Serm. XLV. under their Sufferings for Religion. 313 I [ball mention two or three Cafes wherein Men may feem to fuller for the Caufe ofReligion, but cannot truly be faid to do fo. Firfi, When Men rafhly expofe themfelves to danger, and run upon Sufferings for the fake of Religion. Thus feveral of the Primitive Chriftians voluntarily ex- pored themfelves when they were not called in queftion, and in the heat of their Affe&ion and Zeal for God and Religion, offered themfelves to Martyrdom, when none enquired after them. This, in the gracious Interpretation of God, who knowing the fincerity of their Zeal, was pleafed to overlook the indifcreet forwardnefs and ralhnefs of it, might be accepted for a kind of Martyrdom : but cannot in reafon be juftified, fo as to be fit to be made a Pattern, and to be re- commended to our Imitation. For though God may be pleafed to excufe the weaknefs of a well-meaningZeal; yet he can approve nothing but what is reafonable. To fuller chearfully for the Caufe of God and his Truth, when he calls us to fight this goodfight offaith, and to refill unto Blood ; and when we are reduced to that [trait, that we mutt either die for God and hisTruth, or deny them ; to fuf- fer, I fay, in this Cafe with Courage and Patience, is one of the Nobleft of all the Chriftian Virtues. But to be perfe&Volunteers, and to run our [elves upon Suf- ferings, when we are not called to them, looks rather like the Sacrifice of Fools ; which tho' God may mercifully excufe, and pardon the Evil of the AEtion, for the good Meaning of it yet he can never perfellly approve and accept of it. But I think there is little need now a-days to caution Men againft this rafhnefs ; it is well if they have the Grace and Refolution to fuller when it is their Duty, and when they are called to it. Secondly, Nor can Men be truly faid to fuffer for the Caufe of Religion, when they fuffer not fortheir Faith, but their Fancy, and for the wilful and affeéted Error of a miftaken Confcience. As when Men fuffer for indifferent Things, which in Heat and Paillon they call Superflition and Idolatry ,z And for their own falfe Opinions in Religion, which they miftake for Fundamental Artic!:; of the Chrittian Faith. In this Cafe, their Mittake about thefe Things wil; nct change the Nature of them, nor turn their Sufferings into Martyrdom ; and yet many Men have certainly fuffered for their own Miflakes. For as Men may be fo far deluded, as to think they do God good fervice, when they kill his faithful Ser- vants ; fo likewife may they be fo far deceived, as to facrifice their Lives, and all that is dear to them, to their own culpable Errors and Mittakes. But this is Zeal without Knowledge, not the Wifdom which defcends from above, but that which comes from beneath, and is like the Fire of Hell, which is Heat without Light t. Thirdly, and Lafily ; Nor can Men truly be Paid to fuller for the Caufe ofGod and Religion, when they fuffer for the open Profeflion and Defence of Truths not neceffary. For tho' aManbe obliged to make an open Profeflion of all Fun- damental and Neceffary Truths ; yet he is under no fuch Obligation to make Pro- feffion ofTruths not neceffary at all times and unlefs he be called to deny them, he is not bound either to declareor defend them ; he may hold his Peace at other times, and be filent about them, efpecially when the open Profeflion of them will probably do no good to others, and will certainly do hurt to our felves, and the zealous endeavour to propagate fuch Truths will be to the greater Prejudice of Charity, and the difturbance of the Publick Peace of the Church. It was a goodSaying ofErafmus (ifwe underítand it, as I believe he meant it, of Truths not neceffary) adeo invitefont mihi difcordiw, ut veritas etiam contentio- fa difpliceat : I am (lays he)foperfeFi a hater of difcord, that Iam even difpleafd with Truth, when it is the occafion of Contention. As a Man is never to denyTruth, fo neither ishe obliged to make an open Profeflion of Truths not neceffary at all times ; and if he fuffer upon that account, he cannot juflifie it to his own Pru- dence, nor have comfort in filch Sufferings ; becaufe he brings them needlefly upon himfelf; and noMan can have comfort, but in Suffering for doing hisDuty. And thus I have done with thefirfiThing I propofed toenquire into namely, when Men may be truly laid to fuller for the Caufeof Religion? I proceed now to the S f H. Enquiry 5
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