The Way to True Happiness, Sermon 21
The one and twentieth SERMON.
MATTH. 5.10.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake: for theirs is the kingdome of heaven.
WEe are now come to the last step, to the last beatitude here mentioned by our blessed Saviour; Blessed are the persecuted. And touching this, there are many questions which make much to the cleering of the text.
Quest. 1. First, whether the suffering of persecution may be reputed a blessed thing?
Answ. For answer whereunto: Persecution, or suffering falles under a double consideration. First, as it is a suffering simply considered: And so it is no blessed thing to suffer. For, then it were a thing to be desired, and prayed for; and then by going to heaven wee should lose a part of our happinesse.
Next, persecution is to bee considered as it is clothed with divers circumstances; as it referres first to the cause for which a man suffers: secondly to the person, who it is that suffers: thirdly to the manner how hee suffers; and fourthly to the reward and consequents that follow upon his suffering of persecution. And so to suffer in the Lords cause, as a righteous person in such a manner, as that heaven may follow upon it, this makes the thing a blessed thing.
Quest. 2. But it will be here demanded, Sith to suffer persecution is not simply a blessing, why then doth our Saviour here ranke it among those things that render a man simply blessed?
Answ. Wee answer: Our Saviour is not here onelyonly to deliver the parts of happinesse, but the way also to it, and the signes of it. Now persecution is a meane and a way to happinesse, as hereafter shall be shewed more at large, &c.
Quest. 3. But why doth hee reserve this to the last place?
Answ. There is great reason for that. And first, to imply what is the course of Christianity, which begins in poverty of spirit, and ends in persecution, as our Saviour here sets downe the bounds. Secondly, to shew Gods usuall way of dealing with his people, which is not to give them up to persecution, till they be prepared for the bearing of it, by being first made poore in spirit, pure in heart, meeke, mercifull, peaceable, and the rest.
Quest. 4. Our last question is, In what manner doth the Lord deliver this last Beatitude?
Answ. Hee insists more on this, than on any of the rest. His point is, The persecuted man is a blessed man. This speech of his he addresseth, first to all Christians in generall, vers. 10. secondly to his Disciples, there present, in particular, and in them to all faithfull Ministers, vers. 11.12. Blessed are yee, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evill against you falsely for my sake: rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you. And because this point needs both proofe and explaining, our Saviour wisely dwels on both.
For explication; Not every one that suffereth is a persecuted person presently; but to the making up of Martyrdome, these things must concurre. First, the cause must be good, for which hee suffers; it must be for righteousnesse sake. Secondly, his person must be good too; it must be wrongfully that a man suffers, vers. 11. Men must say and doe all manner of evill unto you [falsely] that is, without all cause given them by you, or desert on your part. Thirdly, there must be good aymes in a mans sufferings: it must be for Christs sake that hee is persecuted, or, for the Gospels sake, as Marke hath it. And this is that our Saviour speakes by way of explication of the point. Now for confirmation of it, Christ gives the proofe in these words, For theirs is the Kingdome of heaven.
Every one that hath interest into heaven, is a blessed man: But so have the persecuted for righteousnesse sake; Therefore they are blessed. We wil stand no longer upon these things, but hasten to the instructions that arise out of the words.
And first, from the order here observed: you see where our Saviour begins, in povertie of spirit; and where hee ends the doctrine of mans blessednesse, in persecution. The particulars instanced by our Saviour in the former verses, are the most of them all passive, and such as a man would thinke, should free any one from persecution. For, what hurt can there be in poverty of spirit, mourning over a mans owne and others sinnes and miseries, a patient puting up of injuries, earnest appetite after righteousnesse, and the rest above-named? A man would thinke, there were no prospect in these at all toward persecution. And yet you see our Saviour would have every one of his, after all this done, as hath beene afore-shewed, to expect persecution, and therefore closeth up all, with Blessed are the persecuted. From the Order then, we see thus much.
Doct. 1. Every man that would be Christs true Disciple, must looke for persecution. Bee he never so humble a man, never so meeke a man, never so mercifull, pure, peaceable a man, be hee what hee will be, if he will follow Christs steps, and climbe up to heaven by his staires, he shall (sooner or later, in one kinde or other) have occasion to learne this lesson. You see our Saviour teacheth it here. and indeed where doth he not teach it? Ioh. 16. at the beginning, In the world you shall have trouble; you that are bought out of the world, you that do testifie against the wickednesse of the world, that the workes thereof are evill, yet you shall have trouble in the world. Trouble? You wil say, why, who hath not trouble in the world? this is nothing strange to any one: yea but Christians shall meet with speciall troubles here, vers. 20. Verely, verily I say unto you, that yee shall weepe and lament, but the world shall rejoyce: yee shall be sorrowfull, &c. Here is the portion now of a godly man, of every one that will be Christs Disciple, hee shall know what to trust to: Christ talkes to his of nothing but weeping, and tribulation, and molestation, this must be their portion, while the world in the meane time laughes and rejoyceth. So Mat. 7. Our Saviour tels us, that the way to heaven is a strait way, a perplexed, afflicted, persecuted way, that is the force of the word there used. A man travels toward heaven, as the Israelites did toward the land of Canaan. Hee must passe through a vast and terrible wildernesse, he must meet with a red Sea, encounter with Serpents, with Gyants, &c. hee shall finde a world of businesse, before hee comes at heaven: it is a strait and narrow way that leades to lift; so saith Christ, and so also his Apostles: Act. 14.22. As they returned to confirme the soules of the Disciples, they exhorted them to continue in the faith, and assured them, that through many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of God. Yea the Apostle Saint Paul growes to a generall Axiome. 2. Tim. 9.12. All that will live godly in Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution: let them looke for it in one kinde or other, in one degree or other, there is no avoyding of it. Thus the Apostles all with one mouth give testimony to this. And to which of the Saints can you turne you, from the beginning of the world, that hath not proved and found the way to heaven, to bee a persecuted way? Aske Abraham, aske David, Iacob, Paul, &c. they doe all affirme, and give in this testimony, That whosoever will be a godly man, he must suffer persecution. Aske what the state of the world from Ismael downward was; the Apostle tels you Gal. 4.29. That as then he that was borne after the flesh, persecuted him that was borne after the spirit, even so it is now. Nay, aske how it was from Abels time, and so downward; Saint Iohn makes answer, that Cain, who was of that wicked one, slew his brother: And wherefore slew he him? Because his own workes were evill, & his brothers good. Wherupon he infers in the next verse, Marvell not, my brethren, if the world hate you, 1. Ioh. 3.12, 13. Whereupon Saint Ambrose, Nullus Abel, &c. There is no Abel, saith hee, but hath his Caine; no good man, but hath his persecutor: So that we may conclude, that what soever he be that will live godly, he shal suffer persecution. This saying is faithfull and true, it ever hath beene, is, and shall be so to the very end.
And the reason of this point is cleere, whether we looke to the persecutors, which are many; or to the persecuted, which are obnoxious; or lastly to God, who for good ends and reasons gives way unto it, that his sheepe should have a course now and then.
For the first of these: The Church of Christ, Reas. 1 and every particular member thereof is so surrounded & beset with enemies on every side, that they cannot so much as once peepe out, but one or other is presently ready to reach them a rappe.
And first, Devils are their enemies; for number many; for power, mighty; for paines, diligent; for malice, violent: so that in respect of them, Gods people can have but little rest. One lyon, or one wolfe is enough to worry and destroy a whole flocke of sheepe, how then should Gods little flock escape among so many lyons and Devils?
But secondly, As there are many Devils that molest the people of God, so there are also many men to second them herein, some without the Church, and some also within. If you looke without the pale of the Church, there is nothing to be seene but lyons, wolves, tygers. The darke corners of the earth are even filled with cruelty, as speakes the Psalmist. There shall you finde an heard of Atheists, a drove of Turkes, an abundance of enemies that conspire against the Church. And within, there are false, and true brethren, both of them ready to persecute and vexe their mother, the Church. First, there are some false brethren, (true enemies) that being of a bastard-brood themselves, doe carrie an aking tooth against all the true children. So it was, you know, in Abrahams family, there was in it a secret Ismael, that persecuted him that was borne after the spirit. These home-borne enemies are the most pernicious of all; as in the body, those diseases are most tormentfull that are bred within a man, so here: Hence that sorrowfull complaint of the Church, that her owne sonnes had vexed her: Cantic. 1. that is, such as pretended to bee her sonnes, were the instruments of her trouble. Nay not onelyonly false brethren, but even true Christians sometimes, though they will not persecute the cause of Religion, yet will they molest and disquiet their fellow-brethren, through passion, pride, selfe love, and other corruptions drawing them thereunto; like as sheepe when they are wanton, will dash one against another, and almost breake one anothers heads: and as wee commonly see it in children, that live in the same house, yea that tumbled in the same belly, for very trifles sometimes they will fall out and scratt one another, yea draw blood and bee ready to teare out one anothers eyes; so it falles out other whiles among the children of God. Thus it ever hath beene, and thus it will be so long as the Church gives sucke; and the Church must be suckling and teeming still, till Christ come againe.
Secondly, there is reason for this point, if you Reas. 2 looke to the parties persecuted, whether you consider their spirituall estate, or their outward. For their spirituall estate, their goodnesse, first, is a speciall object, a faire marke for eueryevery enemy to ayme at. The true Christian in this respect, stands as a Beacon on a hill, the blaze whereof must needs be farre seene in a darke night. Now there is nothing but darknesse about the wicked: And hence is it, that the very name of Christianity, the very face of honesty, procures a great deale of envy and trouble from the world.
Consider Gods people next in their infirmities; they are not alway so wise, but that they throw themselves into needlesse troubles, brakes and molestations. Thus if you looke upon them in their inward estate, there is reason for their persecutions. And secondly, for their outward estate, Gods people are not alway so great, so mighty, so much countenanced in the world, but that any one that stands ill-affected to them, may dare to venture on them: yea it hath beene ever found the next way for men to ingratiate themselves with great ones (as of old with the persecuting Emperours) and to get preferment in the world, to bring up an ill report upon religion, and to persecute those that professe it. This the world applaudes, and rewards; and therefore there can never bee wanting such, as shall molest the true Christian, he being so weake in himselfe, and lying open so many wayes as he doth, to so many enemies: for he may be persecuted in his owne person, he may be persecuted in his children and people about him; hee may be persecuted againe in his head Christ, in his mother the Church, in his fellow-members the Saints; how then is it possible hee should scape a blow? When a man shall bee encompassed, and beset round with theeves, whereof one lets drive at his head, another at his heart, another at his legges; some fight before him, others behinde, &c. it is a thousand to one, but some of these blowes will light on his skinne: Even so it is with all Christians; they have so many blowes to ward, and so many enemies to encounter, that it is impossible to escape them all, but they shall smart by some.
Wee see some reasons now why all Christs Disciples must passe through persecutions. But what? may some say, Is there not a God that over-rules all? and will hee looke on, and let the just man suffer? Yes, there is a God over all, and such a God, as doth exercise a gracious providence Reas. 3 over his people, else it would bee farre worse with them than it is. But God for speciall purposes, and that thereby hee might worke his owne ends, gives way to the persecutions of his people: as
First, That he may draw them farther off from hell, weane them from the world, drive them from the tabernacles of Cham, take them off from wicked company, &c. upon which they would fawne but too much, did not they frowne. It is well for us, that the Devill comes no more to us as a fox, but as a lyon; for hee doth ever most harme, when hee gives least warning. This the Lord knowes, and therefore doth he often let out the chaine, that hee may persecute his people. And indeed it is never better with the Church, than when the Devill chafes and rages most in his members: if the wicked should fawne on us, as we many times doe on them, it would bee worse with us, for their smiles doe us more harme than their fownes, presence than absence.
Secondly, hereby God drawes us nearer to himselfe, and to one another. And first to himselfe; for as chickens runne apace to the damme, when there is danger towards them: and as children make to the mother, when they feare any threatning crosse: and as the traveller makes haste to the hedge, when he is o're-tane by a tempest: so it is here. Christians never pray so heartily, deny themselves so thorowly, cling so fast to God, as when a storme is towards. And as they are drawne nearer to God by persecution, so are they also to one another. The outward storme of persecution beating upon them from others, increaseth the inward heate of affection one towards another: misery breeds unity: it fating with them here, as with a flock of sheepe, which so long as the sunne shines upon them, and they may feed at quiet, they will scatter and disperse themselves over a whole field, but turne a dogge in among them but a while, and there they will gather on a knot, heape together, make head, and set their face against the common enemie. So Gods people in times of peace, and when all goeth well with them, they will stout it and strange it, and not know or owne one another; but let a storme of persecution arise upon them, and then they will be glad to hold together, and do one another the best helpe and comfort they can, in that common danger. Never did the Church of God shew so much charity, mercy and love, as in times of persecution, insomuch as divers have been thereby detected. And these are some of those ends wherefore God gives way for his people to bee persecuted. There are yet other many besides, as, that persecution is as a fire to trie Gods people, it discovers the thoughts of many hearts, as Simeon saith, Luc. 2. It rubs off the rust & brightens their graces, quickens them to prayer, makes them to understand, both themselves, how helplesse and impotent they are; and God, how able he is, how sweet he is, and how seasonable he is to his people in their greatest extremity. In a word, it teacheth a man a thousand good lessons, and therefore the Lord permits it.
The point is cleere enough, let us therefore proceed to make some Use of it.
Vse 1. First let it serve for instruction to standers by, such as have not yet given up their names to Christ, nor received his presse-money: These must learne, as not to strange at the persecution of Gods Church, or to stumble at it, so to forecast it; and be resolved of this, That if they will bee Christs disciples, they must looke for persecution. It fares many times here with young beginners, as it doth with little schollers, when they are first brought to the schoole; so long as they bee fed and drawne on with figges and plummes, they will bee content to come: but when they once heare of roddes and hard lessons, they quickly fly off, and will come no more: so that they more discredit the schoole in not continuing at it, than if they had never come to it all. So many, if they might bee still at ease, and goe to heaven in a feather bed (as they say) they could be content to set forward, and like it well: but when they come once to heare of roddes, and such hard-meate as persecution, they soone fly off, start backe, will goe no further.
These discredit Religion, which they had taken upon them to professe: and therefore the Lord makes proclamation here, as he bad the children duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page of Israel doe when they went out to battell, Deut. 20. What man is there that is fearefull and fainthearted? let him goe and returne to his house, lest his brethrens heart faint, as his heart fainteth; and so he doe more harme with his face, than he can doe good with his hands.
He that will build the tower of godlinesse, must first sit downe (as our Saviour shewes) and cast the charge of it, whether he be able to support the cost of the building: for otherwise, he shall be forc't to give over with shame enough to himselfe.
Hence is that peremptory and plaine speech of our Saviour, so often in the mouthes of the Evangelists; Whosoever will bee my disciple, let him deny himselfe, take up his crosse, and follow me. Three hard lessons I confesse, but yet such as must be learned by all that will be the disciples of Christ.
First, He must deny himselfe.
And this, first in persons: secondly in things. For persons: He must deny himselfe in his father, mother, children, friends, all, or else hee is not worthy of Christ. And for things: He must forsake houses, lands, goods, (as our Saviour told him that would first dispose of his goods, before hee followed Christ) yea even to his very bed, as it was said to that fellow, that came with Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. The foxes, saith our Saviour to him, have holes, and the birds have nests: but the sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head. Thus he that will give up his name to Christ, must needes deny himselfe.
Now, as there may be many Masters in one and the same man, (according to that of S. Iames, My beloved, be not many Masters, Iam. 3.1.) so every man hath many selves within himselfe. Here then a man must deny himselfe in his profit, deny himselfe in his credit, in his pleasure, ease, &c. He must take himselfe in his owne hands, as Abraham did his Isaac, and offer up himselfe to God; hee must sacrifice all, let goe all. A hard lesson, but yet such as must necessarily be taken out by all Christs disciples.
Secondly, He must take up his daily crosse.
Every day brings its crosse along with it: This a man must beare with patience, and make his best of it, if he will belong to Christ. Many can talke of persecution when it is a farre off, and oh how they could beare it, if such a thing should befall them! But how doth this man carry himselfe in his locall, personall, present crosse? He that cannot beare that paines, that cumber, that sicknesse, that cannot patiently undergoe in some degree the crosses that come upon him daily, is ill provided for to dye at a stake, or meete with other persecution. Therefore, if you will be for Christ, learne to beare your daily crosse: Begin with that.
Thirdly, He must follow Christ.
Why? What did he? S. Lukes telles us, That he steeled his countenance, he set and confirmed his face to goe up to Ierusalem against all winde and weather, and would not be beaten backe. So must wee shew our selves alike forward and resolute to suffer for Christ, if called thereunto. Hee suffered for us at the hands of God and men, we must also for him, at least in preparation of heart. He suffered for us many wayes, as Cyprian (after his manner) expresseth it; he was sawde in Isay, sold in Ioseph, persecuted in David, deceived in Iacob, sacrificed in Isaac, &c. let it not seeme grievous to suffer a little for him, but be content to put your necks under the yoke of Christ; learne to deny your selves (he that can deny himselfe in his beloved lust, it is certaine that hee would dye for Christ, if hee were put to it) take up your daily crosse with much aequanimity and patience, and follow Christ through thicke, through thin, that you may be able to answer Christ in a passive obedience, as well as active: For all that are his must suffer persecution. Indeed the Lord hath respect to the strength of his servants, and (as the Prophet speakes of the husbandman, Isay 28.27.) Hee beats out all his corne, but not all with the same instrument: upon some he turnes about the cart-wheele, and thresheth them out with a flaile; some others againe are beaten out with a staffe, and some with the rod. Such is Gods dealing with his people; all are not broken with the wheele, because they cannot beare it, but all are thresh't. And as it was in Abrahams sacrifice, All the creatures were slaine, but not all divided, and cloven in the mid'st. So here: For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt, Mar. 9.49. But we hasten to another Use.
Is it so, that every one of Christs disciples must meete with persecution? Let this teach all those that are entred into Christianity, many lessons.
And first, let us walke with due respect to their brethren, who for as much as they have their hands full otherwise, let not us create them more by mutuall vexations. What? be there not Tigers enow, Wolves enow, Dogs enow to worry Gods lambes, but Christians must needes bite and devoure one another? and turne if not worry-sheep, yet at least weary-sheep. Dare any of you (saith the Apostle) having a matter against another, goe to law before the unjust, &c. You that are servants to the same Master, drinke of the same cup, hope for the same heaven, &c. dare any of you goe about to sue one another, traduce one another, blemish one another, and so through one anothers sides to wound Religion it selfe? This is an high presumption: And it is also an high expression of the Apostle; and therefore wee will speake lower unto you, and say as Moses to those two Israelites that strove in Egypt; Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? You are brethren, and in a strange land, (two forcible arguments) therefore you of all others should comply and agree together. And to the same purpose is that speech of Nehemiah to the people of his times; It is not good, saith he, that you doe: ought ye not to walke in the feare of our God, because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies? Wee have those about us that watch for our halting, and our weakning: therefore we should accord and hold together.
Thus he. And is not the same case ours? Have wee not the enemy in our Land, such as doe not cease to upbraide us with their union, but our breaches and dissensions? Should wee not therefore linke together, if it were but for the reproach of the enemy? And what saith the Apostle? If yee provoke, and bite one another, take heed lest yee be devoured one of another, or at least one with another, by a common enemy. If therefore, there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any mercy to others, yea, if any providence for your selves, doe not weaken one another by idle suspitions, unkindnesses and divisions, and so encourage the common enemy; but be yee like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one minde.
Secondly, with respect to God.
Let this point teach us, first to looke backe, and sith persecution is the portion of all that belong to Christ, let us returne to the Lord his tribute of praise for our so long-lasting peace, and freedome from the fiery triall of persecution: of which wee may truely say what the Poet doth of sinne, Happy is he that hath least of it. And this is the happinesse of us of this Church. Somewhat we have had indeed of persecution; for else we could not prove our selves a true Church: which is ever like unto Moses his bush, that burnt, but consumed not. The time hath beene, that Sathan hath beene let loose at us, and then he plaid the Devill, and more than the Devill; since that he hath beene tyed up, in a great measure, yet so, that hee still casts up flouds of reproach, and disgrace, against our Church: as, that it is but a faction, and our Religion a very patchery. One of our Adversaries saith, that we are no better than Turkes;Vid. Rayn. Possevin. &c. another telles the world, that we are all Atheists, and our Religion no better than a compound of errours, heresie, and of all irreligions; that there is no God acknowledged by us, and no goodnesse to be found amongst us. Thus they take liberty to wound us at pleasure with their tongues and pennes: but what's this? Wee have not yet resisted to blood, as the Apostle saith. Oh my Brethren! when I cast mine eye backe on former ages, and forreine nations, and there looke, and see their racks, their strappadoes, their pincers, their flames, &c. with infinite other sorts of meanes of putting them to torment; when againe I looke on the Church abroad, and see their continuall feares & dangers, how they come to Gods house with their lives in their hands, with their Billes in their hands; how some of them have had their hands and other parts whipt off when they were at their prayers, &c. When I consider what massacres, butcheries, blood-shed, tortures, torments, miseries others have seene and felt, and sweat under; and then reflect upon our selves, and see such a blessed peace at home for so many yeares continued, I cannot but take up the Prophets words, and say, What is England above other people, that God should so respect it, or what are wee of this Kingdome, that hee should so greatly regard us? Let the consideration hereof enlarge our hearts to thankfulnesse, and never let a few wants make us except or complaine against the present peaceable government, but be thankfull for the many many benefits that we enjoy under the same. Thus for time past.
Now for the future, let us all be by this point instructed to prepare for persecution.
Object. These are not dayes of persecution, therefore this exhortation is unseasonable.
Answ. The times indeed are cleare and calme as yet, but who knowes not that it is good wisdome, in summer to provide for winter, and in faire weather to lay in for a rainy day?Cypr. vbi supra. Non semper saviunt Nerones (saith an Ancient) sed nunquam cessat Diabolus; There are not alwayes Tyrants to persecute the Church, but the Devill will never give us rest. As hee dealt with Christ our head, so doth he still with the Church: Hee tryed him at first with an alluring temptation, but afterward (when he could not so prevaile) with a more hideous; fall downe (saith he) and worship mee: A motion made more out of desire to vexe our Saviour, and grieve him, than out of hope to prevaile with him. And such is his manner of dealing with us; if hee can overcome us by faire meanes, that is his first desire and attempt, but if that take not, then he roares upon us, shewes us his clawes, playes the Devill indeed.
Ob. But may not a man by wisdome so carrie the matter, as to prevent troubles?
Answ. Some he may, but not all, unlesse he will disclaime his Religion, and renege Christ: But if a man will make conscience of his wayes, and leade an upright life toward God and man, all the wisdome in his head shal not save his head whole; witnesse David; one would thinke that such a one as hee should live quietly, and escape all trouble, being so exceedingly back't as he; for hee was allyed to a King, he was a comely man, an amiable man, a proper man. Besides that, hee was rarely qualified; for he was a fine Poet, an excellent Musician, a brave Souldier: more than this, hee was exceeding wise, and passing humble, which (if any thing) will beare a man through all, without molestation: but none of all these could save him from persecution. Let a man be never so meeke, mercifull, pure, peaceable, &c. as our Saviour here tells us; let him bee but honest, and goe beyond others in goodnesse, envy and malice will flie in his face. Therefore you must all bee called upon to prepare to suffer from any sorts of men, any kinde of persecution; Whosoever he be that will live godly shall suffer, looke for it. If you tread on the Devils head, 'tis certaine hee will have you by the heele: and from all persons you must expect it, friends as well as foes, and friends of all sorts, naturall, spirituall, any, all.
Ob. Oh, saith some man, I could well enough endure to bee wrong'd or vext by an enemy, but when hard usage comes from a neighbour, from a kinsman, yea, from a Christian man, this cuts deepe, could I ever have looked for this?
Answ. Yes, from all sorts of people you must expect it, from carnall brethren and kindred you may expect all manner of persecution, and from spirituall too, some molestations; for some are weake, and weaknesse is both medling and captious; for this winde blowes out of every coast.
And as from all sorts of men, so for all kinds of persecution must you bee fitted. And here it is good, that you sometimes tempt your selves, and say, Now I fare daintily, but how could I doe to feed on hard-meate? Now I lye delicately, but how could I endure to rouse in the straw, (as Mr Philpot said) or to lye on the earth? Now I live at libertie, and enjoy a good ayre, but how could I away with a close and loathsome dungeon? Now I enjoy many blessings, but how could I doe to want them all? How could I endure to see mine husband at a stake, my children chopt in pieces, or sprawling on a speares point? Am I able to undergoe these trials? Thus should we be often tempting of our selves, what wee could doe if wee were put to it, and so be ever provided for the worst. I doe not say that God will trie us in this manner, I hope better, but sith it is so, that all that are Christ's are subject to all kinds of persecutions from all sorts of people, let us therefore be advised to get on us that compleat armour of God on the right hand and on the left, that you may bee able to stand fast in the evill day: And that wee may wield this Armour the better, get Gods Arme too, for the Devill and the world will be too hard for us, if wee set upon them in our owne strength: when wee are called to buckle with famine, with fire, with the sword, &c. our flesh quakes at the thoughts of these evils; Therefore bee strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, as the Apostle exhorts. There is no temptation so strong, but God can master it; no persecution so sharpe, but God can sweeten it; he can make a man sing in prison, as the Apostles did; yea sing in the flame, as the Martyrs did: Therefore get Gods strength first, and then put on the whole armour of God, the girdle of truth, the shield of faith, the brest-plate of righteousnesse, with the rest of the pieces, Eph. 6. apply them close to your selves, employ them against your enemies, watch, stand still upon your guard, pray with all manner of prayers, call in the helpe also of others; and having done all, stand fast. And to this end, begin to bee a Martyr now: For there is a double martyrdome (as the Authour of that worke falsely ascribed to Cyprian, De dup. Martyrio saith:) First active, which consists in slaying our corruptions, mortifying our lusts, &c. begin with this. Secondly passive, in suffering hardship for Christ, as a good Souldier. Learne now before-hand how to be able to fare hard, lye hard, goe hard, &c. so shall you bee fitted for the worst that can befall you.
FINIS.