Ss c T. It I. Fake. Signa of Grace. Y41 unnatural. And certainly as they offered their tender children, fo if Moloch their godhad requiredit, or rather his Priefsforhim, They would have given up their own bodies into the flames. Judge not then of the goodneiTe of. thy eftate, byany externals whatfoever, though never fo fpecious. They are a fheath that will receive either a golden, or an iron Sword in them. They are the Trumpet that make no other found, then what the mouth bloweth into them. 2. That is ratapillar to berelied on, Which may confil With unmortifed lufls a. Becaufe ou andaffeilions, yea With ungodly pralfices.' But experience teacheth us, howma- wardfuffcrings ny men in their imprilònments, yea death itfelf, have been unfavoury, ungod- may on/fo ly; infomuch thattheir ungodl:neffebath more difhondured the caufe they fuf- tcdfur4s. fetd for, then their fufferings have honoured it. Thereforeifthou re, eft upon thy fufferings, and yet liveft in finne, fay as "'fin, Habespod in to occid.u, mar- tyr thy fins, before thy bodybe martyred. 1f therefore thou fuffereft for one truth, andholdeft any thing, orpraftifeft any thingagainft other fundamentals, it'sno true Martyrdom ; Hence the Primitive Church never judged a Mace- donian (forexample) whodenied the Deityof the holy Ghoft, to be a Mar- tyr, though hewere put to deathby the slrrians,becaufe he profrffed the Deity of Chrift. Ufe t. Of In/trullion,_not toadmire asfignsof grace, or Gods being in a man, V/e t. Whenyoufee a manpatient, denying all outwardadvantages andcomfortsfor his spi_ Monand dot-trine heholdeth. As fome, mifunderflanding places of Scripture, have given awayall their goods and eftates, and one parting with his very garments that covered him : being asked, Why hedid fo? held up theBible, laying, Hoc menudavit, This bath made me naked, whereas indeed it was his errour, his mi- flake. Thus many may fay, It is their confcience makes them endure all mifery, whereas it may be corruption or carnal motives, or at molt, anerroneous, mifgui- ded confcience, which although it may exude .d tanto, yet not d tots. Thofe that reade what Heathens have done in the way, will never admire at Cliri- ftians. Ufe 2. Of Doreflion, If Cod callats to Puffer, Rrft, not on all the hard/up thou vice is haft endasred,for Chrift, Boaftnot ofthe bonds and chains thou haft born for his fake, but examine with what heart thou haft undergoneall this. Iris awofullthingg tobeimprifonedin chains here for Chrift, and at the day of Judgement Chrilt to cafi thee in everlafling chainsof dark¿neffe. It is miferable tobe burnt with fire here for Chrift, andafterwards (brill to bidthee, Departinto everlafìingfire here- after. Lofe not thenthy fufferings byany corrupt frame and finfull difpofition of heart. It is a great matter to fuffer for Chrift, but it's a greater to fufferwith that heart Chrift requireth., sw'4tr`w^tA47r1Z`f'Y4s'r^`.rV(7,A,R>'+PRS^4`^r4i4-4.4tt`iA744rW7` t`.'Yriskti'Yi fi ; SHR N.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=