and First to shew the hiftory how all the Prophets, Difciples and the Saints that have gone before have fuffered hard things. great Secondly, wherein the Argument lies of rejoycing under perfecution.. Thirdly, what ufe we are to make of the perfecution of the Prophets. I could handle but the first; To proceed to the fecond; Wherein lies the power of this Argument; There is a fivefoldftrength in this argument,or rather five arguments in it. Firft, The fame fpirit of wickedness that oppofed them doth ftill prevail, and it is the fame spirit of truth that is oppofed, you fee you are oppofed, why it is but the old fpirit of Sathan, that fpirit of wickedness that hath appeared heretofore, it is that that appears against you. yet Secondly, Hence you may fee that thofe that are dear and precious to God, that they may fuffer hard things, you will. not fay but that the Prophets were beloved of God, and they fuffered as much as you, contemned as much as you, reviled as much as you; therefore be not troubled at it, but rejoyce and be glad. Thirdly, If fo be God should deal with you otherwife then he did formerly with others, then it might difcourage you, but they are no other things then his fervants heretofore have fuffered; God will lead you to heaven in the fame path that he hath led his fervants heretofore. Fourthly, It is the way that God hath brought all his fervants into heaven by: Why fhould you think that God will bring you in a better way then he did others? for fo suffered the Prophets, the very Prophets fuffered fuch things, and then what is your flesh better then theirs? What are your names better then theirs? It is a moft intollerable thing that we that are fo vile and mean, and do fo little fervice, that we fhould think it much to do any thing in Gods caufe, that those that have been better then we have fuffered more then ever we did. The fifth Argument is this, That though the Pop'rers have fuffered fuch things, yet the truth of God prevails; We Lay h fay if they be imprisoned and perfecuted, what will become of Gods truth? do not take fo much care for that, for all the Prophets fuffered and did not God-preferve his truth? were not they made inftruments of good for all their fuffering?" they were made inftruments of the greatest good: put thele five confiderations together, and you fee the force of the Argument. us. What Ufes we are to make of thofe that went before Firft, If fo be that thofe that were the most eminent fer- Ufe of ex vants of God have fuffered fuch hard things, then if we be in amination. a profperous eftate and called to fuffer but little, we are to examine whether our profperity be with the love of God or no, doth God fend us profperity in love? they that were moft beloved of him they did not enjoy their eafe and contentment as we do, therefore we had need examine our felves to fea whether that we do enjoy be with Gods love or no, many think that God loves them moft becaufe they have moft.. Oh no, if fo be God deals not with you as he hath done with other Saints, you had need examine how you do enjoy that, methinks any man that lives in a high eftate, and hath all eafe unto his flesh, either when he reads of other of the precious Saints of God, and he is convinced in his confcience that they have done more fervice for God in one week, then he hath done in a whole yeer; doth God love me more then them? it may be this is my portion, this is all that I am like to have. The fecond Ufe we (hould make of this, is, Were the Prophets called to fuffer in former time? the lefs we are called to paffive obedience, let us be more in active obedience; The very hearing of what the Prophets have fuffered in former time, it would make your heart to ake, if you read the book of Martyrs, it would be very useful: I fhall onely labor ro make this ufe of it; when you hear of their fuffering,think thus with your felves, God called them to furfer in a paffive way, hence they fuffered what rage and tortures wicked men could devife, God doth not call me to fuffer in a way of fuch fear 2 Ufer fearful evil,furelyGod muft have the glory of myftrength,then let me fpend it in praying, honoring, and worthiping God as others did in fuffering torments from wicked men, and feeing we owe unto God the glory of our nimes, the glory of our eftates,the glory of our lives,that if God wil not take it in a way of fuffering, then we fhould give it to him freely in ways of fervice;, they lay on the cold earth in prison, think thus with your felves, when you are about any e vice, in prayer, reading, and hearing, and it begins to be painful to the flesh, why fhall I then leave off the fervice of God, becute my fleth is pained; what did the Martyrs fuffer in the feh? it is a thame unto you for to leave off the fervice of Cod because it is pain ful to the flesh. Thirdly, When we confider of the fufferings of thofe that went before us, it thould be a means to make us abare a lit tle of the contentment of fatisfying the flesh, though we abundance whereby to fatise the feth, why let us abate a little of it. We read that many times the Prophets and Mar tyrs they waned bread and necefry things, and thall I abufe the creatures of God to excels; and the Prophers in Ahabs time were content with bread and water, and thall I be exceffive in m.at & drink. You that end whole nights in chanbering and wantonneis, drunk nnifs, gfurtony, furfeiting, and walling the creatures; and all your delight is for the fem, nd All your care is to give conten mens to the flesh in fatisfying your lufts. Oh check your hearts in thefe ways. The fourth is this, it is to prepare for fuffering, we are not now for the prefent called to suffer, but let us not be fecure, let us not conclude that we shall always enjoy that peace we now enjoy; the Pophets fuffered hard things, and let us thing to meet with the fame. The fifth and faft ufe is this, Surely God hath been little beholden to the world from all ages, for any maintenance of his truth, for the world harh fhewne it felfe a wicked world in perfecuting and tormenting bis Saints and Prophets,and therefore the Lord is little beholding to this world, and the world. hath fet it felfe againt God, and therefore it will not be long before before the Lord breakes this finfull work in peeces. Thus wee have done with that part of Chritts Sermon, the Beatitudes, the feverall brings that Chrift layes down upon the Saints doing their duties. Verf. 13. Te are the falt of the earth. Here begins plainly a new matter. First, he tells his Dilci ples of Bleftednetie, they fhail come to fee their own bleffedneffe, and having fhewne them their bleffednefie, that what ever the world thought of them, yet in the eyes of God they are blefted creatures, and now he tells them what fervice they mutt doe in the world, which indeed is a great part of blefednélfe too. From the coherence note, (that thofe men obferve from that God thall pur into an eftate of bleffednetfe, they are fit the coherence men, and may be very inftrumentall to doe great fervice for of the words, His names fake) when once the foule is fatished in this, the Lord hath been mercifull to me, and God hath caft a favourable look tipon me, the Lord hath put me into a frame and condition of bleffedneffe, let the world doe what they can doe to me, they cannot take blettedneffe away from me. Oh how fit this man is to doe the fervice of God! And in the words following, you have the greateft fervice that the Apoftles were called too in the world. Secondly, re are the light of the world: It follows more efpecially from what Chrift told them of perfecution,you thall fuffer fo much, I and be willing to fuffer; why? for you are called to the greateft works that ever God called any mento, let men fpeak what they will, revile what they will, certainly God will reward you; ye are the falt of the earth, and the light of the world, and if you thould ftart afide for feare of fuffering, what will become of things then? and indeed the confideration of mens imployment in the world, is a great and a ftrong argumen to carry men thorough what difficultie foever, let me goe on in the worke. As if a Generall should come to fome Officers in the Army, and tell them the bartell comes fore on them, therefore keep your ftanding, for the wellfare.. the wellfare wellfare of the whole Army depends on you, nay, First Saith he, all the former words belong generally to all Chriftians, as poore in fpirit, they that mourne, the make, sns they which do hunger and thirst after righteoulinelle, the mercifull, the pure in heart, the peace-makers, and they which Ware perfecuted and reviled. All thafe belong not onely to * the Apostles, but to all Chriftians; and why not this as well mayas the former ?A AM yow woy Als shj0ml.sia Secondly, The fecond reafon is this That that follows in the 16 verfe, belongs to Chriftians as appeats froidiss Chap. of Phils verle. That ye may be blamelesse and hatmleffe, the fans of God without rebuke in the midst of a crocked and perverfe nation; among whom ye fine as lights in the world. You are thofe that are the lights, that are shining in the worldja Thirdly, And a third reafon is in the latter part of this 3 verfe. But if the falt have loft his favour, wherewith fhall be falted, it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be caft out and to be troden under-foot of men. Chrift apparently speaks to the multitude. In the 14 Chap. of Luke, 25. 34 verfes, compare them together. And there went great multitudes with him, and he turned and faid unto them Salt is good, but of the falt have loft his favour, wherewith shall it be feasoned. Therefore faith this learned Interpreter, both former and latter belongs to Chriftians; ye are then the falt of the earth Firft, |