Szz `-.13:jrçi¡;zes of Chrit'.znrafl erpeEf perfecstion. That concerns a worldly maxi, here he thall fpend his dayes in wealth,thou ;h in a moment he goes down to the grave,but the Godly, hemuft through many tribulations enter into the king- don of Heaven. You find that Peter dar'd not pray againfl all perfecutions for the Saints; t Peter 5.1 o.But(faith he)the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Chria flies,, after that ye have fuffercd a while , . make, ye perfeEt, flàbli fi, ft engthen, fettle you. The God of all grace, though lie had in his prayer to deal with the God of all grace, yet he would nor pray fo much as that they íhould be prefently eflablifhed, but after they had fuifered a while, then CO make themperfeé As.if Peter florid fay, I know the mind of Chrifb,and Gods coon fcls concerning all thofe that will profefjè the troth that while they are going on towards perfcytion they molt Puffer hard-things, and therefore though God be the God of all grace, I dare not fo ranch as pray that they fhould be made per fell without any. fu f er- ings at all. But after ye have fuffered a while them to make, you perfe&. It's very obferveable if you read the Story of the feaven Churches in the Book. of the Revelation,which h'ou have in the z. and 3 .Chapters of that Book,you (hall find that there were but two of all thofe feaven Churches of which there's but little fpoken concerning their fufferingsrburof the other five there is much faid, and which are thofe two that there is fo- liate fpoken of their fuffering. If you examine the Scripture,. you Thai find firfi the Church Of Sardis and then the Church of Laoidocea.The Church of Sardis read what's laid of thát,it was a Church that the Holy Ghòft faith,' know thy Work, , rho haft a name that thou livefb and art dead. And the Church of Laidocea,It was a luke-warm Church, Ch: 3. r6. So then, be- cau fe thou art lu -warm,and neither cold nor hot, I will fpew thee out of my month : Thofe two Churches they were the worft . of all. the fea': en,and yet thole two you read had lelfe fuffretings then the other : I, they would efcape better then the refl. Thofe that had a name to live and were, dead; and thofe that were Luke -warm, they would efcape fuffering of perfecution the worfe men are that profefsReligion, for the moll part they efcape fufferings more, and the more power, and life, of godli- nefs
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