The Christians Sacrifice Better than all the Legal Sacrifices of Jews, Treatise · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of the paſſiue ſacrificing of our ſelues.
NOw followeth the paſſiue. This is two-fold. Firſt, patientlyThe paſsiue ſacrificing of our ſelues twofold. to beare all common afflictions laid vponupon vsus by the Lord. Secondly, to ſubmit our ſelues to all perſecution by the wicked, for the teſtimonie of his truth, and better confirmation of the faith of other. The firſt alſo ſeemeth two-fold: either for ſome ſpeciall ſinne; or for the demonſtration of ſome ſpeciall worke of Gods power or merciemercy, for the greater glorie of his name. This diſtinction I gather from the anſwer of our Sauiour to his Diſciples, asking him of the man borne blind, whether he or Ioh 9. 2.his parents had ſinned, that he was borne blind; that is, whether he or his parents had committed any ſpeciall ſinne, for which the Lord had laid this blindneſſe vponupon him. To this our Sauiour anſwereth, Neither hath this man ſinned, ver. 3.nor his parents; but that the worke of God ſhould be made manifeſt in him. Our Sauiour thus anſwereth, not altogether to free him and his parents from ſinne; for there is no man 1 King. 8 46. Iam. 3. 2.that ſinneth not; and in many things we offend all; and eueryevery man muſt daily aske the forgiueneſſe of his trespaſſes: neither to teach that this blindneſſe was not from ſinne, and for ſinne. For … death entred by ſinne, ſo alſo all afflictionsRom. 5. 12. Pſal. 38. 3. 4. are the fruites of ſinne. This anſwer therefore was onelyonly made according to the ſuppoſition and opinion of the Diſciples and other, that thought not onelyonly all afflictions to come from ſinne, but alſo eueryevery ſpeciall affliction to hauehave ſome ſpeciall ſinne for the cauſe thereof; and that the greater affl…ction any had, the greater ſinner he had bin: as Iobs friends thought of him. Howſoeuer the Lord afflicteth any man, whether for ſome ſpeciall or perſonall ſinnes of himſelfe, or onelyonly generally for ſinne, but yet for manifeſtation of ſome ſpeciall worke of God, for his owne further glorie thereby, all muſt be patiently and without grudging or murmuring borne; in reſpect bothHeb. 11. 6. of the cauſe thereof in God, namely his louelove; and alſo in reſpect of the deſert thereof by mans ſinne; and in reſpect of the end of ſuch afflictions, namely that the perſon ſo chaſtiſed might either be reclaimed and conuerted from ſinne, wherein before he had altogether liued: as Manaſſes the greateſ… ſinner that euer we reade to hauehave bin conuerted, was notwithſtanding by his captiuitie and bonds ſo2. Chron. 32. 12 greatly humbled before the God of his fathers, that he prayed vntounto him, and found merciemercy, and became a moſt worthy conuert for euer after: either (I ſay) that the perſon ſo afflictedPſal. 94. 12. might be conuerted, or that hauing before bin conuerted, he might be better inſtructed in the law ofHeb. 12. 1. Ioh. 5. 17. Pſal. 94. 12. God, and made more plentifully partaker of the holineſſe of God▪ In all which reſpects, a man ſo afflicted being ſaid to be bleſſed; what great reaſon hath eueryevery man ſo afflicted, patiently to beare ſuch affliction? This being added, that ſuch afflictions are as fire to purge vsus of all our droſſe (as gold is tried and made finer by the fire) whereby we may1. Pet. 1 7. be the fitter ſacrifices for God, and the ſaid triall of our faith may be found to our praiſe, honour and glorie at the appearing of Ieſus Chriſt. Moſt cauſe eſpecially hauehave ſuch to be patient, how many, how great, and how heauie ſoeuer their ſaid afflictions are, that before hauehave enioyed great mercies; according to thoſe excellent words of Iob to hisIob 2. 10. fooliſh and troubleſome wife, What? ſhall we receiue …ood at the hands of God, and ſhall we not receiue euill? In ſuch afflictions alſo, eueryevery man ought to make ſo much more vſe of them, that by them he m…y more mort…fie his old man with all the luſts thereof in him, and be the more renewed in the inward man, that ſo his whole man may be a ſacrifice to God, more liuing, holy and acceptable, as here the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. Of this paſſiue kind of ſacrifice Iob is aIam. 5. 11. moſt worthy example, highly commended to our imitation: ſo alſo is Dauid, who notwithſtanding he had manyPſal. 39. 9. afflictions, yet was dumbe, and opened not his mouth, becauſe the Lord did it: and though many ſought after his life, laying Pſal. 38. 12.ſnares for him, and ſpeaking miſchieuous things againſt him, yet (as before) he was as a deafe man not hearing, and as a dumbe man not opening his mouth. How did he manifeſt this euen when he was King, and when wicked Shimei 2. Sam. 16. 5.not only moſt impudently railed of him and rau…d againſt him in the rebellion of Abſolom, but alſo moſt villanouſly caſt ſtones at him. All which was the more grieuous in reſpect of his other great calamitie by the rebellion of his owne ſonne againſt him. Thus much briefly of the firſt kind of our paſſiue ſacrificing of our ſelues to God.
The ſecond paſſiue ſacrificing of our ſelues, is by ſufferingThe ſecond paſſiue ſacrificing of our ſelues. perſecution both in word and deed for Chriſt and his Goſpell: the which as it is often commanded to all that will be indeed his Diſciples, euen to take vp his croſſe Math. 10. 38. 16 24.and follow him; he being pronounced vnworthy to be his diſciple that will not ſo do: and that by the example of Chriſt himſelfe ſuffering for ſinnes and for the vniuſt, himſelfe 1. Pet. 3 18.being without all ſinne, and moſt iuſt: as (I ſay) this is often commanded, ſo is it likewiſe commended, they being pronounced bleſſed that ſuffer perſecution, and be railed Ma…. 5. 10. 11.on for Chriſts ſake, becauſe theirs is the kingdome of heauen, 1. Pet. 4. 13. 14.and the Spirit of glorie reſteth on them. By ſuch ſufferings Chriſt himſelfe entred into his glorie. Would we be partaker of his glorie more eaſily then himſelfe? So indeed we ſhallLuk. 24 26. 1. Pet. 1. 11. be; becauſe our ſufferings, how great ſoeuer, are but fleabites in compariſon of his. For though we had the ſtrength of all Angels, we could not ſuffer ſo much for him as he hath ſuffered for vsus. Notwithſtanding, if we will be glorified Rom 8. 17. ver. 29.together with him, we muſt alſo ſuffer with him. And whom God before knew, them he predeſtinated to be conformed to the image of his Sonne. And alas, what are the ſufferings of this preſent time? verily, not worthy to be compared (reckonver. 18. how we will or can) to the glorie that ſhall be reuealed. Yea the ſufferings of Chriſt were the more in reſpect of the eminenciePhil. 2. 6. &c. of his perſon▪ he being in the forme of God, &c. and yet taking vponupon him the forme of a ſeruant, and humbling himſelfe to the death of the croſſe; euen to ſuch a death as would hauehave broken the backs of men and Angels. The ſufferings alſo of Chriſt for vsus were the more, becauſe though he ſuffered them of neceſſitie (as before we heard) yet that neceſſitie was by the decree of himſelfe with his Father and the holy Ghoſt: neither was it by any coaction or conſtraint, but moſt freely, moſt willingly, moſt cheerfully. For at the firſt he ſaid, Behold I come. HePſal. 40. 7. ſaith alſo, I lay downe my life, that I may take it againe. No Ioh. 10. 17. 18.man taketh it away from me▪ but I lay it downe of my ſelfe. He could alſo when he was apprehended hauehave prayed to his Mat. 26. 52. 53.Father, and he would hauehave giuen him more then twelue legions of Angels. He alſo that with a word made all the companie that came to take him, fall to the ground, could asIoh. 18. 6. Mat. 16. 23. Ioh. 11. 7. 8. 9 eaſily hauehave ſmitten them all with preſent death. Yea, ſo willingly did he ſuffer, that moſt ſharply he rebuked Peter, yea all his Diſciples for ſpeaking to the contrary. All theſe things conſidered, who would not go through fire and water, and ſuffer a thouſand deaths (if it were poſſible) for him? Certainly we ought all and eueryevery one to ſay as Paul ſaid, I am ready not to be bound onelyonly, but alſo to Act. 21. 13.die for the name of the Lord Ieſus. We ought with as great alacritie, cheerfulneſſe and gladneſſe to ſuffer for Chriſt, as euer we were glad and ioyfull to receiue and enioy any bleſſings and aduancement here in this world. We ought as willingly and cheerfully to ſubmit ourſelues to any torments for the confirmation of the truth of Chriſt, as euer any Bride went willingly and cheerfully to be maried to any husband, how honorable ſoeuer her husband was, or how meane, how poore, and how baſe ſoeuer ſhe before had bin. Did not the Apoſtles ſo? did not the Martyrs ſo,Act. 5. 41. as in former times, ſo alſo in the late dayes of Queen Marie? Their hiſtories plainly teſtifie this. Notwithſtanding we muſt alwayes remember the words of Peter in this1. Pet. 1. 6. & 3. 17. caſe If need ſo require, and If the will of God be ſo. If well without any preiudice of the Goſpell, or to the Profeſſors thereof, eſpecially for the furthering of the Goſpell and the good of the profeſſors of it, we may auoid perſecution, we are not to thruſt our ſelues into it, but by the authoritieMath. 10. 23. of Chriſt himſelfe, we may flie from one citie to another. Touching Origen that was ſo eager to hauehave ſuffered whenEuſeb. Eccleſ. hiſt lib. 6. cap. 2. he was yong, that his mother could not perſwade him to the contrary, and was conſtrained to hide his apparell, thereby to reſtraine him from going forth: and touching Melas Biſhop of a ſmall towne Rhinacurura, that refuſedSozomen lib. 6. cap. 31. to eſcape, libertie being offered by them that were ſent to murder him: & touching ſome other that in great multitudes offered themſelues to the death; either their zeale exceeded their iudgement and knowledge, or elſe God gaue them an extraordinarie ſpirit. VponUpon ſuch examples notwithſtanding we are not to preſume doing the like; but God going before vsus, we may and muſt follow. If his will be not apparent for our ſuffering, but rather the contrary, let vsus not too boldly offer our ſelues, leſt either we do as D. Pendleton did, or elſe ſuffer with the leſſe comfort. And let vsus alway remember that of the Apoſtle, If 1. Cor. 13. 3.we giuegive our bodies to be burned and hauehave not louelove, it profiteth nothing. Zeale is an excellent grace, if it be accompanied with knowledge, and guided by iudgement: otherwiſe it …s dangerous.
Aboue all we muſt be ſure of the cauſe. For, Not the ſuffering, but the cauſe maketh a Martyr. To ſuffer for euil▪ as many Papiſts for treaſon, and they and many other for hereſie, is not to preſent their bodies a ſacrifice to God, but to the diuell. The Papiſts being ſo notorious idolaters as they are, in inuocating of Saints, yea ſometimesSee Cal… de reliquijs. of traitors for Saints, in worſhipping of their …reliques, and ſometimes of things not to be named, in ſtead of reliques, and of the very ſigne of the croſſe with the ſame worſhip (as themſelues blaſphemouſly ſay) that they worſhip Chriſt himſelfe withall; and making a god of a peece of bread, and worſhipping it, and then gobling it vp wholy with their mouthes, and ſwallowing it downe into their bellies, and (as before I ſaid) caſting it out into the draught; yea teaching alſo that miſe or dogs may doe the ſame: and falling downe alſo before wood, ſtocks and ſton…s. The Papiſts (I ſay) in doing all this, do it not to God, but vntounto an idoll of their owne making: and ſo therein they ſacrifice their bodies, yea their ſoules alſo being agent with their bodies, not vntounto God, but vntounto idols: yea, all their long and tedious pilgrimages, all their knocking of their breſts, ſetting vp of candles before their crucifixes, to their Saints and other their idols, and all other their bodily exerciſes▪ which the Apoſtle ſaith profit 1. Tim 4. 8.little: all their whipping and ſcourging themſelues is no better then m…ere madneſſe; and the leaping of Baals 1. Kin. 18. 28.Prieſts vponupon his altar, with their cutting themſelues with kniues and lancers till blood guſhed our. And to ſay the truth, they hauehave no other preſident for ſo doing, from one end of the Scripture to the other, but onelyonly that example of Baals Prieſts. As therefore Eliah laughed the ſaid Prieſts of Baal to ſcorne in that behalfe, ſo may all wiſe men laugh to ſcorne the like doings of the Papiſts: yea, the example of Eliah is a much better warrant for ſo laughing, then the doing of Baals prieſts is for imitation thereof.
Moreouer, all opinion of meriting for our ſelues, or for any other, by ſacrificing our ſelues, muſt be fa…r… from vsus.Heb. 9. 28. and 10. 10. 14. For Chriſt by once offering of himſelfe for all, hath ſufficiently & abundantly merited for all belonging vntounto him. They need not therefore any merits of their-owne or of any other, either by ſuffering martyrdome, or by p…rforming any works Neither indeed can any ſuffer or do any thing, whereby to merit any thing but wrath and condemnation. For who is without ſinne? Where there is any ſin, how can there be any merit of any good? Is not all that God hath done or will do for vsus, before called by the name of mercies? We are not worthy of the leaſt of his benefits beſtowed: neither can we make any recompence for them; how then can we deſerue any other. We cannot Iob 22. 2. 3. and 35. 7.be profitable to God, &c. If we be righteous, what do we giuegive vntounto God? or what receiueth he at our hand? Why then ſhould any be ſo mad as to thinke he can deſerue any good at his hand…? Are not all our righteouſneſſes as filthy Iſay. 64. 6.rags? And do not our beſt works come ſhort of that that they ought to be, when we hauehave done all things that are commanded, we muſt ſay, that we are vnprofitable ſeruants, asNo merit by marti…dome. Luk. 17. 10. hath bin before touched? Doth any man merit any thing at the hands of his creditor, by paying that that he oweth him? All that we do or can do vntounto God, yea much more alſo, we do owe vntounto God. If therefore we merit nothing at the hands of any man, by paying our debt vntounto him, can we merit any thing at Gods hands, by paying that that we owe him? In the foreſaid Chapter alſo of Luke, Ver. 7. 8 9.our Sauiour had before taught, that a mans ſeruant meriteth nothing at the hands of his maſter, by doing that that his maſter had commanded him. If therefore the ſeruant of a man cannot merit any thing at the hands of his maſter by doing his commandements, who notwithſtanding is his fellow-ſeruant vntounto God; how alas can any man merit any good at the hands of God by keeping his commandements? yea, that cannot ſo keepe them, but that he breaketh many of them, and faileth alſo much in his beſt keeping of any of them? If alſo mens ſeruants cannot merit ſo much of their maſters as a little libertie for a while, as our Sauiour in the ſame place teacheth; how much leſſe can they deſerue to be made their heires, by doing that which their maſters commanded them? Leaſt of all therefore can any man deſerue to be made the heire of God and of his kingdome in heauen, though he could do all for matter and maner that God hath commanded him. If we cannot merit by ſuffering of martyrdome, how much leſſe can we merit by doing any thing elſe? The kingdome of heauen is not the hire of any works or ſufferings, but Gods reward of his meere grace. Thus and no otherwiſe are all thoſe places to be vnderſtood, that ſpeake of rewards, namely, that they are rewards of merciemercy, not of merit: or if of merit, onelyonly of Chriſts merit in Gods merciemercy imputed vntounto vsus. So alſo is that to be vnderſtood, Well Mat. 25. 21.done thou good and faithfull ſeruant, thou haſt bin faithfull ouer a few things, I will make thee ruler ouer many things; enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. Thus I ſay, and no otherwiſe are ſuch places to be vnderſtood; and not as the wrangling Rhemiſts fooliſhly and groſly inter prete that place of Luke.
All the premiſes well conſidered, all that we do here at any time ſuffer or can ſuffer for the name and teſtimonie of Chriſt, is but a ſacrifice onelyonly of thankſgiuing vntounto God, for his more then maruellous louelove towards vsus, in giuingPhil. 2. 17. his Sonne to ſuffer for vsus. Thoſe places alſo of Pauls being offered vponupon the ſacrifice and ſeruice of the Philippians 2. Tim 4. 6.faith, and of his being readie to be offered, are not to be vnderſtood of a…y ſuch ſacrifice as here the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of. For Paul in thoſe places compareth not his martyrdome to any burnt offering of the Law, but onelyonly to theExod. 30. 9. Numb. 6. 15. & 15. 7. & 29 16. 18. 21. &c. drinke offerings that were annexed to the ſacrifices for the perfecting of them The Apoſtle in theſe places vſeth not the word foreign, to ſacrifice, but the word ſpend…i, to be powred out, according to the maner of drink-offerings annexed to their burnt ſacrifices. The Philippia …s indeed by the preaching of the Goſpell, being as it were ſlaine with the ſword of the Spirit are therefore called a ſacrifice: but Paul compareth his martyrdome to a drink-offering▪ to be as it were powred on the Phlippians faith, and on themſelues for the better perfecting of their faith▪ and confirming themſelues in their faith. Furthermore, we are to be the more willing in ſuffering any thing for Chriſts ſake, becauſe of the ſhortneſſe of all our ſufferings. OurRe…. 2, 10. tribulations ſhall be but for ten dayes; wherein if we be faithfull vntounto death, we ſhall not onelyonly receiue a crowne of life▪ but alſo he ſhall giuegive it vsus, that is the Lord (or Prince)Act. 3. 15. of life, and the righteous Iudge. For he hath promiſed it, not onelyonly to Paul, but alſo to all that louelove his appearing. If it ſhall1. Tim. 4. 8. be of gift, then ſhall it not be of merit. For what is freer then gift?
Thus to ſuffer, is a degree of dignitie from God to vsus, aboue the common worke of faith. So the Apoſtle makethPhilip. 1. 29. it, ſaying, To you it is giuen in the behalfe of Chriſt, not onelyonly to beleeue on him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake. For indeed thus to ſuff…r, is a greater honour, a greater glorie, then all the great dignities, titles and honours in the world without it, where God calleth vntounto it. The caſting of Daniel into the Lions den for calling vponupon God, contrarie toDan. 6. 16. the commandement of the King, was more honourable vntounto Daniel then the ſcarlet r…bes and the chaine of gold he had; and then the proclaiming of him to be the third Dan. 5. 29.Ruler in the kingdome of Belſhazzer for interpretation of the hand-writing vponupon the wall.
But here a queſtion may be made from that before ſaid of preſenting our whole man, ſoule and bodie a ſacrifice Queſt. vntounto God, and from that that hath bin ſaid of the ſame being a ſacrifice paſſiuely as wel as actiuely; how the ſoule can be ſaid to be a paſſiue ſacrifice, ſith our ſoule ſeemeth altogether to be agent, and no wayes patient?
I anſwer, that the ſoule, though in it ſelfe free from ſuffering, Anſw. at leaſt of any thing to be inflicted by man, is notwithſtanding paſſiue by communion it hath with the bodie: this ſuffering is called ſympathie, or a fellow-feeling. For, both ſoule and bodie make but one man: and by the afflictions of the bodie the ſoule is grieued, as well as by the good of the bodie the ſoule reioyceth. Both griefe and ioy are paſſions: wit alſo, reaſon, vnderſtanding, learning, faith, godlineſſe, &c. do all belong to the ſoule and inward man; yet all theſe ſometime and in ſome ſort ſuffer at the hands of the wicked. They that are of the beſt wits, of moſt vnderſtanding, moſt iudicious, moſt learned, being reuiled by the names of fooles, dolts, dunces, men of no capacitie, of no learning, yea alſo wicked, ſchiſmatiks, diſturbers of the peace, hereticks, rebels, ſeditious, &c. yea ſuch as are ſometimes puniſhed by men, as if they were ſuch as they are called. Are not theſe things ſufferings, reaching to the ſoule it ſelfe, the ſubiect of wit, reaſon, learning, faith, &c.
This doctrine of ſuffering for Chriſt and his truth, is the more needfull to be taught, becauſe the longer peace we hauehave enioyed, the more vnfit we are to ſuffer, not ſo much as knowing what belongeth to ſuffering: yea, our long peace with other mercies by the Goſpell enioyed, hath br…d in all ſorts a contempt of the Goſpell, and other mercies, with ſuch a ſecuritie, that neither daily hearing of the troubles of other countries, nor rumors of warres intended againſt our ſelues, will awaken vsus or make vsus looke about vsus, to vſe meanes whereby to eſcape the wrath that is to come. As our Sauiour told his DiſciplesIoh. 16. 1. 2. 4. &c. of many things they ſhould ſuffer, to the end they might be the better prepared for them; and that when ſuch things ſhould come. they might not be offended and troubled: ſo muſt we take the premiſes as admonitions to vsus. Shall we then ſee and heare ſo much daily as we do, and ſhall we not the more prepare our ſelues to ſuffer whatſoeuer ſhall come? It is Gods merciemercy towards vsus, to warne vsus before. For he that is warned, is halfe armed. Let vsus therefore take ſuch warnings, and arme our ſelues accordingly to ſuffer whatſoeuer ſhall come, and whenſoeuer. To whom ſhould we more willingly reſigne our liues, then to him that gaue them, and hath prepared a better life for vsus afterward? yea ſuch things as eye 1. Cor. 2. 9. Iſay. 64. 4.hath not ſeene, nor eare heard, nor hauehave entred into the hart of man, but the which notwithſtanding he hath reuealed vntounto his ſeruants by his Spirit. Hereof eſpecially they may be aſſured, that in this paſſiue maner do preſent themſelues a ſacrifice to God. For ſuch light afflictions being but for a momnt, worketh for vsus a farre more exceeding weight 2. Cor. 4. 17.of glorie. And as the hatred of the wicked againſt the godly is to them that ſo hate them an euident token of perdition, Phil. 1. 28.ſo to be ſo hated and troubled, is to the godly as euident a token of ſaluation, and that of God.
But hauing ſpoken thus much of ſuffering, ſome mayHow we may be able to ſuffer. demand, how we may be ſure that we ſhall be able to? ſuffer? and how we may make our ſelues fit for ſuch a paſſiue ſacrifice. It is called a fiery triall. And what more1. Pet. 4. 12. fearfull, what more vnmercifull then fire? how then can fleſh and blood endure it? Indeed not poſſibly: but the children of God are more then fleſh and blood: for they hauehave the Spirit of God; and by this Spirit they are members of Chriſt, fleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bones. Yet toEpheſ. 5. 30. prepare men the better for this ſacrifice, let them firſt conſider that cloud of Martyrs that the Apoſtle had ſetHeb. 11. 33. before the Hebrewes; eſpecially let them looke to Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe, who for the ioy that was ſet before him, endured Heb 12. 2. Col. 2. 15.the croſſe, deſpiſing the ſhame, &c. yea, this Chriſt Ieſus by his ſaid enduring the croſſe hath ſpoiled all principalities and powers for all them for whom he ſo ſuffered; and hath1. Cor. 1… 57. by his death ouercome death for vsus, ſo plucking out the ſting thereof, that it ſhall neuer be able to hurt vsus. Secondly, let them examine their redemption by Chriſt. For all that are redeemed need not feare; yea, they are bidden therefore not to feare. The rather may ſuch caſt away all feare,Iſay. 4…. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 18. becauſe the price of their redemption was ſo great, euen the precious blood of Chriſt Ieſus. Yea, but Peter there exhorteth vsus by this argument to paſſe the time of our dwelling here in feare. Feare and aſſurance are contrary. I anſwer (as before I hauehave ſaid) that this feare is oppoſed only to carnall ſecuritie, not to the aſſurance of our perſeuerance; and it commendeth vntounto vsus onelyonly an holy care, ſo much the more not to defile our ſelues with ſin, by how much the greater price our redemption from ſin did coſt.
But how ſhall we know that we are ſo redeemed? By our being a peculiar people vntounto himſelfe, zealous of good workes. For theſe two, our redemption by Chriſt from all iniquitie, Tit. 2. 14.and our being a peculiar people vntounto himſelfe, zealous of good workes, are ioyned together. And this our being ſuch a people, is a worke of the Spirit, and a reall teſtimonieRom. 8. 16. 17. thereof that we are the children and heires of God, &c. This Spirit alſo working this in vsus, is the Seale of God, which he hath ſet to his epiſtle written in our heart, and2. Cor. 3. 2. his earneſt (as I ſaid before) of our inheritance, wherebyEpheſ. 1. 13. 14. likewiſe our redemption already wrought by Chriſt Ieſus, and to be finiſhed from all euill remaining, is furtherEpheſ. 4 30. ſealed vntounto vsus.
Thirdly, let vsus beware of pride and much confidence in our ſelues. Let vsus remember the great confidence ofMat. 26. 33. 69 Peter, and his great fall for all that. Let vsus not forget the great boaſting of D. Pendleton in the booke of Martyrs, and his great encouragement to M. Sanders againſt feare, and for ſuffering whatſoeuer the enemies of the Goſpell ſhould inflict: and yet the cowardly reuolting of the ſaid Pendleton, and the manfull martyrdome of that M. Sanders. Bleſſed is the man that feareth alway. They that doePro. 28. 14. moſt brag, do oftentimes proue the greateſt cowards. And they that do moſt feare themſelues, are moſt ſtrengthened by the Lord to endure any violence of the wicked. The greateſt boaſters …re not the beſt ſouldiers. The Turkie cocke is a great fowle, and maketh a great bruſtling and ſtrouting with his wings; yea, he will alſo fight Iuſtily a few blowes: but a little dunghill cocke will for all that at the laſt driue him away, and make him to hide his head in a hole, and neuer dare to fight blow more. So is it with many Chriſtians; they will be very hot before perſecution cometh, and perhaps very ſharply condemne them that in weakneſſe yeeld: but when perſecution commeth, and themſelues are called into the field, alas what cowards do they proue? how do they ſhrinke? yea, how fouly ſometimes do they palinodiam canere, and turne cat in pan, and become themſelues perſecuters of other? Oh therefore let all men beware of ſuch craking before and of ſuch preſumption.
Fourthly, in the former holy feare, let vsus be much in prayer to God, that he may ſtrengthen vsus, and make vsus able to ſtand in the euill day; and let vsus put on not ſome parts, but the whole armour of God, preſcribed by the ApoſtleEpheſ. 6. 11. &c. to the Epheſians. If but any peece thereof want, all the reſt will do vsus little good: yea, the truth is, that we cannot put on one peece, except we put on all.
Fiftly, let vsus wel labour the mortifying of our old man, that our outward man may the better beare & go through with all troubles for our Lord Chriſts ſake. Let vsus ſo ſacrifice our ſelues, both actiuely in all things before ſpoken of, and alſo paſſiuely in the firſt kind of our paſſiue ſacrificing of our ſelues as before we hauehave heard; and then certainly we ſhall the more eaſily and ioyfully ſacrifice our ſelues and all that we hauehave in this ſecond paſſiue kinde. Souldiers trained for the time of warre, againſt the time of warre, are the fitter for warre whenſoeuer the ſame ſhall come. In the time of warre alſo, by little skirmiſhes men are the better fleſht for the great and maine battell. So is it, ſo it will be with men for the time of perſecution. The more they skirmiſh with their affections, &c. and ſubdue the ſame, the more they labour in the actiue ſacrificing themſelues, as alſo the more patiently they can beare priuate wrongs and iniuries, and other pettie afflictions, the fitter they ſhall be for the day of greater triall. He that cannot beare a light burden, how ſhall he beare an heauie? Herein alſo (to ſpeake of one particular branch of the former actiue ſacrificing of our ſelues) let vsus conſider how franke and forward we hauehave bin with our purſes, both in our almes and giuing to the poore, as alſo in any worke requiring coſt and charge for the maintenance of the Goſpell For certainly he that in ſuch cauſes is ſparing of his purſe, and pinching of his mony, how ſhall he not but be much more ſparing of his blood? He alſo that hath bin cold, and not bold to ſpeake for Chriſt, when occaſion hath required that he ſhould hauehave ſpoken, how ſhall his heart faile and faint to lay downe his life for Chriſts ſake?
In all the ſacrificing of our ſelues before ſpoken, of actiue and paſſiue, let vsus alwayes remember to do all and to ſuffer all, onelyonly to God, and for God. Herein God will be alone, or none. We muſt not ſo ſacrifice our ſelues partly to God, and partly to ſome other: but all muſt be onelyonly to God, and for God. We muſt not be like to men-ſeruants of Serieants at Law for the firſt yeare, whoſe Liueries are parti-coloured, blacke on the one ſide, tawnie on the other, as though they ſerued two maſters: but our Liuerie muſt be all of one colour; becauſe No man can ſerue two Mat. 6. 24.maſters &c. All ſacrifices muſt be offered onelyonly to God. We muſt not be like vntounto them that are ſaid to hauehave feared 2. Kin. 17. 33. 41.the Lord and yet to hauehave ſerued their owne gods and their owne grauen images; neither muſt we worſhip and ſweare by the Lord and by Malcham: but as in other things weZeph. 1. 5. muſt ſerue the Lord onelyonly; ſo muſt we in this ſacrificing ofMat. 4. 10. our ſelues. He that but in part ſacrificeth himſelfe to the Lord, ſacrificeth himſelfe wholy to the diuell. Let eueryevery man therefore giuegive all that is without him and within him to the Lord: if he do not, he giueth nothing to the Lord, but (as I ſaid) all to the diuell. Ananias and Saphira Act. 5. 1. &c.his wife are worthy remembrance herein: they ſold a poſſeſſion, and kept backe a part of the price thereof, making ſhew for all that of giuing all to the poore, (oh that they that are niggardly in their ſacrifice of almes before mentioned, did well conſider hereof,) but becauſe they gaue not all, all men know the fearfull iudgement of God vponupon them both, vponupon Ananias as the principall offender, vponupon Sapphira as acceſſarie to his offence, conſenting and keeping counſell. That that is done to the poore, is donePro. 19. 17. Mat. 25 40. 45. to the Lord. That that is withheld from the poore, is withheld from the Lord. If therefore this part-ſacrificing of the price of their poſſeſſion vntounto the Lord were ſo hainous a ſinne in Ananias and Sapphira, is there not the like danger for all other that ſo ſacrifice vntounto the Lord? Did not the Lord threaten by Zephaniah to ſtretch out his hand againſt them that ſweare by the Lord and by Malcham? Let not this therefore ſeeme a ſmall matter. For indeed it is not ſo eaſie a matter as moſt men thinke it to be, to ſacrifice our ſelues to the Lord. As God hath giuen vsus all that we hauehave, ſo he is worthy of all, he will hauehave all, he muſt hauehave all, or elſe nothing. And thus to ſacrifice our ſelues, as I hauehave ſaid, is more then euen when the legall ſacrifices were in requeſt and force, the ſacrificing of all buls and rams and lambs, and all other creatures by the Law required. For euen then, without this ſacrificing of themſelues,Pſal. 50. 8. &c. Iſay. 1. 11. M…ca. 6. 6. all the other were nothing; yea reiected as odious, lothſome and deteſtable to the Lord. Finally, to conclude all this argument, let vsus neuer forget to ioyne together all before ſaid of the ſacrificing of our ſelues both actiuely and alſo paſſiuely. For, neither the actiue ſacrificing of our ſelues is enough without the paſſiue, when we ſhall be called thereunto, and cannot lawfully auoid it; neither this without the former. Though I giuegive my bodie (ſaith the Apoſtle) to be burned, and hauehave not louelove, it profiteth nothing. Thus much of ſacrificing our ſelues both actiuely and alſo1. Cor. 13. 1…. paſſiuely.