indeed of some in the Primitive times that offered themselves to the stake, and ow­ned. themselves to be Christians, ambitious of the Crown of Martyrdom, but these things are miranda, to be admired, not imitanda, to be imitated; no man is bound to put his self upon suffering afflictions, no not in defence of the Gospel of Christ, we ought to see our call clear to suffering, as well as doing; in that sense therefore this precept must not be understood. But,

2. It speaketh unto every Christian to ex­pect that his owning and professing of the Gospel, should meet with afflictions; and to be content to take a share in them, Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel — look that the Gos­pel should be afflicted, and be contented to take thy share with the Gospel in its afflicti­ons; our Saviour telleth us; That no Prince goeth out to war with another, but he first sitteth down, and considereth whether he with 10000 shall be able to meet with his enemy with 20000. Christians; before men undertake the profes­sion of the Gospel, they ought to sit down and consider what the Gospel will cost them; for the tempers of our spirits under divine [Page 99] providences, are much according to our ex­pectation; if we expect nothing but good, and meet with nothing but evil, the evil sin­keth us, we did not look for it, Mala inopi­nata graviora; but this is not all, to be con­tent to take our part in afflictions with the Gospel, if God calleth us to suffer for own­ing and professing the Gospel of Christ, and not think it strange; we should not murmure and repine against it, or take any unlawful course to decline; but to cast our lot with Professors, and to take our share with them, and to be content to suffer evil with them, who suffer for the name of Christ, or for the profession of any of his truths; nay, it may be there is something more our duty than this; and that is, to rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer any thing for the name of our Lord Jesus, Acts 5.41. Singing in the prison into which we are thrown, as Paul and Silas did; taking the spoiling of our goods with joy.

3. Nay, there is something more in this phrase, viz. a suffering together with others that suffer for the Gospel, though we do not suffer at all, and indeed this is properly [...]; we ought to have a sympathy with the Gospel, and the Professors of it, it is that which the Apostle urgeth, and thus it answereth that text Rom. 12.15. Rejoice with them that do re­joice, and weep with them that weep: both these are put together in that phrase, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Heb. 10.34. For you had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods— Both these are the [Page 100] duty of good Christians; to suffer with them that suffer for the Gospel; and to be content to suffer themselves, if God calleth them to it in defence of the Gospel of our Lord Je­sus Christ; as the Apostle had upon him the care of all the Churches, 2 Cor. 11.28, 29. So he had upon him the sorrow and affliction of all the Church of Christ; the Apostle in that Chap. v, 23. telleth us what stripes, what imprisonments, what deaths he was in; and then he telleth us, that he did not thus only suffer with, and for the Gospel, but also he was afflicted, and he burned with others; and this is the duty of every Christian, they ought to partake joyfully, and with satisfaction to take their share in those afflictions, to which the preaching or owning the Gospel doth expose them, and also to bear the burthens of others, and to be content to suffer with them, to bear some share in their sorrow; in their trials and afflictions. I come to the next question.

Qu. 4. Whence ariseth this obligation upon Christians; and why are they thus to par­take of the afflictions of the Gospel, and not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord?

This Question hath two Branches.

Qu. 1. Whence ariseth this obligation upon them not to be ashamed to give this Testimo­ny, nor of it when given?

Qu. 2. Whence ariseth this obligation upon Christians to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel?

For the first of these; whence this obliga­tion doth arise upon Christians not to be a­shamed [Page 101] of the testimony of our Lord? I shall open it to you in seven or eight particulars.

1. From the will of God. This is the true and proper foundation of all duty; the will of God, and the duty of Christians are Cor­relates; nothing can be our duty towards God, but what is the will of God towards us, and nothing can be the will of God towards us, but it must become our duty; this is the will of God; it is the will of God that we should not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord; neither our selves, to give testimony unto Christ nor his Gospel, nor yet of them who do give such testimony. It is indeed the will of God concerning some more eminently then others; but concerning all Christians, it is the will of God; it is spoken concerning all, Rom. 10.9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus Christ, and shalt be­lieve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved, Mat. 10.32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven. The Apostle writeth to the Thessa­lonians, 1 Thes. 3.3. That no man should be moved by these afflictions, for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto, Col. 4.12. It is the duty of Christians to be compleat in all the will of God. It is not only the will of God that men should pray, that they hear the word, and receive the Sacrament, but they should give their testimony, and not be ashamed of the testimony of Christ their Lord, 2 Tim. 4.5. Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions— [Page 102] 2 Tim. 2.3. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ. Ministers and good Christians are witnesses; and they are Soldiers, and therefore they ought to endure hardness, and to be ready to give their testi­mony.

2. It appeareth from the relation that e­very good Christian standeth in to Christ as his Lord; [...]; mark the words, that thou be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord; e­very subject is bound to give his testimony for the King, because he is his Soveraign Lord; every Servant is bound to give his testimony for his Master, because he is his Lord: Christ is our Lord, and therefore there lieth an obligation upon us to give testi­mony for him; would not your Prince take it ill, if you should refuse being called, to testi­fy the truth for him? & would not your Master take it ill, if you should refuse to give your te­mony for him? Surely Christ, who is our Lord, must take it ill from us, if we refuse a testimony to him. If every man, because that he is a debtor to the truth, taketh himself ob­liged by the law of Charity to give a testi­mony to the truth for his Neighbour, when his estate, or his life is concerned, or any thing of his interest: and every Subject taketh him­self more highly concerned to give his testi­mony to the truth on the behalf of his Prince, or on the behalf of his Master, because there is a relation betwixt the Prince and the Sub­ject, and betwixt the Master and the Servant; certainly there must needs lie an obligation [Page 103] upon every Christian who owneth Christ as his Soveraign Lord and Master, to give a testimony unto Christ; it is a testimony for the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth, for him whom we call our Father, whom we own as our Master; every Testimony to the Gospel, and the truth of the Gospel is a testi­mony to Christ; every testimony for Christ, is a testimony for him, who is our Lord, and whom we own, and avow to be our Lord.

3. This obligation ariseth from that gra­titude which we all owe to the Lord Jesus Christ, every one looketh upon himself indebted un­to him who hath done him good; and there is nothing more usual in that case, then to pro­mise a requital, and to express a trouble that we know not how to make him or her amends, and to express our willingness to it; the testimony of our Lord, is the testimony of him who left his Fathers Throne, and came down upon the Earth, and clothed himself with our nature, and died in our stead, that we might not perish for ever & ever, he ascending up into Heaven, hath left us in charge with his truth, Philip. 1.27. — striving together for the faith of the Gospel, Jude, v. 3. — that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints. Now which of you, if you had but an ordinary friend like your selves, who had done you some great and eminent kindness, and left you in charge but to give a testimony unto him and for him, should not think your selves under an obliga­tion to it! Oh! how great is the obligation [Page 104] which lieth upon every Christian that liveth in the world to bear his testimony for Christ, if he doth but consider what Jesus Christ hath done for him; shall Christ come and die for us, love not his life unto death, and shall we be ashamed to give a testimony un­to him, or to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel of our dearest Lord, this ought not to be; if the kindness of a man layeth an obligation upon us, to do what in us lieth to serve him; surely the kindness of the Lord our Saviour layeth a much higher obligation upon us.

4. Another thing from whence this obli­gation doth arise, is from the duty incumbent upon us to be conformable unto the Lord Jesus Christ, we ought to study a conformity to him in his life, and in his death; in his life he commandeth us to be holy as he is holy; in his death, thus the Apostle prayeth, for a fellow­ship of his sufferings. For this cause was I born, and for this cause did I come into the world, that I might bear witness unto the truth; and it is particularly said of him, that before Pontius Pilate, he witnessed a good confession, 1 Tim. 6.13. He endured affliction in the first publication of the Gospel; what was the testimony Christ gave but this? that there were a people in the world who were very dear to him, chosen unto eternal life for him, though he was the eternal Son of God, thought fit to cloath him­self with flesh, and to die upon the Cross, that he might redeem this people unto him­self; now it is our duty to be conformable to [Page 105] Christ, conformable to this testimony, not being ashamed of this testimonony, conformable also in not being ashamed of Affliction; this yet is advantaged by another consideration: that we are to fill up the Afflictions of Christ, Col. 1.24. Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ. The sufferings of Christ are either those things which he suffered in his own person: Now concerning them, he said, all is finish­ed, (the Papists vainly dream of the filling up of those sufferings;) or else those suffer­ings which every good Christian shall suffer in his Mystical Body to the end of the World, and there is much behind of the sufferings of Christ, which we are to fill up, and filling them up, we act both in a con­formity unto Christ, who is our Head, and also unto the multitude of the Churches that have gone before us, who have tasted of this Cup, and drank a little of it, but there is much more of these that is yet to be filled up.

5. The Obligation ariseth upon Christians from the nature of the Gospel, and the truths of it, to which we give our Testimony. I have told you before in this Discourse, that eve­ry Man and Woman is a Debtor to truth, no Man ought to decline a Testimony unto truth; but now by how much any truths are of greater moment, of greater weight and importance, by so much we are the great­er Debtors to them; you have the substance [Page 106] of the Gospel in that one Text, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac­ceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners. He said true, who said that Christians could better want the Sun in the Firmament, than that one piece of the Go­spel; the truths of the Gospel are of that high importance, that the comfort and peace of all the Souls of the People of God in this Life, and the eternal Salvation of the Souls of all People in the Life to come, doth de­pend upon the stability of them; if the truths of the Gospel did not stand firm and fixed, the Souls of Christians are undone to all eter­nity, there is no foundation of peace for them in this Life, there is no hope of an eter­nal Salvation for them in that Life which is to come: We stand therefore highly con­cerned to give a Testimony to these truths; and to be partakers of afflictions in giving a Testimony to those truths, and to that Go­spel, upon which so much of our eternal in­terest and concern doth lye, there is no truth but we owe a Testimony to it, but there are some Propositions of Truth, that are not of that moment, that we should en­dure affliction for the justification of them; but the truths of the Gospel are of that na­ture that no Testimony we can give to them can be too high no affliction we can suffer for them, can be too great.

6. A Sixth Obligation that lyeth upon Christians, is from the station they take up in the World; I shall here inlarge upon Three things;

• [Page 107]1. They are God's Witnesses.
• 2. They are God's Soldiers.
• 3. They are God's Children and Servants, and Christ's Members.

1. Every Christian is the Child of God, the Servant of God, the Member of Christ, now should a Child be ashamed to attest the truth for his Father? or should a Servant be ashamed to attest the truth for his Master? or should a Member be ashamed to attest the truth for its Head? should the Tongue be ashamed to speak for the Head? Which of you that are Parents, if you had a Child that should be ashamed (if called) to speak the truth for you, would not disown such a Child? There is never a Christian but is the Son or the Daughter of God, the Child of God; and his relation to God doth oblige him not to be ashamed of this Testimony.

2. We stand in the Relation of Witnesses; 1 Pet. 5. Ch. v. 1. Paul calleth himself a Wit­ness of the sufferings of Christ, Acts 1.8. Christ when he left the Earth told his Disciples, You shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost be come upon you, and you shall be Witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth. Indeed good Christians ought some to be special Witnesses, Acts 10.41. Not to all the People, but unto Witnesses, chosen before of God. But every Child of God is the Lord's Wit­ness; though there lieth an eminent Obligati­on upon some, (especially the Ministers of the Gospel) yet every Child of God is to [Page 108] be the Lord's Witness, and to give his Te­stimony for God.

3. Every Christian standeth in the Notion of a Soldier; hence the Apostle speaketh to Timothy to endure hardship as a good Soldier of Christ, all Christians are required to fight the good Fight, and our Life upon Earth is but a Warfare; wherein we are to fight the good Fight, and shall a Soldier decline the Fight, and refuse to be partaker of the Battel? How shall we discharge either the relation of Children to our Father, or Servants to our Lord, or Members to our Head, or Wit­nesses, or Soldiers, if we shall either be a­shamed of the Testimony of Christ, or a­fraid to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel:

7. Another Obligation that is upon us, is from those private Laws that we have laid upon our selves; and that two ways.

1. By our Baptism.

2. By our Profession.

We are all Baptized, and the Apostle saith, we are Baptized into Christ; one part of the sense of which is, that we are Bapti­zed into the profession of Christ; no per­son is Baptized, but he taketh a Vow upon him to be the Lord's Servant; besides, our profession is another private Law that we have laid upon our selves; the name of a Chri­stian is an Obligation upon us to act for Christ, and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ; the Press-mony you know obligeth the Sub­ject to fight for his Prince; there is no Chri­stian [Page 109] but besides the general Laws that are laid upon him, hath layed a private Law upon himself, both by his Vow and Promise in Baptism, and by his taking upon him the name of a Christian; how doth he deserve the name of a Christian, that is ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ; how doth he answer his Vow in Baptism, that refuseth to fight under the Lords Ban­ner, and to give a Testimony unto Christ, when he is called thereunto.

8. There lyeth a great Obligation upon us from our duty of conformity to our Fellow-mem­bers, we are not only the Members of Christ, but are also Members one of another, Ephes. 4.25. For we are Members one of another. The Church of Christ from the beginning of the World, unto the end of it will be but one, and we ought to be as Members like one another, so that the example of the Saints and Servants of God in all Ages, who have stood up in testimony of the Gospel, or who have been partakers of the Afflicti­ons of the Gospel, layeth an Obligation up­on us to go and do likewise; that as we might have a fellowship with Christ in his Death, and in his Testimony, and his Affli­ctions, so that we might be conformable un­to those Saints and Servants of God which have been before us, and to their Testimony; John glorieth in this, and putteth into his Titles, Rev. 1.2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the Testimony of Jesus Christ, —He calleth himself, v. 9. — Their Bro­ther [Page 110] and Companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. — For the word of God, and for the Testimony of Christ, Rev. 6.9. The Angel saw under the Altar, the Souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the Testimony which they held. And the seed of the Woman, with whom the Dragon was wroth, are described to be such as keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ, Rev. 19.10. The Angel telleth John, — I am thy fellow Servant, and of thy Brethren, that have the Testimony of Jesus —

9. A Ninth Obligation that is upon us, not to be ashamed of this Testimony of our Lord; is the reward that such shall have, who shall not be ashamed, and the danger they run that are ashamed. I will put both these to­gether; because the proof of them lieth in the same Texts, Mark 8.38. Whosoever there­fore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful Generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father, with the Holy Angels, Matth. 10.33, But whosoever shall de­ny me before Men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven, Luke 12.8. Whosoever shall confess me before Men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the An­gels of God. The danger lieth here, that if we be ashamed of Christ, he will be asha­med of us; if we deny him, he will deny us, 2 Tim. 2.12. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also de­ny [Page 111] us. The reward you see is, if we suffer with him, we shall reign with him, Rom. 8.17. If so be we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. If we confess him, he will also own, confess, and acknowledge us be­fore his Father which is in Heaven; this I take to be what every one will grant, that by the very Law of Nature every one is bound to decline that which will bring evil upon him, and to do that which will bring him any valuable and considerable good; so that let us but consider the danger of Christ's disowning us, and the good of Christs owning us at the day of Judgment; and we shall easily understand what Obligation lieth upon us, not to be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord; and to be ready to give our Testimo­ny to him, and to the Gospel; but may some say, who are those whom Christ will own or disown at the last day, and how will Christ disown Men in the day of Judg­ment?

I suppose you may understand it from some Texts, Math. 7.21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the King­dom of Heaven, but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven, Matth. 25.31, 32, 33, 34. Our Saviour telleth us, Math. 7.22, 23. Many will say to me in that day, Lord! Lord! have we not prophesied in thy Name? And in thy Name have cast out Devils. — And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me you workers of Iniquity. And in that Text, Luke 13. v. 15.27. — Ye begin [Page 112] to stand without, and to knock at the Door, saying, Lord! Lord! open unto us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are: v. 27. — Depart from me all ye work­ers of Iniquity, then shall be weeping and wail­ing, and gnashing of Teeth. Consider this, we all must once dye, and after Death come to Judgment; if Men have here disowned Christ and his Gospel, and shall then cry, Lord! Lord! open to us, open the Kingdom of Heaven, do not cast us out of thy sight for ever; Christ will then say to that Man who hath been ashamed of his Testimony: No, Thou wert ashamed to own me, and my despised Persecuted Truths and Servants, now I will not own thee. Christ will say to him depart from me, I know you not; but what is it for Christ to own a Man? You may learn that from that Text, Matth. 25.34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come you Blessed of my Father, Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from be­fore the foundation of the World. Now con­sider with your selves, doth not there lye upon a Man an Obligation to save his own Soul, and to keep himself out of everlast­ing burning; the same Obligation lyeth up­on all Men not to be ashamed of the Testi­mony of our Lord; but to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel; the same Ob­ligation that the Law of nature layeth upon every Man to look to his highest concern, the saving his Soul, the keeping himself in favour with God; I shall add but one thing more.

[Page 113]10. The last thing from whence this Ob­ligation doth arise, is from the oneness of the Body of Christ: This should engage us to suffer evil together with the faithful Mini­sters, and the faithful Professors of the Go­spel; that we may shew our selves to be true Members of Christs mystical Body: We see in a natural Body, it is impossible that one Member should suffer and not ano­ther; the rest will feel it, though they may not feel that particular pain, which it may be doth fix only in this or that Member, yet there is affliction in the whole Body; the whole Body is disquieted and troubled, though only the Head aketh, or the Tooth, or the like; so will it be in the mystical Body of Christ, though it may be there are but some particular Members of the Body that do suffer, yet there will be never a Member of that Body but will suffer a Sym­pathy; every Christian will not be slain, will not be imprisoned, or plundered, but if any of them be so evil intreated, all the rest that are true Members of this Body, will feel something of the suffering of those Members that do suffer; saith the Apostle, is any Man afflicted, and I burn not? St. Paul commendeth the Philippians, Philip, 4.14, 15. Notwithstanding you have well done, that you did communicate with my affliction, v. 15. No Church communicated with me as concerning gi­ving and receiving, but you only. The Apostle speaketh thereas you may judge by the 15th. Verse, of a Communicating by giving and [Page 114] receiving; but this was the fruit of the other; the Philippians Sympathized with St. Paul in his afflictions, and felt his mise­ry, and this made them to communicate with him in that state by relieving of him, and indeed those Professors that do not so communicate with the afflicted Children of God, give a very ill proof that they are the true Members of the mystical Body of Christ; I have opened the Doctrine to you. Let us now consider what improvement may be made of it.

Use 1. What you have heard reflecteth sadly upon them, who refuse to give a Te­stimony of their Lord: Or,

2. Are ashamed of those who do give this Testimony. You have heard how many Ob­ligations there are upon us to it; but how few are there who are sensible of these Ob­ligations?

1. How many are ashamed of the Testi­mony of our Lord! ashamed to own those truths which their Lord owned; those truths for the Testimony of which their Lord died, St. Paul glorieth of himself, that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; for, saith he, It is the power of God to Salvation, Heb. 11.16. — God is not ashamed to be called their God, Heb. 2.11. — Christ is not ashamed to call them Brethren: Shall a poor Worm be ashamed to be called the Child of God, or the Servant of God, to be called a Godly Man or Woman; how many Professors had we some years since, [Page 115] that are turned back and gone▪ a little tribu­lation and persecution is arisen because of the truths of Christ and they are offended. We may say of our times, as the Apostle said to the Hebrews; None hath yet resisted unto Blood — and yet how few have we that do resist striving against Sin; I tremble to think of that Text, — Whosoever is ashamed of me before Men, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed. We have too many that think it enough to pray, to hear, to read; but for­get this piece of their duty; to bear a Testi­mony to our Lord; nay how many are there, who are ashamed of those who do give their Testimony; ashamed of the Chains, and Bonds, and Imprisonments, and reproaches of the Ministers and People of God; they are not only ashamed to own the Testimony of the Gospel themselves, and to come in as Witnesses for Christ, but they are asha­med of them who do; but I hope I speak to none here who are of that Complexion.

Use 2. It may be some will say, how shall I know if I walk up to my duty in this particular; if I be not ashamed of the Testi­mony of my Lord; and be a partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel? I shall give you two or three notes, which are sufficient for this discovery:

1. When the discredit of the Gospel, maketh us neither to think it beneath us to own the truth, of the Gospel, nor those who own and profess it. There is a time when the Gospel hath a cre­dit in the World; the Prophet Zechariah [Page 116] Prophesied of a time. Zech. 8.23. — When ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations, even shall take hold of the Skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, we will go with you, [...]or we have heard that God is with you: That Prophesie is fulfilled under the Gospel, God sometimes giveth the Gospel such a credit in the World, that every one thinketh it an honour to him to be accounted a Christian, this is a time when it is hard to discern whether a Man will be ashamed of the Go­spel; but there is another time when the Gospel hath 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, [Page 117] and give a Testimony for Christ this Ma [...] is ashamed of the Testimony of Christ [...] hinted to you before, there is a differen [...] 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 finde [...] 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, [Page 118] 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 [Page 119] 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 Shi [...] 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 [Page 120] 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 [Page 121] unto; but yet they are not all of equal im­port, the nature of Propositions doth very much differ.

1. According to what doth depend upon them.

2. According to the evidence that they have in Scripture.

1. According to what dependeth upon them. Some Propositions of truth are the founda­tion; look as it is with the foundation of a House, take it away and the whole Building tumbleth to the ground: So there are some Propositions of the Gospel, that the whole Fabrick of Gospel truths lieth upon them, the whole Body of truth is built upon them; here now the Obligation of our Testimony lieth higher, and riseth higher and further, but there is no truth that we are not debtors unto.

2. According to the evidence that they have in the Gospel; there are different apprehensi­ons concerning truth, for although the Go­spel hath revealed all truth, yet not all with the same evidence, so that Christians have differed concerning truth, and every man as he believeth, so he ought to speak, so he ought to live; but the apprehensions that some men have had, that they are bound to give a Testimony to every Proposition of truth which they do in heart imbrace, hath begot a great deal of stir; the Apostle gi­veth another Rule when he saith, Hast thou Faith? Have it to thy self before God: There are some Propositions of which a Christian may have a particular perswasion, and of [Page 122] which he may be very confident of the truth of them, but yet they will not bear the weight of a Testimony to the disturbance of the Church of Christ; now a good Christi­an ought to regulate his Testimony accor­dingly.

Qu. 2. What kind of Testimony is that, which a good Christian is bound to give unto the Lord?

I will open this to you in seven or eight particulars.

1. He ought to give a knowing, believing Te­stimony; there is a Testimony of Faith, and a Testimony of Faction; that Man giveth a Testimony of Faith, that doth in his Heart believe what he with his Mouth confesseth, and as the Apostle saith, as he believeth so he speaketh: So in this case a Christian must speak as he believeth, and when he speaketh and owneth, and defendeth a truth, because he believeth it to be the eternal truth of God, this is a Testimony of Faith; but then there is a Testimony of Faction when a man runs with a multitude to attest a truth, and crieth for it, but understandeth not, and be­lieveth not what he professeth; I would have every Christian not to be ashamed of the Testimony of Christ, but I would have him be sure that it be a Testimony of Faith that he giveth, not a Testimony of Faction; for a man to give a Testimony to truth, if it be in Faction, it is abomination to God, whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin; The word not mingled with Faith profiteth not; and a Te­stimony [Page 123] not given in Faith signifieth nothing: Oh! Christians beware of this, that none of you in this day be factious Professors, be not ashamed of the Testimony of your Lord. But first, see that you understand it, see that your selves believe it to be a good Testimo­ny; a Man or Woman will have very little peace or comfort in giving a Testimony to that, which either he knoweth not, or in Heart believeth not; when a Man believeth and therefore speaketh, he speaketh that with his Lips which his Soul hath first exa­mined, and he seeth bottomed in the Word of God, and in Heart agreeth and assenteth to, this is his Testimony; take this note with you in every Testimony, let it be vo­cal or real, let it be a Testimony of Faith, not a Testimony of Faction, and a meer run­ning along with a cry, like the rout of E­phesus, when Acts 19.32. Some cried one thing, some another, for the Assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

2. It must be a Loving Testimony, or it is not accepted, Faith and Love m [...]st be the principles of all those actions that do or can speak any obedience unto the Will of God; if a Man receiveth the truth, and not in the love of it, it is of no effect; as whatsoever is not of faith is Sin, so whatsoever is done, and not out of love, is not accepted of God: Love is that which giveth the sweet savour to all our doings, and to all our sufferings for God; If saith the Apostle, I give all my [Page 124] goods to the poor, and my Body to be burnt, if I have not love, it is all nothing. Let a man give never so great a Testimony to Christ, if he doth not this out of love, it is out of some evil principle of contradiction or fa­ction, or some stubbornness of Spirit, and God accepteth it not; it is not a Christians saying, I am for the true Doctrine, I am for pure Worship, and I am for the Kingly Government of Christ, but his doing this out of a true pleasure and delight in these things, out of a true love to God, and zeal for the glory of God: And this is another thing that I fear in a crowd that give Testi­mony in an evil time, as that some testifie they know not what, so that others testifie rather out of a principle of contradiction or fullenness, than out of a true principle of love to Ordinances and truths; hence you shall observe, that as in a serene and fair time there are a multitude of Professors that are like Swallows that will stay with the Gospel in its Summer time; so you shall ob­serve there are a multitude of others that in a time of opposition, especially when the Persecution reacheth not high, busie to give their Testimony to truth, which when they may imbrace freely they never regard, and make no conscience of; you have an exam­ple of both these at home; on the one side we had a company of Professors that have now forsaken us and fled, and embraced this present World; in a time of temptation they are gone away, and you shall observe a mul­titude [Page 125] of others that cried out lately for Sa­craments, and against robbing Christians of the Sacrament of the Supper, the great pledge of Christs Love: Now that none hindreth their coming to them, they regard not the Sacrament, both these were sick of the same Disease, they gave or thought they gave some testimony to their Lord, but their Testimony was equally acceptable to God, neither the one nor the other was out of a love in their heart to Christ, and to his truth and ordinances, but meerly out of faction and turbulency of Spirit, or for some base worldly end. I would have you own the Testimony of Christ, I would have you fear being ashamed of it, as you would fear that Christ should be ashamed of you at the day of Judgment; I would have you [...]onfess him, as you would have him to confess you, as you would expect he should confess you. But be sure you give your Testimony out of love, as what you know, and in heart truly believe and agree to; so out of a burning love and zeal in your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Our Testimony ought to be a Judici­ous Testimony; it is one thing that God re­quireth when we swear that it should be in truth, righteousness and judgment: Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in truth, righteousness and judgment: Swearing is an Attestation, a So­lemn Attestation of a truth. The Testimony which I am now speaking to is not necessa­ry to be performed by Oath, though we [Page 126] ought not to refuse if called to that, but as it must be to the truth, in righteousness, so it must be in judgment: The judgment that I would have attend the Testimony of which I am now speaking, is not a judgment that the thing is true, the truth of Christ, but that it is a truth of that nature that will bear the weight of such a Testimony too, as it must bear if it bear any; for I must tell you, though truth, all truth be a very sacred pin, yet every such pin hath not an equal degree of strength, and will not bear a like weight; I am afraid we have too loud a Testimony to some truths, which though they may have spoken the faith of Christians, and their love, yet have not spoken the Wisdom and Prudence of Christians; such Testimonies were those the Christians gave, Rom. 14. For things that were in themselves of an indiffe­rent nature, and yet Christians on either side were too warm. Any Christian is thus far bound to give his Testimony to every truth, as not to deny it.

2. In his own particular practice to own it; but we ought not to make a party for every truth: Now this dependeth upon this great truth. That though there be no truth of God but we ought to own, and being convinced of to Practise, yet there are some truths of God, as to which God willeth not that we should be con­tentious; For God hath given his people a Latitude in them without hazard of their Salvation, and therefore we must give our Testimony to truth with prudence, a pru­dential [Page 127] judging of the weight and value of a truth, before we give a zealous Testimo­ny to it.

4. Our Testimony must be with prudence: Prov. 8.12. I Wisdom dwell with Prudence: Wisdom doth often signify Grace, and tru­ly all true Grace in a Soul should dwell with Prudence, we are commanded to be wise as Serpents, and to walk circumspectly not as fools, Matth. 10.16. but as wise; there is a great deal of prudence to be used in giving our Testimony to our Lord; our Lord himself, if you observe him, did it with prudence, and we ought to let our Wisdom dwell with Prudence: This Prudence must not be extended so far, as to deny any necessary truth, or to dissemble so as to declare our selves against it, or not to own it, for it must be such a prudenc [...] as is opposed to impiety, if there be a failure in piety, there can be no prudence: Pru­dence doth not so much respect the doing, or the not doing of the thing, as the manner of the doing of it: In general we then give our Testimony with prudence, when we give it without any just offence to Jew, Gen­tile, or the Church of Christ; a Testimony of our Lord may be spoiled by the heighth of our Spirit through pride shewed in judging, contemning, and despising of others, or through the boisterousness and the passion of our Spirits, or by our noise and clamours; so that to the prudence of a Testimony there are three things required.

1. Humility in opposition to Pride: Pride is [Page 128] a Colloquintida that maketh all our Messes of duty and Service to God bitter; God abhorreth the proud, he abhorreth a haughty and con­tentious Spirit, he giveth grace to the humble, and he accepteth his Testimony. Paul saith, Acts 20.19. He served the Lord with all hu­mility of mind. — We are bid to put on humility of mind, — Col. 3.12. and 1 Pet. 5.5. To be clothed with humility. — Humility is our garment, a Christian must do nothing but in humility; in what he doth in the service of God, there must be a vein of humility, and in that part of our service to God where humility is wanting, in that part a Christian always walketh naked, and Men see his shame, a fastidious, scornful contemning suffe­rer, is no Christian sufferer.

[...]. Another thing is meekness with respect to passion: This is often called for, we are bid to put it on, Col. 3.12. And the Minister is to instruct in meekness those that are with­out. The Apostle beseecheth you by the weakness of Christ; meekness is opposed to frowardness and passion; a passionate Te­stimony to a truth is at best but an impru­dent and indiscreet Testimony; The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

3. A third thing that commendeth a Te­stimony is courtesy, in opposition to morosi­ty and soureness; when Festus told Paul, That much Learning had made him mad, he an­swered, I am not mad most noble Festus: Observe with how much complement Paul speaketh to Festus and others, while he was bearing [Page 129] testimony unto the truth of God; the soure­ness and morosity of a Christians beha­viour in bearing his testimony, maketh his testimony more unlovely, and not so pru­dent as it ought to be.

4. A Fourth thing is peaceableness: The Servants of God must not strive; there is nothing more asperseth the Gospel, and the Profession of it, then the imprudence of a Professor of it in the managery of his busi­ness.

5. Your Testimony unto God must be uniform and sincere, it cannot be uniform if it be not sincere; the testimony of the Life must agree with the testimony of the Lips; you know a Witness that contradicteth his testimony, doth by it make his testimony invalid; he that liveth contrary to his Pro­fession, giveth himself the lye; he testifieth with his Lips, but he denieth in his Life. The Apostle telleth us of some, Titus 1.16. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. You shall observe therefore, that when the Devil at any time gave a testimony to a Truth con­cerning Christ and the Apostles, they con­stantly refused and would not hear him speak, the testimony of one of the Children of the Devil, is rather a dishonour and weakning of the Truth, than any strengthning and cre­dit, and confirmation; a Man that is Holy in his Life, bearing testimony with his Lips, is a great Servant of God; he by his Mouth [Page 130] declareth what he believeth; and by his Life he declareth that he doth indeed not mock and dissemble with the World; but he believeth what he professeth to believe: You shall see in some cases, some foolish Witnesses do more hurt than good; so a Christian may do more mischief than good to the Gospel of Christ, by his owning of it, and professing to it.

6. Let it be a bold and undaunted Testimony, he is a good Witness in a cause, who speak­est modestly, and with all due respect to those, to whom he giveth his Testimony, and who a­greeth; and doth not contradict himself, and yet is bold and couragious, speaking with free­dom; hence you shall find that word [...] is often used about the testimony that the Apostles did bear to the truth; a free, bold testimony in any cause doth it great service, while the stammering lisping Witness, that useth no freedom in his Speech, rather hurt­eth a cause, than doth it good; the Scripture speaketh much of, and commendeth a Chri­stians boldness; a boldness in Faith, and Pray­er, and a boldness in a bearing testimony to our Lord; when we are not afraid of the Faces of men that would outface the truths of God; a Christian should be bold in the Faith, bold in Prayer, and bold in his Con­fession.

7. Let your Testimony be a hearty testimo­ny, a free, ready, chearful testimony; God loveth a chearful giver, (saith the Apostle) indeed in all our Gifts unto God, it is so: [Page 131] God loveth a freedom and chearfulness of Spirit, we should not be subpoena'd into a Testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ, indeed we are subpoena'd by that dreadful Text, Matth. 9. A Christian should give a Testi­mony freely, not to provoke and challenge danger, and dare a Trial, but when he seeth suffering at hand, so that God calleth him to give a testimony to him, and to the truths of the Gospel, then chearfulness becometh a Christian, chearfulness as it is opposed to grudging.

8. I will add but one thing more, it should be a patient Testimony, Rev. 19 St. John gi­veth this Character of himself; I John who also am your Brother and Companion in tribula­tion, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, — Patience under evils is what is often called for in Scripture, and pressed up­on the Servants of God, with a great varie­ty of Arguments; by a patient Testimony I understand three things.

1. A patient continuance in the Testimony of Christ; a flitting, and incertain Christian in the truths of God, who is of one mind to day, and another mind to morrow, is no good Witness in the cause of Christ, semper idem is the true Motto of every Christian, of every such Witness, he that is one day of one mind, another day of another, like a Wave of the Sea tossed about, may possibly get to Heaven at last, as through fire, but he is no good Witness for Christ; you know amongst men a good Witness must abide by [Page 132] his testimony; if he varieth, his testimony is weakned: Therefore Christians are highly concerned to examine Propositions well be­fore they profess them, and when they pro­fess them, to think well with themselves before they part with them; a man never is a good witness for the Lord in that point, wherein he hath been incertain himself.

2. It must be a patient testimony with re­spect unto those affronts which he may suffer from men, while he is giving his Testimo­ny, a good and steady Witness in your Courts is not moved by the affronts of any Lawyer that setteth himself to baffle him out of his Testimony; he that is a good Witness in the cause of Christ, must not be affected at the affronts of Men that would baffle him out of his Testimony; he must be patient both as to the flatteries and enticements of ene­mies, and also as to their frowns and me­naces.

3. A patient Testimony must be a Testi­mony attended with that patience, which they had need of, who may suffer for giving their Testimony; for though no Man ought to suf­fer for bearing Witness to the truth, yet there is nothing more ordinary then for men and women to suffer for giving a Testimony unto truth; and thus now I have shewed you, what kind of Testimony it is, that every good Christian is bound to give unto the Lord. I have but two things more to do; first to en­courage you to it by some Arguments; then to direct you in the fulfilling of it; now for [Page 133] Arguments to perswade you not to be asha­med of the Testimony of Christ, you have heard enough already; I have shewed you a Ten-fold Obligation lying upon you.

1. It is the Will of God.

2. Remember Christ is your Lord?

3. You cannot otherwise shew your gra­titude to him, for that Testimony which he gave for you.

4. Thus you shall be conformable unto Christ, and what is behind of the suffering of Christ, shall be filled up in you.

5. Remember the nature of the Gospel, and of the truths of it.

6. Consider the Station which you take up in the World, of a Witness, a Souldier, a Child to our Heavenly Father, a Servant to a Heavenly Master.

7. Remember the private Law that you have laid upon your selves.

8. Remember the duty which lieth upon you to be conformable to your fellow mem­bers.

9. Remember the danger of forbearing, and the reward of your giving this Testi­mony.

10. Consider your oneness with the Mem­bers of Christ, after all these, what need any further Arguments; yet because we are of our selves not forward unto this, our Hearts are awk, and backward to the partaking of the affliction of the Gospel, and averse to the giving of this Testimony; let me by way of a further Argument in this cause, [Page 134] name to you, and press upon you the Argu­ments which the Apostle useth in this place, and by which he himself presseth this Exhor­tation.

1. The first lieth in those words [...], according to the power of God: One great discouragement that is upon our Spirits to keep us in a day of Testimony, that we should not testify, is the fear we should never be able to speak and to give our Testimony. To give a Testimony for our Lord is a noble thing, to receive a Crown, the Crown of Martyrdom, is a great dignity. But when the Lord by his providence seeketh out for us, to set this Crown upon our Heads, we too frequently hide our selves, and the rea­son is, we distrust our selves, but Christian! fear not, we shall have the power of God; it is a wonderful thing to observe, that the power of God hath been so seen in no other thing as in this; you read of a Testimony that Stephen gave to the Gospel: First a vo­cal, then a real Testimony, Acts 6.9, 10. And they were not able to resist the Wisdom, and the spirit by which he spake, Stephen had then a dispute with the Libertines. The power and presence of God from the beginning of the Gospel hath been seen in nothing more, than in Gods assistance of his Witnesses, you have a promise, Luke 12.12. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour, what you ought to say, Matth. 10.19, 20. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same [Page 135] hour, what you shall speak. For it is not you that speak, but the spirit of your heavenly Father which speaketh in you. Luke saith, When they bring you unto the Synagogues, and unto Ma­gistrates and powers, take no thought how or what thing you shall answer, or what you shall say, for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in that same hour what you ought to say. It is a promise that some have applied to the assistance of God in the performance of other duties, as Prayer, Preaching, &c. and it may be there hath been but an ill use made of that pro­mise; the promise in the first place mani­festly relateth to a time of testimony, I do not say but there is a dabitur in hora, which those who are much with God in Prayer, and which the Ministers of the Gospel [...] ex­perience, but that promise respect [...] not that so much, as it respecteth men in confession, and their Testimony for Christ; in giving our Testimony for Christ, the Spi­rit of God shall assist, words shall be given us in that hour, and courage and strength shall be given us in that hour, you shall not give a Testimony for the Gospel, you shall not suffer affliction for the Gospel in your own strength, it shall be according to the power of God, the Holy Ghost shall teach you what to say, and what to do, and you shall experience that it is not you that speak and act, but the Spirit that dwelleth in you, what you do in this case shall be according to the power of God, you shall not spend meerly upon your own Stock, you shall spend upon [Page 136] Christs Stock when you are upon Christs Service, you shall spend upon the fulness of the Spirit of God; and there have been ma­ny experiences of those that could never find the presence of God so strong in the consolation of their Spirits, as in that hour; be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of your Lord, for not only the thing which you testify, is the Testimony of the Lord, but your action in testifying, the testimony which you give shall be from the Lord, the Holy Ghost speaking in you; so that this is a great Argument, it is a standing up for Christ, and the Spirit of God shall use your tongue and your hand.

2. Another Argument the Apostle useth, is fr [...] the nature of the truth to which you te­stify, and the person for whom you testify: You testify for the truth, which bringeth eternal Salvation; you testify for him, who hath cal­led you with an holy calling, and he hath done this freely, not according to your works, but according to his own grace, for him who hath abolished Death, and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel. The Apostle saith, He was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to Salvation. I told you before, that every one is a debtor unto truth, there is such a cognation betwixt a rational Soul and Truth, that eve­ry rational Soul is a debtor to truth, he is a debtor to own the truth as to himself, and to own the truth as to another; and I told you by how much a truth is of higher im­portance [Page 137] to our or anothers interest, by so much a Man or Woman is a greater debtor, a Man is a debtor to the truth, when it concerneth but his honour and reputation, and when it concerneth his estate; but much more when it concerneth Life; and so when it is for his Brother, by how much his Brother is more concerned, by so much he is more obliged; and as the nature of the truth raiseth his obligation, so the rela­tion of the person increaseth it; a Man is bound by the Law of charity to give testi­mony to the truth, on the behalf of his Neighbour, much more on the behalf of his Brother, and higher yet on the behalf of his Father or Mother that begat him and brought him forth, but yet his obligation riseth higher when it is for his Saviour, for him who hath done him the greatest kindness that ever was done, without which he had better never have been born; such is the Testimony that we are bound to give unto Christ: The truth is of highest import, the person is of the highest concern: Oh! be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God to your Salvation, of the Gospel, which bringeth Life and Im­mortality to light, you testify for Christ who Witnessed a good confession before Pi­late, who hath done more for you than all the friends you ever had in the World could do, for him who hath called you with an holy calling; this is another Argument to enforce this Exhortation, the consideration [Page 138] for whom and for what this Testimony is given.

3. Another Argument which the Apostle bringeth here to perswade Timothy not to be ashamed of this Testimony, is his own ex­ample, v. 12. For the which cause, I also suffer these things, nevertheless I am not ashamed. — The Apostle saith, God is not ashamed to be called their God. And he saith of Christ, Heb. 2.11. He is not ashamed to call us Breth­nen: Shall we be ashamed to testify his truth? Shall we be ashamed of the name of his Witnesses? And observe the reason why the Apostle saith he is not ashamed. I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have belie­ved, and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.

4. Let me use one Argument further with you; Blessed be God, we yet can say, as Heb. 12.4. You have not yet resisted unto Blood, striving against sin. There are divers Argu­ments in that Text to make a Christian va­liant in his spiritual fight.

1. That a Christians fight is against sin.

2. That in this fight of Christians against sin, we ought, (if called to it) to resist unto Blood.

3. By how much the lesser the Trial is, that God calleth to us to undergo, by so much the greater obligation is upon us to endure it; all a Christians fight and striving is against sin: He giveth a Testimony to the Doctrine of the Gospel; it is against sin to prevent the coming in of damnable errors, which would [Page 139] sink the Souls of people into eternal ruine and destruction; he giveth a Testimony for the pure Worship of God, it is to keep out Superstition and Idolatry; he giveth a Te­stimony for the Government of Christ, this is also against sin, against those that say the Lord shall not rule over them or others, but we will rule over you; all our fight, all the resistance that we make is against sin. Now the fight against sin is so noble a fight, that every good man ought to resist unto Blood, rather to die than to sin against God, or to suffer sin to prevail in the World; but now when God doth not call us to lay down our Lives, but only to bear a lower Testimony, there our obligation riseth much higher; if God had called us to lay down our Lives, should we not do it? How much more when the Lord only calleth us to give a Testimony? St. John, Rev. 6.9. saw them under the Altar, that were slain for the Testi­mony that they 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 [Page 140] 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 [Page 141] 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 [Page 142] 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 [Page 143] 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.

THe Evangelist having in the First Chap­ter given us our Saviours Pedigree, brought down to his supposed Father Joseph, and an account of his Birth: And in the Second Chapter of his Motion into Egypt, and return from it: And in the Third Chap­ter of his Baptism: And in the Fourth Chap­ter of his Temptations. In the latter part of that Chapter he records his entrance into the publick Ministry, dwelling at that time with his Parents in Nazareth, (which was a City of Galilee) thereabout he first exer­cised [Page 145] his Ministry, and the Evangelist tells us that great multitudes followed him, as you find in the last Verse of the Chapter: In this and the Sixth, and Seventh Chapters, he giveth us an account of the Sermon he made to this multitude at the foot of the Mountain, a Sermon which containeth many excellent Doctrines. He beginneth it with pronouncing of several persons Blessed, con­cerning which blessednesses, these two things are to be observed.

1. That he pronounceth them quite con­trary to the common vogue and opinion of the world, especially at that time.

2. As to the performance of those duties wherein most of Christians self-denyal is to be shewn, the world blesseth the rich, he bles­seth the poor; as v. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven; The world blesseth the haughty, he blesseth the meek, as v. 5. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth. The World blesseth those that laugh and rejoice, he blesseth those that mourn, as v. 4. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. The World blesseth them that are full; he blesseth those that hunger and thirst, as v. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. The World blesseth those that are in Power to oppress others, he blesseth those that are per­secuted, provided it be for righteousness sake, as in v. 10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of [Page 146] Heaven. Three Propositions will exhaust the sum of these Verses.

Prop. 1. Revilings of men, persecution and speaking all manner of evil of them falsly for righteousness sake, and for Christs name sake, hath always been the portion of the Servants and Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Savi­our here doth Prophesie it unto his Disci­ples, and he speaketh it of his Servants un­der the Law; for saith he, They did so per­secute the Prophets.

Prop. 2. Those whose lot this falls to are blessed; and theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Prop. 3. It is their duty to rejoyce, and be exceeding glad under their persecution upon these considerations. I shall speak to the First and Second; the two latter will fall in with the Application.

1. Revilings, and speaking all manner of evil and persecution, was always the lot of the Ser­vants of God, and of the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All that I have here to open is, 1. The true notion of persecution.

2. Then I shall shew you, this hath always been the lot of the Servants of God, and of the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. I will endeavour to shew you the ground of it: As to the First, I shall endeavour to give you the true notion of persecution in five or six particulars.

[...] from whence this Participle comes, is a word, that is very frequently used in the New Testament, sometimes it is applied [Page 147] unto things, sometimes unto persons; when it is applied unto things, it signifieth an ear­nest desire of obtaining the thing, which is set out as the object of it, implying a singu­lar love to it, and desire of it, and it signifi­eth a good or an evil act, as the thing is good or evil, which we do pursue, 1 Thes. 5.15. — follow that which is good — Heb. 12.14. Follow peace with all men, 1 Tim. 6.11. — Follow after righteousness, — 1 Cor. 14.1. Fol­low after Charity, — Rom. 9.31. But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness. Is. 5.11. Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink. — Hos. 2.7. And she shall follow after her Lovers. When it is applied to persons, for the most part in the New Testament, it signifieth a pursuit after them to do them evil, Rom. 12.14. Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not, 1 Cor 15.9. — I persecuted the Church of God, Acts 9.5. — I am Jesus whom thou persecutest, John 5.16. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, — And so in many other Texts, it signifieth the following of another, with an earnest desire to do him some harm, and this may be a good and lawful action, or a wicked and sinful action, according to the cause, for it is an usual saying, Causa, non poena, facit martyrem.

2. Therefore the next words must ex­pound this act, for righteousness sake, and a­gain for my names sake; righteousness here doth unquestionably signify the same thing [Page 148] with goodness, and with holiness; as it is often taken in Scripture for Christs names sake, which is the same with for Christs sake, 1 John 2.12. — Your sins are forgiven you for his names sake. It is the same thing which is expressed under several other terms in Scripture, Math. 10.18. — for my sake Math. 16.25. — for my sake — Math. 19.12. — for the Kingdom of Heavens sake, — Mark. 4.17. — for the words sake — Luke 6.22. — for the Son of mans sake. In short, it signifi­eth that suffering which cometh upon us to avoid sinning against the command of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ; all such suffering is a suffering for Jesus sake, for the King­dom of Heavens sake, for Christs sake, for the Lords name sake, for righteousness sake.

3. The Person inflicting the punishment, and the law of man obliging to the punishment doth by no means alter the nature of such a suffering. If lawful Magistrates, and such as are clo­thed with just authority, could not be guil­ty of this sin of persecution; then only Ty­rants and Robbers, and Murderers could be called persecutors; but Paul was clothed with a lawful authority, Acts 9. Yet he himself saith, that he persecuted the Church of God; the Jews for ought I know had a lawful authority, yet John. 5.16. And there­fore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him: And if indeed the pursuing of one to do him mischief, because he dares not sin against God, be that which is in ho­ly Writ stiled persecution, this must follow, [Page 149] nor can the humane Law excuse it; you know the Jews said, John 19.7. — we have a Law, and that they did not pretend a Law when they had none, is plain, for v. 8. it is said, When Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid. The reason of this is, be­cause all the ways of men are regulae regula [...], They are under a higher authority, and must be subjected unto the Law of God, and judged by it; and it is possible that unrigh­teous judgments may be decreed, Is. 10.1. Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees.

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 [Page 150] 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 [Page 151] 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 [Page 152] 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,

[Page 153]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 that unlikeness that is betwixt [Page 154] a man in the state of nature, and a Holy God; a natural man is quite contrary and unlike unto God, our Saviour giveth this very reason, John 15.18. If the World hate you, you know that it hated me, before it hated you.

3. A third reason of it is, because the works of the people of God do condemn the works of the World. The Apostle Rom. 1.30. Describeth the Heathen as under the notion of such as are ha­ters of God, so under the notion of proud per­sons; they are proud; the proud man cannot endure to think that any should be better or do better, or be in a better case or condition then he is; now there is a light of holiness by which the Child of God doth outshine wicked men, and even to rational eyes doth appear more beautiful and comely; as, John 7.7. The world cannot hate you, but me it ha­teth, because I testifie of it, that the works thereof are evil; Iohn 3.20. Every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved; John 17.14. — the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world—the men of the world have so much corruption as will not suffer them to be as good as the Disciples and Servants of God; but they have so much pride, as will not let them be patient to think them better then themselves, or that they should be reported better then they; the truth is, every good man is a Preacher of righteousness, to a sinful world, he preacheth by his conversati­on, and they will not endure the Sermons [Page 155] that are made by a good example, any more than that which is made by word of mouth.

4. A fourth great reason of the persecution of the people of God by the men of the world, hath been the liberty they have delighted to take in the things of God, and their ambition to bring all others into a Subjection to their humours in it: This upon search will be found to have been one of the most universal causes of per­secution at all times; this caused the persecu­tion of the three Children, which threw them into the Fiery Furnace; this was that which threw Daniel into the Lions Den: There was a Law made that no man should pray but only to the King, and Daniel could not be tied up to this Law, he is thrown therefore into the Den of Lions: This was the cause of Christ and his Disciples perse­cution, they did not observe the Tradition of the Elders: The Apostles could not abide by the Decrees, which commanded them straitly, that they should preach no more in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; this hath been the cause of all the Popish persecu­tion; in short, this always hath been, and al­ways will be a root of violence and persecu­tion of the people of God; the conscience of a man in things of God, is a thing that will not, or cannot be controuled by a hu­mane Law; it is matter of Life and Death, of Salvation and Damnation, and a Christi­an must act according to the dictate of his Conscience, when it doth not sute with the [Page 156] Conscience of the men of the World, then they fall upon him, and this I say hath con­tinually been a fountain of blood and perse­cution; I come now to the Application.

Use 1. This may let us see the favour of God to persons, whom the Lord hath spa­red more than others from this bitter Cup: Some particular periods of time there have been, and some particular Christians there may be in all times, whom the Lord doth more favour than others; I would have such understand that the Lord useth them as Benjamins, he sendeth them out a double Mess; the ordinary portion of those that own the Gospel is persecution, God hath pro­mised his people no more, Mark 10.30. — Houses, and Brethren, and Sisters, and Mo­thers, and Children, and Lands with persecuti­on, — 2 Tim. 3, 12. All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution, 2 Tim. 1.8. Hath the Lord hid thee in the storms and tempests, hath he provided for thee, that thou dost not meet with these trials, that o­thers of the Servants of God have met with, thou hast more abundant cause to bless the name of the Lord, thou seest what severity befalls thy Brother, and the goodness that attends thee.

Use 2. This speaketh unto all the people of God to be preparing for trials: And Se­condly, To study their duty under them, that they may as the Prophet speaketh, glorifie the Lord in the Fires; this is a word in sea­son, and therefore I shall take liberty to [Page 157] speak more fully to both Branches; and that under these two Questions.

Qu. 1. What is the duty of the people of God, in reference to Persecution, not come upon them, or not to that degree, which it is pos­ble it may come to?

Qu. 2. What is the duty of the people of God in reference to Persecution, already come, either upon themselves, or upon others?

Qu. 1. What should the people of God do in reference to Persecutions, that are not yet come upon them, or at least not to that de­gree which they may expect or fear, or which are come upon other Churches, or people of God. I answer,

1. Live in a dayly expectation of them; we never worse encounter any evils then those that surprize us; what we live in a dayly view of, usually when it cometh, doth not take so much impression upon our Spirits, as the evils that fall upon us at unawares; 1 Pet. 4.12. Beloved, think it not strange con­cerning the fiery Tryal— do not look upon it as a thing that shall not come, there is no­thing so much prejudiceth any man, as put­ting the evil day afar off, and saying with David, I shall never be moved, when God hideth his face in the least, then we are troubled; look for a time when your goods shall be rifled, when you shall be put into Prison, when you shall be brought to die [Page 158] for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is nothing so pernicious to you as se­curity is Job puts a case to himself; if the Lord should kill me, saith he, yet I will trust in him; say sometimes to your selves, what should I do if God should strip me naked? If I should be put to wander in Sheep-skins, and Goat-skins, be destitute and forsaken? You have all the reason in the world to expect this at the world; the world hateth you, as much as it hated all the Prophets, all the Servants of God in former Ages, who met with this usage from it; why should you not expect it, when the Lord hath said, That all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suf­fer persecution: I say when the Word hath said, that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution; what reason hast thou to say to thy self, I will live godly in Christ Jesus, and yet I shall not suffer persecution? You have not in this Age yet resisted unto blood; but live in an expectation of such a time; that is my first counsel to you.

2. Above all, Labour to ensure your peace with God, and get the best evidence for Hea­ven that you can get; it is the policy of the Princes of the Earth, when they see they shall certainly have a great War with some of their fellow Princes, to make Leagues and Treaties with other Princes, that they may not have them all upon them: I am sure it is great policy for the poor Flock of God in the world, when they see they are [Page 159] like to have a War with the world, to give all diligence to make their Callings and E­lection sure; to have a doubt or any fears of the wrath of God, when the wrath of men boileth high against Christians is a ve­ry uncomfortable thing; if ever there be a time for men to wrestle with God in prayer, and to use all their endeavours to ensure their interest in God; it is a time when the world is most likely to quarrel with them, and they are likeliest to have the sharpest contest with men in the world, that so they may not have at once two enemies on their Backs.

3. Labour the mortification of those lusts which may disturb your Souls in an hour of persecution; it is the policy of all States, and all Nations, when they fear a War, to weak­en that party which when the War comes, they cannot trust to, and to put them out of all Command at least, if they cannot quite quit them of the place; it will be the po­licy of your Souls, if you would pre­pare for a time of persecution, to weak­en your lusts and corruptions, if you cannot out them, at least to get them out of Com­mand in your Souls, especially such lusts as will be most subject to betray your Souls; you will say, what are those lusts? What are those corruptions which are most subject to betray us in an hour of persecution; I will instance in some of them.

1. A love of pleasures; it is given as the Character of wicked men, 2 Tim. 3.4. — [Page 160] Lovers of pleasures — they spend their years in pleasure, and in a moment go down to the Grave, Titus 3.3. — serving divers lusts and pleasures: — These are things that are very grateful to our nature, but he that harbour­eth them in his bosome, will be very unfit for an hour of persecution; as he said, who saw a brave Building, and Gardens, These are the things that make us unfit for death; so truly we may say, these are the things that make us unfit for persecution, they that can­not satisfy themselves without the delight of the Eyes, and without the delight of the Ears, will hardly know how to endure a Prison, or how to endure affliction, which were not affliction if it were not a de­nial of our pleasures: Study the mortifica­tion of your hearts, as to all the pleasures of this Life, Moses, Heb. 11.25. chose ra­ther to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a sea­son.

2. Secondly, Study the mortification of wrath, anger and passion; a time of persecu­tion is a time that will anger us, we had not need be Cholerick and Techy in such a time, the want of this is that which maketh Chri­stians in suffering to render evil for evil, revi­ling for reviling, and to study revenge; passi­on wonderfully roileth the Soul in an evil day, and keepeth it from bearing the Yoke of God with that quietness, with which it ought to submit to the good pleasure of God.

[Page 161]3. A Third Lust which much prejudiceth us in an hour of persecution is Pride, and ha­ving an high opinion of our selves; in such a day as this, God is levelling high Moun­tains, God is humbling all the pride of mans glory; take heed of a heart lifted up, and swelling high in the opinion of your selves, if ever you would endure an hour of per­secution.

4. Get your hearts as much mortified to the World as you can. Paul gloried in the Cross of Christ, by which the World was Crucified to him, and he Crucified to the World, Gal. 6.14. All that persecution can hurt you in, is to divide you from the World, and to imbit­ter the World to you; it cannot reach you as to your heavenly concern, as to your in­terest there; so that the looser you stand to the World, both as to your inward affecti­ons, and as to your more outward dealings and trading in it, the fitter you will be for such an hour of trial; what signifieth the di­viding of him from the World, who is al­ready dead to the World? When the heart is glued to worldly profits, or worldly rela­tions, or worldly employments and business, persecution maketh a great breach; but where the heart is divided from the World as to all these, so as it is not fond of any of these things, it hath no pleasure no delight in them, it can live without them, persecu­tion doth little hurt. There is nothing so com­mendable to the study of a Christian, as a preparation for persecution, as the loosening [Page 162] themselves from Worldly employments which are as Nets, and entangle the Soul, and the loosening the Soul from Worldly enjoy­ments, pleasures and profits, from hearty af­fections to the World; this was that which made the Saints of God take the spoiling of their goods with joy; this is that hating of Fa­ther, and Mother, Wife and Children, which our Saviour so presseth upon his Disciples, it is a not loving of them more than God; a loving them so as we can part with them all, rather than sin against God, and wound our Consciences.

5. Take heed of any actions by which you may hasten or aggravate persecution; and make it appear more bitter than it is. Though perse­cution be the lot of the People of God; yet God should chuse their lot for them, they ought not to carve for themselves, affli­ctions are in themselves evils, and we may pray against them, and may use means to prevent them, and it is our duty so to do; there are two things that may hasten, aggra­vate and imbitter persecution to the people of God.

1. Sinnings against God. There is no evil in the City which God hath not done; God useth the Sword of Persecutors to avenge his quarrels, take heed then of sinning against God.

2. Indiscreet, imprudent conversations towards men. Take heed of any provocative carria­ges; carry your selves as innocently as you will, the World will be angry with you, [Page 163] take heed of making them more angry by things which you are not obliged to do, which if done, will disoblige the Men of the World; there is nothing that more im­bitters our crosses to us, than the sour refle­ctions of our Consciences upon us under them.

6. Live in a daily contemplation of eternity, and a viewing of him who is invisible; it is impossible that any thing should make us willing to cut off the inch of time which we think may be added to our Lives but the view of eternity; that any thing should make us willing to suffer the spoiling of our goods with joy, but a knowledge that we have in Heaven a far more enduring sub­stance; that we should ever be willing to part with our dear and sweet relations, but upon the sight of better company; if the Heathen upon the contemplation of the Im­mortality of the Soul, could be content to make an end of their Lives, surely we may hope, that our contemplation of the plea­sures that are at Gods right hand, should dispose and prepare us for the parting with the pleasures of sin which are but for a sea­son; the things which are seen, they are temporal (saith the Apostle) the things which are not seen they are eternal. What was that which made Jacob endure the cold nights and watchings, but the sight of Rachel. He had a prospect of a Rachel; his satisfacti­on in her, was that which he thought would ballance all at last. The quicker view of e­ternity [Page 164] any Soul hath, the cheaper all the World will be unto him.

7. Labor for a good stock of Faith, Patience and Wisdom. The more full assent you give to the Proposition of the Word, and the firmer reliance you have upon the Promises, the better you will endure an evil hour; you will easily understand the reason of this, if you consider that persecution lieth in no­thing else but in your being straitned, or suffering in things visible and sensible, and faith is the evidence of things not seen. I told you before that persecution only touch­eth us in sensible parts, for else indeed they were no afflictions; let me shew you the force and power of Faith in this matter to bring a man into a state fitting for persecu­tion.

1. Faith sheweth an invisible God.

2. It sheweth us invisible things.

Faith sheweth unto us an invisible God. There is nothing so much emboldneth the Soul to sin, as our not seeing of God; the Fool hath said in his Heart, There is no God; no God that hath such an eye to see, no God so omnipotent, no God so strict and severe in Justice, as he is said to be. Now the more a man seeth of an invisible God, the more a man despiseth all visible sensible things.

2. Faith sheweth unto the Soul invisible things, and those of an infinite transcenden­cy, and supereminent excellency above all things that are visible, 1 Cor. 2.9, 10. — Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have en­tred [Page 165] into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit, Psal. 16.11. — at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore, Heb. 11.16. — a bet­ter Country, Heb. 11.26. — a recompence of reward, Heb. 10.34. — a better and enduring substance. In all persecution there are two things; poena sensus, poena damni; there is a pain of sense, and there is a smart, in pri­sons and in death. Now Faith armeth the Soul, shewing him a God more armed to punish him in case of sin, than persecution is armed to make him sin, Luke 12.4. — Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do, (saith our Saviour) but fear him that can cast both Body and Soul into Hell-fire. This taketh away all the pain of sense in persecution; sense tel­leth a man the Persecutor can do no more than kill the Body, Faith drowns this, by shewing the Soul a God that hath the Keys of Hell, and Death in his hand, and that can and will cast the Soul into Hell fire; for the pain of sense, it is plain, that Faith devou­reth all that, and for the pain of loss, it ta­keth away that: Is it pleasure that maketh thee loth to endure persecution, Faith shew­eth the Soul the pleasures at Christs right hand, where are fulness of pleasures for e­vermore; is it profit that maketh thee loth to endure persecution? Faith sheweth the Soul a more enduring substance, a recompence of reward which is infinitely above thy pro­portion [Page 166] of labour; yea and Faith evidenceth this to the Soul, and giveth the Soul such an evidence of these things, that the Soul hath no more doubt, no more fear of these things, than if it had these other things sen­sibly before its eyes; therefore labour for a stock of Faith; when I say labour for it, I mean but two things; study the promises of God, that you may understand them, and the compass of them; pray to God to make them stick to your Souls; and as this Faith doth it, and hath a great influence upon the Soul to make it valiant in its spiritual fight, so that Faith which is the reliance of the Soul up­on the Lord Jesus Christ, hath a very great power and influence; for this teacheth the Soul to rest, and rely upon Christ alone for Salvation, and layeth the strongest and highest obligation imaginable upon the Soul to love the Lord Jesus Christ; and again, to do nothing that may give an offence un­to him by disobedience to any of his Com­mandments.

8. Endeavour to furnish your selves with patience. Patience is either to be considered in the act, or in the habit; I now speak of the habit of patience; a power to exercise patience; patience is usually by Divines said to be active, which is a power to wait the good pleasure of God, for the fulfilling of the promise; or passive, a power quietly to bear the dispensation of God to us. Both of them are highly necessary.

[Page 167]1. For the first, a power to wait for God, for the fulfilling of the promise, Heb. 10.36, 37. For you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise: For, yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tar­ry. The staying of th [...] Vision to an appoint­ed time, and Gods not making hast in the fulfilling of the promise, is that which shew­eth us the need of this patience.

2. The second is a power to bear the good pleasure of God; and to suffer what is his will. Both these are wonderful needful unto a Soul in an hour of persecution. If you ask me how we shall come by patience, the answer is easie; the more faith, the more patience, for faith begetteth patience; and because the habits of both are infused by God, Prayer is the great means both to obtain these and all other influences and habits of grace from God. Endeavour to furnish your selves with the grace and ha­bit of patience, patience is the suffering grace.

9. Labour for spiritual wisdom. Wisdom is a practical habit which directeth us to use the best means, in order to a good end, this wisdom doth not teach you to deliberate at all about the thing, whether you should suffer or no, but only concerning the man­ner and the circumstances of the thing; to do it in the best manner, is as God shall have most honour, and your own Souls most peace and comfort. You know our Saviour [Page 168] saith, be wise as Serpents, and the Apostle James, to his Exhortation to patience present­ly subjoineth this of wisdom; If any of you want wisdom, let him ask it of God; there is a great wisdom to be used in suffe­ring, 2 Tim. 2.5. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not Crowned, except he strive lawfully. To this of the Apostle is subjoined, v. 3. Thou therefore endure hard­ness, as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ. This point of wisdom to be used in suffering is a large point, and I cannot speak so much to it as I should; I shall only here say that it lieth very much in avoiding needless provo­cations of our adversaries, either by word or deed; they will be angry do we what we can, but certainly it is the wisdom of a Christian to avoid needless provocations, by suffering as patiently, as meekly, and calmly as we are able.

10. Would you prepare for an hour of persecution? walk close with God. Walking ho­lily and closely with God, is the duty of a Christian at all times, both with reference to his eternal Salvation, and in reference to his peace, but never more needful than at such a time, Deut. 23.9. You shall find this passage; When the Host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing. Israel was not only concerned to take heed of wickedness at all times, but especially then, for fear of provoking God, when the Lords Sword is drawn; when the Lion roareth, the Beasts of the Forrest tremble; [Page 169] when a man entreth into persecution, he go­eth out to Battel; this is our Battel with the world: We do at all times stand obli­ged to take heed of sin, but more at such a time than at another: Our Lord speaking of his coming, saith, Blessed is that Servant, whom when his Master cometh, he shall find so doing. When the Lord letteth loose the men of the world, to execute their rage against the people of God, the Lord doth come in a way of wrath and anger against his own people; you had need at such a time take heed to your selves; every one girdeth his Rayment close to him in a time of Winter, and pulleth his Cloak close about him in a storm; though a Christian standeth obliged at all times to walk close with God, yet if ever he may give himself a liberty and loose­ness as to a garment of holiness, certainly it should not be in the Winter, it should not be when a storm is coming.

11. Be much in Prayer. As we do nothing in our own strength, so do we much less suffer in our own strength, Philip. 1.29. For unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. It is a gift, and it must be given to us of God for to suffer; all gifts we have from God are obtained by asking; the Lord giveth his holy Spirit unto them that ask it, and reason teacheth us to double our Petitions, and to double our fervour and heat in petitioning, when the mercy we ask is more necessary for us, or at such a time [Page 170] when we stand in a more special and parti­cular need of that mercy which we go to God for; our Lord hath taught us this by his example: He went and prayed, and thrice repeated the same words, that is, the same matter of prayer: I say by that exam­ple our Lord hath shewed us what is our great duty in such a time to pray to God, either that the Cup may pass from us, or that he would furnish us with grace and strength to glorify God in the fire; thus much for the first Question.

Quest. 2. What is the duty of Christians, when the hour of persecution is come upon them?

Here in the first place is a case of Consci­ence to be spoken to about flight; Whether it be lawful for Christians to fly in a time of persecution to avoid the storm?

There have been very different opinions of Divines, some have asserted it utterly un­lawful to fly; others moderate it, and say, That before a Christian is taken, he may fly, but if he be taken, they think he ought to stand to it, and not to fly; others have affirmed it, as a duty to fly: I do not think the case is to be spoken to in the general, because cir­cumstances will much alter this case, as to flight, or voluntary withdrawing our selves.

1. It is lawful for a Christian to fly, when the cause of God cannot be advantaged by his stay, but may be prejudiced; and when parti­cular ties do not oblige him for to stay; our Saviour bids his Disciples, Math. 10.23. [Page 171] When they persecute you in this City, flee you into another: I know some say, that this was only a permission of a duty enjoined the Dis­ciples of our Lord, to the intent the Go­spel may be Preached, but there is no que­stion of this, that self-preservation is a duty that we owe to our selves, and the very Law of Nature obligeth to it, when some particular law of God doth not countermand the law of nature; so long as there is any probable hope that the cause of God may be advantaged by our stay, that a man stand­eth as a stake in a Hedg, take it out and the Hedge falleth, he must not stir; but when the case is so, as a mans stay can no way further the interest of God, he may lawfully withdraw; it is a rule in War, when the Field is lost, no Captain doubt­eth of providing for himself; so though a man be a Minister of the Gospel, and of great use in a place, yet when he seeth the Church is dispersed, and he can do no good by his stay, there is no question but in this case he may fly and secure himself.

2. It is yielded on all hands, That when the persecution is personal, it is lawful for a Chri­stian to avoid the dint of it; when a particu­lar Minister is aimed at, or a particular Chri­stian, and there be others; who (if he be gone) may do his work, and bear up the cause of God; I say in this case, it hath been granted to be the duty of persons to fly in a time of persecution; in short, I take it to be the duty of Christians in such cases to [Page 172] withdraw, when they can do it without sin­ning against God, the flight barely conside­red is no sin, if no other sin attendeth it. If a man hath boasted of his standing and then fly, if a man cannot stir, but he must betray the interest of God in the place where he is, or fail in his discharge of his duty to them whom the Lord hath set him in near Relation to, he may sin. But in the general when a man can withdraw, and by his withdrawing not run into a neglect of any other duty by which he is tied to glorify God, or to do good to the Souls of others, I believe it to be so far from the duty of a Christian not to fly, as it is his duty to fly; I conclude therefore:

1. In the first place, It is the duty of Chri­stians in a time of persecution to stand to it, to endure it until the Lord openeth some door by which they may go out without sin­ning against God; either deserting the inte­rest of his honour and glory, or their own duty to them to whom the Lord hath set them in near Relation: We may fly if God openeth us a door, but we must not break our selves a Gap, we must see God going before us, and guiding of us, as to what we do; this is to be a good Soldier of Christ.

2. It is doubtless the great duty of Chri­stians in such a time, to live as winning and obliging a conversation as possibly we can, that we may not by any Indiscretion pull down any suffering or trial upon our selves. We [Page 173] ought always to remember we are Factors for God, and to walk so as to win others, but especially at such times, when the worlds passions are in a great fermentati­on.

3. It is unquestionably a great duty of Christians in a time of persecution, to stu­dy a charitable frame of spirit, Math. 5.44. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despightfully use you, and persecute you. You see this in the practice of our Saviour; Father forgive them, they know not what they do: And Stephen pray­ing when he was dying, Lord lay not this sin unto their charge; 1 Pet. 2.21. For hereunto were you called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps. Our hearts are very prone to re­venge, and the more causelesly we suffer from any, the more our anger riseth, and the more we are prone to study revenge, therefore the mortification of anger in the checking of our passion, is highly necessary to us in such an hour.

4. We ought not to be solicitous either what to say, or what to do. Be you only careful of your duty, that you do not bring your selves into trials, that you do not suffer as evil-doers, either with respect to the cause for which you suffer, or to any circumstan­ces relating to it; see that you strive, and strive lawfully, Mark 13.11. When they shall lead you and deliver you up, take no thought be­fore [Page 174] what you shall speak; neither do you preme­ditate, but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak you, for it is not you that speak but the Holy Ghost. You may be assured that God never calleth you to any work, but he will stand by you; you know who was in the fiery Furnace, Dan. 6.22. My God hath sent his Angels, saith Daniel, and hath shut the Lions mouths, that they have not hurt me, 2 Tim. 4.16. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me, v. 17. Not­withstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me. You have heard of the pro­fession of the Martyrs burning at the stake, they felt no more pain than if they were in a Bed of Roses; study nothing more than how you may be able to glorify God in the fires.

5. Then if ever it is your duty not to be seeking great things for your selves in this life, Jer. 45.5. Seekest thou great things for thy self? seek them not — A Christian should order his Conversation in Conformity to Gods dispensation; he should not be clo­thing himself with Ornaments, when God is stripping of him; he should not then be furnishing his house with fine things, when Gods providence is stripping of him naked; he should not then be perfuming himself with sweet smells, when the Lord is sending him a stench and rents.

6. Then, if ever, a Christian stands most highly concerned to fill his thoughts with spiritual objects, to be thinking of the plea­sures [Page 175] at Gods right hand, thinking of that substance that shall endure, of that better Country, which God h [...]th prepared for his people.

7. A Christian ought in an hour of trial, to be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in him, to every one th [...] asketh with meekness, and with fear: If you observe that Text, 1 Pet. 3.15. It is mixed with the Apostles directi­ons to Christians, how to behave themselves under persecution, a Christian is not bound to bring himself into trouble; but if the Lord hath spread his Net over him that he cannot escape; if the Lord hath hedged up his way with Thorns, he ought to be ready to give an account of his Faith, and of his hope to them that ask him: Peter failed in this, who denied that he knew the man of whom the Maid spake; but I pray observe, there is a difference to be put betwixt a Con­fession of our Faith, and a Confession of a Fact; I do not think that in a matter of Fact a Christian is bound to betray himself: When Pilate asked our Saviour, Math. 27.11. Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus said un­to him: Thou sayest. But this is not all, we are not only to be ready to give a reason of our Faith, or of our hope, but we must do it with meekness and with fear, in an humble manner, with that due reverence which is due unto those, whom the Lord hath set in a station above us.

8. We are not to be ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of his words, [Page 176] Mark 8.38. Whosoever therefore shall be asha­med of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels. Luke 12.8. — Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also c [...]sess before the Angels of God. And you may find the same thing, Math. 10.32. The Apostle observeth of our Lord, 1 Tim. 6.13. That he before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. Upon which ac­count he adjureth Timothy, that according to his example he also should fight the good fight, and keep the Faith. Here ariseth a Question.

Quest. What is to be determined in this case, when the Magistrate commandeth that which he ought to command; or which at least he thinketh he may command, and the Christian doth not obey, because he thinketh that in obeying he should sin against God; whether in this case is the Superi­ours Act Persecution, and the Inferiour persecuted yea or no?

1. I answer, it unquestionably dependeth not upon the Judgment of men, whether the thing commanded be lawful or unlaw­ful, that issue must be determined by God; for God alone is Judge of truth and false­hood, of what is lawful or unlawful; and such pursuits must be determined at the Bar of God, whether they be persecution or not.

[Page 177]2. It is most certain, men may persecute others for righteousness sake, and yet think they do that which they ought to do, Acts 26.9. I verily thought with my self, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, John 16.2. Whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service. And it is as certain, men may think they suffer for righteousness sake, when they suffer for their iniquity as evil doers, as Priests and Je­suites do.

3. When the Superiour thinketh himself bound to do it, he must do it; and where the other thinketh he is bound to suffer, he ought to suffer; yet the one may be punished for doing, the other may be rewarded for suf­fering.

4. When the Magistrate is not bound, but only useth his liberty, though he think­eth the Subject be bound to obey, yet I can­not see how the action shall be excused from persecution, the reason is, the Superiour may forbear his command, the Inferiour cannot avoid his suffering; this is in short, what I think of this case.

9. Remember them that are in bonds, Heb. 13.2. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them. You should remember them in your prayers, Acts 12.5. Peter was kept in prison, prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him. Rom. 15.30.— Strive together with me, in your prayers to God for me. Remember them in your visits. Mat 25.36. — I was sick, and you visited me. Remember [Page 178] them with your purses. In the Primitive Church Christians upon this account had all things common, Acts 4.34. For as many as were possessors of lands, or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things which were sold. 2 Cor. 8.14. That now at this time your abun­dance may be a supply for their want. Phil. 4.15. No Church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but you only. There is yet one piece of duty behind, and that our Saviour here hinteth; Rejoyce and be exceed­ing glad. Here are three things I shall in­sist upon.

1. I will open the words to you, and shew you the import of them, what this is to re­joyce, and be exceeding glad.

2. I will answer the Question, how we can rejoyce and be exceeding glad?

3. I will shew you the ground upon which a Christian should be exceeding glad. Rejoyce, saith our Saviour, and be exceeding glad. Joy is nothing but the satisfaction of the Soul in the union that it hath with some good thing that is present, so as it must necessarily sig­nifie these things.

Negatively, 1. A satisfaction of mind in op­position to grief, and trouble, and affliction. Grief is the true opposite to Joy; when we are bid to rejoyce, we are bid not to grieve; for no man can rejoyce and grieve heartily in a breath; persecution is not a thing fit for a Christians tears. Indeed there is no­thing fit for a Christians tears but only sin; and so far there may be matter of grief for [Page 179] us under a persecution, if it hath been brought upon us by our sins, or by our in­discretion; but take it as it is a suffering for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is not. He slurs the Crown of Martyrdom that droppeth a tear, or spendeth a sigh upon it: Let men howl and weep that are sent to Gaol, and brought to the Gallows for the satisfaction of their lusts; but let them take heed of grieving, that are only sent to prison, or brought to a stake, for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. A satisfaction of mind in opposition to discontent, murmuring or repining; for not on­ly grief, which is directly opposite to our joy, will spoil our mirth, but even a discon­tent and dissatisfaction will spoil our joy; for joy requireth the satisfaction of the mind, so as it must be at rest, and not tos­sed up and down with the waves of many fears and cares. Christians should not be discontented at God's dispensations; they should not grudge, nor murmure, nor repine at God, if he shall please to bring them un­der such a dispensation as to suffer for his Name sake.

3. It implieth a satisfaction of mind, in opposition to sollicitude; as he whose heart is full of grief, or whose heart is full of discontent, cannot rejoyce: So he whose heart is full of carefulness, cannot rejoyce neither. This is that which our Lord cauti­oneth his Disciples against, Take no thought of what you shall say; and this is the reason that [Page 180] in those fierce and furious times, the Apostle did so caution Christians, 1 Cor. 7.32. I would have you be without carefulness, Phil. 4.6. Be careful in nothing, 1 Pet. 5.7. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. So then, when our Lord calleth unto his Disciples to rejoyce, and to be exceeding glad, he for­biddeth them immoderate grief, murmur­ing and repining at God's dispensations; and he forbiddeth them sollicitous and anxious care, either what they should say, or how they should bear the Cross that the Lord bringeth them under.

2. But Secondly, There is something posi­tive, and this our Saviour doth hint to us by the two words that he useth in this place, [...], the latter word signi­fieth a great excess of joy, which doth not keep within the bounds of the heart, but breaketh forth in actions. Divines have ob­served that it answereth an Hebrew word, which signifieth dancing joyfully, and is used of David, 1 Chron. 15.29. dancing before the Ark; and this agreeth with James 1.2. Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; where temptations signifieth persecutions.

Thus the Apostle, Acts 5.41. They de­parted from the presence of the Council, rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name. It is the duty of Christians not only not to grieve and be troubled, not only not to be discontented, and to murmure and repine; not only to be free from sollicitude and trouble of spirit because of persecution, [Page 181] but on the contrary, to rejoyce and to be glad, yea and that with the greatest excess of joy, to leap for joy.

Obj. But will some Christians say, How should a Christian do this? Can a man rejoyce in evil? Is it not contrary to the very nature of man to rejoyce in an evil? Is it not contrary to whatsoever is the duty of a Christian, to rejoyce in the afflicting hand of God upon him? How then shall a man be glad and rejoyce in persecution, and either answer the Law of Nature, or the Will and Pleasure of God, not taking no­tice of his dispensations?

Sol. I answer; First, It is one thing to rejoyce in the affliction, and another thing to rejoyce in the time of the affliction; it is one thing to rejoyce when we are persecu­ted, and another thing to rejoyce because we are persecuted. God doth not require that of you which is contrary to your Humane Na­ture; God requireth of no man to rejoyce because he suffereth, but yet he may rejoyce when he is persecuted; he may rejoyce that he is thought worthy to suffer.

2. It is one thing to rejoyce in the smart of a persecution, another thing to rejoyce in the cause of a suffering, and the fruit and ef­fect of suffering. God doth not require of any person to rejoyce in the smart of an evil, but only in the cause, and in the fruit of it, which I shall open further to you.

3. It is one thing for a Christian to re­joyce in persecution, as it is a token of God's [Page 182] anger and displeasure, another thing for to rejoyce in it, as a means by which it pleaseth God to make the Soul of his Saints perfect unto glory. The Apostle tells us, that no affliction is joyous at present, but grievous.

3 Obj. The last Question which remains is, What ground of solid joy and rejoycing hath a Christian under persecution?

I shall open this to you in several particu­lars. I begin with those of the Text.

1. Because the Lord hath blessed them. This is matter of joy. Is it not matter of joy to a Christian, that he is in such a condition as he is under a blessing; yea not under a single blessing, but under a treble blessing? Is it nothing to you, Sirs, to be blessed of God, to have him who knoweth the state of every Soul, in whose hand are all blessings, and cursings, and whom he blesseth they shall be blessed, and whom he curseth they shall be cursed? Is it nothing for you to be in such a state, that you are sure you are under the blessing of God, that you are some of those he hath pronounced blessed, thrice over blessed, though you be here some of them who are hated, reviled and persecuted, and spoken evil of falsly for the Lords Name sake?

2. Yours is the Kingdom of Heaven. You have a phrase very like this, which will come into consideration; Great is your re­ward in Heaven. I shall not at present con­sider it in that sense. Our Saviour saith else­where, The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. [Page 183] The Kingdom of Heaven within us is the Throne of Christ set up in our hearts, 1 Pet. 4.14. The Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you. So this shall be an evidence unto you, that the Kingdom of God is set up in your hearts. Thus the words of our Saviour are made good; It shall be unto you for a testimony. The Kingdom of Christ is then set up in any Soul, when Christ ruleth, and other things truckle under him and his Law; when a Christian overcometh in a good fight; when he is too hard for the World, that they can­not flatter him into a disobedience to Christ, nor frown him into a disobedience of Christ, it is a sign that Christ sitteth as Lord and as King in that Soul, and the King­dom of Heaven is within that man; it is a testimony of grace, and that the Spirit of God resteth upon that man, and the Spirit of Glory resteth on that man. On your part (saith the Apostle) he is glorified.

3. Great is your reward in Heaven. The Papists make a great stir about the term of a reward, as if it must needs be a correlative to a work; but as there is a reward of debt, (as you reward a man that hath laboured for you, and done you some valuable service) so there is also a reward of grace. The Fa­ther saith to the Child, if you will do such a thing, I will give you a new Coat; here is a reward given upon the Child's obedience; but yet the Child's obedience doth not earn it. There is a reward of grace, as well as a reward of debt; there is a reward of a work, [Page 184] which is not always a just reward for a work; life everlasting is promised as the reward of them that suffer persecution; But our afflictions are, saith the Apostle, but light and momentany afflictions, though they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, James 1.12. Is not this mat­ter of rejoycing, that the reward of a man is great in Heaven? 2 Thes. 1.7. It is a to­ken to you of rest with us, when the Lord Je­sus shall be revealed.

4. They persecuted the Prophets that were before you. There is a great cause of rejoycing in this.

1. It is no new thing to you; it is but what hath been the Lot of the people of God formerly.

2. As it is no new thing to men, so parti­cularly not to the most eminent Servants of God. Such were the Prophets; nay, the more eminent they were in their Genera­tion, the more they have been brought un­der this Rod.

3. This administreth further comfort to Christians in suffering, that those who have professed to the same Religion, yet have per­secuted those born after the Spirit. The Jews owned the same God, and the same Religi­on that the Prophets did, yet they persecuted the Prophets. Lastly,

4. It speaketh you the true Members of the Church. You partake of the common affli­ctions of the Members of it; that our Lord might let them know, that it was no new [Page 185] thing, he saith, They persecuted the Prophets which were before you, that our Lord might let them know they were not too good for per­secution, he says, So persecuted they the Prophets, who yet were the best of the Servants of God, lest it should be a trouble to them, that persons owning the same Religion, were their Enemies; he saith, So persecuted they the Prophets, that he might shew them with whom they had communion in their sufferings, namely, with the Antient Church of God, he saith, For so persecuted they the Pro­phets.

5. I must yet rise one note higher; you are partakers of the afflictions of Jesus Christ; this is a ground of rejoycing; Re­joyce, saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4.13. in as much as you are partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy, Phil. 1.20. Christ shall be magnified in my body, Col. 1.24. Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind, of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. St. Paul, Phil. 3.10. desired to know him, and the power of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of his Sufferings, being made con­formable to his Death. If (saith the Apostle) we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Rom. 8.17, 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this life, are not worthy to be com­pared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.

Thus far I have discoursed the duty of God s people relating to an hour of persecu­tion, whether imminent, or already come [Page 186] upon them; but in all persecution, there must be an Agent as well as a Patient.

Last Ʋse. Must this be the Lot of the Ser­vants of God, of all those that will live god­ly in Christ Jesus, to suffer persecution, take heed your hand be not upon them. Offences must come, saith our Saviour, Luke 17.1, 2. but woe unto him through whom they come: It were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the Sea. The will of God concerning an event, will not justifie the proximate cause or agent in an action; undoubtedly of all sins, there is no sin that is greater in its kind than this.

1. Consider with your selves, by way of comparison, if it be a great sin for a man to do hurt to those that are innocent, how much greater must it be to do evil to one, because he doth good? God hath taken a particular charge of innocent persons, Exod. 23.7. The innocent and righteous person stay thou not, saith God, Deut. 27.25. Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person, Job 22.30. He shall deliver the Island of the inno­cent. Now I say, if that stealing from a man that hath done me no harm, or the taking away his goods by violence, or oppressing him be such a guilt in the sight of God, judge how great the sin must be to slay a righteous person, to undo, or do injury to a person meerly because he doth that which is good, and dare not sin against the Lord his God.

2. I would have you consider how much the Lord interesteth himself in the quarrels [Page 187] of his people, and in their injuries; He that toucheth you, saith God, toucheth the Apple of my Eye. The Lord counteth his people as the Apple of his Eye, as his Jewels. Now for you to plunder the Lord's Iewels, for you to venture to touch the Apple of God's Eye, judge what the issue shall be. When Saul was breathing out threatning, and bringing per­secution upon the Church of God, the Lord called unto him out of Heaven, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And when he said, Who art thou Lord? the Answer was, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. And if the Lord doth so severely take notice of the omissions of doing good to his people, Mat. 25.41. Pronouncing the Sentence, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Verse 42. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: Verse 43. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye vi­sited me not. What do you think the Lord will do to them that take their bread from them, and their garments from them, and are Instruments to throw them into prison?

3. I would have you consider what a dread­ful vengeance hath followed them who have been Instruments in persecution in all times. You know how the Lord punished Cain, so as he cryed out, My punishment is greater than I am able to bear. You know how the Lord punished Ishmael, Pharaoh and Jezebel, and the Jewish Nation. In short, this work of [Page 188] persecution hath been the ruine of all those that have ever medled with it; Christ, that stone which the builders refused, hath faln upon them, and ground them to powder, Luke 20.18. Precious in the sight of God is the blood of his Saints; he will requite it. If the blood of a Man slain, doth so defile a Land, Numb. 35.33. that the Land shall not be purged but by the blood of him that shed it; what do you think will the precious blood of the Saints do? What therefore Pilate's Wife said un­to him, in her message, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous person: So I say, have nothing to do with men that only strive against sin, and put themselves upon suffer­ing in this extremity, rather than they will sin against God; let others meddle at their perils, but have you nothing to do with them. Take heed of all persecution; and that you may know what you are to avoid, let me desire you to compare this Text with Luke 6.22. Blessed are you, when men hate you, and when they shall separate you from their com­pany, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil.

1. The root of persecution is hatred; and he that hateth a man, because he doth not sin, persecuteth.

2. The Eldest Daughter of hatred is sepa­rating from them, from their company; let those that have to do with persecution, con­sider this.

3. The third thing is casting out their name, reproaching, reviling, speaking evil of them.

[Page 189]4. Another thing in that which is set out under the notion of persecution, reacheth to the spoiling them of their goods, of their liberty, and of their lives. Take heed of it, if God maketh it their lot, yet be you not the In­struments in setting out their lot to them. Executioners of Justice are necessary in a State, yet the Imployment, we see, is what none is ambitious of. Offences must come. There must be some to persecute, but woe be to those by whom they come. Persecutors are but the Executioners of Divine Decrees and Justice, but they mean not so. God will reckon with them, not for executing his will, but for executing their own lusts of malice and rage. Not many of them die the deaths of other men.