Sert11. 36. the life of Religion without publick ordïndnces f 66i 19.31. and afterward he made ufe of h.s Kinfmans help to fecure his life from thofe who had bound themfelves with an oath to kill him, Aa 23.16. and at la(t appeals to (afar to avoid the rrifchief defigned again him by the ?ems, Mi. 25.10. This piece of fpiri- tual prudence caufed the primitive Chriflians to abltain from pro - phaning the Temples of the heathen, and reviling their gods ; and therefore they chofe to difcover to them the venity of their Ido- latries from the Writings and Records of their own Prophets, and with the,greatefl love and fweetnefs that could be ; yea this was Co evident in .Pats! hirnfeif,that the Town-clark of Ephefus was able to be his, and his fellow- Chriflian Compurgator in this matter, Rít. 19.37. ?'e have brought hither thee met, which are neither robbers of C'hrtrche r (or as the original :0,09út Ys facrilegiow perfons) nor yet blas`Fhemers of yowgoddefr; and therefore that which 70fephus accounts one of .4f4fes Laws, that none jhotsld blafphern a the .Rdigionof anotfer,though it be not a general duty (as appears by Eljahs mocking and fcoffing at the God and religion of Beals Prielts, 1 King. 18.27) yet it holds good here as a rule of prudence, to avoid needles provoking of thofe th it are without. And in this cafe I take this to be a fu -e rule, whatever aft of ours heath rationally a greater likelihood to pro- evoke, harden and enrage the hearts of men, rather than co con- vince and convert, is a fruit of indifcrction, not of Chriflian pru- dence ;a piece of folly, not a part of our duty. It was certainly a favour'. from God when he inclined the heart of Trajene to order his Proconful Plisiros Sectsndus, defiring to kno.v his pleafure in the Pu . see ep1 cafe, that when any were brought before him, and accufed to be non (unr,ii nil Chrillrians, he fhould punifh them according to Law , but mould fecantur ar- not indut riou[ly fearch them out ; if now any mould hare ruffled guttntur, into the Judges ,prefence, and taken the Devils work out of hise.ïd:junc. hands (who is the accufer of the Brethren ) it would furely have been afinfull undervaluing the .favour of. God in that relaxation of their perfecution. But now this .advice mull be bounded with a word of caution, for as we mould take heed lea our zeal degenerate into ambition, and foolifh vain -glory in fuflrering; fo on the ocher fide, lei} our prudence and Chriltian wifdome turn to finful craft and ;policy, w! ice to avoid the ftroak of perfecution, we take up the Dev1s buckl..r of unlawful! prac`lifes. The Apofile Peter was not bound to go into the high Pricas hall, and proclaim himfelf a Dif- ciplc: of Jefus, but he was obliged not to deny and forfwear it when challenged withit; and fo though I am not alway bound tocproo-
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