keep not your soul in your own hand for fear of losing that with the rest For no man can keep alive his own soul Psal. 22.29 No not in the greatest calm no not when the Lyon is a sleep how then should he do it at such a time when the horrible blast of the terrible ones shall beaâ— against his wall The consideration of this was that that made holy Paul who was a man upon whom persecution continually attended commit his soul to God Acts 20.23 2 Tim. 1.12 God as I shall shew you by and by is he and he alone that is able to keep the soul and deliver it from danger Man is naturally a self deceiver and therefore is not to be trusted any farther than as the watchful eye of God is over him But as to hiâ— soul he is not be trusted with that at all that must be wholly committed to God left altogether with him laid at his feet and he also must take the charge thereof or else 't is gone will be lost and will perish for ever and ever Wherefore 't is a dangerous thing for a man that is a sufferer to be a senseless man as to the danger that his soul is in and a prayerless man as to the committing of the keeping of it to God For he that is such has yet his soul and the keeping thereof in his own deceitful hand And so has he also that stays himself upon his friends upon his knowledge the promise of men or the mercy of his enemies or that has set in his mind a bound to himself how far he will venture for Religion and where he will stop This is the man that makes not God his trust and that therefore will surely fall in the day of his temptation Satan who now hunteth for the precious soul to destroy it has Power as well as Policy beyond what man can think He has power to blind harden and to make insensible the heart He also can make truth in the eyes of the suffering man a poor little and insignificant thing Judas had not committed the keeping of his soul to God but abode in himself and was left in his Tabernacle And you by and by see what a worthy price he set upon himself his Christ and Heaven and all All to him was not now worth thirty pieces of Silver And as he can make truth in thy esteem to be little so he can make sufferings great and ten times more terrible than he that hath committed the keeping of his soul to God shall ever find them A Gaol shall look as black as Hell and the loss of a few Stools and Chairs as bad as the loss of so many baggs of Gold Death for the Saviour of the World shall seem to be a thing both unreasonable and intolerable Such will chuse to run the hazzard of the loss of a thousand souls in the way of the world rather than the loss of one poor sorry transitory life for the holy word of God But the reason as I said is they have not committed the keeping of their soul to God For he that indeed has committed the keeping of his soul to that great one has shaken his hands of all things here Has bid adieu to the world to friends and life and waiteth upon God in a way of close keeping to his truth and walking in his wayes having counted the cost and been perswaded to take what cup God shall suffer the world to give him for so doing Sixthly Another conclusion that followeth from these words is That God is very willing to take the charge and care of the soul that is committed unto him of them that suffer for his sake in the world If this were not true the exhortation would not answer the end What is intended by Let him commit the keeping of his soul to God but that the sufferer should indeed leave that great care with him but if God be not willing to be concerned with such a charge what bottom is there for the exhortation But the exhortation has this for its bottom therefore God is willing to take the charge and care of the soul of him that suffereth for his name in this world The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate 1 Sam. 25.28 29. Psal. 34.22 None not one that committeth his soul â—o Gods keeping in a way of well doing but shall find him willing to be concerned therewith Ay this saith the sufferer if I could believe this it would rid me of all my fears But I find my self ingaged for God for I have made a profession of his name and cannot arrive to this belief that God is willing to take the charge and care of my soul. Wherefore I fear that if Tryals come so high as that life as well as estate must go that both life and Estate and soul and all will be lost at once Well honest heart these are thy fears but let them fly away and consider the Text again Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him as unto a faithful Creator These are Gods words Christs words and the invitation of the holy Ghost When therefore thou readest them be perswaded that thou hearest the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost all of them joyntly and severally speaking to thee and saying Poor sinner thou art ingaged for God in the world thou art suffering for his word leave thy soul with him as with one that is more willing to save it than thou art willing he should act faith trust God believe his word and go on in thy way of witness-bearing for him and thou shalt find all well and according to the desire of thy heart at last True Satan will make it his business to tempt thee to doubt of this that thy way may be made yet more hard and difficult to thee For he knows that unbelief is a soul-perplexing sin and makes that which would otherwise be light pleasant and easie unutterably heavy and burdensome to the sufferer Yea this he doth in hope to make thee at last to cast away thy profession thy Cause thy Faith thy Conscience thy soul and all But hear what the Holy Ghost saith again He shall spare the poor and needy and shall save the souls of the needy He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence and precious shall their blood be in his sight Psal. 72.13 14. These words also are spoken for the comfort of sufferers ver 12. For he shall delivor the needy when he crieth the poor also and him that hath no helper Wherefore let them that are Gods sufferers pluck up a good heart let them not be afraid to trust God with their souls and with their eternal concerns Let them cast all their care upon God for he careth for them 1 Pet. 5.7 But I am in the Dark I answer never stick at that
'T is most bravely done to trust God with my soul in the dark and to resolve to serve God for nothing rather than give out Not to see and yet to believe and to be a follower of the Lamb and yet to be at uncertainty what we shall have at last argues Love Fear Faith and an honest mind and gives the greatest sign of one that hath true sincerity in his soul. 'T was this that made Job and Peter so famous and the want of it that took away much of the glory of the faith of Thomas Job 1.8 9 10. Mat. 19.27 Joh. 20.29 Wherefore believe verily that God is ready willing yea that he looks for and expects that thou who art a sufferer shouldest commit the keeping of thy soul to him as unto a faithful Creator Seventhly Another conclusion that followeth from these words is this namely That God is able as well as willing to secure the souls of his suffering Saints and to save them from the evil of all their Tryals be they never so many divers or terrible Let him commit the keeping of his soul to God but to what boot if he be not able to keep it in his hand and from the power of him that seeks the soul to destroy it But my Father that gave them me saith Christ is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Joh. 10.29 So then there can be no sorrow affliction or misery invented by which the Devil may so strongly prevail as thereby to pluck the soul out of the hand of him who has received it to keep it from falling and perishing thereby The Text therefore supposeth a sufficiency of power in God to support and a sufficiency of comfort and goodness to imbolden the soul to endure for him let Satan break out and his instruments too to the greatest degree of their rage and cruelty First There is in God a sufficiency of power to keep them that have laid their soul at his foot to be preserved And hence he is called the Soul-keeper the soul-preserver Pro. 24.12 The Lord is thy keeper the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand The Sun shall not smite thee by day nor the Moon by night the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy soul. Psal. 1-21 5 6 7. The Sun shall not smite thee that is persecution shall not dry and wither thee away to nothing Mat. 13.6.21 But that notwithstanding thou shalt be kept and preserved carried through and delivered from all evil Let him therefore commit the keeping of his soul to him if he is in a suffering condition that would have it secured and found safe and sound at last For 1. Then thine own natural weakness and timorousness shall not overcome thee For it shall not be too hard for God God can make the most soft spirited man as hard as an Adamant harder than Flint yea harder than the northern Steel Shall Iron break the northern Iron and the Steel Jer. 15.12 The Sword of him is in vain that laies at a Christian when he is in the way of his duty to God if God has taken to him the charge and care of his soul He can shoâ— him with Brass and make his hoofs of Iron He can strengthen the spoiled against the strong so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress Ezek 13.9 Deut. 33.25 Amos 5.8 He can turn thee into another man and make thee that which thou never wast Timorous Peter fearful Peter he could make as hold as a Lyon He that at one time was afraid of a sorry Girl he could make at another to stand boldly before the Council Mat. 26.69 Acts 4.13 There is nothing too hard for God He can say to them that are of a fearful heart be strong fear not He can say let the weak say I am strong by such a word by which he treated the world Isa. 35.3 4. Zech. 12.8 2. Thine own natural darkness and ignorance shall not cause thee to fall thy want of wit he can supply He can say to the fools be wise not only by way of correction but also by way of instruction too He hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise yea things that are despised and things that are not hath God chosen to bring to nought things that are 1 Cor. 1.28 Wisdom and might are his and when and where he will work none can at all withstand him He can give thee the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of his Son Ephes. 1.17 Yea to do this is that which he challengeth as that which is peculiar to himself Who hath put wisdom in the inward part or who hath given understanding to the heart Job 30.36 And that he will do this that he hath promised yea promised to do it to that degree as to make his that shall be thus concerned for him to Topp and overtopp all men that shall them oppose I saith he will give you a mouth and wisdom that all your adversaries shall not be able to resist or gain-say Luke 21.15 3. Thine own doubts and mistrusts about what he will do and about whither thou shalt go when thou for him hast suffered a while he can resolve yea dissolve crush and bring to nothing He can make fear flee far away and place heavenly confidence in its room He can bring invisible and eternal things to the eye of thy soul and make thee see that in those things in which thine enemies shall see nothing that thou shalt count worth the loss of ten thousand lives to injoy He can pull such things out of his bosom and can put such things into thy mouthâ— yea can make thee chuse to be gone though through the flames than to stay here and die in silken sheets Yea he can himself come near and bring his Heaven and Glory to thee The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them that are but reproached for the name of Christ. 1 Pet. 4.14 And what the spirit of glory is and what is his resting upon his sufferers is quite beyond the knowledge of the world and is but little felt by Saints at peace They be they that are engaged and that are under the lash for Christ they are they I say that have it and that understand something of it When Moses went up the first time into the Mount to God the people reproached him for staying with him so long saying As for this Moses we wot not what is become of him Well the next time he went up thither and came down the spirit of glory was upon him his face shone though he wist it not to his honour and their amazement Exod. 31.1 chap. 34 29-35 Also while Stephen stood before the Council to be accused by Suborned men All that sat in the Council looking stedfastly on him saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel Act. 6.15 Those that honour
Look to your selves therefore who ever you are that talk of leaving your Souls with God but do live loose idle profane and wicked lives God will not take care of such mens Souls they commit them not unto him as they should They do but flatter him with their lips and lie unto him with their tongue and think to deceive the Lord. But to no purpose He that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption 'T is he that sows to the Spirit that shall reap life everlasting Galat. 6.7 8. I shall come now to the second thing contained in the Text namely To give you a more distinct description of the men that are thus bid to commit the keeping of their souls to God And they are thus described They that suffer according to the will of God Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Two things are here to be inquired into 1. What the Apostle here means by the will of God 2. What suffering according to the will of God is First For the will of God it is divers ways taken in the Scriptures as sometimes forelecting justifying sanctifying acts of God Sometimes for Faith good Life and sometimes for suffering for his name Rom. 9. Ephes. 1.11 Rom. 4.6 7 8. John 7.17 1 John 3.23 1 Thes. 4.3 Mat. 7.21 But by will of God here we must 1. Understand his Law and Testament 2. His order and designment First By his will I understand his Law and Testament This is called the revealed will of God Or that by which he has made himself and how he will be worshipped known unto the children of men Now I understanding these words thus must before I go further make this distinction to wit That there is a difference to be put betwixt them that suffer for the breach and those that suffer for keeping of this Law and Testament For tho' both of them may suffer by the will of God yet they are not both concerned in this Text. A malefactor that suffereth for his evil deeds the due punishment thereof suffereth as other Texts declare according to the will of God But I say this Text doth not concern it self with them For both this Text and this Epistle is writ for the counsel and comfort of those that suffer for keeping the Law and Testament of God that suffer for well-doing 1 Pet. 3.13 14 17. Chap. 4.13 14. The man then that is concerned in this advice is he that suffereth from the hands of men for keeping of the word of God And this is he that has licence leave yea a command to commit the keeping of his Soul to God in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator We will a little enlarge upon this He that keepeth the word of God is such an one that has regard to both the matter and manner thereof The matter is the Truth the Doctrine contained therein the manner is that comely godly humble faithful way of doing it which becomes a man that has to do with the Law and Testament of God And both these are contained in the Text. For first here is the will of God to be done and then secondly to be done according to his will Let them that suffer according to his will Which words I say take in both matter and manner of doing So then the man that here we have to do with and to discourse of is a man that in the sence now given suffereth That which makes a Martyr is suffering for the word of God after a right manner And that is when he suffereth not only for righteousness but for righteousness sake not only for truth but of love to truth not only for Gods word but according to it to wit in that holy humble meek manner as the word of God requireth A man may give his body to be burned for Gods truth and yet be none of God's martyrs 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. Yea a man may suffer with a great deal of patience and yet be none of Gods Martyrs 1 Pet. 2.20 The one because he wanteth that grace that should poise his heart and make him right in the manner of doing the other because he wanteth that word of the Holy One that alone can make his cause good as to matter 'T is therefore matter and manner that makes the Martyr and 't is this man that is intended in the Text which is aforesaid described So then they that suffer for the Law and Testament of God in that holy and humble manner that the word requires they are they that by this word of God are commanded to commit the keeping of their Souls to God From this consideration two things present themselves to our sight First That a man may be a Christian and suffer and yet not suffer in the sense last given according to the will of God Secondly There have been and may yet be a people in the world that have and may suffer in the sence of the Apostle here according to the will of God A few words to the first of these namely that a man may be a Christian and suffer and yet not suffer in the sence of the Apostle in the Text according to the will of God He may be a Christian and yet not suffer as a Christian. He may want the matter or he may want the manner of suffering as a Christian. This is evident from what this Apostle suggests in several places of this Epistle For 1. Saith he If ye be buffeted for your faults chap. 2.20 This supposeth that a Christian may so be for he speaketh here to the same people unto whom he speaketh in the Text though he putteth them not under the same circumstance as suffering for well-doing If ye be buffeted for your faults for what Gods word calls faults What thank have you from God or good men tho' you take it patiently So again For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing Chap 3.17 Here 't is plainly supposed that a Christian man may suffer for evil-doing yea that the will of God may be that he should suffer for evil-doing For God if Christians do not well will vindicate himself by punishing of them for their doing ill Yea and will not count them worthy tho' they be his own to be put among the number of those that suffer for doing well Again But let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busy-body in other mens matters Chap. 4.15 These are cautions to Christians to perswade them to take heed to themselves their tongues and their actions that all be kept within the bounds of the word For it would be a foolish thing to say That these are cautions to perswade to take heed of that into which it is not possible one should fall 'T is possible for Christians to suffer
for evil-doing and therefore let Christians beware 't is possible for Christians to be brought to publick Justice for their faults and therefore let Christians beware 'T is possible for Christians to suffer justly by the hand of the Magistrate and therefore let Christians beware This also is insinuated in the Text it self and therefore let Christians beware The causes of this are many some of which I shall now briefly touch upon 1. Sin is in the best of men and as long as it is so without great watchfulness and humble walking with God we may be exposed to shame and suffering for it What sin is it that a child of God is not liable to commit excepting that which is the sin unpardonable Nor have we a promise of being kept from any other sin but on condition that we do watch and pray Mat. 26.41 2. 'T is possible for a Christian to have anerroneous conscience in some things yea in such things as if God by his grace prevents not may bring us to publick justice and shame Abishai tho' a good man would have kill'd the King and that of conscience to God and love to his Master 1 Sam. 26.7.8 And had David delivered him up to Saul for his attempt he had in all likelihood died as a Traitor Peter drew his Sword and would have fought therewith a thing for which he was blamed of his Master and bid with a threatning to put it up again Mat. 26.52 Besides Oppression makes a wise man mad and when a man is mad what evils will he not do Further The Devil who is the great enemy of the Christians can send forth such Spirits into the World as shall not only disturb Men but Nations Kings and Kingdoms in raising divisions distractions and rebellions And can so manage matters that the looser sort of Christians may be also dipt and concerned therein In Absaloms conspiracy against his Father there were two hundred men called out of Jerusalem to follow him and they went in their simplicity not knowing any thing 2 Sam. 15.10.11 I thank God I know of no such men nor thing but my judgment tells me that if Christians may be drawn into Fornication Adultery Murder Theft Blasphemy or the like as they may why should it be thought impossible for them to be drawn in here Wherefore I say again watch and pray fear God reverence his word approve of his appointments that you may be delivered from every evil work and way I said afore that the will of God may be that a Christian should suffer as an evil doer but then it is because he keepeth not within the bounds of that which is also called the will of God The will of God is that sin should be punished tho' committed by the Christians punished according to the quality of transgressions and therefore it is that he hath ordained Magistrates Magistrates to punish sin tho' it be the sin of Christians They are the Ministers of God revengers to execute wrath the wrath of God upon them that do evil Rom. 13. Wherefore tho' the Christian as a Christian is the only man at liberty as called thereunto of God yet his liberty is limited to things that are good he is not licensed thereby to indulge the flesh Holiness and liberty are joyned together yea our call to liberty is a call to holiness See and you shall find that a quiet and peaceable life in our respective places under the Government is that which we should pray for to wit that we may without molestation if it were the will of God spend our days in all godliness and honesty among our neighbours See 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15 16 17. I would improve this a little and First to Christians as Christians Beware the cautions that are here presented to you be not neglected by you The evils are burning hot as hot as a red hot Iron It is the greatest blemish that can be to a Christian to suffer as an evil doer To say nothing of the reproach that such do bring to the name of Christ their Lord to his Law their rule and to the Christian profession which should be their glory the guilt and shame that evil actions will load the conscience with at such a time can hardly be stood under The man that suffereth as an evil doer and yet weareth the name of a Christian what stumbling blocks doth he lay in the way of the ignorant in a Kingdom The Devil told them before that a Christian was a mischievous man and to suffer for evil-doing confirms them in that belief Consider also the difficulties that surely such must meet with in the last minutes of their life For can it be imagined but that such an one must have combats and conflicts at the last who carry in their consciences the guilt and condemnation that is due to their deeds to the place which Magistrates have appointed for them to receive the reward of their works at Such an one bereaves not only his own Soul of peace and his name of credit but himself of life his friends of all cause of rejoycing and casteth reproach upon Religion as he is stepping out of the world What shall I say Christians as Christians have other things to do than to concern themselves in evil things or to meddle in other mens matters Let us mind our own business and leave the Magistrate to his work Office and Calling among men also I speak now to them that are not by the King called to that imploy A Christian as such has enough to do at home in his Heart in his House in his Shop and the like But if thou must needs be medling consider what place Office calling or relation God has put thee in and busie thy self by the rule of the word to a consciencious performance of that Nor shalt thou want Dignity tho' thou art but a private Christian. Every Christian man is made a King by Christ. Revel 5.9 10. But then his dominion as such doth reach no further than to himself He has not dominion over anothers faith 2 Cor. 1.24 His Office is to govern and bridle and keep under himself to watch over himself and to bring his body into subjection to the will of God The weapons that he has for this purpose are not carnal but spiritual and mighty thorough God Let him govern then if he will be a Governour his whole man by the word Let him bring down if he must be bringing down his own high imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God If he must be a Warrior let him levy War against his own unruly passions and let him fight against those lusts that war against his Soul 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. Gal. 5.17 James 3.4 5 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 2.11 I say therefore if thou wilt needs be a Ruler thou hast a tongue ruâ—e that Lusts rule them Affections govern them yea
honour and respect unto those that were but deputy Kings and heathen Magistrates will greatly appear if you do but read his Trials before them in the Book called the Acts of the Apostles And what a charge both he and Peter have lest behind them to the Churches to do so too may be found to conviction if we read their Epistles 5. Wouldest thou not suffer for evil-doing then take heed of being offended with Magistrates because by their Sate-Acts they may cross thy inclinations 'T is given to them to bear the Sword and a command is to thee if thy heart cannot acquiesce with all things with meekness and patience to suffer Discontent in the mind sometimes puts discontent into the mouth and discontent in the mouth doth sometimes also put a halter about the neck For as a man by speaking a word in jest may for that be hanged in earnest so he that speaks in discontent may die for it in sober sadness Adonijah's discontent put him upon doing that which cost him his life 1 King 2 13-23 Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them for they are subjected to the will and foot of God 6. But above all get thy conscience possessed yet more with this that the Magistrate is God's ordinance and is ordered of God as such that he is the Minister of God to thee for good and that it is thy duty to fear him and pray for him to give thanks to God for him and to be subject to him as both Paul and Peter admonish us and that not only for wrath but for conscience sake Rom. 13. For all other arguments come short of binding the Soul where this argument is wanting until we believe that of God we are bound thereto I speak not these things as knowing any that are dissaffected to the Government for I love to be alone if not with godly men in things that are convenient But because I appear thus in publick and know not into whose hands these lines may come therefore thus I write I speak it also to shew my Loyalty to the King and my love to my fellow Subjects and my desire that all Christians should walk in ways of peace and truth I come now to the second thing propounded to be spoken to as to suffering which is this That there have been and yet may be a people in the world that have and may suffer in the sence of the Apostle here according to the will of God or for righteousness sake That there have been such a people in the world I think no body will deny because many of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles thus suffered Besides since the Scriptures were written all Nations can witness to this whose Histories tell at large of the patience and goodness of the sufferers and of the cruelty of those that did destroy them And that the thing will yet happen or come to pass again both Scripture and reason affirm First for Scripture The Text tells us that God hath put enmity betwixt the woman and her seed and the Serpent and his Gen. 3.15 This enmity put is so fixed that none can remove it so but that it still will remain in the world These two seeds have always had and will have that which is essentially opposite to one another and they are the spirit of truth and the Spirit of error sin and righteousness light and darkness 1 John 4.6 chap. 3.7 8. 1 Thes. 5.5 Hence an unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked Prov. 29.27 So that unless you could sanctifie and regenerate all men or cause that no more wicked men should any where be in Power for ever you cannot prevent but that sometimes still there must be sufferers for righteousness sake Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 To prove this by reason is easie The Devil is not yet shut up in the bottomless pit Antichrist is yet alive The Government in all Kingdoms is not yet managed with such light and goodness of mind as to let the Saints serve God as he has said what ever it is in some And until then there will be in some places tho' for my part I cannot predict where a people that will yet suffer for well-doing or for righteousness sake In order to a right handling of this matter I shall divide this head into these two parts 1. Shew you what it is to suffer for well-doing or for righteousness 2. Shew you what it is to suffer for righteousness sake I put this distinction because I find that it is one thing to suffer for righteousness and another to suffer for righteousness sake To begin with the first namely to shew you what it is to suffer for righteousness Now that maybe done either passively or actively 1. Passively as when any suffer for righteousness without their own will or consent thereto Thus the little children at Bethlehem suffered by the hands of bloody Herod when they died for or in the room and stead of Jesus Christ Mat. 2.16 Every one of those children died for righteousness if Christ is righteousness for they died upon his account as being supposed to be he himself Thus also the children of Israels little ones that were murdered with their Parents or otherwise because of the Religion of them that begat and bare them died for righteousness The same may be said concerning those of them that suffered in the Land of the Chaldeans upon the same account I might here also bring in those poor Infants that in Ireland Piedmont Paris and other places have had their throats cut and their brains dasht against the walls for none other cause but for the Religion of their Fathers Many many have suffered for rightetousness after this manner Their will nor consent has been in the suffering yet they have suffered for Religion for righteousness And as this hath been so it may be again for if men may yet suffer for righteousness even so for ought I know even in this sence may their children also Now although this is not the chief matter of my Text yet a few words here may do no harm The children that thus suffer tho' their own will and consent be not in what they undergo may yet for all that be accepted as an offering unto the Lord. Their cause is good 't is for Religion and righteousness Their hearts do not recoile against the cause for which they suffer and although they are children God can deal with them as with John the Baptist cause them in a moment to leap for Joy of Christ or else can save them by his Grace as he saveth other his elect infants and thus comprehend them though they cannot apprehend him yea why may they not only be saved but in some sence be called Martyrs of Jesus Christ and those that have suffered for Gods cause
Christ. John 1.16 Colos. 1.19 1 Tim. 1.14 This righteousness being planted in the heart leads a man out by the word of God to seek for another righteousness as invisible to and foreign from the natural man as this And that righteousness is that which properly is the righteousness of Jesus Christ a righteousness that standeth in his obedience to his Fathers Law as he was considered a common or publick person a righteousness which he brought into the World not for himself as considered in a private capacity but for those that shall by faith venture themselves upon him to obtain by him life eternal Rom. 5.19 Philip. 3.7 8 9 10. Again This closing by faith with this righteousness thus found in Christ and being taken therewith leads me yet to another righteousness which is instituted worship appointed by Christ for all his followers to be conversant in this worship is grounded on positive precepts and so on words of righteousness called Christs words Christs sayings c. Now upon this bottom begins the difference betwixt the men of God and the world For first by this inward principle of righteousness we come to see and say that men by nature are not Christians what priviledges soever they may account themselves partakers thereof But whosoever is a Christian of Gods making so is begotten and born of God and made a new creature by the anointing received from the holy one Jam. 1.18 Joh. 3.3.5 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Chap. 1.21 1 John 2.20.24.27 Now this these carnal men cannot endure to hear of because it quite excludes them as such from a share in the kingdom of Heaven To this again the Christian stands and backs what he says by the word of God Then the game begins and the men of the World are thoughtful how they may remove such troublesome fellows out of the way But because the Christians love their Neighbours and will not let them thus easily die in their sins therefore they contend with them both by Reasonings Writings Sermons and Books of Gospel Divinity and stand to what they say The world again are angry with these sayings Sermons and Books for that by them they are concluded to be persons that are without repentance and the hope of eternal life Here again the carnal World judges that these people are proud self-will'd Pragmatical contentious self conceited and so unsufferable People The Christian yet goes on and stands to what he has asserted Then the poor World as at their last shift begin to turn and over-turn the Gospelmans sayings perverting forcing stretching and dismembring of them and so making of them speak what was never thought much less intended by the believer Thus they served our Lord for not being able to down with his Doctrine they began to pervert his words and to make as also they said afterwards of Luthers some offensive some erroneous some Treasonable and that both against God and Caesar and so they hanged him up hoping there to put an end to things But his is but the beginning of things for the Christian man by the word of the Gospel goes further with his censure For he also findeth fault with all that this man by the ability of nature can do for the freeing himself from the law of sin and death He condemns him by the word because he is in a state of nature and he condemneth also what ever while in that state he doth as that which by no means can please God Rom. 14.23 Heb. 1.6 This now puts him more out this is a taking of his gods away from him This is to strip him of his raiment such as it is and to turn him naked into the presence of God This I say puts him out and out These wild brained fellows quoth he are never content they find fault with us as to our state they find fault with us as to our works our best works They blame us because we are sinners and they find fault with us though we mend they say by nature we are no Christians and that our bestdoings will not make us such What would they have us do Thus therefore they renew their quarrel But the Christians man cannot help it unless he would see them go to Hell and saying nothing For the word of God doth as assuredly condemn mans righteousness as it doth condemn mans sin it condemneth not mans righteousness among men for there it is good and profitable Job 35.6 7 8. But with God to save the Soul it is no better than filthy raggs Isa. 64.6 Nor will this Christian man suffer these carnal ones to delude themselves with a change of teâ—ms for the Devil who is the great manager of carnal men in things that concern their Souls and in the plea that they make for themselves will help them to tricks and shifts to evade the power of the word of God Teaching them to call the beauties of Nature Grace and the acts of natural Powers the exercise of the graces of the spirit He will imbolden them also to call mans righteousness the righteousness of Christ and that by which a sinner may be justified in the sight of God from the Law These tricks the Christian sees and being faithful to Gods truth and desiring the Salvation of his neighbour he laboureth to discover the fallacy of and to propound better terms for this poor creature to imbrace and venture his Soul upon which terms are warranted by the new Testament a stranger to which the natural man is But I say the things which the Christian presseth being so foreign to nature and lying so cross to mans best things are presently judged by the natural man to be fables or foolishness 1 Cor. 2.14 Wherefore here again he takes another occasion to maintain his strife and contention against the righteous man Raising of slanders upon him and laying things to his charge that he understandeth not charging also his Doctrine with many grievous things Namely that he holdeth that man was made to be damn'd that mans righteousness is no better than sin that a man had as good do ill as well That we may believe and do what we list that holiness pleaseth not God and that sinning is the way to cause grace to abound Besides say they he condemneth good motions and all good beginnings of heart to God ward He casteth away that good we have and would have us to depend upon a justice to save us by that we can by no means approve of And thus the quarrel is made yet wider between the men of the World and the Christian man But there is not a stop put here For 't is possible for the carnal man to be beaten out of all his arguments for himself and his own things by the power and force of the word and to be made to consent to what the Christian has said as to the notion of the truth I must not speak this of all But yet the breach doth still abide for that yet
there appears to be no more with the man but only the notion of things For though the notion of things are those that of God are made the means of conveying of grace into the heart yet grace is not always with the notion of things the word oft-times standeth in mans understanding alone and remaineth there as not being accompanied with such grace as can make it the power of God to salvation Now when it is thus with the Soul the danger is as great as ever because there is a presumption now begotten in the heart that the man is in a saved condition A presumption I say instead of faith which puffeth up instead of enabling the Soul after a godly manner to depend upon God for mercy through Christ. This is called the word of them that are puffed up the word only because not accompanied with saving grace 1 Cor. 4.19 Chap. 8.1 1 Thessal 1.5 This the Christian also sees and says it is too weak to conduct the Soul to Glory And this indeed he says because he would not that his neighbour should come short home But neither can this be born but here again the natural man with his notion of things is offended and takes pett against his Friend because he tells him the truth and would that he so should digest the truth that it may prove unto him eternal life Wherefore he now begins to fall out again for as yet the enmity is not removed He therefore counts him an unmercifull man one that condemneth all to Hell but himself and as to his singularity in things those he counteth for dreams for Enthusiasms for Allegorical whimsies vain Revelations and the effects of an erroneous Judgment For the Lord has put such darkness betwixt Egypt and Israel as will not suffer them to come together But this is not all For 't is possible for these carnal men to be so much delighted in the notion of things as to addict themselves to some kind of worship of Christ whose notions of truth have by them been received And because their love is yet but carnal and because the flesh is swelling and is pleased with pomp and sumptuousness therefore to shew how great an esteem such have for Christ whom they are now about to worship They will first count his Testament though good a thing defective and not of fulness sufficient to give in all particular things direction how they should to their own content perform their glorious Doctrine For here and there and in another place cry they there is something wanting Here say they is nothing said of those places vestures gestures shews and outward greatness that we think seemly to be found in and with those that worship Jesus Here wants sumptuous ceremonies glorious ornaments new fashion'd carriages all which are necessary to adorn worship withall But now here again the truly godly as he comes to see the evil of things maketh his objections and findeth fault and counts them unprofitable and vain Isa. 29. Mat. 15. Mark 7. But they again seeing the things they have made are the very excellencies of humane invention and things added as a supplement to make up what and wherein as they think the man that was faithful over his own house as a Son was defective are resolved to stand upon their points and not to budge an inch from the things that are so laudable so necessary so convenient and so comely the things that have been judged good by so many wise learned pious holy reverend and good men Nay if this were all the godly would make a good shift But their zeal is so great for what they have invented and their spirits so hot to make others couch and bend thereto that none must be suffered to their power to live and breath that refuseth to conform thereto This has been proved too true both in France Spain Germany Italy and other places and upon this account it is that persecution has been kept alive so many hundred years in some places against the Church of God From what has been said as to these things this I collect as the summ First That man by nature is in a state of wrath and condemnation Ephes. 2.1 2 3 4. John 3.18 Secondly that the natural man by all his natural abilities is not able to recover himself from this his condemned condition John 6.44 Ephes. 1.19 20. Thirdly that a man may have right notions of Gospel things that hath no grace in his heart 1 Cor. 13.2 3. Fourthly That to add human inventions to Christs institutions and to make them of the same force and necessity of the same authority and efficacy is nought and not to be subjected to Isa. 29.13 Mat. 15.8 9. Mark 7.6 7. So then he that saith these things saith true for the Scriptures say the same This then is a good cause to suffer for if men will that I shall suffer for saying so because it is that which is founded upon the word of God and the word is the ground and foundation of all true Doctrine Let him then that believeth what is here discoursed and that liveth soberly and peaceably in this belief among his neighbours stand by what he hath received and rejoyce that he hath found the truth And if any shall afflict or trouble him for holding of these things they afflict or trouble him for holding to good things and he suffereth at their hands because his cause is good And such an one may with boldness as to this make his appeal to the Bible which is the foundation of his principles and to God the author of that foundation if what he holds is not good He may say Lord I have said that man by nature is in a state of condemnation and they make me suffer for that Lord I have asserted that man by all his natural abilities is not able to recover himself from this his condemned state and they make me suffer for that Lord I have said that a natural man may have right notions of the Gospel and yet be without the saving grace thereof and they make me suffer for that Lord I cannot consent that human inventions and Doctrines of men should be joyned with thy institutions as matters of worship and imposed upon my conscience as such and they make me suffer for that Lord I own the Government pray for my Superiors live quietly among my Neighbours give to all their dues feed the hungry cloath the naked relieve the afflicted and shew my self by my faith and life to be a true Christian man and yet my neighbours will not let me alone True I cannot comply withal that some men would have me comply with no more did Daniel no more did Paul and yet Daniel said that he had to the King done no hurt and Paul said neither against the Law of the Jews neither against the Temple nor yet against Caesar have I offendeed any thing at all Dan. 6.22 Acts 25.8 For he that keeps within the
my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his Soul he means he did the quite contrary and so overcame evil with good Job 31.29 30. Elisha overcame evil with good when he received the men that came for his life and had them where he might feast and comfort them and sent them home in peace to their master 2 Kings 6.19 20 21 22 23. The new Testament also is full of this both in exhortations and examples In exhortations where 't is said Resist not evil that is with evil but overcome evil with good Prov. 24.29 But whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he makes his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good on the just and on the unjust Bless them that persecute you bless and curse not Not rendring evil for evil nor reviling for reviling but contrariwise blessing knowing that you are thereunto called that you should inherit a blessing Mat. 5.38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48. Rom. 12.14 1 Pet. 3.9 10 11. This is righteousness these are righteous courses And as these are preceptively prepounded so they were as practically followed by them that were eminently Godly in the Primitive Church We are fools for Christ sake said Paul we are despised we are hungry thirsty naked and buffeted Being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we intreat we are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day 1 Cor. 4.10 11 12 13. This is overcoming of evil with good and he that has chosen to himself that Religion that teaches these things and that loves that Religion because it so teacheth him if he suffereth for it he suffereth for righteousness sake Fourthly He that suffereth for righteousness sake will carry righteousness whithersoever he goes Neither the enemy nor thy sufferings shall be able to take righteousness from thee Righteousness must be thy chambermate thy bed-companion thy walking-mate It is that without which thou wilt be so uncouth as if thou couldst not live Psal. 26.1 11. Psal. 25.21 Paul in his sufferings would have righteousness with him for it must be as it were his armour-bearer yea his very armour it self 2 Cor. 6.7 'T is an excellent saying of Job I put righteousness on and it clothed me my judgement was as a Robe and a Diadem I was eyes to the blind and feet was I to the lame I was a father to the poor c. Job 29.11 12 13 14 15. Princes said David did sit and speak against me but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes Psal. 119.23 A man that loves righteousness doth as Abraham did with his Sarah carry it every where with him though he goes because of that in danger of his life Righteousness it is the only intimate that a Christian has It is that by which he takes his measures that with which he consults with respect to what he doth or is to do in the World Thy testimonies said David are my delight and my counsellors The men of my council in the margent Psal. 119.24 David he was the man of affliction the suffering man in his day but in all places where he came he had righteousness the Law and Godly practice with him It was his Counsellor as he was a man a Saint a King I dare say for that man that suffers righteousness to be rent away from him by the violence and rage of men and that casts it away as David did Sauls Armour that he may secure himself he has no great love for righteousness nor to the Cross for righteousness sake My righteousness I hold fast said Job and I will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live Job 27.6 What part with righteousness A righteous Lord A righteous word A righteous profession A righteous life to sleep in a whole skin the Lord forbid it me and all that he has counted worthy to be called by his Name Let us carry it with us from the Bed to the Cross and then it shall carry us from thence to the Crown Let it be our companion to Prison and death then shall we shew that we are lovers of righteousness and that we chuse to suffer for righteousness sake Fifthly Dost thou suffer for righteousness sake why then thy righteousness is not diminished but rather increased by thy sufferings Righteousness thriveth best in affliction the more afflicted the more holy man the more persecuted the more shining man Acts 6.15 The prison is the furnace thy graces are the Silver and the Gold wherefore as the Silver and the Gold are refined by the fire and so made more to shew their native brightness So the Christian that hath and that loveth righteousness and that suffereth for it's sake is by his sufferings refined and made more righteous and made more Christian more godly Zech. 13.9 Some indeed when they come there prove Lead Iron Tin and at the best but the dross of Silver and so are fit for nothing but there to be left and consumed and to bear the badg if ever they come from thence of reprobate Silver from the mouth and sentence of their neighbours Ezek. 22.18 19 20 21 22. Jer. 6.28 29 30. But when I says Job am tried I shall come forth as gold Job 23.10 When Saul had cast one javelin at David it made him walk wisely in all his ways But when he added to his first fury plots to take away his life then David behaved himself yet more wisely 1 Sam. 18.10 to 30. verse The hotter the rage and fury of men are against righteous ways the more those that love righteousness grow therein For they are concerned for it not to hide it but to make it spangle not to extinguish it but to greaten it and to shew the excellency of it in all it's features and in all it 's comely proportion Now such an one will make straight steps for his feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way Heb. 12.13 Now he shews to all men what saith is by Charity by self-denyal by meekness by gentleness by long-suffering by patience by love to enemies and by doing good to them that hate us now he walketh upon his high places Yea will not now admit that so slovenly a conversation should come within his doors as did use to haunt his house in former times Now 't is Christmas now 't is suffering time now we must keep holy day every day The reason is for that a man when he suffereth for Christ
in the world God comforted Rachel concerning her children that Herod murdered in the stead and upon the account of Christ. He bids her refrain her self from tears by this promise that her children should come again from the land of the enemy from death And again saith he Thy children shall come again to their own border which I think if it be meant in a Gospel sence must be to the heavenly inheritance compare Jer. 31.15 with Matt. 2.18 And methinks this should be mentioned not only for her and their sakes but to comfort all those that either have had or yet may have their children thus suffer for righteousness None of these things as shall be further shewed anon happen without the determinate counsel of God He has ordered the sufferings of little children as well as that of persons more in years And 't is easie to think that God can as well foresee which of his elect shall suffer by violent hands in their Infancy as which of them shall then die a natural death He has Saints small in age as well as in esteem or otherwise and sometimes the least member of the body suffereth violence as well as the head or other chief parts And although I desire not to see these days again yet me thinks it will please me to see those little ones that thus have already suffered for Jesus to stand in their white Robes with the elders of the people before the throne to sing unto the Lamb. But to pass this and to come to that which is more directly intended to be spoken to namely to shew you who doth actively suffer for righteousness And 1. 'T is he that chuseth by his own will and consent to suffer for it All suffering that can be called active suffering must be by the consent of the will and that is done when a man shall have sin and suffering set before him and shall chuse suffering rather than sin He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and again They did not accept of deliverance that is of base and unworthy terms that they might obtain a better resurrection Heb. 11.25 ver 35. Indeed no man can force a Christian to suffer as a Christian without his own consent All Christians are sufferers of will and consent Hence 't is said they must take up their cross by which taking up an act of their will is intended So again take my yoke upon you which also intends an act of the will Mat. 10.38 Chap. 16.24 Chap. 11.29 This therefore is the first thing that I would present you with Not that an act of the will is enough to declare a man a sufferer for righteousness it standing alone for a man thorough the strength of delusion and the power of an erroneous conscience may be willing to suffer for the grossest opinions in the world But I bring it to shew that actual suffering for righteousness must also be by the consent of the will the mind of the man must be in it Secondly He that suffereth for righteousness thus must also have a good cause A good cause is that which is essential to suffering for righteousness A good cause what is that Why verily It is the truth of God either in the whole of it as contained in the Scriptures of truth or in the parts of it as set before me to believe or do by any part of that holy word This may be called the matter for which one suffereth or as it is called in another place the word of righteousness Heb. 5.13 It may also be called the form of sound Doctrine or the like Because without this word the Matter and nature of Gods truths cannot be known Pilate's question what is truth will still abide a question to those that have not or regard not the word the rule of righteousness John 18.38 See then that thy cause be good thou that wouldest know what it is to suffer for righteousness Step not an hairs breadth without the bounds of the word of truth also take heed of misunderstanding or of wringing out of its Place any thing that is there Let the words of the upright stand upright warp them not to the end they may comply in shew with any crooked notion And to prevent this take these three words as a guide in this matter to thee They shew men their sins and how to close with a Saviour they enjoyn men to be holy and humble they command men to submit themselves to authority And what ever is cross to these comes from ignorance of or from a wresting the rule of righteousness out of its place But more particularly the word of righteousness thy cause within the bounds of which thou must keep if thou wilt suffer for righteousness is to be divided into two parts 1. It containeth a revelation of moral righteousness 2. It containeth a revelation of evangelical righteousness As for moral righteousness men seldom suffer only for that Because that is the righteousness of the World and that simply as such that sets it self up in every mans conscience and has a testimony for it self even in the light of nature Besides there is nothing that maketh head against that but that which every man is ashamed by words to plead for and that is immorality And this is that which Peter intends when he saith And if ye be followers of that which is good who will harm you 1 Pet. 3.13 If ye be followers of moral goodness But if it should so happen for the case is rare that any man should make you sufferers because you love God and do good to your neighbour happy are ye Though I do not think that the Apostles conclusion terminates there But more of these things anon For let a man be a good neighbour in morals let him feed the hungry cloath the naked give freely out of his purse to the poor and do that which he would another should do to him and stop there and not meddle with the name of Christ and he shall have but few enemies in the World For 't is not the Law but Christ that is the stumbling block and the rock of offence to men Isaiah 8.14 15. Rom. 9.31 32 33. Wherefore there is in Gods word a revelation of another righteousness a righteousness which is not so visible to yea and that suteth not so with the reason of man as that moral righteousness doth Wherefore this righteousness makes men righteous in principle and practise so as is foreign to natural men Hence 't is said to be foolishness to them And again Its praise is not of men Rom. 2.29 1 Cor. 2.14 This righteousness is also revealed in the Scriptures but the blind cannot see it It is the work of the holy Ghost in the heart and is therefore called the fruits of the spirit and the grace which in the head and fulness of it is only to be found in