Principles for fuffering. 553 Surely if it were Chrifls end, he accounted it the end for which he was fentinto the world, we have cauïe to account it ours too : that Scripture in the i S John 37, plainly thews it To this cod was I born, and for this caufe canoe Into the world, that I fhould hare witneffe unto the truth : It's a notable Scrip ture, and certainly all thofe that profeiie them.elves to be the Disciples of Chriil, ftiould make much use of this Scripture, For this end camel into the world that I fhould bare witnefs to the truth: Bare witness any way, Christ did not bear witnefs roan active way only,but in a pa.five alio, and he fpeaks Of this when he was called CO tùffer betore Pilate : O that Chriflians were well principled in this, that every one that profeffes him elf a Christian would think thus ; Wherefore was I born,wherefore came I into the world, Purely not that I should care and drink and live bravely in the world, that was not the end for which I was born, I was born for a higher, a more noble end, that I fhould be a witnefs of ::sod to bare wi_neffe to his truth, 4nd if this were the end for which I was born, then it's fit that God Yhtould call me to witneffe any way whatfoever by doing or fuf- fering, that .I should be willing to do it, for I attain my end for which I was born in ir, and above all witnefs for the truth, the witnefle by way of iulfering is the moll glorious witneffe, faith Cyprian (concerning the Martyrs that were perfecuted) They cenfeffed with agloriosis voice ; When men confefs the truth by words, from the truth in their hearts, God accepts ir, but when they come to witnefs to the truth by fufferings this is a glorious profeflon of the truth, and unto ir, and herein Both a Chrislian att:a in the end for which he Was born : That's the firfl fuffering principle. The fecond fuffering principle is this: Ir is better to loofe for God, then to enioy for our felves t Let Chriffians but t''i oughly principle rhernfelves in rhefe things,and you will find it an eafie matter to fuller any thing for Chrift: It's better for a man that hath an effate,to loofe it for God then to inioy ir for himfelfe ; Better to loose our liberties for Goa then to injoy them for our felves, better to loofe our credit, our honour, for God then to enjoy them for or °lves, our pleafures and.de- Bbbb lights
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