Exposition Upon Matthew 27(1), Matthew 5 · Verse 8
Bleſſed are they that ſuffer perſecucyon for ryghteuouſnes ſake, for theyrs is the kyngedome of heuen.
Yf the faythe of Chryſte and lawe of God in whiche two all ryghtuouſnes is contayned, be wrytten in thyne harte, that is, yf thou beleue in Chriſt to be iuſtefyed from ſyn or for remyſſyon of ſyn, and conſenteſt in thyne harte, to the lawe that it is good, holy and iuſte and thy duty to do it and ſubmyteſt thy ſelfe ſo to do, and ther vp on goeſt forth and teſtefyeth that fayth and lawe of ryghteouſnes openly vntounto the worlde in worde and deade. Then wyll Sathan ſtere vp his members agaynſte the, and thou ſhalte be perſecuted on euerye ſyde. But be of good comforte and faynte not. Call to mynde the ſaynge of Paule. 2. Tymo. 3. howe al that wyl lyue godly in chryſt Ieſu, ſhal ſo fer perſecucyon, Remember howe al the prophetes that wēt before the, were ſo dealt with, Luke. vi. Remember the enſamples of the apoſtels, and of Chryſte hym ſelfe, and that the dyſcyple is no better then hys mayſter, and that Chryſte admytteh no deſcyple whiche not onelyonly leueth not all,peace, the peace of Chryſte is peace of conſcyence but alſo taketh his croſſe to, we be not called to a ſofte liuynge and to peace in this worlde. But vntounto peace of conſcyence in God our father thorowe Ieſus Chryſt, and to warre in thys worlde.
Moreouer comforte thy ſelfe with the hope of the bleſſynge of the enherytaunce of heuen, there to be gloryfyed with Chryſte yf thou here ſoffer with hym. For yf we be lyke Chryſte here in his paſſyons, and beare his ymage in ſoule and bodye, and fyght manfully ye / that Sathan blot it not out / and ſoffer with Chryſte for berynge recorde to ryghtuouſnes, then ſhall we be lyke to hym in glorye. Saynt Iohan ſaythe in the .iii. Chapter of hys fyrſte pyſtle. yet it apereth not what we ſhalbe. But we knowe / that when he apereth / we ſhalbe lyke hym. And Paule. Phil. 3. oure conuerſacyon is in heuen, whence we loke for a ſauyour, the Lorde Ieſus Chryſt which ſhal chaunge our vyle bodyes and make them lyke his gloryous body.
It is an happy thynge to ſoffer for ryghteouſnes ſake / but not for vnryghtuouſnes. For what prayſe is it (ſay the Peter in the ſeconde of hys fyrſte epyſtle) though ye ſoffer, when ye be bofetted for your offenſes, wherfore in the fourthe of the ſame he ſaythe, ſe that none of you ſoffer as a murtherar or a theſe or an euell doer or a buſye body in other mennes maters, Suche ſofferynge gloryfyeth not God, nor thou arte therby heyre of heuen. Beware therfore that thou deſerue not that thou ſoffereſt. But yf thou do,Payne No bodely payne can be a ſatysfaccyon to God ſaue Chryſtes paſſyon. then beware moche more of them that wolde bere the in hande, howe that ſuche ſofferynge ſhulde be ſatyſfaccyon of thy ſynnes and a deſeruynge of heuen. No, ſofferynge for ryghtuouſnes (thoughe heuen be promyſed theyrto) yet dothe it not deſerue heuen, nor yet make ſatyſfaccyon for the fore ſynnes, Chryſte dothe bothe twane. But and yf thou repente and beleue in Chryſt for the remiſſyon of ſynne, and them confeſſe, not onelyonly before God, but alſo open before all that ſe the ſoffer / howe that thou haſte deſerued that thou ſoffreſt, for breakynge the good and ryghtwyſe lawe of thy father, and then takeſt thy punyſhement paciently / as an holſome medecyne to hele thy fleſhe that it ſynne no more / and to feare thy brethern that they fall not in to lyke offence / as Moyſes teacheth eueryevery where. Then as thy pacyence in ſofferynge is pleſaunt in the ſyght of thy brethren whiche beholdeth, petye the and ſoffer with the in theyr hertes, euen ſo is it in ye ſyght of God, and it is to the a ſure token that thou haſte true faythe and true repentaunce.
And as they be bleſſed which ſuffer for ryghtouſnes, euen ſo are they accurſed which ronne away and let it be troden vnderunder the fete / and wyll not ſuffer for the faythe of theyr Lorde and lawe of theyr father, nor ſtande by theyr neyghboures in theyr iuſte cauſes.