[SERM. would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul, had accomplish'd their Defign, and had fuffer'd for it, their blind Zeal, and the Erroneoufnefs of their Confciences, tho' ftrengthen'd with an Oath and Covenant, could never have made this in them a fuffering for Righteousness fake. How far God may pardon an ignorant blind Zeal, is to us unknown; but it is very unreasonable to think he will reward it, far lefs with that highest Reward in Glory which is immediately promis'd here to Martyrs. Two Things, then, as far as I can perceive, are required, as to this Point of the Caufe, for which we are to fuffer; namely, that it be a worthy good Cause in itself, and that our Suffering be likewise fincere, with a pure Eye to God, and not govern'd, or chiefly influenc'd, with other carnal Ends and Regards; fuch as Pride and Vanity, Fation and Party, or indifcreet Zeal in drawing the Sufferings upon ourfelves by other Provocations. In fhort, then, we are neither entitled to this Beatitude when we have a wrong Caufe, tho' we mean well, and have a good, but an erroneous Confcience; nor when we have a good Cause, but not a good Confcience towards God, nor carry ourselves dutifully and peaceably towards Men, The moft ufual good Causes for which we may venture to fuffer, and, if our Intentions are right, may promise ourselves that our Sufferings will be approved and accepted by God, are thefe three: 1. As to our Faith, when we fuffer for owning, profeffing, and adhering to the Chriftian Religion, or any fundamental Article thereof. 2. As to our Practice, when we fuffer for doing any thing exprefly commanded by God, or for

refufing

refufing to do any thing exprefly prohibited by him. 3. When we fuffer for not admitting doubtful or erroneous Opinions as Doctrines of the Chriftian Faith. The first of these, indeed, is but feldom now the Occafion of Perfecution, as it generally was of old, before we had so many Chriftian Kingdoms and Commonwealths, at leaft the Sufferings of Chriftians as fuch are feldom to Blood; it is more the ftrict Practice, than the Profeffion of Chriftianity, which is now perfecuted; and the Perfecutors, inftead of profeffed Pagans, are mere nominal Chriftians, who are little better; and, inftead of a Perfecution to Blood, it is only a Perfecution which reaches their good Name, or outward Estates and Preferments. The fecond fort of Perfecution is more common, I mean that which is for doing Chriftian Duties, or for not doing fomething prohibited by God. Thus of old John the Baptift was a Martyr for reprehending Herod for his inceftuous Marriage; and of later Years how many have undergone fharp Perfecutions for ufing a Bible in the vulgar Tongue, or for not adoring a confecrated Wafer, and for divers other Points of pretended Duty or Worship? The third fort, too, is too common a Ground of Perfecution, when we are perfecuted for not admitting erroneous or doubtful Opinions, as Articles of Faith; for the fame Fidelity to Chrift, which makes us ftedfaft in the Profeffion or Practice of known Truths and Duties, fhould likewife guard us against any additional Doctrines of Chriflianity more than have been deliver'd us by Christ and his Apoftles. For as it is fully as great a Crime to counterfeit à King's Seal to give Authority to pretended In-. ftructions

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ftructions which never came from him, as it is to difobey those which come ftamped with Royal Authority; fo it is as great a Crime to admit the Inventions of Men as Doctrines of Christianity, as it is to deny our Affent or Obedience to fuch Doctrines, or Rules of Life, as were undoubtedly delivered by Chrift: Not but that several indifferent Things may be admitted as Matters of Decency and Expediency, yet not as Doctrines of Chriftianity, for Affertion of which he would have us expofe ourselves to Suffering. So far from it, that it is a most justifiable Cause of Suffering, rather to undergo it, than to admit of the Inventions of Men to be impos'd upon us as Chriftian Doctrines. So much for the Goodness of the Caufe which is the principal Ingredient in this Virtue, that the Suffering be for Righteousness Lake.

The Second Thing to be confider'd in this Virtue, is, the Firmness and Refolution of Mind in adhering to this righteous Caufe, and in not being terrified from it by the bitterest and sharpest Perfecution. This is a very great and most difficult Piece of Virtue, when, to the Difficulties in the Nature of the Virtue itself, there is an Addition of other external Difficulties, enough to diftract the Minds, and to overcome the Courage and Patience of any Men who have but common Refolution. There is nothing but a fuperior Fear of God which can overcome this Fear of Man; and the Pains of Perfecution being both fharp and prefent, it must require a very firmBelief of the abfent Promifes, to bear up against the Terrors, and Pains, and lingering Torments of Perfecution. It is certain, then, that the Mean

ing of pronouncing a Bleffing to them who are perfecuted for Righteousness fake, is fo to be underftood, provided they continue stedfast in their righteous Profeffion and Practice, notwithstanding all fuch ill Ufage and Perfecution.

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Thirdly, To entitle one to that high Pitch of Virtue called Martyrdom, it is neceffary, that, befides a good Caufe, and a good Courage and Refolution to adhere to it, we be purely paffive under the Perfecution. I mean, that we do not fly to the Arms of Refiftance; for if we do, whatever the Cause is, we can't, I think, be entitled to Martyrdom, when we are only worsted, as being inferior in Strength; but when we suffer tiently and chearfully in a good Caufe, and do not endeavour to repel Force with Force, this is the true Suffering of Martyrs, To conclude, then, the Defcription of this Virtue; It is such a prevalent Love to God, or to our Duty for his fake, that no Hardship thall beat us from the Practice of our Duty; but that we chufe rather patiently to fuffer, than fin. This is the Notion of this Virtue in general; but we may come to a more diftinct Knowledge of it, by confidering more particularly the particular Acts and Expreffions of it, the chief of which are these following:

1. In order to this Patience and Conftancy under Perfecution, there fhould be a deliberate Forecafting in our Minds of all the Hazards attending every Duty in particular, and our Chriftian Profeffion in general. We should fit down and count what the Coft will amount to of this fpiritual Building we are going about; to what Loffes, Afflictions, and Croffes, it will probably expofe us, in carrying it on to Perfection. This

is a Doctrine very much inculcated by our Saviour and his Apoftles, and abfolutely neceffary indeed towards rencountering fo great Difficulties as every good Chriftian has, or may have to struggle with. And in this ferious Deliberation and Refolution we should take a View not only of the common Troubles which attend the Profeffion and Practice of Chriflianity, fuch as flow from the Practices and Combinations of Men poffefs'd with a wicked, worldly, or carnal Spirit, who in all Times are Enemies to ferious Piety; but we fhould likewise forecast in our Minds, how poffible it is that fome Time or other Atheism or Herefy may get into the Throne, and that either the civil or ecclefiaftical Powers may be Encouragers of Vice or Error, and declar'd Enemies to Virtue and Truth; nay, how poffible it is that fuch a Zeal for Error or Idolatry may prevail, that Men will think they do God good Service by raising bloody Perfecutions against the true Church, which they think the heretical one: Nay, further, we should bring the Matter yet more home to ourselves, and every one ask himself the Question, If I muft either renounce Christianity in general, or fome confiderable Truth, or Duty of it in particular, or endure the Lofs of all Places and Preferments, the Forfeiture of my Estate, the Banishment, Imprisonment, Famishing, Torturing, or Death of my Perfon; which should I chufe? Could I be faithful to the Death, that I might obtain a Crown of Life?

2. To this Deliberation of the Mind counting the Coft, it is neceffary there be added, especially in Times of Danger, an Expectation of Sufferings, and a fteady Refolution to bear them pa

tiently