Serm. XXIV. and theDanger ofdenying him. i ialogue of Heroes, Web. II. How much more lhould Chri/lian.r, whore Faith is fupported much more ftrongly than theirs was, by a much clearer Evidence of a- nother Life, and a Bíefl'ed Immortality, than they had ; by more exprefs Pronrifes of Divine Comfort and Affìftance under Sufferings, than were made to them; and by the molt Divine and Encouraging Example, of the greateft Patience under the greateft Sufferings, that the World ever had, in the Death and Paffion Of the Son of God, who for the ,joy that was fet before him, endured the Croft, and defpifed the Shame, and isfet down at the right hand of the Throne of God! When we confider this Glorious Exampleof Suffering, and the Glorious Reward ofit; how can we be weary andfaint in our minds! If the Saints and Apoffles of the Old Teftament did fuch great things, byVirtue-of a Faith, which relied chiefly upon the Attributes and Providence of God ; what fhould not we do, who have the Se- curityof God's exprefs Promife, for our Comfort and Encouragement ! We cer- tainly have much greater Reafon to take up our Crofs more chearfully, and to bear it inure patiently, than they did. Secondly, We fhould always be Prepared in the Refolutions of our Minds, to Suffer for the Teftimony of God's Truth and a good Confcience, if it fhould pieafe God at any time to ca11 us to it. This our Saviour hath made a neceffary Condi, tion of his Religion, and a Qualification of a true Difciple.. :If any man willbe my dfciple, let him take zip his Croft and follow me. So that we are to reckon upon it,, and to prepare for it ; that if it comes, we may not be furprized, as if fonce 'trove thing had happened to us ; and may not be unrefolved what to do in fuch a cafe. And God knows, when we may be called to it : However it is wife, to forecalt it in our Minds, and to be always in a Preparation and Readinefs to enter- tain the worft that may happen , that if it come, we may he able to /land out in an evil day; and if it does not come, God will accept the Refolution of our Minds, and reward it according to the Sincerity of it. He . that knows 'what we would have donc, will confider it, as ifwe had done it. Thirdly, The lefs we are called to fuffer for God, the more we fhould think our felves obliged to do for him ; the lefs God is pleafed to exercife our Patience, we should abound fo much the more, in the allive Virtues of a good Life ; and our Obedience to God, fhould be fo much the more chearful, and we morefruitful iii - everygood work. If there be no need of feeling the Truth with out Blood, we fhould be fure to adorn and recommend it by our Lives. Fourthly and Laflly, If the hopes of Immortality will hear men up under the extremity of Suffering and Torments, and give Men Courage and Refolution a- gainft all the Terreurs of the World ; they ought much more to make us vietori- ous over the Temptations and Allurements of it. For certainly it is in Reafoùmuch carter to foregoe Pleafure, than to endure Pain; to refufe or lay down agood Place, for the Teftimony ofa good Confcience, than to lay down our lives upon that Ac- count. And invain does any Man pretend that he will be a Martyr, for his Re- ligion; when he will not rule .an.Appetite, nor re Lufrain a ft, nor fitbdue a Paf- fon, nor crofs his Covetoufnefs and Ambition, for the fake of it, and in hope of that. eternal life, which God that cannot lye, hathpromifed. He that refufeth to do the lefs, is not like to do thegreater. It is very improbable, that a Man will diefor his Religion, when he cannot be perfuaded, to live according to it. So that by this we may try the Sincerity of our Refolution concerningMartyrdom. For what Profeffion foever Men make, he that will not deny himfelf the Pleafures of Sin, and the Advantages of this World, for Chrift; when it comes to the pufhi will never have the Heart to take up his Croft, andfollow him. He that cannot take up a Refolution to live a Saint, hath a Demonftration within hinrfelf, that he is never like to die a Martyr. SER M O N
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=