í ;6 Falte Signs of Grace: SE t: T. I ÌÍa Hierom faid id Ga1.5. Timed dicere,fed dicendasmeft, Martyrium ipfum f idesfiat, utadmirettieni, eh- /Audi habeatur ì fratribus, frufera fangaie effufam eft. Aman may bethe flefhes martyr, the devils martyr, as well as Chrifts. Qbferv. No l inde ofexternalfufferings , though neverfogrievous either for the truth of The greateû Chrift indeed, orfor thatWhich amans confcience jsdgethtobe the truth ofChrift, is fufferings for afareand infalliblefignof theftate ofgrace. Chrift nce& con- for edfword, dividing between joint andmar- infallibly do not g g l tefti- row. It'snot all thymarks, ftripes, imprifonments, perfecutions, though for a fie grace in the goodcaufe, is enough toevidence thy true intereft in Chrift. Toopen this Point heaot. many thingsare conuderable. Confider, t.Perfecuctons Firlt,7hat many times perfecutions areatrue difcover, of ämans firmnef eingrate. often difcover Infomuch that all the while Chriftscaufe and carnal accommodations are con- firmneffe of joyned together, every hypocritical and unfound heart makes asgreat a fhew, as grace. thatwhich is faithful!, But Whenftorms and tempeftrarife, then thehoufe built up- on thefondfats, but that on therackendureth. Thus Math.' 3. when the hot Sun arofe, perfecutions began to be violent, thenthat WhichWae not deeply rooted; pre- fently Withered. So that howfoever we maynot certainly gather the truthof our grace, byour perfeverance in perfecutions, yettroubles and oppoltions do fre- quently difcover whois falfe. Hence affliétions and not mercies are alwaies in Scripture called temptations, God is never Paid totempt by a mercy , but by an affli&ion, becáufeitismoredifñcultto withnandan evil then to enjoy a good. The high anditrongwindes difcover ho well -rooted the tree is ; the fire will manifeft thecracked veffel. Oh thenaccount itnothing to rest upon, that thou art for thetruth, thou owneft God atnrdd'good men l Alas as yet thou lofeft no good, no profit bydoing thus. Oaman may be imprifoned, impoverifhed, un- done for the truths ofGod, and yetbe nothing; then what apoor nothing in- deed is Chrifts truth and thy riches with it ! Alas Chrift bath not put thee upon any trials, and thou knoweftnothing by thy felf as yet. It's true, out- ward fufferings, and that to death, are the higheftexpreffions before men ; and therefore we areto judge with charitable apprehenfions ofall thofe who are able thus to Puffer for that which is the truth, efpecially they at the fame time demon- ftrating all Chriftian deportment. Therefore itwas cruelty in the Popifh perfe- tutors to chargethofe bleffed Martyrs with ltoutneffe and pride. Hence alto it is, that weaccount the Martyrdomof fo many millions of all forts for Chrift, to be an eminent teflimony ofthe truth'of Chriftian Religion. No Set could ever laitancein the like, as Chriftians may, which we read was acknowledged by Trajane the Emperour ; and Wine Martyrconfeffeth the confideration, of the willingneffe and zealof Chriftians tediefor Chrift, was theocca ion of his con- verfion. TheHeathens infianceonly in Socrates andTome few Gymnofophifts for their falfeReligion. aTruemotives Secondly, Fromhence it followeth, That Wherefoever the Scripture promifeth that draw out the heart to pa- falvation to any external atlionthat is by Way of Patience or Fortitude for Chrift ; dent fufferings That mull be underilood with this provifo, that as the aftion for the matter is forChriti, are good; and the taufe is good; fo the motives that draw out his heart be alto fuppofed in good. Marrhrxo.33. Whofoever fhallconfeffëmebefore men, him /bill my Father promifesto the If ackgowledgebefore his holy Angels. In this place a glorious reward is ptomi- externalaßion fed [o aflout confeffionofChrift in themil of an adulterous generation, yet you mull explain it thus, fuppofing hedo as for atilt, fo out of pure ends and holy affeilions, without which thefeexterrial allions are but asfo many glorious branches without any root atall; forwe mafee this fully confirmed in a paral- lel about givingOfalms, and relieving the poor. There is 'fcarce any religious duty bath morepromifes made to it inthe Scripture then this bath, yet a Pha- rifee who frequentlygave alms, could taken comfort at all from thofe Promi- fes, becaufe his motives were carnal and unworthy. Thus in fufferings for Chrift even in imprifonments and death itfell, it being polllble that corrupt grounds may
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