is a heat also which scorches and troubles their Conscience and therefore they cannot endure themâ— but take all opportunites to deale with them as Persons come to torment them before the time by their shineing and burning Besides these general and unâ—ailing Considerations which ought to fortify us in a resolution to make ready for the worse the world can doe there is somewhat peculiar in our lot which should make us resolve and determine not onely to suffer but to have a mixture of gall and wormâ—wood in our cup. wherewith Saints are but at some special times exercised There is a must be now for all who will live Godly in Christ Iesus to suffer persecution and it were a madnesse to entertain other thoughts since our time is a time of Defection and shameful Apostasy which hath ever been found a â—ime of hot persecution This hath been ever observed to be the practice of Apostats to hate as hell and to handle as the worst of men such as stand fast fixed in owning that cause of Godâ— which they have relinquished a man who resolves to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God must take his life in his hand and be â—n readinesse to part with it when his lot is to live in a time and place where there is power in their hand who have made shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience For as Apostasy is the special sin of Devils and as Satan the great Apostat hates all who set their face heaven â—aâ—d and are Servants of that God and seekers of that blessednesse from which he for his â—postasy is everlastingly banished so whomsoever he withdrawes from the wayes of the Lord and drawes with him into the guilt of Apostasy he drives them on also to the same sin of persecuâ—ing those who hold on their way and who adhere to those precious truths which they have foâ—saken and are followers of God as deare Children and these â—wo have so neer and native a connexion together as he doth not onely drive without any difficultie those over whom for their Apostasie he hath obtained a sole soveraignity and dominion into these desperat and damnable courses of persecuting the truth which they have foresaken and the Professors â—here of who hold faâ—â— his name Bâ—t which is more strange and sad and should alarum every man into a watchfulnesse against the very first and smallest-like degrees oâ— defection from the good old wayes of Godâ—r It is observed that let a man though sound in the main slip from one degree of his zeal ond integrity thougâ— it werâ— but in omission to stand-up for the defence of the Gospel when the assaultings of Adversaries makes it duty much more if there be a doing of any thing which will give the enemies of the work of God the least advantage he forth with slides also ere he be aware into a censuring despising contemning if it stop here and go no further it is well of his Brethren whom he cannot carry alongs with him and becomes frequently more active and indnstrious to draw them whom he hath in so far lâ—ft his length then he is observed to be active in strengthening the things that remaine and are ready to die amongst a people in a declining time Now these things are so plain in our case as it were supeâ—fluous for me to make them more plaine Need I tell you in whose hand the power is or of what spirit and principles these men are after all the desolation they have made amongst you Neither are they yet at an end and therefore you would be preparing for new assaults and laying in provision against the evil day O blessed shall the man be who in this dismal day shall not be offended in him but shall endure to the end Lay your account therefore with the worst that violence and enmity armed with power enflamed to the height of revenge can make you suffer for withstanding this course of iniquity now carried on by all means methods in the Nation This fore-sight providence will be our wisdom for when we have done so we will not be amazed when that comes to passe we had resolved before hand to meet with or put out of our postour when these things do emerge with which we had laid our reckoning But deare Friends for fixing yourselves into a firmenesse of resolution to hold out and hold on though it should come to a resisting unto blood after you are robbed and spoiled of your goods Consider that there is nothing in all these fires and waters you have to passe thorow in all these dangers and deaths which are before you in all these trials in all these hazards nay in all these hells that are betwixt you and heaven whch can prevail with a soul that knowes in whom he hath beleeved or perswade him to cast the blessed bargan or go back from his Master and walke no more with him Whither shall we go from thee for thou hast the words of eternal life was the disciples deliberat and warme answer to that heart-moving question will you also leave me Leave thee Lord Leave thee who will we are for ever tied to an attendance upon thee and continuance with thee both by choice and by the chaine of our own advantage that eternal life which is in thee and is to be had by abiding with thee arrests us with a pleasant violence to wait upon thee while we must foresake all in following â—hee and be foresaken of all But secondly let us exercise spiritual reason and reckon right we will perceive there is much of present real advantage to be found in and reaped from the worlds hatred and the greatest heat of persecution who is he that will harme you if ye be followers of that which is good is a question that puts it out of question they cannot be harmed even when hurt and therefore it is immediatly added 1 Pet. 3 14. But and if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake happy aâ—e ye c. It is true there are none to whom moe injurâ—es are done then to the poor persecuted people of God for as men they are not only borne to trouble but as Christians they are borne againe unto trouble and appointed thereunto But it is as true that there are none who are so little iniured by injuries for they get meat out of the â—ater all these things work together for their good For first hereby the Saints are keept in a right temper towards the world and the things thereof whereas iâ— they meet with kinde usage in it and from it they would take too well with it and sit down short of heaven and forget to say arise let us go hence for this is not the place of our rest there remains an unrenewed part in the saints which would agree too well and comply with the courses and customes of the world and therefore it is their speciall adavntage to be driven off from it
living in such a time you should not have witnessed agâ—inst these high and hainous wickednesses Would you want the share of the commendation and the glorious reward that shall be given his witnesses What if you should weep yea and die in prisons Besides that there you may enjoy the glorious libertie of the Sons of God and be feasted in your fetters with the fruition of himself and have your darke dungeons hung if I may say so with the very Arras of heaven which is the presence of God that can make these nastie and noisome holes wherein you are as buried alive preferable inâ—ompaâ—ably to all the Palaces of those who persecute you O there is no comparison â—esides this I say which is the hundred fold ten thousand times told out of these your prisons you shall be brought to reigne and have all your teares wiped away and your prison rags taken off and your rich robs wherein for ever you shall reign put on Nay what if you should be slaine for the word of God and put to swime in to eternitie in a sea of your own blood what have you to feare Though I walk thorow the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no ill saith the Psalmist for thou art with me O the presence of God with you in that hour will make it a sweet and short passage would you not rather choise if you durst make a choice to enter eternitie at this passage and go and take up your place amongst the souls of your brethren under the Altar there to cry with them How long O Lord God holy and true c. than to be found in the croud and company of these Kings Captains and Councellours c. who shall be made to cry to the mountains and to the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb O the wrath of the Lamb in that day falling upon those his now stated and stout-hearted enemies will make them change their note The haughtie mockers at the prerogative of this exalted Prince Jesus who then shall judge these jesters the menacerâ— of his Subjects and the persecuters of his Saints for not complying with their God-dishonouring Christ-dethroning courses and contrivances shall then know what it is to have lifâ—ed up their head against heaven and their heel against his poor people whom they trod under foot O the yelloch that will be amongst Kings and Captains and Counsellours when he shall speake to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure for having said and essayed it too let us burst their bâ—nds asunder c. I shall not here trouble you with the observation of the tremenduous â—udgements of God whereby some that have been active in these cursed courses have been hurried out of the world nor with an account of the anguish and agonies under which others of them have died nor yet of the raâ—e Testimonies which some who obtained mercy and grace to repent gave against this wicked course wherein they had concurred and for that cause which they had persecuted though he who regairds not these works of the Lord nor considers these operations of his hand hath and bewrayeth sad symptoms of blindnesse and obduration neither shall I here further then hint to the end you may for your establishment take notieâ— of it how wickednesse hath abounded amongst and had a dominion over those who have broken his Covenant As if all former restraints being taken off he had said henceforth my spirit shall no more strive with them for Alas iniquitie of all sorts haâ—h so aboundedâ— since the Nations enacted revolt from God as the way of the generalitie O that they whose feet go down to death and whose steps take hold on hell may consider it and be reclaimed if the word of the Lord be true that without holinessâ— no man shall see the Lord and that heaven is such a place as there shall in no wise enter therein any thing that defileth neither whosoever worketh abomination c. hath everlasting seclusion from the presence of his glory written on it so that he who would be saved must save himself from this generation who rejoyce to do evil and delight in the frowardnesse of the wicked Since we broke our Covenant made with God binding us to nothing but an abiding with him and walking before him in our respective capacities Satan hath got leave to open very sluce of hell and drown Brittan with such a deludge of profanitie that the multitude yea and they who are chiefe in these rebellions against God are chiefe in all these other provocations are carried down the current swiming and singing in this impure pudle of all impietie against God never considering that this streame will at last sweep them down and swallow them up in the lake of fire and brimston All these put together may make you feare to fall in with their way leâ—t you fall with them in the hands of the living God If they cannot give you securitie against this and that is impossible for the redemption of their own soul must cease for ever if they both cease not to go on and sorrow not for what they have done Feare you not therefore their fear onely feare to forsake God as you would not be forsaken of him Nay let your fortitude in refusing their blâ—ke â—onds whereby as the binder binds himself to an opposition to Christ and the coming of his Kingdâ—me so 〈◊〉 binds over himself to the curse of a broken Covenant either fright them into a forbearance or put them under the dreadful apprehensions of what they may expect for opposing his Christ persecuting the Gospel and using his servants so who dare not in running with them to these excesses of wickednesse run upon the bosses of the Almightie his backler but rather did choise to suffer any thing that they might be found upright and innocent from these great transgressions and so escape that wâ—â—th of the living God whâ—rewith all the contrivers all the pressers of these bonds of iniquitie all the persecuters for not complying with that decreed wickednesse all the pleaders for it all the palâ—iaters of this impietie all the Instruments made use of to help foreward the affliction of his poor people for their refusal all the rejoycers at his peoples calamitie and connivers at these courses yea and all who according to their place station and as they are called do not faithfully witnesse against this course of iniquitie shall be certainly pursued if repentance prevent it not overtaken and so perish eternally there is no Law-borrowes against the written vengeance for the peâ—sons of these practices But that which I would more particularly point at to fortiâ—ie your hearts against the feare of what you may be put to suffer even though it should come to the laying down of your lives is the refreshful and reviving remembrance of his
great goodnesse to them who went before you you need not in order to your establishment run so far backward as to the records and experiences of former generations but I may say as you have heard so have you seen in the Ciâ—ie of our God Call to remembrance what you have been witnesses to what not a few of you have seen with joy and all of you have heard with gladnesse yea your enemies have beheld it with confusion of â—ace shame griefe and astonishment to wit that singular heart solacing and shining presence of God under which these your martyred Brethren were at their death It was evident he did not so much leave them into the hands of them who hated them to take away their lives as because he was so well pleased with their zealous fervour their fidelitie and fixednesse in his way which made them in Testimony of their love to him not to love their lives unto the death he therefore brought them forth to Crown them in the sight of these who killed them and in that Crucified their Master againe while they with a keen crueltie killed he crowned with loving kindnesse and kissed their souls out of them kepped them as they fell carried them off the scaffold in embraces to present them to his Father and set the Martyrs Crown upon their head I â—eed noâ— insist in a matter so manifest as it is beyond the hidings or denyings of those who put them to death and hath also caused so many thanksgiving unto God amongst the Saints so that I may aske you what do you feare Do you feare fruition Do you feare that they who cast you in the fiery furnace shall see the Son of God walking with you in the midst of the flames Do you feare to be seen made more then Conquerours through him who hath loved you Do you feare that when the incensed world hath yoked a fiery Chariot for you to cary out of the world that the world who hate you and hurry you thus off the stage shall see the King come and pave the bottome thereof for you with love Do you feare that while they stretch out their hand against you to take away your life he manifest his love in putting his left hand under your head and in embracing you with his right do you feare that while your blood is shed he give convincing significations to all that look on of his she ding abroad his love in your heart and that your blood is precious in his sight Are these things to be feared which have been the ambition of many righteous men yea and a piece of so great honour as they durst scarce even themselves to a sharing in it Or hath he deserted one of all the sufferers see if you can say it why then are you daunted with danger why do you doubt but he who hath glorified his name in others will glorifie it again in you Nay did he not most signally defeat the expectation of advâ—rsaries and out-do the hope of his poor servants by the remarkablenesse of his assistances given to some who were looked upon as such weake wriglings as they could noâ— stand it out but how by standing by them and strengthning them did he still the enemy and avenger and how did he by the marvellous supporting of his Grace perfect praise out of the mouth of such babes and sucklings I may appeale to the conscience of any present at these executions who savoure the things of God and saw under what a shining presence and with what joy uâ—speakeable and full of glory these dying men went out of the world and these murthered martyrs mounted their triumphant charriot if they would not at that time upon assuâ—ance to be carried off the stage under the same sun-shine and sweetnesse have left all they had in this world and gone with gladenesse in their company in to the other world If any one of all that now glorified company had been deserted you might be discouraged and shrink away and say what is our strength that we should hope But since everlasting armes underneath have been so visibly seen supporting every one whom he called to suffer it saith nothing if it say not this â—eare none of those things which you shall suffer For my grace shall be sufficient for yâ—u And my strength shall be made perfect in your weakenesse Therefore be not affraid but approach your duetie with humble confidence and courage even when death it self is in the way and you shall â—inde it with you as it was with the Priests beâ—ore whom Jordan recoiled not till their feet were within the brink Waite for your assistances and supports in the hour of conflâ—ct and in that very hourâ— it shall be given you and you put in case to say when we are weake â—hen are we strong And to compleat this account and make it appeare that the most daring and desperat enemy cannot ease his own soul by giving one instance to the contrair I can not here passe the death of Mr Miâ—chel which the Lord hath so excellently ordered both as to time and circumstances for whereas they who put him to death did hope to give thereby a daâ—h to the people oâ— God at this time and by their severitie exercised upon him to make them shrink into a fearefull compliance with their iniquous Contrivances but the supporting presence of God with him was such as no man needs for feare to forsake the way of the Lord because of what befell him I mentione not here the cause but leave the world to the account himself hath given thereof with what his Advocats had to plead on his behalfe And shall onely without making a parallel or instituting a comparison between the two allude to Samson's death in this execution Not that I mâ—y take occasion to tell the world that he who was aimed at may passe any day in the yeer for a Lord amongst the uncircumcised Philistims For that is no newes nay the world may judge I do these Lords wrong and him too in not associating him with But First Sampson was a rackel and rough-handed saint ready to peâ—t the Philistims upon all occasions yet secondly the Holy Ghost for all the faults that followed him hath recorded his name and enrolled him in thâ— number even while the names of many other are left out of these eminent worthies Hâ—b 11. And so he hath made the name of Mr Mitchell savovrie and as he tooke many Testimonies from him at all his appearances to the cause so he owned him in the end and honoâ—red him to die witnessing a good confession which will be on record to posâ—eritieâ— Thirdly as Sampson did more mischeâ—fe to the enemies of the people of God at his death than in all his life for when they sent for him to make themselves mirry with a sight of his misery the Lord helped him to spil â—heir sport so I judge it is beyond question with every sober man