Thirteen Sermons, Account · Sermons 8-11
SERM. 8, 9, 10, 11.
Matthew 5.10, 11, 12.
Bleſſed are they which are perſecuted for Righteouſneſs ſake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
v. 11. Bleſſed are you when men ſhall revile you, and perſecute you, and ſhall ſay all manner of evil againſt you falſly for my ſake.
v. 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven; for ſo perſecuted they the Prophets which were before you.
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 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 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.
foreign from whence this Participle comes, is a word, that is very frequently uſed in the New Teſtament, ſometimes it is applied 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 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, 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 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 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 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,
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 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 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 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 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 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 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. — 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.
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 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, 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 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 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 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.
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 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; 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 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. 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 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 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 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 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, 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.
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 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 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 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, foreign, 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, 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 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. 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, 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 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 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 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 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.
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.