Fifteen Sermons, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
Perſecution every Chriſtian's 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 himſelf the form of a ſervant, and go about preaching the kingdom of God, he took all opportunities in public, and more eſpecially in private, to caution his diſciples againſt ſeeking great things for themſelves; and alſo to forwarn them of the many diſtreſſes, afflictions, and perſecutions which they muſt expect to endure and go through for his … ſake. The great St. Paul, therefore, the author of this epiſtle, in this, as in all other things, following the ſteps of his bleſſed Maſter, takes particular care, among other apoſtolical admonitions, to warn young Timothy of the difficulties he muſt expect to meet when in the courſe of his miniſtry:—This know alſo, (ſays he, verſe 1ſt of this chapter) that in the laſt days perilous times ſhall come. For men ſhall be lovers of their own ſelves, covetous, boaſters, proud, blaſphemers, diſobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-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 filly women laden with ſins—lead away with divers luſts; ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now, as Jannes 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 him from ſinking under their oppoſition, he tells him, that though God, for wiſe ends, permitted theſe falſe teachers, as he did the magicians, to oppoſe for ſome time, yet they ſhould now proceed no farther. For their folly, ſays he, ſhall be made manifeſt unto all men, as theirs (the magicians) alſo was, when they could not ſtand before Moſes, becauſe of the boil; for the boil was upon the magicians as well as upon all the Egyptians. And then to encourage Timothy yet the more, he propounds to him his own example: But thou haſt fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpoſe, faith, longſuffering, charity, patience, perſecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lyſtra; what perſecutions I endured; But out of them all the Lord delivered me. And then leſt Timothy might think that this was only the particular caſe of Paul: Yea, ſays he, in the words of the text, and all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall ſuffer perſecution,
The words, without conſidering them as they ſtand in relation to the context, contain a neceſſary and important truth, viz. that perſecution is the common lot of every godly man. This is a hard ſaying. How few can bear it? I truſt God, in the following diſcourſe, will enable me to make it good, by ſhewing,
I. What it is to live godly in Chriſt Jeſus.
II. The different kinds of perſecution to 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 live godly in Chriſt Jeſus: this ſuppoſes, that we are made the righteouſneſs of God in Chriſt, that we are born again, and are made one with Chriſt by a living faith, and a vital union, even as Jeſus Chriſt and the Father are one. Unleſs we are thus converted; and transformed by the renewing of our minds, we 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, is not to be in him in the ſtrict ſenſe of the word: No; They that are in Chriſt Jeſus, 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 realties 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, and 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 whitherſoever he leads them. They hear, know, and obey his voice. Their affections are ſet 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 pure in heart; and, from a principle of faith in Chriſt, are holy in all manner of converſation and godlineſs.
This is to live godly in Chriſt Jeſus: and hence we may eaſily learn, why ſo few ſuffer perſecution? becauſe ſo few live godly in Chriſt Jeſus. 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.
2. Secondly, 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 is 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 perſecute any other way. Nay, numbers would be carried out actually to put in practice all other degrees of perſecution, was not the name of perſecution become odious amongſt 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 harboured a ſecret evil-will againſt Zion! They may now ſcreen 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; out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh. Many I ſuppoſe think it no harm to ſhoot out arrows, even bitter words, againſt the diſciples of the Lord: they ſcatter the 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 mocking Iſaac in the Old, is termed perſecuting him in the New Teſtament. Bleſſed are ye, ſays our Lord, when men ſhall revile you, and perſecute you, and ſhall ſay all manner of evil againſt you falſely for my name's ſake. From whence we may gather, that reviling and ſpeaking all manner of evil falſely for Chriſt's ſake, is a high degree of perſecution. For a good name, ſays the wiſe man, is better than precious ointment, and to many is dearer than life itſelf. It is a great breach of the ſixth commandment, to ſlander any one; but to ſpeak evil of and ſlander the diſciples of Chriſt, merely becauſe they are his diſciples, muſt be highly 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; threatening and prohibiting them from making an open profeſſion of his religion or worſhip; or interdicting miniſters for preaching his word, as the high prieſts threatened the apoſtles, and forbad them any more to ſpeak in the name of Jeſus; and Paul breathed out threatenings and ſlaughter 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, impriſon, 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 is 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 it in all its forms.
This is what we are to make good under our next general head.
3. Thirdly, Why is it that godly men muſt expect to ſuffer perſecution? And,
Firſt, This appears from the whole tenour of our Lord's doctrine. We will begin with his divine ſermon on the Mount. Bleſſed, ſays he, are they who 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 is remarkable) employs three verſes in this beautitude, 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 ſhall be againſt the mother-in-law, and that a man's foes ſhall be thoſe of his houſehold. Paſſages, which though confined by falſe prophets to the firſt, I am perſuaded will be verified by the experience of all true Chriſtians in this, and every age of the church. It would be endleſs to recount all the places wherein our Lord forwarns his diſciples that they ſhould be called before rulers, and 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 our Lord makes ſuch an extenſive promiſe to thoſe who left all for him, he cautiouſly inſerts perſecution. And Jeſus anſwered and ſaid, Verily I ſay unto you, there is no man that hath left houſe, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my ſake and the goſpel's, but he ſhall receive an hundred fold now in this time; houſes and brethren, and ſiſters and mothers, and children and lands, with perſecutions; (the word is in the plural 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, that all who live godly in Chriſt, Jeſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution.
As this is proved from our Lord's doctrine, ſo it is no leſs evident from his life. Follow him from the manager to the croſs, and ſee whether any perſecution was like that which the Son of God, the Lord of glory, underwent whilſt 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 biber, 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 ſeparate 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, arrained as a deceiver of the people, a ſeditious and peſtilent fellow, an enemy to Ceſar, 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, ſaith 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 all theſe things our Lord has let us an example, that we ſhould follow his ſteps: and therefore, God forbid that any who would live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhould hence forward expect to eſcape ſuffering perſecution.
But farther: Not only our Lord's example, but the example of all the ſaints that ever lived, evidently demonſtrates the truth of the apoſtle's 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 eleventh chapter of the Hebrews! Read the Acts of the Apoſtles, and ſee how the Chriſtians were threatened, ſtoned, impriſoned, ſcourged, and perſecuted even unto death. Examine church-hiſtory in after ages, and you will find the murder of the innocents by Herod, was 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.
How can it be otherwiſe in the very nature of things? Ever ſince the fall, there has been an irreconcileable enmity 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 you not follow them? And therefore becauſe they dare not imitate, though 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 will hate them. If it be objected 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 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 appears 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. But,
Perſecution is neceſſary 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 Chriſtians precepts be put into practice? How can we love, pray for, and do good to thoſe who deſpite fully uſe us? How can we overcome evil with good … 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, ſhall ſuffer perſecution.
Not than I …, All are perſecuted in a like degree. No: This would be contrary both to ſcripture and experience. But though 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 others, yet all Chriſtians, in all ages, will find by their own experience, that, whether they act in a private or public capacity, they muſt, in ſome degree o… other, ſuffer perſecution.
Here then I would pauſe, and, loſtly, by way of application, exhort all perſons,
Firſt, To ſtand a while and examine themſelves. For, by what has been 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 live godly in him, ſhall ſuffer perſecution. Not that all who are perſecuted are real Chriſtians; for many ſometimes ſuffer, and are perſecuted on other accounts than for Righteouſneſs …. The great queſtion therefore is, Whether you are 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, alaſs! this i… not a mark of your being a Chriſtian, but of a Laodicean ſpirit, neither hot nor cold, and fit only to be ſpewed out of the mouth of God. That which you call prudence, is often 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 to court you, 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 differences. God and 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 the words of the text ſound an alarm in your ears—Oh let … 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 occaoſin 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 …? Have you well weighed with yourſelves that weighty declaration, he that loveth father or mother more than ME, is not worthy of ME; and again, Unleſs a man forſake all that he hath, he cannot be my diſciple? Perhaps ſome of you have great poſſeſſions; will not 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 chooſe … 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 houſehold. 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 …ears? And when difficulties come, will you not go back from following your Lord, as Orpah departed from following Naomi; Have you really the root … grace in your hearts; Or, are you only ſtony-ground hearers? You receive the word with joy; but, when perſecution ariſes becauſe of the … 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 hands to the plough, 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 yourſelves 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 ſhould do this? But, alas! I have met with many unhappy ſouls, who have drawn back into perdition, and have afterwards accounted me their enemy, for dealing faithfully with them; though 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 thing, ſo that you may win Chriſt, and be 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 diſcipleſhip, an evidence that you do live godly in Chriſt Jeſus. Fear not therefore, neither be diſmayed. Oh, be not weary and faint in your minds! Jeſus, your Lord, your life, cometh and his reward is with him. Though 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 and Silaa, to ſing praiſes at midnight. Are you threatened to be thrown into a den of lions, or caſt into a burning fiery furnace, becauſe you will not bow down and worſhip the boaſt? Fear not; the God whom you ſerve, is able to deliver you: Or, if he ſhould ſuffer the flames to devour your bodies, they would 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 thoſe 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 live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, though you ſuffer all manner of perſecution. But,
Fourthly, Are there any true miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt here? You will 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 in Chriſt Jeſus, muſt expect to ſuffer the ſevereſt perſecution. Satan will endeavour to bruiſe our hoels, let who will 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 fouls, 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 that he ſuffered afflictions and perſecutions at Iconium 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 ſigns 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 Philiſtines. 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 will 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, though I ſhould become a priſoner of the Lord. Though I am bound, the word of God will not be bound: No; an open, an effectual door is opened for the preaching the everlaſting goſpel, and men or devils ſhall never be able to prevail againſt it. Only pray, 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?
Fifthly, To thoſe, who perſecute their neighbours for living godly in Chriſt Jeſus. But, what ſhall I ſay to you? 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 ſhall ſtrike you dumb: Why perſecuted you me? You may plead your laws and your canons, and pretend what you do is out of zeal for God; but God ſhall diſcover the curſed hypocrite and ſerpentine enmity of your hearts, and give you over to the tormentors. It is well, if in this life, God does not ſet ſome mark upon you. He pleaded the cauſe of Naboth, when innocently condemned for blaſpheming 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 now 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 burneth 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 though 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 is 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.