Magistrates and powers take no thought how or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in that same hour what you ought to say It is a promise that some have applied to the assistance of God in the performance of other duties as Prayer Preaching c. and it may be there hath been but an ill use made of that promise the promise in the first place manifestly relateth to a time of testimony I do not say but there is a dabitur in hora which those who are much with God in Prayer and which the Ministers of the Gospel 〈◊〉 experience but that promise respectâ—â—â— not that so much as it respecteth men in confession and their Testimony for Christ in giving our Testimony for Christ the Spirit of God shall assist words shall be given us in that hour and courage and strength shall be given us in that hour you shall not give a Testimony for the Gospel you shall not suffer affliction for the Gospel in your own strength it shall be according to the power of God the Holy Ghost shall teach you what to say and what to do and you shall experience that it is not you that speak and act but the Spirit that dwelleth in you what you do in this case shall be according to the power of God you shall not spend meerly upon your own Stock you shall spend upon Christs Stock when you are upon Christs Service you shall spend upon the fulness of the Spirit of God and there have been many experiences of those that could never find the presence of God so strong in the consolation of their Spirits as in that hour be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of your Lord for not only the thing which you testify is the Testimony of the Lord but your action in testifying the testimony which you give shall be from the Lord the Holy Ghost speaking in you so that this is a great Argument it is a standing up for Christ and the Spirit of God shall use your tongue and your hand 2. Another Argument the Apostle useth is frâ—â— the nature of the truth to which you testify and the person for whom you testify You testify for the truth which bringeth eternal Salvation you testify for him who hath called you with an holy calling and he hath done this freely not according to your works but according to his own grace for him who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Apostle saith He was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation I told you before that every one is a debtor unto truth there is such a cognation betwixt a rational Soul and Truth that every rational Soul is a debtor to truth he is a debtor to own the truth as to himself and to own the truth as to another and I told you by how much a truth is of higher importance to our or anothers interest by so much a Man or Woman is a greater debtor a Man is a debtor to the truth when it concerneth but his honour and reputation and when it concerneth his estate but much more when it concerneth Life and so when it is for his Brother by how much his Brother is more concerned by so much he is more obliged and as the nature of the truth raiseth his obligation so the relation of the person increaseth it a Man is bound by the Law of charity to give testimony to the truth on the behalf of his Neighbour much more on the behalf of his Brother and higher yet on the behalf of his Father or Mother that begat him and brought him forth but yet his obligation riseth higher when it is for his Saviour for him who hath done him the greatest kindness that ever was done without which he had better never have been born such is the Testimony that we are bound to give unto Christ The truth is of highest import the person is of the highest concern Oh! be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God to your Salvation of the Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to light you testify for Christ who Witnessed a good confession before Pilate who hath done more for you than all the friends you ever had in the World could do for him who hath called you with an holy calling this is another Argument to enforce this Exhortation the consideration for whom and for what this Testimony is given 3. Another Argument which the Apostle bringeth here to perswade Timothy not to be ashamed of this Testimony is his own example v. 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed The Apostle saith God is not ashamed to be called their God And he saith of Christ Heb. 2.11 He is not ashamed to call us Brethnen Shall we be ashamed to testify his truth Shall we be ashamed of the name of his Witnesses And observe the reason why the Apostle saith he is not ashamed I am not ashamed for I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 4. Let me use one Argument further with you Blessed be God we yet can say as Heb. 12.4 You have not yet resisted unto Blood striving against sin There are divers Arguments in that Text to make a Christian valiant in his spiritual fight 1. That a Christians fight is against sin 2. That in this fight of Christians against sin we ought if called to it to resist unto Blood 3. By how much the lesser the Trial is that God calleth to us to undergo by so much the greater obligation is upon us to endure it all a Christians fight and striving is against sin He giveth a Testimony to the Doctrine of the Gospel it is against sin to prevent the coming in of damnable errors which would sink the Souls of people into eternal ruine and destruction he giveth a Testimony for the pure Worship of God it is to keep out Superstition and Idolatry he giveth a Testimony for the Government of Christ this is also against sin against those that say the Lord shall not rule over them or others but we will rule over you all our fight all the resistance that we make is against sin Now the fight against sin is so noble a fight that every good man ought to resist unto Blood rather to die than to sin against God or to suffer sin to prevail in the World but now when God doth not call us to lay down our Lives but only to bear a lower Testimony there our obligation riseth much higher if God had called us to lay down our Lives should we not do it How much more when the Lord only calleth us to give a Testimony St. John Rev. 6.9 saw them under the Altar that were slain for the Testimony that they
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
Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God So also 1 Cor. 6.10 Nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God In the further prosecution of this use I shall do 2 things 1. I will open to you the true notion of Covetousness 2. I will shew you by what Arguments you shall arm your selves against it in particular shew you the force of this argument There are two words in the Greek which comprehend much of the nature of covetousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a love of mony a love of silver and a desire still of having and getting in the world Covetousness may be shortly described thus It is an immoderate desire of riches and the enjoying the things in this life a desire of riches duly moderated and regulated is not sinful riches are subsidia vitae they are the aids of this life as God hath allotted us a time to live in this world and hath subjected our life to many necessities and hath created the inferiour Creatures for the use and service of man to supply his necessities so for a man under due circumstances to desire a share in them is not sinful and cannot come under the name of Covetousness but when this desire exceedeth its due bounds then it becometh sinful and degenerateth into this vice of Covetousness in short this corrupt habit of Covetousness doth discover itself in our hearts by five things 1. It discovereth itself by immoderate cares thinking and contriving how a man should get the things of this life there is a covetous care and there is a pious care Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God There is a great difference betwixt carefulness and immoderate care we are bid in Scripture to cast all our care upon God 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you God alloweth us a provident care but he forbiddeth a distracting dividing care a Christian hath better things to take care for 1 Cor. 7.32 But I would have you without carefulness immoderate care argueth an immoderate desire 2. Covetousness discovereth itself by immoderate labour we ought to labour In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread it is a reproach to eat the bread of idleness and it is the Apostles precept that he who will not labour should not eat yet we are commanded not to labour John 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life So that it is only an excessive undue labour which God forbiddeth but now you will say what is that you call immoderate care and immoderate labour I answer in short both care and labour are immoderate when they turn to the prejudice of the body or to the prejudice of the Soul 1. When they turn to the prejudice of the body there is nothing so eateth a man up as care and solicitude they do as it were divide the man and what influence labour hath upon the body the same influence care hath upon the mind care is then immoderate and so is labour when it turneth to the prejudice of the Soul or Body for in reason the Soul is better then the Body and the life is better then rayment God hath commanded us in the first place to look after our Souls and we are bound to care for them 2. When they turn to the prejudice of the Soul by hindering its communion with God 1. Either in the more inward exercises of meditation faith and trusting in God 2. Or more outward exercises such as Prayer and those religious duties which God requireth of us that a man cannot find time to pray or hear the Word of God or to perform any religious duty which the Lord requireth of him 3. Covetousness discovereth itself by using of undue means when men will get riches by lying by cheating by defrauding by oppressing this is a great argument to a covetous mind for the desire must be immoderate which prompteth a man to such irregular and immoderate actions as these are 4. By an immoderate fear when we have them of losing them the Apostle speaketh of some who through fear of death were all their lives subject to bondage truly there are in the world men so covetous as through fear of poverty and through fear of want are all their life-time subject to bondage never enjoying any thing of what they have 5. A fifth thing which discovereth a covetous mind is a dissatisfaction in the midst of our enjoyments when the mind is not filled God hath given one man more then he hath given perhaps to some Families yet his mind is not filled he doth not say that he hath enough 6. A sixth and last thing which discovereth a covetous mind is an immoderate love and delight in what we have Soul take thine ease saith he thou hast goods laid up for thee for many years Now this immoderate joy and delight appears 1. In the excess of a mans delight when a mans heart is even melted into his bags and runs out into his gold and silver 2. When a man can by no means indure to part with his riches either when nature calleth for them or when God calleth for them 1. When nature calleth for our riches for our selves for food and rayment for our Children to dispose them in the world but this almost every one will acknowledge 2. When God calleth for our estate God calleth for it when your Brethren are in want poor and in prison when you cannot part with it when nature calleth for it or when God by his Word calleth for it it argueth a too great love delight in it consequently a too great desire of it I beseech you take heed and beware of this Covetousness there are many Arguments by which the Scripture presseth this upon you 1. The sinfulness of it Isa 57.17 For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth 2. The exceeding sinfulness of it the Apostle calls it Idolatry Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry The Apostle saith it is not to be named Ephe. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not once be named amongst you It is joined with the worst of sins Rom. 1.29 Such as those who are guilty of them shall never enter into the Kingdom of God Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness c. Thirdly Consider 3. What a root of evil it is 1 Tim. 6.10 For the love of mony is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows All neglect of duty lying cheating defrauding oppressing it is endless to reckon how many evils grow from this one root of
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 hâ—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 thâ—â— 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 câ—â—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