Nine Sermons, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
Perſecution every Chriſtian'… LOT.
2 TIMOTHY iii. 12.
Yea, and all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſhall ſuffer PERSECUTION
WHEN our LORD JESUS was pleaſed to take upon him the Form of a Servant, and went about preaching the King… of God, he took all Opportunities in publick—more eſpecially in private, to caution his … againſt ſeeking great Things for themſelves; and alſo to forewarn them of the many … ▪ Afflictions and Perſecutions, which … …pect to endure and go through for … Sake.—The great St. Paul there … the Author of this Epiſtle, in … as in … other Things, following the Steps of his … Maſter, takes particular Care, among other apoſtolical Admonitions, to warn …oung, Timothy of the Difficulties he muſt expect to meet with in the Courſe of his Miniſtry—This …now alſo, ſays he, ver. 1. of this Chapter, that in the laſt Days perilous Times ſhall come. F…r Men ſhall be Lovers of their ownſelves, Covetous, Proud, Blaſphemers, diſobedient to Parents, Unthankful, Unholy, without natural Affection, Truc… Breakers, falſe Accuſers, Incontinent, Fierce, Deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, Traitors, Heady, High-minded, Lovers of Pleaſure more than Lovers of God; having a Form of Godlineſs, but denying the Power thereof: from ſuch turn away. For of this ſort are they which creep into Houſes, and lead Captive ſilly Women laden with Sins, led away with divers Luſts, eve… learning, and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth▪ N… ▪ as JANN…S and JAMBRES (two of the Egyptian Magicians) withſtood MOSES, (by working Sham-Miracles) ſo do theſe alſo reſiſt the Truth; and notwithſtanding they keep up the Form of Religion, are Men of corrupt Minds, reprobate… concerning the Faith—But, in order to keep … from ſinking under their Oppoſition, … him, that tho' God, for wiſe Ends, permitted theſe falſe Teachers, as he did the Magicians, to oppoſe for ſome Time, yet they ſhould … proceed no further. For their … made manifeſt unto all Men, as … MAGICIANS, alſo was, when they … …and before MOSES, becauſe of the …. For … Bo… was upon the Magicians, as well as … all the Egyptians.—And then, to … TIMOTHY yet the more, he propounds to him his own Example—But thou haſt … known my Doctrine, Manner of Life, … Faith, Long-ſuffering, Charity, Patience, P… cutions, …, which came unto me at … och, at Iconium▪ … what Perſ… I endured; but out of them all the LORD del… me.—And th…n, leſt TIMOTHY might … that this was only the particular Caſe of … Yea, ſay… …e, in the Words of the Text, all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſuffer Perſecution.
The Words, without conſidering them they ſtand with relation to the Context, … a neceſſary and important Truth, viz. that Perſecution is the common Lot of every godly M…—This is a hard Saying, How few can …—I truſt God, in the following Diſcourſe, w… enable me to make it good, by ſhewing
I. What it is to live godly in CHRIST … ▪
II. The different Kinds of Perſecution … which they, who live godly, are expoſed.—
III. Why it is, that godly Men muſt expect to ſuffer Perſecution?
Laſtly, We ſhall apply the whole.
And firſt, Let us conſider what it is to li… godly in CHRIST JESUS.—This ſuppoſes … are made the Righteouſneſs of God in CHRIST that we are born again, and are made one … CHRIST by a living Faith, and a vital … even as JESUS CHRIST and the FATH… … ONE.—Unleſs we are thus convert … transformed by the renewing of our Min… … cannot properly be ſaid to be in CHRIST, much leſs to live godly in Him.—To be in CHRIST merely by Baptiſm, and an outward Profeſſion, i… not to be in HIM in the ſtrict Senſe of the Word—No: They that are in CHRIST are New Creatures, old Things are paſſed away, and all Things are become new in their Hearts.—Their Life is hid with CHRIST in God.—Their Souls daily feed on the inviſible Realities of another World—To live godly in CHRIST, is to make the Divine Will, and not our own, the ſole Principle of all our Thoughts, Words & Actions; ſo that, whether we eat or drink, or whatſoever we do, we do all to the Glory of God.—Thoſe who live godly in CHRIST, may not ſo much be ſaid to live, as CHRIST, to live in them—He is their ALPHA and OMEGA, their Firſt and Laſt, their Beginning and End—They are led by his Spirit, as a Child is led by the Hand of its Father, and are willing to follow the Lamb … therſoever he leads them—They hear, know, and obey his Voice—Their Affections are … on Things above—Their Hopes are full of Immortality—Their Citizenſhip is in Heaven—Being born again of God, they habitually live to, and daily walk with God—They are pare in Heart, and in ſhort, from a Principle of FAITH in CHRIST, holy in all Manner of Converſation and Godlineſs.
This it is to live godly in CHRIST JESUS▪ And hence we may eaſily learn, why ſo few ſuffer Perſecution? Becauſe ſo f…w live godly in CHRIST JESUS—You may live formally in CHRIST, you may attend on outward Duties, you may live morally in CHRIST, i. e. you may do (as they term it) no one any Harm, and avoid Perſecution. But they that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, muſt ſuffer Perſecution.
What is the Meaning of the Word PERSECUTION, and how many Kinds there are of it, I come now to conſider.
The Word PERSECUTION is derived from a Greek Word ſignifying to purſue, and generally implies purſuing a Perſon for the Sake of his Goodneſs, or God's Good-will to him. The firſt Kind of it is that of the Heart—We have an early Example of this in that wicked One Cain, who, becauſe the Lord had Reſpect to Abel and his Offering, and not to him and his Offering, was very wroth, his Countenance fell, and at length he cruelly ſlew his envied Brother.—Thus the Phariſees hated and perſecuted our Lord long before they laid hold on him: And our Lord mentions being inwardly hated of Men, as one Kind of PERSECUTION his Diſciples were to undergo… This Heart—Enmity (if I may ſo term it) is the Root of all other Kinds of PERSECUTION▪ and i…, in ſome Degree or other, to be found in the Soul of every unregenerated Man▪ and Numbers are guilty of this Perſecution who never have it in their Power to … any other Way. Nay, Numbers … …e carrie… out actually to put in Practice all other Degree of Perſecution, was not the Name of Perſecution become odious among Mankind, and did they not hereby run the Hazard of loſing their Reputation. Alas! how many at the Great Day, whom we know not now will be convicted and condemned, that all their Life long harboured a ſecret evil Will againſt ZION!—They may now …kreen it before Men; but God ſeeth the Enmity of their Hearts, and will judge them as Perſecutors at the great and terrible Day of Judgment!
A ſecond Degree of Perſecution, is that of the Tongue—for out of the Abundance of the Heart, the Mouth ſpeaketh—Many, I ſupp…e, think it no Harm to ſhoot out Arrows, even bitter Words, againſt the Diſciples of the Lord—They ſcatter their Fire-Brands, Arrows and Death, ſaying, Are we not in Sport?—But however they may eſteem it, in God's Account Evil ſpeaking is a high Degree of Perſecution. Thus Iſhmael's m…cking Iſaa… in the Old, is termed perſecuting him in the New-Teſtament—Bleſſed are ye… ▪ ſays our Lord, When Men ſhall revel you and perſecute you, and ſhall ſay all Manner of … againſt you falſely for my Names Sake.—From whence we may gather, that Reviling, and ſpeaking all Manner of Evil falſly for CHRIST'S Sake, is a high Degree of Perſecution.—For a good Name, ſays the wiſe Man, … better that … Ointment, and, to many, is dearer tha… … itſelf—It's a great Breach of the ſixth Commandment to ſlander any one, but to ſpeak … of and ſlander the Diſciples of CHRIST, … becauſe they are his Diſciples, muſt be … provoking in the Sight of God, and ſuch who are guilty of it (without Repentance) will find that JESUS CHRIST will call them to an Account, and puniſh them for all their ungodly and hard Speeches in a Lake of Fire and Brimſtone—This ſhall be their Portion to drink.
The third and laſt Kind of Perſecution, is that which expreſſes itſelf in Actions—As when wicked Men ſeparate the Children of God from their Company. Bleſſed are ye, ſays our Lord, when they ſhall ſeparate you from their Company—or expoſe them to Church-Cenſures. They ſhall put you out of their Synagogues.—Or in threatning and prohibiting them from making an open Profeſſion of his Religion or Worſhip, or Miniſters from preaching his Word, as the High Prieſts threatned the Apoſtles, and forbad them any more to ſpeak in the Name of JESUS. And PAUL breathed out Threatnings and Slaughters againſt the Diſciples of the Lord—Or when they call them into Courts. You ſhall be called before Governors, ſays our Lord.—Or when they fine, …mpriſon, or puniſh them, by Confiſcation of Goods, cruel Scourging, and, laſtly, Death itſelf.
It would be impoſſible to enumerate in what various Shapes Perſecution has appeared.—It's a many-headed Monſter, inſatiable as Hell, cruel as the Grave, and, what is worſe, it generally appears under the Cloak of Religion.—But, cruel, inſatiable, and horrid as it is, they that live godly in CHRIST JESUS, muſt expect to ſuffer and encounter with in all its Forms.
This is what we are to make good under our … general Head.
And firſt, This appears from the whole T… n…r of our Lord's Doctrine—We will begin with his Divine Sermon on the Mount—Bleſſed, ſays he, are they which are perſecuted for Righteouſneſs Sake; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. So that, if our Lord ſpoke Truth, we are not ſo bleſſed, as to have an Intereſt in the Kingdom of Heaven, unleſs we are or have been perſecuted for Righteouſneſs Sake—Nay, our Lord (it's remarkable) employs three Verſes in this Beatitude, and only one in each of the others; not only to ſhew, that it was a Thing which Men (as Men) are unwilling to believe, but alſo the neceſſary Conſequence of it upon our being Chriſtians.—This is likewiſe evident from all thoſe Paſſages, wherein our Lord informs us, that he came upon the Earth not to ſend Peace but a Sword, and that the Father-in-law ſhould be againſt the Mother-in-law, and that a Man's Foes ſhould be thoſe of his own Houſhold. Paſſages, which tho' confined by falſe Prophets …; the firſt, I am perſuaded will be verified by … Experience of all true Chriſtians in this … every Age of the Church.—It would be … to recount all the Places, wherein our …ord forewarns his Diſciples, that they ſhould be called before Rulers, thruſt out of Synagogues, nay, that the Time would come, wherein Men ſhould think they did God Service to kill them.—For this Reaſon he ſo frequently declared, that unleſs a Man forſake all that he had, and even hated Life itſelf, he could not be his Diſciple… ▪ And therefore it is worthy our Obſervation▪ that in that remarkable Paſſage, wherein … Lord makes ſuch an extenſive Promiſe to th…ſe who …ft all for him, cautiouſly inſerts PERSECUTION. And JESUS anſwered and ſaid, Ver…y I ſay unto you, there is no Man that hath le…t Houſe, or Brethren, or Siſters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands for my … and the Goſpel's, but he ſhall receive an Hundred-fold now in this Tim…, Houſes and Brethren, and Siſters and Mothers, and Children and La…, with Perſecutions (the Word is in the … Number, including all Kinds of Perſecution) and in the World to come eternal Life.—He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear what CHRIST ſays in all theſe Paſſages, and then confeſs, th… all who will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, … ſuffer PERSECUTION.
As this is proved from our Lord's Doctrine; ſo it is no leſs evident from his Life. F…ll…w him from the Manger to the Croſs, and ſee whether any Perſecution was like that which the … of God, the Lord of Glory, underwent … here on Earth—How was he hated by wicked Men?—How often would that Hatred have excited them to take hold of him, had it not been for Fear of the People?—How was he reviled, counted and called a Blaſphemer, a Wine-Bibber, a Samaritan, nay, a Devil, and, in one Word, had all Manner of Evil ſpoken againſt him falſely?—What Contradiction of Sinners did he endure againſt himſelf?—How did Men ſeperat… from his Company, and were aſhamed to walk with him openly? Inſomuch that he once ſaid to his own Diſciples, Will you alſo go away?—Again—How was he ſtoned, thruſt out of the Synagogues, arraigned as a Deceiver of the People, a ſeditious and peſtilent Fellow, an Enemy to Caeſar, and as ſuch ſcourged, blindfolded, ſpit upon, and at length condemned and nailed to an accurſed Tree?—Thus was the Maſter perſecuted—Thus did the Lord ſuffer—And the Servant is not above his Maſter, nor the Diſciple above his Lord—If they have perſecuted me, they will alſo perſecute you, ſays the bleſſed JESUS. And again, Every Man that is perfect, that is, a true Chriſtian, muſt be as his Maſter, i. e. ſuffer as he did. For in all theſe Things our Lord has led us an Example, that we ſhould follow his Steps: And therefore, God forbid that any, who would live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſhould henceforward expect to eſcape ſuffering Perſecution.
But further: Not only our Lord's Example, but the Example of all the Saints that ever lived▪ evidently demonſtrates the Truth of the Apoſtles Aſſertion in the Text. How ſoon was Abel made a Martyr for his Religion?—How was Iſaac mocked by the Son of the Bond-woman?—And what a large Catalogue of ſuffering Old-Teſtament Saints have we recorded in the 11th Chapter of the Hebrews?—Read the Acts of the Apoſtles, and ſee how the firſt Chriſtians were threatned, ſto…ed, impriſoned, ſcourged, and perſecuted even unto Death.—Examine Church-Hiſtory in After-Ages, and you wi… … the Murder of the Innocents by Herod, … but an Earneſt of the innocent Blood which ſhould be ſhed for the Name of JESUS—Examine the Experience of Saints now living on Earth, and if it were poſſible to conſult the Spirits of juſt Men made perfect, I am perſuaded each would concur with the Apoſtle in aſſerting, that all who will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſhall ſuffer PERSECUTION.
For how can it be otherwiſe in the very Nature of Things?—Ever ſince the Fall there has been an irreconcileable Enmity put between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent. Wicked Men hate God, and therefore cannot but hate thoſe who are like him. They hate to be reformed, and therefore muſt hate and perſecute thoſe, who, by a contrary Behaviour, teſtify of them, that their Deeds are Evil—Beſides, Pride of Heart leads Men to perſecute the Servants of Jeſus Chriſt.—If they commend them, they are afraid of being aſked,—Why do not you follow them?"—And therefore becauſe they dare not imitate, tho' they may ſometimes be even forced to approve their Way, yet Pride and Envy make them turn Perſecutors.—Hence it is, that as it was formerly, ſo it is now, and ſo will it be to the End of Time—He that is born after the FLESH, the natural Man, does and will perſecute him that is born after the SPIRIT, the regenerate Man▪ Becauſe Chriſtians are not of the World, but Chriſt hath choſen them out of the World, therefore the World …ll hate them—… …ected againſt this Doctrine, that we now live in a Chriſtian World, and therefore muſt not expect ſuch Perſecution as formerly; I anſwer, All are not Chriſtians that are called ſo; and till the Heart is changed, the Enmity againſt God which is the Root of all Perſecution) remains; and conſequently Chriſtians, falſely ſo called, will perſecute as well as others.—I obſerved therefore, in the Beginning of this Diſcourſe, that St. Paul mentions thoſe that had a Form of Religion, as perſons of whom Timothy had Need be chiefly aware—For, as our Lord and his Apoſtles were moſtly perſecuted by their Countrymen the Jews, ſo we muſt expect the like Uſage from the Formaliſts of our own Nation, the Phariſees, who ſeem to be religious.—For the moſt horrid and barbarous Perſecutions have been carried on by thoſe who have called themſelves Chriſtians … witneſs the Days of Queen Mary, and the Fines, Baniſhments, and Impriſonments of the Children of God in the laſt Century, and the bitter, irreconcileable Hatred that appear in Thouſands who call themſelves Chriſtians, even in the preſent Days wherein we live.
Perſons, who argue againſt Perſecution now, are not ſufficiently ſenſible of the bitter Enmity of the Heart of every unregenerate Man againſt God. For my own Part, I am ſo far from wondering that Chriſtians are perſecuted, that I wonder our Streets do not run with the Blood of the Saints—Was Men's Power equal to their Wills, ſuch a horrid Spectacle would ſoon appear.
Perſecution is neceſſery in reſpect to the Godly themſelves—If we have not all Manner of Evil ſpoken of us, how can we know whether we love Contempt, and ſeek only that Honour which cometh from above?—If we have not Perſecutors, how can our Paſſive Graces be kept in Exerciſe?—How can many Chriſtian Precepts be put into Practice?—How can we love, pray for, and do good to thoſe who deſpitefully uſe us?—How can we overcome Evil with Good?—In ſhort, how can we know we love God better than Life itſelf?—St. Paul was ſenſible of all this, and therefore ſo poſitively and peremptorily aſſerts, that all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS muſt ſuffer PERSECUTION.
Not that I affirm, All are perſecuted in a like Degree. No: This would be contrary both to Scripture and Experience. But tho' all Chriſtians are not really called to ſuffer every Kind of Perſecution, yet all Chriſtians are liable thereto: And notwithſtanding ſome may live in more peaceful Times of the Church than other, yet all Chriſtians, in all Ages, will find by their own Experience, that, whether they act in a private or publick Capacity, they muſt, in ſome Degree or other, ſuffer Perſecution.
Here then I would make a Pauſe, and, by Way of Application, exhort all Perſons firſt to ſtand awhile and examine themſelves.—…or, by what has be… ſaid, you may gather one Mark, whereby you may judge, whether you are Chriſtians or not?—Were you ever perſecuted for Righteouſneſs Sake? If not, you never yet lived godly in Chriſt our Lord—Whatever you may ſay to the contrary, the inſpired Apoſtle, in the Words of the Text (the Truth of which, I think, I have ſufficiently proved) poſitively aſſerts, that all that will godly in HIM, muſt ſuffer Perſecution—Not that all that are perſecuted are real Chriſtians—For many ſometimes ſuffer, and are perſecuted, on other Accounts than for Righteouſneſs Sake—The great Queſtion therefore is, Whether you were ever perſecuted for living godly? —You may boaſt (as perhaps you may think) of your great Prudence and Sagacity (and indeed theſe are excellent Things) and glory becauſe you have not run ſuch Lengths, and made yourſelves ſo ſingular, and liable to ſuch Contempt, as ſome others have.—But alas! This is not a Mark of your being of a Chriſtian, but of a Laodi…ean Spirit, neither hot nor cold, and fit only to be ſpewed out of the Mouth of God—That which you call Prudence, is only Cowardice, dreadful Hypocriſy, Pride of Heart, which makes you dread Contempt, and afraid to give up your Reputation for God—You are aſhamed of Chriſt and his Goſpel, and in all Probability, was he to appear a ſecond Time upon Earth, in Words, as well as Works, you would deny him—Awake therefore, all ye that live only formally in Chriſt Jeſus, and no longer ſeek that Honour which cometh of Man.—I do not deſire you to court, but I intreat you to live godly, and fear not Contempt for the Sake of Jeſus Chriſt—Beg of God to give you his Holy Spirit, that you may ſee through and diſcover the latent Hypocriſy of your Hearts, and no longer deceive your own Souls.—Remember, you cannot reconcile two irreconcileable Difference▪ God & Mammon, the Friendſhip of this World, with the Favour of God.—Know you not who hath told you, that the Friendſhip of this World is Enmity with God?—If therefore you are in Friendſhip with the World, notwithſtanding all your ſpecious Pretences to Piety, you are at Enmity with God.—You are only Heart Hypocrites, and, What is the Hope of the Hypocrite▪ when God ſhall take away his Soul?—Let … Words of the Text found an Alarm in your Ears—Oh! let them ſink deep into your Hearts Yea, and all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS ſhall ſuffer PERSECUTION.
Secondly, From the Words of the Text I would take Occaſion to ſpeak to thoſe, who are about to liſt themſelves under the Banner of CHRIST'S Croſs.—What ſay you?—Are you reſolved to live godly in CHRIST JESUS, notwithſtanding the Conſequence will be, that you muſt ſuffer PERSECUTION?—You are beginning to build, but have you taken our Lord's Advice, to ſit down firſt and count the Coſt?—Have you well weighed with your ſelves that weighty Declaration—He that love… Father or Mother more than ME, is not wor… ME—And again, Unleſs a Man forſake … he hath, he cannot be my Diſciple? Per… ſome of you have great Poſſeſſions; Will … you go away ſorrowful, if Chriſt ſhould require you to ſell all that you have?—Others of you again may be Kinſmen, or ſome Way related, or under Obligations to the High-Prieſts, or other great Perſonages, who may be perſecuting the Church of Chriſt—What ſay you? Will you, with Moſes, rather chuſe to ſuffer Affliction with the People of God, than enjoy the Pleaſures of Sin for a Seaſon?—Perhaps you may ſay, "My Friends will not oppoſe me."—That is more than you know.—In all Probability your chief Enemies will be thoſe of your own Houſhold—If therefore they ſhould oppoſe you, Are you willing naked to follow a naked Chriſt? and to wander about in Sheep-Skins and Goat-Skins, in Dens and Caves of the Earth, being afflicted, deſtitute, tormented, rather than not be Chriſt's Diſciples?—You are now all following with Zeal, as Ruth and Orpah did Naomi, and may weep under the Word; but are not your Tears Crocodile's Tears? And when Difficulties come, Will you not go back from following your Lord, as Orpah departed from following Naomi?—Have you really the Root of Grace in your Hearts? Or, Are you only Stony-ground Hearers?—You receive the Word with Joy; but, when Perſecution ariſes becauſe of the Word, will you not be immediately offended?—Be not angry with me for putting theſe Queſtions to you. I am jealous over you, but it is with a godly Jealouſy. For, alas! how many have put their Hand… to the Plow, and afterwards have ſhamefully looked back?—I only deal with you, as our Lord did with the Perſon that ſaid, LORD, I will follow thee whitherſoever thou wilt—The Foxes have Holes, and the Birds of the Air have Neſts, but the Son of Man, ſays he, hath not where to lay his Head.—What ſay you? Are you willing to endure Hardneſs, and thereby approve your ſelves good Soldiers of Jeſus Chriſt?—You now come on Foot out of the Towns and Villages to hear the Word, and receive me as a Meſſenger of God—But will you not by and by cry out, Away with him, Away with him, it is not fit ſuch a Fellow ſhould live upon the Earth?—Perhaps ſome of you, like Hazael, may ſay, Are we Dogs, that we ſhall do this? But, alas! I have met with many unhappy Souls, who have drawn back unto Perdition, and have afterwards accounted me their Enemy, for dealing faithfully with them, tho' once, if it were poſſible, they would have plucked out their own Eyes, and have given them unto me.—Sit down therefore, I beſeech you, and ſeriouſly count the Coſt, and aſk yourſelves again and again, whether you count all Things but. Dung and Droſs, and are willing to ſuffer the Loſs of all Things, ſo that you may win Chriſt, and …e found in Him. For you may aſſure yourſelves, the Apoſtle hath not ſpoken in vain—All that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſhall ſuffer PERSECUTION.
Thirdly, The Text ſpeaks to you that are patiently ſuffering for the Truth's Sake—Rejoice, and be exceeding glad—Great ſhall be your Reward in Heaven—For to you it is given, not only to believe, but alſo to ſuffer, and perhaps remarkably too, for the Sake of Jeſus▪ This is a Mark of your Diſciple may, an Evidence that you do live godly in CHRIST JESUS—Fear not, therefore, neither be diſmayed. Oh, be not weary and …aint in your M…s!—Jeſus, your Lord, your Life, cometh, and his Reward is with him—Tho' all Men forſake you, yet will not he? No: The Spirit of Chriſt and of Glory ſhall reſt upon you. In Patience therefore poſſeſs your Souls—Sanctify the Lord God in your Hearts. Be in nothing terrified by your Adverſaries—On their Part Chriſt is evil ſpoken of: On your Part he is glorified—Be not aſhamed of your Glory, ſince others can glory in their Shame—Think it not ſtrange concerning the fiery Trial, wherewith you are or may be tried.—The Devil rages, knowing that he hath but a ſhort Time to reign. He or his Emiſſaries have no more Power, than what is given them from above—God ſets them their Bounds. which they cannot paſs, and the very Hairs of your Head are all numbered.—Fear not, no one ſhall ſet upon you to hurt you, without your heavenly Father's Knowledge.—Do your earthly Friends and Parents forſake you? Are you caſt out of the Synagogues? The Lord ſhall reveal himſelf to you, as to the Man that was born blind—Jeſus Chriſt ſhall take you up—If they carry you to Priſon, and load you with Chains, ſo that the Iron enter into your Souls, even there ſhall Chriſt ſend an Angel from Heaven to ſtrengthen you, and enable you, with Paul …, to ſing Praiſes at Midnight.—Are … threatned to be thrown into a Den of Lion … caſt into a burning fiery Furnace, becauſe you will not bow down and worſhip the Beaſt?—Fear not; the God, whom you ſerve, is able to deliver you—Or, if he ſhould ſuffer the Flames to devour your Bodies, they ſhould only ſerve, as ſo many fiery Chariots, to carry your Souls to God.—Thus it was with the Martyrs of old, ſo that one when he was burning cried out, Come, you Papiſts, if you want a Miracle, Here, behold one This Bed of Flames is to me a Bed of Down.—Thus it was with almoſt all that ſuffered in former Times: For Jeſus, notwithſtanding he withdrew his own Divinity from himſelf, yet has always lifted up the Light of his Countenance upon the Souls of ſuffering Saints.—Fear not therefore theſe that can kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can do; but fear him only, who is able to deſtroy both Body and Soul in Hell. Dare, dare, to … godly in CHRIST JESUS, tho' you ſuffer all Manner of PERSECUTION.
But are there any true Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt …?—You'll not be offended if I tell you, that the Words of the Text are, in an eſpecial Manner, applicable to you—St. Paul wrote them to Timothy, and we, of all Men, that live godly. CHRIST JESUS, muſt expect to ſuffer the ſevereſt Perſecution—Satan will … …vour to … our Heels, let who eſcape—And it has been the general Way of God's Providence, in Times of Perſecution, to permit the Shepherds firſt to be ſmitten, before the Sheep are ſcattered—Let us not therefore ſhew, that we are only Hirelings, who care not for the Sheep, but, like the great Shepherd and Biſhop of Souls, let us readily lay down our Lives for the Sheep—Whilſt others are boaſting of their great Preferments, let us rather glory in our great Afflictions and Perſecutions for the Sake of Chriſt—St. Paul now rejoices tha… he ſuffered Afflictions & Perſecutions at Iconiu… and Lyſtra—Out of all the Lord delivered him▪—Out of all the Lord will deliver us, and cauſe us hereafter to ſit down with him on Thrones, when he comes to judge the twelve Tribes of Iſrael.
I could proceed, but I am conſcious in this Part of my Diſcourſe; I ought more particularly to ſpeak to myſelf, knowing that Satan has deſired to have me, that he may ſift me as Wheat. I know I muſt (How can it be avoided?) ſuffer great Things for Chriſt's Name Sake—Without a Spirit of Prophecy, we may eaſily diſcern the Sighs of the Times. Perſecution is even at the Doors—The Tabernacle of the Lord is already driven into the Wilderneſs—The Ark of the Lord is fallen into the unhallowed Hands of uncircumciſed Philiſtians. They have long ſince put us out of their Synagogues, and High-Prieſts have been calling on Civil Magiſtrates to exert their Authority againſt the Diſciples of the Lord.—Men in Power have been breathing out Threatnings—We may eaſily gueſs what will follow, Impriſonment and Slaughter—The Storm has been gathering ſome Time—It muſt break ſhortly. Perhaps it may fall on me firſt.
Brethren therefore, whether in the Miniſtry or not, I beſeech you, pray for me, that I may never ſuffer juſtly, as an Evil-Doer, but only for Righteouſneſs Sake—Oh! Pray that I may not deny my Lord in any wiſe, but that I may joyfully follow him, both to Priſon and to Death if he is pleaſed to call me to ſeal his Truths with my Blood—Be not aſhamed of Chriſt, or of his Goſpel, tho' I ſhould become a Priſoner of the Lord—Tho' I am bound, the Word of God will not be bound—No, an open, an effectual Door is opened for preaching the everlaſting Goſpel, and Men or Devils ſhall never be able to prevail againſt it—Only pray, that whether it be in Life or Death, Chriſt may be glorified in me.—Then I ſhall rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
And now, to whom ſhall I addreſs myſelf next?—To thoſe, who perſecute their Neighbours for living godly in CHRIST JESUS. But, what ſhall I ſay to your Howl and weep for the Miſeries that ſhall come upon you—For a little while the Lord permits you to ride over the Heads of his People; but by and by, Death will arreſt you, Judgment will find you, and Jeſus Chriſt ſhall put a Queſtion to you, which will ſtrike you dumb. "Why perſecuted you …"—You may plead your Laws and your Canons, & pretend what you do is out of a Zeal for God, but God ſhall diſcover the curſed Hypocriſy and ſerpentine Enmity of your Hearts, and give you over to the Tormentors—It's well, if in this Life, God does not ſet ſome Mark upon you—He pleaded the Cauſe of Naboth, when innocently condemned for blaſpheming againſt God and the King—And our Lord ſent forth his Armies, and deſtroyed the City of thoſe who killed the Prophets, and ſtoned them that were ſent unto them—If you have a Mind therefore to fill up the Meaſure of your Iniquities, go on, perſecute and deſpiſe the Diſciples of the Lord. But know, that for all theſe Things, God ſhall bring you into Judgment. Nay, thoſe you how perſecute, ſhall be in part your Judges, and ſit on the Right-Hand of the Majeſty on High, whilſt you are dragged by infernal Spirits into a Lake that burreth with Fire and Brimſtone, and the Smoke of your Torment ſhall be aſcending up for ever and ever—Lay down therefore, ye Rebels, your Arms againſt the moſt High God, and no longer perſecute thoſe who live godly in CHRIST JESUS—The Lord will plead, the Lord will avenge their Cauſe. You may be permitted to bruiſe their Heels, yet in the End they ſhall bruiſe your accurſed Heads.—I ſpeak not this, as tho' I were afraid of you—For I know in whom I have believed. Only out of pure Love I warn you, and becauſe I know not but Jeſus Chriſt may make ſome of you Veſſels of Mercy, and ſnatch you, even you Perſecutors, as Fire-Brands out of the Fire—Jeſus Chriſt came into the World to ſave Sinners, even Perſecutors, the worſt of Sinners—His Righteouſneſs is ſufficient for them—His Spirit able to purify and change their Hearts—He once converted Saul—May the ſame God magnify his Power, in converting all thoſe who are cauſing the godly in CHRIST JESUS, as much as in them lies, to ſuffer PERSECUTION. The Lord be with you all—Amen.