to death the same day All the twelve Apostles after many sore and grievous afflictions endured suffered many violent deaths John onely excepted who yet as the Scripture testifieth was banished into Patmos and as some Histories that he was by Domitian thrown into a Tun of scalding lead yet as they say delivered by a miracle Peter was crucified with his heels upward because he would not be as Christ was thinking himself unworthy of that honor Andrew was crucified by Egeas King of Edessa Iames was slain by the sword of Herod as we finde Acts 12. the beginning Philip was crucified and stoned to death at Hieropolis a City in Phrygia Bartholomew after divers persecutions was beaten down with staves as he was preaching in a City of Armenia and then crucified and after his skin flead off and beheaded Thomas was slain with a Dart at Calamina in India Matthew was run through with a sword or as some write slain with a spear Iames the son of Alpheus who was called the just man was set upon the pinacle of the Temple and thrown down and yet having some life left in him he was brained with a Fullers club some Histories say that Paul before his conversion had a special hand in this Lebbeus was slain by Agbarus King of Edessa Simon the Canaanite was crucified in Egypt or as others say he and Iude was slain in a tumult of the people Matthias that came into the number in stead of Iudas was stoned and then beheaded Paul was beheaded at Rome under Nero. Those ten fearful Perfecutions in the Primitive times from the time of Domitius Nero unto Constantine doth set out fully unto us the truth of this argument for three hundred years together the name of a Christian was death except now and then the Churches had some little breathings Brightman speaking of the stories of those times says that every page and leaf is as it were all red coloured in blood the Covenant of grace is a bloody Covenant both in regard of the blood of Christ first sealing it and the blood of the blessed Martyrs adding likewise their seals in confirming of it In that Treatise that goes under the name of Cyprian de duplici Martyrio speaking of that place 1 Iohn 5. 8. Three bear witness on earth the Spirit water and blood the third is applyed to the blood of the Martyrs in those times It is a most heart-breaking meditation to consider the ragings madness and fury of the Heathens against the Christians in those times Ierome in an Epistle to Cromatius says that there was no day in a whole year unto which the number of five thousand Martyrs cannot be ascribed except onely the first day of Ianuary Vincentius reports that at Aquileia the Emperor gave leave to every man that would to kill the Christians All the policy wit strength of invention of men and devils were exercised and stretched out to the utmost for devising the most miserable torments and exquisite tortures as plates of Iron burning hot laid upon their naked flesh pinsers red hot pulling off the flesh from the bones bodkins pricking and thrusting all over their bodies casting into lime kilns and into caldrons of scalding lead whippings until almost all the flesh was torn off their bodies and their bones and bowels appeared and then laid flat upon sharp shels and knives their skins were flead off alive and then their raw flesh was rubbed with salt and vineger their bodies were beaten all over with clubs until their bones and joynts were beat asunder they were laid upon gridirons rosted and basted with salt and vineger one member was pulled from another by fastening them to the boughs of trees they rent their bodies apieces they were tossed upon the horns of Bulls with their bowels hanging out they were cast among dogs to be devoured they were put under the Ice naked into Rivers they were tortured on the rack on the wheel and on the gibbet with flaming fire under them they made it their sports to see them devoured by wilde beasts and in the night in stead of torches they burnt the bodies of the Saints to give them light for their pastimes To give you an instance or two that you may see the miserable extremities the Saints of God in former times passed through I read of one Sanctus upon whom when such intolerable tortures were inflicted as the Persecuters thought surely they should have heard some words of blasphemy coming from him yet they could get nothing but this Sum Christianus I am a Christian at which they being mad they clapt on plates of brass red hot to the most tender parts of his body wherewith although his Spirit shrunk not but still continued constant yet his body was so drawn together that it lost the proper shape of a man and after he lying in prison a while they brought him forth again to the common scaffold in the face of the people and put him to all kinde of torments they could devise as though he had been put to none before as scourgings tearings by wilde beasts his body being thus torn they brought an iron chair red hot with fire and set him in it and so fryed and scorched him as upon a gridiron Thus he being made the whole day a spectacle to the people in stead of their games and sights they could get nothing from him but his firt confession Christianus sum I am a Christian The example of Romanus who was of noble birth but more noble in his Martyrdom is very famous he was first whipped with knaps of lead at the ends of the cords he desired them not to spare him for his Nobility Not the blood of my progenitors says he but Christian profession makes me noble then they lanced him with knives until the bones appeared white his face was buffeted his eye-lids torn with their nails his hair pulled from his face the Captain being astonished at his constancy commanded them to cease from tortures he was after brought forth and scourged again upon his old sores they plucked out his tongue by the roots the Captain being yet more astonished to see him continue constant commanded him to be brought into prison and there be to strangled The example of Vincentius is as remarkable as any he was first wracked all his joynts being stretched out of their place then his body was indented with grievous and deadly wounds then they tortured his flesh by saking upon it with iron combs sharply filed and then they laid his body upon a grate of iron opening his flesh with iron hooks they seared it with fiery plates sprinkling it with hot burning salt then they drew him into a dungeon where the floor was spread with the sharpest shells that could be gotten they laid his body upon them and so left him without all succor Take an example of a woman or two one Blandina was miserably whipped tortured by wilde beasts tormented and scorched upon a gridiron and then put
your peace with God and your own conscience If vapours be not got into the earth and stir not there they are not all the storms and tempests abroad that can make an earthquake but if vapours be within and work there an earthquake is caused so where there is peace within all troubles and oppositions without cannot shake the heart but if there be no peace within every little thing troubles the spirit terrours without and terrours within both are very hard Be not thou a terrour to me O Lord says Jeremy chap. 17. 17. for thou art my hope in the day of evil I care not though all the world be a terrour to me so be it thou beest not a terrour if I have peace with thee it is enough what ever evil befal me Oh therefore maintain and keep this peace above all it is no matter whether you have peace or no with the world so be it you have the peace of the Gospel in your hearts it is one special part of that spiritual armory we read of Ephes 6. to be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace that is that blessed peace of the Gospel which is a strong preparation to endure any troubles or afflictions that Christians meet withal the reason of that phrase to be shod is this because we are to go amongst briars and thorns in our way to Heaven we are to meet with many hard things we are to pass through therefore we had need be well shod if a man be not so he will be as one that goes upon sharp flints bare-foot or a mongst thorns or bushes so that the blood tricles down his feet every step he takes surely such a man cannot hold out long thus it is with the soul that is not fenced with the Gospel of peace Be careful in nothing let not your spirits be divided for so is the word Phil. 4. 6 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and mindes the word is shall guard your hearts afflictions and troubles are as enemies compassing us about but the peace of God guards our hearts from the evil of them this enables Gods children though not in the letter yet in some sort to tread upon the Adder and Asp to shake off Vipers and receive no hurt Having peace with God we glory in tribulations we are not onely patient under them but we glory in them How were the spirits of those blessed Martyrs we read and hear so much of strengthened with this blessed peace of the Gospel Take heed therefore that you never maintain peace with any sin Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. Oh how many of you have broke your peace with God! at least the comfort of it is exceedingly darkned you would fain have outward ease and peace but you have neglected the comforts of this peace and that is the reason you have no strength to suffer any thing for the truth Nehem. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is your strength that joy that comes from this inward peace but where this is not there is nothing to sweeten sorrows and therefore they must needs be very bitter That time therefore that God gives you yet respite from afflictions let it be spent in making up your peace more with God then ever and getting clearer evidence and sense of his love If ever you knew what peace with God meant I appeal unto you when at any time the sense of it hath enlarged your hearts with joy whether then have you not found your selves willing to suffer any thing for God you could then go through fire and water your spirits could triumph with the Apostle I am per swaded that neither life nor death nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come shal ever be able to seperate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus Fifthly labour to see more into the fulness of all good in God the Lord told Abraham that he was God all-sufficient as the onely means to strengthen him against whatsoever evils he was like to meet withal Labour to have the insight into Gods fulness in these three particulars First look at all the excellency beauty comfort and good in the creature and know that it is all in him in a most eminent and glorious maner There is no good in the effect but the causes together have it in them now God is the first cause and so all causes have their principle in him and therefore all good must needs be in him Secondly all possible good is in the Lord that is as there is no actual good but is for the present in him so there can be none but it is in him already there is such fulness of good in him that it is impossible that there should be any good added to him in the least degree Thirdly look at God as taking infinite delight in communicating himself in letting out his goodness to his creature let God be seen thus and let these three meditations of the fulness of good in God be wrought upon the heart and they will mightily support the spirit in all afflictions for what is the loss of any thing to me when I see where I can have it made up what is any bitterness when I see such infinite sweetness to sweeten all When tempests come upon Mariners and they be in narrow seas where they want sea-room there is danger but if they have sea-room enough there is no fear Thus if we are acquainted with the infinite fulness of good in God we should see our selves safe in the midst of all tempests we should feel our spirits quiet under the sorest afflictions Sixthly A sixt preparation for the bearing further crosses is an humble cheerful bearing of present afflictions and an humble submitting to the present condition That soul that is willing to yield to God in the present condition God will fit it for the future many cast about in their thoughts what they shall do hereafter if troubles should befal them and yet in the mean time they neglect the duties of their present condition Go on therefore humbly and patiently in the performance of the duties that God calls now for and they will prepare you for whatsoever duties shall be required of you hereafter there is no good to be expected from any in a new condition who are not careful to perform the duties of the present many are ready to promise When we shall be in such a condition then we will do thus or thus but what do you in your present never think to be able to suffer if God call you to a new condition if you cannot be patient under the troubles you meet with now especially when these troubles are small and petty in comparison of those you are like to meet withal Mr Bilney the Martyr used to put his finger into the candle to
much glorified by this and will be more and more Exod. 15. 2. I will build him a Tabernacle the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will glorifie him and it is very observable that as soon as Moses was delivered from the Egyptians he thinks of and resolves and promises the building of Gods Tabernacle which was a type of the Church If God hath delivered you out of any trouble out of any sickness in testimony of thankfulness to God for his mercy set upon this work to further the building of Gods Tabernacle Seeing God hath spared my life this shall be one of the first things I will do I will put in what I can to the furthering of the building of Gods Tabernacle Seventhly we finde in Scripture that there is a fearful threatning against all those that shall neglect this Zach. 14. 17. And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King the Lord of hosts even upon them shall be no rain that is no blessing of God You will say how does this appear to be meant of Gods people now It appears the holy Ghost did intend the estate of the Church in the time of the Gospel and therefore it follows in the 20. ver In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses Holiness unto the Lord and the pots in the Lords house shall be like the bowls before the Altar Now these expressions are spiritually to be understood of the glorious condition of the Church of God in the time of the Gospel and therefore God takes it ill at the hands of any that shall not come to joyn with his people And further we have a fearful threat Isaiah 65. 11 12. against such as forsake or forget Gods holy mountain I will number you to the sword and ye shall bow down to the slaughter You may think to provide for your selves to live securely and safely at your ease enjoying house lands friends trades you are loath to hazard your selves so as others do to bring your selves into so much trouble but as ver 13 14. Thus saith the Lord My servants shall eat and ye shall be hungry my servants shall drink and ye shall be thirsty my servants shall rejoyce and ye shall be ashamed Eighthly if any soul have any desire to come and joyn with Gods people in his Ordinances there is a blessing given to that desire Psal 84. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the ways of them If the ways of thy Ordinances be but in thy heart thou art blessed and therefore be very desirous of this blessing be not satisfied that God gives you outward blessings and outward comforts in the world unless you have this if you know what communion with God in his people means you cannot but desire to be with them there is so much of God with them If you have any spiritual life you cannot but desire this because spiritual life will desire to joyn with that which is like to its self If you know what the power of any Ordinance means you cannot but desire this There is a great mistake of people they think if they can but live in a place where they may hear good Sermons that is enough know therefore except you have communion with the Saints this way though you may hear many good Sermons yet there is a great deal of difference between your hearing of them and their hearing who are in communion with the people of God you only come to be made partakers of a mans gifts you cannot depend upon the gift of such a one as being in office by God set over you to watch over your souls There is a great deal of difference between the dispensing of a gift by way of gift and by way of office there may be the same thing done in the exercise of gifts and yet not to be so powerful as when it is done by vertue of an office the ordinary Officers are Pastors and Teachers for the building up of the Church therefore if you be acquainted with the way of Christ in his Ordinances for the building up of the body and if you believe your selves to be members of his body you cannot but desire those Ordinances that he hath appointed for the building of his body The Church is set up as a light or an ensign upon the top of an hill to draw others that are near unto it to come under it And therefore as we have it in Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely The Spirit of God covincing your consciences says Come and the Bride the Church says Come and let all that hear say Come all that hear what hath been said of communion with Gods people say ye to all your friends Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord. We have a Prophesie Isa 2. 3. that the people of God should encourage one another and shall say Let us go up into the house of God for he will teach us his ways and we will walk in his pathes O that that Prophesie might be fulfilled now that you might have such a desire to the ways of God as to encourage others to come and walk in them that your hearts may be refreshed with the consolations of God in the way of his Ordinances And Isaiah 62. 12. it is prophesied of the Church that she should be called Sought out O that it might be so that we could see the hearts of men so set after it that we might give it that name Sought out The blessing that the Elders of the City desired upon Ruth cap. 4. 11. when she was married to Boaz was The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah which two did build the house of Israel Why like Rachel and Leah and not like Rebekah did not she build the house of Israel likewise Yes but all her posterity was not of the Church of God there came an Esau from her as well a as Jacob but all the children of Rachel and Leah were of the Church of God they were Patriarchs and this was a special blessing upon them it is therefore to be accounted a special blessing to be in the Church and to have all our posterity to be in it When you have heard these glorious things of the priviledges of Gods people if you should neglect the seeking after the being made partakers of such things how will you free your selves from the guilt of prophaneness that you should prize outward accommodations more then these spiritual things Esau was branded for a prophane wretch because he set no higher price upon his birthright but set a mess of pottage before it This is greater then the birth-right