Chap .5. according toStMATTxçVV. F f all be called she childrenofGod j o They (hall both t;, andbe (aid to be, both counted and called, have both the name and the note, the comfort and the credit of' the children of God. And if any Atheift (hall objeft, What fo great honour is that ? Behold, faith St]ohn, what manner of love theFather hash. be- a J:,h,g r: (towed upon us, that we hhould be called the (önnes of God. IC was fó;nething to be called the fon of Pharaohs daughter, to be fon in law to the King, with David, to be heir to the Crown,with Solomon, : but farce more, that God should fay of him, I will be his father,and he (hall be my tonne; and I will eftablifh his King- dom, a Sam 7.14. This is the happy effeft offaith : for to them that beleeve on his name, gave he power and priviledge tobecome esoíxv, thefounts ofGod. Now faith ever works by love, and love cover- 4.ße 1,1 a. eth amultitude of fins ; not by any merit or expiation with God, Y Per 4 8. but by feeking and fetling peaceamong men. And this is as fore and as tweet a figne of a fon of the God of peace, as the party-co- z Sam,: a s s; loured coats were,anciently,of the Kings children. Verte to. B leffed are they thatarepertcured. ] Tobeperle- cuted (as (imply confidered) is noblef'ed thing ; for then it were to be defired and praid for. ßut let aman love aquiet li/e, and la- P i¡.; 4,i;. bour tofee gooddaies,faid thofe twogreat champions, Davidand i Per.3.10. Peter, who themfelves had indured a world of perfecution, and paid for their learning. The like counfell gives St Paul,and the Au- i Tim,:.a. thour to the Hebrews : For they felt by experience, howunable i ['heí:4. r t. they were tobear crofles when they fall upon them. It was this Hcytz.i L Peter that denied his matter, upon the fight of a filly wench that quettioned him : And this David, that changed his behaviour be- fore Abimelech, and thereupon gave this advice to all that should comeafter him. For righteoufne jfe rkf, ] This is it that makes the Martyr, a good caute and a good conference. Martyremfacit caul , non fate pliciumfaith one father ; Not the fuffermg, but the caute makesa Martyr. And, Maltum intereîf, F1 gualia qu:s, fi' gnalis qui Grrg. patiarur, faithanother:It greatlyski Het h, both whit it is a man tuffereth,and what a one he is that fuffereth. If he fluffr as an evil- doer,he hath his mends in his own hands : but if for righteoufneffe ra'i: qu'GÍt fake,as here, and if men ray and do all manner or evil againft you 1Har t t ..+ +_ (falj y and /jingly) for my fake,as in the next verte, and for the '; Gof6 lc f 4!. as Aí rl¿c bath it, this is nobar to bleffedneffe. Nay, it i's-C1 hi h preferruent on earthy Phil, t.2n,. and hath a crown abiding
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